Welcome to Friday’s edition of the NHL Rumours. The season is still going on. However, as the draft and the offseason get closer, more and more NHL rumours come up. These can be around players getting traded and new coaches being hired start to come to light. Today’s rumours involve the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers.
NHL Rumours
Chicago Blackhawks
Rumour: on 32 Thoughts the Podcast, Elliotte Freidman reports that the Chicago Blackhawks will listen to trade offers for any players including Alex DeBrincat – even though it’ll take a huge offer to get him moved.
Analysis: This was reported a few months ago and now is becoming more and more apparent. Frank Seravalli pointed DeBrincat as one of the main names of this offseason. And, on Thursday’s Daily Faceoff Trade Targets, Seravalli says “The question seems to be ‘when’ and not ‘if’ the Hawks will move the two-time 40-goal scorer”. It is fair to say that, with two of the biggest insiders pointing in the same direction, DeBrincat might be on the move.
TRADE TARGETS 🎯: #Blackhawks 41-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat leads off the first board of the summer as the No. 1 player available.
Here are @DailyFaceoff‘s 25 names in play with exactly 5 weeks until the #NHLDraft:https://t.co/JTDhFISc45
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 9, 2022
Will He Move?
He has one more season in his $19,2 million contract and will be an RFA with arbitration rights. This is a player that for the past two seasons, has 73 goals in 134 games. If he continues on this high, he’ll cost a big chunk of money once it’s time to negotiate. This is something to look at when thinking of teams he could end up at.
DeBrincat is their most valuable trade piece due to his age. Additionally, he doesn’t have a no-trade or no-move clause. This makes him a target. If the Blackhawks really want to rebuild, he’s the one who’s gonna give them the most assets in return. However, DeBrincat is also one of their best players and he’s still young. He’s the one they should try their best to keep and build around. Regardless, it will be interesting to see any reported offers for such a young and skilled player.
Dallas Stars
Rumour: Elliotte Friedman says on The Jeff Marek Show that he expects Pete DeBoer to be the next Dallas Stars coach.
On this edition of @JeffMarek ✖️ @FriedgeHNIC:
🏒 Is Pete DeBoer a match with #TexasHockey ?
🏒 A look back on Bruce Cassidy’s era in Boston
🏒 We preview #TBLvsNYR ahead of a pivotal Game 5+ more!
Subscribe:
🟢 https://t.co/IYpoAVigMS
🍎 https://t.co/UANcPvBe5g— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) June 9, 2022
Analysis: A lot of good coaches were released from their duties this season and it comes as no surprise that Pete DeBoer is a top candidate. Overall, he has established himself even more as a top coach. And that’s exactly what the Stars need for now. DeBoer has seen pretty constant success with a few teams. Although, he has never won the ultimate prize.
However, what could be stopping this deal to continue is DeBoer’s past relationships with his goaltenders. Yahoo Sports’ Justin Cuthbert indicated in April that the coach was creating drama in the goaltending department. With young Jake Oettinger being the Stars main goalie for the next season, it’ll be interesting to see how this pans out.
Florida Panthers
Rumour: Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that Florida is on the watch for Jeff Blashill.
Analysis: After a disappointing loss in the second round, Florida is apparently looking for a new coach. Andrew Brunette took over the team after Joel Quenneville resigned following the Blackhawks case. With Quenneville out, Brunette had big shoes to fill, as the Panthers were on a high. And that’s exactly what he did. Florida went on to win the President’s Trophy as the regular season champions. However, they were swept in the second round.
If the sweep is the reason why Florida is looking for a new coach, they’re wrong. Additionally, Jeff Blashill is definitely not the answer to their problems. Brunette proved himself to be a smart coach who can handle himself under pressure. Although Blashill is older and more experienced, he only took the Red Wings to the playoffs once. And while doing that, he lost in the first round. Not keeping Brunette and giving him a chance to regroup would be a big mistake by Florida.
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