It’s time once again for our NHL rumours. We’re into the month of November and teams are finding out where they’re going to stack up. Some general managers are trying to kickstart bad starts to the season. However, some are trying to plan for down the road. Today’s NHL rumours will focus on the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose sharks and veterans like Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek.
All NHL rumours are taken from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Chicago Blackhawks
Rumour: Jimmy Greenfield of the Chicago Tribune thinks that the Blackhawks should deal defenceman Erik Gustafsson to help the team’s rebuild along. Gustafsson is coming off a career-high 60-point season but has struggled this season. He was recently a healthy scratch for Chicago and Adam Boqvist was called up over the weekend.
The 27-year-old becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and will likely want a raise from his $1.2 million salary. He’s a left-handed shot that could get a handsome return.
https://twitter.com/jcgreenx/status/1191190162316787713
Analysis: Boqvist scored his first NHL goal over the weekend and he could be here to stay. This mean’s Gustafsson’s spot in the lineup could tenuous. Chicago also has prospects like Ian Mitchell and Nicolas Beaudin itching to get an opportunity.
The Blackhawks are giving their youth a chance like calling up Kirby Dach and Boqvist getting a shot in the big leagues after just six games in AHL Rockford.
The arguments to keep Gustafsson are starting to fade after his early-season struggles. Gustafsson has been taken off the power play and Jeremy Colliton said that the Swede won’t immediately get his spot back.
General manager Stan Bowman could get some needed prospects or draft picks, but he may wait to make a deal in case Gustafsson can pull himself out of his funk.
San Jose Sharks
Rumour: Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News speculated on if general manager Doug Wilson will make some type of move to help the floundering Sharks. They were 4-10-1 and at the bottom of the Western Conference standings as of Monday.
Pashelka said that Wilson has made big moves in the past to jumpstart a flailing team. He points to 2005 when the team acquired Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins. That move certainly worked out for the club.
As Sharks flounder, can moves — big or small — be far off? https://t.co/rSmxbF0orH via @mercnews
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) November 3, 2019
Analysis: San Jose has lost five straight games and is in a funk. The team has made the post-season 14 of the last 15 seasons. They were picked by some to make a charge at a Stanley Cup.
It seems that the club is missing veterans Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi, who both left in free agency. However, it seems like the problems are in net with Martin Jones and Aaron Dell struggling. The defence gave up 53 shots in Friday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Could Josef Korenar get an opportunity to shine?
Wilson made big moves in 2005 and he dealt Ryane Clowe, Michal Handzus and Douglas Murray in a span of eight days and brought in Raffi Torres and Scott Hannan during the lockout-shortened 2013 season.
There’s also been speculation if Peter DeBoer’s tenure with the team could be over soon. Whatever the case, expect Wilson to do something to try and save the season.
Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek
Rumour: John Vogl of The Athletic (subscription required) said that the veteran wingers are open to a return to the NHL. Pominville has been working out in Buffalo and waiting to see if a team will take a chance on the veteran.
Vanek said that he turned down one team to focus on playing on a winning team. Both players are focusing on being family men and staying in shape.
Still open to NHL opportunities, both Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville are happy just being hockey dads right now — from @BuffaloVogl:https://t.co/Ihe9TdQqJZ
— The Athletic Minnesota (@TheAthleticMIN) November 3, 2019
Analysis: Pominville and Vanek both scored 16 times and recorded 30 points last season. Vanek said that in the right place, he could still score double-digit goals and log 20 minutes a game.
The two said they would love to have gotten another shot with the Buffalo Sabres, but the team is over the salary cap. Plus, the emergence of Victor Olofsson has kind of limited their options. Both players would be decent depth additions that wouldn’t cost much in terms of money and a team wouldn’t have to give up any players or picks to get them.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 09: Filip Forsberg #9 of the Nashville Predators scores the game-winning goal in overtime against Collin Delia #60 and Erik Gustafsson #56 of the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on January 09, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. The Predators defeated the Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
