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NHL Rumors Update
NHL Rumors Update for 11/18/2019
The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.
11/18/2019 edition:
By Jim Parsons on Nov 17, 2019 01:05 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news on the Toronto Maple Leafs struggles and what it means for the coach and players who might be available, Thomas Greiss out of the New York Islanders organization talks contract extension and what is the latest on in Los Angeles with Ilya Kovalchuk?
Maple Leafs Struggles Tyson Barrie Interest?
As the Maple Leafs continue to struggle, speculation runs wild around head coach Mike Babcock who many believe is finding his seat getting hotter by the game. With Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe ready and waiting, Babcock needs to right the ship in a hurry.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests there has also been lots of recent chatter over Tyson Barrie.
Barrie hasn’t asked for a trade but he’s struggled mightily with the Maple Leafs in a trade that hasn’t worked out at all like anyone had hoped. He’s in a contract year and one would have to assume he wants to get himself into a situation where he can improve his numbers on a future deal.
So far, the Maple Leafs have rejected the idea of moving him, especially considering they are carrying just $2.75 million of his $5.5 million salary-cap hit. Friedman says something has to give here though and Barrie needs to start producing or the Maple Leafs need to consider moving him.
Which goes first, the coach or the players?
Check out the latest headlines from the THW writing team.
Greiss to Play Out Season, Talk Extension Later
New York Islanders’ goaltender Thomas Greiss is in the the final season of a three-year, $10 million deal. And, while his hot start and a great season in 2018-19 means he could be in line for a huge raise, he’s pretty coy when it comes to any extension talks.
Greisse tells Newsday’s Andrew Gross that he will save contract talk for the off-season. Although he could take advantage of his current numbers — he sits atop the NHL with a 1.88 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. and has won his last seven starts and is 8-1-0 overall. — he also knows how quickly things can change.
He says:
“Those numbers can go up or down real quick at this point, so you can’t put too much weight into that. I think I’ve been playing well and Varly has been playing great hockey, too. As a team, we’re playing good hockey and the most important thing is the success of our team. Everybody is chipping in.”
Greiss will play out the year before negotiating a possible extension with the Islanders but the Islanders aren’t likely to make him the starter after giving Varlamov a long-term deal. Greiss’ waiting could be about testing free agency.
Kings to Wait Another Month?
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the latest on Ilya Kovalchuk, saying there is little interest in the forward around the NHL right now and his camp has major concerns. Their worry is that if he doesn’t get back into the lineup, no team will be interested.
The news gets worse as LeBrun notes that Kovalchuk’s agent J.P. Barry has been told by GM Rob Blake that the Kings aren’t willing to put him back on the ice and may be willing to wait another month before doing so. The key date is December 15 when Kovalchuk’s bonus is paid out and teams begin to value him differently.
The post NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs, Islanders, Kings, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Nov 16, 2019 01:45 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is speculation on the extension for Elias Pettersson in Vancouver and there seems to be a consensus Taylor Hall will be on the move but where will he go? Finally, how secure is Caleb Jones on the Edmonton Oilers blue line?
What Will Pettersson Cost to Extend?
Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic is writing that if Elias Pettersson keeps racking up the points, there’s a pretty clear indication as to where he’ll fall in terms of salary moving forward.
Dhaliwal used Mitch Marner’s deal as a comparison but now believes that will only be a starting point if Pettersson continues to score like he has been. Dhaliwal writes:
Most agents I have talked to think Pettersson will get at least $10-12 million per season on a long-term deal.
Pettersson is not the type of player to worry about contracts during the season, but at some point he will have to, and if he keeps producing, forget about Marner: He could pass Connor McDavid’s salary.
The Canucks can sign Pettersson to a new deal starting this July 1, and speculation is they may try to get a deal done when they are first eligible to. What does Pettersson want to do? If he decides to wait another year he could really explode offensively and logically make himself worth another $1-$2 million per season more.
Consensus on Taylor Hall Trade
EJ Hradek of NHL Network speculates the Montreal Canadiens could be a suitor for Taylor Hall if the New Jersey Devils shop him at the trade deadline and there’s new buzz that Hall being traded is much more likely than Hall staying put.
How firm the rumors of a trade request from Hall is at this point is very much up in the air but Elliotte Friedman said on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer Friday, “I think more likely than not he gets dealt.”
For Montreal, they seem to have the room to add a player like Hall as they tried to scoop Sebastian Aho this summer and the Edmonton Oilers are another team rumored but seem less likely an option because they don’t have the salary space without first making big changes.
The consistent message here though is that both insiders believe Hall will be moved and that is starting to become the consensus around the league. When asked what he believes the return might be for Hall in trade, Matt Larkin of the Hockey News said, “Think first-round pick and elite-level prospect at minimum, plus maybe another decent depth prospect.”
That said, he admitted:
There’s almost no precedent for what Hall could be at the 2020 deadline: a 28-year-old star in the cap era, still close to his peak years, less than two years removed from winning the MVP, available as a rental piece for a contending team. Despite his early-season struggles with the Devils this season, he’d still be an extremely impactful first-line addition on almost any roster.
Related: Worst Toronto Maple Leafs Trades
Is Caleb Jones Staying With Oilers?
Speaking of the Edmonton Oilers, they face off against the Dallas Stars Saturday afternoon and Caleb Jones will get another look on the blue line.
The Oilers have said they are not going to evaluate Jones as a call-up until he gets into a few games so they can talk to him about his performance as a whole versus over the course of one game.
Jones will lineup along side Oscar Klefbom.
The post NHL Rumors: Canucks, Devils and Hall, Oilers, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
By Jim Parsons on Nov 15, 2019 12:25 pm
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news on the New Jersey Devils and their goaltending woes, the Pittsburgh Penguins might showcase a goalie and there’s buzz surrounding Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Finally, what is the latest news on two big-time restricted free agents?
Devils to Go Goaltender Fishing
Jared Clinton of The Hockey News suggests that GM Ray Shero should look into improving the goaltending for the Devils while the team continues to struggle. His take is that a bigger move than that of picking up Louis Domingue needs to be made.
A combined save percentage of .880 from Cory Schneider and MacKenzie Blackwood is killing the team and Clinton writes:
If New Jersey is going to take the step forward that was expected – and have a legitimate shot at retaining Hall, a pending free agent who has made clear he wants nothing more than to win – it’s their only hope.
The question is, who would the Devils target?
Related: Five 90s NHL Jerseys Gone Too Soon
Penguins to Showcase Tristan Jarry?
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry is still on the market, according to Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. There is still a willingness to move him but he hasn’t played much, getting only three starts.
Vensel writes:
That’s a very small sample size, surely not enough to convince another team he has made huge strides in his development. We’ll surely see him in goal this weekend. We’ll see what he does with it.
Meanwhile, Casey DeSmith has played lights out for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He is likely to stay put over Jarry even though there are rumors of interest in both netminders.
*Author’s Note: We talked about the Devils needs. Could there be a fit here?
Latest on Senators Pageau
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports there is buzz surrounding the Ottawa Senators and Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s contract status. There’s a sense he might want to see what the market will bare when his contract comes due and the Senators aren’t talking at all about how things are going negotiation wise.
McKenzie suggests that won’t change as the team has no intention of speaking publicly about Pageau’s situation until the winger is re-signed or traded. Some are suggesting a trade is more likely.
Rumors are that he’s going to ask for no less than $3.65 million per season and could want over $4 million. His current salary plus his overall effectiveness will make him one of the more attractive options for teams as the trade deadlines draws near. It may be hard to pass up on that if you’re the Senators.
Latest on Pending RFAs Barzal and Dubois
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic is reporting that there have been casual talks between the New York Islanders and Mathew Barzal when it comes to a new contract but nothing that would suggest a deal is close.
LeBrun writes:
It may be that Isles GM Lou Lamoriello decides to wait until after the season to get things rolling on that front, which he’s done in the past with other young players, so that it’s not a distraction for Barzal. Or at least wait until later in the season.
LeBrun also notes that there have been no official talks between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pierre-Luc Dubois‘ agent Pat Brisson but that this is just a matter of the two sides deciding when to get talking.
“Nobody is trying to wait this out,” said LeBrun. He believes sometime in the New Year there will be more news on both contracts.
The post NHL Rumors: Devils, Penguins, Senators, Islanders, More appeared first on The Hockey Writers.
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