It’s time to start the work week with another edition of our NHL Rumours. Today is a West Coast Bias edition of our rumours as we get ready for the start of training camp. Teams are already starting to look ahead to the future and think about future contracts. Today’s NHL rumours focuses on the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks.
All NHL Rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Vancouver Canucks
Rumour: The Athletic’s Harman Dayal looked at what Bo Horvat‘s next contract may look like.
#Canucks mailbag
– Alec Martinez, Kevin Shattenkirk and other D similar to OEL that bounced back
– Horvat’s next contract cost
– Trade one of Miller or Boeser for a D?
– Connor Lockhart’s sneaky upside https://t.co/hhj9lSo8te
— Harman Dayal (@harmandayal2) September 17, 2021
Analysis: Dayal thinks the Canucks and their captain will eventually come to a long-term deal to keep him in British Columbia. However, there could be some hand-wringing to try to fit him and J.T. Miller into the team’s future plans.
Dayal drew comparables to Logan Couture, Matt Duchene, Kevin Hayes, and Brayden Schenn. Couture and Duchene are on the higher-end of the spectrum at $8 million per year with Couture getting seven years and Duchene at eight. Horvat is currently producing at 0.74 points per game clip, which puts him at the high end.
However, Couture is a proven playoff performer and Horvat has only been in two Stanley Cup Playoffs. Horvat’s camp will likely aim for the upper-end of these comparisons. Vancouver will try to get a deal like Schenn’s, which is at $6.5 per season for eight years. Dayal concluded that the deal will likely nail down a deal for seven or eight years at $7-8 million.
Edmonton Oilers
Rumour: David Staples of the Edmonton Journal speculated on if the Oilers may have to choose between Kailer Yamamoto or Jesse Puljujarvi.
CULT OF HOCKEY
All systems go? Yes. Edmonton #Oilers sign Kailer Yamamoto to a one-year pact
https://t.co/LZmSF2qCzj
by @dstaples— Bruce McCurdy (@BruceMcCurdy) September 18, 2021
Analysis: Yamamoto just signed a new one-year deal over the weekend after a slow offensive season. However, Yamamoto did improve on the defensive end. The young forward is betting himself with a short-term deal as he hopes to improve his goal totals.
Yamamoto could compare to Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson and Joel Farabee of the Philadelphia Flyers with a six-year contract at around $5 million. However, this is provided if he can turn around his offensive game.
The Oilers may be hamstrung by the long-term deals of big-name players like Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. This doesn’t give general manager Ken Holland much wiggle room with Yamamoto and Puljujarvi both looking for new deals.
Edmonton does ditch Mikko Koskinen‘s $4.5 million contract at the end of season, but it may put it back in the running for a goalie. Holland may try to unload Zach Kassian’s $3.2 million deal, but it’ll be hard to find any takers. The Oilers may have their hands tied and have to part with one of their younger players.
San Jose Sharks
Rumour: Kevin Kurz of The Athletic speculated on a possible trade return for Tomas Hertl.
A potential return for Tomas Hertl? Is Bob Boughner’s seat hot? Sharks mailbag https://t.co/1e9HoEmeje
— The Athletic Bay Area (@TheAthleticSF) September 10, 2021
Analysis: The Czech forward has his $5.625 million contract end when the season is concluded. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the the Sharks are trying to convince Hertl to sign an extension because he’s part of their plans. It seems that general manager Doug Wilson is trying to push the team back into contention quickly. However, Hertl may not be so easily swayed on staying with an also-ran.
Dealing Hertl would be a big blow to that happening, so any deal for him would have to be a huge one. Kurz speculated that a first-rounder and at least one or more high-end prospect would have to be part of a trade. The 27-year-old did score 35 goals in 2018-19 and just missed on 20 goals in 56 games.
It’s going to be a wait-and-see approach for the two sides, but Wilson might make a deal if he can get something for his young forward. Hertl would fetch significant interest if his name comes on the trade block.
