Welcome back to another edition of NHL Rumours! Today we take a look at a few prominent NHL franchises, namely the Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild, and Vancouver Canucks. The Leafs appear to be eyeing a trade for a veteran defenceman. Minnesota is also looking to make deadline moves but could be active sooner than later. Vancouver also has some big decisions looming involving a talented young forward. All of this and more in NHL Rumours!
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: Jonas Siegel of The Athletic suggested that Justin Braun is an ideal trade candidate for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It’s well known amongst those who have watched Toronto this year that Jake Muzzin is not the same player now that he was just two seasons ago. The defence isn’t bad. But it could stand for some improvement. Braun may be the answer to that. And given that relying upon the big four hasn’t worked thus far for the Leafs, a veteran presence could help get this team the support it needs to make a deep playoff run.
Braun isn’t a player that sticks out. That is just about the best thing you could possibly ask of a defenceman. If they are being noticed, it’s for one of two reasons. They are either a dominant offensive force from the blue line, or they are being burned by opposing forwards on a regular basis. Since we haven’t heard much from Braun this year, that is a good sign. He can get the job done at a reasonable cost. Given the Leafs are strapped for cap space, his $1.8 million cap hit should be manageable.
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Minnesota Wild
Rumour: The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun is suggesting that the Minnesota Wild could be an active team by the deadline, but expect moves to be made sooner than later.
Bill Guerin has gotten a boatload of credit for getting the Wild out of NHL purgatory and turning them an exciting up and comer. Some solid draft picks and signings are making this team more watchable for the first time in a long time. Looking at Guerin’s history, he learned from one of the best under Jim Rutherford. Rutherford also had a habit of making moves early during deadline season.
Given that the Wild are currently sitting at second place in the Central Division, they should be looking to add to the team. Don’t be surprised to see Guerin send picks out to bring in talent. Prospects should be staying put, however. This team is expected to be a more conservative buyer, looking to add depth over big names.
Vancouver Canucks
Rumour: Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal from The Athletic speculate that Brock Boeser could be shown the door by the Vancouver Canucks.
The future of the Canucks is a cloudy one. They were a team on the rise, and then they bought in too soon. Now their General Manager and coach have been fired and the team could be headed in a new direction. Brock Boeser may be the odd man out in this situation. If the team decides it needs to clear out and rebuild again, Boeser may not fit the team’s needs.
A qualifying offer for Boeser comes in at $7.5 million. That’s a pretty solid chunk of change for a player who has underperformed this season. Now that could be due to bad puck luck. But it could also be a sign of things to come. At 24 years old, he still has plenty of years of play ahead of him and could fit into the long-term plans. But that cap hit may be concerning enough that the front office decides to trade a young asset for a hefty return.
That does it for this edition of NHL Rumours. Be sure to check back tomorrow for more!
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