Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tobias Rieder

Edmonton Oilers To Sign Tobias Rieder

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that the Edmonton Oilers have decided the price is no longer too high on Tobias Rieder, and will sign the free agent forward to a one-year contract worth $2MM. Rieder did not receive a qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Kings and became an unrestricted free agent.

The deal is the optimal “prove it” contract as the Oilers aren’t risking more that $2MM to see if they can get him to have a breakout season and if it fails, they can move on with no repercussions. With Rieder’s speed, he might be a solid fit next to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl on one of the top two lines. If he is a success, then Edmonton still gets his restricted free agent rights next season, so they can keep him in the fold. And at age 25, he’s still has potential to improve his game and fit in well with the younger core of Oilers. He also has some penalty killing experience, which can’t hurt an Edmonton team that struggled with special teams last season.

The speedy winger has always had a tremendous amount of potential and looked to be well on his way after his first three years in Arizona in which he tallied 13, 14 and 16 goals. However, he fell out of favor with Rick Tocchet and the team opted instead to send him and goaltender Scott Wedgewood to Los Angeles for backup goalie Darcy Kuemper. Rieder posted four goals and six points in 20 games after the trade, but it wasn’t enough for the Kings to give him an qualifying offer.

Free Agent Rumor Round-Up: Roussel, Calvert, Hickey, Rieder, Perron, And More

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Vancouver Canucks are closing in on an agreement with one of their top free agent targets. After Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Canucks were talking to two-way winger Antoine Roussel, colleague Rick Dhaliwal did some digging and discovered that the two sides were close on a long-term deal. Dhaliwal expects Roussel to sign a four-year deal worth more than $3MM per year with Vancouver. The former Dallas Stars brings grit and energy to the Canucks and has previously teased 30+ point potential. If the 28-year-old Frenchman can reach those levels of production while maintaining his notorious physical game, this could be a great signing by GM Jim Benning. However, it is well above what many would have expected Roussel to sign in both term and salary and could just as well be a disaster for Vancouver. Roussel is ranked 38th on PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents list with an estimated contract of two years and just over $2MM AAV.

[RELATED: PHR’s 2018 Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents]

  • Friedman has also linked the Colorado Avalanche and forward Matt Calvert. TSN’s Darren Dreger is among a few sources who have also heard about that pairing. Calvert, 28, has played his entire career for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Dreger seems convinced that he is definitely on the move. The versatile, two-way winger would be a nice fit as a bottom-six regular who can fill gaps in the top-six, much like the role that Blake Comeau played for the team.
  • Dreger also reports that interest is high in defenseman Thomas Hickey. A shallow defense market is likely boosting the value of the serviceable defenseman, who is a tough defensive match-up and a dangerous off-the-puck play-maker, but prone to mistake when moving play. Many speculated that the Islanders would turn their attention to re-signing Hickey once the John Tavares situation had sorted itself out, but with Tavares dragging his feet and Hickey in talks with numerous teams, New York may not get that chance. We predicted that Hickey would land with the Montreal Canadiens on a multi-year deal in PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents list.
  • Another player getting a lot of attention is winger Tobias Rieder and the status of his suitors is changing quickly as the price rises. Just earlier today, the Vancouver Canucks were the first team confirmed to be in on Rieder and by now that list has increased dramatically. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and Ottawa Senators are also in the running and that the price has gotten so high as to drive the Edmonton Oilers out of the bidding. The Athletic’s Craig Custance confirms the interest from the Canucks, Flames, and Habs and adds the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers to the list of interested parties. All this for a player that the Los Angeles Kings deemed unworthy of a qualifying offer.
  • As expected, David Perron is also one of the hottest names on the free agent market and his former team, the Vegas Golden Knights, are seemingly out of the running. Friedman calls it “very unlikely” that Perron returns to Las Vegas, where he set a career high with 66 points this season. For an idea on the price for Perron, he landed at #5 on the PHR Top 50 Free Agents list with a projected six-year, $32MM contract, which could be a conservative guess.
  • One team that is somewhat surprisingly in talks with Perron is Arizona. Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports details the off-season so far from the Coyotes and lists Perron, James van Riemsdyk, and Michael Grabner as Arizona’s top targets. Morgan also says that the team has not ruled out bringing back veteran forward Brad Richardson as well.
  • The Boston Bruins are moving on from Anton Khudobin and reportedly working fast to find his replacement. Beat writer Matt Kalman and The Boston Globe’s Kevin-Paul Dupont both hear that the team is very interested in Kari Lehtonen as the new backup to Tuukka Rask. With many talented goalies on the market, Lehtonen has flown under the radar somewhat despite incredibly comparable numbers to Khudobin in more starts and superior numbers to the likes of Jonathan Bernier, Cam Ward, Robin Lehner and others. Lehtonen also had the highest Quality Start rate of any of that group in 2017-18. Even here at PHR we may have underestimated Lehtonen, making him our sixth-best goalie among the Top 50 free agents.
  • Unsurprisingly, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun notes that the Washington Capitals have checked in with defenseman Brooks Orpik. A veteran leader and key contributor to their Stanley Cup run, the Capitals faced little choice but to trade Orpik away earlier this off-season in order to clear cap space to maintain their championship roster. Now that he has subsequently been bought out by the Colorado Avalanche, Orpik is fair game and could return to D.C. at a much more affordable rate. However, LeBrun warns that other teams are also in the running and Orpik may not take a discount rate in Washington over more legitimate offers.

 

UFA Notes: Van Riemsdyk, Rieder, Chimera, Brodziak, Sbisa

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Blue Jackets have reached out to representatives for winger James van Riemsdyk during this week’s interview period, notes Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link).  However, it appears that they’re not going to be able to land the 29-year-old.  He’s coming off of a career year in goals with 36 despite playing less than 15 minutes per game and has scored at least 27 goals in four of the last five seasons.  (The one year he didn’t was one where he had injury troubles but scored at a 29-goal pace.)  Meanwhile, TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that there are eight teams still in the mix for van Riemsdyk but that his previous team, Toronto, is not believed to be among them.

Other notes from unrestricted free agency:

  • The Canucks spoke with winger Tobias Rieder’s agent today, reports Sportsnet 650’s Rick Dhaliwal (via Twitter). The two sides are expected to speak later as well.  Rieder went unqualified by the Kings on Monday and he has interest from roughly half a dozen teams around the league.
  • There appears to be mutual interest between the Oilers and winger Jason Chimera, reports TSN’s Ryan Rishaug (Twitter link). The 39-year-old is from Edmonton and with the team having limited cap space this summer, they’re going to be shopping for bargain deals.  Chimera is coming off of a quiet year split between the Islanders and Ducks where he scored just three times but he put up 20 goals in each of the previous two seasons.
  • Center Kyle Brodziak is expected to narrow his list of teams he’s considering down to three later today, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector tweets. He adds the Oilers could very well be the favorite to land him which bring things full circle for the 34-year-old, who was drafted in the seventh round by Edmonton back in 2003.  Brodziak is coming off his best offensive performance (33 points) since 2011-12.
  • Vegas has yet to make defenseman Luca Sbisa an offer, his agent told Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link). He had an injury-riddled campaign that saw him play in just 30 regular season games although he still managed to put up 14 points, his highest total in six years.  He was a regular for the most part during the Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final but it appears he will be playing elsewhere in 2018-19.

Kings Undecided On Tobias Rieder’s Future

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Kings have yet to decide if they are going to tender a $2.45MM qualifying offer to RFA winger Tobias Rieder, GM Rob Blake told Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider.  It appears that the final decision on what to do with him won’t come until right before the 4 PM CST deadline on June 25th:

“That’s going to come to a decision probably right before the period, whether we offer that qualifying offer or not – whether we change the look or acquire a player on our team or what we look like after the draft.  It’s kind of a holding pattern for us right now with him.”

Rieder was acquired from the Coyotes back in February as part of the return for backup goalie Darcy Kuemper.  However, he wasn’t particularly productive with his new team, posting just four goals and two assists in 20 regular season games while being held off the scoresheet in four postseason contests.  Looked at on its own, that type of production doesn’t justify a qualifying offer.

However, the 25-year-old has been more productive with Arizona previously.  While he wound up with just 25 points in 2017-18, he tallied 37 points back in 2015-16 and 34 in 2016-17.  Players with those types of numbers are worth that type of money which complicates things.  Was this past season a blip on the radar with an expectation that he’ll return to his previous form or a sign of things to come?  What Blake and the Kings ultimately decide to do will indicate which of those they believe to be true.

Even if they don’t qualify Rieder, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t be back next season.  It is becoming an increasingly common practice for teams to non-tender arbitration-eligible players and then try to negotiate a new deal at a lower salary which is an avenue they could certainly consider.  If they are leaning towards going in that direction, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team try to shop him to see if someone else wants him first.  With the qualifying offer deadline now just a few days away, Rieder’s case is certainly one of the more intriguing ones left to watch for.

Trade Deadline Recap: Western Conference

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a month of lead up, a sprinkling of trades over the last week or so, and a wild deadline day today, NHL teams are done with transactions for the 2017-18 NHL season. Here are the deals that improved contenders in the Western Conference:

Deadline Day

Winnipeg Jets receive:
F Paul Stastny

St. Louis Blues receive:
F Erik Foley
2018 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
F Tomas Tatar

Detroit Red Wings receive:
2018 first-round pick
2019 second-round pick
2021 third-round pick

 

Nashville Predators receive:
F Ryan Hartman
2018 fifth-round pick

Chicago Blackhawks receive:
F Victor Ejdsell
2018 first-round pick
2018 fourth-round pick

 

San Jose Sharks receive:
F Evander Kane

Buffalo Sabres receive:
F Danny O’Regan
Conditional 2019 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Anaheim Ducks receive:
F Jason Chimera

New York Islanders receive:
F Chris Wagner

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
D Philip Holm

Vancouver Canucks receive:
F Brendan Leipsic

 

Winnipeg Jets receive:
D Joe Morrow

Montreal Canadiens receive:
2018 fourth-round pick

 

Calgary Flames receive:
F Nick Shore

Ottawa Senators receive:
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

Kings Acquire Tobias Rieder From Coyotes In Three-Player Trade

at CDT | by 12 Comments

The Kings and Coyotes have made a trade as Los Angeles has acquired winger Tobias Rieder and goaltender Scott Wedgewood from Arizona in exchange for goaltender Darcy Kuemper.  Both teams have announced the swap.

Nov 10, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Tobias Rieder (8) looks to the scoreboard after scoring a goal in the third period against the Winnipeg Jets at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY SportsRieder has struggled this season under new bench boss Rick Tocchet and as a result, he is on pace for the lowest goal total of his career after tallying just eight through 58 games this season.  However, the Kings would certainly have cause for optimism that he could bounce back as the 25-year-old has surpassed the 30-point mark in each of the last two seasons.  Rieder is set to be a restricted free agent this summer and currently carries a $2.25MM cap hit and a $2.45MM salary; that amount will serve as his qualifying offer in June.  The Coyotes are retaining 15% of that contract, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie (Twitter link).

Los Angeles GM Rob Blake has been looking to add to the roster without losing any of his top draft picks and prospects and this deal accomplishes that, similar to the Dion Phaneuf swap with Ottawa last week.  Rieder slots in as a versatile middle-six winger that can not only play both special teams units but he can also play on both the left and right side.

[Related: Updated Kings and Coyotes Depth Charts from Roster Resource]

This is Kuemper’s first season out of the Minnesota organization and to say he has thrived would be an understatement.  In 19 games with the Kings this season (15 starts), he has compiled a 10-1-3 record with a 2.10 GAA and a .932 SV%.  He’s making just the league minimum of $650K this season and will earn considerably more than that on his next deal as McKenzie reports (via Twitter) that he will receive $3.7MM on a two-year contract extension with Arizona for an AAV of $1.85MM.

The trade and subsequent new deal for Kuemper gives the Coyotes a little bit more certainty when it comes to the goaltending position with starting netminder Antti Raanta slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.  Raanta, when healthy, has played quite well for Arizona with a 2.45 GAA and a .924 SV% in 35 games which should have in line for a considerable raise on the $1MM he is receiving this season.  The Finnish netminder is set to be an unrestricted free agent in July.  Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports adds (Twitter link) that the team still intends to try to re-sign Raanta.

Wedgewood was in his first season with Arizona after being acquired from New Jersey back in late October.  He has compiled a 3.45 GAA and a .893 SV% in 20 contests this season.  The 25-year-old is also making the league minimum this season and is eligible for restricted free agency with arbitration rights this summer.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report (Twitter link) that a deal between the two sides was close and that a Kuemper extension was likely.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Rumors: Coyotes, Canadiens, Jets, Islanders

at CDT | by 3 Comments

In all likelihood, the recent three-way trade that sent Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators and Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators will be the biggest deal made this season. Yet, that hasn’t stopped the whispers of an bustling trade market, especially this early in the season. At the quarter pole of the 2017-18 campaign, it’s been an unpredictable season, prompting an unexpectedly active market. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch has had his ear to the ground and has plenty of input on who the buyers and sellers are right now:

  • To no one’s surprise, Garrioch states that the floundering Arizona Coyotes are “willing to talk about pretty much every player on their roster”. That of course doesn’t include Calder-hopeful Clayton Keller or many of their other 21-and-under starters, but the rest of the roster may as well be up for grabs. The big off-season acquisitions of Derek Stepan, Antti Raanta, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and Jason Demers have done nothing to change this team’s ability to win hockey games. At some point, GM John Chayka is going to go from “up-and-coming” to “up-and-went” and that pressure could force him to make some major moves as he rethinks his rebuild. While impending UFA’s like Raanta, Brad Richardson, and Luke Schenn would be the easiest pieces to move, the stakes are high for a Coyotes team whose core has done next to nothing for years and key pieces like Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, and Tobias Rieder could soon be on their way out.
  • Perhaps the only team more disappointing than Arizona in 2017-18 is the farthest team from them across North America: the Montreal Canadiens. Under new head coach Claude Julien, the Habs have fallen apart. However, the newly-signed coach isn’t going anywhere, putting GM Marc Bergevin, who Garrioch calls ” the NHL’s most active GM”, on the hot seat. Bergevin may be willing to make a big move to save his job, and of course the first name that comes to mind is young forward Alex Galchenyuk, who has predictably struggled under the defense-first Julien. Galchenyuk seems lost in Montreal, without an identifiable position, role, or spot in the lineup, and could use a change of scenery. However, he is not wholly to blame for the Canadiens’ struggles. Tomas Plekanec has long been on the block and if the team truly commits to a rebuild, big names like Max Pacioretty, Shea Weber, and (if anyone is willing to take on his monstrous new contract) even Carey Price could soon join the list.
  • Garrioch mentions both the Winnipeg Jets and New York Islanders as possible sellers, but given the surprising success of both clubs thus far, neither is likely rushing to trade pieces away unless they can make their teams better this season. Impending Jets UFA’s Shawn Matthias and Matt Hendricks may draw interest, but if Winnipeg is in playoff position come deadline time, they would want veteran depth for themselves. It seems more likely that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could use his overflow of young forwards like Marko Dano, Joel Armia, Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry, or Brandon Tanev as trade bait to bring in another top-six forward for a team that doesn’t shoot the puck nearly enough. As for the Islanders, Garrioch singles out first-time UFA Calvin de Haan as the player to watch. Yet, de Haan is one of, if not the best shot-blocker in the NHL, can play major minutes, and is reliable in both ends. If the Isles can resign him, wouldn’t they? Obviously, John Tavares is the main focus and the team thinks highly of younger options like Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, but the loss of a player like de Haan, especially with Travis Hamonic now in Calgary, could cripple a playoff-bound Islanders squad. Odds are de Haan sticks around, at least as long as New York remains playoff-bound.
  • So who’s looking? Garrioch mentions the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets, and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins as suitors for forward help, with the Dallas Stars potentially looking to make another big blue line trade to turn their season around. With that many buyers and several disappointed sellers, the trade NHL trade market may not wait until 2018 to heat up.

Jordan Martinook Re-Signs With Arizona

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Arizona Coyotes and two-way forward Jordan Martinook have avoided arbitration, coming to terms on a new deal today. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Martinook has signed a two-year, $3.6MM deal to remain in the desert. The two sides have reportedly been close on contract terms for a while, but there was also speculation that Martinook would wait for his arbitration hearing this Wednesday, July 26th, before making a decision. Instead, the big forward has signed on for two more years with the promising young Coyotes, where he could soon take on a larger role for the team.

Martinook, in just his second full NHL season, has already shown that he is a model of consistency and effort. Capable of playing both center and left wing, Martinook is the perfect versatile bottom-six forward. He plays a smart two-way game, including leading the Coyotes’ penalty kill unit, and brings a physical edge and swift defensive style. He can also put up some offense, with 24 and 25 points respectively in his first two full seasons, including 11 goals in 2016-17.

The 24-year-old Martinook is just beginning to show his NHL upside, and should take on a much larger role for Arizona going forward. Amazingly, with Shane Doan and Radim Vrbata now gone, Martinook is second only to Tobias Rieder in games played with Arizona among forwards on the team with just 166 contests. The absence of those veterans will naturally allow for more ice time and scoring opportunity for Martinook, but as full-effort player and one of the longest-tenured forwards on a young term, Martinook could also be in line for a leadership position in the locker room. At just $1.8MM per year for a well-rounded player about to take the next step in his development, GM John Chayka and the Coyotes may have a bargain on their hands with Martinook’s new contract.

Arizona’s Rieder Has Ankle Surgery

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

According to NBC Sports, Arizona Coyotes forward Tobias Rieder has undergone successful surgery on his ankle which will leave him sidelined likely until September. He is hopeful to recover in time for training camp, although with longer recoveries there are never total guarantees. Rieder took a modest step back in overall play this past season, even if his production did see a slight hop to 18 goals and 34 points. Mainly his defensive play took a hit along with the rest of the team, as Mike Smith was the only thing keeping the team in contention most nights.

The 24 year-old is hoping to be a key piece of the Arizona franchise going forward, and still has untapped potential. Only a third rounder in 2011, he has proven to be a dynamic force when his team has actually found offensive zone pressure. His third full season will start on a rocky note, as he will be rehabbing all summer. Rieder was playing for the German national team in the IIHF World Championships when he suffered the injury, and the Coyotes cannot be pleased with this outcome. Experience on the international stage is always useful, and Rieder was playing inspired hockey – unfortunately the injury risk was realized in his case.

Rieder is a borderline top six player who could easily solidify himself next season. He undeniably has the requisite talent and the Coyotes are strapped for offensive flair. But at 5’11” he has struggled with success in high traffic areas. He will need to add a bit of strength to his game and continue to develop his two-way game. One of Rieder’s major selling points as a prospect was his ability to also defend. But this past season saw that ability slip to a degree, with a Corsi For % of only 45.5%, admittedly against tougher competition. If he could turn into a 25 goal – 25 assist player with a balanced 200-foot game in this final deal of his contract, Arizona would be delighted to lock him up long term.

Snapshots: MacArthur, Rieder, Patrick

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Ottawa Senators veteran wing Clarke MacArthur, who has only played in 27 games in the past two years due to concussion issues, said he will take a couple weeks to re-evaluate himself for next season, according to Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen. The veteran winger, who has been dealing with post-concussions symptoms for 18 months before finally returning Apr. 4 for four regular season games and 19 playoff games, said he is excited about playing hockey again, but wants time to talk with doctors again.

MacArthur finished the playoffs with three goals and six assists, but says his neck doesn’t feel right and wants to get it checked out before committing to next season. The veteran still has three years remaining at 4.65MM and the Senators will be keeping a close eye on the results before they must submit their protection rosters for the upcoming expansion draft.

MacArthur, when healthy, is a solid third-line scorer and his presence proved useful throughout the playoffs, but the team needs him to return to his old self next year to keep the Senators success going. MacArthur had 24 goals in 2013-14 and 16 goals in the 2014-15 season.

  • Arizona Coyotes winger Tobias Rieder underwent successful surgery on the ankle injury he sustained at the IIHF World Championships, tweets Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan. He is expected to be out of action for 8-12 weeks, but should be ready for training camp. The 24-year-old finished up his third season for the Coyotes, finishing with 16 goals and 18 assists.
  • Currently ranked as the top prospect by many organizations in the upcoming NHL draft, center Nolan Patrick has agreed to do all the physical tests at next week’s draft combine in Buffalo, tweets The Hockey News Ryan Kennedy. Patrick, who was injured for much of the 2016-17 season in which he played in only 33 games for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings (although he scored 20 goals in that span) is being considered for the No. 1 overall pick by the New Jersey Devils along with center Nico Hischier.

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

scroll to top