NHL Rumors: The biggest names on the trade bait board just got bigger
Anthony Scultore
|
The next NHL season could be just 6-8 weeks away. That is if the league and NHLPA can work things out for a January 1 start date. One thing that keeps moving forward is the rumor mill and recently two big names just got added to it.
The Daily Goal Horn NHL Trade Bait Board
- Jack Eichel, BUF
- Mitch Marner, TOR
- Patrik Laine, WPG
- Matt Dumba, MIN
- Johnny Gaudreau, CGY
- Tyler Johnson, TB
- Alex Killorn, TB
- Shayne Gostibehere, PHI
- Jaden Schwartz, STL
- Phil Kessel, AZ
- Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK
- William Nylander, TOR
NHL Rumors: Jack Eichel climbs to the top of the list
In a recent anonymous survey with NHL agents, Buffalo superstar Jack Eichel was at the top of their trade list. According to one agent, “At some point, he’s just going to say, enough. Buffalo and losing is not fun.”
Now I know that the new Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said some teams called about him, but at this time they aren’t dealing him. That could change come the trade deadline if Buffalo is out of a playoff picture.
Listen, 24 year-old superstar centers don’t grow on trees and if he wants out that puts him at the top of this list. Even the mere mention of his name qualifies him as number one.
NHL Rumors: Mitch Marner outta nowhere!
Leafs winger, Mitch Marner is not a name I expected any agent to mention, let alone three in that survey. He scored 67 points in 59 games last year, but his salary and Leafs cap issues could be the reason why he gets moved.
When you look at the Maple Leafs their best player is without a doubt Auston Matthews. There is a debate on who the Leafs second best player is, and many feel it is Mitch Marner not John Tavares.
However, if the Leafs want to change their cap situation and shakeup the team they’d be hard pressed to move Tavares. He’s aging and regressing and comes with a big salary. That’s why Marner and his $10.8 million AAV makes logical sense.
Patrik Laine is almost as good as gone next season
Patrik Laine wanted it well known that did not ask to be traded. He did so because of all the rumors swirling around that he was available on the market.
“[Laine’s] agents also made clear that it’s fair to say that given that Laine knows his name has been in trade discussions, and given that his usage in the lineup the last couple of years has been a constant topic of conversation, the fact that he doesn’t get consistent first-line minutes, his agents Mike Liut and Andy Scott do confirm that it probably would be mutually beneficial to both the player and to the team he is traded.”Pierre Lebrun on a recent Insider Trading.
I don’t know about you, but when a player’s agent says it would be “mutually beneficial ” for him to be traded, I’m not sure what else Jets GM, Kevin Cheveldayoff can do but get the best return possible.
Matt Dumba on the trade board
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Minnesota are in no rush to trade Matt Dumba, but are still looking to trade him. So why are the Wild looking to trade him? Think about the upcoming expansion draft and which defenseman they will be protecting. Dumba is the odd man out, and will certainly be snagged by the Kraken.
The Minnesota Wild want to get younger and add some scoring to their lineup. In an article at The Athletic, a suggestion was made about a Matt Dumba for Patrik Laine trade. It makes a lot of sense for a number of reasons.
Primarily, Winnipeg much like Columbus struggles to attract high profile free agents. Dumba is a defenseman that the Jets need and he comes with another three years left on his deal at a great cost. For the Wild, well if you want to get younger and add offense, who better than Laine.
Johnny Gaudreau an NHL trade rumor favorite
Poor Johnny Hockey has been in the trade rumor mill for awhile now. It also doesn’t help when your GM, Brad Treliving says stuff like this, “We don’t expect this is the team we’ll go to training camp with.”
Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames has been in the NHL trade rumor mill for a year. The speculation started in The Athletic back in November but died down. Those rumors picked up at the deadline and went off the charts when Gaudreau temporarily took the Flames out of his Twitter bio.
The relationship between both parties may be reaching a breaking point. There is also a lot of talk that Kevin Hayes is in the ear of coach Alain Vigneault to push for a trade to bring his old line-mate to the Flyers.
Will the New Jersey native make his way to Philadelphia soon? I am betting on this happening next season.