Rumor: 2024-2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency Talk | The Slow Crawl to the Season

[Gumballhead]

I think with no Nuke, Landy and Lehky, which is definitely possible, we could see Ritchie and/or Innala on the 2nd line. Kovy too but I think he's maybe more likely on the bottom six. There's just not a lot of extra skill guys to jump in.

I keep wondering if maybe they look at Kessel, but I don't think anyone has any idea what kind of shape he is at this point.

 

[dahrougem2]

It'll be Kovalenko and Ritchie in the top six in all likelihood.

 

[AvsCOL]

It'll be Kovalenko and Ritchie in the top six in all likelihood.

I think this would be a great way to see what we’ve got there. Gives Ritchie 9 games for sure, then they can decide from there.

 

[Avaholic29]

Drouin - Mack - Kovalenko
Colton - Mitts - Rantanen
Wood - Ritchie - O’Connor
Kelly - Bellemare - Kivi

Probably not the most ideal way to start the year but it works.

 

[NottinghamPanther]

I think with no Nuke, Landy and Lehky, which is definitely possible, we could see Ritchie and/or Innala on the 2nd line. Kovy too but I think he's maybe more likely on the bottom six. There's just not a lot of extra skill guys to jump in.

I keep wondering if maybe they look at Kessel, but I don't think anyone has any idea what kind of shape he is at this point.

I think we can safely assume that shape is 'round'

 

[missionAvs]

MacK-Rants-Makar-Toews about to play 40 games worth of hockey in the first 15 games of the season.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Lehky might not be ready to start, but given where we've seen him at already I dont imagine he's out for all that long.


I'd put money on Ritchie getting his 9-game stint and he'll be the one that "comes in" for Lehky for now.

I put it in quotation because while I think Ritchie will be the guy that enters the lineup, I'd bet Colton is the one who moves up into the Top 6 and Ritchie will be the 3C.... So we probably look at something like:


Drouin - Mack - Mikko
Colton - Mitts - Kovalenko
Wood - Ritchie - LOC
Kivi - PEB - Kelly


Personally I would swap Mikko and Colton though, but we know Mack/Mikko are gonna be together almost certainly.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

what’s the deal with the new CHL/NCAA rules? Has that already come into place? Can the Kroenke’s just slip DU some dough and have Ritchie play this year with them lol?

 

[henchman21]

what’s the deal with the new CHL/NCAA rules? Has that already come into place? Can the Kroenke’s just slip DU some dough and have Ritchie play this year with them lol?

Nothing is official yet. A lawsuit has been filed and has not been resolved yet (though it’ll end with CHL players eligible somehow, someway). Still Ritchie will have to complete his CHL deal to be eligible to move over to the NCAA. Which he still has a year left. So earliest would be next season.

Also if we want this to play out, we need Mizzou to get a hockey team.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Nothing is official yet. A lawsuit has been filed and has not been resolved yet (though it’ll end with CHL players eligible somehow, someway). Still Ritchie will have to complete his CHL deal to be eligible to move over to the NCAA. Which he still has a year left. So earliest would be next season.

Also if we want this to play out, we need Mizzou to get a hockey team.

Ok makes sense. They have to play out their eligibility. I guess if that wasn’t the case this would never get approved because the NCAA would just become AHL 2.0 lol.

 

[Balthazar]

Wonder how this will affect UFA rules. Can an unsigned CHL player move to the NCAA and become UFA instead of re-entering the draft?

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835392207882453340

 

[Balthazar]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835392207882453340

11th OA pick was a total bust. That org couldn't afford to draft like that.

 

[Nzap]

11th OA pick was a total bust. That org couldn't afford to draft like that.

Didn't they even move up for him?

Edit: yup, 14th to 11th (cost them pick 45)

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835422630020800529

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

I just don't think he's that good. No offense whatsoever and he's hardly an elite shutdown defender. He's just...really big. That's a lot to be paying a middle-pairing guy who's merely "good" on his best day.

Building around guys like this is a huge reason why Seattle remains inept offensively.

Sounds like EJ?

 

[AvsFan4]

JVR to CBJ and LaBanc to NJ. Still holding out hope for a Clutterbuck PTO. A 4th of Kelly-Bellemare-Clutterbuck to start the year wouldn’t be bad (as long as you don’t look at the 2nd and 3rd lines with no Landy, Lehky, or Nuke).

 

[Pokecheque]

Sounds like EJ?

Not remotely. EJ had puck skill and was able to catalyze the offense. Larson has next to NO puck skill. Josh Manson is a better puck mover.

That said, a rebuild with EJ as the principal defenseman failed, so…

 

[LOFIN]

The San Jose Sharks beat out trade offers from four main competitors to get Yaroslav Askarov last month: the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers.

 

[Ararana]

Lets not get too upset, I'm sure the Avs sent some bullshit offer like Olausson and the 2026 2nd.

 

[Balthazar]

Sucks

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Sucks

For what? For a rebuild in 2-3 years?

He does nothing for us trying to win a Cup in our rapidly closing window.

 

[Pokecheque]

Didn't they even move up for him?

Edit: yup, 14th to 11th (cost them pick 45)

No one did more galaxy-brain bullshit than Chayka. Him picking Hayton in the draft before that one was almost as egregious.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Sucks

Why? A goalie that will be good in 2-4 years does nothing for our window right now.

 

[Hasbro]

No one did more galaxy-brain bullshit than Chayka. Him picking Hayton in the draft before that one was almost as egregious.

Top 3 GM!