The NHL season is in full swing. There are lots of moves being made still while each team figures out what is working and what isn’t for their roster. With lots of moving parts in the background, there are numerous NHL rumours as a result. Today we will be looking at NHL rumours surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils.
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: According to Elliotte Friedman in 31 Thoughts, the Toronto Maple Leafs could look to add another player via trade soon. The Leafs only have five games in fourteen days following their game against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. This would minimize games that a new player would have to quarantine.
Analysis: The Toronto Maple Leafs have been very successful so far this season. They will almost certainly be buyers at the NHL trade deadline this season. General Manager Kyle Dubas has shown that he prefers to get players well before the trade deadline, like Jake Muzzin in 2019 or Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford in 2020. Both these trades were made weeks before the deadline. This, in combination with the mandatory quarantine for players crossing the border, indicates that a trade could be imminent.
Friedman lists players like Mikael Granlund, Eric Staal, and Mattias Ekholm as players Toronto has rumoured to be in on. While the Leafs defence group has seen a real transformation under Kyle Dubas, and is quite good at the moment, adding a player like Ekholm would give it some wiggle room. At the current moment, if a player like Jake Muzzin or T.J. Brodie were to go down with an injury, the reshaping the Leafs had done on defence begins to unwind. Adding another top-four defenceman would give them room for injuries.
A forward like Granlund would give the top 6 more flexibility in lines as well. Adding a defensive piece would allow for their more offensively minded players to let loose even further. It will be exciting over the next couple of days if the Leafs end up making a move.
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Boston Bruins
Rumour: According to Frank Seravalli on TSN, the Bruins could move DeBrusk if a team meets their price.
Frank Seravalli on TSN reports the #NHLBruins could move Jake DeBrusk if a team met their asking price, he has some term and team control. Seravalli adds the Oilers were interested in bringing DeBrusk home during the offseason but doesn't think they have the assets to get it done
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) March 10, 2021
Analysis: The Bruins haven’t been seeing eye to eye with DeBrusk of late. It seems they have felt his play has not been up to par. According to Seravalli, Edmonton inquired about bringing DeBrusk in this past off-season. If the Oilers are able to do so, that would be greatly beneficial to them. It would provide them with a competent winger that can play within the top 6.
DeBrusk has term left on his contract. This will be an attractive factor for any potential suitors. In a time where the cap won’t be going up for a while, having a young, cost-controlled player can be an asset. DeBrusk is having a rough season so far this year, but he has played at a 20+ goal pace in two of his three seasons prior. He can certainly produce in a top 6 role, so it likely won’t be cheap to get him.
It seems like Boston feels that their time together is coming to a close, so the one asset the Bruins got out of the 2015 first round could be on his way out.
New Jersey Devils
Rumour: According to Corey Masisak of The Athletic, players such as Nikita Gusev, Ryan Murray and Kyle Palmieri could have their days numbered.
Analysis: The Devils have had yet another lacklustre season thus far. It seems they will be sellers at the deadline again. The Devils have some pieces that could be appealing to contending teams. Murray is a solid defenceman that can play on any pair if needed. Gusev has struggled this season, putting up only 5 points through 16 games. Similarly, Palmieri only has 10 points in 21 games. Teams acquiring these players will have to assume it’s due to a poor team around them that is causing their lack of production and look to prior seasons if they choose to acquire Gusev or Palmieri.
The Devils will likely be continuing their rebuild, and be looking for picks and prospects in return. Palmieri has been very successful in recent years. Scoring at a 25+ goal rate in each of his previous five seasons is an impressive total. Especially for a player in New Jersey. A buying team would have to hope that he returns to that version of himself. Similarly, New Jersey should hope that Palmieri and Gusev turn things around and begin to produce to salvage some of their trade value. It’s already shaping up to be a buyers market for the first time in years, so as sellers, the Devils will need their players to provide as much value as they can.
This concludes NHL rumours for today!
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