In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly showed interest in Jacob Trouba and could again if the Anaheim Ducks choose to flip him ahead of the deadline. Meanwhile, did the Vancouver Canucks calls the New York Rangers about Chris Kreider and get shot down? Finally, things between the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators are getting heated as the Senators have accused the Rangers of “soft tampering” at the Board of Governors meetings. The Rangers have responded too and things are getting a bit heated between the two organizations.
Could the Maple Leafs Look at Trouba Before the Deadline?
As per Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Maple Leafs kicked tires on Jacob Trouba before he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. It clearly didn’t pan out, but Simmons believes there could be renewed interest by the Maple Leafs ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
He writes:
“Leafs management likes big defenceman Jacob Trouba, the recently traded Rangers captain. And they might have some interest in Trouba, if Anaheim or somebody else eats a lot of salary, at the deadline.”
source – ‘SIMMONS SUNDAY: Maple Leafs’ John Tavares being left off Team Canada was no snub’ – Steve Simmons – Toronto Sun – 12/08/2024
Simmons isn’t confident this interest in Trouba will amount to much, thinking the Leafs might prioritize adding another forward ahead of the trade deadline.
There is no indication at this time that the Ducks are actually looking to flip Trouba. Reports are they were happy to get him and actually looked at him a while ago. It’s only if things change with the organization or their rebuild plans that GM Pat Verbeek might pivot and put Trouba on the market again.
Canucks Told Kreider Not Interested in a Trade to Vancouver?
According to Donnie & Dhali’s Rick Dhaliwal, the Vancouver Canucks reached out to the New York Rangers and reportedly explored the idea of trading for Chris Kreider. Once the Rangers made it clear Kreider was available, Vancouver expressed interest but was told that Kreider wasn’t looking to move and wouldn’t waive for the Canucks.
Kreider’s 15-team no-trade clause apparently brought an end to any potential discussions. In other words, it doesn’t sound like things got very far.
It is not clear if rumors of the Canucks interest in Kreider had anything to do with reports the Rangers reached out to Vancouver about J.T. Miller.
Senators Owner Slams Rangers for ‘Soft Tampering’
Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer voiced frustration over rumors linking captain Brady Tkachuk to other teams, leveling accusations of “soft tampering.” against the New York Rangers. The Rangers have responded, saying, “This is an irresponsible accusation, and we defer to the Commissioner’s office.”
Andlauer stated that neither he nor the Senators have engaged in trade talks regarding Tkachuk and this marks the third time Andlauer has had to address false rumors about Tkachuk’s future since becoming the team’s owner.
The panel of insiders at TSN reports that smaller markets like Ottawa and Winnipeg often face challenges retaining top players due to perceptions that athletes prefer larger, tax-friendly U.S. cities. Andlauer plans to bring this issue to Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly during the Board of Governors meeting, aiming to push for stricter enforcement and protect the integrity of small-market teams.