Grub's Canucks & NHL News, Rumours, and & Fantasy GM | Trade Breezes

[arttk]

if you get k'andre i don't really care which of hronek or willander you pair him with. the point is you have hughes, hronek, willander, k'andre.

Why would rangers sell??

 

[Vector]

There's also this bit

The Penguins have let teams know that they are open for business. According to a couple of sources, their preference is young NHL players, followed by already-drafted prospects, followed by picks. The return for Eller — a third-rounder and a fifth-rounder — is typical for an unrestricted-free-agent-to-be. But, by clearing his salary (they did not have to retain), it opens flexibility to explore other options.

The info from the local reporter made it seem like they basically only wanted NHLers, or at least as the primary piece(s) in return. This says it's not a requirement.

I thought it was obvious that wasn’t the case in the same way it’s always like that. We did the same argument with Horvat and that by makings future deal gives ammunition to go hunting (ie: Hronek).

Definitely worth highlighting.

 

[Vector]

Why would rangers sell??

Poor counting stats since getting moved away from Fox. Need to clear space for Shesterkin’s next contract. Chance to sell high and grab help for the run this year.

It’s very unlikely, though.

 

[kanucks25]

People need to stop bringing up Samuelsson... dude is cooked by injuries.

Contract is just way too risky. 5 more years after this one.

 

[Wisp]

Why would rangers sell??

Because they like us and want us to do well

 

[rypper]

Because they like us and want us to do well

They feel like they owe us one for '94.

 

[arttk]

Because they like us and want us to do well

awww

 

[racerjoe]

Jon snow does not bend the knee? Did they not watch season 7?

To be fair, I would have bent both knees in season 7 too… not so much in season 8 though

 

[SopelFanThe3rd]

Hi guys

 

[Wisp]

Hi guys

 

[ohnoeszz]

The Penguins rumors are great for us as Marcus Petterson is a perfect target for us:

- cheaper because he's a pending UFA on a bad team with no future.

- he's developed into a shutdown #3 over the past few years.

- while he's not an elite playmaker, he's become an excellent passer l, particularly by being crafty within the team structure. He doesnt demand PP time.

- he's under 30 and is fairly re-signable in terms of price. Some cap maneuvering would be required but almost any top 4 d extension would. Moving Hoglander or Soucy in the offseason should provide room. Boeser's next contract is a ? right now but there's a little room after.

 

[David71]

maybe find a taker for soucys contract 1 more year after this. hoglander around petterson as a base. still need to find another rhd as well.

 

[Hammman]

The Penguins rumors are great for us as Marcus Petterson is a perfect target for us:

- cheaper because he's a pending UFA on a bad team with no future.

- he's developed into a shutdown #3 over the past few years.

- while he's not an elite playmaker, he's become an excellent passer l, particularly by being crafty within the team structure. He doesnt demand PP time.

- he's under 30 and is fairly re-signable in terms of price. Some cap maneuvering would be required but almost any top 4 d extension would. Moving Hoglander or Soucy in the offseason should provide room. Boeser's next contract is a ? right now but there's a little room after.

All of this means that there'll be lots of teams that will want him though. Market is awfully thin at the moment.

 

[wonton15]

maybe find a taker for soucys contract 1 more year after this. hoglander around petterson as a base. still need to find another rhd as well.

I’d rather pay to include/move Forbort and Desharnais in a trade. Pushing Soucy down to 3LD is ideal — and he doesn’t make enough to warrant a dump. Good depth

 

[Big zZz]

You highlighted the keys points. 17-19 mins a game is not top 4 minutes. But he has been good on the bottom pairing. I think the jury is still out on whether he can be a #4 going forward. Personally I think he’s serviceable but we will look to upgrade if he’s playing 20+ minutes here.

Acquisition cost aside, he is making $3.1M now and a pending UFA. It’s basically the Zadorov situation when we first acquired Z. If you want to re-sign him, you are probably looking at paying him top 4 money. He’s really not a player with a ceiling that he has yet to reach IMO. He was great with Dahlin because Dahlin was/is good. He isn’t a shutdown defensive D who can anchor his own pairing.

Those are certainly top 4 mins. Your math ain't mathing.

 

[sandwichbird2023]

Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor are among those to follow. Pettersson deservedly gets a lot of attention, but O’Connor’s low number ($925,000) and flexibility makes him attractive, too. Last summer, Pittsburgh added. Months later, trading Jake Guentzel was the wakeup call, the sign Dubas felt it was time to follow a new path. What did Bill Parcells always say: “You are what your record says you are.”

That’s not easy in Western Pennsylvania. In the Crosby/Malkin era, the Penguins never concede. Jon Snow does not bend the knee.
Pittsburgh’s got good pieces with one more year — Noel Acciari, Michael Bunting and Alex Nedeljkovic — and other GMs know Dubas would like to take a few upper-deck swings, but is limited by both hard-to-move contracts and no-trade language.

If Sidney Crosby wished to go anywhere else, he wouldn’t have extended with the Penguins. The only way I could ever see it changing is if reality hit him harder than he expected. I don't see that right now. I don’t believe Pittsburgh wants to trade Evgeni Malkin, and I don’t believe he wants to go anywhere else.
Kris Letang has a no-move for three more seasons. Even if he wished a new address, it’s not going to be easy. No one disrespects Letang, fiercely prideful and determined. But his history of injuries and ailments make trading for the 37-year-old a gamble. And, it is difficult to know exactly how it all works, but NHL contracts can be uninsurable for pre-existing conditions. That’s a worry with him.

Erik Karlsson? Again, he’s got control. So it’s going to be up to him. Look at his contract structure, though. The salary drops from $11M now to $9M (2025-26), then $7.5M (2026-27), and San Jose has a bit of retention. A big chunk of next year’s money is a $5M signing bonus. He was traded from the Sharks to Pittsburgh on August 6, 2023, so, if a similar blueprint is followed, that’s even less of a financial commitment for an acquiring team.
Karlsson is taking a lot of heat locally and internationally — longtime Swedish league and National Team GM Johan Garpenlov told Radio Sporten the defenceman’s play is too much of a risk for the 4 Nations Tournament — but, as the salary drops, it’s not wrong to believe there would be interest. He’s still very, very talented.

Again, though, it is up to him.

As for Mike Sullivan: This is a coach who would be coveted elsewhere, is a huge favourite of ownership and maintains a strong relationship with Crosby. Dubas is against giving coaches the dreaded "vote of confidence.” He thinks it is counter-productive.

It’s fair to wonder if the time has come for Sullivan in Pittsburgh — that happens to all coaches — but, in the meantime, he’s taking no shortcuts. He’s just as committed as ever to solving the Penguins’ problems. If they fire him, they’re not doing it because he’s a bad coach. They’re doing it because they believe the Penguins need a new voice and someone else can do a better job with Pittsburgh as presently constructed.

What does this all mean? There are no quick fixes. Moves may not be as seismic as people hope — at least in the short term.

---

1. Pettersson’s value increases with every defenceman who re-signs (Adam Larsson, Jake McCabe, etc). We’ll see how this evolves, but there are a lot of teams expecting Los Angeles to keep Vladislav Gavrikov, which would further shrink the free-agency pool. He’s off to a great start, playing a team-leading 23:22 per night for the Kings.

This might be more appropriate for the Around the League thread, but I think Letang and Montreal would be a good fit for both side. The Habs badly need some experienced D and a veteran player like Letang would be huge for the younglings to learn from, especially Hutson. Let Hutson learn from one of the best offensive defenseman in his era how to balance both side of the ice. Letang also gets to play closer to home, and finish out his career by mentoring the Habs' next generation.

Habs also has a lot of young players and prospects that the Pens are apparently looking to add. Feels like a win-win, assuming Letang is ready for a change.

 

[thecupismine]

All of this means that there'll be lots of teams that will want him though. Market is awfully thin at the moment.

The Penguins wanting a young player instead of picks bodes well for the Canucks, as the Canucks can dangle Hoglander as a base.

Unless they see him developing into a top 6 guy (which his icetime, and frankly his hockey sense, makes it hard to see happening right now), it makes a ton of sense to deal him before his next contract kicks in.

Hoglander in general is a solid third line forward, but the Canucks have been arguably the best in the league over the past two years at identifying & developing solid third/fourth line forwards at good prices - Heinen, Sherwood, Blueger, Suter, and Joshua are all testaments to that.

The only reason I'd hold off on a Petterson deal is to keep an eye on how Boston is trending given their start to the season. If Boston wants to retool and starts looking to sell at the deadline & Hampus Lindholm becomes available, you instantly pivot and try to get him instead.

 

[Vector]

The Penguins have made it known that Pettersson is available and Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas is willing to listen to calls and take offers on the veteran blueliner.

 

[arttk]

Poor counting stats since getting moved away from Fox. Need to clear space for Shesterkin’s next contract. Chance to sell high and grab help for the run this year.

It’s very unlikely, though.

oh man that would be f***ing nice

 

[Bgav]

This might be more appropriate for the Around the League thread, but I think Letang and Montreal would be a good fit for both side. The Habs badly need some experienced D and a veteran player like Letang would be huge for the younglings to learn from, especially Hutson. Let Hutson learn from one of the best offensive defenseman in his era how to balance both side of the ice. Letang also gets to play closer to home, and finish out his career by mentoring the Habs' next generation.

Habs also has a lot of young players and prospects that the Pens are apparently looking to add. Feels like a win-win, assuming Letang is ready for a change.

Bringing in a 37-year-old player with a history of injuries and heart issues, who’s earning $6 million a year until 2029, seems risky. The Penguins would need to include a significant asset to move him, and they likely wouldn't receive much in return

 

[Ernie]

Patrick Johnston (@risingaction.bsky.social)

Spotted in the hallway this morning: a smiling Brock Boeser in Canucks workout gear, catching up with old pal Bo Horvat. Rick Tocchet played coy when asked about Boeser - suspected to have a concussion - but pretty clear after some tough few days over the weekend Boeser’s head is feeling better.

bsky.app

 

[racerjoe]

Patrick Johnston (@risingaction.bsky.social)

Spotted in the hallway this morning: a smiling Brock Boeser in Canucks workout gear, catching up with old pal Bo Horvat. Rick Tocchet played coy when asked about Boeser - suspected to have a concussion - but pretty clear after some tough few days over the weekend Boeser’s head is feeling better.

bsky.app

Double like too for using blue sky

 

[dez]

What is bluesky, some kind of protest against Elon lol.

 

[rypper]

What is bluesky, some kind of protest against Elon lol.

Twitter took a real dump when Leon took over.

 

[F A N]

Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor are among those to follow. Pettersson deservedly gets a lot of attention, but O’Connor’s low number ($925,000) and flexibility makes him attractive, too. Last summer, Pittsburgh added. Months later, trading Jake Guentzel was the wakeup call, the sign Dubas felt it was time to follow a new path. What did Bill Parcells always say: “You are what your record says you are.”

That’s not easy in Western Pennsylvania. In the Crosby/Malkin era, the Penguins never concede. Jon Snow does not bend the knee.
Pittsburgh’s got good pieces with one more year — Noel Acciari, Michael Bunting and Alex Nedeljkovic — and other GMs know Dubas would like to take a few upper-deck swings, but is limited by both hard-to-move contracts and no-trade language.

If Sidney Crosby wished to go anywhere else, he wouldn’t have extended with the Penguins. The only way I could ever see it changing is if reality hit him harder than he expected. I don't see that right now. I don’t believe Pittsburgh wants to trade Evgeni Malkin, and I don’t believe he wants to go anywhere else.
Kris Letang has a no-move for three more seasons. Even if he wished a new address, it’s not going to be easy. No one disrespects Letang, fiercely prideful and determined. But his history of injuries and ailments make trading for the 37-year-old a gamble. And, it is difficult to know exactly how it all works, but NHL contracts can be uninsurable for pre-existing conditions. That’s a worry with him.

Erik Karlsson? Again, he’s got control. So it’s going to be up to him. Look at his contract structure, though. The salary drops from $11M now to $9M (2025-26), then $7.5M (2026-27), and San Jose has a bit of retention. A big chunk of next year’s money is a $5M signing bonus. He was traded from the Sharks to Pittsburgh on August 6, 2023, so, if a similar blueprint is followed, that’s even less of a financial commitment for an acquiring team.
Karlsson is taking a lot of heat locally and internationally — longtime Swedish league and National Team GM Johan Garpenlov told Radio Sporten the defenceman’s play is too much of a risk for the 4 Nations Tournament — but, as the salary drops, it’s not wrong to believe there would be interest. He’s still very, very talented.

Again, though, it is up to him.

As for Mike Sullivan: This is a coach who would be coveted elsewhere, is a huge favourite of ownership and maintains a strong relationship with Crosby. Dubas is against giving coaches the dreaded "vote of confidence.” He thinks it is counter-productive.

It’s fair to wonder if the time has come for Sullivan in Pittsburgh — that happens to all coaches — but, in the meantime, he’s taking no shortcuts. He’s just as committed as ever to solving the Penguins’ problems. If they fire him, they’re not doing it because he’s a bad coach. They’re doing it because they believe the Penguins need a new voice and someone else can do a better job with Pittsburgh as presently constructed.

What does this all mean? There are no quick fixes. Moves may not be as seismic as people hope — at least in the short term.

---

1. Pettersson’s value increases with every defenceman who re-signs (Adam Larsson, Jake McCabe, etc). We’ll see how this evolves, but there are a lot of teams expecting Los Angeles to keep Vladislav Gavrikov, which would further shrink the free-agency pool. He’s off to a great start, playing a team-leading 23:22 per night for the Kings.

Well Jon Snow bent something else off screen…