In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there is more injury news as the Florida Panthers are losing another key player in the short term. Meanwhile, Timothy Liljegren might get into the lineup for the Toronto Maple Leafs amidst trade discussions. Are the Edmonton Oilers being linked to the defenseman after starting the season 0-3?
Panthers’ Tkachuk Expected to Miss a Week, Barkov Out for 2-3 Weeks Due to Injuries
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice announced that superstar Matthew Tkachuk is expected to be sidelined for about a week due to an illness. The team is hopeful he’ll return during their matchup against the Minnesota Wild on October 22. He has already missed one game, sitting out Florida’s recent loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Tkachuk’s absence comes at a challenging time for the Panthers, as he joins linemate Aleksander Barkov who is also on the shelf. Barkov is dealing with a week-to-week lower-body injury and is projected to miss two to three weeks. Maurice indicated that the team is targeting a return for Barkov before the start of November.
The loss of both Tkachuk and Barkov is significant for the Panthers, who are looking to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.
Liljegren to Make Maple Leafs Debut Amidst Trade Talk
Jonas Siegel was among the reporters who noted on Monday morning that Timothy Liljegren was paired up with Simon Benoit at Maple Leafs practice on Monday. He writes, “Looks like he might make his season debut on Wednesday.” Liljegren told media after practice that he talked to head coach Craig Berube about getting back in the lineup and it was relayed that the focus has to be on playing a simpler game.
Related: 3 Necessary Maple Leafs Adjustments Following Win vs. Penguins
This likely won’t slow trade rumors surrounding the defenseman. His name has been out there and talk is that the Leafs are seeing if there’s a market for the player. Allan Mitchell recently wrote in a post for The Athletic that the Oilers are looking for potential help on their blue line. He notes:
Edmonton hasn’t been linked to Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Timothy Liljegren, but the young defender’s name is out there in trade rumours this fall. The issue could reach a pressure point due to the lack of playing time for the right-handed defenceman in Toronto. He has NHL experience (196 games) but can’t get into the Maple Leafs lineup.
source – ‘Is there a significant trade in the Edmonton Oilers’ near future?’ – Allan Mitchell – The Athletic – 10/24/2024
Are Oilers New Coach Rumors Already Surfacing?
Mitchell also noted in that article that there were theories and suggestions that the slow start by Edmonton could lead to head coach Kris Knoblauch being in the hot seat. He added, “Some Oilers fans are convinced the first big move by Bowman will be the announcement of Joel Quenneville as the team’s new head coach.” He added, “That would be a shocking development this early.”
From a few other sources I reached out to, there is no talk at all that the Oilers are thinking about a coaching change. It’s way too early for the organization to be abandoning Knoblauch and while there are concerns about their blue line, there is also confidence this group can turn things around.
What’s most likely is that the Oilers take a shot with a free-agent defenseman who hasn’t been signed yet. Chris Johnston and colleague Pierre LeBrun also reported the Edmonton Oilers have been linked to a pair of UFA defensemen. They wrote of Shattenkirk:
His camp, led by agent Jordan Neumann, remains in constant communication with several teams, having in-depth conversations about his client’s potential fit. It’s believed the Edmonton Oilers are among the teams that have talked to them.
source: ‘What we’re hearing about 4 veteran UFA defensemen looking for another shot: Johnston and LeBrun’ – The Athletic – 10/10/2024
It is believed the Oilers are among the teams to have spoken with Kevin Shattenkirk. They also suggested Mark Giordano could be an option.