Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! Connor McDavid has become the fifth fastest player to reach 900 points and Alex Ovechkin is 65 goals away from breaking the record. It is great things to see in the game of hockey. However, the rumour mill is churning faster and faster and the latest buzz is in the Eastern Conference. Today’s rumours focus on the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils.
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: Dave Pagnotta from the Fourth Period discusses the latest on Williams Nylander contract
Things are ramping up in this regard. One of the most coveted free agents is the Maple Leafs winger and deservedly so. After back-to-back 80-point seasons, Nylander is on pace to shatter those totals. He is currently on pace for 117 points and has 50 points through the team’s first 35 games.
Nylander has been a force offensively and sits second on the team in goals. He is a large part of the Maple Leafs offensive attack and will be due for a hefty raise. Pagnotta recently went on the Full Press Hockey Podcast and discussed the latest on the deal.
Pagnotta said on the podcast, “Nylander. They’ve had some discussions that are in the negotiation realm, but nothing is close right now. And I think that ramps up once the New Year hits.”
Toronto will be a team to monitor in this regard. Do they risk losing him for nothing in free agency to a team that has more financial flexibility? Or do they ink him to the lucrative deal he deserves and worry about the money later?
New Jersey Devils
Rumour: Dave Pagnotta from the Fourth Period discusses the Devils being linked to two defencemen
Our next set of NHL Rumours keeps us out East. The trade deadline is growing closer and closer and Craig Conroy has a lot of work to do. As we’ve entered the new year, the Calgary Flames currently sit out of a playoff position and have key roster decisions to make. Currently, pending free agent defenceman Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev have been linked to the New Jersey Devils and time will tell if they are moved.
Hanifin was close to an extension but chose to wait and see how the team performs. It appears now that he is likely to test the market and move on to greener pastures. Pagnotta suggests that Hanifin seems like the more logical fit in New Jersey.
From an offensive standpoint this makes a ton of sense. The Devils are a strong offensive team and their defence does a great job in transition. Adding a puck mover like Hanifin would be huge for the back end, especially since the team is without Dougie Hamilton. Not to mention, he could take pressure off the rookies Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, who have thrived under their roles and are logging heavy minutes.
Financially this would work, as Hanifin is entering the final year of his deal and a salary cap hit of $4.95 million. Hanifin does possess an eight team no trade clause, so hopefully New Jersey isn’t on the list.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
