NHL Rumors: J.T. Miller, Evgeni Malkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury
Anthony Scultore
|
Today’s NHL Rumors looks at three of the biggest names in the game. Starting off with renewed trade buzz regarding the Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller. Plus the latest on contract talks for Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and Minnesota Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury.
NHL Rumors: J.T. Miller trade buzz
Miller, 29, was the Canucks leading scorer with 99 points in 80 games this past season. He has one year left on his current deal which comes at a very affordable $5.25M cap hit.
The problem for the Canucks is what will his next contract look like? Speculation has it that a new deal in the 5-7 year range with an $8.5M AAV is very likely. Do the Canucks want to go that high?
“I believe J.T. wants to stay in Vancouver and I know the Canucks want to re-sign him but it has to be at the right term,” President Jim Rutherford said after the season. “Both sides at some point in the next month or two will have a better idea on where we sit.”
Darren Dreger is reporting that the Canucks are open to trade Miller and pending RFA Brock Boeser. He also added that there will be a number of teams interested in adding either of them.
“There isn’t a Stanley Cup playoff team to this point, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche who wouldn’t consider Miller a good add on top of what they already have,” Dreger said. “The Canucks are interested in listening, [GM] Patrik Allvin I’m sure is very busy, but the Canucks aren’t just in the market for draft picks. They need good, young players, NHL players in return. It’s going to be a very interesting off-season in Vancouver.”
You can bet that if Miller is available, he will pole vault to the top of any trade list.
NHL Rumors: Evgeni Malkin and Penguins far apart
Recent talk seems to have Evgeni Malkin heading for unrestricted free agency on July 13. There was an earlier report that Pittsburgh offered them a 3 year-deal worth $5M AAV which was considered low at the time.
Apparently not much has changed according to Elliotte Friedman, who was on the Pat McAfee Show
“I think with Malkin… the biggest issue is dollars,” Friedman said. “I think they were willing to agree on term… I just heard the money wasn’t close.”
via SI.com
Malkin, 35, finished the year with 42 points in 41 games. He wrapped up a deal worth $9.5M AAV against the cap.
NHL Rumors: Marc-Andre Fleury
The Minnesota Wild acquired Fleury at the NHL Trade Deadline on March 21 for a conditional second round pick. He very much enjoyed playing last season that he told reporters in April he wants to play one more year.
“I would like to play at least another season,” he said. “I decided that recently. I still enjoy playing. I still have fun, my body is still holding up, most of the time. But yes, another season and we’ll see after.”
The next big question is where will the pending UFA sign? Odds are it could be back with the Minnesota Wild and buddy, GM Bill Guerin.
“Conversation haven’t started between Bill Guerin and Allan Walsh, who represents Fleury, but I can tell you that Guerin would very much love to reunite that tandem of Fleury and Talbot for next year,” Dreger said. “Fleury enjoyed his time in Minnesota with the Wild; it was short but the Wild can see the value of bringing the 37-year-old experienced netminder back.”
It should also be noted that Friedman mentioned the possibility of Fleury going back to the Penguins on the Pat McAfee Show.
