Today’s NHL news, rumors, and speculation feature the likes of Blake Coleman, Erik Haula, Jaden Schwartz, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and many more!
"At the beginning, it (the Edmonton bubble) was a bit of a concrete jungle and from what we (Shane O'Brien, Jimmy Hayes, Scottie Upshall) hear, it turned into a bit of a pussy palace." – Upshall on his podcast, "Missin' Curfew"
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— BLH (Edmonton Oilers Enthusiast} (@BeerLeagueHeroe) September 14, 2020
The News and Rumors
- Pierre LeBrun on “That’s Hockey” says that he’d be shocked if the head coach Travis Green doesn’t sign a new contract before the start of next season.
- Corey Pronman (The Athletic) is expecting to have some news on the status of the World Juniors in Alberta sometime next week. There’s mild optimism for an Edmonton bubble setup.
- on SN960 radio, Chris Johnston said he’d be shocked if there was no 2020-21 season. US teams crossing the Canadian border could cause problems with quarantine protocols though.
BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t have too many thoughts on these news hits. Travis Green has been nothing but great for the Canucks since being hired, so they probably should make that a priority.
I wonder if the next World Junior tournament heads back to Europe and then Alberta gets the next two in a row? I heard that idea has been floated.
There’s a reason that the “regional division” idea is going around… I’ve been told that the borders between the US and Canada may not re-open as they were before the pandemic until sometime in 2021.
- The Athletic’s Corey Masisak reports that Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald says he had a bidding war going for Blake Coleman. He wasn’t being shopped but the Lightning’s offer was one he couldn’t refuse.
BLH’s Thoughts: Could the Oilers get in on this guy at the next trade deadline? They were definitely in on him before NJ sent him to Tampa…
- Dan Kingerski (Pittsburgh Hockey NOW) lists Erik Haula, Cody Eakin, Carl Soderberg, and Jason Spezza as possible 3rd-line center options for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
BLH’s Thoughts: Only Erik Haula interests me here, but it’s my belief that the Oilers are putting their search for a third-line center down the priority list a bit. So, I don’t think Edmonton will get their preferred option at that position this offseason.
- Lisa Dillman of The Athletic believes there are five names that make sense for the LA Kings in a salary-dump trade; Niklas Hjalmarsson, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jaden Schwartz, Jake Bean, and Steven Stamkos.
BLH’s Thoughts: Stamkos would have to give it the green light, but wouldn’t it be something if the Lightning moved on from him? They’ve been fine, maybe more than fine, without him during this year’s post-season… Surely, there’s at least one person in Tampa’s organization considering a Stamkos-less future.
Schwartz would no doubt get the Blues a good return but unless they’re going for a quick hit of the reset button, why move him instead of finding a way to get rid of Alex Steen’s contract? Or Justin Faulk’s… Good Christ that was a horrid deal they signed with Faulk and it might really screw them over now that Alex Pietrangelo is considering his options.
If I were the Coyotes, I’d sell-off my assets slowly over the course of the season and try to accumulate as many draft picks and prospects in the first three rounds of the next two to three drafts as possible.
- Renaud Lavoie (TVA Sports) says that recently acquired defenseman Joel Edmundson, who is scheduled to become a UFA next month, will start contract talks with the Canadiens regarding an extension soon.
- Joe Smith (The Athletic TB) tells us that Zach Bogosian had other suitors on the market after his release from the Buffalo Sabres, but the opportunity with the Tampa Bay Lightning was too good to pass up.
- It could be the last two seasons for Pens Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin according to The Athletic’s Josh Yohe. The pair are set to become UFAs in 2022.
BLH’s Thoughts: It’s hard to imagine a Pittsburgh Penguins squad without Malkin and Letang but it’s going to happen eventually. One would think that Malkin might return to Russia to finish out his playing days, no? I’d love a Letang on the Oilers but his $7M+/yr contract is prohibitive and I’m not sure if Jim Rutherford is interested in eating more cash. That said, he loves to make a trade…
The Oilers Speculation
“Shoring up the goalie position is their first priority.”
That is what I was told late last night in conversations with a source and that falls in line with what we’ve been hearing with regard to rumors online lately.
It sounds like Edmonton really wants Arizona goalie Darcy Kuemper but so does Calgary and there’s a bit of a bidding war going on. With the way the playoffs are going, I think it’s fair to say that the landscape could change a bit if Greiss, Lehner, and Fleury hit the market.
Personally, I think Calgary is in a better situation to make the kind of trade that Arizona would benefit from the most. I feel like Edmonton will want to move some salary back to the Coyotes whereas the Flames aren’t under that sort of pressure.
I do wonder, however, why wouldn’t the Oilers take a stab at Antti Raanta? In his 33 games this year he had a 2.63 GAA and a .921 SV%. Also, and this is probably why Arizona would want to keep him, his AAV hit is $4M but his base salary is only $2M in the upcoming salary.
One wild card I want to throw out for you, Tuuka Rask. A tough end to his season in Boston with some even tougher abuse from his own fanbase for his decision to leave the bubble in Toronto due to a family emergency. Bruins GM Don Sweeney has said they’re looking to change things up, could it be a sweeping change if he trades Rask and Chara retires or signs elsewhere?
