Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Senators Rumors

All-Star Skills Competition Assignments Released

at CDT | by 5 Comments

With the All-Star game one day away, many NHL fans often get more excited for the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition, which will be tonight. The NHL released the list of who will be participating in each of the six competitions with the winner of each receiving $25K.

Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater – Each skater is timed for one full lap around the rink.
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Rickard Rakell (Anaheim Ducks)
Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes)
Josh Bailey (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)

Dunkin Donuts NHL Passing Challenge – Requires three skills over one round, including Target Passing (making four passes to a target that light up randomly), Give-and-Go (must complete four successful passes through a course in the neutral zone) and Mini Nets (must complete four passes over barricades and into mini-nets).
Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Brayden Schenn (St. Louis Blues)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Arizona Coyotes)
Eric Staal (Minnesota Wild)
Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues)
Kris Letang (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)

GEICO NHL Save Streak – Goalies attempt to win by making the most consecutive saves against an opposing division on a minimum of nine shots.
Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) vs. Central Division
Connor Hellebuyck (Vancouver Canucks) vs. Pacific Division
Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) vs. Metropolitan Division
Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas Golden Knights) vs. Atlantic Division
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) vs. Central Division

Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay – A timed event that involves three skills, including Stickhandling (where a skater must control a puck through a series of eight pucks in a straight line), Cone Control (where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight cones in a zig-zag formation) and Gates (where a skater must shoot or choose to guide the puck through a lighted rung of a gate).
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames)
Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)
Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators)
John Tavares (New York Islanders)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars)
Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks)

PPG NHL Hardest Shot – Over two rounds, each player will attempt two shots measured in miles per hour with the highest speed recorded.
John Klingberg (Dallas Stars)
Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)
P.K. Subban (Nashville Predators)
Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Honda NHL Shooting Accuracy – A timed event in which a skater is positioned 25 feet behind the goal line and must shoot at five LED targets in the goal. A target will light up and the players has three seconds to hit it.
Brian Boyle (New Jersey Devils)
Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets)
James Neal (Vegas Golden Knights)
Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks)
Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins)
Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Stone Expected To Return Tuesday; New Arena Likely Won't Open Until 2022

at CDT | by 1 Comment

  • The Senators are hoping to have winger Mark Stone back on Tuesday, their first game following the All-Star break, notes Postmedia’s Ken Warren. He has missed the last three games due to a knee injury.  The 25-year-old is Ottawa’s leading point-getter with 18-26-44 in 44 games so far this season and is one of the few players believed to be untouchable for the Sens in trade talks.
  • Also from Ottawa, although they have reached a preliminary agreement on a new downtown arena, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch cautions that it may take until the 2022-23 season if not longer before the arena is actually built and ready for use. It will still be another year or two before everything is finalized for the site to start being cleared and the arena being built so while brighter days appear to be on the horizon for the Senators in terms of a new place to play, they will still be waiting a while before they can move in.

Ottawa Senators Claim Magnus Paajarvi

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Ottawa Senators have claimed Magnus Paajarvi off waivers from the St. Louis Blues. The 26-year old forward was always a good candidate to be claimed, and he’ll now try to take the next step in his career in the Canadian capital.

With Jaden Schwartz returning from injury for the Blues, the team had to free up a roster spot and Paajarvi drew the short straw. The bottom-six forward played in 44 games for the Blues this season, recording just four points. That stat line isn’t out of the ordinary for Paajarvi, who came into the league with impressive offensive potential but has registered just 97 points through 352 games. Expected to be a force around the net and able to beat defensemen one-on-one with his speed, Paajarvi  instead settled into a defensive and energy role first in Edmonton and then St. Louis.

He’s never shown much creativity in the offensive zone, but for Ottawa a claim of Paajarvi gives them another lottery ticket down the stretch. As we’ve seen first hand in Vegas this season, sometimes a change of scenery can spark a new level of production in players, something Ottawa will certainly hope for. The Senators are for all intents and purposes out of the playoff race already, and can afford to give some playing time to a former top draft selection.

Earning just $800K this season, Paajarvi is actually scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. While he’ll certainly draw some interest from around the league as a depth player, a good second half could secure him even more. The Senators, expected to be sellers at the deadline, pick up a free asset that they could even flip if his production improves at all, or at least use him to fill in the gaps by any outgoing forwards.

Ottawa Reaches Preliminary Agreement To Build New Downtown Arena

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Ottawa Senators have been trying for years to secure a downtown arena, and took a very positive step forward today. The National Capital Commission has reached a preliminary agreement with the RendezVous group led by Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk, to develop the LeBreton Flats area including a new arena. The development will be completed in two phases, the first of which will include the a building for the Senators to move downtown. The major agreement is not in place yet, and will continue to be negotiated over the next 12-18 months. While that leaves wiggle room for the deal to collapse, this is a huge step forward for the Senators organization.

Even without the disappointing results of the 2017-18 season, the Senators have had a tumultuous recent history. Last year during a playoff run that went all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, the team had trouble filling their current home, the Canadian Tire Centre, which is located outside of the city center and is difficult for many fans to reach. That was followed by Melnyk’s comments just prior to the team’s outdoor game this year, where the owner hinted at potential salary slashing measures if the fans wouldn’t increase their support of the team. Those comments hung over the head of GM Pierre Dorion, who is under immense pressure to sign his superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson before he reaches free agency in the summer of 2019. Karlsson was clear that he wouldn’t take a so-called “hometown discount” to stay with the Senators and expects to be paid his market value—a number that is likely in excess of $10MM per season.

While a downtown arena by no means fixes every problem the Senators have, the idea of a new home could catapult them into a different financial tier among NHL clubs. With easier access and a downtown presence, fan support should increase along with ticket sales and merchandising. While Ottawa is not likely ever going to become the brand powerhouses of Toronto or Montreal, moving downtown certainly affords them some level of security. After all, it was NHL commissioner Gary Bettman himself who proclaimed a downtown arena as “vitally important” to the Senators’ long-term future in Ottawa.

Franchise Notes: Ottawa, New York, Seattle

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Ottawa Senators have been embroiled in a pursuit of a downtown arena for some time, and John Shannon of Sportsnet may finally have some good news for fans in Canada’s capital. Shannon reports that there will be a “positive announcement” made on Thursday between the Senators and National Capital Commission concerning the LeBreton Flats area.

Currently, the Senators play far outside the downtown core in an arena that is difficult to get to for many fans. They’ve had attendance issues in the past, and owner Eugene Melnyk has railed against the fan base for not showing up to support the team despite successes. With the club struggling this season and the long-term future of captain Erik Karlsson still up in the air, any step—no matter how small—towards a downtown arena is an important one for the Senators.

  • Meanwhile the New York Islanders, while they wait for their new arena in Belmont Park to be built in the next few years, could soon come to an agreement to play some games back at Nassau Coliseum. That’s according to Jim Baumbach of Newsday, who reports that the team will likely play games at both Barclays and Nassau over the next few seasons though doesn’t have an answer to how those games will be structured. Larry Brooks of the New York Post adds that it is Barclays that is pressuring the Islanders into a deal that would have them play the majority of the games back in Nassau, and using their opt-out of the current lease agreement as leverage.
  • Finally, Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman in New York today to speak generally about the league coming to the Pacific Northwest. Though the potential ownership group hasn’t yet submitted an application for expansion, Durkan is certainly putting her full support behind the idea. On Twitter, Durkan expressed her excitement and dedication to bringing the NHL to Seattle, even throwing a little challenge out to the Vancouver Canucks, a natural geographic rival should expansion occur.

Minor Transactions: 01/22/18

at CDT | by 4 Comments

When the Vegas Golden Knights woke up this Monday morning, they found themselves all alone in first place in the entire NHL. The expansion club has 66 points on the season and show no signs of slowing down. While the playoffs were a likely afterthought in the summer months, the team now has its sights set on the Presidents’ Trophy and the top seed in the postseason. As always, any minor moves made by the Golden Knights or any club will be collected here throughout the day.

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Chris DiDomenico and Erik Burgdoerfer from the minor leagues as they deal with injuries and prepare for their game tonight against Minnesota. The Senators will head to St. Louis tomorrow for the second half of a back-to-back romp through the Central Division.
  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Mirco Mueller from his AHL conditioning stint, but haven’t actually activated him from long-term injured reserve. Mueller played two games for the Binghamton Devils and was held scoreless. The Devils don’t necessarily have to activate him right away, but with their defensive corps not playing up to the standard set at the beginning of the year he could lend a helpful hand as soon as he’s healthy enough to contribute.
  • After playing in his third career NHL game last night, Roland McKeown has been sent back to the AHL. The Carolina Hurricanes prospect has some impressive potential, but hasn’t been able to crack the NHL squad full-time just yet. After turning 22 on Saturday, he’ll try to show they can’t keep him in the minor leagues for much longer.
  • Brendan Lemieux is back up with the Winnipeg Jets, recalled today from the Manitoba Moose. Lemieux has dominated the AHL this season scoring 25 points in 27 games and even scored his first NHL goal earlier in the year. He’s another interesting piece for the Jets forward group that continues to show off its depth and versatility.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have sent Travis Sanheim back to the minor leagues to keep him playing, recalling Mark Alt in his place. Sanheim is a big part of the Flyers future on defense, but had been sitting in the press box as a healthy scratch recently. Now he’ll get the chance to log big minutes once again for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and wait for his next opportunity in the NHL.
  • The Dallas Stars have brought Jason Dickinson back up, giving him another chance in the NHL. The 29th-overall pick from 2013 has seven games with the Stars this year, but hasn’t registered a single point. In the minors though, Dickinson has 16 goals and 21 points on the year as he continues to develop as a two-way center.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Rinat Valiev from the AHL while placing Morgan Rielly on injured reserve. Valiev is likely only up as insurance for the club as Rielly nurses his injury over the All-Star break. If Valiev does get into an NHL game, it would be his first since the 2015-16 season, when he suited up ten times for the last place Maple Leafs.
  • Daniel Sprong has been officially assigned to the AHL, as the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare for Bryan Rust’s imminent return. Sprong has played in just eight games for Pittsburgh this season despite a solid rookie season in the minor leagues where he has 28 points in 29 games. Fans hoping for a full-time role for Sprong will have to wait a little longer, as he continues to learn the defensive side of the game and develop further in the minors.

Injury Updates: Devils, Senators, Red Wings

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The New Jersey Devils took some lumps during Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The team lost goaltender Keith Kinkaid 14 minutes into the game to a groin injury. Kinkaid, who was already filling in for the ill Cory Schneider, had already given up three goals in the first period and was likely in danger of being pulled. However, the team was saved by emergency backup Ken Appleby, who played 46 minutes of shutout hockey in his NHL debut. Kinkaid was placed on injured reserve today, along with forward Brian Gibbons, who broke his thumb after blocking a shot in the same game, according to TSN’s Amanda Stein.

Gibbons has been a success story in New Jersey this year. After two partial seasons with Pittsburgh in 2013-14 and Columbus the following year, Gibbons had trouble finding an NHL job and played the past two years in the AHL, including a 16-goal season for the Albany Devils last year with no promotion. However, he made the Devils squad this year and has already played in a career-high 45 games so far with solid numbers of 12 goals and 11 assists.

As for the goaltending situation, Appleby is currently the only healthy goaltender on New Jersey’s roster. However, The Record’s Andrew Gross reports that Schneider, who has missed two of the last three games with a stomach illness, practiced today, suggesting he might be close to a return. The Devils play Monday against the Detroit Red Wings. There is no update on how much time either Kinkaid or Gibbons will miss.

  • CapFriendly reported that the Ottawa Senators placed center Jean-Gabriel Pageau on injured reserve last night with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss a few games. The Senators will likely rely on youngster Filip Chlapik to replace him. Despite being considered a likely trade candidate at the upcoming trade deadline, the 25-year-old center has been struggling to produce offensively as he has just six goals and nine assists in 42 games this year. His strength is as a face-off specialist, where he has a 53.1 percent success rate (282 face-offs won out of 531).
  • The Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill’s gave an update today on some injured players. Blashill said the team will be without defenseman Trevor Daley on Monday and Tuesday and is the veteran blueliner is questionable for Thursday. He suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Forward Luke Glendening, who hasn’t played in a game since Dec. 20, is out for Monday’s game against New Jersey with a hand injury, but is a possibility for Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Blashill added that wing Justin Abdelkader, who has already missed three games with a lower-body injury, is a possibility to return for Thursday’s game, while center Darren Helm (lower-body injury) will not be back before the All-Star break.

 

Penguins A Fitting Trade Partner For Struggling Atlantic Squads

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins already acquired an Atlantic player when they acquired center Riley Sheahan from the Detroit Red Wings earlier this year. Could GM Jim Rutherford double-dip into the division for yet another center? There are plenty of options available.

As everyone knew they would, the Penguins have rebounded from some serious early season struggles and are back in the playoff picture. With 53 points, the Pens have tied up the New York Rangers and the two teams currently hold wild card berths. However, the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and Carolina Hurricanes are mere points behind and all have games in hand on Pittsburgh. In fact, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs are actually last in the Metropolitan Division in points percentage. The Penguins undoubtedly have work to do prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, but this year they need help just to make the playoffs.

The main issue for Pittsburgh continues to come back to third-line center, where nothing has worked this year. Sheahan has struggled on the third line, but has settled in nicely on the fourth line. Injured Carter Rowney is also better suited for an energy line role. Jake Guentzel is a competent pivot, but to have him center the third line is to remove him from his top-six wing spot where he has been so successful. Despite their many attempts, the Penguins still just need to replace Nick Bonino. 

Enter the Atlantic Division, home to two of the best teams in hockey as well as four of the worst. The Pens have already dealt with Detroit, sending Scott Wilson and a third-round pick their way for Sheahan. However, there are three more teams willing to sell and with pieces of interest to the Pens. The Montreal Canadiens, who themselves are desperate for help at center, are seemingly ready to move on from career contributor Tomas Plekanec, an impending free agent. The 35-year-old has years of experience and is perhaps the best two-way player on the Montreal roster. A rental deal for Plekanec to go to Pittsburgh has been talked about by many and would be no surprise. A less likely deal, but one that also makes sense is Canadiens forward Paul Byron. Although he provides great value with a cap hit just over $1MM for another season, if the Habs enter 2018-19 with Byron again as even a top-nine center, then they will have not done enough this summer. The team may as well move on now and get a good return from Pittsburgh, who could really use the late bloomers services at a bargain rate through next season. Then there are the Ottawa Senators, who have made it known that they are willing to move just about anyone on their roster. The player of most interest to Pittsburgh is likely Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The 25-year-old center is signed through 2020, but has heard his name on the rumor mill and fits the third line role perfectly. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston even mentioned that the Penguins have been kicking the tires on Pageau. Zack Smith, a similarly skilled player with a similar $3MM+ cap hit, but with greater experience, could also be had. Although the Sens are likely more keen to keep Smith over Pageau, Smith was one of many players recently asked to waive his no-trade clause. Finally, perhaps the crown jewel of available Atlantic centers is Buffalo’s Sam Reinhart. The struggling Sabres have few players of value to offer – and reportedly Reinhart is not one they are willing to part with – but there is no doubt that Rutherford would love to pry the 2014 second overall pick from old friend Jason Botterill in Buffalo. Reinhart has struggled to produce on offense or play well down the middle with the Sabres, but the 22-year-old has the makings of an elite two-way center down the road. In a new city where he faces less pressure to be superstar and top scorer, Reinhart could develop into that defensive-minded top-nine forward that his skill set is best suited for.

There are more than enough options for Rutherford and the Penguins to make a move for yet another center from the Atlantic. The Canadiens, Senators, and Sabres are all floundering and will be sellers looking to make a move. Pittsburgh hasn’t yet traded away all of their prospect and draft pick assets and Rutherford has shown a desire to make moves early and often ahead of the trade deadline. Don’t be shocked if his next newsworthy move is to bring in any of these players to give his team a shot at the postseason and perhaps even a three-peat.

Could Calgary Flames Make Pitch For Karlsson?

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Calgary Flames seem to be producing in all facets of the game despite a shootout loss today as they still haven’t had a regulation loss in eight straight games. Their top lines are producing, their defense seems to be beginning to develop the chemistry that everyone had hoped and goaltender Mike Smith has been a great acquisition. With everything going right for Calgary, it seems like the team isn’t likely to be too active at the trade deadline this year.

Yet, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis writes that despite all that, he wonders if the Flames should consider looking for an even bigger prize. With the recent rumblings about the possible availability of Ottawa Senators star defenseman Erik Karlsson, Francis wonders if Calgary should go for it all and trade for him now. While on the surface, a deal might seem unlikely as the Flames are already loaded with a group of solid defenders and have few draft picks to trade (just two picks in the first three rounds over the next two years).

The scribe writes that finding a spot for Karlsson would be the least of the team’s problems. He would be a welcome addition no matter how good their defense of Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Dougie Hamilton, Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone is. He would immediately help an average power play and could offer the team a multi-dimensional player. With some cap room to play with, Calgary could afford most of Karlsson’s contract ($6.5MM AAV) already, although that could end the team’s bid to re-sign Mikael Backlund during the offseason this year.

What could they offer? Quite a bit. While the team might lack draft picks after going out and acquiring Hamonic in the offseason, the team has a number of quality prospects, including Harvard University defenseman Adam Fox, considered to be one of the top college blueliners. They have two quality goaltending prospects in Jon Gillies and Tyler Parsons as well as defensive prospects like Rasmus Andersson and Oliver Kylington as pieces they can offer Ottawa.

Fox, who many believe may choose to stay at Harvard for four years and take the unrestricted free agency route to avoid Calgary’s already crowded blueline, might be the perfect trade chip while he still has value. Add in Andersson, Kylington and last year’s 2016 first-rounder in Juuso Valamaki and the team has quite a bit of defensive depth — perhaps too much.

Francis believes that the team might want to consider making a big move like acquiring a future Hall of Famer, who could take the Flames to another level as they start climbing up the Pacific Division and get ready for the playoffs. General manager Brad Treliving already once this year went out and acquired Hamonic as a big defensive addition. Why not one more?

Karlsson Rumors Starting To Heat Up Again

at CDT | by 11 Comments

While trade talk surrounding top defenseman Erik Karlsson seemed to have died down in recent weeks, general manager Pierre Dorion has recently stirred the rumor mill right back up again after making comments about Karlsson on Thursday to NHL.com’s Chris Stevenson.

“Our first priority with Erik is to sign him,” Dorion said. “He’s a special player, but Wayne Gretzky got traded, so, if a team offers you an offer you can’t turn down, you listen. But our first priority is to sign Erik Karlsson and [for] Erik Karlsson to be a Senator for life.”

The 27-year-old blueliner made headlines back in early December when he said that while he loves playing in Ottawa, he has no intention of taking a hometown discount when his contract expires after next season. The comments began much trade speculation which spiraled out of control and the Senators have worked hard to dismiss any interest in moving out their star player, until now.

However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had more to say Friday on Dorion’s comments on an appearance on Sportsnet’s 590.

“I guess they’re just laying the groundwork for the possibility (Karlsson) could get traded. I think that’s what they’re saying,” Friedman said. “Look, I think Erik Karlsson wants to be an Ottawa Senator for the rest of his career. That’s his first choice, to me. But I think there’s a lot of players there who doubt they can win under current ownership — I think he’s one of them. I think his preference would be to stay under different ownership. But I think the Senators sent the word out that ‘If you really are serious, give us a call with a serious offer.’”

Karlsson hasn’t been as effective as in previous years for Ottawa this year, although he remains the team’s top defenseman by far. The two-time Norris Trophy winner, who had 17 goals and 71 points last year, currently has three goals and 30 points in 38 games this year, although he spent his offseason recovering from foot surgery and needed time to return to form after missing time at the start of this season. He also sports a minus-19 plus/minus ratio.

Dozens of teams have been linked to rumors of  interest in the star blueliner including the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Senators are expected to make several moves to rebuild after a disappointing season this year, could quicken a rebuild with a quality trade return for Karlsson, although Dorion does hold out hope they can lock up Karlsson to a long-term deal.

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