Tag Archives: Buffalo Sabres

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(3/13/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: “I think they can get a second round pick for him…”

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Bruce Boudreau, Evander Kane (SJ), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM), David Rittich (CGY), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

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NHL Rumors and Speculation

Daniel Kaplan and Kevin Kurz of The Athletic: Evander Kane and the San Jose Sharks have informed federal bankruptcy court that they are considering ending Kane’s contract. The seven-year, $49 million pact, signed in 2018, has $29 million remaining, according to creditor filings.

TSN: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 on what it might cost the Toronto Maple Leafs to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent forward Zach Hyman.

  • “So what is a fair offer for him? Is it $4 million? Is it above $4 million? Can’t be too much above $4 million or you’re running into real dangerous territory there right? It is an addition and there has to be a subtraction. But if he gets to the open market, there are people out there that believe he can climb into the 5’s or higher because every team sees what Zach Hyman is bringing to the Toronto Maple Leafs, right?”

Ryan Rishaug: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland said that he has spoken with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins camp recently. He added that there is going to be a flat salary cap for the next few years and that it is a new marketplace for free agents now.

Holland said that they’d like to keep Nugent-Hopkins but they would need to find a deal that would make sense for both RNH and the Oilers.

Corey Masisak of The Athletic: If the Devils want to allocate Subban’s $9 million cap hit differently in 2021-22, they might be able to trade him … after July 1. His salary for next season is $2 million, after a $6 million signing bonus is paid July 1.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: Could the Washington Capitals target Calgary Flames backup David Rittich as the NHL Trade deadline approaches? LeBrun thinks so.

  • “The sense I get out of Washington is that the next few weeks will be important to get a better feel for Ilya Samsonov and where he is with his game… The Caps are all-in and the window to win is tight. So it’s why I think if there’s still any doubt at all closer to April 12 they go out and bring in some insurance in goal. And what better fit than Rittich, who is a pending UFA?”

The Athletic: Craig Custance and Eric Duhatschek updated their NHL Trade Deadline Big Board. Several notable additions include Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, Buffalo Sabres center Eric Staal, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta.

Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet) had this to say on the value of Buffalo Sabres center Eric Staal, Sam Reinhart’s potential trade interest, and Bruce Boudreau possibly coming in to coach the club.

  • “I think Eric Staal is a good player. I think Eric Staal can play multiple positions. I think Eric Staal will be motivated to go somewhere and play. I think those are all good things for him, so… I think they can get a second [round pick] for him, but it’s going to be a buyer’s market, and that’s going to add to the challenges of everything.”
  • “I think if Buffalo does move him, it’s because they get something that I’ve got to think it’s something that all the fans are going to look at and say, ‘Ok, I understand it.’ I saw some of the reaction online when I mentioned Reinhart’s name. I get the sense the fans really like him too. The Sabres have to be keenly aware of that. It’s not a trade you can ‘lose’.”
  • “I know Bruce really wants to coach. I know he does. He’s a coach at heart, it’s in his blood. I think his dream is [the Toronto Maple Leafs], because he’s from there and he played there, but I know he’d love Buffalo if it every became available.”

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(3/11/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors PM Edition

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Rickard Rakell (ANA), Jake DeBrusk (BOS), Clayton Keller (ARI), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Rory Boylen (Sportsnet) has a number of players listed for the upcoming NHL trade deadline categorized in group entitled, “Headturners”. Presumably it means that the only way these guys are getting dealt is if the trade is a blockbuster. There are definitely some notable names in the group.

  • Mattias Ekholm, Nashville Predators: The best defenceman believed to be available, Ekholm makes just $3.75 million against the cap this season and next, making him affordable to any team.
  • Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes: As the Coyotes look to cut costs and rebuild their prospect and pick base, the 22-year-old Keller would be the player who could give them the best return on a single trade. He has been on a tear lately, though, and might prove too valuable to move in the end.
  • Sam Reinhart, Buffalo Sabres: On one hand, he could bring the Sabres a nice return to move on with, but on the other trading away players who are actually performing is a risky proposition for a team stuck in the mud.
  • Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres: Shot attempts are actually in Buffalo’s favour when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5 and he has a solid eight points in 17 games. He’s a $5.4 million blueliner and signed through another season. The Sabres may be motivated to move him before that deal expires and he’s free to explore signing elsewhere.
  • Travis Dermott, Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs need defensive depth, so giving up Dermott would present its own risk that could be offset by a specific, possibly high end, target.
  • Vince Dunn, St. Louis Blues: He’s a young (24) puck-mover with an affordable contract and controllable beyond this season. Most teams would be happy to have him within their top four.
  • Anthony Mantha, Detroit Red Wings: The Wings are one of those teams considering all of its options and while we’d assume it’d be extremely hard, if not impossible, to pry Dylan Larkin out of there, Mantha could be a different story.
  • Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers: An up and down NHL career has brought us to this point where at 27, Gostisbehere is a bit of a project with tantalizing upside for a team looking to bolster its blue line.

The Cult of Hockey’s Bruce McCurdy recently suggested that the Edmonton Oilers explore bringing Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk home to Alberta in return for tough guy Zack Kassian and had this to say on the topic,

  • “The Edmonton native has slumped badly in Boston, where he has just 1 goal in 17 games this season after scoring just once in his final 14 games of 2019-20. He has a year and a half remaining on the two-year deal he signed last fall at an AAV of $3.675 million. That puts him in the range of Kassian’s $3.2 million cap hit, albeit for two fewer years. From the perspective of contract for contract in the salary cap era, “the money works”.

NHL Trade Talk’s Jim Parsons commented on the DeBrusk/Kassian proposal over at his own site thusly,

  • “Would Edmonton be willing to part with a budding blue line prospect like Caleb Jones or a later-round draft pick along with Kassian to make it work? DeBrusk is a player that could go on a tear if he’s paired with the right center. That said, this theoretical move isn’t without its risks.”

According to Shug McSween over at nhltraderumors.me, the Calgary Flames recently tried to lowball the Anaheim Ducks in a trade that allegedly had Sam Bennett being offered for Rickard Rackell. McSween says that Anaheim was also looking for a 2nd round pick in the package.

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(3/11/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors Friedman Edition

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring the latest from hockey’s premiere insider, Elliotte Friedman.

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation

  • There’s some interest among the NHL in Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte. In addition to him, teams have been asking about the availability of defenceman Nate Schmidt.
  • The Colorado Avalanche might’ve been the team that had interest in Buffalo Sabres goaltender Jonas Johansson.
  • There’s some speculation that the Winnipeg Jets could trade for hometown boy, Travis Hamonic.
  • The Calgary Flames have been in talks with the Nashville Predators in an attempt to address their need for a right-handed shooter.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Washington Capitals are rumoured to be in the market for a goaltender as of late.
  • The Detroit Red Wings are considering “all options” but Dylan Larkin is considered “untouchable” as expected.
  • It might not be something that happens until the off-season, but Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins makes sense for the Edmonton Oilers long-term for the Edmonton Oilers.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have been rumoured to be in on Filip Forsberg, Mattias Ekholm, Mikael Granlund, Eric Staal, and Marc Staal in the last week.
  • The inconsistent Philadelphia Flyers’ plans for the trade deadline will depend upon their play in their next seven games against Washington, the Rangers and Islanders.
  • On Jack Eichel: “I don’t think he’s going anywhere right now.”
  • “As for trades, the Sabres are wide open for business. They are listening on just about everything they’ve got. I think they’re considering a “with Eichel” future and a “non-Eichel” future, but I don’t think that’s imminent, especially now with the injury. If they decide to go that way (non-Eichel), it’ll be around the draft.”

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This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(3/10/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: Three More Names Added to the Oilers Rumor Mill

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Eric Staal (BUF), Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ), Jake DeBrusk (BOS), and more!

Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp think the Calgary Flames have a better chance at the playoffs this year than the Oilers. Read about that here. 

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Pierre LeBrun (TSN) has said that he thinks the Edmonton Oilers could have interest in trading for a third line center and Buffalo Sabres forward Eric Staal would fit the bill. He also noted that Staal’s family isn’t with him and since the Oilers are so close to the cap, it’d have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out trade.

BLH’s Thoughts: Staal has a 10-team no-trade list that he’s already submitted and if you listen to any former player or pundit today, they’ll say that there’s a team that’s almost on every no-trade list and that is the Edmonton Oilers. 

Now, I’m not saying Edmonton is on Staal’s list, but the former Hurricane obviously must’ve had Buffalo on his 10-team no-trade list because it’s not that far from home and his family. 

That stumbling block aside, let’s talk about acquisition cost. Staal is an impending UFA if I’m not mistaken and his salary, a shade under $4M, is significant enough that it’d pose a challenge. I would think there are some who’d like to send Zack Kassian or Kris Russell to the Sabres, but I’d be willing to bet that would be met with a some resistance from the playing personnel and the coaching staff.

My idea would be to send Kyle Turris, Cooper Marody, and a pick for Staal and 50% retention on salary. 

Oh, how thick the irony would be if Edmonton won the Stanley Cup with Eric Staal in the lineup…

In his latest 31 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet) noted that Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins might be an off-season target for the Oilers.

  • “It might not be something that could happen until the off-season, but Elvis Merzlikins is the kind of goalie who makes sense long-term for Edmonton.”

BLH’s Thoughts: This is not a new rumor. Merzlikins to the Oilers has been around since well before this season started. If I recall correctly, the asking price was one or possibly two first rounders for the Latvian netminder but then I remember Jim Matheson saying that he thought a high-end forward would be the cost. 

So, if the Blue Jackets are really only willing to pay around $2M for the goalie who’d be sharing the net with Joonas Korpisalo, Edmonton would need to retain salary and then Columbus would be required to lower their asking price, no?

Merzlikin is on a two-year deal right now, so he’s eligible to be protected for the expansion draft. That’s an important distinction to make. Koskinen also has term remaining and to circle back to the Oilers retaining salary on him, I can’t see it. It’s too much money and they might be best off simply buying him out and having $1.5M on their books for two more years. 

This is what Paul Almeida on Twitter had to say,

  • “How the Oilers can handle the Koskinen contract.
    • 1 – ride out the 4.5M next year
    • 2 – trade in a deal for another goalie & retaining 1.5M
    • 3 – buyout at 1.5M x 2 years
    • 4- hope Seattle take him in expansion draft. Offer sweetner?
    • 5 – trade him for a pick/player retaining 2.25M”

What would you do?

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk, son of former Edmonton Oilers pugilist Louie DeBrusk, sat last night’s game out as a healthy scratch and that has sparked speculation in Oil Country. Many fans of the Oilers pondered aloud whether or not their club should trade for the struggling winger as the quest for Lord Stanley’s cup stands before them.

https://twitter.com/TheCity0fChamps/status/1369334039392444420

BLH’s Thoughts: I reckon if the Oilers could get DeBrusk for Bear, you take that and run. Jake is struggling in Beantown and needs a change of scenery. We know that he can score goals and that his work ethic will never be challenged, a return home to play on Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl’s wing could be what the doctor ordered. 

The Bruins would get a defenceman with top-four potential and on the cheap no less. The rumors going around have them on the hunt for a blueliner as it is. 

There’d be salary cap challenges though since DeBrusk makes $1.675M more than Bear. Guess who makes $1.65M a year on Edmonton though? Kyle Turris… Dominik Kahun could be a candidate as well but he only makes a tad over $900k. 

This kind of trade would require the Oilers to have more healthy bodies on the backend though. They’d be very irresponsible to send Bear to Boston (IRONY ALERT!) without having enough defenders to cover. 

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Flames Suck. Click the pic and get a shirt.
This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!
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(3/9/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors Quick Hits Edition

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Dominik Kubalik (CHI), Casey Middlestadt (BUF), Drake Batherson (OTT), Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

If you’re an Oilers fan, you’re probably not going to like this kind of news…

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation

  • The Fourth Period: Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams says that “Everything is being evaluated” when it comes to making a coaching change.
  • Vancouver Canucks: GM Jim Benning says that they will have to pay their younger players, which will take away from the support they can give them.
  • Ken Wiebe (Sportsnet): It “wouldn’t be a surprise” if the Winnipeg Jets signed forward Paul Stastny to a one year extension.
  • Scott Power (The Athletic): Nikita Zadorov and Calvin De Haan are possibilities to be moved due to younger defensemen on Chicago waiting on their opportunity.
    • Blackhawk forwards Carl Soderberg and Lucas Wallmark are the type to be moved by the deadline.
    • In order to clear some cap space in Chicago, the Blackhawks could opt to trade Dominik Kubalik while his value is high and fetch a good return. He doesn’t have enough surrounding talent to play with and produce.
  • JJ Regan (NBCSN): Suggests that the Washington Capitals should go for a goaltender like Darcy Kuemper or Antti Raanta.
    • At the end of the season the Capitals may opt to try and move forward Evgeny Kuznetsov. Regan believes that they must get a top-line centre in return and they should pitch an offer for Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel.
  • Pierre McGuire (TSN): Believes that the Ottawa Senators should look to sign forward Drake Batherson to a long-term deal rather than a bridge deal. He thinks the Sens should aim for a deal six years or longer.
  • Anthony Scultore (Daily Goal Horn): If the New York Rangers can bring themselves into the playoff picture, bolstering their forwards would be a smart move and 27yr old Rickard Rakell should be an intriguing option for the club to pitch on offer on.
  • Hailey Salvian (The Athletic): The only untouchables for the Calgary Flames are Matthew Tkachuk, Elias Lindholm, Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, and Andrew Mangiapane. Everyone else is available for trade.
  • John Vogl (The Athletic): Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger says that forward Casey Middlestadt is evolving well into the transition to winger rather than being a center. Krueger believes he has top-six potential.

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Flames Suck. Click the pic and get a shirt.
This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!