In today’s NHL rumors rundown, a couple of insiders like Marc-Andre Fleury as a fit for the Edmonton Oilers, assuming the Minnesota Wild ever open up to the idea of trading him. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets have started contract talks with a couple of pending UFAs. The Ottawa Senators are taking calls, but fans are hoping the team doesn’t trade Jakob Chychrun. Finally, I try to make up for forgetting to post yesterday’s “crazy rumors out of Vancouver” by including them in today’s post.
Is Fleury an Ideal Mentor in Edmonton?
While still too far from the NHL trade deadline to know if the Minnesota Wild are officially sellers, speculation surrounding veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has intensified, with potential landing spots becoming a topic of discussion. The Wild have dismissed immediate trade ideas, but General Manager Bill Guerin remains open to the possibility of a Fleury trade if the team falls out of playoff contention and Fleury expresses a desire to join a contender.
In a recent Got Yer’ Back podcast featuring TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, Mike Johnson, and Pierre LeBrun, Edmonton was deemed a strong candidate for Fleury. LeBrun emphasized the idea of the veteran as a mentor for Stuart Skinner, while Rishaug added that, given the Oilers’ active search for a goaltender to share the load with Skinner, especially in crucial playoff scenarios, Fleury could be a valuable addition.
Related: Flyers Can Move a Defenseman After Adding Jamie Drysdale
All said Fleury would likely want to go somewhere he could play. That made New Jersey an option, but likely only in the event they are playoff team.
Jets Begin Contract Talks with DeMelo and Dillon
As per Murat Ates of The Athletic, “Kevin Cheveldayoff and Larry Simmons have begun conversations with Dylan DeMelo and Brenden Dillon’s camps. Doesn’t say negotiations are ongoing exactly. Sounds preliminary.”
Both players are likely in line for a raise, so the Jets may not be rushing into anything.
Senators Considering Jakob Chychrun Trade, Fans Plead for the Defenseman Not to Leave
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that the Senators are highly engaged in trade discussions, ranking among the NHL’s most active teams. They aren’t looking to move any of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, or Thomas Chabot, but incoming calls from other teams persistently continue. Others on the roster may be considered trade bait.
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Among them, Garrioch writes, “A player to keep an eye on is defenceman Jakob Chychrun.” GM Steve Staios has been taking calls on the player and listening to teams that might have interest. Last season, the Oilers showed interest in Chychrun, “which is why they might be the best fit if a trade is made” the scribe notes. He adds:
At some point soon, Staios will likely meet with Chychrun’s Ottawa-based agent, Andy Scott of Octagon Hockey, to determine what their parameters might be on an extension. If the numbers don’t add up, then it could get serious with the teams that have been kicking tires.
source – ‘GARRIOCH: Keep an eye on Jakob Chychrun as Senators GM Steve Staios studies trade options’ – Bruce Garrioch – Ottawa Sun – 01/17/2024
Fans took to Chychrun’s Instagram page, commenting on a post he made and flooded his comments section with requests not to leave.
Expect Crazy Rumors Out of Vancouver
I fully intended to include a section in yesterday’s post about the Vancouver Canucks. For some reason (maybe article length, or another story I was working on), I forgot. Here is what I meant to post yesterday:
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Elliotte Friedman said on Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast that he expects the Canucks to be among the busier teams this season. He added, “You’re going to start hearing a lot of things about the Vancouver Canucks.” Specifically, he said, “We’re going to hear a lot of crazy rumors with Vancouver. I think Vancouver’s going to be the rumor center of the NHL over the next little while.”
While Friedman was likely only speculating that a ton of trade scenarios will be thrown out there and many may be far from accurate, Rory Boylen of Sportsnet cited Friedman’s comments and added that signs suggest the Canucks might contemplate taking a “big swing on a top-six winger or an impact centre.”
To get what they need — some have speculated interest in Jake Guentzel — the Canucks might have to move Andrei Kuzmenko or Nils Hoglander to clear money. Boylen noted, “the Canucks are firmly in the “buyers” category for the first time in years; the question isn’t will they be active in the market, but how active?”
Some of the craziness might be related to Elias Pettersson. Frank Seravalli notes it’s way too early and there’s next-to-no chance the Canucks consider a trade this season. But if June 1 comes and then the draft get closer and he’s not signed an extension, the team might have to work through what all that means. Even suggesting Pettersson in trade at this point would be considered crazy, but don’t be shocked if his name pops up in rumors should there not be any indication the two sides are getting closer to talking through the specifics of a deal.