Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Anton Khudobin

Waivers: 10/07/22

at CDT | by 13 Comments

It’s an important day for waivers as the regular season approaches, and several potential targets are available. With the preseason wrapping up, teams will try to sneak players through at the last second and keep them in the organization for the time being.

Many of these placements are due to salary cap restrictions or LTIR machinations to give teams maximum flexibility as the season begins. Everyone from yesterday’s list cleared.

Here is today’s group of waiver additions:

Carolina Hurricanes

Jordan Martinook

Dallas Stars

Anton Khudobin

Edmonton Oilers

Mattias Janmark
Dmitri Samorukov

Minnesota Wild

Steven Fogarty

New Jersey Devils

Andreas Johnsson
Brian Pinho

Philadelphia Flyers

Kevin Connauton
Troy Grosenick

St. Louis Blues

Martin Frk
Klim Kostin
Matthew Highmore

Vancouver Canucks

Justin Dowling

Winnipeg Jets

Johnathan Kovacevic

Central Notes: Khudobin, Reichel, Knak

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin has been given a clean bill of health, notes Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News.  He underwent hip surgery in the spring and Dallas was very careful with how they used him in the preseason.  With a trade market unlikely to materialize, it’s likely that the veteran will be on waivers in the coming days, allowing them to free up $1.125MM of his $3.33MM cap hit.  Notably, the return to health takes away any chance of them placing Khudobin on LTIR to start the season which might have aided in terms of freeing up cap flexibility to re-sign Jason Robertson.

Elsewhere in the Central:

  • Chicago’s decision to cut top prospect Lukas Reichel raised some eyebrows as the 20-year-old showed plenty of offensive skill in training camp. However, head coach Luke Richardson told reporters, including Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, that they felt that his defensive game needed considerable improvement and it’s much easier for that development to happen in the minors than in the NHL.  Richardson hinted that Reichel would have been battling for a spot on the fourth line had the youngster stayed on the roster and he’ll get considerably more ice time with the IceHogs than being in that role with the Blackhawks.
  • The Predators will be waiting a while to sign prospect Simon Knak as HC Davos of the Swiss NLA announced that they’ve signed the winger to a three-year extension that runs through the 2025-26 season. Nashville selected the 20-year-old in the sixth round in 2021 (179th overall) on the heels of a season split between Davos and Portland of the WHL.  Knak is off to a solid start this season with four points in his first seven games but he’ll be staying in Switzerland for the foreseeable future.

Looking For A Partner In An Anton Khudobin Trade

at CDT | by 12 Comments

It’s not much of a secret that the Dallas Stars would be interested in moving Anton Khudobin. That desire isn’t for a lack of liking the player or appreciating the tremendous run he went on over the COVID-shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, as well as a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2020 bubble. Instead, the team has just over $7MM left in salary cap space and still needs to re-sign breakout superstar winger Jason Robertson. The remaining $7MM could, technically, be enough to sign Robertson, but clearing some, or ideally all, of Khudobins”s $3.33M cap hit would make it not only much easier to re-sign the forward, but could allow Dallas to negotiate it’s way into a max-term deal.

The problem for Dallas is that trading Khudobin is easier said than done. For one, finding a team that is interested in a goaltender who’s dealt with injuries for much of the last year who is owed a $3.75MM salary (and $3.33MM cap hit) would be difficult. Second, even if a match is found, it’s clear this would be a cap-dump and Dallas is already in a tough position with Robertson still not in camp. If Dallas wants to make that deal, they’ll have to pay the market price to do so, but before going that far, let’s take a look at their options and who Dallas could turn to.

Bury The Contract

If the Stars are unwilling to pay the price to move Khudobin, or if they genuinely cannot find a suitor, one option would be burying Khudobin’s contract in the minors. Under the terms of the current CBA, teams can bury a player and their cap hit in the minor leagues and recoup $1.125MM against the salary cap. By doing this, Dallas would give itself $8.21MM in cap space with which to re-sign Robertson. That figure might be just enough to get a deal done with Robertson, but with little coming out of the Dallas or Robertson camps when it comes to any specific figures and considering the recent contracts given to Jack Hughes, Tim Stutzle, Joshua Norris, Robert Thomas, and Jordan Kyrou, it’s not hard to believe that $8MM AAV, whether on a long or short-term deal, is only the starting point in these negotiations.

Potential Need:

Philadelphia Flyers: When talking about teams who could take on a salary-cap trade, generally the obvious rebuilding clubs with plenty of space come to mind, and that’s no exception for Khudobin. However, some would argue the Flyers aren’t in that same position, having not committed to the rebuild and without a ton of cap space. Right now, the team is just under $2.4MM over the salary cap ceiling. But, factoring in the expected LTIR stints of forward Sean Couturier and defenseman Ryan Ellis, they will be left with a little over $11.6MM available.

In net, the Flyers will rely on young netminder Carter Hart to make a bulk of the starts and an apparent backup slotted in with Felix Sandstrom. However, with Sandstrom suffering an injury in yesterday’s game against the Boston Bruins, the organization may find itself in need of another goaltender beyond Troy Grosenick and Samuel Ersson. More impactful though, would be the ability to have Sandstrom continue his development by making the bulk of starts in the AHL and allowing Khudobin to backup Hart.

Minnesota Wild: Another peculiar team on this list, the Wild made their way into this offseason with a goaltending glut and cap issues of their own, issues which necessitated the trade of star winger Kevin Fiala and goaltender Cam Talbot. But, now, they could be a fit for a Khudobin trade. Today, the Wild have roughly $5.74MM in cap space, enough to acquire Khudobin outright. The team projects to start the legendary Marc-Andre Fleury in net, backstopped by a young Filip Gustavsson. The younger goaltender has 27 games of NHL experience under his belt, but has struggled to an extent in that time. Should the Wild want to see him continue his development in the AHL and have a veteran backstop for Fleury, taking on Khudobin might make sense. Still, the Wild had to make tough sacrifices to be cap compliant, namely Fiala, so relying on Gustavsson and looking to use their cap room to address other needs could be the more prudent option.

Cap Room To Give:

More than a few teams have the room to take on Khudobin’s contract; in fact, Robertson aside, the Stars are one of them. But, there are only a handful that not only have the room, but are in the position to do so.

Chicago Blackhawks: With $7.54MM in available cap space, the Blackhawks could afford to take on Khudobin’s contract with ease. An issue with doing so for Chicago is, given their rebuild and desire to stockpile draft picks, they will likely want to make as many cap-trades of this nature as possible. Acquiring Khudobin would bring them to just over $4.2MM in available cap space, making trades of this nature a bit more difficult, at least for this season. Moving one or both of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane would free up some space, but the team will likely be expected to retain significant portions of their salary.

Anaheim Ducks: Clocking in with $15.75MM in available cap space, acquiring Khudobin would be no issue for Anaheim. But, this Ducks team, unlike the Blackhawks above, is no longer in the depths of their rebuild. Making a trade of this sort is still possible, but considering where the Ducks stand, holding on to as much of their cap space as they can to see if they may wish to buy at this year’s trade deadline might make the most sense. If the team finds it’s not in that position yet, they can still utilize their cap space to aid other teams (for a price) at that time. Also at issue is the team’s goaltending situation as it stands now. Of course, John Gibson is not going anywhere, and behind him, Anthony Stolarz has proven to be an incredibly sound backup. Anaheim could bury Khudobin in the AHL, but would presumably like to give the overwhelming majority of the playing time there to promising young netminder Lukas Dostal, as well as Olle Eriksson Ek.

Buffalo Sabres: Like the Ducks, the Sabres are looking to turn a corner this year and take the next step, whether that’s a playoff spot or at least putting up a fight for one. That wouldn’t necessarily mean they aren’t interested in utilizing their league-best $20.54MM in cap space to their benefit, however it might not be top of mind. In addition to that, Buffalo has an even more crowded net than Anaheim. The team projects to rely on veterans Craig Anderson and Eric Comrie in net after waiving Malcolm Subban earlier today. Even if Subban were to be claimed, the development of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the AHL is of great importance to Buffalo.

The Arizona Coyotes:

Given that the Coyotes are in a full rebuild and set to play at least the next two seasons at Arizona State’s Mullett Arena, their $19.47MM in cap space, and their well-documented desire for goaltending, a deal sending Khudobin to Arizona seems obvious. Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong has made clear this offseason he would continue to monitor the goaltending market, whether that be in free agency, the waiver wire, or via trade. Arizona has acted on it thus far, signing Jon Gillies, offering a PTO to Christopher Gibson (who has since been released), and most recently claiming Jonas Johansson off of waivers. Even after claiming Johansson, Armstrong reiterated his commitment to monitoring the goaltending market.

As of today, Arizona currently has Karel Vejmelka, Ivan Prosvetov, Johansson, and Gillies all under contract and with NHL experience. Adding Khudobin into the fold would make an already crowded situation more so, but would give the Coyotes a veteran netminder who could serve to mentor their less experienced ones. Worth noting as well, the Coyotes have been in this situation more than a couple of times and know what they can get in exchange for their cap help. Most recently, they acquired second and third round draft picks and swapped the 32nd overall pick in 2022 for the 29th overall pick to take on the contract of forward Zack Kassian from the Edmonton Oilers. What the price for Khudobin would be is unclear, but this sort of trade has paid dividends for the Coyotes before.

Injury Notes: Copp, Caamano, Ostapchuk

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Detroit Red Wings will be without Andrew Copp for training camp, announcing today that the big free agent signing underwent abdominal surgery in the offseason. Copp is expected back the first week of the regular season, when he’ll start to try and live up to the five-year, $28.125MM contract he signed this offseason.

It’s a tough start for the Red Wings, who also confirmed some timelines on other previously-reported injuries. Jake Walman will be back at some point in November, while Robby Fabbri and Mark Pysyk are out until early 2023. Chase Pearson, who made his NHL debut last season with Detroit, is away from the team indefinitely due to personal matters.

  • It was back surgery for Nicholas Caamano, according to general manager Jim Nill, who told reporters including Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that the young forward will miss three months. Caamano, 24, played in 36 games for the Stars between 2019-2021 before spending all of last year in the minor leagues. Anton Khudobin has not yet been cleared for games but will be on the ice for training camp. The team signed Scott Wedgewood to a two-year deal this offseason after he played well down the stretch, suggesting that Khudobin is ticketed for the minor leagues once again.
  • Zack Ostapchuk, the 39th overall pick in 2021, is out a few weeks for the Ottawa Senators and will be sent back to junior after he’s healthy enough according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. That ends any possibility that he could make the team out of camp after his outstanding playoff run for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. The 19-year-old is not yet eligible for the AHL and instead will go back and try to carry over that postseason success for an entire year.

Snapshots: Greig, Weiss, Khudobin

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

One of the brightest stars in the Ottawa Senators’ deep prospect pool is left-wing Ridly Greig, who’s coming off a gold-medal-winning effort as a member of Team Canada at the 2022 World Juniors. 2021-22 was a banner year for him, notching 63 points in just 39 games as the captain of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings before joining Canada for the tournament. There, he registered six points in five games.

Unfortunately, his tournament was cut short by an injury and Greig missed the team’s semifinal game against Czechia and the gold medal game against Finland, and he played just 3:58 in the team’s quarterfinal round game against Switzerland. Now, TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reports he’s out three to four weeks with a separated shoulder and will likely miss Ottawa’s rookie tournament games. However, general manager Pierre Dorion did note that Greig will be healthy for the preseason, where he’s expected to get a long look in camp but is likely destined for a big role with the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

  • Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reports that Colorado Avalanche draft pick Tyler Weiss is likely moving on to a pro career after not registering for classes at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Weiss’ signing rights are still held by the Avalanche, so after scoring 33 points in 36 games last season in Omaha, Weiss will likely sign within the organization before the start of the season.
  • Dallas Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika believes that a pre-season trade is the most likely outcome for the future of Stars netminder Anton Khudobin. Khudobin struggled through last season with injuries, playing in just nine games and posting a .879 save percentage. With Jake Oettinger expected to reprise his starting role and Scott Wedgewood signed on a cheap one-way deal as the backup, there’s simply no room left for Khudobin in the organization.

Central Notes: Stastny, Lambert, Khudobin

at CDT | by 5 Comments

With Nazem Kadri now off the market, Paul Stastny is the top center of note that’s still available.  Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe reports that while a reunion with the Jets hasn’t been ruled out yet, it’s unlikely he returns to Winnipeg next season.  The 36-year-old is coming off a bit of a bounce-back year in 2021-22 where he scored 21 goals along with recording 24 assists in 71 games while winning over 56% of his faceoffs.  The Jets certainly have the cap space to bring him back but Wiebe believes he’ll ultimately take less than his market value with an eye on going to a contender in the hopes of competing for a Stanley Cup title.  Speculatively, he fits as a short-term replacement for Kadri in Colorado, a team where Stastny spent the first eight years of his career so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him linked to them over the coming days.

More from the Central:

  • Still with the Jets, prospect Brad Lambert’s absence from Friday’s World Junior semifinal against Sweden raised some eyebrows. Head coach Antti Pennanen confirmed to reporters including Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (Twitter link) postgame that the 18-year-old first-rounder isn’t injured but was rather a healthy scratch.  Lambert, the 31st pick last month, has been a bit of a polarizing prospect over the last year and has somewhat surprisingly had a limited role in this tournament so far, averaging only 12:24 per game.
  • After undergoing hip surgery back in March, goaltender Anton Khudobin is expected to be ready to participate in training camp, Mike Heika notes on the Stars’ team website. Last year was a tough one for the 36-year-old as he posted a 3.63 GAA and a .879 SV% in nine appearances with Dallas, eventually resulting in him clearing waivers.  He has one year left on his contract at $3.33MM and while they would prefer to move that deal out, he’ll also serve as insurance with the team still needing to re-sign RFA goaltender Jake Oettinger.

Anton Khudobin Undergoes Surgery

at CDT | by 1 Comment

March 15: The team has now officially announced the surgery, which was a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair. It took place yesterday and Khudobin was given a six-month recovery timeline.

March 14: Veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin last played in a competitive game on January 29, when he suited up for the Texas Stars. He was brought up to the NHL a few days later under emergency conditions but hasn’t played since being returned to the minor leagues the next night. Saad Yousuf of The Athletic wrote today that an update on Khudobin was expected in the next few days, but his colleague Pierre LeBrun may have beaten the team to it. LeBrun tweets that Khudobin is undergoing hip surgery today, with an official update coming tomorrow.

If it is a surgery that ends Khudobin’s season, the Dallas Stars have suddenly gone from an organization overflowing in NHL-caliber netminders to one that could have a lack of depth at the position. Braden Holtby is now dealing with a lower-body injury, forcing the team to recall 22-year-old undrafted free agent signing Adam Scheel to backup starter Jake Oettinger. Scheel has never played in the NHL and has split this season between the AHL and ECHL.

With Khudobin out of the picture, LeBrun suggests that Holtby–even when healthy–might end up off the trade market as the Stars continue to fight for the playoffs. The team is just one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card spot, but have played four fewer games than them to this point. Moving Holtby would leave the team in a very vulnerable position, putting the entire postseason hopes on Oettinger (albeit capable) shoulders.

For Khudobin specifically, one has to wonder whether hip surgery will spell the end of his playing career. The 35-year-old netminder has one season left on the three-year contract extension he signed in 2020 and carries a $3.3MM cap hit, but had been pushed mostly to the minor leagues this season. In nine appearances with Dallas he has posted an .879 save percentage and now likely faces a long rehab. The Stars already went through a situation like this with Ben Bishop this season, with the veteran trying to work his way back only to end up calling it a career following one appearance in the minor leagues. Hopefully, Khudobin doesn’t suffer the same fate, but it’s hard to see a way that he makes another considerable impact for the Stars moving forward.

Central Notes: Khudobin, Wild, Coyotes Goaltending

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Earlier this season, Dallas was shopping goaltender Anton Khudobin and after they found no takers, they waived him and sent him to AHL Texas to try to get him back to his form from previous seasons.  Now, while they could certainly benefit from shedding his $3.33MM cap hit that runs through 2022-23, GM Jim Nill indicated in an interview with Mike Heika of the Stars’ team site that they may elect to hold onto the netminder as injury insurance.  If the Stars were willing to take a similarly-priced player back in a swap of bad contracts, it’s quite possible that they’d have been able to find a taker.  Now, it appears that the 35-year-old will stick around and be a high-priced insurance policy in the minors.

More from the Central Division:

  • Wild winger Marcus Foligno is expected to return to Minnesota’s lineup on Tuesday against Winnipeg, notes Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 30-year-old has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, his first real blemish on an impressive season that has already seen him reach a career high in points with 27 in 39 games.  Meanwhile, Russo adds in a separate tweet that the team is hopeful that defenseman Mathew Dumba will be able to play on Saturday after being placed on IR earlier today.
  • Coyotes goaltender Scott Wedgewood was injured in practice today and did not accompany the team on their road trip to Vancouver, relays Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). The veteran has done relatively well since joining Arizona, posting a .903 SV% in 18 games after being claimed on waivers early in the season.  Ivan Prosvetov will be recalled from AHL Tucson with Carter Hutton not quite ready to return although he did skate before practice.

Trade Rumors: Chiarot, Oilers, Coyotes, DeBrusk

at CDT | by 7 Comments

While the Marc-Andre Fleury-Washington Capitals connection was the highlight of the most recent “32 Thoughts” column from Sportnset’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider had plenty else to say about the burgeoning trade market. Though just a small note, the inclusion most likely to come to fruition is Friedman’s report that several teams are pursuing Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. Chiarot’s name has been out there among trade candidate all season and it isn’t going away. As the top impending free agent on the NHL’s worst team, Chiarot is a near lock to be dealt. Friedman reports that the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, and St. Louis Blues are among the teams confirmed to have interest in Chiarot, but Friedman also keys in on another possibility: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rumblings out of Toronto suggest that the Leafs are targeting a defenseman at the trade deadline and they may very well need one to escape the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. Friedman notes that the club kicked the tires on Chiarot when he was a free agent and could be a top contender to land him this time around.

  • Another report that is hardly outside the box is Friedman’s suggestion that the Edmonton Oilers have looked into just about every goalie that could potentially be traded this season. Among the list of names are some who have already been linked to Edmonton, such as Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo and Dallas’ Braden Holtby and Anton Khudobin, but other interesting targets include Philadelphia’s Martin Jones and Washington’s Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. However, the key piece of Friedman’s report is that the Oilers may end up empty-handed if they aren’t willing to improve their offer. Friedman hears from potential trade partners that Edmonton is not willing to move their first-round pick and increasingly hesitant to move their second-rounder as well. Without a third- or fourth-round selection this year, the Oilers are seemingly only peddling late-round picks, with top prospects likely off the board as well. That won’t get it done in a sellers’ market.
  • One goalie who likely won’t wind up in Edmonton is Arizona’s Karel Vejmelka. Though there have been few bright spots in the Coyotes’ dismal season, Vejmelka’s play has given fans in the desert some hope. The 25-year-old rookie, an unheralded import from the top level in Czechia, has performed well this season. By league standards, his .901 save percentage and 3.40 GAA may not seem like much to be excited about, but as a first-year NHLer playing behind one of the worst rosters in the league, the keeper has held his own in 25 appearances. Rather than quickly flip Vejmelka to another team, the ’Yotes seem insistent on extending the goaltender instead, including him as a core piece in their rebuild.
  • Still in Arizona, where rumors circle the struggling squad, Friedman reports that young forward Lawson Crouse is unlikely to be traded despite recent speculation. The hulking power forward is not without his flaws, but with 10 goals and 20 points in 40 games, Crouse is well on his way to a career year. Although the Coyotes have shown their willingness to move on from high-potential players for the right price by placing Jakob Chychrun on the block, Friedman states that they have begun telling suitors that they would prefer to keep Crouse.
  • Elsewhere, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the market for Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is in fact as cold as it seems. There was a flurry of speculation when DeBrusk first requested a trade, but it has quieted down significantly since Boston’s play improved in the new year. This isn’t because the Bruins aren’t listening though. Instead, Shinzawa reports that teams seem hesitant to make the commitment to DeBrusk, at least at the Bruins’ asking price. While his play has improved of late, it is still far off his performance earlier in his career and not up to the level that his $4.41MM qualify offer demands. The challenge for the Bruins is to find a team willing to pay the asking price that either is willing to qualify or otherwise negotiate an extension with DeBrusk or conversely a team that sees him as a rental, as recent rumors have suggested the New York Rangers might. Neither the Bruins nor DeBrusk want to extend their relationship, but it may be easier said than done to find the right deal.

Goalie Notes: Oilers, Stars, Fleury, Allen

at CDT | by 2 Comments

It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are in pursuit of a goaltender. While the team possesses some truly elite offensive talent, their severe struggle with preventing goals has overshadowed their ability to score. The result is a 26th-ranked 3.42 goals against per game that has directly contributed to the team’s 2-11-2 record in their past 15 games, including a seven-game winless streak. While this does not fall entirely on the netminders, the Oilers have not received much help from the group. Current starter Mikko Koskinen has an .895 save percentage and 3.33 GAA. The current backup, young Stuart Skinner, has outplayed Koskinen but not to a level that has forced the Oilers’ hand. For now, they seem hesitant to place any more responsibility on the 23-year-old. Expected starter Mike Smith has missed all but six games this season due to injuries that have kept his health status in flux all year. Even when healthy, Smith has not performed; he has an .898 save percentage and 3.76 GAA in his handful of outings. Yet, if there was any internal solution to the Oilers’ net woes, it was a return for Smith. So with the report today out of Edmonton that Smith is back on the injured reserve (with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moving to LTIR), the situation has become even more dire. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday that the Oilers were exploring all options, including Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo. However, with the news of Smith remaining sidelined combined with a current four-game losing streak adding to their nearly two-month long slump, “exploring” might just not be enough any more.

  • Discussing Edmonton’s other trade options in net, LeBrun mentioned the Dallas Stars as a potential partner – namely with third-string Anton Khudobin as the likely target. The veteran keeper cleared waivers earlier this season amidst struggles that even surpass those of Koskinen and Smith. However, Khudobin is just two years removed from leading the league with a .930 save percentage and taking the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019-20, which briefly made him a hero in Dallas. While his numbers dropped off last season, they were well ahead of his current pace. Performance does not seem to actually be the main concern the Oilers have when it comes to Khudobin. Instead, his $3.33MM cap hit and additional year of term makes Edmonton hesitant to pull the trigger, especially considering their current cap crunch and the legitimate question of whether Khudobin is an upgrade to Koskinen. As LeBrun puts it, Khudobin is “less appealing” than other options. However, with Smith seeming less and less likely to be a dependable option this season and desperately in need of points, can the Oilers afford to be picky? If they can acquire Khudobin cheaply and quickly, they may have to do so. LeBrun points out that impending free agent Braden Holtby, who is enjoying a strong campaign, is the superior option on the Stars, but the team may not be willing to move him and will be much more costly to acquire, especially with the Oilers in such obvious need.
  • One potential target mentioned by LeBrun but considered unlikely for the Oilers has all but confirmed that he will not be moving. Star veteran Marc-Andre Fleury of the Chicago Blackhawks is in the final year of his contract and having yet another solid season. This should have made him a prime rental target for any team with a need in net, especially considering that Fleury only has limited trade protection. However, the Blackhawks have stated that they will only move the respected vet if that is what he desired and it seems as though Fleury is happy where he is for now. Fleury told NHL.com’s Tracey Meyers that he is only interested in getting Chicago to the playoffs this season and is not looking to move. This might not be a realistic goal with the Blackhawks .094 percentage points back of the final wild card spot in the West with five teams ahead of them in the race. However, Fleury has earned the right to make that call. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was just traded this summer and may not be keen to go through that process again so soon, especially at 37 years old and possibly at the end of his career. If the three-time Stanley Cup winner wants to stay loyal to his team rather than make another run, so be it.
  • Another option off the table for the Oilers is Montreal’s Jake Allen. Edmonton needs immediate help and Allen can’t provide it. After leaving a game last week due to injury, the Canadiens have announced that Allen is out approximately eight weeks with an undisclosed lower-body ailment. The Oilers’ struggles this season pale in comparison to the Habs’, who find themselves with the worst record in the NHL after playing in the Stanley Cup Final just last year. Everyone is available for the right price in Montreal, including Allen even though he has performed admirably in Carey Price’s absence over the past two seasons. Allen is signed at a reasonable $2.875MM through next season and maybe another team will still be interested despite the substantial injury. The Oilers, however, will have to look elsewhere.

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

scroll to top