In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Evgeny Kuznetsov is looking to be traded by the Washington Capitals. The Calgary Flames are trying to sign one of their college prospects and Nazem Kadri talks about the rumored heat between himself and coach Darryl Sutter. Finally, the Buffalo Sabres will need an upgrade in goal. What will their plan be while they wait for Devon Levi?
Kuznetsov Wants Out of Washington
According to Russian outlet Match TV, Evgeny Kuznetsov continues to make it known through his agent that he would like a trade out of Washington. This is apparently something he’s wanted for some time. Match TV writes in its article (as translated by Google Translate):
As it became known to Match TV, Washington forward Evgeny Kuznetsov wants to leave the club of his own free will. On Friday, the North American media reported that Washington could trade Kuznetsov in the offseason. However, as it became known to Match TV, Kuznetsov himself has been asking the Capitals for an exchange for the second year through his agent. Previously, the capital club was not ready for this.
This report comes not long after The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir published the following in a recent mailbag article:
The Caps’ decision-makers are disappointed in Kuznetsov’s season. They desperately needed him to step forward and he did not. He turns 31 in May, counts $7.8 million against the salary cap for two seasons after this one, scored no goals in October and one in January, and struggled defensively all year… I don’t know where things go from here. But something’s got to give.
source – ‘Capitals mailbag, part 1: Is Washington happy with Laviolette? Could Kuznetsov be traded?’ – Tarik El-Bashir – The Athletic – 03/21/2023
Kuznetsov holds a modified no-trade clause, allowing him to submit a 10-team no-trade list. If the Capitals want to trade him and he wants out, one has to wonder if he’ll be flexible with his list.
Flames Trying to Sign Coronato, Kadri Speaks on Team Friction
As per a couple of sources like Elliotte Friedman and as tweeted by Pat Steinberg of FAN590, “Calgary will give Matt Coronato time to wrap up his season after Harvard was eliminated by Ohio State.” He adds, “They’ll get to work on getting something done in the next 24-48 hours or so. Confidence is high they’ll come to an agreement.”
Related: The Ugly: Listing Flames’ Worst Signings Since 2020
Friedman said during the 32 Thoughts segment on Hockey Night in Canada that the Flames have definitely Coronato know they’d like him to join the roster.
In other Flames news, Salim Valji of TSN took a deeper dive into the chatter that there was friction between Nazem Kadri and head coach Darryl Sutter, especially considering Kadri’s decreased ice time. The forward responded, “It’s been fine.” He added, “Obviously throughout an 82-game season, you’re gonna have rough patches and not everything is going to go your way throughout eight months of playing. So, it’s how you bounce back and how you fight that adversity. It’s something I’ve been pretty good at throughout my career, so this is no different.”
Will the Sabres Upgrade Their Goaltending?
The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn took a look recently at how much the goaltending has contributed to the recent slide down the standings by the Buffalo Sabres. While it’s not solely to blame, it’s become clear the team needs an upgrade if they are ever going to truly contend for the playoffs.
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He notes that a heavy workload for 41-year-old Craig Anderson is not the right plan of action even if he is currently their best option to win games. The question is, can Anderson do the job until Devon Levi is ready to take on a more significant role? That could mean finding a short-term solution. Fairburn writes:
Kevyn Adams needs to find a veteran goalie who can inspire the same type of confidence Anderson has when he’s played his best. Ideally, it will be someone who can play more regularly than Anderson has this season. Going into next season with just Luukkonen and Comrie in the NHL net would be asking for a repeat of the problems that have plagued this group.
source – ‘The Sabres’ playoff hopes are all but dashed — What caused the slide? What are the solutions?’ – Kevin Fairburn – The Athletic – 03/23/2023
