Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for January 2018

Five Key Stories: 1/8/18 – 1/14/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Although it was a quieter week around the league with many teams on their byes, that didn’t stop it from being a busy week around the hockey world.  Here are the top stories.

Extensions: The Ducks locked up a core part of their forward group by signing winger Andrew Cogliano to a three-year, $9.75MM extension.  Cogliano has been an effective middle-six forward Anaheim for several years now and, until his suspension earlier today, had yet to miss a single game in his career.  The Predators also were active on the extension front, inking defensemen Yannick Weber (two years, $1.35MM), Anthony Bitetto (one year, $650K), and Matt Irwin (two years, $1.25MM) to new contracts, ensuring that their depth defenders will stay intact for at least another year.

Duclair To Chicago: After shopping him for over a year, the Coyotes were finally able to find a suitable trade for disgruntled winger Anthony Duclair, sending him along with defenseman Adam Clendening to the Blackhawks for winger Richard Panik and center Laurent Dauphin.  Chicago gets out of the final year of Panik’s $2.8MM per year contract and they’ll likely do something to utilize those cap savings before the season comes to an end.  Meanwhile, both sides are hopeful that their wingers will thrive with the change of scenery.

Jan 2, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson (7) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Blue Jackets defeat the Stars 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsJohnson Requests Trade: Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson has requested a trade.  He’s in the final year of his contract but finds himself on the third pairing which doesn’t bode well for his marketability this summer in unrestricted free agency.  With Columbus in the thick of the playoff race, this presents an interesting situation for GM Jarmo Kekalainen who will likely be looking for another defender or at least a roster player in return instead of a futures-based package.  Johnson makes $5MM in salary this season with a cap hit of $4.357MM which may be difficult for other contending teams to fit onto their books.

Canada Names Olympic Roster: With the Olympics now less than a month away, Canada unveiled their men’s hockey roster.  It features many familiar faces as 23 of the 25 players have spent time in the NHL at some point in their careers.  Interestingly enough, one player who said no was Colorado defensive prospect Cale Makar.  It’s believed that he could have been a power play specialist for the Canadian squad but he chose to stick with UMass (Amherst) of the NCAA instead.

Hurricanes Sold: The ownership saga in Carolina has officially come to an end as the NHL has approved the sale of the team from Peter Karmanos to Dallas billionaire Thomas Dundon.  Karmanos will retain a minority share for the time being but it’s expected that Dundon will have 100% ownership in the years to come.  As part of the deal, the team cannot be moved for at least the next seven years.  Dundon also threw his support behind both GM Ron Francis and head coach Bill Peters and has already been in contact with the league regarding an outdoor game.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oilers Likely To Trade Patrick Maroon

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the Oilers on the outside looking in at a playoff spot and the fact that he is a pending unrestricted free agent, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet 960 (audio link) that it’s highly likely that winger Patrick Maroon is dealt in advance of the February 26th trade deadline.

“I think he’s going to get traded.  I don’t think there’s a doubt that he’s going to get traded.  I would be surprised that they’re keeping him. I don’t see any way that he finishes – I shouldn’t say that because there’s always a way.  I would say it is extremely, extremely unlikely that he finishes this year in Edmonton.”

Nov 24, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Edmonton Oilers left wing Patrick Maroon (19) against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Buffalo beats Edmonton 3 to 1. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY SportsThe rugged winger is on pace for another 20-goal season after posting a career-best 27 last year and has shown some chemistry on Edmonton’s top line with Connor McDavid.  That type of versatility to play up and down in the lineup will likely be attractive to teams.  The fact that he doesn’t shy away from playing physically will also help, knowing that the postseason is a tougher grind than the regular season.

What will perhaps be most appealing to teams is Maroon’s contract.  While he carries a cap hit of $2MM, $500K of that is being retained by Anaheim as part of the trade that saw him join Edmonton back at the 2016 deadline.  Most contending teams should be able to work in a prorated $1.5MM cap charge without too much difficulty and the asking price will undoubtedly be lower than what Buffalo is seeking for Evander Kane, the top rental player up front.

While the Oilers have certainly been pleased with what Maroon has been able to provide since being acquired, they’re unlikely to have the money to keep him around on a long-term deal with McDavid’s new $12.5MM contract kicking in next season and have nearly $61MM committed to just 13 players, per CapFriendly.  As a result, even if they do inch closer to a postseason spot in the weeks to come, the prudent move for the Oilers may still be to trade Maroon now rather than lose a key contributor for nothing in the summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Aho, Muzzin, Nugent-Hopkins, Hayes

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Hurricanes winger Sebastian Aho took a hit to the head from Flames defenseman Mark Giordano in their game this afternoon and was forced to leave the game.  Unfortunately for Carolina, head coach Bill Peters told Michael Smith of the Hurricanes’ team website (Twitter link) postgame that they will be evaluating Aho for a potential knee injury as well as having him checked for a concussion.  The timing of the injury is a tough one for the Finnish winger who had been on quite a run coming into this one with 14 points over his last ten games while he leads the team in scoring with 37 points.  As for Giordano, he was assessed a match penalty on the play which not only saw him ejected from the game but also will result in a hearing with the Department of Player Safety.

More injury notes from around the league:

  • Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin is nearing a return to the lineup but it is not yet known if he’ll receive the green light to play for their game tomorrow afternoon against San Jose, notes Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. Muzzin sustained an upper-body injury back on December 30th but tried to play through it for a couple of games before going on injured reserve.  If he does get cleared to play, a roster move will need to be made as the recall of Jonny Brodzinski earlier today brought Los Angeles back to a full 23-man roster.
  • Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins left Saturday’s game with what was speculated to be a head injury but TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports via Twitter that there are no concussion concerns. Instead, he’s dealing with some bruising that the team is hopeful will have gone away by the time they’re off their bye week on Saturday.  Although he has frequently been involved in trade speculation, Nugent-Hopkins has quietly put together a strong year, sitting third in Edmonton scoring with 31 points in 46 games.
  • Rangers winger Kevin Hayes suffered a setback to the lower-body injury he tried to play through against the Islanders on Saturday, notes Newsday’s Steve Zipay. He has been ruled out of tonight’s game against Pittsburgh but head coach Alain Vigneault provided some reason for optimism, noting that “It’s not as bad as when it was first diagnosed”.  Hayes, who scored in the game Saturday despite playing through the injury, has 18 points in 43 games so far this season.

Despite Cap Situation, Capitals Intend To Re-Sign John Carlson

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Last summer, the Capitals surprised many by finding a way to keep winger T.J. Oshie around instead of losing him in free agency.  This year, they’re facing that same situation with defenseman John Carlson who is set to become a UFA on July 1st.  Speaking with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, GM Brian MacLellan stated that although they don’t feel like they have to reach an extension before the trade deadline, they have decided that they are going to try to keep him with the team long-term:

“I think in the beginning, we were wondering where we were going to be as a team. [Now], we’re going to want him back no matter what, so we’re going to make our best effort to bring him back.”

As was the situation with Oshie last year, Washington has a lot of money committed for 2018-19 already and quite a few roster spots that will need to be filled.  Per CapFriendly, they have nearly $59MM locked in to just 13 players for next season and while the salary cap was recently pegged to jump closer to $80MM, that still doesn’t leave much in the way of wiggle room to sign Carlson plus six to nine other players (including goalie Philipp Grubauer and winger Tom Wilson who are both restricted free agents with arbitration eligibility).

Oct 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA;Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsAccordingly, if the Caps and MacLellan are able to find a way to keep Carlson around, they will likely be in a situation where they will have to move out a notable player, similar to what they did with Marcus Johansson last summer when they flipped him to the Devils when Oshie re-signed and Evgeny Kuznetsov inked his new contract.

Considering how important Carlson is to the Capitals though, there’s a strong case to be made that losing another important piece to keep him around is still a move worth making.  He is logging more than 26 minutes per night on the back end (fifth most in the NHL) while his 35 points have him on pace for a new career best while ranking second among all blueliners.  It’s hard to lose a player like that for nothing in free agency.

As a result, Washington could be facing a situation where they have to come close to doubling Carlson’s current cap hit ($3.967MM) on a long-term deal; they are the only team that will be able to offer the maximum eight years.  That would put them at over $30MM on their back end which is more than what any team is currently spending on their defense corps.  At first glance, a buyout for Brooks Orpik and his remaining $5.5MM could alleviate the situation a little bit but even if they do that, they’d still carry a cap charge of $2.5MM for 2018-19 (plus $1.5MM in 2019-20).

MacLellan was able to find a way to keep most of his core together last summer despite their salary cap situation.  It will certainly be interesting to see if he can pull it off for a second straight year by keeping Carlson away from the open market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Paul Martin Could Be Headed For Waivers

at CDT | by 2 Comments

As reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, veteran defenseman Paul Martin is being shopped by the San Jose Sharks. That claim was confirmed by GM Doug Wilson to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, who said the team is working with Martin and his representatives to try and get him a new opportunity. On Twitter, he relayed comments from Martin’s agent Ben Hankinson:

It’s kind of a tough one for him because he knows he can play and he wants to play with the Sharks. Right now, there isn’t a spot for him. That’s his first choice but obviously the goal is to play somewhere and help a team win in the NHL. Now we’re going down that path and trying to find a team. Paulie wants to play and he’d love to win. Kind of walking down that pathway now to see where he could be a fit.

Additionally, Pashelka reports that Martin could find himself on waivers in the next few days, which would result in a stint with the San Jose Barracuda if not claimed.

Martin has played in just three games this season after dealing with several injuries and the impressive play of several other Sharks’ defenders. In the third year of a four-year, $19.4MM contract, the 36-year old defenseman comes with a $4.85MM cap hit, a prohibitive factor for many potential claiming clubs. It’s hard to imagine any team would claim him on waivers, which would come with the responsibility of his entire remaining contract. More likely may be a trade with the Sharks retaining some salary, in order to receive a real asset in return.

If he does end up on waivers and goes unclaimed, a stint in the AHL might actually be the best thing for the veteran. Though he’d obviously like to be playing in the NHL, he hasn’t been able to show that he’s still able to contribute at this level, and sitting in the press box isn’t doing anything to change that. A few weeks logging big minutes in the AHL might entice a team to bring him aboard for their playoff run. Martin does have plenty of playoff experience, suiting up for 115 postseason games in his career with three different clubs. He logged more than 22 minutes a night with the Sharks in 2015-16, on their way to the Stanley Cup final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In the meantime, the Sharks have activated Dylan DeMelo from injured reserve and loaned Marcus Sorensen to the minor leagues. DeMelo hasn’t played in 10 days, and has suited up for 22 games this season.

Andrew Cogliano Suspended Two Games

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Andrew Cogliano’s streak of 830 consecutive games will come to an end, as the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has issued a two-game suspension for the Anaheim Ducks’ forward. Cogliano came together with the Los Angeles Kings’ forward Adrian Kempe after he’d already passed the puck, making contact with his head. The accompanying video explains:

In addition to the lateness of the hit, what elevates this check to merit supplemental discipline is the substantial head contact and significant force. This is a late, high, forceful check on a player who is not eligible to be checked in any manner.

Cogliano has never been fined or suspended in a career that spans more than a decade. That career has also not been marred by a single injury or healthy scratch, as the 30-year old hasn’t missed a single game since he entered the league. That streak of 830 games ranks fourth all-time in NHL history, but will come to an end midway through his 11th season. Keith Yandle will now become the active consecutive games played leader with 676.

While the streak ending is disappointing for the sake of history, losing Cogliano for a pair of games will have a big impact on the Ducks. As shown by his recent three-year extension, the team knows the important role that he plays for their team as a player who can be relied on defensively and on the penalty kill. With the Ducks trying their best to crawl back into a playoff spot, they claimed J.T. Brown off waivers earlier today, perhaps expecting a suspension coming down from the league. They take on the Colorado Avalanche tomorrow afternoon, in a game between two Western Conference teams tied in the standings with 49 points.

Emerson Etem Signs With Lugano Of Swiss League

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Former Arizona Coyotes forward Emerson Etem has chosen to give up on the NHL and head overseas to Switzerland. Etem signed today for the remainder of the season with Lugano of the Swiss National League, according to EliteProspects.com.

The 25-year-old wing signed a one-year deal this offseason to play with the Arizona Coyotes, but didn’t make the squad and instead found himself with the Tucson Roadrunners. He eventually asked to be released and was put on unconditional waivers on Dec. 31.

Etem, a former first-round pick in 2010, struggled to etch out an NHL career as he has never played a full NHL season. His best season was in the 2015-16 season when he played 58 games between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks. He had seven goals and eight assists, but couldn’t parlay that into further success. He was waived by the Canucks at the start of the 2016-17 season and picked up by Anaheim, the team that originally drafted him, but only got into three Ducks’ games all season.

In 16 AHL games with the Roadrunners this season, Etem had four goals and one assist.

Ottawa Begins To Prep For Trade Deadline

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the Ottawa Senators on their bye-week, general manager Pierre Dorion is certainly not taking a vacation. The GM must start making decisions about the avenue his club will be taking in the coming weeks as the trade deadline begins to loom closer. After a lackluster start of the season, especially after the team acquired center Matt Duchene from Colorado, the team must decide whether they plan to blow the team up or just make a couple tweaks to their roster.

The Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch writes that blowing the team up is unlikely, but writes Dorion has spent quite a bit of time with team scouts to try to figure out what has gone wrong and what the best course of action should be for the franchise. The scribe suggests the team is unlikely to tear down the entire team, but writes that several players are likely heading out of Ottawa by the deadline. While Dorion remains realistic about his team’s playoff chances, the team remains just nine games out of a playoff spot and have had some recent success before the break, so it’s unlikely any deal would be made soon in case the team can turn its fortunes around.

Garrioch believes that forward Mike Hoffman is the most likely candidate to be traded as the interest in him is quite high. Despite his recent chemistry with Duchene, the scribe believes that a top-six winger should get a good return for the team, whether that be in prospects, picks or both. The 28-year-old has had three straight 25+ goal seasons and still has two years remaining after this one on his contract for a $5.19MM AAV. Hoffman currently has 11 goals and 29 points in 42 games. The money the team would save from moving Hoffman could be used to lock up Mark Stone, who the franchise has deemed untouchable along with defenseman Erik Karlsson. Veteran Derick Brassard is also not going anywhere.

Zack Smith’s contract and hard-nosed style has also drawn many calls from other teams, while Garrioch adds that defenseman Johnny Oduya and fourth-liner Alexandre Burrows are veterans and have received some attention as well. The 29-year-old Smith still has three years on his $3.25MM AAV deal, which isn’t too high of a price for a solid center. The 36-year-old Oduya has been solid on the team’s third pairing, but has more than 100 games of playoff experience, while the 36-year-old Burrows has 85 games of playoff experience as well. Garrioch does suggest that while youngster Jean-Gabriel Pageau is a trade candidate, it’s unlikely that he will be traded as he’s still a quality young player.

 

Atlantic Notes: Danault, Dubois, Hedman, Panthers

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Montreal forward Phillip Danault was released from the hospital this morning and is resting at home after he was hit in the head by a 124 kilometers-an-hour slapshot by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, tweets Arpon Basu of The Athletic. The 24-year-old was just 10 feet away with 1:37 remaining in the second period when he tried to block the blistering shot only to have it hit him in the head.

Danault was motionless for some time, then slowly tried to get up to the applause of the Montreal fans, only to have him collapse again. With blood all over the collar of his jersey, he was wheeled off in a stretcher and taken to the hospital. While indications after the game was that he was OK, that was confirmed this morning by the team. No word yet on whether he will miss time.

  • In the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos says the Montreal Canadiens still have high aspirations to trade for Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Canadiens who have a desperate need for center help on their team have long coveted the former third overall pick from the 2016 draft. While there is talk that Columbus does like Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk, Kypreos says Columbus currently has no interest in moving their young center, at least until they find themselves fully healthy. Alexander Wennberg only came back a couple of games ago and the team still has other missing players as well.
  • In the same segment, Kypreos also added that with Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman out for the all-star game, the NHL is considering two replacements for him, including Toronto’s Morgan Rielly and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy.
  • The Florida Panthers intend to put a lot of stock into the next 16 games (number of games before the trade deadline) before they determine whether to bolster their roster, according to Sun Sentinel’s Craig Davis. The team, currently six points out of a playoff spot, has enjoyed great success with their top line of Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgeni Dadonov, but hasn’t seen the same production from their second line despite a solid season from center Vincent Trocheck. The scribe writes the team wouldn’t be against acquiring a winger like it did a year ago when it traded for Thomas Vanek, but general manager Dale Tallon said any deal would have to factor into their long-term plans. One other factor is that Florida has been playing well of late, having gone 6-3-1 over the past 10 games.

 

Anaheim Claims J.T. Brown, Places Logan Shaw On Waivers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Anaheim Ducks claimed J.T. Brown off of waivers Sunday and placed Logan Shaw on waivers to make space for him, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Brown, who was placed on waivers Saturday by the Tampa Bay Lightning, will now join the Ducks in hopes of providing some bottom-six offense for them.

Brown played sparingly in Tampa Bay, who was looking to free up roster space so the team can audition some of its top youngsters from their AHL franchise. They 27-year-old has spent six seasons with Tampa Bay, but has seen his playing time drop to an all-time low of 9:22. He has played in just 24 games for the Lightning this year, often being a healthy scratch. He has a goal and three assists on the year and might be best known this season for raising his fist in protest during the national anthem on Oct. 7. Brown is the second Lightning player to be lost to waivers this season as they lost Gabriel Dumont earlier this year to Ottawa.

The 25-year Shaw, on the other hand, has seen a significant amount of action this year, mostly on the team’s fourth line, as he’s played in 42 of the team’s 44 games. However, with just two goals and six assists this year while averaging 11:29 of ice time, the team hopes he might clear waivers and they can keep him with their AHL affiliate.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top