In today’s NHL news and rumors rundown, Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch again and one insider claims the Vancouver Canucks are at the end of the rope with the forward. What now? Meanwhile, there is a quick update on where things stand with the William Nylander negotiations. Finally, when will the Calgary Flames start to get busy ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline?
Tocchet Has No More Patience for Kuzmenko in Vancouver
Trade rumors intensify as the Canucks face growing tension between head coach Rick Tocchet and forward Andrei Kuzmenko. Elliotte Friedman noted on the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast that Tocchet is reaching a breaking point with the player and the Canucks have settled into the idea that until Kuzmenko figures out how to get out of the dog house, more healthy scratches are likely.
Despite efforts to mend relations before the Christmas break, Friedman noted, “Whatever was doing that thought it was going to get him out of the dog house, it’s not enough.” He said that other players have been in the dog house but they seem to know how to work their way out of it. “That’s not happening with this player.”
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Jeff Marek noted that the Canucks aren’t in a position where they feel forced to trade him because they are winning and Kuzmenko has no leverage to ask for of demand a trade.
Deal to Be Made With Nylander, Negotations Ongoing
Negotiations between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander are in an interesting place, with a deal looming but described as “delicate” by multiple sources, including Friedman in his 32 Thoughts column. Originally aiming for a deal under $10 million, the Maple Leafs now recognize it will be a substantial contract. They have settled into that realization and want to get the deal done.
However, Friedman suggested that Michael Nylander’s role (William’s father) in negotiations is a hurdle, highlighting William’s loyalty. While careful not to divulge specifics, the intricacies of this unique negotiation underscore the importance of family dynamics for William, all while wrestling with the desire to stay with the Maple Leafs.
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The feeling is that this will still get done. When asked if Nylander contract is something Elias Pettersson has been anticipating in Vancouver, Friedman responded: “No, I don’t think one thing is tied to the other. I believe, with Pettersson, he’ll get paid, and the Canucks will compensate him. It’s just a matter of timing, when he’s prepared for it. That’s really what it boils down to.”
Could Flames Trade Action Start Soon?
Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun writes that the Flames might still be trying to decide if they rebuild or stay the course in Calgary. If they don’t tear it all down, who do they re-sign and who do they move on from? Soon-to-be free agents Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Elias Lindholm are all in the rumor mill, but there are questions about what players like Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, and Mikael Backlund will want to do if all three pending UFAs are traded.
Austin writes, this has been the big question since the end of the Flames’ disappointing 2022-23 season. In the end, there will be trades. He notes:
Surely, the Flames would love to see bidding wars develop for any players they consider moving before the deadline and it’s probably safe to assume that an established two-way centre like Lindholm, a somehow-still-only-26-year-old defenceman like Hanifin and one of the league’s most fearless defensive blueliners, in Tanev, are all going to generate lots of interest.
He adds, “It sort of feels like once one moves, the dominos will start to fall.”
