Last Word on Hockey is pushing out its NHL Rumours series in overdrive this week, as it prepares to be one of the busiest weeks in NHL history. With both Tuesday’s NHL Entry Draft and Friday’s Free Agent Frenzy taking centre stage, there’s bound to be all sorts of player movement (or lack thereof). This week, we’re bringing you everything we hear as it pertains to some of the league’s biggest teams and stars. This edition covers the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: Dave Pagnotta reports that Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas expects to hold on to goalie Frederik Andersen into the 2020-21 season, despite previous trade rumours.
Leafs GM Dubas has had discussions with Frederik Andersen about all the trade speculation. He adds that he expects Andersen to be their starter “whenever we get going” on next season.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) October 5, 2020
Analysis: While Andersen had been a solid starter since joining the Maple Leafs, his numbers took a dip this year. He posted a .909 save percentage and 2.85 goals-against average in 52 starts, his worst numbers in a full NHL season in his career. At a steep cap hit over $5 million, there were some discussions in NHL rumours around moving Andersen this offseason to save cap space.
But Andersen rebounded in the playoffs. While Toronto was out early, it certainly wasn’t his fault. Andersen did his best for the Leafs, posting a .936 save percentage and 1.84 goals-against average in five starts. While those obviously won’t be sustainable numbers for him over a full season, Andersen is certainly a rebound candidate next season to again be one of the best starters in the league.
New York Rangers
Rumour: Per Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the Rangers have not decided whether to issue a qualifying offer to forward Ryan Strome.
Rangers still undecided on Strome qualifier. Deadline is Tuesday at 5PM. https://t.co/ub6WA7csqy via @nypostsports
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) October 4, 2020
Analysis: This has certainly got to be one of the weirder rumours in recent weeks. Strome was a crucial part of the Rangers’ offence this past season, posting 59 points in 70 games playing alongside Artemi Panarin. However, it was a career-high for Strome, and there are concerns about whether he’ll be able to replicate that production.
While the concerns are valid, the most confusing part is that Strome’s qualifying offer isn’t all that expensive. The minimum cap hit would be $3.2 million, which would be a steal for that type of production even if Strome regresses. However, what’s being ignored in all of this is that Strome is arbitration-eligible. That means the Rangers won’t have final control over Strome’s cap hit if he elects to file for arbitration. The Rangers would be forced to accept that deal if they extend Strome a qualifying offer. With the amount of dead cap they have tied up in buyouts for players like Kevin Shattenkirk and Henrik Lundqvist, it may force them into a cap crunch.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Rumour: The Lightning are looking to bring back bottom-six forward Pat Maroon on a new deal in free agency, but may not be able to pending the team’s cap situation.
Per source, the Lightning are interested in signing Pat Maroon to a new contract, but if the back-to-back Cup champ wants to stay in Tampa, he’ll have to wait until the team does its cap house cleaning first.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) October 5, 2020
Analysis: Maroon completed quite an incredible feat this past season. He won the Stanley Cup for the second season in a row with a different team. The veteran winger was a powerful part of the team’s fourth line. He posted nine goals and 23 points in 64 games. Despite his lowest usage in quite a few seasons (only 12:25 of ice time a night), Maroon was still throwing hits and creating momentum on par with some of the best grinders in the league. There was a clear fit for him in Tampa. Given his recent enthusiasm with his Cup celebrations, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Maroon want to stay.
However, whether a deal can get done is a huge question mark. It’s unlikely that the AAV on a Maroon deal would be pricey, and likely under $2 million. But Tampa’s cap situation is just that tight, as multiple quality players will need to be moved out just to re-sign a trio of RFAs in Mikhail Sergachev, Anthony Cirelli, and Erik Cernak. If the Lightning move on from an excess of talent and are able to move multiple contracts, then a Maroon signing might be a possibility. However, there’s a bevy of no-trade clauses on the team. It seems unlikely that the team would be able to clear enough cap space in order to re-sign Maroon.
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