In today’s NHL rumor rundown, Ilya Mikheyev is getting a lot of attention by NHL clubs, but who will sign him? Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and other Winnipeg Jets talk about re-signing in Winnipeg, and Mats Zuccarello is earning a second look in Dallas. What would it take to keep him around?
Where Will Ilya Mikheyev Wind Up?
KHL forward Ilya Mikheyev is being pursued by the Vegas Golden Knights, but recent reports now suggest Vegas is not the only franchise trying to get him under contract.
Today, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express has heard that the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the final few teams still working on a deal, but Darren Dreger of TSN noted Vegas and the Chicago Blackhawks are part of the conversation as well. Dreger notes that a majority of the league has shown interest and that a decision is expected this weekend.
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Jets Staying, Jets Leaving…
Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg News notes that he asked Winnipeg Jets pending restricted free agent defenseman Jacob Trouba if he is wanting to sign a long-term deal with the Jets. Trouba responded, “Same answer as always. I’ll figure it out once things get going in the summer, what’s best and move forward from there.”
Trouba added, “We’ve got to sit down and kind of have a meeting and figure out what to do.” He noted that he’s willing to go through salary arbitration again, but it’s not a fun route. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff would not comment on the status of negotiations.
When Tyler Myers was asked if he would like to stay in Winnipeg, he responded:
“Obviously never been in this position before. Trying not to really put too much into it. Door has always been open to stay. I’ve always said I really enjoy our room. We have a team that has some really good pieces around it. Obviously, we finished a little earlier than we wanted. We’ll see what happens here in the next month or two.”
source – ‘WIEBE: Who stays, who goes for Jets?’ – The Winnipeg Sun – Ken Wiebe – 04/22/2019
When Kevin Hayes was asked if he’d like to stick around, he said, “I’m sure I’ll end up in a spot with a great coach and a great team, and it might be in Winnipeg, to be honest.” Noting that he’s loved his experience with the Jets, “I’ve had an unbelievable time here. It was cut short, but I’ll never forget these couple of months I had here.”
While that all sounds really positive, Hayes did admit that he likes the fact that he can choose his home as a free agent, he’s been through the process before and it is expected some teams will make sizeable offers to him this summer.
Other players like Laurent Brossoit said he’ll make the right decision, whether that’s in Winnipeg or elsewhere and Brandon Tanev will have a decision to make with a few options after a strong season. The Jets also have a ton of restricted free agents to get under contract and have to determine if the early exit in this year’s playoffs is a sign of problems with the roster or a bad few games, but the team is still very much a contender.
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Zuccarello Earns a Contract Extension?
Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that Mats Zuccarello may have earned a contract extension with the Dallas Stars based upon his immediate positive effect to the organization.
A 31-year-old pending UFA winger, if the Stars re-sign him, they’ll have to cede their 2020 first-round pick to the New York Rangers as part of the trade that brought him to Dallas before the trade deadline.
If Zuccarello chooses to stay, Brooks believes he could seek a no-movement clause to keep him from being drafted in the 2021 NHL expansion draft.
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