Buying or Selling the Latest NHL Trade and Free-Agent Rumors
As the NHL's 2023-24 season approaches a new month, the rumor mill continues to roll along with pundits musing over potential player movement.
With a high number of teams still carrying limited salary-cap space, early-season trades remain a difficult proposition for most. Nevertheless, there is chatter that some clubs could be looking into making moves.
Some of the speculation involves Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland. He's been a frequent subject of trade rumors since the club granted his agent permission to speak with other clubs.
Meanwhile, some observers wonder what effect Shane Pinto's 41-game gambling suspension will have on the Ottawa Senators' plans. At the same time, possible destinations for free-agent winger Patrick Kane remain everyone's favorite guessing game.
Should we buy or sell any of this conjecture? Follow along as we examine the latest notable trade rumors.
Feel free to express your thoughts on this topic in our app comments section.
Could the Florida Panthers Pursue a Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman?
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The Columbus Blue Jackets have been trying to move a defenseman since the start of the season. On Oct. 22, The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reported the Jackets are carrying eight rearguards and wish to create some flexibility on their blue line.
Three days later, Florida Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy wondered if the Florida Panthers might have some interest. He indicated that Erik Gudbranson, Adam Boqvist and Andrew Peeke were rumored to be available. However, Murphy noted that they won't have much cap space once Aaron Ekblad comes off long-term injury later this season.
An NHL source told Murphy that the Panthers were among three clubs with an interest in Boqvist. The right-shot defenseman carries an average annual cap hit of $2.6 million through 2024-25.
Buy or Sell: Sell...for now
The Panthers are using Ekblad's LTIR to exceed the $83.5 million salary cap and must be cap-compliant when he returns in January. Nevertheless, they could wait until closer to the March 8 trade deadline when they could accrue sufficient cap room to boost their defensive depth.
Could the Montreal Canadiens Make an Early-Season Trade?
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Since taking over as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens in January 2022, Kent Hughes has been quite active in the trade market as he rebuilds his club's roster. That's prompted some observers to suggest he might be planning an early-season trade.
On Oct. 23, Montreal Hockey Now's Marco D'Amico indicated the Canadiens have the cap flexibility to target teams looking to shed salary. He noted that Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland, Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Adam Boqvist, Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha and Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph are on the trade block.
On Oct. 18, Boston Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy claimed the Canadiens were entertaining offers for goaltender Cayden Primeau. Three days later, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggested forward Joel Armia could be a trade candidate.
Buy or Sell: Buy
Hughes is sitting in a good position to make a move or two if it'll fetch a return that helps his rebuilding club now and in the future. If he doesn't swing a deal in the early going, he'll likely do so later in the season. Whether he targets those players noted by D'Amico or someone else remains to be seen.
Will the Senators Still Attempt to Shed Salary Following Shane Pinto's Suspension?
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Contract negotiations between the Ottawa Senators and restricted free agent Shane Pinto took an unexpected twist last week when the 22-year-old center received a 41-game suspension for violating the NHL's wagering rules. The team has rescinded all contract offers to the Pinto camp amid his suspension.
The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch reported the earliest Pinto will return to the Senators is Jan. 21 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He believes the two sides were close to a two-year contract that would've paid the young center an average annual salary of $2 million before the suspension was handed down.
Garrioch thinks Pinto will accept his one-year qualifying offer of $874,500 to get the contract situation sorted out before he returns to action. However, The Athletic's Ian Mendes speculated that the Pinto camp could still attempt to negotiate for a better deal.
Mendes noted the suspension buys Senators general manager Pierre Dorion time to make a cost-cutting trade to free up room for Pinto's return in January. He pointed out that Mathieu Joseph, Dominik Kubalik and Erik Brannstrom had been mentioned as trade candidates.
Buy or Sell: Buy
Dorion doesn't have to rush into making a trade for now, but he must free up cap room to sign Pinto when he returns. The center's suspension will provide him with time to evaluate which player would be the most likely trade candidate. It will also allow for the trade market to improve as teams accrue cap space over the course of the season.
Will the Washington Capitals Make a Pitch for Conor Garland?
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Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland has frequently surfaced throughout October as a trade candidate after the club gave his agent permission to speak with other teams. He's been linked to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.
The Washington Capitals recently became the latest club tied to Garland. On Oct. 23, CHEK-TV's Rick Dhaliwal cited Sporstnet's Elliotte Friedman saying he's keeping an eye on the Capitals. Friedman noted that they've been trying to move winger Anthony Mantha, but a swap of Mantha for Garland doesn't work.
Friedman pointed out that Mantha carries a larger salary-cap hit for this season ($5.7 million) than Garland's $4.9 million. He also indicated that the Canucks are trying to create some extra cap room by peddling Garland.
Buy or Sell: Sell
ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported the Canucks are willing to retain up to 30 percent of Garland's cap hit to facilitate a trade. Given their desire to shed salary, they won't move him only to acquire a player carrying a larger cap hit. Unless another club gets involved as a third-party broker, Garland going to Washington seems unlikely.
Will the Boston Bruins Pass On Signing Patrick Kane?
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As Patrick Kane continues his rehab from an offseason hip resurfacing procedure, it's expected his camp will begin fielding offers from interested clubs in early November. The Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers have been mentioned as potential suitors for the 34-year-old free-agent right wing.
The Boston Bruins, however, might not be among them. On Oct. 28, Boston Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL source saying they don't expect the Bruins to get into the bidding for Kane.
Murphy's source believes the Bruins lack sufficient cap space to sign Kane even if they were talking about a one-year contract worth $3 million. He also pointed out that they already have plenty of wingers and would have to ship one out to create room for Kane.
Buy or Sell: Buy
The Bruins are so pressed for cap space that they had to place Milan Lucic and his $1 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve to create sufficient room to call up Oskar Steen to replace him. While they could benefit from Kane skating on the right side of their second line, they simply cannot afford him.
Salary info via CapFriendly with additional info via Daily Faceoff.
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