Some rumors: Boston, Minnesota, NYR, Toronto
GMs assessing their roster
A number of interesting trade rumors have arisen as GMs around the NHL evaluate their roster. I’ll try not to repeat the rumors covered in the preceding post.
As reported on TFP, the Boston Globe reports that Bruins forward P.J. Axelsson is very likely to be traded. Axelsson makes $1.85 million a season, an excellent bargain for a very useful player, and he has 2 years left in his contract.
Apparently, the Bruins are urgently trying to bolster their blueline. According to the Globe, the Bruins might package Axelsson with a draft pick in exchange for help on defense right now.
The Globe also indicates that Columbus Blue Jackets center Sergei Fedorov and New York Islanders winger Miroslav Satan could also be on the move this season.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the lines of communication between agents for star forward Marian Hossa and the Thrashers remain open.
Hossa, who is slated to become a UFA next summer, claims that he’s willing to negotiate a new deal during the season, but a new contract is not his top priority.
Given his trade counterpart Dany Heatley signed a lucrative long-term deal this week, it’s likely Hossa is looking for a similar deal.
One wonders, however, whether Atlanta might consider trading him if they can’t sign him soon, especially if Atlanta gets off to a poor start.
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, one of either Brian Rolston or Pavol Demitra might also be available. Both of these quality forwards are entering the final year of their contract with the Wild, and it might be exceedingly difficult for Minnesota to re-sign both players.
The paper hints that the Wild are more likely to keep Demitra than Rolston, due to the latter’s age.
Since the Wild are very likely to be a playoff team, it will be interesting to see how management will handle this.
As reported by Spector, Tom Gulitti of NORTHJERSEY.COM and Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun report that NY Rangers GM Glen Sather is not happy with the depth of his blueline.
One option Sather is considering is Ed Jovanovski of the Coyotes. There are 2 problems, however. One, Jovanovski has a no movement clause in his contract. Two, the Rangers would have to dump salary to accommodate Jovanovski.
Gulitti also reports that New Jersey and Boston both have interest in veteran free-agent D Danny Markov, but he’s believed to be seeking more than $2.5 million per season.
The same article indicates that the Leafs, who are looking for help at center, are considering signing free agent C Dave Scatchard. He was bought out by the Coyotes after last season.
My take is that Scatchard could help the Leafs only because they are currently pretty thin at Center. He has good size and is solid defensively, which the Leafs or any team could use. On the downside, Scatchard isn’t great offensively, is a crummy passer, and will not scare the opposition’s defence.
Lastly, Gulitti reports that if the Leafs falter, C Mats Sundin might have the option of going to a contender at the deadline.
An interesting suggestion, but this is unlikely to happen, since the Leafs will be good for 100 points with their vastly improved goaltending and numerous intriguing options on defence.
Cited links:
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/bos071004.html
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/atl071005.html
26 Responses to Some rumors: Boston, Minnesota, NYR, Toronto
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From the original Minneapolis StarTribune article: "According to the Star-Tribune, the Wild is concerned about signing Rolston long-term because if any 35-and-older player retires or sustains a career-ending injury, the team will remain responsible for the salary cap hit."
From this you are implying that they favor Demitra (which is not what was said) and they would not re-sign Rolston, when what it says is that they would be reluctant to sign him to a multi-year contract. They signed Waltz to a one year deal for the same reason, but when they signed Carney a year ago (age 36) it was a 2 year contract. The Wild are also very willing to negotiate with UFA at the end of the year, which they did this year with Waltz. Rolston has only missed 5 games in the last 5 seasons and has been our leading scorer the last 2 (not someone you want to let leave and Brian seems to want to stay).
The biggest issue will be how much money will it take to sign these two, and the other free agents that they want to keep (9 total).
I can see the Bruins and Canucks make a deal the Nucks need some scoring wingers and the Bruins have plenty.I can see something like this go down.
To Canucks-Murray4.1mill,Kobasew1.2mill, Milan Lucic,and 1st or 2nd rounder=5.3 mill
To Bruins-Kesler1.9mill,Pyatt1.6mill,and Edler=3.5mill
I think that would be a great trade for both teams the Bruins get there Dman there looking for with some great young players,and the Canucks get some much needed 2nd line scoring help in Murray.Just a thought it would help both teams out.
I can see the Bruins and Canucks make a deal the Nucks need some scoring wingers and the Bruins have plenty.I can see something like this go down.
To Canucks-Murray4.1mill,Kobasew1.2mill, Milan Lucic,and 1st or 2nd rounder=5.3 mill
To Bruins-Kesler1.9mill,Pyatt1.6mill,and Edler=3.5mill
I think that would be a great trade for both teams the Bruins get there Dman there looking for with some great young players,and the Canucks get some much needed 2nd line scoring help in Murray.Just a thought it would help both teams out.
If Canucks pulled a trade like this the lines would look like this.
Sedin Sedin Murray
Nassy Morrison Kobasew
Cooke Linden Shannon
Cowan Ritchie Burrows
NOt a bad set of lines but looking at it I wouldnt give Pyatt in the deal cause he can just stay with the Sedins and Murray can play on the 2nd line.So maybe do the deal a little something like this.
To Bruins-Kesler and Edler
To Canucks-Murray,Kobasew,and Lucic
So what you're essentially saying is that Pyatt's value is equal to a first and a second from a probable bottom 10 team.
I'm not seeing the good dman Boston get's in return here?
However if Boston can find a taker for Glen Murray's salary then go for it. Heck if they could trade Glen Murray for a years supply of water bottles then that would be fantastic. Murray at 4.1 is too much. Boston can use that money for a top (4) defenceman.
That doesn't make sense for either team.
Both team's lose a lot in the deal, the return's don't seem the help either team really, and it would be like just trading for no real reason.
That would make Vancouver's offense worse too…
Who would think that the Canucks would give up Pyatt since he has good chemistry with the Sedin's and don't the nucks have low cap space, how are going to take Murray's 4 mil.
I say send Murray and draft pick to Toronto for Kubina since they want to dump Kubina and his 5 mil salary.
So TO dumps Kubina who was a bust and the aging Murray won't be relied on as much in TO.
Don't kid yourself. The Leafs won't be good for 100 points this season, they still have awhile to go before they fully feel the effects of trading picks and prospects for aging stars at the deadline for the past five years. They're bound for a Philadelphia-like nosedive at some point in the next three seasons.
Pitt goes for playoff experience and Stanley Cup Rings
Pitt: Adam Foote and Sergei Fedorov
Columbus: Angelo Esposito
Not going to happen,
losing murray would cripple the boston offense, Lucic is a top prospect and a first of second rounder from boston will be a high pick.
Kesler and Pyatt are spare parts at best (pyat for kobasew is a draw) leaving you with Kesler and Edler for Murray, Lucic and a first or second rounder… you must be high, on some good stuff too.
On the bright side, at least you didn't throw in Morrison in this trade
Yeah, exactly what the Bruins need, another prospect defenseman!
Not going to happen! If Bruins do end up trading for a defenseman, they're going to trade for a top 4 defenseman who can jump right into the action NOW! We have plenty of good prospects in the farm system on defense, we don't need to trade for another one.
I really hope we don't trade Axelsson, he's so important to the team. Trade friggin' Murray, he's not a key component on our offense, he's old and slow and anybody can do what he does, stand in front of the net and wait for a pass. Brandon Bochenski has already shown he can easily replace him for a fraction of the cost. If we can trade Murray and some picks for a key top 4 defenseman that is ready now and a prospect scorer, we would be in business, but trading Axelsson is NOT the answer to the Bruins problems!!
I dont see that happening for two reasons,
1. Esposito is still a prospect, but a prospect with alot of upside, and, the penguins have exhausted their pool of prospects at forward, if the time comes in 2 years when malkin and staals contracts come up and they have to let go of one, espo is the only player in their system that comes even close to being a top 6 forward.
2. with Recchi (2 pens and car), Sykora (1? NJ), Sydor (1 TB) there are 4 if not 5 cup rings between them, and plenty of veteran leadership when you add roberts and gonchar to the mix, i cant see the penguins wanting to add that kind of salary (being that they are pretty close to their self imposed salary cap) for a couple of playoff rentals in their late 30s whose game has been slipping over the last couple years.
I could see one of them, maybe, most likely foote, at the trade deadline, for much less than espo, but not both anytime soon and not at that price.
The Leafs good for 100 points? You have got to be kidding me. They will be LUCKY to even make the playoffs. They are OLD. SLOW. OVERPAID. UNPROVEN. Need I say SKILLESS.
Oh neilios. When will you stop.
To remind you, they got 91 points last year, so we're not talking about the 1973 Capitals. They're not that far off. The improved goaltending should make a huge difference, although I acknowledge it's a bold prediction.
…and add close to 10M in salary for 2 washed-up has beens living off fat contracts?
Not gonna happen buddy. Fedorov is not at a level where he can produce a lot anymore…and Foote is injury-prone now.
Old… yeah maybe if it was the 2001 or 2002 Leafs you were talking about. We are no longer Old.
100 points… is a bold statement… but I think 6 to 8th place is well within our reach.
By improved goaltending you mean Vesa "Mr. 4.33 GAA" Toskala?
Jovo to NYR is out of the question. Rangers have made minor trades for the past three years.
Don't bother with him. If Toskala loses, it's the teams fault, and if Raycroft loses, its his fault. Yesterday Toskala got slaughtered, so he won't comment on that.
I've already addressed this issue, but unfortunately, you cannot read and/or understand basic grade 5 English. I have better things to do than waste my time on fools.
It's all very simple. The team is playing crappy right now, that is, since the 2 Ottawa games. When that happens, the goalies should be the last to blame, whether it's Raycroft or Toskala. This was the case 2 years ago, and is also the case currently. This was NOT the case last year.
Unfortunately, this straightforward concept is too difficult to grasp among some of the users of this site, for whatever reason(s).
wow, i thought the 100 points was a joke…
the leafs may not be old but they are far from young. and the problem is that with the exception of wellwood, the younger players are just OK. your key players are on the wrong side of 30. leafs better get to 100 points because this is the best roster they're going to have for a long time…
Why not youre already wasting your time commenting on about how much your beloved leafs SUCK!
I think it would be a good trade for Toronto they need more washed up old guys. LOL.