With Black Friday just around the corner, teams around the NHL are figuring out who they are. As the offseason’s illusions shatter, teams are now forced to debate some difficult decisions. Let’s take a closer look at some of the chatter around the league in this week’s rumour roundup.
Penguins roster changes is impending
Pittsburgh President and GM Kyle Dubas was forthcoming, declaring his intentions to make changes to his team. Spurred on by a rough start to the year, Dubas backed up his words by trading away Lars Eller for draft picks. Of course the Penguins do gain some salary cap flexibility with the move, but it is curious given where things will go from here.
Clearly the Pens want to start winning more games this season, and their overall defensive performance is the biggest hindrance. Trading Eller represents a step back defensively. Clearly other changes are on the way, but for now the main priority for Dubas seems to be getting younger.
The vultures are circling, as many Pens players are becoming speculated additions for fans around the league. The fit with Erik Karlsson has been inelegant, a very offensive minded right shot veteran sharing a blueline with a player of the same ilk in Kris Letang has not been ideal, just as a similar situation sharing the San Jose Sharks blueline with Brent Burns was. Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor might be pieces the Edmonton Oilers are investigating, and no doubt Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic might be options for teams searching goalies.
Teams looking for scoring punch might be interested in Rickard Rakell or Anthony Beauvillier, while Noel Acciari might be a versatile bottom-six forward to keep an eye on. In the end, there are not many obvious answers for Dubas as he tries to retool the team while improving the future. At the very least the Penguins have added some younger players and draft picks under Dubas, but the team remains short of any legitimate playoff aspirations.
Coach carousel about to take another spin
With the average lifespan of an NHL coaching tenure plummeting in recent years, there is always a sense of unease in the coaching market. There is an inevitability that the carousel will start turning again soon, as speculation of who might be the next to be relieved of their duties runs rampant.
Jim Montgomery appears to be the most likely at this point. The Boston Bruins have the burden of expectation combined with an uncharacteristically poor start. With the Penguins joining the Nashville Predators as GMs promising change, neither Mike Sullivan or Andrew Brunette are safe from speculation. All three have earned a lot of respect for their coaching abilities, but their teams are all in tough situations.
There are some veteran coaches left waiting in the wings, including former Oilers bench boss Todd McLellan. As the Oilers hired Stan Bowman as GM, a return to the league for John Quennville might be inevitable, regardless of if either truly deserves another chance.
Where does Blackwood fit?
The San Jose Sharks have been on a relative hot streak, punctuated by a shutout win for MacKenzie Blackwood. With Vitek Vanacek as the backup, and the young Yaroslav Askarov looming as the potential goalie of the future, some have begun to wonder if Blackwood might be available. Blackwood was once a highly touted prospect, but has been shrouded in obscurity thanks to several injuries over his career. Exacerbating the issue is the fact that Blackwood has only ever played for weak defensive teams like the rebuilding Sharks, having been in the mix for the New Jersey Devils during some of their leaner years.
Naturally, Oilers fans will have their ears perked by the potential to acquire Blackwood. To an extent, he might even be a fringe candidate for team Canada’s Four Nations Faceoff team. With goalie being a clear weak spot for Canada one might argue that the unproven Blackwood is more a victim of circumstance than poor play. Blackwood joins Logan Thompson, having a strong season for the Washington Capitals, as some late risers for the honour and responsibility of backstopping Canada. Both will still be long shots thanks to their less decorated resumes, yet it is not absurd that they might be deserving of the opportunity.
Byram is a hot commodity
With the longest active playoff drought in the NHL, the trade speculation spotlight is never far from the Buffalo Sabres. Recently, it has been Bowen Byram surfacing in rumours. While the Sabres blueline is a bit unbalanced, heavy on offensive left shots, there is very little reason to believe that trading Byram is something that the Sabres have much of an appetite for. It is far more likely that his name is being circulated thanks to teams desiring to add Byram’s talents to their group.
Of course, any player can be traded. The expectation should be that the Sabres aggressively pursue upgrades, so a return for Byram would have to be something that clearly improves the Sabres this season, but provides stability for the years ahead as well. With a low cap hit, it is quite unlikely that Byram gets moved.
Wild looking at Flyers players
The Philadelphia Flyers are historically a team that is unconventional and aggressive in building their team. Their coach, John Tortorella, is not afraid to be unconventional either, as evidenced by his recent scratching of Matvei Michkov. The Flyers should be a team to watch, at something of a crossroads in their retooling efforts.
Apparently the Minnesota Wild are taking a look, potentially adding a forward to bolster their group. Joel Farabee and Bobby Brink are the believed targets at this point, speedy wingers in their mid 20s. For teams looking to add centres, it might be Noah Cates who garners interest. These younger players will not come cheap, but there is a chance that the Flyers are open to resetting their group and swinging for higher upside futures.
Jiricek as a fantastic prospect
The biggest rumour of the week might come from the Columbus Blue Jackets, especially for those looking for young talent. After claiming right shot defenceman Dante Fabbro from waivers, the already tenuous position of David Jiricek is coming into focus. A highly touted right shot with physicality and offensive upside, Jiricek is a fantastic prospect. Still, the rebuilding Jackets have had a hard time finding a regular spot for him to continue developing.
Bouncing between the AHL and NHL the past two seasons, Jiricek now finds himself a healthy scratch often. It is impossible to say that the Jackets have done right by his development, a fact that is powering these rumours. The upside for Jiricek is still incredibly high, something that the perpetually uninspiring Jackets would be foolish to throw away lightly. The need for right handed defencemen in their lineup is still clear, even after adding Fabbro.
Perhaps a change of scenery is necessary, and the best option might even be a top 10 2022 draftee as well. Simon Nemec is a right shot defenceman as well, who has also found himself bouncing between the NHL and AHL early in his career. The New Jersey Devils might be equally underwhelmed by their prospect, though might have a more understandable reason to keep Nemec from regular NHL minutes because of their strength as a team.
Despite their similarities the two are different players. Jiricek is bigger, more physical, more dynamic offensively. Nemec, meanwhile, is more of a smooth skating, cerebral player. The concept of trading away either is perilous, but each represents exactly the type of return their teams should be targeting.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
