Today’s NHL news, rumors, and speculation feature the likes of Brock Boeser, Matt Dumba, Mackenzie Blackwood, Zach Parise, Shane Gostisbehere, Tyler Toffoli, and many more!
Check out this post from a guy who is claiming that he knows what’s going on with Puljujarvi as well as the details on an OEL to Edmonton trade.
McGuire on TSN690 says the analytics community tries to intimidate when you don't agree with their opinion. Says there is no analytics equation for heart or having the courage to block a 100 mph shot.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) September 15, 2020
The News and Rumors
- TheFourthPeriod.com: Talks with the Vancouver Canucks and Tyler Toffoli’s agent are now past the preliminary stages. It’s believed he could send up with a deal worth around $5M/yr for 4-5 years.
BLH’s Thoughts: I really like this signing for Vancouver. Toffoli fit in immediately once he joined the club and for them to get him to sign a four or five-year deal at that price point could be really good for them. Especially if they are possibly moving on from Brock Boeser.
- TVA Sports: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin says Carey Price is untouchable. Along with Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Alexander Romanov. “You can put it in print.” said Bergevin.
- Pierre LeBrun (TSN): Alex Pietrangelo is disappointed that he hasn’t been able to come to an agreement with the St. Louis Blues and noted there hasn’t been much progress lately.
- More Lebrun (TSN): I believe Ron Francis and Gerrard Gallant had a conversation at some point over the past few months, but at this point, it doesn’t appear like anything is on the front-burner with a coaching hire in Seattle.
BLH’s Thoughts: There’s no better choice for the new Seattle franchise than Gerrard Gallant to be their first coach. He’s a guy that knows how to get his players to give their all for him. I will be interested to see if Detroit comes calling though. At some point, they’ll be moving away from Jeff Blashill.
- LeBrun Cont. (TSN): For a while now, all indications were that Bob Boughner would have his interim tag removed in San Jose and I’m told that’s finally going to happen over the next week or two.
- Michael Russo (The Athletic): When the New York Islanders’ season ends there’s a chance that the Minnesota Wild will re-engage in trade talks with them regarding Zach Parise.
BLH’s Thoughts: This Parise to the Isles trade is going to be something. If I remember correctly, wasn’t the deal something like Ladd, Kiefer Bellows, and a first-round pick to Minnesota for Parise and Koivu? Yikes… I wonder how that changes with Koivu going UFA.
- Russo cont: According to sources, Wild general manager Bill Guerin has not only received a lot of calls about Matt Dumba, he’s actively shopping the blueliner. Russo speculates Guerin could move Dumba for a scoring forward, preferably a center. He indicates the rearguard is the only one lacking no-trade protection before the 2021-22 season.
- Satiar Shah (Sportsnet): On Twitter, “Matt Dumba, if he’s not the Canucks top trade target, he’s among their top targets this off-season. As I understand it, they’ll take a run at him. I don’t think their 1st offer is gonna be Brock Boeser. They’ll inquire to the Wild if they haven’t already. Brock Boeser is a guy Minnesota will probably ask for. That’s who they asked for when the Canucks talked to them about Zucker over a year ago. … But what I gather right now is the Canucks would try to make that deal without giving him up initially”
BLH’s Thoughts: If Dumba for Boeser is on the table, both GMs would be daft not to pull the trigger on it yesterday.
- Lisa Dillman (The Athletic): LA Kings GM Rob Blake, via text, says the club is still undecided on if pending UFA d-man Ben Hutton is part of their future plans.
- Charlie O’Connor (The Athletic): The logical choice for the Flyers to clear cap space this offseason is trading defenseman Shane Gostisbehere. It’s probably time for a change of scenery.
BLH’s Thoughts: Hutton and Gostisbehere aren’t defensive stalwarts but they do bring a useful set of skills to the ice. A contender would do well to add one of them if they could do it on the cheap.
- Luke Fox (Sportsnet): Expect New Jersey Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood to sign a bridge deal with the club. He could use the 2yr, $8M deal Elvis Merzlikins got in Columbus as a starting point.
- Josh Yohe (The Athletic): The Penguins are searching for a new assistant GM. It’s believed that the job is Jason Botterill’s if he wants it. “All roads seem to lead to his return to Pittsburgh.”
- James Mirtle (The Athletic): St. Louis Blues defender Colton Parayko could certainly be a target for the Toronto Maple Leafs if he is made available.
BLH’s Thoughts: Parayko to the Leafs has been out there for some time. He’s no Alex Pietrangelo but he’s very good and really, the Blues should stop screwing their captain around and get him signed. If that means they lose Parayko, tough shit. They shouldn’t have signed Justin Faulk to that ridiculous deal.
- Mark Scheig (The Hockey Writers): A James Neal for Alexander Wennberg swap between the Blue Jackets and the Oilers could make sense for both teams. Also, goalie Joonas Korpisalo could fit the bill as a trade target for the Edmonton Oilers this offseason.
BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve got no problem with Wennberg but it’s my understanding that everyone in the Oilers organization LOVE Neal. He’s a good veteran player for that team. On the other hand, his contract is a tough one to have on the books in a flat-cap NHL.
Korpisalo would be a fantastic addition to Edmonton and I’ve been told that their no.1 priority is to shore up the netminding position.
- John Gambadoro (Arizona Sports): “St. Louis Blues assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Bill Armstrong is the lead candidate for the Arizona Coyotes’ general manager opening.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Well, Peter Chiarelli misses out on another job to the delight of millions of Taylor Hall fans.
- Charlie Lajoie (TVA Sports): Lajoie believes Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin could be preparing for a blockbuster trade following his recent acquisition of defenseman Joel Edmundson. He speculated a blueliner like Ben Chiarot could be part of a package deal to land a scoring winger.
BLH’s Thoughts: By blockbuster, are we talking about Max Domi or Philip Danault getting sent out of town? Oilers fans would be all over that!
The Oilers Speculation
- I think we’re going to hear some news on where Tyler Benson will be playing next season quite soon. I’m guessing it could be a club in Switzerland or Germany.
- I wouldn’t be surprised if Leon Draisaitl starts training with his old club in Cologne and possibly gets loaned there to play until training camp in Edmonton gets going.
Further to this, Stauffer brought up a hypothetical where the Hurricanes would acquire Kuemper and then deal one of Mrazek (Holland connection) or Reimer + to the #Oilers.
CAR has the 13th ov pick in the 20 NHL Draft btw. https://t.co/BnsXwSiLku
— BLH (Edmonton Oilers Enthusiast} (@BeerLeagueHeroe) September 16, 2020
I could get on board with the Oilers bringing in Petr Mrazek or James Reimer. The Czech is only 28 and he’s only got one year left on his contract at $3.125M. In the post-season, he appeared in five games and had a 2.08 GAA and a 0.929 SV%. Mrazek’s regular-season numbers were less starry as he appeared in 40 games and had a GAA of 2.69 and his SV% was 0.905…
Reimer is 32yrs old and also has only one year remaining on his contract worth $3.4M. In 25 regular-season games, he put up a GAA of 2.66 and a SV% of 0.914. During the playoffs, he appeared in three games and had a 0.934 SV% and a GAA of 2.36.
Not bad…
Stauffer said that he’d need Carolina to give a little more (an additional pick) to take on one of their keepers but didn’t say who he’d send to the Hurricanes.
Vegas was brought up too (Fleury) but the notion of an inter-division trade was quickly dismissed.
So what do you think of Bob’s trade scenario there? Let us know in the comments below!
