In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Dallas Stars have signed a key player to a long-term deal. The Montreal Canadiens are going to be active on the trade market and have already started making calls to move players. Who is he talking to and what players is he talking about? The Buffalo Sabres are moving from dark horse to favorite to land Jakob Chycrhun and the Vegas Golden Knights will have to be crafty about how they add before the NHL Trade Deadline. Finally, is there a huge rift between the head coach and the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers?
Stars Sign Roope Hintz
In a report first broken by Kevin Weekes, the Dallas Stars have confirmed the signing of Roope Hintz to an eight-year contract extension. Reports are that the deal is $8.45 million per season.
We have signed Roope Hintz to an eight-year contract extension through the 2030-31 season.
HIP, HIP, ROOPE! 🎉
#TexasHockey https://t.co/WKShyYnJAZ
Considered a dynamic and versatile two-way forward who knows how to score off the rush, this deal will certainly affect the next contract for Bo Horvat.
Canadiens Staying Active on Trade Front
As per Marco D’Amico of Montreal Hockey Now: When asked about whether the Canadiens have anything in the works on the trade front, GM Kent Hughes responded, “I’ve had conversations in the car today. We’re are at the quarter-mark of the season after all.“ He added, “All the clubs are starting to make calls to inform themselves on the availability of certain players.”
Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic writes:
They want to establish a winning mentality and would welcome a spot in the playoffs with open arms, but they are expected to miss the cut, and that has not changed. Any other outcome would be outlandish. And once they recognize they’re out of the hunt, the Canadiens are not just going to be sellers, they are likely to sell aggressively. That’s, in part, what their roster is designed to do.
source – ‘NHL playoff tiers and buyer/seller 1.0: Where each team stands at American Thanksgiving’ – The Athletic Staff – 11/25/2022
The Canadiens already have two first-round picks in the 2023 draft and hope to acquire another first-round pick. They have pending UFAs like Sean Monahan and Evgeni Dadonov that they’ll need to try and trade or elect to re-sign.
Sabres The Favorites To Land Chychrun?
Talk is picking up that the Buffalo Sabres might be the team that pulls the trigger on a Jakob Chychrun trade. Post Media’s Michael Traikos believes they are now the favorite to acquire the Arizona Coyotes defenseman and contends they have both the cap space and prospects to make the deal work.
Traikos writes:
It is believed that Toronto, Edmonton and Ottawa are among the many teams interested in Chychrun’s services. But according to Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek, the Buffalo Sabres could be a “dark horse” in acquiring the 24-year-old. I’d go one step further and suggest they are the favourite.
source – ‘TRAIKOS: Which NHL teams currently on outside looking in have best chance of making playoffs’ – Michael Traikos – Toronto Sun – 11/28/2022
One thing that is intriguing here is where the Sabres are in the standings. They are a better team than they have been in the past but are still near the bottom of the standings. Traikos says that means they are motivated to add someone like Chycrhun, who doesn’t have trade protection and he clearly wants out of Arizona.
Golden Knights Will Be Discount Bin Buying
With the early success Vegas is having this season, they will clearly be trying to add before the NHL Trade Deadline to make their team as strong as they can down the stretch. The problem is their salary cap situation and having little to spend for a team that likes to spend big.
Jesse Granger of The Athletic writes:
I expect the Golden Knights to buy at the deadline, but their options could be limited to mid-to-low-salary players due to the cap. Owner Bill Foley hinted to me last month that the club could be in the market for a winger around the $3 million cap hit range.
Is Tortorella Throwing His GM Under the Bus?
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, he believes there is real trouble brewing in Philadelphia where head coach John Tortorella is constantly taking shots at GM Chuck Fletcher. Seravalli argues that after 10 straight losses for the Flyers, Torts has taken aim at the man who has put this team together.
Making comments like the team is “young and dumb” and that they have no leadership, the NHL insider thinks Tortorella is jamming the knife and turning every time he speaks now. The question is, what is the end goal? Is he trying to get the GM fired? Or, is he trying to motivate Fletcher to make the proper changes to the roster?
Jim Parsons is a senior THW freelance writer, part-time journalist and audio/video host who lives, eats, sleeps and breathes NHL news and rumors, while also writing features on the Edmonton Oilers. He’s been a trusted source for five-plus years at The Hockey Writers, but more than that, he’s on a mission to keep readers up to date with the latest NHL rumors and trade talk. Jim is a daily must for readers who want to be “in the know.”
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