We’re deep into the Conference Finals, but we still have plenty of NHL rumours. Teams that have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs or didn’t make it are looking for answers. Some are trying to make cost-effective choices while others want to make a big splash. Today’s NHL rumours focus on the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Ottawa Senators
Rumour: Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek said the Senators could have a three-goalie system to start the 2022-23 campaign.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1533297648828022788
Analysis: It doesn’t seem ideal to have that many netminders vying for time in the crease. Anton Forsberg, Matt Murray and Filip Gustavsson will all get an opportunity to start for Ottawa in 2022-23.
It’s surprising that this is the route the Sens are going because one would think they’d listen to any trade offers. Murray has a big deal of $6.25 million for the next couple of seasons. One thinks that Ottawa would at least listen if someone made an offer on Murray.
There’s plenty of pressure on the Senators to try and move their way up the standings. General manager Pierre Dorion infamously declared the rebuild over, but then Ottawa slumped their way to a seventh-place finish in the Atlantic Division. The Senators need to make some gains or there could be some big changes. It seems that Dorion and head coach D.J. Smith will throw everything at the wall when it comes to fixing the goalie problem.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: Jonas Siegel of The Athletic looks at eight possible players that could be a good low-cost option at forward like Jason Spezza was.
Analysis: Spezza did his part to be a solid low-risk veteran option for his hometown team. The Toronto native did whatever was asked of him to push his team to the post-season success that still eluded him.
However, Spezza retired and the Leafs are back to looking for cheap veterans at forward. Siegel gave a list of options and one of them comes with a past history with the Maple Leafs. Tyler Bozak is listed in the group of eight forwards and would likely be welcome back in Toronto. Bozak played for the Leafs until the end of the 2017-18 season. He went from 15 minutes per game to 12 last season with the St. Louis Blues. However, Bozak missed plenty of time last season due to injury and that could bring red flags.
Brian Boyle is also a former Leafs that has battled his way past cancer and been a contributor on every team he’s been on. He would likely be a welcome return back to the Leafs.
Other names on the list include Jay Beagle, Derek Stepan, Sam Gagner, Trevor Lewis, Andrew Cogliano and Darren Helm. All of them are veterans that could be worth a $1 million or less deal.
Philadelphia Flyers
Rumour: Adam Kimelman of NHL.com looked into the possibility of the Flyers having an interest in pending unrestricted free agent Johnny Gaudreau.
I took control of the mailbag this week, and got some good questions on the draft, the combine, Johnny Gaudreau and more. Take a look right here. https://t.co/q482xyLDDa via @NHLdotcom
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) June 1, 2022
Analysis: Gaudreau seems to be one of the big prizes this coming off-season. He’s from Salem, N.J. and the lure of playing close to home with the Flyers or the New Jersey Devils could be a massive one. Gaudreau also grew up a Flyers fan and his family would only be 40 miles away from the rink.
The Calgary Flames will do everything in their power to try and keep the former Boston College forward in the fold. However, their salary cap issues could make it hard to keep everyone. Calgary has plenty of restricted free agents like Andrew Mangiapane, Matthew Tkachuk and Oliver Kylington to sign. However, there’s only so much money to go around.
The Flyers don’t have salary cap flexibility and general manager Chuck Fletcher knows that. He’d have to get creative to find the money for Gaudreau. It also doesn’t help that Gaudreau loves Calgary and wants to stay with the Flames. Fletcher does need to add a high-end scorer, but he’ll have to find another option other than Gaudreau.
