Welcome to the Sunday edition of NHL Rumours! The NHL trade deadline has come and gone. Most of the big moves were made prior to the deadline, but contending teams made moves to strengthen their depth as the push to the playoffs is on. In addition, teams are will look to make moves at the expansion draft, the regular draft and free agency. The sellers have positioned themselves to exploit some teams in cap purgatory. In today’s edition of NHL Rumours, we look at the New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, and the potential for the NHL adding ads on their jerseys.
NHL Rumours
New Jersey Devils
Rumour: Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts said that term was a major sticking point between the Devils and forward Kyle Palmieri.
Analysis: There were two options for the Devils and Palmieri entering the deadline. One was to sign him to a new contract. The second was to trade the player. The Devils went with option two because they could not get over the hump of term with Palmieri. It will be interesting to see what the Devils were offering to him when it comes to years on his new deal. If one had to guess the team with looking at a three or four-year deal. While the player might have been looking at five or six years. And as Friedman points out with a flat cap for the next several seasons’ term could be a sticking point for a lot of players.
I mean this past off-season players were not getting the term and money they expected. It is a whole new world these general managers and players are dealing with. While it is rare, the Devils could circle back on Palmieri in the off-season. Maybe both parties sit down and actually hammer something out. There will be more time except now there will be more suitors as well. Unfortunately, Palmieri will not get what he is looking for from a lot of teams out there. Palmieri fits the Devils system so well and as we have seen goal scoring is an issue. Pay close attention to this situation, especially if the Devils do not feel there is a better option out there.
Edmonton Oilers
Rumour: In Daniel Nugent-Bowman’s mailbag in The Athletic, he says the next contract for Ryan-Nugent Hopkins with the Oilers should be no longer than five years at $6 million.
Analysis: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is coming into his own with the Oilers. While he will never be on the level of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, he has been a good player for that organization. The Oilers found themselves a player that is versatile that can play both centre and wing. However, he is best suited as a winger. Not to mention he has been very effective on special teams for the Oilers as well. He has shown the ability to put the puck in the net at key times for the Oilers. But it all comes down to if management sees Nugent-Hopkins as a part of the team going forward.
If they do, then the best thing for them to do is to keep him at the current rate of $6 million. And yes when he signed the deal, the Oilers were just throwing out money to keep their draftees around even though they might not have earned it. But with money coming off the books next season and the cap remaining flat, the best thing to do is to sign him to the same amount or $500,000 more. That is it. The Oilers are looking to take the next step and they need all the money they can get to upgrade that defence. Again if the Oilers see him as a part of their future then Nugent-Hopkins has to on the top of the priority list.
Jersey Ads
Rumour: According to the Sports Business Journal, jersey ads could come as soon as the 2022-23 season.
Analysis: It is no surprise that the NHL is heading down this road with jersey ads. We all knew this day would come. Again nothing has been finalized, but considering the lost revenue from this season, it is a no-brainer. Just look what the NHL did during the 2020-21 season. They adopted helmet ads. Some are better than others, but they did that. They also put ads on the tarps covering the seats to generate extra revenue. Not to mention the digital ads that appear on the glass while watching the games. Whether fans like it or not, jersey ads are coming. Not to mention, they are kind of already here.
The logo on the back of the jersey is an ad for the company that made the jersey. However, what fans fear is something like we see over in Europe where the crest of the jersey is being covered. That is what is being debated. Will it be a shoulder patch or will it be on the chest somewhere. In addition, nobody knows what size the patch will be. Everything is in the preliminary phase and nothing has been brought to the Board of Governors just yet. It will be interesting to see if the NHL does follow through with this because of how sacred the jersey is in hockey.
That does it for this edition of NHL Rumours. Stay tuned for another edition on Monday.
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