In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Montreal Canadiens are likely going to look for a forward in the offseason. Who is on their radar? Meanwhile, Mikko Rantanen left the lineup for the Colorado Avalanche versus the Edmonton Oilers on Friday after taking a big hit. His injury situation doesn’t sound promising. Are the Seattle Kraken contemplating a coaching change? Finally, does a change in management among the ownership group of the Toronto Maple Leafs put Brendan Shanahan’s job at risk?
3 Trade Candidates for Canadiens This Summer
To bolster the Canadiens’ odds of winning next season, Marco D’Amico writes that the team will likely address their forward group this offseason. Improving the lineup for the upcoming season is imperative and organic growth among their young talent — Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, Joshua Roy, and Alex Newhook — isn’t enough.
Potential solutions include Trevor Zegras, Martin Necas, and Kent Johnson, each offering varying degrees of promise. Among them, D’Amico suggests that Johnson stands out, despite being the least proven. With the Columbus Blue Jackets undergoing managerial changes, his untapped potential presents an intriguing prospect for Montreal’s consideration. He’s also a better option out of Columbus than a player like Patrik Laine due to his contract.
Rantanen to be Evaluated for Some Time
Oilers’ defenseman Mattias Rkholm leveled Mikko Rantanen on Friday with a clean hit and Rantanen was shaky to his feet and left the game. He didn’t return. When asked about his status, head coach Jared Bednar said Rantanen will be under evaluation “for awhile.”
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Rantanen has 102 points this season. Needless to say, if he’s out any significant amount of time, that’s a huge loss for the Avalanche heading into the postseason.
Senators Unlikely to Move Korpisalo
As per the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch, he doesn’t believe the Senators’ recent win streak changes much about their offseason plans. Garrioch believes the Senators will continue to look for a new head coach and fix their goaltending. But, in fixing their goaltending, it is not believed that Joonas Korpisalo will be abandoned.
Related: NHL Projected Lineups, Starting Goalies, Injuries, Updates
Garrioch writes that a buyout would be far-fetched. He adds:
Through this stretch, Korpisalo, 29, has shown more confidence. He went into the game against the Wild making big saves at big times to help the club secure some late-season wins. He’s in a groove at the moment and he’s playing like the goalie the club expected to have all season.
source – ‘GARRIOCH: Senators late-season winning streak shouldn’t impact off-season changes’ – Bruce Garrioch – Ottawa Sun – 04/02/2024
That must mean that Anton Forsberg will be gone as the belief is Ottawa won’t return next season with the same tandem.
A Coaching Change Coming in Seattle?
Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times anticipates significant offseason decisions for the Kraken following their playoff absence this season. The future for head coach Dave Hakstol is unclear but if he’s not fired after this season, the Kraken likely will stick with him for the long haul.
The Kraken face a pivotal juncture and have to figure out why their goal-scoring dropped dramatically this season versus last season. Baker asked:
“…were the widespread Kraken scoring declines because of Hakstol’s system and his asking too many players to subsequently adapt a more defensive style in response to injuries? Did he go too easy on players? Did losses pile up because players entered key stretches unprepared to play for 60 minutes at a higher level? Are enough players showing progress in their development? That’s on coaches more than anyone above them.”
source – ‘Kraken coach Dave Hakstol’s job safe for rest of season as big decisions await’- Goeff Baker – Seattle Times – 02/02/2024
Is Brendan Shanahan’s Future With the Maple Leafs Murky?
Amidst a transition in Maple Leafs’ ownership and the appointment of Keith Pelley as the new President and CEO in April, Leafs President Brendan Shanahan will directly answer to a new boss. That could mean uncertainty in terms of job security. Reports from NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Michael Grange highlight long-time owner Larry Tanenbaum’s possible exit. He has historically been a mediator between Bell and Rogers, offering Shanahan a sense of security.
Shanahan inked a lucrative six-year deal in 2019, valued between $25 million to $30 million. However, as he approaches the final year of this contract, coupled with modest playoff success, questions arise regarding the viability of the “Shanaplan.” If the Leafs struggle this season and don’t go on a playoff run, there is some curiosity about how new leadership will treat his contract situation.
