NHL Rumors: Rangers in on Dylan Strome; Vegas still after Jack Eichel; and Marc Bergevin wants to stay with Habs
Anthony Scultore
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The New York Rangers are in need of a center. On Tuesday, I noted that they along with the Ottawa Senators were the most likely destination for Dylan Strome.
The Sens lost Colin White during preseason to a long-term injury. Dylan’s brother Ryan is out on COVID protocols for the Rangers, but his absence has exposed how thin the team is up the middle.
Now reports are surfacing that the Blueshirts and Blackhawks have engaged in trade talks.
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NHL Rumors: Rangers trying to acquire Dylan Strome
Strome, 24, was acquired from the Coyotes back in 2018. He had a promising first season in Chicago with 51 points in 58 games but his production has declined since that season.
Yesterday, Larry Brooks of the New York Post confirmed that interest but noted that minimal progress has been made to this point. “There is no indication that talks between the Rangers and Blackhawks have progressed to any meaningful degree or that the Blueshirts do in fact have interest in the younger Strome,” he wrote.
Acquiring Strome won’t be easy, even though the Blackhawks are not playing him. The Senators had been in ongoing talks for Strome before Colin White was lost to a serious shoulder injury.
Pierre LeBrun noted that Ottawa and Chicago talked in the preseason but nothing came of it. Maybe the Sens have re-engaged helping Chicago raise the price.
Golden Knights still in on Jack Eichel
Things have once again gone quiet on the Jack Eichel trade front. Amazing how this saga seems to have a flurry of activity for a week or so but then goes completely silent. It’s probably one of the most embarrassing stalemates in NHL history.
Regardless, the biggest issue remains Eichel’s health, in particular his desire to have an artificial disc replacement which the Sabres won’t allow.
One team that seems to still be lingering around the 24 year-old pivot are the Vegas Golden Knights.
David Pagnotta from TFP reported this week that the Knights are still interested in acquiring Eichel. Recent news has the Sabres now willing to take back a contract to make a deal. Reilly Smith could be that contract that goes the other way. He has a $5M cap hit, but will be a UFA this summer.
Vegas will let Eichel have his desired surgery. However, with the Knights besieged by injury it would be hard for them to trade one of their few healthy bodies for a player that may not play for another 4-5 months.
Marc Bergevin wants to stay in Montreal
The Montreal Canadiens are off to an abysmal 0-4 start after making a run to the Cup last season.
“There’s some pretty good hockey players that aren’t playing up to their potential, and until they do, there’s nothing I’m going to do to make a change just to make a change,” GM Marc Bergevin explained yesterday.
In fairness, it’s hard to assess a team missing Carey Price, Shea Weber, and Mike Hoffman, who debuted Tuesday in a 5-0 loss to the Sharks.
While Bergevin is acting as a lame duck GM, he was asked about his desire to remain with Montreal. He replied simply, “In a perfect world, yes.”
Back in September, Pierre LeBrun provided this bit of information:
“What I can tell you is this. He has talked to owner Geoff Molson about his future dating back to last January. I’m told they spoke again last March. I’m told in July Molson made an offer,” Pierre LeBrun revealed. “There has not been an agreement, read into that what you will. I believe Marc Bergevin wants to stay, but they obviously have to reach a deal that works for both sides. Both sides continue to talk, and there’s a lot of pressure on this situation.”
Something apparently changed in the Habs’ ownership thinking. It makes one wonder just what it is.
