NHL Rumors: Rangers, Predators, Wild, More

In today’s NHL rumor rundown there is more on the New York Rangers trying to clear cap space, the Nashville Predators might considering trading veteran center Nick Bonino and are the Minnesota Wild trying to trade Zach Parise?

Rangers Won’t Trade Kreider

We wrote yesterday that two Rangers scribes were suggesting the New York Rangers might make Chris Kreider, Vladislav Namestnikov or Ryan Strome available to clear the cap space they needed to get under the salary cap ceiling. Going the opposite direction, Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggests the team won’t trade those players but buy out Kevin Shattenkirk, saying it “should be an open-and-shut case.”

New York Rangers right wing Pavel Buchnevich Kevin Shattenkirk
New York Rangers right wing Pavel Buchnevich celebrates with Kevin Shattenkirk (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn)

Brooks says while Kreider might head into the season without an extension, there is no evidence the Rangers are shopping him and Rick Carpiniello of The Athletic suggests if the Rangers do trade Kreider, it will be at next year’s trade deadline because they aren’t interested in re-signing him to a seven-year, $7 million per season extension.

Carpiniello writes:

If a trade for Kreider doesn’t materialize, and Gorton can find another way to get under the cap (he will), then holding onto Kreider perhaps until the trade deadline is a possibility. Kreider would probably bring a first-rounder plus from a contender before the deadline, as did Hayes and Rick Nash the year before that.

source – ‘Rangers’ buyout window opens with Pavel Buchnevich signing, and now they have to get under the cap’ – Rick Carpiniello – The Athletic – 07/26/2019

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Predators to Move Nick Bonino?

During a recent mailbag segment, The Athletic’s John Glennon wrote that while the Nashville Predators might attempt to move center Nick Bonino during training camp or early in the season.

Nashville Predators center Nick Bonino
Nashville Predators center Nick Bonino (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

An expensive bottom-six center for the Predators, Bonino is making $4.1 million per season and the belief is that Colton Sissons can come in and fill his role for much less.

Glennon writes:

He [Sissons] does many things well for the Predators. He can play pretty much any forward position, evidenced by what he did in the 2017 Western Conference-clinching game against Anaheim (hat trick) when replacing Ryan Johansen in the lineup. 

source – ‘Titans/Predators Mailbag: What happens to Marcus Mariota, Taylor Lewan’s place and Nashville’s roster?’ – John Glennon – The Athletic – 07/25/2019

Meanwhile, Bonino played well enough with 17 goals and 35 points that there will be teams interested should he become available.

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Wild Trying to Move Parise?

The Athletic’s Michael Russo writes that Minnesota Wild general manager Paul Fenton has discussed the possibility of trading Zach Parise. The team apparently tried to do so at the draft and in the weeks since then.

Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild
Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild, January 14, 2019 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

At 34, Parise still has six years remaining on a $7.53 million per season contract. He would be tough to trade considering his recent production and he would have to waive a no-trade clause, the team would have to retain salary and try to get something back in return.

When Parise was asked if he would waive for a trade, his response was:

“But you get to that point where you want to win. That’s all you want to do. Trust me, we’d all love to win here. I think this place would be absolute insanity if we won here. So that’s the goal. I mean, I just don’t know. Let’s put it this way, they haven’t come to me asking if I want to get traded somewhere.

source – ‘Zach Parise’s hockey-life crisis: As he turns 35, Wild star ponders his past, present and future’ – Michael Russo – The Athletic – 07/27/2019

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Engelland Waited for Golden Knights

That veteran defenseman Deryk Engelland re-signed with the Vegas Golden Knights isn’t much of a surprise. What might have been a bit surprising was how long it took to announce the extension.

Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland
Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)

Engelland told Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he received one-year offers from other teams this summer but ultimately waited for Vegas to clear out David Clarkson’s contract before signing a one-year, bonus-laden deal.  He also said not viewing the upcoming campaign as his final season and would like to stay in Vegas.

Gotz quotes comments from Engelland saying:

You talk to a lot of guys that have retired after long careers, they wish they played longer,” Engelland said. “They just tell you, ‘Play as long as you can.’ I think the body is holding up well, so I’ll keep going and try to help the team to achieve our ultimate goal of winning in any way that we can.

source – ‘Golden Knights’ Deryk Engelland isn’t ready for retirement’ – Ben Gotz – Review Journal – 07/24/2019