NHL Offseason Rumors and News
I am bringing back my trade rumours blog as we are heading into the offseason. I will be doing one every three days until July, June 18th, June 21st, June 24th, June 27th, and June 30th and then when July comes I will be posting Offseason Rumours and News everyday until probably mid August. So in my first post I have three pieces of news regarding a Oiler forward, and vacant Blue Jackets and Rangers head coaching jobs plus 15 rumours I have heard over the past couple weeks.
News
1:) Devin Shore signed a 2 year extension worth $.850 Thousand each year with the Oilers and has been a depth forward this past year for the Oilers.
2:) Brad Larsen was recently named head coach of the Blue Jackets signing a three year contract after being a assistant coach for seven years prior with the Blue Jackets.
3:) the Rangers signed Gerard Gallant to be their next coach. He signed a four year contract and last coached in the NHL on January 15th 2020 when he was coach of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Rumours
#1) Jack Eichel will be traded.
Eichel is a superstar for the Sabres and has ment a lot to them since drafting him 2nd overall in 2016 but now after having a dispute over some medical stuff it sounds like Eichel wants out of Buffalo and apparently he might get his wish. Making a Eichel trade will not be easy as he has a $10 Million cap hit and the price will be very high, in my opinion it will take a first round pick, a first or second round pick, a high prospect, a NHL level player, and another player to get a Eichel deal done and some teams that have been mentioned to be interested are New York R, Calgary, Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Columbus.
#2) Seth Jones is on the trade block.
Jones said that he didn’t like the direction the Jackets we’re heading in (referring to Columbus being sellers at the deadline) and informed the Jackets that he would be testing free agency next year and that has sparked trade rumours that because he only has a year left Columbus will try to trade him, possibly destinations are Carolina, Philadelphia and Winnipeg.
#3) Reinhart and Ristolainen want out of Buffalo.
At the year end press conference both Ristolainen and Reinhart said they would like a change of scenery in the offseason. Reinhart lead the Sabres in goals this past season and has been a nice top six forward for a couple years while Ristolainen has been a consistent top 4 defensemen for the past couple years and is a soild shutdown defensemen. Possible suitors for Reinhart are Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Calgary while possible suitors for Ristolainen are Philadelphia, Columbus, or Carolina
#4) Penguins going after Freddie Anderson in Free Agency.
After being eliminated from the first round a lot of blame was placed on Jarry and the goaltending that was in that series so there have been plenty of speculation that Pittsburgh will tamper with their goaltending and the one thing I’ve heard consistently is they will make a play for Frederik Anderson as he would make a great tandem with Tristan Jarry.
#5) RNH to test free agency.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was having contract talks with the Oilers when negotiations broke down and he notified the Oilers that he will try free agency and has been a great top six forward playing with McDavid and will get a big contract in Free Agency.
#6) LA looking for two top 6 forwards.
LA has done a really good job developing all there forwards but they want to compete next year so are in the market for a couple of top 6 wingers. There is a chance that in a week pacific division LA could make a run at a playoff spot and improving there top 6 would bring them that much closer to a playoff spot.
#7) Kuznetsov, Tarasenko, Kadri, Reilly, and Dumba could all be traded in the Offseason.
Each of these players are being discussed of possibly being traded. Kuznetsov has had problems with COVID and is being discussed as he is a top 2 center and has 4 years left with a $7.8 million dollar cap hit. Tarasenko who has suffered injuries over the past couple years has been rumoured on the trade block and he is a top 6 left wing who has 2 years left at a $7.5 million dollar cap hit. Kadri’s suspension in the playoffs has sparked rumours about trading him as he is a top 2 center that has 1 year remaining at $4.5 million dollars. After leaving the playoffs early Toronto has been rumoured to make big changes and with them not wanting to move their core four forwards it has prompted Morgan Rielly trade speculation as he is a top 2 defender and has 1 year remaining on his current contract at a $5 million dollar cap hit. And Matt Dumba who has been rumoured to be on the move due to the expansion draft and is top 4 defensemen has 2 years left on his contract at a $6 million dollar cap hit.
#8) Bruins have big Offseason ahead with Krejci, Hall and Rask on expiring contracts.
Boston has a lot of things to get to this offseason as the Bruins will try to get to the Stanley Cup Final next year. The Bruins have to resign Krejci and Hall which made up two thirds of there second line once they acquired Hall and both are UFA’s. Rask has been the Bruins goalie for some time now and the fact that he is a UFA means they should resign him to help the Bruins.
#9) Patrick wants out of Philadelphia.
Nolan Patrick has not had the best of time in Philadelphia since being selected 2nd overall including missing the entire season two years ago and has been a bottom six forward in every year he played with them and he changed Agents early in the offseason and some are saying he did that to request a trade.
#10) Columbus to trade one of their goalies.
Merzlikins and Korpisalo have been I very good duo in Columbus since Merzlikins came in after they lost Bobrovsky but with both heading to free agency not this year but next it is quite possibly that they move one of them. The Jackets will have to decide who they want to keep and try to give that goalie an extension while trying to trade the other.
#11) the Avalanche also have a big offseason with Landeskog, Grubauer, and Makar needing new deals.
The Avalanche have a lot of business to get to this season but these three guys are going to need big contracts. Makar is a Norris finalist and will need a huge Contract given how well he has played his first few seasons, Grubauer is a Vezina finalist and was a big part of Colorado winning the presidents trophy and is a UFA, Landeskog is the Avalanche Captain and has played real well on the top line with Mackinnon and is a pending UFA.
#12) Vince Dunn to be traded by the Blues.
Dunn has been in trade discussions all season way before the deadline but now the blues might actually try to actively trade Dunn as he is a pending RFA and the Blues have contracts to give to other players and anyone who wants a soild you don’t D-Men will be calling.
#13) Killorn, Gourde, or Johnson will be moved to help Tampa cut salary cap.
The Lightning are a team who is right now in the playoffs playing $18 million dollars above the regular season cap hit and will not have that much money coming off their books next year so they have to move out salary. They could try to trade one of them or persuade Seattle to take one of their over paid guys (Johnson is from Washington so there is a connection their).
#14) the Preds will try to move on from Duchene and/or Johansen in the offseason
Nashville will be looking to unload very bad contracts for what we’re supposed to be there top 2 center’s. Johansen has $8 Million Dollar cap hit for the next four years and Duchene has a $8 Million Dollar cap hit for the next five years and maybe if Seattle can take one of them they would be better off.
#15) Carolina has allowed Hamilton to talk to other teams.
Hamilton is a pending UFA and the reason that Carolina has allowed Hamilton to talk to other teams is because of a possible sign and trade that would mean that maybe the Canes could get something back via trade even if they lose their best defensemen to another team.
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