In today’s NHL news and rumors, the Edmonton Oilers might have to make a roster change after losing Game 3, getting Adam Henrique into the lineup when they play at home on Monday night. Contract talks between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos have begun, but could they take some time? Can the Vancouver Canucks afford to keep Elias Lindholm? Finally, are the Pittsburgh Penguins trying to sign Jaromir Jagr to an executive job?
Will the Oilers Go to Henrique in Game 3?
The Oilers were without center Adam Henrique in Game 2 and reports are that he’s very close, with some saying he’s around 98%, which is, honestly, better than many players probably playing in the playoffs right now. With the Oilers dropping Saturday’s Game 2, it might be time to get Henrique into Game 3 or Game 4 of the Western Conference Final.
Edmonton’s third line of Warren Foegele, Derek Ryan, and Ryan McLeod has not been good enough. A change needs to be made to boost that line, but the question about who comes out of the lineup for Edmonton is a dilemma. There are elements that each brings, especially on the penalty kill, which has been tremendous for Edmonton.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Oilers’ 3-1 Loss to Stars in Game 2
An interesting side note to the Oilers and Stars series. PuckPedia confirmed that if the Oilers win the Conference Finals against the Stars, they will need to pay Corey Perry a $50K performance bonus. Perry hit the first qualifier for the bonus because he played in 50% of the team’s playoff games. If the Oilers end up having to pay the second bonus to Perry, they will add on to an already league-leading overage penalty for next season at $3.55 million.
Lightning and Stamkos Talking Extension
As per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos have finally begun their contract talks. GM Julien BriseBois mentioned that the acquisition of Ryan McDonagh doesn’t mean the team can’t find the cap space to re-sign Stamkos. But, it does make things tighter.
LeBrun explains:
This one could go right to the wire. Stamkos has been the face of the franchise forever, so this isn’t just about dollars and cents. I would hate to see that guy wear another uniform, but I can’t tell if they will be able to bridge the gap.
source – ‘Rumblings on Guentzel, Kane, Stamkos, Lindholm, Bertuzzi and more as NHL free-agent market heats up’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 05/24/2024
Canucks Likely to Lose Elias Lindholm
LeBrun also writes that the Canucks are making a strong push to re-sign Lindholm, which may mean having to clear some cap space off of the books. He says, “But I suspect the 29-year-old’s price will be too high for him to resist going to market. He should receive tremendous interest given the scarcity at his position and his skill set.”
Interestingly, there’s an Instagram post going viral where Lindholm’s wife posted a photo of Elias and their child packing to leave Vancouver. While this could be few things (including just not knowing the plan yet) it seems to suggest that he might not be thinking he’s sticking around. She also responded to a fan who asked them to stay by saying that things are up in the air as he’s about to become a free agent. At the very least, he’s going to test the market.
Penguins Trying to Hire Jagr
The Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly working on bringing in former winger Jaromír Jágr. Rob Rossi of The Athletic interviewed the President of Business Operations, Kevin Acklin. Acklin shared that the team has been working on recruiting Jágr while visiting Prague for the World Championship.
Rossi writes:
Though not yet formalized, Acklin said in March he envisioned a role for Jagr that would let him spend the majority of his time in Kladno, Czech Republic, where he lives, owns and still plays for his hometown team. Jagr would also make regular trips to Pittsburgh, not in an official hockey capacity but not merely as an ambassador.
source – ‘Penguins’ pursuit of Jaromir Jagr for permanent job with team ‘just makes sense’ ‘ Rob Rossi – The Athletic – 05/23/2024
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