Welcome back to Wednesday’s edition of NHL Rumours from Last Word on Hockey. Training camp is underway and the teams are still looking to bolster their rosters for the upcoming season. Today we have NHL Rumours from the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche.
All NHL Rumours come from their original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Winnipeg Jets
Rumour: According to a recent article (the article is written in Finnish. Will need translation) written by Finnish sports writer Pekka Jalonen, Patrik Laine is disgruntled about his playing time and linemates in Winnipeg. Jalonen states that according to Laine, he would be playing on the team’s top line anywhere else. However, in Winnipeg, he is on the second line with a rotating group of players.
Patrik Laine believes if he was on another NHL team, his linemates would be the best players available, but in Winnipeg, he’s stagnating on a second line with a rotating roster, says a Finnish journalist who has followed the star’s career https://t.co/r82iAi7BQd
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) September 17, 2019
Analysis: Laine is not wrong. However, he is currently playing behind Jets captain Blake Wheeler. Wheeler and Mark Scheifele have shown great chemistry so the chances of Laine getting promoted to the first line any time soon is slim. That is not exactly what Laine is asking for mind you. Sure Laine would love to play with Scheifele and Wheeler, but that would put three right-hand shots on the one line. That is not ideal.
Laine just wants someone skilled to play with. Winnipeg knows this. They need to acquire a second-line centre to give them two solid scoring lines. They have tried to do this by trading for Paul Stastny and Kevin Hayes the past two trade deadlines. Unfortunately for the Jets, both walked in free agency.
Money an Issue
The other issue with Laine, as Andy Strickland reported via Twitter, is the money being offered is just too low. The latest offer according to Strickland’s tweet came in under $6 million per year. This to Laine is not nearly enough. He is a proven 30-goal scorer and can potentially score 50 playing in the right situation. The Jets will need to come up on the money side, or it might be best to look at trading the star winger.
Dallas Stars
Rumour: Elliott Friedman had a radio hit on Sportsnet 650 that the Dallas Stars are looking to get a draft pick in a trade for Julius Honka. At the moment, the Montreal Canadiens have offered a player in return. The Carolina Hurricanes are also looking to acquire Honka, however, that is if they can move out other pieces (Justin Faulk).
Elliotte Friedman on SN650 says to keep an eye out for trades from the Canes, Flames, and Canucks. Flames and Canucks are trying to clear cap space from the bottom of their lineup. Dallas wants to trade Honka for a pick, Montreal is offering a player.
— James (@Account4hockey) September 17, 2019
Analysis: Honka recently asked to be traded from the Stars and given that there is not a whole lot left on the right side to replace him and the position the club is in to make a run at the Stanley Cup, you would think the club would want a player in return for the former first-round pick. Dallas bolstered their team this off-season picking up Joe Pavelski, Corey Perry and Andrej Sekera. The only issue would be cap space. However, if Steven Johns is not able to return, he would hit the LTIR and make more room for the club.
Teams Chasing Honka
The player the Canadiens offered was not mentioned by Friedman. However, if you look at the group, it would most likely be a forward. Someone like Charles Hudon or former first-round pick Michael McCarron would make sense, but not sure if that is something the Stars would be interested in or if the Canadiens would need to add to that. The recent injury news on Noah Juulsen might make the Habs go after Honka even more aggressively.
The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are already loaded with defence. It is a little mind-boggling they would be in on another one. Faulk is rumoured to be on the way out. He could potentially replace him if he does, in fact, get moved. However, even without Faulk, the right side still has Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Trevor van Riemsdyk and recently signed Chase Priskie. It’s hard to see the Hurricanes actively pursuing yet another defender.
Colorado Avalanche
Rumour: According to a Finnish website MTV Uutiset, Mikko Rantanen is expected to join Laine and skate with SC Bern in Switzerland while he awaits his new contract.
Analysis: Not an overly surprising move by Rantanen. Clearly, Rantanen wants to be in game shape for when/if a contract gets done between him and the Avalanche. According to Rantanen on September 12th, he stated that he and the Avalanche are making progress on a new contract and there is no need to panic. The fact that he is training with men in a pro league that features former NHL’ers such as Andrew Ebbett and Mark Arcobello is good news for the club. This will keep the forward in top shape. He should be good to go once a contract is signed, hopefully before the season starts.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 10: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets in action against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
