Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Latest On J.T. Miller, Bo Horvat

at CDT | by 13 Comments

When Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin took over the Vancouver Canucks, things seemed dire. The team was at the bottom of the standings, the cap situation was a mess, and many of the team’s top players were underperforming. Trade speculation immediately exploded, most notably regarding the trio of J.T. Miller, Bo Horvat, and Brock Boeser. There was no way the team could keep them all, while the group struggled to even stay competitive on the ice.

A few months and one spectacular late-season run later, things don’t appear to be nearly as chaotic in Vancouver. Bruce Boudreau will be back as head coach and there is at least some optimism that the team can get back to the playoffs as soon as next season.

Of course, there is still the issue of that trio of expensive forwards. Boeser is a restricted free agent this summer, while Miller and Horvat are both in the final year of their contracts. The latter two are extension candidates well ahead of that UFA status, and Rutherford spoke to CHEK TV today about both, explaining that while the plan is to sign them, nothing is decided yet:

We’re already in a tough situation cap wise, and we’re trying to gradually untangle that so we can add new players. So any player that has a contract that’s up, or in the future, we are going to project where they fit within our cap so we can add more players and make this team better. It’s not just about J.T., it’s all players. 

I really like Bo. I’ve always liked him back to his junior hockey days. There has been good discussions with him after the season. He had a good year this year, 30-some goals. He’s got a lot of good hockey left in him. He’s a character guy. He’s a center that’s hard to find. We believe he should be part of our team going forward. 

On Boeser, who recently lost his father, Rutherford explained that the team is letting the family go through a grieving period before taking a look at next season, and wouldn’t really go into contract negotiations other than to confirm that the team believes they can fit in the $7.5MM qualifying offer that’s due as a restricted free agent.

The most interesting part of the interview may be the idea that the team is trying to “untangle” their cap situation, especially given the whispers that they are trying to find a market for Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The $7.26MM cap hit that Ekman-Larsson carries for the Canucks (the Arizona Coyotes are retaining a small portion of his full $8.25MM hit) makes it much more difficult to sign players like Miller and Horvat long-term, as the veteran defenseman is signed through 2026-27. Still, even then there should be some wiggle room, with Tyler Myers, Tanner Pearson, and Jason Dickinson all coming off the books in 2024.

Officially, extensions with Miller and Horvat would not be possible until after the hockey calendar rolls over in July when free agency opens. One of the last things Rutherford said today was that he understands people are impatient but stressed the need for his front office to take things step by step and avoid making a mistake as they look to turn things around.

Andre Burakovsky Expected To Re-Enter Colorado Lineup

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Colorado Avalanche are expected to make a lineup change for tonight’s game against the St. Louis Blues, re-inserting Andre Burakovsky after he was made a healthy scratch the last two matches. Burakovsky was working with the second powerplay unit at morning skate, while Alex Newhook was on the ice late with the other expected scratches. Speaking to reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic, head coach Jared Bednar explained that if Burakovsky does play tonight he wants “to see him come in and work and play his best game.”

Burakovsky, 27, has always been something of an enigma. Armed with all of the skills and measurables that should make him an elite offensive player in the league, he has struggled with consistency for his entire career, both with the Washington Capitals and once he got to Colorado. It seemed as though he had put some of that behind him this season when he set new career highs with 22 goals and 61 points in 80 games, but a difficult run of play in the postseason had him down on the fourth line and then up in the press box. He has three points in seven playoff games, all of them coming in the deciding game four against the Nashville Predators.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole saga is that Burakovsky is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Currently in the final season of a two-year deal he signed in 2020, which carries a cap hit of $4.9MM, the 6’3″ winger could be a highly sought-after commodity on the open market. He also could be an important piece for the Avalanche to bring back, but with nearly half their roster headed for free agency, it might not be financially possible if he’s looking for a raise. Burakovsky is joined by Nazem Kadri, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Manson, and Darcy Kuemper among the team’s many pending UFAs, meaning some difficult decisions will have to be made.

There’s no doubt that on many teams, Burakovsky would be nowhere near the press box despite his inconsistent play. The Avalanche are one of the deepest forward groups in the league at the moment, and have the luxury of moving someone like Newhook in whenever necessary. Make no mistake though, this is the time of the year that can really change a player’s perception around the league and add millions of dollars to a contract negotiation; Burakovsky has a chance to take advantage of that opportunity, and show he can be relied on in the most important situations.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On Philadelphia Coaching Search

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Philadelphia Flyers are on the lookout for a coach and have already been linked to some big names. Barry Trotz and John Tortorella have reportedly already had their interviews with the club, though it does not appear as though the team is in any rush to make a final decision. Today, on the 32 Thoughts podcast, hosts Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman linked another few names to the Flyers, including recently eliminated Calgary Flames associate coach Kirk Muller, and Pittsburgh Penguins assistant Mike Vellucci.

Muller, according to Friedman, will also draw interest from the Winnipeg Jets now that the Flames are out of the playoffs. The 56-year-old last served as a head coach with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2014 and has been an associate in both Montreal and Calgary. Muller obviously also brings a long successful history as a player, including a Stanley Cup championship in 1993.

Vellucci meanwhile is an interesting name, given he actually doesn’t have much experience at the NHL level but has been around the hockey world for decades. The 55-year-old coach (who played two games in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers) won a Calder Cup as head coach of the Charlotte Checkers in 2019 after a long stint as general manager and head coach of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL. Friedman expects Vellucci to draw interest from more than just Philadelphia, though has already interviewed with the Flyers.

The other name brought up by Marek was St. Louis Blues assistant Jim Montgomery, who Friedman confirmed would be of interest, but noted is still working. Montgomery, who last served as a head coach with the Dallas Stars, was fired in 2020 for unprofessional conduct–a decision he admitted was the “appropriate call” at the time while revealing his battle with alcoholism. After getting help, Montgomery was back behind an NHL bench with the Blues in 2020-21 and is currently helping them try to come back against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round.

Damir Zhafyarov Re-Signs In KHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

If you ever looked at the KHL leaderboards and wondered whether Damir Zhafyarov would try his hand in North America, think again. The Russian forward has signed a new two-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg, one that keeps him under contract through April 30, 2024.

Zhafyarov, 28, has been one of the league’s most consistent offensive producers over the past few seasons, including a 61-point campaign in 2020-21 that put him third in the entire KHL. He followed it up with a 45-point 2021-22, good for fourth in the league, and will now join an SKA program known to be competitive every season.

His move from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, where he had played the last four years, could actually be in response to a different move. SKA is set to lose top forward Andrei Kuzmenko–one of the three players who outscored Zhafyarov this season–to the NHL, as he is expected to sign a contract in the coming weeks. Kuzmenko, who scored 53 points this year, actually has worse overall numbers than Zhafyarov, and had never previously come close to a point-per-game season. He did however lead the St. Petersburg squad this year, meaning they needed to find a high-end replacement for him.

They’ve done so in Zhafyarov, though it remains a mystery whether he ever would have been able to put up strong numbers in North America. Notably, he stands just 5’9″ and is not a physical player, meaning the NHL may have proven too difficult. Either way, he’s now signed to a deal that will take him through his 30th birthday, suggesting a North American career is probably out of the question.

Chris Tanev Expected To Undergo Surgery

at CDT | by 1 Comment

It was obvious that Chris Tanev wasn’t at full strength as he tried to gut out the end of the Calgary Flames’ second-round series. The veteran defenseman was dealing with multiple injuries, according to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, who tweets that Tanev had a torn labrum, a separated shoulder, and a sprained neck. He’ll go in for surgery next week, according to Dhaliwal.

Tanev, 32, was a horse for the Flames during the regular season, playing in all 82 games, setting a new career high with 28 points, and blocking 158 shots. He unfortunately was injured in game six of the first round against the Dallas Stars, and was limited to just two matches against the Oilers. Incredibly, he was still a +3 in those games, as the Flames outscored the Oilers 6-3 with him on the ice at even strength.

Among the very best shutdown defensemen in the entire league, Tanev does have a long history of serious injuries. In fact, this was the first time he had ever played more than 70 games in a single season, missing huge chunks nearly every year while with the Vancouver Canucks. After suiting up in every regular season game the Flames have played for two years, his luck finally ran out, and he’ll have to undergo a long rehab period once again.

Tanev has two years left on the contract he signed in 2020, which carries an average annual value of $4.5MM.

Finland, Latvia Awarded 2023 World Championship

at CDT | by 1 Comment

May 27: The Worlds have officially been awarded to Finland and Latvia for 2023, while Switzerland has landed the 2026 event. Several other events have also been decided.

May 24: It appears as though the IIHF World Championship may not be leaving Finland at the end of the month. The country, along with Latvia, has submitted a new bid for the 2023 event, which had previously been stripped from Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. There had been a joint application submitted by Hungary and Slovenia but it has now been withdrawn.

That means this new bid from Finland and Latvia–Tampere and Riga specifically–is currently the only application for the event, set for May 2023. The IIHF explains that Nokia Arena in Tampere, which is currently holding the 2022 event, would again serve as the main facility for the tournament. Arena Riga, unfortunately, was held mostly empty at the 2021 event due to COVID-19 restrictions, something that hopefully wouldn’t be necessary this time around.

The IIHF also explained that the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation could not receive the governmental guarantees that were required to potentially host the event at the MVM Dome in Budapest, forcing the application to be withdrawn.

The decision is expected on Friday, when the IIHF council will also award the 2026 event–likely Switzerland, who is currently the only applicant. The 2024 event is set for Czechia, and in 2025 it will head to Sweden and Denmark.

Quarter-final matches for this year’s event will start on Thursday.

Sami Vatanen, Valtteri Filppula Re-Sign In Switzerland

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

One of the more surprising departures to Europe last offseason was that of Sami Vatanen, the long-time NHL defenseman who left for Switzerland. Vatanen had played nearly 500 NHL games, had been a top-four option for years, and had only just turned 30 years old. Now, after a year with Geneve-Servette HC, he’s decided the non-NHL life suits him just fine. Vatanen has signed a two-year extension with the club, through the 2023-24 season.

That’s not all, as Geneve-Servette announced a couple of other high-profile deals. Valtteri Filppula, who also left behind an NHL career last offseason, has re-upped to play with Vatanen for another year. Filppula, 38, was dominant for the club this season, scoring 19 goals and 47 points in 48 games. He also served as captain for Finland at the Olympics and World Championships, two tournaments that Vatanen was also part of.

Linus Omark will join them as another name familiar to many NHL fans, though he has been gone for quite a while longer. The shootout magician spent last season in the SHL, but did play 2020-21 with Geneve-Servette, and should have no problem bringing his elite offensive ability back to the National League. The 35-year-old Omark played just 79 games in the NHL, before leaving for Europe in 2014.

Vatanen will still be the headline though, since he remains squarely in his productive years and was still a quality NHL player when he departed–even if injuries had kept him off the ice for the better part of a year. He showed just how productive he could be last season when he scored at a better than point-per-game rate as a defenseman in the NL. A two-year deal likely means any chance of his return to North America is gone, though that already may have been the case.

Torey Krug Still Not An Option For St. Louis

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The St. Louis Blues have staved off elimination for at least another few days, coming back to beat the Colorado Avalanche in overtime last night on a slapshot from Tyler Bozak. One of the more amazing statistics from that game is how heavily the Blues have leaned on just three defensemen, using Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, and Nick Leddy in all situations. Marco Scandella and Robert Bortuzzo, two of the team’s more veteran options, played just 12:22 and 11:09 last night, while Niko Mikkola saw just over 16 minutes.

Part of that discrepancy between the top and bottom of the defense corps is because of Torey Krug’s absence, a player that would normally slide in with that top group and take on huge minutes. Krug hasn’t played since game three of the first round though, leaving the match against the Minnesota Wild with a lower-body injury after just six shifts.

Despite being back on the ice again today, Krug won’t be an option for the Blues tomorrow or in a potential game seven, according to Lou Korac of NHL.com. There is a chance he could return next series, though thinking that far ahead certainly isn’t really productive for St. Louis at this point. The team has a lot of work to do if they want to come back and take the series from Colorado, meaning Faulk, Parayko, and Leddy will need to carry the load a little longer.

There will be an eye on who actually enters the lineup behind them though. The team had been using seven defensemen and dressing both Calle Rosen and Scott Perunovich earlier in the series, the latter mostly for powerplay duty. With another do-or-die situation tomorrow night, head coach Craig Berube will have to decide which mix to use for the handful of minutes those depth spots are receiving.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Linus Karlsson

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Vancouver Canucks have added another Swedish forward, announcing a two-year contract for Linus Karlsson. The 22-year-old Karlsson is signing his entry-level deal after exploding onto the SHL scene this season. General manager Patrik Allvin released a statement on the deal:

We are excited to officially welcome Linus to Vancouver. He is a good goal scorer who plays a solid two-way game, and he is coming off an impressive rookie season in Sweden. We look forward to seeing him develop his game in North America.

Named rookie of the year, Karlsson scored 26 goals and 46 points in 52 games for Skelleftea AIK. That tied him for second in the entire league in goals, just a year removed from putting up similar totals at the Allsvenskan level, Sweden’s second tier. The young forward, originally selected by the San Jose Sharks, was acquired by the Canucks in a 2019 trade for Jonathan Dahlen.

Notably, Karlsson would be one of the players affected by the new transfer agreement with Sweden. Previously, because he is over the age of 21, he would have been able to sign his entry-level deal and be assigned to the minor leagues. Now, with that age limit raised to 24, he’ll have to be offered back to Skelleftea if he fails to make the Canucks roster, as he is still under contract in the SHL through 2022-23. Despite that, Allvin’s statement suggests that he might be playing in North America next year, meaning Vancouver may have worked out an agreement with his Swedish club.

Either way, getting him signed now was a necessary move for the Canucks, as Karlsson’s exclusive draft rights would have expired in just a few days. If not signed by June 1, he would have become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign a similar entry-level contract with any team in the league. Even if he does spend next season overseas–something which is clearly not a sure thing yet–getting him under contract will keep him under the Canucks’ control for years to come.

Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reported this morning that a deal was imminent.

Dylan Larkin Changes Representation

at CDT | by 11 Comments

One of the biggest items on Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman’s checklist this offseason is a potential contract extension with captain Dylan Larkin. The 25-year-old center is signed through 2022-23 and would become an unrestricted free agent next offseason if a deal isn’t reached. It seemed as though Yzerman and the Red Wings front office would be negotiating that extension with KO Sports, but last night Max Bultman of The Athletic reported that Larkin has changed representation. He’s now with CAA, represented by Matt Williams and NHL super-agent Pat Brisson.

It appears as though that was a very unexpected decision, given the statement that Kurt Overhardt, CEO of KO Sports, released to Bultman today:

From a relationship standpoint, Dylan Larkin worked primarily with my business partner, Joe Oliver. Throughout the past 11 years, Joe has thoughtfully guided Dylan through countless matters both on and off the ice. There was never a single issue raised between Dylan and Joe for the entirety of their professional relationship and Joe was completely blindsided by this decision. For the past several months, Joe had been working directly with Dylan in preparation to negotiate his contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings. 

As with all of our clients, our work on behalf of Dylan was at the highest standard in all situations. We are very disappointed in his decision and the timing. 

Obviously, the interest of the agents is to remain with a client through what should be a massive negotiation, and Overhardt’s statement should be taken with a grain of salt. But it does confirm for Red Wings fans that Larkin is ready to negotiate this offseason–or at least was with his previous representation.

While KO Sports is no small outfit, moving to CAA takes Larkin right to the top. Brisson has more than $1B in negotiated active contracts according to PuckPedia, including clients like John Tavares, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Anze Kopitar, all players with an average annual value of at least $10MM. For what it’s worth (which may be nothing), Brisson currently has just one client with the Red Wings–Jared McIsaac–and none with Yzerman’s former outfit in Tampa Bay.

Larkin is coming off quite the platform year to start negotiating. Reinvigorated by his young, up-and-coming teammates, the speedy forward scored 31 goals and 69 points in 71 games. His overall production is similar to CAA client Matt Duchene through the early part of his career; Duchene ended up signing a seven-year, $56MM contract with the Nashville Predators when he hit the open market in 2019. He did negotiate a multi-year deal with the Red Wings for Anthony Mantha in 2020.

Players signed through 2022-23 are eligible for extensions on July 13, when free agency opens this year.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top