NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 02/20/2019

February 20, 2019

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

 02/20/2019 edition:

By Jim Parsons on Feb 19, 2019 06:42 pm

In today’s second edition of the rumor rundown, there was a big update from the TSN panel of Insider Trading, including news on Matt Duchene being pulled from the Senators lineup, Jakob Silfverberg almost ready to sign with the Ducks and Jesse Puljujarvi being sent back down to the AHL.

Duchene Will Not Be in Lineup on Thursday

The Ottawa Senators are pulling Matt Duchene from the Senators lineup until a deal is completed for the center or the player signs an extension with the team. It was reported by the panel on Insider Trading and confirmed by Darren Dreger that at this point for the Senators, it’s all about preserving the trade asset in Ottawa.

Matt Duchene #95, Ottawa Senators – February 3, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Heavy speculation is that this means inevitably Duchene will be traded by the Senators. There is also a feeling Duchene has already played his final game as an Ottawa Senator.

Bob McKenzie then asked if the same fate awaits Mark Stone. The next 24-48 hours will tell everyone what’s going on with both players.

Silfverberg Expected to Re-Sign With Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are not expected to trade Jakob Silfverberg and are well on their way to extending him on a new contract. There are a few details that need ironing out but the consensus is that a deal being announced is just a matter of time.

Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

The biggest delay is that this signing might be a cap management issue. Part of their attempt to solve this problem was placing Patrick Eeaves on waivers on Tuesday. This is big news for the Ducks as rumors were the two sides were not on the same page when it came to the length of an extension.

Jesse Puljujarvi Situation Critical

It is expected that when Jesse Puljujarvi comes off of the injured reserved list, the Edmonton Oilers want to send him down to Bakersfield of the AHL. The team feels this is best for his development and wants him to spend the remainder of the season there.

Jesse Puljujarvi (Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports)

The concern is Puljujarvi would not take kindly to being sent back down to the AHL and that the relationship between the Oilers and the player would be fractured beyond repair if this is the direction the Oilers chose to go. Bob McKenzie said the Oilers management team is not keen on the idea of trading Puljujarvi at this point but will consider doing so if a team comes to them with an offer that is hard to refuse.

Avalanche Trying to Move Sven Andrighetto

The Colorado Avalanche have not been seeing a ton of recent success. Part of their struggles is a lack of production from players like Sven Andrighetto. As such, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes in his latest 31 Thoughts column that the Avalanche are trying to move Andrighetto before the deadline.

Avalanche right wing Sven Andrighetto (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Friedman believes the team might be showcasing the player as he played over 18 minutes last night for the Avs. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, one that requires a qualifying offer of $1.55 million.

Panarin Being Pulled But Not For Trade Protection

Artemi Panarin is not playing tonight against Montreal but not because the Blue Jackets are trying to protect him in the event of a trade. Coach John Tortorella was adamant that this was due to illness.

Tortorella said, “Panarin won’t face #Habs tonight due to illness. Torts was emphatic that Panarin’s absence is not to protect a potential trade asset: “He’s SICK… he sh*& his pants and he’s puking his guts out.”

Nick Jensen and Gustav Nyquist Drawing Trade Interest

The TSN panel confirmed what Brian Lawton of NHL Network tweeted earlier that there is increasing interest in Nick Jensen of the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings are asking for a second-round pick or more in exchange for the defenseman.

There are also discussions on Gustav Nyquist but teams are telling the Red Wings to let them know before they do anything because they have their eyes on some of the bigger names potentially available at the trade deadline. Nyquist has a full no-trade clause.

By Jim Parsons on Feb 19, 2019 04:14 pm

Only six days remain as NHL teams approach the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Our second to the last edition of the Top-10 Must-Watch list has a number of names on it that have occupied the list for weeks. Our assumption is, by the time this list is posted the day before the deadline, many of the names will be gone, having been traded to other NHL franchises.

For now, and with few big names off the board, here is this week’s list:

1. Artemi Panarin, Columbus Blue Jackets:

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen has let opposing GM’s know that Artemi Panarin is available at this year’s trade deadline. The kicker is Kekäläinen is not interested in wasting time.

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Artemi Panarin battles with Washington Capitals’ Matt Niskanen (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP /Jay LaPrete)

The Blue Jackets GM has made it well known that if teams are going to make an offer for Panarin, it better be their best offer. Columbus wants a piece that can help them immediately as they push for the playoffs and another piece they can hang onto after the season comes to a close.

So far teams have not lined up to make offers because they’re waiting to see what shapes up with players like Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. The Dallas Stars, New York Islanders and Nashville Predators are rumored to have interest.

2. Matt Duchene, Ottawa Senators:

Matt Duchene has not been approached by the Ottawa Senators with a “take it or leave it” offer nor have they forced him to make a decision but it is expected they’ll reach out to him in the next day or two and get a solid idea of whether or not he plans to sign an extension. If not, speculation is he’ll be traded.

Ottawa Senators center Matt Duchene could give the Blue Jackets a top-six boost. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

The Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and New York Islanders are said to have inquired about his availability. Columbus is rumored to be offering Alexander Wennberg.

The Fourth Period is also reporting that assuming Duchene is traded, he’s not opposed to signing an extension with his new team before the end of the season. That could make Nashville a favorite to land him.

3. Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators

Another player out of Ottawa, it’s being said that the Senators are pushing harder to get Mark Stone signed since they don’t know the status of Duchene.

Matt Duchene and Mark Stone may be on their way out 👀 pic.twitter.com/9QONCA8vMo

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 17, 2019

The Sens have reportedly come to the table with a creative offer that ups Stone’s annual average salary and that’s given him a reason for pause. Like Duchene, if Stone doesn’t re-sign before Feb. 25, he will be traded. It appears there are far more teams interested in Stone than Duchene and if Stone goes, he could be the piece that gets the rest of the dominos falling.

The Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames are rumored to be in heavy on Stone.

4. Alex Chiasson, Edmonton Oilers:

With the Edmonton Oilers falling farther and farther back on the playoff race, Alex Chiasson becomes a more likely piece to be moved out of Edmonton. The team has already shipped out Cam Talbot and Ryan Spooner and it is expected the Oilers will dump more assets.

Oilers forward Alex Chiasson could go as the Oilers continue to struggle. (Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports)

Chiasson has been ice cold since Dec. 16 but he still has some trade value and could fetch a third-round draft pick.

5. Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia Flyers:

Frank Seravalli is reporting that right-winger Wayne Simmonds has generated interest from the Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, and Tampa Bay Lightning, along with two Canadian clubs.

Wayne Simmonds could make for a good trade deadline rental. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

As Seravalli writes, “Simmonds, 30, has registered just 27 points (16 goals, 11 assists) in 59 games and will likely see his scoring output decrease for the third straight season.” This likely makes Simmonds a good rental candidate but not a piece any acquiring team would seriously consider re-signing, thus teams might not be willing to give as much up for Simmonds as some other players.

Best of the Rest

6. Brandon Manning, Edmonton Oilers:

The Oilers just waived Manning and sent him to Bakersfield to make room for Andrej Sekera who was activated and will make his debut on Tuesday versus the Arizona Coyotes. There are likely few takers for Manning but if the Oilers can dump his contract, they will certainly try.

7. Adam McQuaid, New York Rangers:

There are rumors that the Toronto Maple Leafs have had some pretty strong discussions on Adam McQuaid out of New York.

8. Gustav Nyquist, Detroit Red Wings:

As Tony Wolak from THW reported earlier today, over the weekend, it was reported during Hockey Night in Canada’s “Headlines” segment that the Detroit Red Wings have officially asked forward and top trade chip Gustav Nyquist for a list of teams that he would be willing to accept a trade to.

The Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks could be among the teams with some interest.

9. Kevin Hayes, New York Rangers:

The Columbus Blue Jackets might be interested in Kevin Hayes out of the Rangers organization if they don’t land their first choice in Matt Duchene.

10. Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers:

Zuccarello is another name out of the Rangers organization that could be moved but it likely won’t be until after some of the bigger names go near the deadline. Zuccarello is a good fallback option for teams who might not land their first choice.

By Jim Parsons on Feb 19, 2019 12:02 pm

In today’s rumor rundown there are updates on the Ottawa Senators, specifically Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. There is also news on the Columbus Blue Jackets plan of action when it comes to how best to trade Artemi Panarin. Will the Vancouver Canucks be interested in adding a rental at the trade deadline and will Eric Staal be traded out of Minnesota?

Decisions on Stone and Duchene Imminent

Darren Dreger of TSN said, “Unless there’s last minute change, the Ottawa Senators plan on trading Matt Duchene. In fact, he added that the team has never taken a firm stance on him signing or not and they just sort of assumed his lack of signing was an indication he wasn’t going to.

Mark Stone’s future in Ottawa should also be determined early this week, well in advance of the trade deadline.” The Columbus Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators are believed to be among the teams that have called to inquire.

Mark Stone (61) speaks with center Matt Duchene (Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

Brian Lawton suggested he would be shocked if neither player were moved before the deadline and that Ryan Dzingel is the player most likely to stay in Ottawa at this point.

The Senators and Jets Talking

Sports columnist for the Winnipeg Jets, Mike McIntyre said he was watching the Winnipeg Jets-Nashville Predators AHL game in the press box yesterday and noticed Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion, assistant GM Peter MacTavish and director of pro scouting Jim Clark talking. He believes the Senators have interest in goaltender Eric Comrie (WPG) and Eeli Tolvanen (NSH) as potential targets.

Blue Jackets Waiting for Right Panarin Offer

Frank Seravalli of TSN reported that the Blue Jackets have told any interested parties they should bring their best offers to the table for Panarin because he is available. So far, nothing has really presented itself because teams are waiting to see what happens with Duchene and Stone before they pile up the offers for Panarin.

Eric Staal Won’t Make a Move Out of Minnesota Easy

Elliotte Friedman was on the NHL Network, and spoke about the Minnesota Wild being sellers. He said, “I have heard it.”.

Could Eric Staal be traded out of Minnesota? He doesn’t want to go. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

He added:

“The one thing about Eric Staal is Staal has some control over his movement. The rumor is that he hasn’t exactly… he’s not going to make it easy in terms of where they could move him. Some of the teams that Minnesota might try to move him to, he might make it hard for them to be on his list.”

Friedman believes Staal really likes it in Minnesota and isn’t actively going to assist in facilitating a move out of the city or the organization. He can make a list of 10 teams to which he will not accept a trade. Instead, one name Friedman thinks might move is Charlie Coyle. “…Charlie Coyle – that is a name that has been in a lot of rumors from time-to-time over the past two years. … So I think that’s going to all come down to asking price.”

Canucks Likely Staying Out of Trade Deadline Market

Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning said he may not be looking at the rental market and if he’s going to make a move, he may wait for free agency.

General manager Jim Benning said the Vancouver Canucks might wait for free agency to make a move. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

There were some rumors the team might be interested in Jakob Silfverberg but that appears to be false, at least in terms of adding him at the expense of their rebuild plans. Benning said, “If we’re going to do trades, it’s going to be players who can be pieces of the puzzle moving forward.”

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By Jim Parsons on Feb 18, 2019 03:19 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, there is news on the New York Rangers and their current list of free agents. The New York Islanders are likely going to keep their UFA’s and hunt for a rental and the Montreal Canadiens might not do much of anything at the deadline this year. Finally, where are things at between Matt Duchene and the Ottawa Senators and what will the Boston Bruins do to take that final step as a Cup contender?

Latest Updates on the Rangers

Larry Brooks of the New York Post says the Tampa Bay Lightning might have their eyes on Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid. He also mentions Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton is having contract extension talks with the agents for Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello.

Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers, Dec 27, 2017 (Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports)

As far as contracts go, there is a big gap between the team and the players but the two sides continue to negotiate. The organization is worried that of the $25 million they have available in cap space next season, Zuccarello and Hayes could take up as much as $12 million of it. In order to make it work, the Rangers might elect to buy out players like Kevin Shattenkirk and Brendan Smith.

That said, since the contracts could be an issue, Brooks also suggests that it’s more likely the two players are traded. He writes that because both players want long-term deals they’ll likely get them from someone else in free agency.

Senators Slow-Playing the Duchene Talks

The situation in Ottawa is tricky when it comes to the Senators and Matt Duchene. Bob McKenzie was on Montreal’s TSN 690 and said, “Ottawa didn’t want to say to Duchene, ‘Okay, you’ve got until Tuesday at noon or we’re going to trade you.’ … Everybody is just kind of slow-playing it, and at some point here Ottawa has obviously gone back to the notion of trying to trade him, and that’s what Dregs basically reported.”

Matt Duchene #95, Ottawa Senators – (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The Senators are letting Duchene take his time but the organization needs to know what to do when it comes to assuming if he’s going to stay or leave. McKenzie said at some point, the Senators will “go out and find out what they can get for Duchene. And before they pull the trigger on the trade, because the official door has not been slammed shut on re-signing, they’ll go back and say one final time, ‘Okay, are you sure you don’t want to sign.”

The feeling seems to be Duchene will be moved.

Islanders Could Move Their First-Round Pick

The Fourth Period is reporting the New York Islanders might be willing to move their first-round pick this year for a player like Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, Eric Staal, Gustav Nyquist or Ilya Kovalchuk. If they don’t have to give up their first-rounder, they might elect to offer up someone like Josh Ho-Sang, Michael Dal Colle and/or Kieffer Bellows.

Josh Ho-Sang, New York Islanders, September 17, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

When it comes to their own players Andrew Gross of Newsday is reporting that the Islanders haven’t held contract talks with pending UFAs Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, and Jordan Eberle, but none of the three players are expected to be traded before the deadline.

Eberle said in regards to him possibly being traded, “This year, with the way the team has been playing, we’re a pretty strong group together and I can’t imagine. But you never know.” Lee said on his contract negotiations, “It’s continued on the same path and things are good.”

Deadline Could Be Quiet for Canadiens

Renaud Lavoie reported on Twitter, he has been told that the chances are high that the Montreal Canadiens won’t be doing much ahead of the trade deadline.

Bruins In It to Win It

Darren Dreger said Monday on Toronto’s TSN 1050, the Bruins might sacrifice some of their young forwards to make a run now. “When you look at Boston, they’ve got two or three very similar young forwards like Heinen, Bjork,” noted Dreger. Saying the team might be willing to part with them, he added:

“They feel like they’re designed to contend for the Stanley Cup right now, and it’s pretty obvious why when you look at some of their aging forwards like Backes and Krejci. … They just would like to add a little bit more and they’re willing to part with the assets, be it draft picks or some of the young pieces that I’ve talked about.”

By Jim Parsons on Feb 17, 2019 02:30 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, there is news the Dallas Stars might be in the market for a rental player who can score and they may be going after a big name. There is also an update on the contract talks between the Ottawa Senators and Mark Stone. Finally, would the Edmonton Oilers consider replacing Ken Hitchcock at this point in the season?

Dallas Stars in the Rental Market

Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com writes that the Dallas Stars appear to be in the market for a rental scorer. “We’re very open to anything,” general manager Jim Nill said. He added, “We’re very open to making a hockey trade if it’s going to make us better. If we stay in the hunt the way we are, we’re open to adding to our team.”

General manager Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars says the team might add at the deadline. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

Nill adds that he’s not in a rush to make that addition today and will wait until closer to the Feb. 25 date as teams figure out where they stand in a very tight wild-card race in Western Conference. Waiting will also better establish the price their team will have to pay for whatever rental player they go after.

One of the players the Stars might be rumored to be watching is Artemi Panarin. Elliotte Frieman said and then restated it on Saturday Headlines segment, the Stars could end up being a player for Panarin.

Senators Pick Up Talks with Mark Stone

Sportsnet’s Saturday Headlines segment covered the latest on the negotiations between Mark Stone and the Ottawa Senators. According to Elliotte Friedman, talks have picked up. “The word in the past couple of days has been that both the Senators and Stone’s representatives have re-engaged and they’re trying to see if they can find common ground to extend the player,” Friedman said.

Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators, Nov. 15, 2016 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Nick Kypreos added that the main area of concern is the structure of the extension and the signing bonus portion of that contract. The Senators want to keep Stone and seem willing to do what it takes but they’re hoping he will help them out when it comes to the amount of a signing bonus it would take to keep him.

If a deal can’t be worked out, two teams rumored to be interested in Stone are the Winnipeg Jets and the Vegas Golden Knights.

Meanwhile, Friedman says that the Senators are now officially shopping Matt Duchene. “The word around the league is that Ottawa has quietly begun to put his name out there, see what the offers are — they’re testing the market on No. 95.”

Darren Dreger also wrote on Twitter, “Unless there’s last minute change, the Ottawa Senators plan on trading Matt Duchene. Mark Stone’s future in Ottawa should also be determined early this week, well in advance of the trade deadline.”

Hitchcock Might Not Finish the Season as Oilers Coach

During that same segment, Kypreos said that Edmonton Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock’s style of coaching may be wearing thin on their younger players and he’s been asked to be more positive by the organization.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Ken Hitchcock has been asked to tone it down. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Jeff Chiu)

Saying that Hitch has certainly made a lot of noise in terms of how he’s challenged his players, the Oilers have addressed the matter internally and if he doesn’t tone it down, the organization might actually turn the team over to assistant coach Glen Guletzan. Such a move would be another huge black mark on the Oilers franchise if they can’t even keep a new coach for more than 40 games.

Kypreos also added that the Oilers aren’t likely to trade forward Jesse Puljujarvi at this point since his value is at an all-time low. Friedman; however, said that Puljujarvi may be hoping he’s moved. “So Edmonton has a bridge they’ll have to build.”

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By Jim Parsons on Feb 16, 2019 02:05 pm

In today’s rumor rundown, there is news out of Carolina but is the team a buyer or seller heading into the trade deadline? What about in Edmonton where the team has traded Cam Talbot and Ryan Spooner in less than 12 hours time? Is Jesse Puljujarvi next? Is Bob McKenzie’s report that Artemi Panarin might actually stay in Columbus accurate? One insider thinks another surprising team might have a shot at him if they make some internal moves first. Finally, what’s the lastest on Toronto’s position with Kasperi Kapanen?

What’s in the Cards for Carolina?

Tom Gulitti of NHL.com wrote a piece on the Carolina Hurricanes and how active he believes they’ll be prior to the Feb. 25 trade deadline. He isn’t sure yet if the Hurricanes are buyers or sellers.

Carolina Hurricanes’ Saku Maenalanen and Edmonton Oilers’ Tobias Rieder (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

With their win over the Oilers on Friday night, they’ve crept closer to the Wild Card race in the Eastern Conference and they may choose to move a defenseman for scoring help. “We’re talking to a lot of teams,” GM for the Hurricanes Don Waddell said. “We still maintain we have a plethora of defensemen. I feel like with the right player or right package, is something we’d certainly entertain. … It’s got to make sense. It’s got to help us on the ice today.”

One thing it seems clear the Hurricanes won’t do is mortgage their future for rentals to stay competitive. That includes not giving up draft picks or prospects, instead wanting to do a player-for-player deal. If that means hanging onto a player like Micheal Ferland and treating his as their own internal rental, they will.

When it comes to what the Hurricanes are looking for in a trade, Waddel said, “More scoring. A centerman. We’d look at maybe a goalie for down the road.” One of the reasons Carolina might need a netminder is because both of theirs are pending unrestricted free agents.

If Carolina falters, expect them to move some pieces including potentially trading Justin Williams.

The Future for Jesse Puljujarvi

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug ran a series of tweets after the Oilers loss on Friday regarding young forward prospect Jesse Puljujarvi. Mark Spector of Sportsnet also reported that Puljujarvi’s agent had chatted with the Oilers and felt that maybe the team and the player had reached a crossroads.

Puljujarvi’s agent, Markus Lehto said that after his client already spent time in the AHL, “Are we reaching the point that for the team and for the player, it might be actually beneficial for going different paths, different routes?” This is not a good news situation for the Oilers if their player is frustrated with his development.

Jesse Puljujarvi might be sent down to Bakersfield soon. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Rishaug reports the Oilers are open to the idea of trading Puljujarvi if they are able to find the return they deem acceptable and there is a chance he will be sent back down to the AHL, whether he wants to go or not.

Could Panarin Actually Stay in Columbus?

Bob McKenzie tweeted that despite all the rumors and speculation surrounding Artemi Panarin being moved out of Columbus before the deadline, his gut feeling is that Panarin is more than likely to finish the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Meanwhile, Elliotte Friedman said during a Friday morning radio hit on Toronto’s Sportsnet 590 that people shouldn’t count out the Dallas Stars when it comes to teams who might be interested in the forward. He explained, “Panarin – I mentioned earlier this week, I saw the four main players for a rental being Winnipeg, Islanders, Nashville, and Calgary,” recalled Friedman. “Somebody said to me yesterday, ‘Do not count out Dallas.”

Friedman suggested with a few quick moves around the injured reserve list in Dallas, they could clear the space they need.

Maple Leafs and Kapanen’s Agent to Talk Deal

TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs and the agent for pending restricted free agent Kasperi Kapanen are expected to hold exploratory talks next week. Dreger says the two sides will talk about the possibility of a multi-year extension or a bridge deal and what the player prefers.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Dreger added, “What I know is that teams are curious on the trade front and the Toronto Maple Leafs because of cap implications know that Kasperi Kapanen could be also an offer sheet threat if it gets to that point in the summer.”

Listen to the Latest Hockey Writers Podcast

Want to hear who we believed would be the 10 most likely traded players before the trade deadline on Feb. 25?

* Hint: I correctly selected my number one and he was moved within hours of the show being recorded.

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