Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Elliotte Friedman

Snapshots: Cooley, Miller, Blackwood

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

For quite some time now, Shane Wright, the consensus preseason favorite to go first overall in the 2022 draft, has been falling closer and closer to the pack. The Kingston Frontenacs forward has been good after missing all of last year when the OHL was forced to cancel the season, but he hasn’t been outstanding. With 15 goals and 43 points in 31 games, he now sits fourth on his own team in scoring (though he is the only draft-eligible among that group) and was no longer a unanimous top pick in Bob McKenzie’s midseason scout poll for TSN.

Now, a leading publication has put him second. Chris Peters of Daily Faceoff ranks Logan Cooley as the best prospect in the 2022 draft, ahead of Wright, and notes that he is a more dynamic player at the moment. The USNTDP center was always expected to go near the top of the draft, but going first overall would certainly be a big climb for a player that wasn’t even in the top five in many preseason polls.

  • J.T. Miller has been the focus of trade speculation for the last few weeks as the Vancouver Canucks march toward the deadline, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet may have thrown some cold water on that in his latest 32 Thoughts column. He starts it by explaining that the Canucks have investigated the idea of re-signing Miller, not trading him, and notes that that could be one of the reasons why a name like Conor Garland has surfaced in recent days. The Canucks need to clear cap space and Miller’s $5.25MM hit is the fourth-highest among Vancouver forwards, but he’s also been the team’s most reliable and productive player this season. He would not be eligible for an extension until July 13 when free agency opens and he officially enters the final year of his current contract.
  • One other note from Friedman’s column regards New Jersey Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood and his heel injury. The netminder is getting a second opinion over what treatment method to pursue and there is no timeline for his recovery. Blackwood last played on January 19, allowing four goals on 17 shots to the Arizona Coyotes.

Los Angeles Kings Looking For Left-Shot Defenseman

at CDT | by 13 Comments

Before the season began, very few prognosticators expected the Los Angeles Kings to be within a few points of the Pacific Division crown at this point. More than halfway through the season, the Kings are just four points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and sitting in a divisional playoff spot with a 23-16-7 record. Their group has been led by a rejuvenated Drew Doughty a still-elite Anze Kopitar and a few new characters, like Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault.

If there’s something the group could use, it’s a left-shot defenseman, writes Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet in his latest 32 Thoughts column. The scribe asked Kings GM Rob Blake directly about Jakob Chychrun, but couldn’t coax an answer out of him despite the obvious fit. Chychrun’s name has been bandied about by Kings fans ever since the Arizona Coyotes made it clear he was available, given how well he’d fit into a top-four role to support Doughty and the otherwise rather inexperienced defense group.

In Sunday’s game, for instance, the Kings had a back end that included Tobias Bjornfot (81 career games going in), Sean Durzi (27), Austin Strand (15), and Jacob Moverare (1). Olli Maatta was the only defenseman other than Doughty with even a full season under his belt, and his future with the Kings is murky at best. The 27-year-old is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and has been rather pedestrian since arriving in 2020. Chychrun, with a contract that lasts another few years, would make obvious sense but he’s a pricey target and not the only left-shot available.

Ben Chiarot’s name has been thrown around in trade talks for months, and he would represent the “size” element that the Kings are looking for. The Montreal Canadiens defender stands 6’3″ and is one of the most physical defensemen in the league in front of the net. He also obviously has familiarity with Danault, as the two were often on the ice at the same time against the opponent’s best players during Montreal’s playoff run last year.

The Seattle Kraken will have to soon make a decision on what to do with Mark Giordano, who is a pending free agent but also the team’s first captain. Kraken GM Ron Francis told Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic that they’ll have a face-to-face talk with Giordano at some point in the near future to determine what he wants to do. The 38-year-old represents a much different option than someone like Chiarot, but would add a ton of experience to a young defensive group in Los Angeles.

One other interesting thing that Blake noted to Friedman is that the team is comfortable going into next season with Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen both on the roster, despite an expensive extension kicking in for the latter. Combined, they would carry a cap hit of $10.8MM, but Blake notes that because of some entry-level bargains on the roster, they’d be able to afford it for the one year remaining on Quick’s deal.

Latest On Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry

at CDT | by 8 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens lost again last night, allowing four goals in the first period to the Columbus Blue Jackets and eventually going down 6-3.  The team is now 8-29-7 on the year, a points percentage of .261 that would be the very worst of the salary cap era–even worse than the Detroit Red Wings 17-49-5 2019-20 campaign. While they continue to suffer brutal results on the ice, a new management group will need to make some decisions on where to go from here.

One player that has been regarded as someone who will definitely be traded by the March 21 deadline is Ben Chiarot, given his position as a reasonably-priced pending UFA. Chiarot’s three-year, $10.5MM contract ($3.5MM AAV) will expire at the end of this season and includes a no-trade list of just ten teams. The 30-year-old played more than 26 minutes last night against the Blue Jackets and has been relied on more than he likely should throughout the season as the team has obviously felt the absences of defensemen like Shea Weber and Joel Edmundson.

Elliotte Friedman noted on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast that the St. Louis Blues are “very much in there” when it comes to Chiarot trade talks, adding that they’re not the only team involved. He believes that the pending free agent defenseman is likely the first move for new Canadiens GM Kent Hughes, who took over earlier this month.

Another name that has been brought up recently though is Jeff Petry, a player in a very different situation. Petry has three more years on his contract after this one, an extension that was only signed in 2020. He has a 15-team no-trade list and obviously signed to stay with the Canadiens, inking that four-year, $25MM deal as a perennial 40-point defenseman.

Hughes made it clear in a recent interview with La Presse that he’s open to moving Petry if there is a fit, but wouldn’t go so far as to guarantee it is coming soon. Friedman, meanwhile, explained how it might not be best to move him now:

All I’ll say with Petry is, there’s time. You can say ’okay, if someone wants to do it now, they can do it now.’ But because he’s got term, you can wait until the summer. The one thing about now is that there’s not a lot of cap space. If you trade a Chiarot, and you’re retaining [salary] to make your deal better you only have to do it for now. If you’re trading a Petry and have to retain, there’s term on that.

Among the biggest reasons for Montreal’s demise has been the stark difference in play from Petry, who has just six points in 37 games after posting four consecutive seasons with at least 11 goals and 40 points. In last year’s shortened campaign, he put those numbers up in just 55 games, playing incredible hockey all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. At age 34 with three more years of term, he won’t be an easy deal to make even if someone believes they can get him back to his previous levels.

Trade Rumors: Canucks, Tippett, Mrazek, Ducks

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek didn’t hold back on their reporting late this evening on “Hockey Night in Canada”. The duo behind “32 Thoughts” had plenty to contribute, starting with Friedman’s report on the Vancouver Canucks. With the Vancouver front office finally coming together, with Patrik Allvin being named GM of Jim Rutherford’s new-look front office, the Canucks are starting to get busy in trade talks. Although the .500 club is still in the Western Conference wild card race, the reality is that any true playoff success for Vancouver lies in the future. It should come as no surprise then that the Canucks are listening to trade offers – and not just for talked-about target J.T. Miller. Friedman reports that nearly any Vancouver forward could be had for the right price outside of captain Bo Horvat and young star Elias Pettersson. That includes Conor Garland, who the team just acquired themselves this past summer and signed to a reasonable five-year, $24.75MM deal. It is believed that the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and New York Rangers are in pursuit of Garland, though there is likely no shortage of interest in the skilled forward, who has 102 points in 155 games dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season.

  • The Florida Panthers are one of the biggest surprises of the season, currently leading the top-heavy Atlantic Division with a .744 points percentage that is also third-best in the NHL. The Panthers are expected to go all-in on a Stanley Cup run this season and specifically are hoping to land a legitimate top-four defenseman. As they go about working the phones, Marek reports that one major name they are dangling is Owen Tippett. The 2017 first-rounder still has yet to make his mark in the NHL, struggling to find enough consistency at the top level to stick in the Florida lineup. However, he is only 22 and still a well-regarded as well as well-liked prospect. Tippett will likely end up as the centerpiece to any big trade the Panthers make this season.
  • With Jack Campbell playing at an elite level this season while Petr Mrazek has struggled with injuries and inconsistency, the latter has proven to be little more than a pricey backup for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season while the former will be the team’s offseason priority as an impending free agent. As a result, teams have begun to inquire about Mrazek’s availability. If Campbell does stay in Toronto, the team will have a proven starter and have some promising young options like Joseph Woll and Ian Scott behind him. Marek also adds that the Maple Leafs are in hot pursuit of undrafted OHL standout Mack Guzda, who would further boost the depth chart if Toronto can win a heated race for his services. This hypothetically makes Mrazek and his $3.8MM cap hit expendable, even though he just signed with Toronto this past summer. However, for now the Leafs are maintaining that Mrazek remains a part of their plans. Marek was not so sure about that, but does report that any decision on a Mrazek trade will have to wait for the offseason.
  • Among the other suitors for Guzda are the Ducks, Hurricanes, Islanders, Rangers, Penguins, and Predators. (Notably, Guzda is a Tennessee native.) One of those teams is about to get much more serious in their pursuit, as well as in the trade market. Friedman notes that Anaheim is closing in on naming a general manager. While there are still several names in contention, he believes that Pat Verbeek is the odds-on favorite. Once a permanent GM is named, the Ducks will become a fascinating team to watch; they are both well within the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, yet also possess numerous high-value rentals.

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.

Latest On Jakob Chychrun

at CDT | by 23 Comments

Jan 22: Marek gave another update on Hockey Night In Canada this evening, giving some specific details on the Chychrun sweepstakes:

They do have that [offer] from one team in the NHL as we speak now, essentially two former first-round players and a first-round draft pick. That auction though does continue. Los Angeles, Anaheim, Boston, Florida, who may very well be the team to watch through all of this. The Rangers as well are in, they’ve offered a package that includes Vitali Kravtsov, and the Columbus Blue Jackets interested in the servicces of Jakob Chychrun as well. 

Kravtsov was given permission from the Rangers earlier this season to seek a trade after not receiving a ton of NHL playing time and is currently playing in the KHL.

Jan 21: One of the biggest names emerging for the NHL trade deadline is Jakob Chychrun, who made his return to the Arizona Coyotes lineup on Wednesday with one assist in more than 20 minutes of action. The 23-year-old defenseman is the biggest trade chip the Coyotes have, as despite a poor season this year, Chychrun is signed at a very reasonable $4.6MM cap hit through 2024-25.

Every time Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discuss the young defenseman more teams are involved in the chase, and today was no different. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman talked a little bit about Chychrun:

I think there is a lot [of teams involved]. I think the Coyotes prefer to send him east, though I don’t think that is absolutely 100 percent going to happen. I think Florida has let it be known that they are deep in this and that they are prepared to do what it takes to get it done. I don’t think they’re the only one. You’ve talked about Los Angeles, Anaheim, and St. Louis. I think Columbus is there. I’ve heard the Rangers; I’ve had people disagree, that it doesn’t make sense for them, but I’ve heard it. 

From the moment Chychrun’s name hit the rumor mill, the reported ask has been “massive” from the Coyotes, and with so many teams involved it seems likely that they end up with something close to the package they’re looking for. Marek reported earlier this month that the team was after a young player, high-end prospect, and first-round pick for the young defenseman, something similar to the deal that saw Brent Burns go from Minnesota to San Jose a decade ago.

With 27 games under his belt this season, Chychrun has registered just two goals and eight assists after an outstanding 2020-21 campaign. He’s also is a league-worst -28, though much of that is due to the team around him as his underlying possession numbers still hint toward a strong two-way defenseman. At even-strength, Chychrun hasn’t had a consistent partner, skating almost equal amounts with Anton Stralman and Ilya Lyubushkin to this point.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have relied heavily on the trio of Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, and Gustav Forsling to this point, each averaging more than 21 minutes a night. Radko Gudas and Brandon Montour have been regulars behind them, but the sixth spot has been rotated through the likes of Lucas Carlsson, Kevin Connauton, Olli Juolevi, and Matt Kiersted, given Markus Nutivaara’s injury issues.

Adding Chychrun to one of the best teams in the NHL would certainly seem like a good fit, especially given his ties to Florida. Born and raised there, he actually flew to Michigan for games every weekend as a 13-year-old before eventually joining the Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 15. A homecoming of sorts seems possible, but there’s more than just the Panthers in on the Coyotes defenseman at this point.

Kyle Turris, Tim Soderlund Clear Waivers

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Jan. 22: Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that both Turris and Soderlund have cleared waivers. Soderlund had his NHL contract terminated and a new one announced by Djurgardens. He signed back with the SHL club for the rest of this season, after which he’ll become an unrestricted free agent once again.

Jan. 21: The Edmonton Oilers have made one change, as Kyle Turris has been placed on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The veteran forward was on waivers at the start of the season and cleared, but had been with the NHL team long enough that he needed them again in order to be assigned to the AHL. The Oilers have also placed Tim Soderlund on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination.

Turris, 32, carries a cap hit of $1.65MM for the Oilers, which means just $1.125MM would come off the cap if he were sent to the minor leagues. That, plus the opening of another contract slot with the termination of Soderlund, could suggest the Oilers are set to make an addition of some sort. Evander Kane is the obvious connection here, though the results of his investigation with the NHL have still not been released.

There is little chance that another team claims Turris, but if they did, the Oilers would likely welcome the departure. The veteran forward has recorded just one goal and four points in 21 games for Edmonton this season, averaging fewer than nine minutes when he does get into the lineup. There’s not much to suggest he’s providing any more value than a $750K replacement from Bakersfield, meaning the cap savings would be worth more than having him on the roster. PuckPedia reported this morning that the Oilers were expected to sign Ryan Malone from Bakersfield for exactly that reason, but Ryan Rishaug of TSN adds that a COVID situation in the minor leagues makes this impossible for now. Malone would need to clear waivers to report to the Condors if signed to an NHL deal.

Still, this certainly isn’t an answer to the Oilers’ problems unless the goaltending and defense are also addressed at some point. The team is struggling in all aspects of the game, meaning any slight cap space will have to be spent carefully.

Colton White, Dillon Heatherington Clear Waivers

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Jan 20: White and Heatherington have both cleared waivers, according to Friedman. They can now be assigned to the taxi squad or the minor leagues.

Jan 19: The New Jersey Devils have placed Colton White on waivers today according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, but he won’t be alone. The Ottawa Senators have also placed Dillon Heatherington on waivers. William Lagesson of the Edmonton Oilers, on waivers yesterday, has cleared and can be sent to the minor leagues.

White, 24, already cleared waivers at the beginning of the season but has spent enough time on the active roster to need them again. In eight games with the Devils this year, he has two points while averaging just over 12 minutes a night. A fourth-round pick from 2015, the minor league defenseman is headed for Group VI unrestricted free agency in the summer, given he only has 19 NHL games under his belt to this point. After Lagesson cleared, it seems unlikely that White would earn a claim, meaning he’s probably headed to the taxi squad or minor leagues.

In Heatherington’s case, waivers is nothing new. He cleared at the beginning of this season and twice in previous years, as a depth defenseman without much NHL experience. In fact, nine of his 20 career games have come this season with the Senators, though none of those have been since the middle of December. With so many younger players fighting for playing time on the Ottawa back end, Heatherington’s time on the active roster is likely over.

He too will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Senators in July. That deal carries a league-minimum $750K cap hit, meaning he at least could be a target for a team dealing with COVID-related absences that needs a short-term replacement.

Latest On Evander Kane

at CDT | by 15 Comments

Jan 19: It does not appear as though a decision is going to be made on Kane for a few more days. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet tweets that the NHL needs the rest of the week to finish their investigation. That would suggest there will not be an update on his playing status or new contract until next week at the earliest. Kane remains an unrestricted free agent for the moment.

Jan 12: Ever since the San Jose Sharks filed the papers to terminate Evander Kane’s contract, speculation has run rampant over where the power forward would next ply his trade. The Edmonton Oilers were immediately linked and general manager Ken Holland confirmed that he had spoken to Kane’s representatives during a press conference yesterday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were also rumored as a contender for his services, but Joe Smith of The Athletic reported last night that after consideration, they have removed themselves from the running. The Lightning don’t have any cap space to work with and general manager Julien BriseBois explained to reporters today (including Smith), that they aren’t even expecting to make any deadline moves this season because of the financial constraints.

So with some options dropping out and others confirming their interest, Kane’s agent Dan Milstein tweeted yesterday that they were still interviewing with teams and there were still plenty of details to work out.

One of those details could be another league investigation, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the league is looking into the incident that caused Kane’s termination in the first place. That is the process of Kane crossing the border into Canada on December 29, eight days after testing positive for COVID-19. San Jose says he did not have proper medical clearance and the NHL is investigating the incident. Friedman believes it will prevent Kane from signing in the short-term, though doesn’t give a timeline on when the investigation will be resolved.

The league of course has already gone through several Kane-focused investigations over the last few months, with two–gambling and domestic abuse–resulting in a dismissal of the allegations and one–use of a fake vaccination card–resulting in a 21-game suspension.

Kane has until the trade deadline to sign a new contract in order to be eligible for the playoffs this season.

Detroit Red Wings Claim Gemel Smith

at CDT | by 6 Comments

It’s a family reunion in Detroit, as the Red Wings have claimed Gemel Smith off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Smith is the older brother of Red Wings forward Givani Smith.

Sean Shapiro of The Athletic tweets that because the Smith brothers are several years apart, they have never played on the same team or against each other during their hockey careers. They’ll get that chance now in Detroit, as Gemel Smith will have to be kept on the NHL roster after the waiver claim.

That’s certainly an interesting twist, given the 27-year-old forward hasn’t played a single game at any level this season. He dealt with a surgery that has kept him on injured reserve for the last several months and is only now approaching a return to play. Instead of going to the minor leagues, he’ll end up in Detroit where he could very well receive a bigger opportunity than he has in years.

A veteran of just 88 games at the NHL level, most of those came with the Dallas Stars in 2017-18 when he suited up 46 times. Smith has played just 11 NHL contests over the past three seasons but did have two 40-point minor league campaigns during that time.

His younger brother Givani Smith, 23, has found out exactly what can happen when you’re on an organization in the middle of a rebuild. He’s played in 31 games for the Red Wings this season, scoring two goals and four points while racking up 68 penalty minutes. While still only averaging a little over eight minutes a night, he’s nearly matched his previous career total of games played already.

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

scroll to top