Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Kevin Hayes

Rangers, Islanders, Devils Interested In Winnipeg’s Jacob Trouba

at CDT | by 4 Comments

While there are rumored to be many teams that have expressed interest in Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba, the New York area could be his eventual destination as the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils have been the most aggressive teams in pursuit of the young defenseman, according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks.

Each team could truly use the 25-year-old Trouba, who hasn’t expressed any desire to sign a long-term deal with the Jets, and with him being one year away from unrestricted free agency, the Jets are expected to move the talented blueliner. However, Brooks writes that he’s heard from multiple sources that Winnipeg has not given permission to inquiring clubs to speak with Trouba’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, about a long-term contract, which could run as high as seven years and $7.5MM.

All three teams, however, would have the cap room to make a commitment to Trouba with all three teams having the assets to make a deal happen, although the price is expected to be costly. The Jets are reportedly asking for a first-round pick and two top prospects or two young NHL players, likely signed to low-cost contracts. That is likely to be exactly what they’ll get as Trouba, a 6-foot-3, 202-pound blueliner had a breakout season offensively with a career high 50 points last season, including 42 assists, which was ninth in the league for defensemen.

The Rangers already have the Jets’ first-round pick in next week’s draft (#20 overall), acquired in the Kevin Hayes trade, and could offer a significant package, according to Brooks, including restricted free agent Pavel Buchnevich and a prospect. However, that might not be enough as both the Islanders and Devils have quite a few prospects in their own system. That brings to question whether the Rangers might consider including Lias Andersson as part of their package to acquire Trouba. Would the Islanders consider moving defensie prospect Noah Dobson or would the Devils include Jesper Boqvist or Jesper Bratt in a deal?

 

Free Agent Focus: New York Rangers

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Free agency is now less than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  The Rangers have a lot of options when it comes to the upcoming free agency period, but don’t have as much to concern themselves with when it comes to their own free agents. New York does have a few restricted free agents they must worry about, but few players to concern themselves among unrestricted free agents.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Pavel Buchnevich — The Rangers must be thrilled with the continued improvements of their 24-year-old forward, who has continually taken his game up a notch in all three years, scoring eight goals as a rookie, 14 goals last season and moving into a permanent top-six role in 2018-19 with a 21-goal campaign. That number was more impressive considering he only played 64 games due to a broken thumb and some issues with head coach David Quinn, although he eventually developed a solid relationship with the coach. His 15:10 ATOI was lower than a number of lesser forwards as he ranked ninth in that area among forwards, but should increase significantly next season. Now that his entry-level deal is up, New York must pay him significantly more than the $925K he was previously making. However, with his development, it’s more likely the team will seek a bridge deal in hopes that his progress continues to improve.

F Brendan Lemieux — The Rangers didn’t get a lot of time to evaluate Lemieux, who the team acquired at the trade deadline as part of the Kevin Hayes trade. While not a key piece to the deal, New York hoped that the 23-year-old would give them a key bottom-six winger for a number of years as he had proved to be an agitator in his 53 games played in Winnipeg. Lemieux started his tenure in New York off well as he provided that grit the team needed, but after averaging 7:25 of ATOI with the Jets, his minutes jumped to 12:50 with the Rangers, and he quickly wore down, suggesting he lacked conditioning. In 19 games, he accumulated six points, 64 penalty minutes and two misconducts, which is a lot of penalties. Regardless, it’s likely the Rangers will seek a short-term deal so that Lemieux can prove himself.

D Neal Pionk — After showing off impressive skills in a trial during the 2017-18 season, the 23-year-old blueliner didn’t fare as well in his first full season with the Rangers. Pionk finished the season with six goals and 26 points but also saw his plus/minus drop to minus-16, but found himself in Quinn’s doghouse quite often in the second half of the season and was often a healthy scratch as he tallied just one point and seven points in his final 37 games. With a number of young defenseman close to ready for a regular NHL role, general manager Jeff Gorton will have to decide whether Pionk should stay with the defense or whether the team should move on from him. Expect him to get a short-term or even more likely a one-year deal on a “prove it” contract.

Other RFAs: D Julius Bergman, D Chris Bigras, D Fredrik Claesson, D Anthony DeAngelo, G Brandon Halverson, F Vinni Lettieri, G Chris Nell

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: D John Gilmour — Yes, Gilmour, who played a total of five games for the Rangers this past year, is the team’s top unrestricted free agent. The Group 6 free agent played 28 games during the 2017-18 season, but found himself playing a full season for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL where he dominated, scoring 20 goals and 54 points and was named to the AHL All-Star team. However, he has been passed over on the prospect chart by Ryan Lindgren and Libor Hajek and doesn’t seem to be a major part of the team’s long-range plans although he could be a cheap 6/7th defensive option for the Rangers if they want a low-cost option.

Other UFAs: F Connor Brickley, D Rob O’Gara, G Dustin Tokarski

Projected Cap Space: With a little less than $64MM in commitments for next season (per CapFriendly), the team has room to make changes, but it’s unlikely the team will make any long-term commitments in house this offseason. The team is far more likely to go with multiple short-term deals and focus on fast-tracking their rebuilding efforts as they will likely attempt to bring in a top free agent to supplement its young players.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kevin Hayes Visits With Philadelphia Flyers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Since acquiring the exclusive negotiating rights of Kevin Hayes earlier this month, the Philadelphia Flyers have had some preliminary conversations with the pending free agent on a potential contract. Yesterday, Hayes actually met with the Flyers in person and according to Frank Seravalli of TSN was impressed with his visit. Still, Seravalli reports that Philadelphia “isn’t No. 1″ on the veteran center’s list, and notes that the Columbus Blue Jackets and Arizona Coyotes might be of interest.

Hayes, 27, was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets for a fifth-round pick in order to give Philadelphia a head start on contract negotiations. It’s not the first time that Hayes might be intrigued by the idea of free agency however, as he decided not to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks out of college despite the team spending a first-round selection on him in 2010. The Boston College alum decided to sign with the New York Rangers instead, and played the first four and a half seasons of his pro career there before a mid-season trade took him to Winnipeg in February.

There are plenty of reasons why the Flyers would be interested, given that Hayes is coming off his best offensive season. The 6’5” center recorded 54 points in 71 games, though failed to crack the 20-goal mark once again. He has done so in just one of his NHL seasons, something of a red flag for a team expecting him to contribute big numbers at even strength. Still, his size and two-way ability make him a desirable asset for pretty much anyone looking for depth down the middle, something Philadelphia could use if Claude Giroux is going to stay on the wing.

As one of the younger players available this summer, there will be no shortage of suitors for Hayes. The Blue Jackets would make sense if Matt Duchene departs in free agency, while the Coyotes have been trying to find consistent production at the center position for years. Both teams also have former teammates of Hayes from New York involved in some way. Derek Stepan is a leader in the Arizona locker room, while Rick Nash has been working with Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen for the last while.

Avalanche Notes: Hayes, No. 4 Pick, Knight

at CDT | by 10 Comments

The Colorado Avalanche made history on this day in 1996, winning the Stanley Cup in their inaugural season after moving to Denver. The eight-seed Avs came surprisingly close to getting back the Cup Final this year, upsetting the Calgary Flames in the first round and taking the San Jose Sharks to Game Seven in the second round. Colorado is closer to being a legitimate contender than some may have thought and are hoping to add some veteran pieces this off-season to improve their odds. GM Joe Sakic, a member of that ’96 team, is planning to be aggressive this summer, but his plan took an unexpected early hit when the Philadelphia Flyers acquired the negotiating rights of Kevin Hayes, expected to be one of Colorado’s top targets.

However, it’s already been a week since that trade was made and the Flyers and Hayes have not come to terms on a new contract. Talks are still reportedly progressing, but there’s less certainty that Hayes will end up signing with the team. In fact, BSN Denver’s AJ Haefele states that talks may not be going as well as Philadelphia would like fans to think, after surrendering a draft pick for the right to negotiate with Hayes. Haefele says that “things with Hayes and Philly haven’t really gone great so far”, adding that there’s still optimism but the clock is ticking toward the opening of free agency. If Hayes doesn’t come to terms with the Flyers and hits the open market, the Avalanche would have to be considered the favorite to land the two-way center given the many sources that have linked the two sides.

  • Haefele had another intriguing note for Avs fans tonight regarding the first of the team’s two first round picks, the No. 4 overall selection. Haefele believes, based on discussions with several sources, that Colorado will be targeting a forward with the pick, and that’s regardless of whether or not Bowen Byram is available. Byram, the top defenseman in the draft by a wide margin, is considered by many to perhaps be the third-best prospect overall. However, given the considerable draft capital that the Chicago Blackhawks have used on defensemen in recent years, they may pass on Byram at No. 3. It seems the Avalanche would do the same, opting to focus on their need for secondary scoring rather than adding a top young defenseman, with Cale Makar and Conor Timmins already in the fold. This should come as good new for the Los Angeles Kings, who could desperately use a blue chip defensive prospect. As for the Avs, Dylan Cozens, Trevor Zegras, and Kirby Dach are among the top forward prospects who could be available in this scenario.
  • There were clues to Colorado’s focus on a forward with their first pick before Haefele’s report, too. The team was curiously one of the few not to interview a number of projected late first-round forwards at the NHL Scouting Combine, leading many to assume that they would target a forward early and look elsewhere with their second pick, No. 16. The other explanation is that the Avalanche have already zeroed in one one specific player for that slot: top goaltender Spencer Knight. Although many are in agreement that Knight is a first-round caliber goalie, it’s easier for a team to stomach selecting a keeper that early if they have two picks in the round. Colorado is just one of five teams to pick twice in the first round this year, but they are the first team to use their second pick. Barring an unforeseen selection by a lottery team, the Avs could get ahead of the rest of the pack by selecting Knight at No. 16 and adding their goalie of the future. This is far from a guarantee, but certainly an idea that carries some merit.

Flyers, Hayes “Moving Forward” With Preliminary Conversations

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Philadelphia Flyers jumped into the unrestricted free agent market a little early this season, trading a fifth-round pick to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a chance to speak with Kevin Hayes before his contract expires in a few weeks. The hope is that the team can convince Hayes to forego free agency entirely and sign an extension in Philadelphia, giving them another solid option down the middle without having to fight off other bidding teams. Today GM Chuck Fletcher met with the media and gave an update on the Hayes negotiations:

Nothing to announce at this point. We’ve had good preliminary conversations with Kevin and his camp. We anticipate moving forward with those conversations this week…Obviously, we have strong interest in him.

It’s now less than two weeks until the interview process opens and pending free agents are allowed to start speaking with potential teams, meaning the Flyers are running out of time to get something worked out with Hayes. Even the very best available free agents are starting to wait until the interview period to speak with teams, making sure they aren’t missing out on any interesting opportunities. If Hayes does sign with the Flyers, it would remove one of the top options at center this summer and potentially increase the market of other names like Matt Duchene.

The Flyers meanwhile are trying to lock up another core forward to add to their group of veterans. Hayes would give the team a fifth player up front signed for at least $4.3MM per season, joining Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, James van Riemsdyk and Sean Couturier as a more than capable top-six group. That doesn’t even include young burgeoning stars like Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny who look ready to really come into their own as difference makers in the NHL. Fletcher explained exactly why he is after Hayes’ services:

He plays a full 200-foot game. He kills penalties, which is an area we need to improve at. He understands the game and has great hockey sense.

Philadelphia has plenty of cap space for next season, currently sitting at a projection of more than $33.4MM under the expected $83MM cap ceiling. That isn’t even including any potential buyout savings from the likes of Andrew MacDonald, who currently carries a $5MM cap hit for next season but recorded just nine points in 47 games last season and has seen his play rapidly decline in recent years. Even a long-term deal for the 27-year old Hayes would be easy enough to fit into their salary structure at this point.

Flyers Acquire The Negotiating Rights To Kevin Hayes From Jets

at CDT | by 5 Comments

It’s safe to say that the Flyers would like to sign pending unrestricted free agent Kevin Hayes.  The team announced that they have acquired the negotiating rights to the center from the Jets in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round pick.

In the team release, GM Chuck Fletcher explained the rationale behind the move:

By gaining the rights to Kevin at this time, it provides us with an opportunity to negotiate with him prior to July 1 when he is due to become an unrestricted free agent.

Hayes is coming off of a career season in 2018-19.  He spent most of the season with the Rangers before joining Winnipeg as a deadline day acquisition in exchange for a first-round pick along with winger Brendan Lemieux.  The Jets were hoping that Hayes would have a similar impact as Paul Stastny did the year before but that wasn’t the case as his playing time dwindled in the postseason.

Despite the poor showing in the playoffs, Hayes wound up with 19 goals and 36 assists in 71 games between the two teams; his assist and point totals were career highs.  The 27-year-old is expected to be one of the top centers available in free agency and with other teams already being reported to have interest in him, Fletcher obviously felt it was worth parting with a later draft pick to give themselves a few weeks to talk to him before the UFA interview period opens up after the draft.  New head coach Alain Vigneault is also quite familiar with Hayes from their time with the Rangers.

Hayes would certainly fill a useful role with Philadelphia.  Sean Couturier has established himself as a legitimate top liner but Nolan Patrick, the second overall pick in 2017, isn’t ready to take on a full-time spot in the top six just yet.  While Claude Giroux can play down the middle, he has taken off offensively since being shifted to the wing so moving him back to that spot isn’t optimal.  Hayes, if signed, would slot in nicely between Couturier and Patrick, allowing the latter to continue to develop before potentially flipping roles down the road.

The big question will be how much it will cost to get Hayes signed.  He made $5.175MM this past season on a one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration.  Presumably, it will take a fair bit more than that to lock him up this early.  Winnipeg, with several other prominent players to re-sign this summer, knew that they wouldn’t be able to afford to keep Hayes in the fold so the move allows them to recoup at least a small asset in return over losing him for nothing and considering they only had three 2019 draft picks before the move, adding a pick in this draft is also a nice pickup, especially since it prohibits the selection from being contingent on Hayes signing with Philadelphia.

Chicago, Colorado, And Philadelphia Have Interest In Kevin Hayes

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Kevin Hayes will be one of the top centers available in free agency in July.  With that in mind, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 31 Thoughts column that several teams have already started doing their due diligence on the 27-year-old, including the Blackhawks, Avalanche, and Flyers.

Hayes is coming off of a career year offensively with 55 points in 71 games between the Rangers and Jets, who acquired him at the trade deadline.  However, he didn’t have the type of impact in the postseason that Winnipeg was hoping for as he was dropped to the fourth line in their first-round loss to St. Louis.

Despite that, he slots in as arguably the second-best option down the middle behind Matt Duchene so he will undoubtedly have plenty of suitors.

Seeing Chicago among that group is certainly interesting.  They actually drafted him in the first round (24th overall) back in 2010 but he opted to play out his college eligibility and become an unrestricted free agent where he joined the Rangers in 2014.  To further add to their frustration, the player they drafted with the compensation pick for not signing him (Graham Knott) has only been a depth player in the AHL for the past two seasons.  The Blackhawks are in good shape down the middle with Jonathan Toews and Dylan Strome both coming off career years and adding Hayes to that group would really make that position an organizational strength.

Colorado GM Joe Sakic indicated earlier this month that the team would be more aggressive in its pursuit of free agents this summer.  While Nathan MacKinnon is entrenched as their top pivot, they have several young players behind him (along with veteran Carl Soderberg) that aren’t quite ready to take on the number two role on a full-time basis.  At the very least, Hayes would serve as a reasonable bridge player until one of Tyson Jost, Alexander Kerfoot, or J.T. Compher jumps into that spot while giving them some extra depth down the middle.

Philadelphia is in a similar situation.  Sean Couturier is their top center and Nolan Patrick, the number two pick in 2017, isn’t quite ready to play on the second line just yet.  Claude Giroux, a natural center, has fared quite well on the wing so moving him back down the middle probably isn’t their preference for next season.  Hayes would fit in well on the second line and could flip spots with Patrick a couple of years from now.

Last summer, Hayes signed a one-year, $5.175MM deal with New York to avoid salary arbitration.  Given the year he had and the dearth of top-six centers available on the open market, it’s quite likely that he will earn considerably more than that on the open market in July.  Teams will be eligible to speak to Hayes once the UFA interview period opens up on June 23rd.

Islanders Re-Sign Brock Nelson To Six-Year Extension

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The New York Islanders had four key players approaching unrestricted free agency this off-season, but they have cut that number down to three. The Islanders have announced that they have signed center Brock Nelson to a long-term contract extension. The new deal is six years at $6MM per season for Nelson, who becomes both the highest-paid and longest-signed player on New York’s roster (for now). The full deal breaks down as follows:

  • 2019-20: $8.0MM + full no-trade
  • 2020-21: $5.2MM + full no-trade
  • 2021-22: $8.0MM + partial no-trade
  • 2022-23: $5.2MM + partial no-trade
  • 2023-24: $5.6MM + partial no-trade
  • 2024-25: $4.0MM + partial no-trade

Nelson, 27, bet on himself last summer by signing a one-year, $4.25MM extension with the Islanders in hopes that a breakout season would earn him the long-term, high-paying deal he was seeking. That gamble worked out perfectly, as Nelson enjoyed the best season of his career and had been set to hit the market as likely the third-best center and a top-15 or so free agent. The Islanders knew they had to pay, perhaps even slightly over market value, to keep Nelson and did just that. The six-year term is less of a concern, as Nelson will be just 33 when the contract expires.

New head coach Barry Trotz took an immediate liking to Nelson this season, giving him more than three minutes of extra ice time per night compared to last year, as well as an increased role on special teams. Nelson responded with a career-high 53 points this season and finished third on the Islanders in scoring. He was also New York’s best five-on-five forward, leading the team in even strength goals and points. The team clearly trusts Nelson to continue playing a well-rounded game and growing his offensive ability.

As the first major UFA forward to sign a long-term extension this off-season, Nelson sets the bar for not only his fellow Islanders teammates but for the market as a whole. After signing Nelson, the Islanders still have over $29.2MM in cap space per CapFriendly. The team still hopes to sign forwards Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle, as well as goaltender Robin Lehner. Although Nelson outscored Lee and Eberle this season, the unsigned duo are around the same age as Nelson but have more experience, more scoring history, and simply more talent. The 6×6 deal agreed to by Nelson is unlikely to do the trick for either Lee or Eberle, meaning signing both would chew up more than $12MM of the Islanders’ remaining cap space. It’s still very possible for them to sign all of their key free agents, but not as easy now that Nelson’s deal is in place. Elsewhere on the market, Nelson’s $6MM AAV will likely raise the price tag for the likes of Kevin Hayes, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist, and Brett Connolly among others, as each are close in age and platform production to Nelson, albeit Hayes is the only center in the group. This is just the first of what are likely to be several big-name extensions prior to July 1st, but Nelson’s deal will certainly have ramifications in the current marketplace.

West Notes: Sutter, Hayes, Pavelski

at CDT | by 3 Comments

New Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland has made another pair of changes in the front office, parting ways with both vice president of player personnel Duane Sutter and media relations director J.J. Hebert according to Ryan Rishaug of TSN. This comes after the organization also recently said goodbye to Craig MacTavish who is off to coach in the KHL.

It’s not unusual for a new general manager to clean house so to speak, but Sutter’s departure will mean a big change in the scouting department. That of course may not be a terrible thing, given the team’s lack of real success in the draft over the last several years. Sutter had been with the team’s scouting department since the 2011-12 season, after which Edmonton notoriously selected Nail Yakupov first overall. While there have obviously been other cases of successful draft picks, Holland will likely install his own team to try and draft and develop more talent for the Oilers moving forward.

  • Kevin Hayes didn’t fit into the Winnipeg Jets perfectly after the New York Rangers sent him north at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have his suitors this summer when he hits unrestricted free agency. Adrian Dater tweets that sources have told him of the Colorado Avalanche’s interest in the big center, which would certainly make sense given GM Joe Sakic’s “aggressive” comments at the end of the year. Hayes heads into the offseason as one of the top centers available in free agency after posting a career-high 54 points this season split between New York and Winnipeg.
  • Joe Pavelski is focused on helping the San Jose Sharks avoid elimination tonight—if he even plays—but pretty soon he’ll have to consider what’s next in his NHL career. The Sharks’ captain is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and is coming off an incredible 38-goal regular season, but has had no extension talks with the front office according to Scott Burnside of The Athletic (subscription required) who examined the Pavelski situation in full earlier today. It seems extremely unlikely that Pavelski would leave the only organization he’s ever known, especially one that gave him an opportunity as a seventh-round pick, but GM Doug Wilson has played hardball as recently as 2017 when he watched Patrick Marleau chase a three-year deal in Toronto.

Eastern Notes: Canadiens, Armia, Capitals’ Defense, Kadri

at CDT | by 8 Comments

After a couple of down years, the Montreal Canadiens had a much more respectable season last year and with things looking up, general manager Marc Bergevin is going to want to add to his team. With close to $10MM to spend this year, the team could consider going after big-name free agents.

However, Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette writes that a second option would be for the Canadiens to go after Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner. While offer sheets in the NHL are quite rare, that could change this offseason with so many intriguing restricted free agents out there. The team could conceivably sign Marner to an offer sheet and if the Canadiens offer a deal between $8.54MM to $10.56MM, and successfully pry him away from Toronto, the compensation would be reasonable in two first-round picks, a second-rounder and a third-rounder.

Even if Toronto matches any offer sheet, the Canadiens will have still accomplished quite a bit as the rival franchise is currently struggling with salary cap issues and a big offer would only hamper general manager Kyle Dubas’ long-term plans.

  • Sticking with the Canadiens, while one of the main reasons that the Montreal Canadiens took Joel Armia in the Steve Mason deal was that Armia was from the same hometown in Finland as last year’s top pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Armia has been significant in helping Kotkaniemi to transition to North America. However, while Armia’s numbers have been solid when playing next to Kotkaniemi on the ice, his numbers when playing without him haven’t been that good. The Athletic’s Marc Dupont (subscription required) writes the team needs to be cautious about signing Armia, who hits restricted free agency this summer, to a long-term contract. Armia, who tallied 13 goals as a third-liner, and probably should be signed to a short-term deal to assess for now.
  • The Washington Capitals didn’t get back to the Stanley Cup Finals liked they hoped and with continuous salary cap issues to deal with, there is a good chance the Capitals’ blueline will have to be reconstructed, according to the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan. The scribe writes that the team might be ready to move on from veteran defenseman Matt Niskanen, after the team acquired Nick Jensen at the trade deadline. Jensen is four years younger than Niskanen and has the same skillset. The team is also expected to move on from Brooks Orpik, giving more opportunity to the team’s young defensive prospects it has been amassing over the last couple of years, including Jonas Siegenthaler, Lucas Johansen, Alex Alexeyev, Connor Hobbs, Colby Williams and Tyler Lewington.
  • Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that the Philadelphia Flyers are going to want to make some type of splash to add a big-name player either through free agency or via trade. While throwing out names like Matt Duchene and Kevin Hayes are one option, the scribe suggests that the Flyers should consider trading for Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nazem Kadri, who is coming off a career-low 16 goals. With Toronto management down on him somewhat, the Flyers could get a steal of a deal as the center has three years on his deal at a reasonable $4.5MM AAV. Kadri would make an excellent second-line center, who could slide back to the third line once Nolan Patrick is ready to move up.

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