We’ve got more NHL rumours for you for your Tuesday. Teams are trying to adjust after slow starts and it may be time to panic for some. However, some teams are doing well with younger players that may be able to ship off aging talent to clear salary space. Today’s NHL rumours focus on the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
All NHL rumours are taken from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Edmonton Oilers
Rumour: Allan Mitchell of The Athletic said the early performance of young defencemen like Ethan Bear and Joel Persson could allow general manager Ken Holland to move older blueliners like Kris Russell and Matt Benning at the deadline.
If Ethan Bear continues to play at a level that allows the Oilers to play him inside the top-four defencemen this season and beyond, it’s a game-changer and offers management a great opportunity, writes @Lowetide: https://t.co/2GuCmNTDzz
— The Athletic Canada (@TheAthleticCAN) October 16, 2019
Analysis: Bear is playing over 19 minutes a game and logging big minutes for the club. Head coach Dave Tippett could also work Evan Bouchard into the lineup to get some games in the case of a trade. Benning carries a contract of $1.9 million cap hit this season and could be in line for a raise after his contract expires at the end of the year. Russell has a contract of $4 million cap hit and it is considered an albatross deal.
Bear is playing well alongside Darnell Nurse on the top pair. That group is often on the ice with Connor McDavid and the top line. The Regina native Brear has a Corsi-for of 47.7 percent but has been playing smart on the ice.
Persson has kept his head above water so far this season, but he may need a helping hand. The hope is that a returning Adam Larsson or Oscar Klefbom will bolster Persson. He’s shown flashes of his two-way game at times and would be a low-cost option over Russell and Benning.
Holland getting those two deals off the books would be huge. Edmonton would love to get back into the Taylor Hall sweepstakes and clearing out space for him is key. A potential savings of $6 million would give the team plenty of flexibility.
Los Angeles Kings
Rumour: When Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic took a look at potential trade candidates, Ilya Kovalchuk came up as possible trade bait.
It's never a bad time to talk trades. @PierreVLeBrun looked at eight names who could be on the move before the trade deadline and where they would fit https://t.co/BwO8ztWWAs
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) October 17, 2019
Analysis: The Russian Kovalchuk looks re-energized under new head coach Todd McLellan. So far, he’s tallied seven points. He’s 36-years-old and carries a cap hit of $6.25 million that also has a no-movement clause. The contract becomes a modified no-trade clause next season.
Kovalchuk is an older player but has found his offensive game as of late. He could be worth a gamble if a team wanted to take shot on him. The Kings would likely have to eat some of his hefty contract to entice teams to make a deal.
The Boston Bruins and the Sharks both came after the Russian when he came back to North America from the KHL. Both teams have salary issues, but LeBrun named them as possible landing spots for Kovalchuk. Both teams have secondary scoring issues and adding a proven goal-scorer like Kovalchuk would be a big boost to their Stanley Cup aspirations.
San Jose Sharks
Rumour: Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (subscription required) hosted a mailbag and the topic of Sharks blueliners came up. Brenden Dillon and Marc-Edouard Vlasic came up in the discussions on if they could be traded.
Sharks mailbag: Sorting out who should play on D; Is it time to trade Brenden Dillon or Marc-Edouard Vlasic? @KKurzNHL https://t.co/upHwddrF4x
— The Athletic Bay Area (@TheAthleticSF) October 21, 2019
Analysis: Kurz said that the Sharks would love to keep Dillon, but may have trouble re-sign him when his deal expires. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Vlasic still has six seasons left on his contract with a $7 million price tag.
The Sharks would love keep Dillon around, but they have plenty of big deals on the books. Vlasic’s deal is a tremendous burden on general manager Doug Wilson and the team. The Montreal native has been the most consistent defender on the team. He’s been on the ice for 68 scoring chances for and just 58 against.
Dillon makes $3.27 million this season and is in line for a bump in pay. However, the Sharks only have will only have $17.1 million in cap space summer with plenty of big names to sign. Deals like Joe Thornton‘s and Melker Karlsson are likely to cost a pretty penny, money that could very easily cut into any sort of raise for Dillon. Moving him may be in the team’s best interest and there would be no shortage of suitors.
Vlasic’s deal is not only bad because of salary, but he has a full no movement clause until 2023. He can’t even be exposed in the upcoming expansion draft because of his contract. The 32-year-old has struggled at times this season with no points in eight games.
Would coming home to the Montreal Canadiens interest Vlasic? The Habs have been looking for a left-handed shooting defenceman, but Vlasic hasn’t really noted many thoughts about a return to Montreal.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 06: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Los Angeles Kings scores an unguarded goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period at Staples Center on April 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
