With some NHL teams opening rookie training camp in about 12 days, the deadline to sign players is drawing nearer and nearer. That deadline only fuels the NHL rumours, which are being batted about like a tennis ball. The Monday edition of NHL rumours features the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, and Vancouver Canucks.
All NHL Rumours are taken from the original source and subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Edmonton Oilers
Rumour: Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal reports that former Shark and Maple Leaf Patrick Marleau would be interested in signing with the Edmonton Oilers.
If the #Oilers were able to bring in a veteran winger on a short-term, value contract you would be hard-pressed to find one that would check off as many boxes as Patrick Marleau.
— Kurt Leavins (@KurtLeavins) August 23, 2019
Analysis: While the obvious choice for where Marleau would land is in San Jose, the chances of that happening seem to be lessening by the day. At 39, everyone knows Marleau can still play and contribute somewhere. Many teams know he has value, but now it’s just a matter of who will sign him.
His leadership abilities can make up for any deficiencies his game may currently possess. He can assist with the development of the younger players on any team he joins.
The Oilers can benefit from a short-term contract for the veteran Marleau and it’s intriguing to see the way the NHL rumours have followed him around. He was rumoured to be going to the Arizona Coyotes and that never transpired. His contract was bought out by the Carolina Hurricanes on June 27th after they acquired him for picks.
Marleau has put up 551 goals and 615 assists for 1,166 career points in 1,657 career games. He’s ready to give it one more try and has now decided to see what interest the Oilers may have in his services. The Edmonton club has about $2.43 million in cap space remaining. Will they offer Marleau a new contract?
It’s clear that Marleau wants to play near his family in the Bay area, but it just looks like if he wants to play at least one more season it will need to be elsewhere.
NHL Rumours: Florida Panthers
Rumour: Matt Larkin, the Hockey News listed his top 10 candidates to be traded in 2019-20. Some names are familiar so we’ll just concentrate on a few here.
Analysis: Going through Larkin’s list a name like Mike Hoffman has got to get some attention. Hhe was told to submit his 10-team no-trade list around the deadline last season. He is a pending unrestricted free agent after this next season with a $5.19 million cap hit. There are no concerns about his scoring ability as he threw in 36 goals, and 70 points last season.
The Arizona Coyotes looked into acquiring Hoffman at one point.
A couple teams interested in Florida Panthers Mike Hoffman and I’m hearing @ArizonaCoyotes are making a real push to add him for a push to make the playoffs!!
— Marc Savard (@MSavvy91) February 24, 2019
The problem the Florida Panthers may have in keeping him on their roster is that they went all out this summer signing Sergei Bobrovsky (7-years $10M). They must consider their forwards like Evgeni Dadonov who has performed admirably and will need to be re-signed since his three-year $12 million contract expires after the 2019-20 season.
If the Florida club doesn’t look to be in the playoff hunt (doubtful) they may use Hoffman as a trade rental and should get a reasonably good return. But if the newly improved Panthers are doing well, why trade a good asset like Hoffman?
Justin Faulk and Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Another name on his list is Justin Faulk who is a Carolina Hurricanes blueliner. He’s been on the trade rumour list for the last couple of seasons. His contract expires at the end of the season. Faulk signed a six-year $29 million deal in March of 2014. Consequently, he may be expendable due to the Hurricanes’ depth on the right side of their blueline.
Will Carolina GM Don Waddell keep shopping him even after he traded away Calvin de Haan? If he waits he may not get anything in return for the talented D-man.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau of the Ottawa Senators is a useful penalty killer and has some grit to his game. His three-year $9.3 million contract will expire at the conclusion of the new season about to start. Will the Sens see what he is worth on the open market? However, the Ottawa club is still in a rebuilding mode and he could fit in nicely on a team needing a bottom-six forward. Edmonton Oilers come to mind.
Vancouver Canucks
Rumour: According to TSN radio Vancouver, general manager Jim Benning has been in conversation all summer with forward Loui Eriksson about moving him.
BENNING: Been in conversation with Loui Eriksson all summer. We tried to find a fit for him with another team. That didn’t happen. We’ll continue to look but most teams are set with what they did in the summer time.
— TSN Radio Vancouver (@TSN1040) August 22, 2019
Analysis: While Benning has tried to find a fit for him with another team, that didn’t happen. Benning stated they’ll continue looking but most teams are set with what they did in the summertime.
The Canucks signed Eriksson in July of 2016 and awarded him with a six-year $36 million contract. It has been one of the worst contracts in terms of return is concerned. Eriksson has dismal offensive statistics with 11-G, 13-A in 2016-17. He followed that up with just 10-G, 13-A during the 2017-18 season. Finally, last season his numbers elevated to 11-G, 18-A.
For $6 million a year? Really? He obviously feels the need to find a new home, but in the end, as Benning so adeptly stated most NHL teams have their rosters pretty well set. Most teams have spent any money in the range Eriksson earns on other players.
He has a no-trade clause in his contract however at this point, he wants out of Vancouver in the worst way. It’s just not that easy to move a player who has averaged just over 25 points in the first three years of his hefty contract. That’s a whopping $240,000 per point! Good luck Mr. Benning, unloading that contract will be like trying to escape from quicksand.
