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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 06/22/2020
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
06/22/2020 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Jun 21, 2020 01:50 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, could the New Jersey Devils bring back a veteran defenseman? Is there an update on Jesse Puljujarvi possibly returning to Edmonton? And, what is going on with the NHL, Phase 3, and is a possible date set to start the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Devils Update: Andy Greene and Nico Hischier News
In a recent article from the Associated Press, former first overall pick at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier, participated in military service in Switzerland.
The 21-year-old would normally be required to perform 18 weeks of mandatory military service in Switzerland, but because he lives abroad he is exempt. Still, with no hockey and no good way to stay in shape, he decided this would be a good time to get involved.
Hischier told the Associated Press:
“One reason I did it was I needed to stay in shape. I didn’t know where to go because gyms weren’t open and I couldn’t just work out at home. I just didn’t have the tools for a good workout there. For a couple weeks it worked, but I felt like I needed to go somewhere to be prepared when we had to go back and play again. Then the army came and they had a great solution because where I’m working right now, that’s a great building. They have everything there you need.”
In other Devils news, Corey Masisak of The Athletic was asked what players not currently with the Devils organization have a chance to return? He named a very interesting candidate, although he did suggest the odds were low.
I guess Andy Greene could be. If the Devils go into the offseason looking for a veteran defenseman who can help mentor the younger guys, they obviously know what the former captain can provide.
Update on Jesse Puljujarvi to Edmonton
According to Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal, Jesse Puljujarvi will likely sign a one-year contract extension with Karpat of the Finnish Professional League.
Leavins writes:
Expect that such a deal would come with an NHL-out embedded. Puljujarvi’s recent “never say never” comment was taken by some to be a sign that he was open to returning to Edmonton. In reality, was it merely an effort to rehabilitate his trade value?
Puljujarvi’s comments were potentially taken a bit out of context. Because he didn’t rule out ever returning did no mean he was saying a return was likely.
Stanley Cup Playoffs to Start July 30?
Despite 11 cases of COVID-19 being reported in the NHL over the past few hours and despite the fact the NHL’s plans to roll out Phase 3 hasn’t exactly been seamless, the NHL sent out a directive following its general manager meetings on Friday outlining the Stanley Cup tournament qualifying rounds starting on July 30.
The announcement was that hub cities should be chosen within a week and that the start date of July 30 has been agreed upon in negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA, according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks. The only things that would change this date are health and safety protocols and a potential extension of the CBA.
Who Are the Hub City Candidates?
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the NHL has now officially narrowed its list of hub cities down to six. These six teams come from an original list of 10 and include three Canadian cities: Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto.
Apparently, Vancouver and Edmonton are ahead of Toronto, despite reports from Steve Simmons that Toronto was named the second hub city. If Vegas (because of their accommodation situation) is named along with either Vancouver or Edmonton, that means both cities will reside on the West Coast.
The post NHL Rumors: Devils, Oilers, Playoff Start Date, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Jun 20, 2020 11:40 am
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news developing around as many as 11 players testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. What does that mean for camps and why has one person’s name apparently been released? Could the Vancouver Canucks get Micheal Ferland back? And, in some fun Oilers news, a Connor McDavid rookie card sold for over $100K USD this weekend.
NHL and Maple Leafs Won’t Confirm Auston Matthews Rumors
Earlier Friday, reports surfaced that a number of players from around the NHL were testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. By the time tests had finished coming through, the total number of players reached 11 out of 200 players at Phase 2 camps.
Among them, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun reported that Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has tested positive and gone into quarantine at his home in Arizona. Simmons took a lot of heat for naming Matthews as the NHL’s policy is not to release medical information for players unless the player decides to release that information on their own.
Simmonds wrote:
Matthews, who is in the first year of a five-year $58 million deal with the Leafs, is by no means alone in contracting the virus in Arizona, where cases have spiked in recent days. According to sources, a numbers of unidentified Arizona Coyotes players, who were training alongside Matthews, also tested positive recently. Players on other NHL teams have tested positive over the past few months. None have been identified publicly.
The Maple Leafs released the following statement to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet:
Per the National Hockey League protocol with respect to COVID-19, the Toronto Maple Leafs will not be commenting on reports surrounds testing for any of the club’s players or staff. A person’s medical information in this regard is private. The club will defer to the NHL’s policy on handling the disclosure of positive tests results, in that the league will provide updates on a regular basis with aggregate totals of the numbers of tests conducted and number of positive tests reported without disclosing either the identities of affected clubs or players.
At this point, a number of outlets are confirming that Matthews did test positive but the NHL, the Maple Leafs, and Matthews himself have not spoken on the matter, nor confirmed the reports.
Toronto’s Frederik Andersen had been living with Matthews in Arizona for much of this pause in play but is no longer in Arizona and Simmons adds that he has not tested positive.
Related: 10 Best 7th Round Picks Since 2005
Lightning Release Statement Regarding Positive Tests
After news surfaced regarding the positive tests, the Tampa Bay Lightning issued a statement through GM Julien BriseBois:
We have learned that three players and additional staff members have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Those players have been self-isolated following CDC protocals and are asymptomatic other than a few cases of low-grade fever. Those who have been in contact with these individuals have been notified. The Lightning continue testing and are strictly following all NHL and government procedures as part of the league’s Phase 2 guidelines. Upon receiving positive tests yesterday, team training facilities were immediately closed with all players and staff being sent home. Those facilities will remain temporarily shut down until we can ensure a safe environment.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported that the facility would be temporarily shut down for Phase 2 after three Lightning players and two staff members were learned to have the disease. The expectation is that if all other players and staff test negative, the facility will re-open. McKenzie also notes: “Also, as the NHL ramps up the frequency of testing, which I understand is happening and will continue to go up, there are bound to be some more positive tests.”
Related: 7 Cool Things About Auston Matthews
Canucks Could Get Ferland Back
Vancouver Canucks winger Micheal Ferland has resumed skating after reports that he might not be able to make a comeback in time to join the team for any games this season. Ferland is battling concussion issues, but Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 reports things are looking positive for the power forward.
At this point, Ferland’s return is still being described as a step-by-step process.
Could Blues Bring Back Shattenkirk?
Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic notes in a recent mailbag segment that if Alex Pietrangelo doesn’t re-sign with the St. Louis Blues, don’t expect the St. Louis Blues to bring back Kevin Shattenkirk.
Rurtherford writes:
Shattenkirk’s departure from St. Louis wasn’t smooth, but beyond that, he’s 31 years old and the club doesn’t need him with Parayko and Justin Faulk on the right side. Yes, Shattenkirk has looked good with Tampa Bay this season, but it’s a great fit for him. I’m sorry — his Blues days are over.
McDavid Rookie Card Sells for $135,811
If Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid wasn’t already the best player in the world by multiple measures, you can add a top-selling hockey card to his list of accolades. Per Darren Rovell of The Action Network, McDavid’s 2015-16 Upper Deck “The Cup” rookie patch autographed card sold for $113K on Friday.
The rookie patch autograph card sold for the crazy amount in the Lelands Spring Classic Auction and because the purchaser will pay a 20% buyer’s premium that goes to the auction house, the total comes to $135,811.
The post NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs, Canucks, Blues, Lightning, Oilers, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Jun 19, 2020 01:35 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, is there any chance the Montreal Canadiens will look at Dustin Byfuglien as an option on their blue line? In Vancouver, what are the Canucks planning on doing with Loui Eriksson? Lias Andersson’s fate has been decided in New York, and there is more detail coming to light about the firings in Buffalo and just how ugly the situation got.
Montreal a Fit for Byfuglien?
In a recent mailbag segment, Andrew Berkshire of Sportsnet was asked if the Montreal Canadiens should or would attempt to sign recently available defenseman Dustin Byfuglien. Berkshire doesn’t see a fit in Montreal.
While the Canadiens will look to bolster their blue line depth next season, there has been some doubt the 35-year-old defenseman will even return to the NHL now that his contract with the Winnipeg Jets is over. His age, injury history, and questions about his commitment to play aren’t something the Canadiens should ignore. In short, Byfuglien is likely not the answer.
Berkshire writes:
I don’t think there’s any question that if Byfuglien wants to play that he’ll have a place in the NHL, but with the Canadiens already deep on the right side with Shea Weber and Jeff Petry, I don’t see a fit there.
Canucks to Waive Eriksson in Attempt to Move On?
Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre posts that the Vancouver Canucks may attempt to go down a similar path with winger Loui Eriksson that the Buffalo Sabres did with Zach Bogosian when they sent him to the AHL. Instead of the AHL, Bogosian opted for a contract termination with hopes he could resume his NHL career elsewhere. He wound up in Tampa Bay.
Once Eriksson’s upcoming $3 million signing bonus is paid, he is due just $5 million in salary over the final two years of the deal which might be enough to walk away from. He may not make $2.5 million per season on a two-year deal with another team, but he might get close with a better opportunity to play.
In other Canucks news, Rick Dhaliwal reports that Canucks forward Michael Ferland is back skating. Any potential return is still step-by-step.
Lias Andersson Will Not Return to Rangers
There was talk that disgruntled New York Rangers prospect Lias Andersson was thinking about working through his beef with the team and returning to help the club through the playoffs. That is not going to be the case. He is apparently still upset.
Andersson was loaned to the SHL’s HV71 in his native Sweden in late January after he had requested a trade out of New York. As the NHL season went on pause and the Rangers were named as one of the play-in teams, Andersson was offered spot at training camp and on their playoff roster, according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks. He has declined.
It now seems like the Rangers and Andersson are done in terms of working together. Brooks expects that he will remain in Sweden until he is traded.
Details Behind Sabres Mass Changes
Elliotte Friedman has reported from his latest 31 Thoughts column that there is some nastiness behind the Buffalo Sabres firings of a number of employees earlier this week.
According to Friedman, the numbers of those who have been terminated reach 22 people and he writes:
The other thing that happened in Buffalo was the Pegulas did a top-to-bottom review of their organization. It was, from what I understand, very in-depth. They went over everyone’s schedule. How many games did you see? Where did you go? There is word they considered some of those schedules “light.”
Another exec said an agent told him he was having a conversation with Botterill about a Buffalo free agent minutes before the Sabres announced the firing.
Needless to say, that organization is anything but healthy and it will take a lot to rebuild it.
The post NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Canucks, Rangers, Sabres, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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