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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 10/18/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
10/18/2019 edition:
By Kyle Gipe on Oct 17, 2019 12:10 pm
In today’s NHL Rumors rundown, are the Montreal Canadiens looking to add a defenseman? Do the Washington Capitals have a goaltending controversy? Plus, what’s the latest between the New Jersey Devils and Taylor Hall and what does Tom Fitzgerald joining the Devils coaching staff mean?
Canadiens Scouting Vlasic?
According to Canada’s TVA Sports, the Canadiens are looking to add a left-shot defenseman and are specifically looking at San Jose Sharks blueliner Marc-Edouard Vlasic, a Montreal native. The article cites Sharks reporter Kevin Kurz who mentions that the Canadiens have been scouting the Sharks early this season.
Vlasic hasn’t had the best start to 2019-20 with zero points and is a minus-eight through seven games. The once-premium defensive defenseman has struggled since the start of 2018-19 when he finished with 25 points and was a minus-six. He’s only in the second year of an eight-year, $56-million extension he signed in July 2017 is already 32 and will be 39 when his contract expires. His $7-million cap hit is costly for a player whose best days may already be behind him. Then there’s the presence of his full no-move clause that runs through 2022-23, meaning he can veto any trade. However, if he continues to struggle and is looking for a fresh start, perhaps returning home to Montreal will help, although struggling in the hockey hotbed of Canada is a lot different than struggling in California.
Another target for the Canadiens offered up by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his 31 Thoughts column is Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Juuso Riikola. Friedman believes that the Canadiens have already looked into Riikola, who would be a safer player to acquire even though his track record is short. He’s only played in 38 NHL games in his career and made his season debut last night against the Colorado Avalanche, but only played 6:27. It’s no secret that the Penguins are looking to move a defenseman, as they currently have nine on their NHL roster, so there’s reason to believe they’d deal Riikola and he wouldn’t cost much in terms of assets.
Who’s the Capitals’ No. 1 Goalie?
Braden Holtby entered the season as the Capitals’ clear No. 1 goaltender. The former Vezina Trophy and Stanley Cup winner has made 416 starts in his career and has been their starter since 2012-13. His backup was expected to be either Pheonix Copley or uber-prospect Ilya Samsonov, the team’s 15th-overall pick from 2015. Prior to the season, Copley was sent down to the American Hockey League and Samsonov was named Holtby’s backup. However, early this season, Samsonov has vastly outplayed Holtby. In three starts, he has a .933 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.84 goals-against average (GAA). Meanwhile, in five starts, Holtby has an .846 SV% and a 4.27 GAA. He was also pulled against the Avalanche on Oct. 14 after he allowed three goals on three shots. Samsonov, in relief, stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced.
After the game, head coach Todd Reirden confirmed that Holtby remains the team’s No. 1 goaltender, but offered up praise for Samsonov:
“I mean, he’s a rookie goaltender and finding his way, and I’ve liked how he’s played so far,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said of Samsonov. “Just thought this was the right decision to get him back in for us tonight.
Reirden did go with Samsonov in net in the Capitals’ next game on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played well against an elite offense, moving past the two first-period goals he allowed to earn the 4-3 win. In total, he allowed 3 goals on 32 shots and stood tall in the third period. Once again, Reirden was complimentary of Samsonov’s game:
It was a good game for him, and it was a really good game for a young goaltender because things probably didn’t go exactly the way he wanted in the first and he made an adjustment
After Samsonov’s strong start, the goaltending controversy only heightened. Following the team’s loss to the Avalanche, Reirden said that Holtby may get the start Friday against the New York Rangers. Now, after what Samsonov displayed last night, perhaps he’ll start against the Rangers. As long as he continues to play well and Holtby struggles, the controversy will remain. The Capitals are still in their Stanley Cup window and can’t afford to give away points in a competitive Metro Division and Eastern Conference.
Plus, there’s Holtby’s future as he’s a free agent at season’s end and will command a large price tag on his next contract. If Samsonov proves he’s ready to be the clear-cut No. 1 next season, it makes parting with Holtby easier, freeing up a lot of cap space for the Capitals along the way.
Related: Is Holtby Done with the Capitals?
Will Devils’ Slow Start Impact Hall Negotiations?
Although the most obvious impact of the Devils’ 0-4-2 start is head coach John Hynes’ job security, it isn’t the only impact. The team was hoping to jump out to a fast start this season in order to help convince pending free agent Taylor Hall to sign an extension to stay in New Jersey. That has naturally led to many speculating whether or not the team’s bad start has affected Hall’s desire to remain a Devil or how the team plans on handling Hall moving forward. According to Friedman, he has no reason to believe that anything has changed from the Devils’ standpoint.
There’s no reason to believe, at this time, the Devils are weighing any option other than signing Hall to a long-term extension. That is the plan; that is the hope.
While the Devils have been dreadful early this season, Hall is not part of the problem. His five points lead the team, but the Devils currently have a minus-14 goal differential thanks to a porous defense and poor goaltending. It’s clear that general manager Ray Shero won’t hesitate to make a move, but he is looking to make the right move, not a hasty one. It’s likely that starts with adding a defenseman, but it may not stop there.
Fitzgerald on Hynes’ Coaching Staff
Yesterday afternoon the Devils announced that assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald will be joining Hynes’ coaching staff beginning with tonight’s game against the Rangers. Fitzgerald has plenty of playing experience but no coaching experience as he joined the Penguins front office after he retired from playing. So what could this mean for the Devils?
It’s easy to see this move and connect it to Hynes’ departure, however, that may not be the case. Fitzgerald has plenty of experience scouting and was the Penguins’ director of player personnel when he joined their front office. Friedman points out that in these situations, the goal is typically to move a member of the front office behind the bench in order to get a better feel for what/who is and isn’t working. By determining which players aren’t good fits, Fitzgerald and Shero can make decisions on who stays and who goes in their attempt to salvage the season. This doesn’t mean Hynes is off the hot seat, but it does point to the front office’s willingness to seek other solutions first.
The post NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Capitals, Hall, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Kyle Gipe on Oct 16, 2019 11:20 am
In today’s NHL Rumors rundown, all rumors come from TSN’s Insider Trading where Pierre LeBrun, Bob McKenzie, and Darren Dreger bring the latest news. The rumors include optimism surrounding Dustin Byfuglien, how Kyle Turris’ strong play impacts his trade value, and whether the Toronto Maple Leafs can re-sign Jake Muzzin. Plus, just how hot are the seats of Bruce Boudreau and John Hynes.
Byfuglien Leaning Towards Returning?
With the future of Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien up in the air, there may be reason to be optimistic about his return to the lineup. Darren Dreger reports that there’s a “growing sense of optimism” that Byfuglien could return this season. He makes it clear that there’s nothing official and that the team has neither confirmed nor denied any reports surrounding Byfuglien. However, his speculation does support Winnipeg Free Press writers Mike McIntyre and Jason Bell, both who feel there’s reason for optimism.
Although the Jets have gotten off to a decent 4-4-0 start, they’ve allowed four or more goals in five of seven games. Their defense is struggling and has allowed a league-leading 274 shots on goal. Granted, their goaltenders, who have an .891 team save percentage, haven’t helped out the defense, but the blue line clearly needs to do a better job at preventing chances. Byfuglien’s return would help with that while simultaneously providing offense from the blue line.
Are the Predators Still Looking to Trade Turris?
Kyle Turris’ Nashville Predators tenure has not gone well. The Predators gave up a lot to acquire him, signed him to a six-year, $36-million contract, and he has not lived up to expectations. This summer, general manager David Poile attempted to move Turris after he had 10 points in 10 games for Team Canada at the World Championships. He has had a really strong start to 2019-20, with four points in six games, but is currently centering the fourth line and averaging 12:30 of ice time per game, his lowest since 2010-11.
Related: What’s Wrong with Turris?
That’s good production from the bottom line, however, $6 million per year is too much to spend on a fourth-line center and it’s unlikely he passes Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, and Nick Bonino on the depth chart without injuries occurring. During the preseason, Turris played some on Duchene’s wing, but that hasn’t happened yet during the regular season. Bob McKenzie points out that the current situation is not ideal for Turris or the Predators, but moving him won’t be easy. Yes, Turris has somewhat rebuilt his trade value this season, but his cap hit remains a sticking point.
He’s currently on a 55-point pace over a full 82-game season, so there’s bound to be interest from teams looking to bolster their center depth, however, will Poile break his well-known policy of not retaining salary to move Turris? A bad contract-for-bad contract trade doesn’t seem to be the solution either. So, what would the Predators be looking for in return for Turris? Would it solely be futures, either draft picks or prospects? Would it be for a controllable middle-six winger with Craig Smith being an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer? It’s the unknown at the moment, but I think it’s fair to expect the Predators to give Turris the best opportunity to succeed in order to further rebuild his trade value.
Maple Leafs’ Plans for UFA Defensemen
The TSN crew, and specifically Pierre LeBrun, also addressed the Maple Leafs’ defense situation now that the team has extended their core forwards. Jake Muzzin, Cody Ceci, and Tyson Barrie, all acquired within the past year, are UFAs at season’s end. In fact, of defensemen currently in the NHL, only Morgan Rielly is signed through next season. Travis Dermott is controllable, but he is a restricted free agent next offseason and could be costly. With the team only predicted to have $15.9 million in cap space for next season and also needing to re-sign three RFA forwards, the Maple Leafs are going to be cash-strapped.
According to LeBrun, the team has had no conversations with Muzzin regarding his future and thinks that the front office is waiting to see how Barrie and Ceci fit in before moving forward. LeBrun states with absolute certainty that it’s going to be difficult for the Maple Leafs.
They can’t sign all three. They may not even be able to sign two. Prioritize the guy you are going to go after, perhaps in the new year, and go from there.
Considering that Muzzin ($4-million cap hit) and Barrie ($2.75 million) are due sizable raises, with Barrie reportedly looking for eight years at $8 million per year, there’s little room for the Maple Leafs to sign even two of the players when factoring in other contracts. (from ‘SIMMONS SAYS: Kawhi wanted to be part player, part GM,’ Toronto Sun, 07/06/2019) The team also has to account for Frederik Andersen becoming a UFA after 2020-21 and Rielly reaching free agency after 2021-22 when signing any future contracts. With over $65 million invested in 11 players for next season, it’s going to be a difficult situation for GM Kyle Dubas with little wiggle room.
Wild and Devils Being Patient with Coaches
Finally, the last rumors touched on by the TSN crew were the situations with Bruce Boudreau of the Minnesota Wild and John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils. Neither team has gotten off to a strong start, and in New Jersey fans have already started calling for Hynes’ job. However, LeBrun and McKenzie feel that both organizations will preach patience with both head coaches.
Regarding Boudreau, LeBrun believes new Wild GM Bill Guerin has a high level of patience with the current situation. That makes sense. Boudreau is in a contract year and can be parted with at season’s end. If the team is honest with itself, they’d recognize that this is not a playoff-bound team, regardless of coach. LeBrun further said that Guerin’s patience extends further than the coaching staff.
…in speaking with Bill Guerin on Tuesday, he said, ‘listen, I respect Bruce Boudreau. I’m going to be patient here.’ When he says patient, he means not just with him but with the entire roster before he starts making big changes.
In regards to Hynes and the Devils, McKenzie feels that GM Ray Shero will also be patient. This is in spite of the fake tweets that emerged yesterday that claimed Hynes was fired. McKenzie points out that the team has been terrible in all areas to start the season and not all of that is on Hynes. Instead, he feels that Shero is more likely to make roster changes before a coaching change. I think that is true given Shero’s track record of being patient with his head coaches. However, as I mentioned in yesterday’s Rumors piece, will expectations force Shero’s hand? The Devils play the New York Rangers, a historical rival, on Thursday night. If the Devils win, Hynes’ seat cools. But if they lose, especially via blown lead or blowout, and the calls for his job will only get louder and more frequent.
The post NHL Rumors: Byfuglien, Turris, Muzzin, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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