BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Taylor Hall (BUF), Johnny Gaudreau (CGY), Mike Hoffman (STL), John Gibson (ANA), and more!
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NHL Rumors and Speculation
Doug MacLean (Real Kyper at Noon): Had an interesting bit of Edmonton Oilers hearsay to report on Nick Kypreos’ podcast recently,
- “I also heard yesterday they’re in on the guy from Buffalo that everybody wants: Taylor Hall. I’m thinking: How is that going to work. How could Taylor Hall go there on a deal? The guy told me they’re looking at a deal that would have them both done for less than $12 million for both of them (Hall and RNH), and it would work next year…It was a reasonable source that said it.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Just from my own sources I’d heard that Edmonton was in on Eric Staal. So, depending on what you believe, it does make sense that Hall’s name might’ve been brought up and we know that the Oilers were interested in bringing the former Oiler back this past off-season.
Now, you might ask yourself why Ken Holland would spend assets on a player they could get for cash in the summer? Well, if all the teams around Edmonton are making their teams better and Ken Holland isn’t, how’s his team supposed to perceive that? Another thing bringing Hall back to the Oilers would do is give them first dibs on contract negotiations.
How does Holland get him to Edmonton though when things have to be money in, money out? Buffalo is not going to want another inflated contract like James Neal’s and I don’t think the Oilers want to move Zack Kassian…
I just wonder if Buffalo is going to need a goalie if they trade Linus Ullmark to the Maple Leafs. Would Edmonton move Koskinen, a prospect and a 2022 or 2023 draft pick for a salary retained Taylor Hall though? Then, turn around and either ride Alex Stalock and Mike Smith or bring in someone like Chris Driedger (who’s represented by Edmonton’s own super agent Gerry Johannson) for the post-season run?
At the end of the day, I don’t think the Oilers can outbid the other teams who are in on Hall like the Islanders, Maple Leafs, and Panthers. The one thing that does work in Edmonton’s favor is Hall’s ability to dictate where he wants to go with his no move clause though.
Jimmy Murphy (Boston Hockey Now): Speculates some big changes could be coming for the fading Calgary Flames at the trade deadline or at the 2021 NHL Draft in July. Johnny Gaudreau could be worth watching as an NHL source claimed the winger is in head coach Darryl Sutter’s doghouse.
The source suggested the Philadelphia Flyers could be a good fit for the Salem, New Jersey native. Gaudreau grew up cheering for the Flyers.
BLH’s Thoughts: So, once again, believe it or not, but what I was told was that within only a couple of weeks of being hired, Darryl Sutter had lost the room. That first shot in the arm that Sutter brought to the team was greeted with open arms but when the players realized that Sutter wasn’t going to be letting up, that’s when things went back to the way they were.
The players aren’t happy with him and the feeling is that things with the Flames were pretty close to a country club atmosphere under Geoff Ward and when Sutter game in, he flipped everything on its head.
Another thing that was passed on to me from a source on the west coast was that Sutter was an ownership hire, not the GM’s, and he was brought in to get a feel for the team.
My personal feeling is that Sutter will at some point take over as GM and he’ll bring in his own coach and rebuild the team. Pretty good timing too with Connor Bedard on the horizon…
Frank Seravalli (TSN): Believes the Leafs seek a versatile left winger who can play throughout the lineup. He suggested the Nashville Predators’ Mikael Granlund, the New Jersey Devils Kyle Palmieri, the Columbus Blue Jackets Nick Foligno and the Vancouver Canucks Tanner Pearson as trade targets.
Jeff Gordon (STLToday.Com): Believes GM Doug Armstrong could become a seller if the Blues don’t reverse their fortunes soon. Winger Mike Hoffman could draw interest from teams seeking scoring depth such as the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. Defenseman Vince Dunn could become a trade chip to restock their depth chart.
Pierre LeBrun (TSN): Says that the Anaheim Ducks are getting calls on defenseman Josh Manson. He mentions that Winnipeg Jets and Carolina Hurricanes as being teams interested and that the asking price is a first-round pick and a prospect.
Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet): Says goaltenders to watch include San Jose’s Devan Dubnyk, Arizona’s Antti Raanta, Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg and perhaps some of the Carolina Hurricanes’ depth now that Petr Mrazek has returned from a fractured them. A wild rumor about the Hurricanes having an interest in Anaheim’s John Gibson was shot down by multiple sources.
Sources: Spector’s Hockey, The Edmonton Journal
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