Speculating from an Edmonton Oilers fan’s perspective, BLH comments on the latest NHL rumors featuring players such as Alexander Ovechkin, Jordan Eberle, Mike Hoffman, and many more!
The News and Rumors
- Bleacher Report: The Carolina Hurricanes could add Ilya Kovalchuk at the league minumum and give him a chance to step into Justin Williams’ spot alongside Jordan Staal.
BLH’s Thoughts: Savvy move adding a vet like Kovalchuk to a young up-and-coming team like Carolina. They could even use him as trade bait at the trade deadline to acquire more draft picks if they so wished.
- Max Bultman (The Athletic): Steve Yzerman said Wednesday he would consider adding another player to the Red Wings roster as the start of the season gets closer. Lots of free agents still available right now.
BLH’s Thoughts: Detroit has around $9.5M left under the cap to play around with after getting Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi locked up. They’ve already added Bobby Ryan, Vlad Namestnikov, Marc Staal, Thomas Greiss, Jon Merril, and Troy Stetcher. Free agents they might be looking to bring in include Anthony Duclair, Sami Vatanen, and Mikael Granlund.
They could also look to take on an obtuse contract from a team that is tight to the salary cap and acquire more picks at the 2021 NHL draft.
- Alexander Ovechkin: “There are certain goals that I want to achieve after my career. But my career is not over yet. I’m still in my prime. I think I will definitely play for a few more years. God grant that my health is good. I would finish in Russia at Dynamo Moscow.”
BLH’s Thoughts: As I was reading this quote I was hoping he wouldn’t say he wanted to stay in Washington until the end of his NHL playing career, but he did. So there goes my wish of seeing him and McDavid on the same line in Edmonton. I do think it’s cool when superstars return to their hometown or country and play one or two more seasons though. It’s great for young fans to see that.
- Arthur Staple (The Athletic): “Buying out Eberle gives the Isles an extra $2 million and change in cap space for 2020-21; if it goes straight to Barzal’s deal, then you’re down a top-nine forward with no money to replace him.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Staple also mentioned that he thought this was something he couldn’t see Lamoriello doing and either can I. The thing is, Andrew Ladd and Johnny Boychuk don’t have the best contracts when it comes to buyouts and Eberle’s is quite good. Still, it’s not happening. Lou Lamoriello would make a trade before buying Eberle out.
- Lyle Richardson (Spector’s Hockey): Leddy has surfaced as a trade candidate. He’s under 30, doesn’t have a long injury history like Boychuk and Ladd, lacks no-trade protection and carries an annual cap hit of $5.5 million. With Devon Toews shipped to Colorado last month in a cost-cutting deal, it’s unlikely Lamoriello parts with Leddy now.
BLH’s Thoughts: See. This makes much more sense than buying out one of the Islanders top-scorers and it’s a win-win deal as Leddy can still skate like the wind. He always seems to have good games against McDavid thanks to that skating ability. I like Leddy, he’s a fine defenseman that simply makes a bit too much money.
- Ken Campbell (The Hockey News): The injury to Gustav Nyquist has created more of a need for Mike Hoffman’s services, but the reality is he’s a guy the Blue Jackets need even when their roster is 100 percent healthy.
BLH’s Thoughts: Preach it, Ken! Could John Tortorella keep his cool with Mike Hoffman on his team though? Surely Hoffman’s lack of a two-way game would have Torts fuming on a nightly basis.
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