BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Victor Mete (MTL), Jim Benning (VAN), and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Craig Button absolutely tore the Oilers a new a$$hole on TSN 1260 recently. Click this link and read what he said!
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NEW: Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp think the Calgary Flames have a better chance at the playoffs this year than the Oilers. Read about that here.
NHL Rumors and Speculation
Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston recently laid out the six NHL teams he thought would be most interested in Montreal Canadiens wantaway defender Victor Mete.
- Detroit Red Wings – With Filip Hronek being the only defenseman under the age of 26, Detroit needs a bit more youth on their back-end. Plus they’ve got some currency in the form of draft picks in this year’s draft they could use to acquire Mete.
- Pittsburgh Penguins – Injuries are decimating the Pens back-end plus they need solidifying this year and for years to come on the blue line.
- Anaheim Ducks – He’d be an upgrade of the defenders the Ducks have been employing on their 3rd pair so far. Also, he’s got a knack for drawing penalties and the Ducks are having trouble scoring these days.
- Arizona Coyotes – They’ve only got two d-men signed past this season. Mete would be an asset to the team’s young forwards with his ability to move the puck.
- Buffalo Sabres – Buffalo will have a number of d-men come off the books after the season. Mete would fit in with the club’s current youth movement.
- Calgary Flames – Mete and Sam Bennett share an agent and both players want fresh starts. A swap here makes sense to some degree.
BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t know if I see anything happening in-season with the quarantine regulations being what they are. Also, I have a feeling Montreal’s defense will breakdown at some point and they’re going to need Mete.
Let’s be honest here, this young defender is, at this point, nothing more than a small puck-moving third-pairing defenseman. Not that that is bad, but he’s not going to move the needle much, I don’t feel at least. That said, he makes very little and for a club like Arizona who needs another defender to become expansion draft compliant, I reckon that destination might be the best fit.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period says of the debacle going on in Vancouver that,
“Canucks ownership is beyond frustrated with the team’s start and is considering a change at the General Manager position. If the team can’t right the ship and if this series against the Flames does not go well, I believe we could see the end of Jim Benning’s tenure in Vancouver.”
Pagnotta goes on to speculate as to who might be up for the job in the event Benning is fired,
“The list of potential candidates could include former Los Angeles Kings AGM Mike Futa, current Colorado Avalanche AGM Chris MacFarland and former Toronto Maple Leafs AGM Mark Hunter, among others.
I would also add former Canucks goalie and current Special Advisor to the GM in Florida Roberto Luongo and former Kings GM Dean Lombardi into the mix, as well.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Funny, I have contacts in both Seattle and Vancouver and I’ve heard the same thing. One source even went a little further and mentioned the names of Lorne Molleken and Laurence Gilman as possible candidates for the Canucks should they decide to make a switch in the captain’s chair.
TSN’s Darren Dreger is of the belief that the Toronto Maple Leafs are possibly on the hunt for a top-9 winger or possibly more depth on defense to bolster their chances at a Stanley Cup this year,
“If he’s going to add, it’s likely going to be up front or a defensemen but only in the sense that they want to make sure that this team is as deep as you need to be to challenge for the Stanley Cup. It wouldn’t be through a sense of urgency or necessity.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Didn’t Dubas have a bunch of depth on forward before the season started and he dealt it away? Dreger also said recently that he thinks Dubas might feel like he “owes” it to the team to continue to upgrade the personnel no matter how well they’re doing and that makes me reminisce about the days when they’d go out and blow valuable draft picks for the likes of Brian Leetch, Ron Francis, Owen Nolan, Tom Barrasso, or Phil Housley. It was exciting as hell as a fan of hockey, but ultimately fruitless for the team. Will Dubas go that route?
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