BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM), Scott Laughton (PHI), Kevin Labanc (SJ), and more!
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NHL Rumors and Speculation
Chris Johnston (Sportsnet): Buffalo Sabres forward Taylor Hall is willing to consider signing a contract extension with the team that acquires him.
The Fourth Period: The Kings, Flames, and Flyers have been linked to Detroit Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha.
- The Penguins, Oilers, and Hurricanes have been linked to St. Louis Blues forward Mike Hoffman.
- The Maple Leafs, Panthers, and Wild have been linked to Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno.
- Chicago Blackhawks forward Mattias Janmark has been on the radar of the Penguins, Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Islanders.
- The Oilers, Bruins, Jets, and Canadiens have been linked to New Jersey Devils defenseman Ryan Murray.
- The Bruins, Avalanche, Oilers, and Maple Leafs have expressed interest in Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Winnipeg Jets have been linked to Anaheim Ducks d-man Josh Manson.
BLH’s Thoughts: I’ll tell you what, if the Oilers came away from this trade deadline having acquired Ryan Murray, Scott Laughton, and Mike Hoffman, I’m not sure you’d be able to wipe the smile off of my face until the playoffs were over.
Murray would be an excellent partner for Adam Larsson and an upgrade at LD over what they’ve got now. Laughton and his old-school game would really shore up the third line be that on the wing or at center, and Hoffman, on paper, seems like he’d be a magical addition to the wing of Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi as he’d be the first real trigger man to play with the NHL’s best playmakers.
Personally, I’d be in favor of making these kinds of moves as opposed to bringing back Taylor Hall. I get that they’re all free agents when the season ends, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they end up making it to free agency.
Making these sort of moves would also give the Oilers the roster flexibility to have Ryan Nugent-Hopkins center the third line. Controversial? Yes. Does RNH need a spell in the middle-six to try and regain some confidence? Maybe.
I don’t know if it’s possible, but should RNH’s “upper-body injury” be a little bit more serious, could he be put on IR and his salary used to bring in some higher paid players? The Oilers say he’s out tonight and hopefully he’ll be back by next weekend, but who’s to say something changes between now and Monday’s deadline?
Frank Seravalli (TSN): The LA Kings have started taking calls on forward Alex Iafallo. They will still try to extend him before the trade deadline.
Sheng Peng (San Jose Hockey Now): Kevin Labanc is available for “the right price”.
Darren Dreger (TSN): GMs are talking to Taylor Hall’s agent Darren Ferris wondering what an extension to a contract might look like. The New York Islanders were in heavy on him and there are some who believe maybe they’re not done and they could circle back on Hall.
Pierre LeBrun (TSN): Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has let teams know he’s not done and he’ll leverage more cap space if teams at the cap need some help. Chicago is among teams that have spoken to Toronto about that. San Jose and Detroit are also teams that would be willing to do the same.
Nick Kypreos: Has heard that the Philadelphia Flyers are shopping Nolan Patrick hard and that Rickard Rakell is a name that makes sense for Montreal with Brendan Gallagher’s money coming off the books.
Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet): Has heard that Chicago has thought about re-signing Nikita Zadorov, but also that there’s been some talk about Zadorov in Winnipeg and Boston potentially.
Sean Shapiro (The Athletic): There are teams interested in d-man Jamie Oleksiak. He’s likely not available since the Stars are interested in re-signing him and like him as a long-term fit alongside Miro Heiskanen. The Stars don’t view themselves as sellers.
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