Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Senators Rumors

Senators Interested In Chychrun Still; Won't Discuss Greig, Pinto, Sanderson

at CDT | by 5 Comments

This evening on the 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek discussed the current market for Chychrun. Marek notes the asking price on Arizona’s end holds firm at two first-round draft picks, “plus,” meaning some combination of additional draft choices, prospects, or roster players. This ask has appeared palatable for a number of teams in theory,  but talks appear to become difficult when the “plus” is brought up. This has become most apparent when it comes to the Ottawa Senators.

Marek reports that discussions on the likes of forwards Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto or defenseman Jake Sanderson are not on the table for the Senators. Considering Chychrun’s talent, age, and cost-controlled contract (three-years, $13.8MM including 2022-23), the player makes perfect sense for an Ottawa team that is just turning the corner in their rebuild, but could use a boost on their blueline.

Still, it’s unclear exactly what the package requested from Ottawa looks like. The Senators aren’t the only team looking at Chychrun, and realistically many teams are likely interested at the possibility of acquiring him given the above, but Marek does list the Los Angeles Kings as another possibility beyond Ottawa, a name we’ve hear before in the Chychrun rumors. With Arizona’s high asking price for the 24-year-old, and the win-now nature of the move, a team like Ottawa or Los Angeles who have a deep system of young talent and are ready to take the next step are two of the most conceivable trade partners in the Chychrun sweepstakes.

Snapshots: Zub, Toews, Megna

at CDT | by 2 Comments

While he might soak up more of the headlines, Alex DeBrincat isn’t the only Ottawa Senator on playing expiring contract. Defenseman Artem Zub, a fan favorite in Ottawa, is a pending unrestricted free agent, and most believe that he is sure to get a sizeable raise on his current $2.5MM cap hit. Zub, 27, is in his third season in the NHL and is now playing top-pairing minutes next to franchise defenseman Thomas Chabot. Zub has gotten off to a hot start this year with two points in three games, and is sure to want to put the best platform season forward as he readies for a potential trip to the unrestricted free agent market.

According to TSN’s Chris Johnston on tonight’s Insider Trading program, he may get to the market, and if he does, he’s unlikely to stick around long. Johnston reports that there haven’t been substantive extension talks between the Senators and Zub, and if Zub does indeed hit the open market he “won’t be an easy player” for the Senators to keep. It’s expected that there will be leaguewide interest in acquiring Zub’s services should he hit the open market, so if the Senators wish to keep their budding star it might be best for them to hammer out an extension sooner rather than later.

For some other notes from across the NHL:

  • Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar issued an update today on defenseman Devon Toews. As relayed by the Denver Gazette’s Kyle Fredrickson, Bednar says Toews is being evaluated for an injury and his status for tomorrow’s game against the Seattle Kraken is unknown. The Avalanche recently found out that they’d be without captain Gabriel Landeskog for quite a while, so they have to be hoping that whatever Toews is dealing with won’t keep him out for long.
  • In other Avalanche news, the team announced today that forward Jayson Megna had been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. As The Athletic’s Peter Baugh detailed, Megna was only sent down for cap purposes and his recall was expected. The Avalanche are one of the many teams trying to manage with extremely limited cap space, so paper transactions such as this are likely to become more common as the season wears on.

Cam Talbot Still Weeks Away For Ottawa Senators

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Ottawa Senators have played three games so far this season and Anton Forsberg has been in the net for every single minute of action. The 29-year-old netminder has been the only option in town since Cam Talbot suffered an injury in the preseason. When Forsberg missed the morning skate today, alarm bells went off in Ottawa, as fans wondered whether they would need to turn to Magnus Hellberg to carry the load. While Forsberg was just taking the morning off because of his heavy workload, there’s still no firm timeline for Talbot to return to game action.

In fact, Talbot still hasn’t been cleared to take shots, though he’s back on the ice according to head coach D.J. Smith. The veteran netminder was given a five to seven-week recovery timeline when he suffered the upper-body injury (believed to be a cracked rib) at the beginning of the month. It has been just two and a half to this point, meaning fans can at least take solace in the fact that he’s already on the ice.

While they have faith in Forsberg after his performance last season, Talbot was meant to carry a large chunk of the load this season after being acquired from the Minnesota Wild. Now, they’ll have to hope they don’t need to turn to Hellberg and his five games of NHL experience anytime soon.

The Senators don’t have a back-to-back situation on the schedule until the start of December, meaning there’s at least a chance that Forsberg can play every single game until Talbot gets back. Hopefully, with the progress he has made to this point, that date is sooner rather than later.

Latest On Jakob Chychrun

at CDT | by 3 Comments

While defenseman Jakob Chychrun and the Arizona Coyotes are likely shared in their belief that finding a trade for the 24-year-old defenseman is the best path forward for them both, the more immediate priority is getting Chychrun back to full health. And while there hasn’t been much progress on the trade front, it seems that we do have some progress on Chychrun’s health.

On the 32 Thoughts segment of last night’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Chychrun is scheduled to rejoin the Coyotes in Montreal and begin to practice with the team. Friedman clarified that the timeline for his return to game action is “not as firm,” but regardless this should be considered a positive development for both Chychrun and the Coyotes.

The Coyotes are currently 0-2-0 in this young season, and while adding Chychrun back into their lineup is unlikely to instantly make them a competitive team, his return to full health could yield benefits in both the short and long-term.

In the short term, getting Chychrun back will bolster the left side of the Coyotes’ blueline, potentially allowing both Shayne Gostisbehere and J.J. Moser to play less demanding minutes and possibly a number of minutes more suitable to their current capabilities. Additionally, Chychrun could provide a boost to the level of offense the Coyotes can generate from their back end, as he is a more dynamic offensive blueliner than Dysin Mayo, the player currently playing as the third left-shot defender.

From a long-term perspective, getting Chychrun back into games could potentially be the factor that speeds up the process of finding a suitable trade for him. Chychrun had a down year in 2021-22 as he battled injuries and saw his offensive production dry up.

With that down year in mind, if Chychrun returns to the lineup and returns to the form that saw him score 18 goals and 41 points in 56 games in 2020-21, perhaps a team will be more willing to meet the reportedly sky-high asking price the Coyotes are demanding in any Chychrun trade.

On that front, Friedman notes that the Ottawa Senators, a long-rumored potential destination for Chychrun, are likely out of the running, at least for the moment. Friedman cites multiple sources to report that there “isn’t a path” to a Chychrun deal between Ottawa and Arizona.

But while the Senators may not end up being the team Chychrun is shipped to in a deal, simply getting him back into the fold should help the Coyotes not only remain competitive but also get to the conclusion of a trade saga that all parties involved would likely concede has dragged on far too long.

Pictures courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Ottawa Senators Sign Derick Brassard

at CDT | by 5 Comments

After being invited to their camp on a PTO, something he had been hoping for this offseason, veteran forward Derick Brassard has indeed signed with the Ottawa Senators on a one-year deal, the team announced. This will officially mark Brassard’s second stint as a member of the Senators after playing for seven different teams since Ottawa dealt the forward during the 2017-18 season. According to Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff, the deal is worth $750,000.

The veteran Brassard finds himself on a growing list of players on PTO’s signing NHL contracts, following yesterday’s announcement of Zach Aston-Reese and Jimmy Vesey signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers, respectively. Ottawa had perhaps the loudest offseason of any team around the league, acquiring Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, signing Claude Giroux, and extending Tim Stutzle and Joshua Norris, so Brassard’s signing might fly under the radar. Still, the team should be able to count on the 35-year-old to fill a key veteran role in their bottom-six.

This new role might be far removed from the one he previously occupied when the team acquired him from the Rangers in 2016, but that still doesn’t mean he will be without value. As Brassard said himself last week, he hopes he can play a similar role to the one Jason Spezza had been playing for the Maple Leafs, used in different spots in the lineup for different purposes night in and night out. It’s no doubt Spezza’s contributions were much appreciated in Toronto, and if Brassard can do something similar, it could be a quiet, yet valuable element to the continued development of this young Senators core.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/10/22

at CDT | by 7 Comments

A very happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers who are celebrating! Today marks the deadline for NHL clubs to become cap compliant and submit their opening night rosters. More specifically, the 5:00 pm ET deadline is now less than six hours away. With that in mind, we expect to see plenty of players sent to the minor leagues, returned to juniors, or released from their PTOs today, and we’ll keep track of them here.

Arizona Coyotes (via team tweet)

D Cam Dineen (to Tucson, AHL)
G Jon Gillies (to Tucson, AHL)
F Laurent Dauphin (to Tucson, AHL)
F Bokondji Imama (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via team tweet)

D Lawrence Pilut (to Rochester, AHL)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (to Rochester, AHL)
F Olivier Nadeau (to Gatineau, QMJHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (via team release)

F Jack Drury (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jordan Martinook (to Chicago, AHL)

Colorado Avalanche (via team tweet)

D Wyatt Aamodt (to Colorado, AHL)
F Mikhail Maltsev (to Colorado, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Emil Bemstrom (to Cleveland, AHL)
D David Jiricek (to Cleveland, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

D Jeremie Biakabutuka (released from ATO)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Taro Hirose (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Jussi Olkinuora (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Givani Smith (to Grand Rapids, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via team tweet)

D Jason Demers (released from PTO)
F James Hamblin (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Devin Shore (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team release)

G Pheonix Copley (to Ontario, AHL)
F Rasmus Kupari (to Ontario, AHL)
F Andre Lee (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (to Ontario, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (via two team tweets)

F Rafael Harvey-Pinard (to Laval, AHL)
F Jesse Ylonen (to Laval, AHL)
D Justin Barron (to Laval, AHL)
D Otto Leskinen (to Laval, AHL)
G Cayden Primeau (to Laval, AHL)
D Arber Xhekaj (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (via team release)

F Jimmy Huntington (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Mark Jankowski (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Philip Tomasino (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Kevin Gravel (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jordan Gross (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New York Rangers (via team release)

D Matt Bartkowski (released from PTO)
F Julien Gauthier (to Hartford, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (via team tweet)

F Ridly Greig (to Belleville, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (per Olivia Reiner, The Philadelphia Inquirer)

F Jackson Cates (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Seattle Kraken (via team tweet)

F John Hayden (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (to Coachella Valley, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

F Josh Leivo (to Springfield, AHL)
F Jake Neighbours (to Springfield, AHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (via team tweet)

F Kyle Clifford (to Toronto, AHL)
F Adam Gaudette (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pontus Holmberg (to Toronto, AHL)
D Filip Kral (to Toronto, AHL)
D Victor Mete (to Toronto, AHL)
F Nick Robertson (to Toronto, AHL)
F Wayne Simmonds (to Toronto, AHL)
D William Villeneuve (to Toronto, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via team tweet)

F Linus Karlsson (to Abbotsford, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)

F Pavel Dorofeyev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Sakari Manninen (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jonas Rondbjerg (to Henderson, AHL)
D Jake Bischoff (to Henderson, AHL)
D Kaedan Korczak (to Henderson, AHL)
G Michael Hutchinson (to Henderson, AHL)

Washington Capitals (via team tweet)

F Henrik Borgstrom (to Hershey, AHL)
D Lucas Johansen (to Hershey, AHL)

Winnipeg Jets (via team tweet)

D Ville Heinola (to Manitoba, AHL)

This post will be kept updated throughout the day.

Snapshots: Novak, Robertson, DeBrincat

at CDT | by 7 Comments

There’s no better news than the kind Minnesota Wild prospect Pavel Novak shared today, announcing that he is now cancer-free. The 20-year-old forward was diagnosed in June and after undergoing treatment, released the following on his Instagram page today:

After a few months of troubles, I’m happy to share with you that I beat the cancer. There is no better feeling than to be healthy again. I would like to say thank you to all the doctors who helped me get over this. You’re my heroes. The biggest thank you to my parents and sister who always supported me and went through treatment with me. It wouldn’t work without you. Also thank you to everyone who was praying for me!

I’m really excited about what the future brings. 

Novak, 20, was the 146th pick of the 2020 draft and dominated with the Kelowna Rockets last season, scoring 29 goals and 72 points in 62 games. It is not clear yet when he will return to competitive hockey but the news is certainly encouraging.

  • While Kevin Weekes of ESPN tweeted this morning to keep an eye on the Dallas Stars, Darren Dreger of TSN suggests that a “major shift” might be needed in order to have Jason Robertson signed in time for the start of the regular season. There is still more than a week before Dallas kicks things off against the Nashville Predators on October 13 but there is no indication at this point that a deal is imminent. Robertson remains unsigned and will have to ink a contract by December 1 to play at all this season.
  • That wasn’t the only contract situation that Weekes tweeted about. The NHL insider also suggested that the Ottawa Senators are “actively working” to try and reach an extension with Alex DeBrincat, after acquiring him this summer. The situation is “fluid” according to Weekes, which suggests nothing is imminent on that front either. It does make sense that the Senators would be trying to sign the two-time 40-goal man but it will take a big number to lock up DeBrincat. The 24-year-old is owed a $9MM qualifying offer for next season, his last before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2024.

Ottawa Senators Recall Kevin Mandolese

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the recent injury to Cam Talbot, the Ottawa Senators are down a bit of goaltending depth. They claimed Magnus Hellberg off of waivers yesterday but with Antoine Bibeau now dealing with a non-COVID illness, the team has recalled Kevin Mandolese to serve as the third goaltender.

While a third netminder in the preseason doesn’t mean very much in the grand scheme of things, this does shine a light on how important it is for teams to have reliable depth at the position. The Senators actually have more goaltenders under contract than most, with Talbot, Helberg, Bibeau, Mandolese, Anton Forsberg, Mads Sogaard, and even prospect Leevi Merilainen signed to NHL deals.

They learned the value of depth last season when they needed four different goaltenders throughout the year. Forsberg, who started the most for them in 2021-22, figures to take most of the starts while Talbot is out. Mandolese, 22, only has 26 appearances at the AHL level to this point and is likely only ahead of Merilainen -who has already been loaned back overseas – in the organizational depth chart.

Brassard Only Considered Senators In 2021 Offseason

at CDT | by 8 Comments

  • If Derick Brassard can catch on with the Ottawa Senators this season, it will mark his eighth different team since Ottawa dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins mid-way through the 2017-18 season. Once a dynamic offensive threat in the top-six group of the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, and the Senators, Brassard has become a veteran journeyman capable of playing whatever role his team needs, anywhere in the lineup. Earlier today on TSN 1200 in Ottawa, Brassard mentioned that he would like to try to play a similar role to the one Jason Spezza played with the Maple Leafs the past few seasons, one which was to be deployed in a myriad of different situations as his team saw fit. The Hull, Quebec native added that when the offseason began, his primary focus was on joining the Ottawa Senators and hadn’t thought much about other options. Brassard has of course been playing that role for a few seasons now, but being able to do so with a team so close to home as they turn the corner from rebuilder to contender, just as Spezza did, seems like a no-brainer if he can secure the opportunity.

Ottawa Senators Claim Magnus Hellberg

at CDT | by 4 Comments

With the recent injury of Cam Talbot, the Ottawa Senators have nabbed another goaltender. The team has claimed Magnus Hellberg off waivers from the Seattle Kraken, giving Anton Forsberg a new backup for the time being.

The Senators have announced that Talbot’s upper-body injury will keep him out five to seven weeks, though Darren Dreger of TSN reports it might not be quite so long. Dreger tweets that Talbot is believed to have suffered a fractured rib, suggesting it might only be three to four weeks before he returns.

Either way, the team now hands the reins to Forsberg, with the 31-year-old Hellberg behind him. The latter actually made his NHL debut back in 2013 but has just five appearances overall. For most of his career, Hellberg has played in the KHL, before signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings at the very end of last season.

That gave him a chance to showcase himself and show he is ready to return to North America, eventually earning him a $750K contract with the Kraken this summer. It will be interesting to see how much playing time he receives in Ottawa, and whether the Senators can potentially flip the 6’6″ goaltender to another team once Talbot is eligible to return. If not, they would have to waive him in order to send him to the minor leagues, giving a chance for Seattle to reclaim the big netminder.

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