With December looming, the NHL trade rumors season has begun in earnest. Fanbases around the league have started their speculations, targeting players to buy or sell. Naturally, most of the action will happen closer to the deadline. Until then, whispers will swirl as possible futures are pondered and teams consider hitting the panic button. Let’s keep an ear to the ground in this week’s NHL rumour roundup.
David Jiricek has become the most valuable trade bait in November
At this point a fresh start for talented prospect David Jiricek seems inevitable. A big, right-handed defenceman with impressive traits, players of such calibre are rarely available. Virtually every team would benefit from his talents, including the Columbus Blue Jackets themselves, though the relationship appears to be untenable. Without much hope for a playoff spot, it is confusing that the Jackets are unwilling to let Jiricek play through some struggles in the NHL. If anything to showcase him and boost his return.
Jiricek has played well in the AHL, but does not yet seem ready to be a difference maker in the NHL. The acquisition cost will be understandably steep. For this reason, it seems quite unlikely that a contending team will be the eventual destination. Though many Oiler fans are interested in Jiricek as a concept, in practice the fit is inelegant. The Oilers need a player to help win now, and Jiricek has yet to prove he can be that guy.
The Jackets will likely be looking for futures, with the rumour being a first-round draft pick and good prospect, or at least players who can be part of their program long-term. The team is likely to make some more traditional trades, including fellow blueliner Ivan Provorov. This further underscores how strange it is that the Jackets cannot find a way to get Jiricek icetime.
Are the New York Rangers about to make a drastic change?
Despite a strong record, the New York Rangers are mulling over some drastic changes. The Rangers are struggling in some key metrics, such as expected goals percentage, which is concerning. Captain Jacob Trouba has been subject of trade rumours for a while now, but the scope has widened to the point where Chris Kreider now finds himself involved as well.
Part of the equation for finding a trade partner for these players is their cap hits. Teams with enough room to fit their cap hits outright are not likely to be interested in adding veteran players. The Rangers will be interested in improving in any transaction as well. Kreider and Trouba both bring a lot to the ice, a power winger and physical right shot defenceman respectively. Trouba will only accept trades to teams nearby as well. Combined with some less than flattering possession stats and a big cap cost, trading Trouba might be more of an aspiration than a true possibility.
Kreider, on the other hand, could be a candidate to swap with a similarly priced player looking for a fresh start. The Rangers are rumoured to be interested in J.T. Miller, who might not be a realistic option, but other former members of the organization may also be on their radar.
In the end, it might be a younger player on the way out, as Kaapo Kakko has been in rumours as well. Kakko would be more appreciated by rebuilding or retooling teams, who might hope the former second overall pick could reach new heights in a different situation. Either way, it is clear that the Rangers are willing to make some drastic adjustments.
Could the Colorado Avalanche part with Mikko Rantanen?
The Colorado Avalanche are in a similar situation to the Oilers. Both teams have championship aspirations, and legitimate ones at that. They are firmly in the playoff mix at this point, but their records are underwhelming given the expectations. Both teams have star players who are performing well, yet other factors are weighing the team down. Most notably, the goaltenders for both teams have had trouble delivering results. A strange stat both have in common is a negative goal differential despite a winning record.
The Avs are rumoured to be a bit more desperate, with several high stakes rumours emerging. For one, the Avs are looking at goaltenders, hoping to upgrade. More surprising is that pending UFA Mikko Rantanen is popping up in rumours. Contract demands are coming into play, as the rising cap means that Rantanen might command more of a cap hit than Nathan MacKinnon. Another angle is that the Avs might look to trade Rantanen, essentially choosing their internal cap structure over an all star talent.
With the cap going up, teams like the Avalanche who have had a hard time with depth will get some breathing room in the seasons ahead. Rantanen might eat up all that space, keeping the Avs in a similar position. Colorado would be unlikely to trade Rantanen without it making them a better team this season. It is possible that he tests the free agent market, walking away for nothing either way, meaning that any team acquiring him inherits some risk as well.
A number of NHL prospects are potentially on the move
While most trade candidates are older players or pending free agents, a number of younger options now find themselves in rumours as well. There are certain factors that combine to create these conditions, there is usually an element of underwhelming results from the players individually, or with their team as a whole.
Nils Hoglander is having a tough start to the season after the Vancouver Canucks extended him this summer.
Kirby Dach is an intriguing option as a big centre, but has not been effective and has dealt with injury issues while playing with the struggling Montreal Canadiens, who might be looking to shake things up to jump start their own team.
The Buffalo Sabres are desperate to end their playoff drought, and might be willing to make some of their young talent available, such as Jack Quinn, Dylan Cozens, or Bowen Byram. Byram is the least likely of the group to be dealt, but these players might help facilitate some of the most interesting trades of the season.
