It’s Monday and it’s time for another edition of our NHL rumours. We look at what teams may be making moves this coming off-season. Today we discuss NHL rumours surrounding the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, and Arizona Coyotes.
All NHL rumours are taken from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
San Jose Sharks
Rumour: Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada that Erik Karlsson will decide if he wants to stay in the Bay Area in about a week. The former Norris Trophy winner wants to win according to Friedman and the Sharks have made a good impression on him.
He went on to say that four teams are in the race to get the 29-year-old defenceman. The Sharks, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and Tampa Bay Lightning were the teams identified by Friedman.
Saturday Headlines: Erik Karlsson is apparently nearing a decision on his future, according to @FriedgeHNIC.https://t.co/Bjv1Q94GUB
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 2, 2019
Analysis: San Jose and Tampa Bay are in the best position to win as of right now. Both teams were in the race to get Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators via trade in the most recent off-season. The Sharks and the Lightning have the potential to be a contender for the next few seasons. Tampa Bay would have to make some cap-space room in order to afford Karlsson, but they have made it work before.
Vancouver and New York were both lottery teams, but they have cleared out cap space. The Canucks have over $30.5 million in space while the Rangers have just over $19 million. Both clubs have got young talent in the pipeline that has room to grown.
Henrik Lundqvist has been trying to lure his close friend to Manhattan. However, the Rangers are a long way from being a contender. His production would accelerate the Rangers move up the standings should Lundqvist be successful.
Los Angeles Kings
Rumour: Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet said that defenceman Dion Phaneuf is a candidate for a buyout from the Kings. Los Angeles was in the bottom of the Western Conference and in need of a makeover plus Phanuef has struggled in recent seasons.
Analysis: The Edmonton native only had six points in 67 games this season with the Kings. He’s 34-years-old and Los Angeles would likely trend to younger players.
Phaneuf has $12 million and two years left on his deal. The buyout would be $5.667 million across the four seasons saving the team $2.833 million and then Phaneuf would go into free agency on July 1.
A team may roll the dice on him, but he’s clearly winding down his career.
Philadelphia Flyers
Rumour: TSN’s Bob McKenzie said on the Bobcast that Shayne Gostisbehere could be the odd man out in Philadelphia. The Flyers have a glut of young defencemen in Ivan Provorov, Philippe Myers and Travis Sanheim. McKenzie said that the Flyers may not want to trade the former Union College man but may not have room for him.
Analysis: Gostisbehere does have plenty of offensive skill, but he’s had some problems defending in recent seasons. Provorov looks to be the top defenceman for Philadelphia while Sanheim and Myers have shown promise.
There’s a market for puck-moving defencemen and Gostisbehere could be in demand should he get put on the trade block.
Arizona Coyotes
Rumour: Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and TSN said the Coyotes may be in the Patrick Marleau sweepstakes. LeBrun went onto say that Arizona would have to get a premium asset back in order to make the deal happen.
Leafs and Coyotes have also chatted about Patrick Marleau. My sense is that for Arizona to get more interested Toronto would have to attach a premium asset in the trade as well.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 2, 2019
Analysis: The Toronto Maple Leafs would love to dump the $6.25 million contract for the next season in order to sign some of their players. The Leafs need defence and freeing up that money would help a lot. Marleau’s name has also been attached to the Kings as well.
Arizona has been known to take on contracts for other teams a la Chris Pronger and Pavel Datsyuk. However, Marleau would likely play and earn some of that money. They also wouldn’t mind their younger players having a veteran like him in the locker room.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – MAY 15: Erik Karlsson #65 of the San Jose Sharks looks on against the St. Louis Blues during the third period in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Enterprise Center on May 15, 2019, in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
