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NHL Rumor Buzz
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NHL Rumor Buzz is Hockeybuzz’s version of an aggregator blog, similar to Spectorshockey.net or MyNHLTradeRumors. It is the home for the latest NHL trade rumors from other mainstream sources and websites other than Hockeybuzz. It will include our thoughts on the rumor in question and will be updated each day as new rumors surface.
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February 15, 2017
In this week’s “30 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman provides us with the latest rumors of possible deals before the March 1 trade deadline.
“(Habs forward Alex)Galchenyuk’s contract is up. He is two years away from unrestricted free agency and eligible for arbitration. Many of his peers are getting long-term deals in the $6-$7 million range. With 30 goals last season and 29 points in 37 games this year, he is going to get paid.
(Montreal GM Marc)Bergevin could wait until the end of the season to address this, but more than one NHL exec says the Canadiens “have a lot of moving pieces” right now. Undoubtedly, he’s trying to move money (David Desharnais/Tomas Plekanec), but there’s certainly a chance something bigger happens."
THE BUZZ – The coaching change of Claude Julien for Michel Therien may push a decision on Galchenyuk to the summer, since many of the problems were tied to Therien’s lack of confidence in the young forward’s ability to play defensively sound up the middle.
Julien is just as demanding as Therien for two-way responsibility, but maybe a different voice is what is needed to get the message across.
For Montreal to make a move at the deadline, it may need to shed a salary like Desharnais($3.5 Million), but very few teams have the financial wherewithal to do so, so it could cost the Habs a good prospect or one of the five second round picks they have in the next two drafts.
“Anaheim GM Bob Murray has told interested teams he’s in no hurry to move a defenseman and that it’s very possible he waits until after the playoffs. And, teams that were hoping Cam Fowler would be available either in a trade (this summer) or as a free agent (next summer) now say they expect the Ducks to make a huge run at re-signing him on July 1 — the earliest he is able to extend.”
THE BUZZ – Murray’s edict is reflective of the ever-increasing value of defensemen. Anaheim may likely be able to add secondary scoring before the deadline without moving blueline prospects like Shea Theodore for Brandon Montour, but it will be a temporary fix in the form of a rental.
The Ducks may be holding back on dealing one of their young defensive prospects until they know whether they can re-sign Fowler in July.
“During Saturday’s Headlines, Nick Kypreos brought up the possibility of Pittsburgh getting (Colorado’s Matt) Duchene. Prior to that, (Pens GM Jim) Rutherford shrugged off the idea the club could not add anyone with term. ‘I’ll do anything to win,’ he said Friday. ‘If we have to fix our cap situation, we can do it after the season.’
I could see Gabriel Landeskog being a fit here, too. The organization does have Trevor Daley, Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz — all of whom make at least $3.3 million — coming off the books in the next two summers. Nick mentioned Derrick Pouliot as bait for a Colorado trade, but if this does happen, a more likely suspect would be Olli Maatta.”
THE BUZZ – Pouliot has not panned out for the Pens since being selected eighth overall in 2012 and has played most of this season in the American Hockey League.
The Avalanche are looking for a young top-four defenseman as part of a larger package for Duchene/Landeskog and Maatta fits that description, but moving the young Finn makes the Pens blueline quite thin entering the playoffs.
Perhaps Rutherford goes for a rental direction like Thomas Vanek or Patrick Sharp, which would be a more cost effective.
“It’ll be interesting to see what kind of interest comes (Sabres) GM Tim Murray’s way for Dmitry Kulikov. The defenseman has had a nightmare year since suffering a back injury when pushed into an open bench door during the pre-season.”
THE BUZZ – The injury concern and his poor performance may prevent Murray from getting anywhere close to full value for Kulikov, but the defensive market is so thin that Buffalo could get a second-or-third round pick.
The Sabres are on the outskirts of the playoff race right now and if they fall further behind, you may see Murray move out most or all of his expiring contracts.
“Edmonton’s Peter Chiarelli went to see (Tampa’s Brian Boyle) in Minnesota last Friday. Columbus and Toronto are believed to be among other potential suitors. (The Maple Leafs tried to sign him as a free agent in 2014, although it was a different regime.)
Some tweeters were surprised I said during a radio interview he may fetch a first-rounder in return. It comes down to how much of a demand there is, but teams are not married to those picks in 2017. If one executive ever hears me getting wishy-washy on the topic, he texts a reminder: ‘How many times do I have to tell you that teams are going to trade their firsts? This draft is terrible!’”
THE BUZZ – Friedman is right on target that teams will be more flexible in trading first rounders this deadline than they have been over the last few because the upcoming draft is not looked upon as favorably.
That being said, only Cup contenders would be willing to trade a first round pick for a rental player like Boyle. Teams like Toronto and Edmonton want to make the playoffs, but will likely be willing to wait to sign the veteran center in the summer.
“Two weeks ago, it was considered a five-star lock Patrik Berglund would not be in St. Louis next season, with the Blues looking to move him at the deadline.
He’s got six goals in his last five games, including a hat trick in Montreal. They still have a couple of weeks to figure out what they are going to do, but, at this rate, Berglund’s value shoots up, for both them and any potential trade partner.”
THE BUZZ – Berglund is the likely Plan B for those who strike out in acquiring Arizona’s Martin Hanzal, since he is a big center and makes a comparable salary(Hanzal - $3.1 Million, Berglund - $3.7 Million). GM Doug Armstrong can legitimately ask for a similar return for him, so any deal will likely happen after the Coyotes make their move.
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