Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Max Pacioretty

Poll: Where Will Max Pacioretty End Up?

at CDT | by 20 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens are looking to move Max Pacioretty as soon as possible. The captain’s contract expires at the end of the coming season and there will not be an extension. The Habs are also unlikely to be contenders this year. As such, Pacioretty is on the trade block and probably on the move soon.

Where could he end up? The first thought is the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks were reportedly close to a deal for Pacioretty at the NHL Draft but couldn’t get it done. Since then, they missed out on John Tavares and are still in need of scoring with cap space to spare.

San Jose was not alone in losing out in the Tavares sweepstakes. Assuming the Boston Bruins are an unlikely destination given their status as Montreal’s biggest rivals, that still leaves teams like the Dallas Stars and New York Islanders as possibilities. The Islanders in particular are in major need of a boost up front and have the young assets to make a deal.

Teams that have previously shown interest in Pacioretty include the Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. The Panthers already landed Mike Hoffman this off-season and are lacking cap space, but could still potentially make it work. The Predators have significantly more space and some intriguing young pieces to offer and would be a team that Pacioretty certainly wouldn’t mind ending up with long-term.

As always, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks cannot be ruled out. Their respective GM’s are always in on the action and both teams are known to be looking for offensive depth. Would Pittsburgh consider swapping Derick Brassard in a deal for Pacioretty? Could Chicago use their newfound cap space from the Hossa trade to bring in a similar scorer? The answer to both of these questions is a definitive maybe.

Who do you think needs Pacioretty most or can put together the best offer?

Montreal Canadiens To Trade Max Pacioretty “As Soon As Possible”

at CDT | by 19 Comments

There has been speculation around Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty for months, with a trade out of town being the most likely final scenario for the scoring winger. Recently though there had been some who wondered if the Canadiens would re-open talks for an extension, something that now appears completely off the table. Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic (subscription required) has been told that the Canadiens will not negotiate a new contract with Pacioretty, and in fact intend to work out a trade “as soon as possible.” GM Marc Bergevin has in fact communicated that to his captain, though Pacioretty does not have any trade protection in his current contract.

That contract expires at the end of next season, and has vastly underpaid Pacioretty over its duration. Carrying a $4.5MM cap hit this year, the 29-year old forward would be welcome on almost any team in the league. Still, the Canadiens know that their best chance at a big return is if Pacioretty works out an extension right away with the acquiring team. That reportedly almost happened at the June draft, but a contract couldn’t be worked out with the Los Angeles Kings and instead Pacioretty changed agencies and signed with Allan Walsh of Octagon Hockey.

Walsh is the one who now will negotiate any extension, and one would have to believe that several teams who missed out on some of the bigger free agents will be inquiring on the five-time 30-goal scorer. San Jose, Dallas, Tampa Bay and Boston were all given the opportunity to sit down with John Tavares, and though Pacioretty is obviously a different talent there would likely be some crossover. It’s not just those squads that could use some added scoring punch though, something that the Montreal captain can still provide even despite his down season in 2017-18.

Pacioretty scored just 17 goals in 64 contests last season, but can be expected to improve on that number going forward. While a long-term deal may not turn out to be an exceptional value, it’s definitely a worthwhile risk for a player with his track record. The question now becomes what Montreal is looking for in return, and how an extension would change that ask. The Canadiens are still trying to compete right away as Carey Price enters his eight-year $84MM contract, but will have to seriously consider a package of young or future assets in exchange for their captain.

Poll: Who Will Be The Centerpiece Of The Next Big Trade?

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Given the players remaining on the free agent market, any further fireworks this summer will likely come via a blockbuster trade. It certainly seems possible too, with more than a few major names being floated around. Who will be the first to go?

The biggest fish available for a lucky team to catch is obviously all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson. With one year remaining on his contract and on a sinking ship in Ottawa, the Senators have little choice but to trade the Norris Trophy winner. However, finding the right deal to get a fair return on a player of Karlsson’s caliber is proving difficult and talks between Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion and both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars have reportedly broken down. The noise surrounding a potential Karlsson trade has died down significantly over the past few days.

Another trade target whose apparent availability is being downplayed in Edmonton Oilers winger Milan Lucic. Early in the off-season, there was rampant speculation that a Lucic trade was inevitable. Some said that the team wanted to move on from the remaining five years and $30MM of the underachieving forward’s contract, while others said that it was Lucic who was unhappy in Edmonton and was seeking a trade. Both sides have denied claims that they are seeking a separation, but as most trade rumors go – where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

There’s also Max Pacioretty, who was close to being traded during draft weekend but ended up remaining with the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs captain is coming off of a down year and is in the final year of his contract, making his trade value the lowest that it has been in years. Yet, it has continually been reported that the Canadiens are listening on offers. Those reports have grown quiet over the last week or so and it could be that Montreal has simply opted to retain one of the faces of their franchise, but don’t rule out the possibility of a deal just yet.

As potential Karlsson, Lucic, and Pacioretty deals have lost some steam, Columbus Blue Jackets’ star Artemi Panarin has emerged as a popular trade target. Panarin, to his credit, was honest with the organization that he remains unsure if he will be willing to sign a long-term extension to stay in Columbus before his contract expires after next season. As a result, GM Jarmo Kekalainen and company have begun to explore any possible trade scenarios should they choose to mitigate the risk of losing Panarin for nothing as a free agent by dealing him away. However, Panarin is still a young and highly productive player who hasn’t flat out said he won’t resign with the Blue Jackets and the team may be understandably cautious in making a decision on what to do with him.

Another situation playing out between a team who would rather hold on to their asset is the Minnesota Wild and winger Jason Zucker. Zucker filed for salary arbitration this off-season and, after a career season, is due a major bump on his previous $2MM salary. However, the Wild have a surplus of NHL-caliber forwards and a likely shortage of cap space needed to sign both Zucker and young defenseman Matt Dumba. Dumba and the blue line are the priority, potentially making Zucker expendable. Minnesota will do what they can to keep him, but may not have a choice but to get what they can for the 26-year-old scorer.

Finally, there are the Carolina Hurricanes. Last month, there was not hotter name on the rumor mill than forward Jeff Skinner. Approaching the NHL Draft, several insider went so far as to guarantee that he would be traded in the coming days. More than two weeks later, Skinner remains a Hurricane. There is surely a market for Skinner, but the team and new GM Don Waddell have stated that they simply haven’t received an offer yet that they were comfortable with. Carolina clearly values what Skinner brings offensive and the Hurricanes need to be better at scoring next season. Where they have strength and depth is the blue line, yet they have managed to add both Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan this off-season. The team is now overloaded with talented defensemen, especially on the right side, and there is an expectation that veteran leader Justin Faulk is likely going to be odd man out and interest is high in the All-Star.

There are many trade possibilities available, including deals that include more than one of these players, but assuming otherwise: Who is most likely to be the next big name traded this off-season?

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Atlantic Notes: Pacioretty, O’Reilly, Nash, Reinhart, Tkachuk

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Montreal Canadiens Max Pacioretty was the most talked about player throughout this weekend’s NHL Entry Draft, but the skilled forward remains with the Canadiens and a trade will have to wait, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun (subscription required). Evidently general manager Marc Bergevin had many conversations about the 29-year-old, but wasn’t able to get a deal done. The rumor that Montreal and San Jose had struck a trade was false as the two teams had never spoken about him.

LeBrun also writes the closest team to pulling off a trade was the Los Angeles Kings earlier this week as he surmises that both teams were ready to pull the trigger on a trade, but the Kings failed to reach a contract extension with Pacioretty and the deal fell through. However, whether the pieces of a trade were actually in place at the time seemed unlikely, according to LeBrun. The Kings came out OK, however, as they won the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes. Another wrinkle in trade talks is that Pacioretty also switched agents today as he left Pat Brisson and joined Allan Walsh of Octagon. Pacioretty, who is in the final year of a six-year, $27MM deal ($4.5 AAV), is looking to get paid after putting up big numbers as an underpaid player, suggesting he wants to cash in on that.

  • One other trade topic that didn’t get as much attention this weekend was the potential trade of Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly. Mike Harrinton of the Buffalo News writes that Buffalo had extensive talks with the Montreal Canadiens as well as the St. Louis Blues about O’Reilly, but weren’t able to strike a deal. “We just didn’t feel comfortable what was presented the last couple of days,” Botterill said in American Airlines Center. “We’ll see how things progress over the next week or two. Our main focus was the draft and we’re very excited where we’re at the last three days.” O’Reilly is expected to receive a roster bonus of $7.5MM on July 1. If the Sabres intend to trade him, they are more likely to do that before that date, otherwise, expect him to stay in Buffalo.
  • Dan Rosen of NHL.com writes that after losing out on Kovalchuk earlier today, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said he is interested in bringing back unrestricted free agent Rick Nash. Boston acquired the veteran forward at the trade deadline and fared well in the Bruins’ lineup, posting six points in 11 games to finish out the season and then added three goals and two assists in 12 playoff games. Sweeney said they have been in contact with Nash. “He’s strongly indicated that Boston is a place he would consider, as would we,” Sweeney said.
  • Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said he isn’t worried about contract negotiations with restricted free agent Sam Reinhart, according to The Athletic’s John Vogl. “Our discussions with Craig Oster have been positive,” Botterill said. “I don’t view it as a difficult situation at all. Hopefully, we’ll look at some different structures in the upcoming weeks and get something done.” The 22-year-old put up a career-high 25 goals last season.
  • One key decision that the Ottawa Senators hope to work in their favor will be what avenue 2018 first-round pick Brady Tkachuk will take next season. The Boston University winger was taken fourth overall by the Senators and had previously indicated that he wanted to return to the school. However, after the draft, Tkachuk told reporters he intended to sit down with his father, Keith Tkachuk, to discuss it, according to Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. While a another year of development at BU wouldn’t be a bad idea, the Senators might want prefer him to be on the ice with them next season.

East Notes: Aaltonen, Pacioretty, Tolchinsky, Lightning

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Maple Leafs pending RFA center Miro Aaltonen will return to the KHL, his agent Todd Diamond told TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link).  Aaltonen joined Toronto last offseason but spent all of 2017-18 at the AHL level where he posted 20 goals and 23 assists in 64 regular season games while adding 13 points in Toronto’s run to the Calder Cup.  With both Tomas Plekanec and Dominic Moore set to depart via unrestricted free agency this offseason, some believed that the 25-year-old Aaltonen would have had a shot at a fourth line role with the big club but instead, he will head back overseas.

More from the East:

  • Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty is seeking a six- to eight-year term if he is going to sign an early extension with the team, reports TSN’s Frank Seravalli. However, Montreal does not appear to be willing to give him that long of a deal which is why his name has come up in trade speculation as of late.  Seravalli links the Kings as a possible suitor as they look to add a top-six winger while the Sabres have been linked to him recently as well.
  • Hurricanes pending RFA winger Sergey Tolchinsky has signed a tryout contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL team announced (link in Russian). The 23-year-old spent all of this past year with Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte where he collected 26 points in 43 games.  With him eyeing a return home, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team decide to give him a qualifying offer so that they can retain his NHL rights if he decides he wants to come back in the next few years.  The deadline to do so is Monday at 4 PM CST.
  • Lightning assistant GM Julien BriseBois provided an update regarding several of their pending free agents to Lindsay Kramer of the Post-Standard. The team will not tender a qualifying offer to winger Alex Gallant while they also will not try to re-sign unrestricted free agent defenseman Mat Bodie and Jamie McBain, nor will they pursue winger Erik Condra.  However, they do intend to try to bring back center Matthew Peca, who will hit the open market as a Group VI free agent next month.

Reactions to Alex Galchenyuk-Max Domi Trade

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The first big trade of the offseason hit the NHL Friday when the Montreal Canadiens sent forward Alex Galchenyuk to the Arizona Coyotes for youngster Max Domi in a rare one-for-one deal. For Montreal, the Canadiens finally move on from a forward, who failed in their experiment to move him to the center position and while they didn’t get a center in return for the 24 year old, they have high expectations for the 23-year-old Domi to step in at a cheaper price. For Arizona, this gives the team another established scorer to potentially pair with Derek Stepan and push Arizona out of the cellar in the Pacific Division.

Here’s a rundown from across the league:

  • While there is a lot we don’t know, The Athletic’s Arpon Basu (subscription required) writes that Galchenyuk was a valuable asset for Montreal, who put up a 30-goal season while playing center for the team and for reasons that will never entirely be clear, the team decided he couldn’t play that position again. Basu writes that Montreal needed a center desperately, but the team opted not to work with him, or build his confidence or let Galchenyuk know they believed in him. Instead, they did the opposite of that, pointing out his defensive deficiencies, especially publically. The scribe writes the Canadiens didn’t want to give him an opportunity last season to return to the center position, because they feared had he played well, it would make the organization look bad.
  • Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette writes that despite failing to succeed in Montreal, the Arizona Coyotes are looking for Galchenyuk to play some center this coming season, potentially even taking the No. 2 center spot behind Derek Stepan. “I think having depth at that position and having players who can play that position is something that we desired in this trade,” said Coyotes general manager John Chayka Friday after the trade. “He’s had success playing the centre position. I don’t think we’d make this trade if we didn’t think he had the ability to play centre.”
  • TSN’s Frank Seravalli writes that the trading of Galchenyuk reminds him of a trade last year when the St. Louis Blues traded for Brayden Schenn and turned him into a full-time center. Back then people had said that Schenn couldn’t play the center position either, but St. Louis got a great season out of Schenn and he proved that he could play there. Seravalli writes that Arizona hopes they can get the same spark out of Galchenyuk this season.
  • AZ Sports’ Craig Morgan writes that Galchenyuk asked if he could move back to center earlier this season, but it never happened. He was told it wasn’t his job to worry about it and it was his job to produce whether as a winger or at center. Regardless, Galchenyuk wants to play center in Arizona. “You’re more involved in the game and I feel you touch the puck, you have the puck on your stick way more than a winger,” Galchenyuk said. “I feel really comfortable when I have the puck on my stick. I really believe in my offensive abilities when I have the puck.”
  • Cowan also reported that while general manager Marc Bergevin has a policy about not talking about contract negotiations, the GM says that he expects winger Max Pacioretty to be back with the team next season. Could an extension be near?
  • The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun writes that this trade should have no impact if Montreal attempts to acquire Buffalo center Ryan O’Reilly. The Sabres would have had no interest in Galchenyuk and would want a different mix of assets.
  • Basu writes that Bergevin used the word “intangibles” multiple times while discussing Domi and why the Canadiens are a better team today.
  • Cowan tweeted that Bergevin said that while Domi can play center, the team acquired him to play the wing position.

East Notes: Red Wings, Bowness, Pacioretty

at CDT | by 3 Comments

While there has been speculation that the Red Wings are a candidate to slide back from the sixth pick in the draft, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes that speculation around the Draft Combine is that Detroit is looking to move up and may be willing to move their second first-round pick (from Vegas which will slot in 30th or 31st) to do so.  Detroit is believed to be looking for defensemen so jumping up a spot or two would likely guarantee they’d get the second-best blueliner available (beyond Rasmus Dahlin who is expected to go to Buffalo at number one).

More from the East:

  • The Rangers could be interested in hiring assistant coach Rick Bowness, Garrioch suggests in a separate column. The 63-year-old was just let go by the Lightning earlier in the week.  New York is believed to want at least one assistant coach with NHL experience on their staff and certainly has that as he has worked behind the bench since the mid-1980s.  However, Lindy Ruff remains on the coaching staff and he too has plenty of NHL experience.  If the Rangers do indeed pursue Bowness, that could mean that Ruff may be going elsewhere.
  • While preliminary talks have occurred on an extension with Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated in an interview with Sportsnet 960 (audio link) that he still believes Montreal’s captain will wind up being dealt this summer. He mentions Florida as a team that has interest in him and that Pacioretty would have interest in going to.  Friedman adds that the perception around Montreal is that there isn’t as much pressure to make the playoffs next year and that they’re looking to rebuild a little bit.  If that is the case, that could open up the potential for a more futures-based return.

Montreal Canadiens In Preliminary Extension Discussions With Max Pacioretty

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Though trade rumors have swirled around Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty for the better part of a year, there may be more evidence to support an upcoming contract extension. Darren Dreger of TSN reported on Insider Trading that GM Marc Bergevin and agent Pat Brisson of CAA have had “preliminary discussions” about a potential extension for Pacioretty. While Dreger can’t handicap the chances of it happening, the idea of Pacioretty being moved this summer may not be as likely as some had believed. The two sides could sign a contract extension as early as July 1st, though terms can be agreed upon at any time.

Entering the final season of his six-year $27MM contract, the 29-year old Pacioretty is coming off arguably the worst offensive season of his career. After scoring at least 30 goals in each of the four seasons between 2013 and 2017, he registered just 17 goals this year and his lowest assist total since becoming a full-time NHLer. Those low totals were partly caused by injury, but also by the ineffectiveness of many of the other Canadiens forwards this season. Though he’s been waiting for a true first line center for much of his career in Montreal, Pacioretty failed to drive even-strength play at his usual high level this year, and couldn’t rely on his linemates to pick him up. Should Montreal go out and acquire such a center, or see substantial improvement from Jonathan Drouin in the role next season, there is plenty of reason to believe that Pacioretty’s numbers will rebound in 2018-19.

If that’s the case, signing him now to an extension could be the most prudent option for Montreal. If Pacioretty is willing to negotiate, he won’t be able to demand quite as much as he could have following one of his 35-goal campaigns and could be locked up for a reasonable cap hit. His $4.5MM deal has been one of the better bargains in the league for several years, and if Montreal could avoid a huge raise a long-term extension certainly makes sense. Acting as captain, Pacioretty has always spoken highly of Montreal and only really mentioned playing somewhere else when trade rumors peaked this last season, knowing he could potentially move at the trade deadline. The fact that he’s considering signing an extension at all after the season he had proves that he’s willing to stay and help the Canadiens win, as it’s likely not in his best financial interest.

Though the 2019 class of free agents is currently projected to be one of the best groups of all-time, Pacioretty would certainly have suitors all around the league. As we recently saw with Evander Kane and will likely see with James van Riemsdyk, James Neal and others this summer, goal scoring is well paid on the free agent market. Pacioretty is scheduled to hit that market at the age of 30, meaning he’ll have to prove he’s not in a rapid decline this season if he wants a long-term deal.

On the other hand, the Canadiens could feel as though a change is needed for the big winger. With the third-overall selection in the upcoming draft, and good young players like Drouin and Victor Mete to build around, the team may decide to move Pacioretty for some younger assets and try to build a core with a longer window of contention. Even with Carey Price and Shea Weber heading into the back half of their careers, the team doesn’t necessarily have to rush to contention in the next few seasons.

Montreal Would Rather Trade Pacioretty Than Extend Him

at CDT | by 6 Comments

While it’s common knowledge the Montreal Canadiens have been considering trading their captain Max Pacioretty. The 10-year Canadiens’ veteran survived the trade deadline, but TSN’s Insider Bob McKenzie said on his most recent TSN Hockey Bobcast to expect Montreal to shop Pacioretty as the team must find a way to re-tool their roster, since rebuilding with the contracts of both Carey Price and Shea Weber is impossible.

Pacioretty, who has one more year on a reasonable six-year, $27MM deal he signed in 2012, had a major drop in performance this year. After tallying 30 or more goals for four straight seasons, Pacioretty managed just 17 in a forgettable 2017-18.

“I don’t believe that the way things currently stand, barring a change, that Montreal wants to make a long-term commitment to Pacioretty,” McKenzie said. “He’s got a year left on his deal. I think that they want to explore some different options and that possibly trading Pacioretty would satisfy those… I think Pacioretty, in a perfect world, would love to stay on Montreal on so many levels. I think he considers it home now, and he loves playing for the Canadiens. But I’m not sure that it’s a marriage that’s necessarily working at this point, so I would expect Pacioretty’s name to be front and center in a lot of trade talk between now and the NHL draft.”

The bigger issue is what the team hopes to get back in return for him. His value is presently quite low, so it seems unlikely the team will get a major return for the 29-year-old.

“But by the same token, they can’t give him away,” McKenzie added. “And he didn’t have a great year this year. The Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a great year. But he’s still a pretty consistent goal scorer, and you can’t give these guys away.”

However, with the team in desperate need for help at the center position, the team may need to use Pacioretty as a trade chip to fill that hole in their lineup. At the moment, the team had been using Jonathan Drouin and Phillip Danault as their top two centers. Neither belongs in those spots as the team has been trying to convert Drouin into a center, which hasn’t gone well so far, while Danault may just not be a top-six player. To make matters worse, the Canadiens have the third pick in the upcoming draft, but this year’s crop of prospects is weak at the center position. And with few other trade chips, they may have little to no choice, especially if the team is hesitant to sign Pacioretty to a long-term extension next year.

Morning Notes: Pacioretty, Ducks, Couturier

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens had a terribly disappointing 2017-18 season, marred by constant trade speculation around their captain and star winger Max Pacioretty. The 29-year old forward escaped the trade deadline with the same address, but could still be on the move this summer. Arpon Basu of The Athletic (subscription required) examines the value Pacioretty holds on the trade market, and in a potential contract extension.

Interestingly, what happens to Pacioretty could be a domino of sorts for the Canadiens offseason. With the team unable to really begin a rebuild thanks to the huge contracts (and strong play when healthy) of Carey Price and Shea Weber, they are expected to be big players in free agency and could go after the top names this summer and next. If they do move their captain, expect a big splash to follow shortly after.

  • The Anaheim Ducks are on the brink of elimination again, and Elliotte Friedman spoke with Sportsnet Radio in Vancouver about where they are headed if they face another early exit. Friedman opines that perhaps they’ll start looking at their core forwards and consider changing things up, though points out that all three of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler have no-movement clauses. It would have seemed ridiculous to suggest the Ducks moving on from Perry a few seasons ago, but with him failing to hit the 20-goal plateau for two straight years, anything is possible.
  • Sean Couturier was injured in practice yesterday when he collided with Radko Gudas, but Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol says he’s a game-time decision for tonight’s matchup. While this simply could be gamesmanship by Hakstol to hide the severity of the injury, it would be a huge boost for Philadelphia if Couturier has suffered only a minor injury. If he does miss the game, Claude Giroux could slide back to center, a role he played for nearly his whole career before moving to the wing this year.

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