Good morning hockey fans! As we mentioned yesterday, we’re going to up the content production here! We’ve talked to the fine gents over at The Scoring Touch and they’ve agreed to post some of their daily NHL rumors here at Beer League Heroes!
Now, if you don’t know, The Scoring Touch is the official website of The Puck Report from Instagram and Twitter. They produce some really rad IG graphics and are on the ball NHL news-wise on Twitter as well. You definitely need to give them a follow if you aren’t already!
The plan I have for this new segment is to comment on some of the speculations that are out there from an Edmonton Oilers perspective to try and keep things interesting during this next four-month layoff…
Today’s edition of the Puck Report Speculation Station features Bruce Boudreau, the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Winnipeg Jets, and more.
- Bob Stauffer on 630CHED: “I would expect to see a change in goaltending for the Oilers and at least one change to the defense this off-season. Take that for what it’s worth.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Most are speculating that one of Oscar Klefbom, Darnell Nurse, or Adam Larsson will be traded, but personally, I think that would be a mistake and the Oilers should deal Kris Russell in order to A) open up around $4M in cap space and B) to give Caleb Jones a real chance to make the club full-time.
- Dan Kingerski: Samuel Poulin is “borderline ready” for NHL hockey next season. The Penguins will likely give him the 9-game trial period and send him back to juniors, if they have room in the lineup for him. Has a 75% chance of making the roster next season.Pierre-Oliver Joseph is basically a lock for the NHL next season, but he probably won’t start in the top six D. The Penguins will need to move out one of Jack Johnson or Juuso Riikola for him to make the lineup regularly. GM Jim Rutherford could also look to add a defensive anchor on the right side.
- Terry Jones (Edmonton Journal): “With Oilers GM Ken Holland talking about the flat salary cap, my read was guys like Andreas Athanasiou, Mike Smith and James Neal might not be coming back and raised the possibility of moving one of his top four veteran defensemen not named Ethan Bear. I’d guess Adam Larsson might be available in a semi-major trade.”
BLH’s Thoughts: It’s going to be a real numbers game this off-season that determines what happens with these three players. Smith had some tough nights this past season but he always followed them up with a great performance. I’m not against him being re-signed.
As for Athanasiou, he’s not been good save for one game against the Blackhawks. If Oilers GM Ken Holland can recoup some draft picks for him, maybe a team like New Jersey or Montreal could use him.
James Neal is not a guy I’d move. Bloated salary or not, he’s an experienced vet that is well-liked in the dressing room. Holland would definitely know the value of this kind of player and seeing how things went after moving Sam Gagner, my feeling is that Neal stays for at least one more year and is dangled to Seattle at the expansion draft.
- Lance Hornby: There’s talk Bruce Boudreau would consider applying for an assistant GM role – but only if it meant a chance to work with his hometown Maple Leafs. His preference is to explore potential NHL head coach options first before “giving himself a demotion.”
- Lisa Dillman, TheAthletic: “The speculation up here is that Ottawa is going to offer the 3rd and 5th overall picks to the Rangers for 1st overall. But I wouldn’t do that.”Graeme Nichols adds he hopes those rumors are unfounded, but it would be a very “Melnyk-esque” deal if it did happen.
BLH’s Thoughts: I’d make that offer. The rumor going around is that the Kings are leaning towards taking Tim Stutzle which means the Rangers could get their franchise center in Quinton Byfield and possibly a future top-pairing defender in Jamie Drysdale if they accepted the trade. I like Alexis Lafreniere but the Rangers have a lot of depth on the wing with Panarin and Kreider on the left and Kakko, Buchnevich, and Kravtsov on the right. They need to build down the middle and on defense. Ottawa needs Laffy.
- Winnipeg Sun: Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff says they’ll look to add NHL players to the roster, whether it’s by free agency or trade. Friesen writes a second-line center and a proven top-four defender are must-haves for the Jets to become competitive again. They have the cap space this off-season to do it.
- Pierre LeBrun, TheAthletic (subscription required): Former Flyers GM Ron Hextall wants to get back in the GM fold again after being let go by the club a few seasons back. His new advisory role with the LA Kings has re-energized him after what he called a “surprise dismissal” in Philadelphia.LeBrun adds: “It just so happens there’s an opening in Florida, where the Panthers are planning an extensive GM search. It would surprise me if they don’t at least talk to Hextall as part of that process.”
- Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice: “For Bryan Little, from the Winnipeg Jets and from me personally, I want his life and health to be great, and if that means he doesn’t step on the ice again then that’s what I want.”Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet reiterates that there will be significant turnover on the Jets’ roster this off-season with all the pending free agents they have. GM Cheveldayoff hasn’t begun discussions yet with Dylan DeMelo on a new contract but says they’ll take a hard look at it.It’s also possible the Jets opt to go big-game hunting, perhaps making a pitch to St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo.
BLH’s Thoughts: If the Oilers are looking to make a big splash, what about restructuring their defense around Alex Pietrangelo? This guy has triplets though. I’d bet there’s a better chance that he stays in St. Louis. What about local boy Colton Parayko though?
Lastly, I got a DM late LATE last night and it said that last week there was a massive brawl in the bubble amongst the Calgary Flames. I was told that Milan Lucic and an unnamed Flames veteran was at the center of all of it (sound familiar Oilers fans?)…
Also mentioned was during Chiarelli’s last year in Edmonton, he was looking at bringing in Scott Hartnell to “reign in Milan”.
It’s all unsubstantiated and hearsay and I’m glad that Milan is finding some success in Calgary, but maybe Mr. Lucic isn’t the saint that some painted him out to be. He had some issues in Boston during his time with the Bruins there I’m told from my sources out East.
Is it possible the bubble isn’t as tight as everybody thinks…
Check out more NHL rumors and speculation at The Scoring Touch!
