Today’s NHL news, rumors, and speculation feature the likes of Jacob Markstrom, Zdeno Chara, Matt Murray, Jared McCann, Torey Krug, Tyler Toffoli, and much more!
The News and Rumors
- Sounds like the Canucks’ net is Thatcher Demko’s now. Rick Dhaliwal (TSN1040) reckons that Jacob Markstrom won’t be returning for game seven of Vancouver’s series with the Golden Knights.
BLH’s Thoughts: Demko has looked like the real deal in these last two starts. He’s dialed in and not giving Vegas anything. Kirk McLean 2.0? He’s been marinating in Vancouver’s system for a while now. Maybe it’s time to pass the torch because Markstrom is going to price himself out of that market. Bob Stauffer (630 CHED) reckons the Leafs will have a lot of time for the Swedish netminder.
- Zdeno Chara wants to come back for one more year. On Instagram he said, “See you next season, hopefully with a full stadium.”
- “The one goalie I keep hearing as the Avalanche number one, regardless of the situations of any of the current guys: Matt Murray.” – Adrian Dater
- The Sharks would like to bring back pending free agent Stefan Noesen and most likely will be saying goodbye to Melker Karlsson.
- Some folks out of Buffalo are saying there might be a Penguins/Sabres trade that would see Matt Murray and Jared McCann head to the Sabres. No word on the return going to Pittsburgh.
BLH’s Thoughts: I wonder who the Sabres would send to Pittsburgh for those two players? Rasmus Ristolainen? Brandon Montour? Jeff Skinner?
- TSN1260’s Dustin Nielson said the Oilers have had talks with Pittsburgh regarding Matt Murray.
- Torey Krug says he won’t be signing a one-year deal. He says his value is at its peak and it’s his time now (to cash in on a big contract).
- On Sportsnet 590, Chris Johnston said this, “I think Frederik Andersen is preparing as though he won’t be back in Toronto next season. Everything is pointing in that direction.”
BLH’s Thoughts: My feeling is that Ken Holland is going to see how the goalie market pans out a big before diving in. It seems like everybody is in on Matt Murray right now and I can’t see Holland joining in on that bidding war.
Normally, I would consider Torey Krug joining the Oilers but if he’s looking to make bank, it’s probably not going to happen.
Circling back to the goalies, Andersen is only going to be paid $1M in real money next season. That will be a big draw for some clubs looking to keep their payroll down but stay a “cap team”.
- Tyler Toffoli could demand $5M for five years according to San Jose scribe Kevin Kurz. He also mentioned that the Sharks could be interested and it’s his belief that Toffoli’s stock is falling.
BLH’s Thoughts: If anybody is talking about Toffoli’s stock falling, they’re nuts. He’s been fantastic for Vancouver this post-season, but to Kurz’s salary/term prediction, I could definitely see him making that.
- It didn’t take long for Todd Reirden to find work. According to Josh Yohe, 30 minutes after getting axed by Washington, the Penguins were on the honker with him.
- Don Brennan wonders if the Senators might try to acquire Max Domi and reunite him with former Coyotes teammate, Anthony Duclair.
BLH’s Thoughts: What about George Laraque’s trade proposal? Yesterday, he proposed that the Habs send Domi and prized defensive prospect Alexander Romanov to Winnipeg for Patrik Laine.
The Edmonton Oilers Speculation
- If Adrian Dater is right and the Avs get Matt Murray this off-season, the Oilers should be in on Philip Grubauer. He’d be a perfect partner for Mikko Koskinen.
- I had a guy tell me that he heard the Oilers were asking about Aaron Ekblad. Made me physically laugh out loud when I read it.
- Bob Stauffer reckons the Oilers will be looking for a very smart third-line center, someone who can “think” their way around the ice OR someone with a lot of speed. Also, someone who could contribute offensively 5×5.
- Erik Haula might be one of those guys. Edmonton has wanted to trade for him for a while. I still like the Kyle Turris idea if he gets bought out.
- Some are bringing up the notion of a trade where the Oilers send the 14th overall pick in this year’s draft to Arizona for Darcy Kuemper. I do not like that idea. I’d rather Edmonton use the pick and take the Russian Carey Price (Yaroslav Askarov) if he was available at the draft.
- Do you know any teams who’ve traded half or their entire top-pair on defense and survived to talk about it?
- David Staples recently said on Oilers Now that he thinks if the Oilers are going to trade Oscar Klefbom, it has to be for an upgrade. Mentioned the Chris Pronger trade. Is Oliver Ekman-Larsson that guy? Is it the aforementioned Ekblad?
Anybody who thinks Puljujarvi might be good fit with McDavid at this time is dreaming in technicolour and I don't care what analytics say. Jesse is a 3rd line NHL winger if he returns and he'll have to show he's better than that
— Jim Matheson (@jimmathesonnhl) September 4, 2020
If you pay attention to who is saying that Jesse Puljujarvi needs to “earn it” within the Edmonton media, what you’ll find is more or less the same person or group of people. Jim Matheson, Mark Spector, Bob Stauffer, etc. You’ll also notice that usually the name Kailer Yamamoto comes up as a person who “earned it” and deserved his immediate role alongside Leon Draisaitl.
Yamamoto seemingly went down to the AHL, dominated for multiple seasons, and was deemed ready to start his NHL career in the top-6. Except he didn’t and he was injured quite a bit but he’s small and gritty and has a very outgoing personality… The old boys really dig that about him.
Now, that’s nothing against Kailer. I love the way he plays but let’s be honest, he didn’t really have to “earn it” in the same manner folks are saying Puljujarvi has to, did he?
Jesse was quiet and shy and it was a pain in the ass for those media guys to get a quote out of him that they could use. He actually went to the AHL and was dominant from the get-go as a very young 18 year old. When those old boys say that Jesse has to get in the guts of the game, he was doing that for Jay Woodcroft’s Condors. When they say he can’t be scoring goals from the perimeter all the time, he wasn’t. When they say he had to get stuck in along the boards and win more battles, do they realize that they were talking about a teenager?
If Pulju returns, I’m under the impression that the general idea is that a player coming to the NHL from dominating a European league must “work” his way back up the lineup, right? So what was so special about Joakim Nygard? He was on McDavid’s wing for the first game of the year this past season… Why didn’t he have to “work” his way up the lineup and prove to everyone he could survive at the NHL level? I think he had three goals by the time his season ended for him… Pretty sure Puljujarvi would’ve scored more than three goals if he was in the lineup this year.
This is obviously some sort of vendetta against Puljujarvi. Maybe a personal one for some of these old boys.
What the Oilers need to do is exactly the opposite as what these near-retired journalists are advising. They need to get him back in the lineup and put him on Connor’s wing. Why? Aside from the 61.5% goal share, McDavid thrives with big-bodied wingers who win puck races and are good along the boards, something Jesse is. He’s a fantastic forechecker that causes turnovers with his long reach, speed, and strength.
This is a great post from Bruce McCurdy that everyone should read. If you need some more statistical evidence to be convinced that JP is the winger for 97, it’s that article.
Jim Matheson believes that Puljujarvi is a 3rd line winger. Perfect. That means he’s an ideal candidate to be one of Connor McDavid’s wingers.
