In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the New York Rangers held a meeting with their star players to reduce the blowback of the memo their GM sent out about being open for business and trading big names. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings might be on the cusp of firing their head coach, with an interesting name being tossed out there as a possible replacement. Finally, the Toronto Maple Leafs got the news that Auston Matthews still won’t be back, while the Edmonton Oilers will be without Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson for a little longer.
Rangers GM Holds Meeting to Reduce Blowback
According to a report by Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Rangers’ GM Chris Drury met with some of his players this week after realizing the memo he sent on Sunday might have the opposite impact he was hoping it would. Instead of being motivated by the idea that playing better could limit the Rangers talking trades with other teams, the club dropped a stinker to the St. Louis Blues, losing 5-2.
Staple writes:
A Rangers source said Drury did meet with Trouba later in the day Tuesday, as well as Kreider and other veterans, before the team flew to Raleigh. The source characterized the meetings as “honest, productive conversations.” If Drury’s league-wide trade call was meant as a message, those meetings were probably necessary to ensure the team can stay together and not fracture.
source – ‘Jacob Trouba responds to trade talk, meets with Chris Drury after Rangers put him back on the block’ – Arthur Staple – The Athletic – 11/26/2024
It might be too late to limit the damage done by throwing players under the bus as Drury did. For Jacob Trouba, he said he wasn’t and isn’t phased as he went through this already in the summer. He noted that he wants to stay with the Rangers and isn’t looking to be traded.
Red Wings on the Verge of Firing Derek Lalonde?
According to Darren Dreger of TSN’s Insider Trading, Derek Lalonde’s job could e in jeopardy as it might hinge on Detroit’s performance against the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and Vancouver Canucks this week. “Detroit needs to, wants to, and is counting on staying in the playoff mix,” Dreger said. He then rhetorically asked what happens to coach Lalonde if they go 1-for-3 or 0-for-3.
Dreger noted that team president and GM Steve Yzerman is aware that a poor showing could force a coaching change. They could go with someone internally, but ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski says that former Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville has been brought up in discussions by a couple of NHL sources. “Two weeks ago, I heard Quenneville for Detroit,” a coaching source said.
Auston Matthews Remains Out for the Maple Leafs
“I felt really good, but I might need one or two to really get my legs and lungs back under me,” said Auston Matthews when he spoke to the media on Tuesday. He will not play against the Florida Panthers and the team confirmed he just needs a bit more time to get up to speed.
For the Leafs, they aren’t rushing Matthews back considering the success of the team without him in the lineup. In fact, there is some talk about where to put Matthews when he returns and if it’s best to split him up from Mitch Marner, who is playing elite-level hockey without Matthews on his line.
Oilers Won’t Have Hyman and Arvidsson Back
Edmonton Oilers’ Head Coach Kris Knoblauch says that Zach Hyman and Victor Arvidsson will be out the next five to eight days and neither are expected to play games this weekend at Utah and Colorado. That’s an issue for the Oilers, who didn’t expect either player to miss this much time.
Arvidsson’s injury was said to be day-to-day when it happened.