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Rob Blake

Los Angeles Kings Extend Rob Blake

May 18, 2022 at 1:47 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 9 Comments

The Los Angeles Kings surprised a lot of people this season, reaching the postseason and pushing the Edmonton Oilers to seven games. The fact that the team also has arguably the best prospect pool in the entire league and cap room to spend this offseason puts them in an enviable position and one that has resulted in a nice reward for the Kings’ architect.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that general manager Rob Blake has signed a three-year contract extension with the Kings, though the deal is not expected to be announced for another week or two. Blake was in the final season of his current contract, one which was set to expire at the end of June.

It wasn’t always glowing reviews for Blake, who took over in 2017 and was immediately welcomed by years of on-ice struggles. The Kings missed the playoffs in each of the three seasons previous to this one, posting winning percentages well below .500 in the process.

That, along with some moves to sell off high-priced assets including Jeff Carter, Alec Martinez, Tyler Toffoli, and Jake Muzzin, allowed the team to collect a huge number of prospects and draft picks that have quickly turned their aging core into an extremely young one.

Now, Blake will have the task of turning a playoff team into one that can legitimately challenge for the Stanley Cup, and much of that work will have to be done with restricted free agent negotiations this summer. Adrian Kempe leads the way in that regard following his breakout 35-goal season, but others like Mikey Anderson, Sean Durzi, and Carl Grundstrom will also be interesting cases to monitor.

Los Angeles Kings| Rob Blake

9 comments

Jonathan Quick To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

May 20, 2021 at 6:30 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

After another disappointing season, both personally and for his team, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is wasting no time with getting a start on his preparation for next year. According to The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman, Quick is scheduled for shoulder surgery on Wednesday. GM Rob Blake states that Quick will be ready for training camp and the start of the regular season.

Ironically, Quick’s shoulder is a separate ailment from the one that kept him out the final weeks of the Kings’ season. Quick suffered a rib injury on May 3 and this is the issue that prevented him from returning to action at the end of the year. Instead, Blake notes that the shoulder surgery is to fix “wear and tear over the years.” This is potentially good news for Kings fans, as Quick’s underwhelming performance has spanned the past three years, not just 2020-21. Correctly a lingering injury as opposed to a recent issue is more of a proactive move to improve rather than a reactive move merely to keep playing. Perhaps a refreshed shoulder could lead to return to form for the 35-year-old, a multi-time Jennings Trophy winner, All-Star, and Stanley Cup-winning starter.

Interestingly, especially given that Quick receiving fewer starts than Calvin Petersen even before his late-season injury, the veteran was recently named by franchise icon Drew Doughty as still being part of L.A.’s aging “core”, who Doughty believes deserve to be surrounded by superior talent. Quick may have had a better record than Petersen this season at 11-9-2 and even had a slightly better goals against average, but the younger member of the tandem had a substantially better save percentage and simply passed the eye test more often. While to the outside observer it may seem like Quick’s play over the past few years and Petersen’s presence no longer make him a key player for the Kings, there at least seems to be some internal belief that the long-time netminder is still a top option in net and a key member of the roster. A healthy Quick to begin the 2021-22 campaign could be on a mission to prove his teammates right and to return himself and his team to relevance.

Drew Doughty| Injury| Jonathan Quick| Los Angeles Kings| Rob Blake

2 comments

Los Angeles Kings Looking For “Dynamic” Defenseman

February 26, 2021 at 10:47 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 34 Comments

The Los Angeles Kings are in third place. That’s not something anyone expected to read this season, but after winning their last six in a row, the Kings look to not only be in contention for a playoff spot but perhaps even the West Division crown. They sit just two points behind the division-leading Vegas Golden Knights and one behind the St. Louis Blues, though all three teams have different amounts of games played. Los Angeles GM Rob Blake is starting to see the payoff from the incredible prospect pool he has accumulated, with players like Gabriel Vilardi, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, and Mikey Anderson all making strong contributions this season.

Now, perhaps with an eye on the future and the present, Blake is ready to add. From Darren Dreger on TSN’s latest Insider Trading:

Rob Blake of the Los Angeles Kings is another one looking for a defenseman…25-and-under, he specifically wants a dynamic, left-shot defenseman. When you look at the Los Angeles Kings they do have an abundance of forwards, particularly at center ice. I’m reminded of the big trade that involved the Columbus Blue Jackets a few years back and the Nashville Predators. Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones. If something like that could be worked out for Rob Blake and the LA Kings, he’d do that in a heartbeat.

Taking out the obvious note that anyone would do Jones for Johansen right now if they were the one getting the defenseman, Dreger seems to be implying that Blake isn’t just looking for a depth defenseman to fill out the roster. Instead, the Kings may be looking for a more impact name and be willing to move another high-potential forward in the process. Remember at the time of the deal, Johansen was coming off a 71-point season with the Blue Jackets and had 26 through the first 38 games in 2015-16.

Interestingly, another young Nashville defenseman has been in the rumor mill lately, as Dante Fabbro was not ruled an untouchable. The 22-year-old is a right-shot though, so perhaps that wouldn’t be on the radar for Blake in Los Angeles. His teammate Mattias Ekholm shoots left but doesn’t fit into the 25-and-under club, meaning he’s probably off the list too.

Dynamic young defensemen aren’t on the block often, so Blake may be waiting a while. What this does signal though is that the time for a tear down may be behind the Kings as they look to compete instead of rebuild.

Los Angeles Kings| Rob Blake

34 comments

Kings Notes: Vilardi, Hutton, Hults, Toffoli

August 31, 2019 at 11:12 am CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Kings GM Rob Blake met with reporters on Friday to discuss quite a few things about the team with their rookie tournament and training camp on the horizon.  Here is a listing of some of the things that were discussed (all Twitter links via LA Kings Insider’s Jon Rosen unless otherwise noted).

  • 2017 first-round pick Gabriel Vilardi is progressing in his rehab but will not be on the ice at training camp. He played in just four games with AHL Ontario last season before being shut down due to recurring back injuries.  Vilardi’s entry-level contract has slid the last two years but will now begin no matter what in 2019-20.  Blake allowed for a small amount of optimism, stating that the center is “farther along in rehab than any part in last 12 months”.
  • Blake acknowledged that they took a look at UFA defenseman Ben Hutton early on in free agency but downplayed the possibility that they will sign him. Rosen adds that the look wasn’t a particularly extensive one.  Hutton remains one of the more intriguing UFAs left as he’s coming off a decent season with Vancouver that saw him collect 20 points in 69 games while averaging over 22 minutes a night.  However, salary arbitration concerns resulted in the Canucks non-tendering him back in June.
  • One defenseman that they do intend to sign is defenseman Cole Hults. He was a fifth-round pick (134th overall) of the team back in 2017 and is coming off a strong season at Penn State with 28 points in 39 games.  Los Angeles will wait for him to complete his junior year though.  They’ve shown a willingness to burn the first year of an entry-level deal quickly on college players in the past and Hults looks like a candidate for that to happen again.
  • Winger Tyler Toffoli was in trade speculation at the deadline last season but ultimately stayed put. He’s now entering the final year of his contract which means contract extension talks can begin.  Blake indicated (via Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period) that he’s in no rush to discuss a new deal with the 27-year-old, who had just 13 goals in 82 games last season and that he expects that the situation will work itself out later in the year.

Ben Hutton| Gabe Vilardi| Los Angeles Kings| Rob Blake| Vancouver Canucks

0 comments

Poll: Which GM Will Be Fired Next?

August 16, 2019 at 7:53 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 11 Comments

Despite missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, the Vancouver Canucks decided to extend GM Jim Benning today. The reasons for that are complicated—and obviously do not hinge entirely on his postseason record—just as they were when the Minnesota Wild made the decision to fire Paul Fenton just 14 months into his tenure with the team. The inner workings of an NHL front office are almost never made public (unless there is an intrepid reporter like Michael Russo of The Athletic who gets the incredible story), and it is hard to see why some decisions are made.

Still, even the most casual fan can see the seat of specific executives and coaches heating up. When the Edmonton Oilers decided to move on from Peter Chiarelli during another disappointing season, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. On the other hand, it was easy to see why the Carolina Hurricanes recently locked up Don Waddell after he interviewed for another job.

Looking around the league, who is next? Which GM will be let go, either this year or next summer?

It might be easy to look at the teams that have struggled recently, but many of them have replaced their top hockey operations executive over the last few seasons. The Oilers brought in Ken Holland to change the culture in Edmonton, while Steve Yzerman returned to the Detroit Red Wings to bring a new voice to a stagnant team. Florida has gone through quite a bit of turmoil in the front office since their ownership changed but Dale Tallon now seems to be entrenched as a veteran leader.

There are others though that may not be so lucky. The Ottawa Senators are heading in a new direction after shedding their previous core, but if the young talent doesn’t develop as hoped Pierre Dorion could be held responsible. John Chayka was the youngest GM in history when he took over the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, but they still haven’t made the playoffs under his watch and now have new ownership of their own. Jason Botterill was expected to have success in Buffalo after finding so much of it in Pittsburgh, but the Sabres haven’t been able to build a full roster around Jack Eichel despite some outstanding individual players.

Nothing is certain when it comes to front offices however. Cast your vote below and explain just why you think they’ll be the first to go!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

*We’ve used Kelly McCrimmon as the Vegas GM, though he won’t officially take that title from George McPhee until September

Brad Treliving| Chuck Fletcher| Dale Tallon| David Poile| Detroit Red Wings| Don Sweeney| Doug Armstrong| Doug Wilson| Edmonton Oilers| Jarmo Kekalainen| Jason Botterill| Jeff Gorton| Jim Benning| Jim Nill| Jim Rutherford| Joe Sakic| John Chayka| Kelly McCrimmon| Ken Holland| Kevin Cheveldayoff| Kyle Dubas| Lou Lamoriello| Marc Bergevin| Pierre Dorion| Polls| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals| Ray Shero| Rob Blake| Stan Bowman| Steve Yzerman

11 comments

Snapshots: Kings, Checkers, Hornqvist

April 23, 2019 at 1:13 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

In 2017-18, the Los Angeles Kings finished with 98 points, were a playoff team and had both a Norris Trophy and Hart Trophy finalist (and Selke winner) on their roster. Dustin Brown had found his edge again and recorded a 60-point season, while Jonathan Quick took home the Jennings Trophy as the goaltender for the team with the lowest goals against average in the NHL. Then, it all came crashing down. The club finished 30th in the NHL in 2018-19, fired their coach and traded away several assets. Things looked grim.

As Todd McLellan comes in to try and turn the team around, he spoke with Mark Spector of Sportsnet and was clear that it won’t be a quick process. The Kings aren’t expecting to be back competing for the Stanley Cup next season, and are just “at the beginning of the process.” The question now becomes what happens with the other veteran assets on Los Angeles, as names like Brown, Quick, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter aren’t getting any younger. If “it’s not going to be an overnight thing” as McLellan says, where does that leave the aging stars?

  • The Charlotte Checkers will be without two key defenders for their next game, as both Trevor Carrick and Bobby Sanguinetti have been given suspensions. While Sanguinetti will serve just a single game for a check to the head, Carrick is out for three games after leaving the bench to join an on-ice altercation. The Checkers are tied 1-1 in their first-round series against the Providence Bruins, and will need to find a way to win without two of their veteran blue liners.
  • Patric Hornqvist will suit up for Sweden at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, continuing his season after a disappointing exit with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hornqvist joins a squad that needed some help up front, and could very well find himself skating beside rookie sensation Elias Pettersson. The 32-year old winger won a gold medal with Sweden last year, scoring two goals in five games. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that teammate Marcus Pettersson will be an alternate for the Swedish squad.

IIHF| Los Angeles Kings| Patric Hornqvist| Pittsburgh Penguins| Rob Blake| Snapshots| Suspensions| Todd McLellan

3 comments

Jeff Carter Plans To Play Out Current Contract

April 9, 2019 at 6:15 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 7 Comments

The Los Angeles Kings’ disappointing 2018-19 season is now behind them and they are looking ahead to a fresh start next season. Part of improving the optimism around the team heading into next year would be opening up some salary cap space, as the Kings currently have one of the highest payrolls already committed to 2019-20 with the NHL off-season still to come. L.A. showed this season that their current core doesn’t have what it takes to be a contender, so moving out an expensive veteran piece to open up room to add in free agency and trades or at least give some promising young prospects an increased role is certainly in their plans.

One of the easiest ways that the team could have seen a significant drop-off in salary would have been if veteran center Jeff Carter had opted to retire, as many fans and local media members have (wishfully) speculated. Carter, who has three years remaining on his contract at a $5.27MM AAV, turned 34 this season and celebrated with the worst season of his career. Carter – who missed considerable time due to injury in 2017-18, but was still close to a point-per-game player – managed to record only 33 points in 76 games this year, including a career-worst 13 goals and -20 rating. While the situation was not helped any by the Kings’ overall lack of production, Carter certainly showed signs of his age and was easily the worst value player on the roster. As a result, there was hope by some that he may simply retire and walk away from his remaining money.

Don’t count on it, writes The Athletic’s Josh Cooper. After sitting down with Carter, Cooper relays that not only did he deny all retirement rumors, but stated that he hopes to play out the remaining three years of his contract (and collect his $7MM left in salary). He hopes that he can do just that with L.A., as well. Carter lacks any trade protection in his current contract, so he knows that he could be moved, but would not prefer it. “I want to be an L.A. King”, the respected veteran told Cooper, “I want to help change things around here.”

Unfortunately, the team may not be so eager to continue the relationship. The cap space alone is an issue, but Cooper also cites the team’s impressive prospect depth down the middle as a reason why Carter is viewed as expendable. Carter, who is 20 games away from 1,000 in his career, is still a valuable asset for his experience and versatility, but Cooper acknowledges that he is a major candidate to be on the move this summer, regardless.

A trade is certainly possible and there would be a market for Carters’ services. However, it would not be a market that would net the Kings anything of value and could very well still cost them against the salary cap with either retained salary or another expensive contract in return. Cooper even relays word from another NHL executive that the market value for Carter is “quite low” right now. One has to wonder if trading Carter for actual value might be easier if GM Rob Blake waits until the next trade deadline and hope he re-establishes his ability in that time.

Cooper doubts that a beneficial deal to move Carter can be found, at least this off-season, so could a buyout be a better option? Such a decision does not offer much cap relief; Carter would still count for more than $3MM next year and more than $4MM in the two years prior, followed by another three years at $778K. In fact, Cooper calls Carter the “least attractive candidate” to be bought out due to the structure of his remaining contract. With the lack of savings, L.A. would be better off holding on to Carter and hoping he can rebound.

For now, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to get Carter’s contract off the books. Perhaps Kings fans can be content in knowing that Carter is still determined to play and help the team in their rebuild. They may have no choice other than hoping the 700+-point player can return to form, as no alternative solutions seem to be on the horizon. Carter has three years left on his contract and plans to see it through – expect those three seasons to be with L.A. until the status quo changes for the veteran forward.

Free Agency| Injury| Jeff Carter| Los Angeles Kings| Retirement| Rob Blake| Salary Cap

7 comments

Snapshots: Zadina, Byfuglien, Kings

February 7, 2019 at 2:51 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 8 Comments

Filip Zadina has had a difficult year. The sixth-overall pick from 2018 has just 11 goals and 23 points with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and was held to just a single assist at the World Juniors, a tournament he dominated last year. Still, that won’t stop the Detroit Red Wings from giving him a taste of the NHL before the end of the season. GM Ken Holland told Ansar Khan of MLive that Zadina will play a few games with the Red Wings before the end of the year, but won’t go over the nine-game threshold that would make his entry-level contract kick in for this season.

Zadina is an extremely skilled player with a deadly accurate shot, and is still just a teenager playing in a professional league with opponents sometimes more than a decade older than him. Struggles maybe were to be expected, but for the Red Wings success he needs to take another step forward next season. Getting him a taste of what it takes to play in the NHL before the summer will give him even more focus this offseason to come to camp ready to compete in September.

  • Dustin Byfuglien has been activated from injured reserve by the Winnipeg Jets after a 15-game absence, and should immediately help them on their push to finish at the top of the Western Conference. The Jets are still in the market to make a move at the trade deadline, but getting Byfuglien back at this point should feel like a big addition for the last part of the season. The big, mobile defenseman usually logs some of the highest ice time totals in the league and is a physical force that demands respect all over the rink.
  • Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake had some snark for the analysts at TSN when speaking with Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times, and explained that there’s not definite time frame on when he’s looking to make moves to improve the club. If there are opportunities like the one he took by trading away Jake Muzzin the Kings will jump all over it, but they’re not rushing to sell off the whole team right away. For what it’s worth, our readership at PHR believes that Tyler Toffoli will be the next player sent packing by the Kings.

Detroit Red Wings| Dustin Byfuglien| Filip Zadina| Ken Holland| Los Angeles Kings| Rob Blake| Snapshots| Winnipeg Jets

8 comments

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Jake Muzzin

January 28, 2019 at 6:28 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 27 Comments

There have been many trades so far this season, but with less than a month to go before the NHL Trade Deadline, we finally the first that qualifies as a blockbuster. The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings. Going the other way is a package of forward prospect Carl Grundstrom, defense prospect Sean Durzi, and the Leafs’ 2019 first-round pick. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Toronto GM Kyle Dubas and L.A. GM Rob Blake had been discussing the framework for this deal for weeks before finally pulling the trigger tonight.

Muzzin, 29, is a major addition for the Maple Leafs. Dubas has been searching for help on the blue line all season long and adds a bona fide top-pair defender without having to move any pieces off his NHL roster. Muzzin is a well-rounded and versatile two-way defenseman. Although he is a left-shot, Muzzin often plays his off side and will likely slot next to Morgan Rielly on Toronto’s top pairing. Muzzin will also play a major role on the penalty kill, as he is a tough, durable defenseman who plays a steady game in his own end. Perhaps more than anything, Muzzin is known as a big game player, capable of playing his best when it matters most. Muzzin was a Stanley Cup champion in 2014 with the Kings and has 20 points and 125 hits in 50 playoff games. He has also starred for Canada on the international stage, including a 2015 World Championship in which he notched eight points in ten games. An experienced and clutch defenseman who excels in all three zones, Muzzin is truly a complete defender joining the back end in Toronto. Add in that he makes just $4MM against the cap and is signed for one more year and you get an acquisition that no one in Toronto should be unhappy with.

Los Angeles should be commended for this trade as well, though. Although Muzzin was one of their best players – arguably their top player this season – they maximized the return from a Leafs team that was unwilling to move any current roster players. Grundstrom and Duzri are two of Toronto’s very best prospects and each project to be NHLers sooner rather than later. Grundstrom, 21, was a second-round pick in 2016 out of Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. In his first season in North America this year, Grundstrom had 29 points in 42 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Grundstrom will now join the Ontario Reign and could see action with the Kings before the season is out. The powerful winger is certain to compete for a regular job in L.A. next year. Durzi, 20, was considered the top overage player in the NHL Draft last year and was selected in the second-round as a result. The skilled defenseman has been better than a point-per-game in the OHL this year after returning from injury and has the experience and intelligent game that should translate to the pros easily next season. As for the first-round pick, the Kings have to hope that Muzzin’s addition isn’t enough to get the Leafs past likely playoff opponents in the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, as Toronto’s pick could still very well end up in the early twenties. If the rest of Blake’s fire sale yields similar returns, L.A. is going to be in good shape moving into their rebuild phase.

 

AHL| Injury| Jake Muzzin| Kyle Dubas| Los Angeles Kings| Morgan Rielly| Newsstand| OHL| Prospects| Rob Blake| Swedish Hockey League| Toronto Maple Leafs

27 comments

Kings’ Jeff Carter Linked To Boston Bruins

December 15, 2018 at 9:17 am CDT | by Zach Leach 10 Comments

When one national writer connects a contending team with a trade candidate, it’s simply speculation. When three link the two in the span of a few days, there is usually something to it. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested that the Boston Bruins could be a possible destination for Los Angeles Kings veteran center Jeff Carter in his latest “31 Thoughts” segment. The same day, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa published an entire piece on Carter’s ideal fit in Boston. His colleague, Craig Custance, also wrote about how the best blueprint for a rebuild in L.A. could be to emulate the Bruins, who recouped picks and young players in 2015 by trading away Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton, but largely leaving their core intact. This time around, could Carter be in Lucic’s shoes with the Bruins and Kings swapping roles? It’s looking like a real possibility.

The logic behind a Carter deal is obvious for the Kings. L.A. sits in last place in the NHL, with just 24 points through 33 games. The team is far older than they would like to be given their struggles and, as Custance suggests, would benefit greatly from moving out a handful of veterans to inject youth and potential into the roster along with a solid core of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jonathan Quick. It is no surprise that TSN’s most recent Trade Bait list features Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin at No. 2, Carter at No. 5, and Alec Martinez at No. 16. Although Carter, still a capable offensive player, has three years remaining on his contract beyond this season at a remarkably reasonable $5.27MM cap hit and even lower salary, he is also 33 years old and is unlikely to improve in the years it could take for L.A. to return to the postseason. The Kings would be able to add some impressive young pieces in exchange for Carter, kick-starting their rebuild. TSN’s Frank Servalli warns that Carter could use the threat of retirement to decide on his destination, but he would be unlikely to turn down the opportunity to end his career with a contender like Boston.

However, does the deal make sense for the Bruins? Obviously, the first aspect worth noting is Boston’s depth down the middle. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, while aging themselves, are still playing at an elite level and are both signed long-term. Adding Carter would give the Bruins three centers age 32 or older signed through at least the 2020-21 season. The Bruins would have the gauge the asking price on Carter against the fact that he would most likely be their third-line center. Yet, this alone doesn’t rule out a Carter trade. Shinzawa notes that Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, while improving, is not yet ready for prime time match-ups as the anchor of his own line. Carter would be a very helpful addition in the short-term, especially as the Bruins square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning and their equally impressive depth down the middle. Carter playing alongside a young winger like Ryan Donato or Danton Heinen could be a dangerous combo this season and beyond. If and when Forsbacka Karlsson – or Trent Frederic, Jack Studnicka, or Jakub Lauko – looks ready to take on a regular role over the next few years, the right-shooting Carter could also slide to the wing, where the Bruins have yet to identify a long-term option next to Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. 

The Bruins could find a way to make a talent like Carter’s work, but the cost will likely dictate whether or not a deal gets done. If Carter is playing the Lucic role in Custance’s proposed role reversal, the Kings would likely land a strong if unspectacular return. Lucic had just one year remaining on his contract as opposed to Carter’s three, but was younger and healthier and expected to play a top-line role in L.A. The Bruins received a first-round pick, established backup goaltender Martin Jones (who they flipped to San Jose), and standout AHL defenseman Colin Miller in exchange for Lucic. The Kings don’t need a young goaltender, nor do the Bruins have much to offer in that department. Boston will also be hesitant to move a first-round pick after forfeiting that pick last year in the Rick Nash trade. However, the Kings need scoring and the Bruins have a plethora of young forwards. Heinen could fill the Jones role of an established young NHLer, although the Kings could instead ask for Donato or Anders Bjork, while one of the team’s prospect centers could be substituted for the first-rounder and Jeremy Lauzon or Jakub Zboril could play the part of Miller. Anything more than that package of three talented young players would probably be a deal-breaker for GM Don Sweeney and company, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the combination gets a deal done.

With a seemingly sensible fit on both sides and several major pundits pedaling the rumor, this isn’t the last of Carter-to-Boston speculation. However, the Bruins have also been linked to Carter’s teammate Tyler Toffoli, the Minnesota Wild’s Charlie Coyle, and the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello, yet no move has been made. There is no guarantee that Boston is looking to make a move right now, but as the season wears on these names will only continue to pop up until the Bruins inevitably make a move in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

AHL| Alec Martinez| Anders Bjork| Anze Kopitar| Boston Bruins| Charlie Coyle| Colin Miller| David Krejci| Don Sweeney| Dougie Hamilton| Drew Doughty| Elliotte Friedman| Jake DeBrusk| Jake Muzzin| Jeff Carter| Jonathan Quick| Kevin Hayes| Los Angeles Kings| Martin Jones| Milan Lucic| Patrice Bergeron| Players| Retirement| Rob Blake| Tampa Bay Lightning| Toronto Maple Leafs

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