NHL Rumors: Trade partners for Jack Roslovic, more three-way deals this season, and taxi-squad cap games
Anthony Scultore
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Jack Roslovic has gone public with his demand to be traded from the Winnipeg Jets. The unsigned RFA was unhappy with his utilization as a bottom six forward.
Despite the way he was used, the 23 year-old pivot still scored career highs in goals (12) and assists (17) last season. He is not at Jets camp and awaits his trade.
NHL Rumors: Three landing spots for Roslovic
When it comes to possible landing spots for the former first round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry draft, three teams are being mentioned more often than not.
The Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild.
All three teams are looking for centers to add to their roster. The Blackhawks being the most needy after losing Kirby Dach and Jonathan Toews.
The Minnesota Wild have what the Jets are looking for in defenseman Matt Dumba, but that’s not an equal swap. If the Jets can add pieces to the deal it could move the needle for GM Bill Guerin.
As for the Rangers, after Mika Zibanejad there’s plenty of questions to the center position. Ryan Strome is a lock as the 2C this season, but both Filip Chytil and Brett Howden have spent more time on the wings last season as they did at a center.
NHL Rumors: Expect more three-way deals this season
A league source told me that we may see more three-way deals this year than usual. A lot has to do with teams up against the cap and the ceiling being stagnant at $81.5 million.
In order to facilitate some of these trades, teams with loads of cap space may be involved to help make the pieces fit for those that don’t have the cap room.
A lot of the teams with cap space are also teams that are rebuilding so they can be incentivized with high draft picks or prospects.
Taxi squads will be key for cap strapped teams
When the league instituted taxi squads for this season, plenty of teams breathed a sigh of relief and went to work on cap manipulation.
“The cap shenanigans around the league this year are going to be next level,” one team source told James Mirtle of The Athletic. Mirtle went to further explain just how that will benefit teams come trade deadline.
Well, assuming teams take advantage of this in an aggressive fashion and carry fewer roster players for the bulk of the season, we could be talking about millions in savings per team. If the 21st, 22nd and 23rd players on rosters are all on a taxi squad instead of the NHL roster, and they’re on two-way contracts (which carry a lower salary in the minors), the cap savings could in extreme cases add up to more than $3 million per team.
James Mirtle