NHL Rumors: Taylor Hall; Henrik Lundqvist; St. Louis Blues; and Calgary Flames
Anthony Scultore
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Henrik Lundqvist continues to work on a return to his NHL career. On NHL Network he opened up about having heart surgery and recalled how surreal the experience was.
“I remember laying there, outside the operating room, and you start to think, is this really happening? Like, am I going in that room and they’re going to open my chest? And a machine is going to keep me alive?” the 39-year-old Lundqvist told NHL Network in an interview with former Rangers teammate Kevin Weekes. “It was some pretty heavy stuff to take in, but at the same time, you know me, I like control. I like preparation. I like certain things to be a certain way. So in that moment I think the key was to just let go of all the control.”
via NYPOST
Henrik Lundqvist working on a comeback
While the Capitals are keeping an eye on the trade market for some additional goalie insurance, they are also awaiting news from Lundqvist. Per Frank Seravalli on TSN’s Insider Trading, he said that Henrik is “quietly” working out. The 39 year-old net minder is also awaiting word from doctors this week on his short and longterm future. Depending on what the prognosis is the Caps are not ruling out a return this season.
If Lundqvist were to make a return it would go down in history as the greatest comeback of all time. Here’s to rooting for his health and return to the ice at some point again.
Taylor Hall trade talks intensifying
Taylor Hall was scratched yesterday and is expected to not play again until traded. According to Darren Dreger there are at least two contenders who are heavily interested and have “intensified” their pursuit of the former MVP. The question is who are those two teams willing to give up a first rounder plus for him?
The NY Islanders were linked to the 29 year-old forward as soon as they lost Anders Lee. Another team desperate for goal scoring up front are the Boston Bruins. However it appears that the Toronto Maple Leafs may have entered the fray to acquire Hall for a playoff run.
St. Louis Blues open to trading Mike Hoffman and Tyler Bozak
The Blues aren’t mathematically eliminated but if you’ve watched them play of late you would think they were a last place team. Pierre LeBrun noted on TSN Insider Trading that GM Doug Armstrong is likely to trade his pending UFA’s at the deadline. Specifically mentioned were Mike Hoffman and Tyler Bozak.
Hoffman would be a great plan B for any team that doesn’t land Taylor Hall.
Calgary Flames roster reconstruction coming
News out of Calgary has the Flames ready to reconstruct their lineup. As Frank Seravalli stated on TSN last night he believes that the type of deals they need to make won’t be done until the offseason. This should be a relatively quiet deadline for them but they could move Sam Bennett or David Rittich if they chose.
As for the big pieces that would be offseason trades; that would be Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.