In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there is talk that Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers could go onto LTIR and have offseason surgery, while talk from an insider is that Leon Draisaitl’s number on an extension will surprise fans in a good way. Meanwhile, Auston Matthews is set to be named the next captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Finally, would the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets consider a trade?
Kane’s Injury Situation and Draisaitl’s Extension Updates
Frank Seravalli was on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer and talk was that Evander Kane could start the season on LTIR. Stauffer suggested that this news could buy the Oilers some time, even though it’s not expected the winger would be out the entire season.
Meanwhile, Seravalli says the sense that he has gotten from inside sources is that the end number for Draisaitl’s contract will surprise people in a good way. He believes that the Oilers have two guys in Draisaitl and McDavid who want to support their lineup and not their own wallets. Seravalli says that Draisaitl’s camp could write a number down on a piece of paper and the Oilers would pay it. He just doesn’t think Draisaitil will do that. He believes he and McDavid want to allow the team to build around them.
Seravalli suggested that both players know what it’s like when the team isn’t good. He believes the combined total of the contract would be south of $30 million per season. David Staples of the Edmonton Journal wondered if that number might actually be lower. He writes:
As for what a discount contract will look like for Draisaitl and McDavid, I’ll suggest that number is closer to $26 million annually than $30 million annually, at least if everyone is on the same page that winning the Stanley Cup — while also paying McDavid and Draisaitl as befits their lead dog status on the Oilers — is the top priority.
source – ‘Good vibrations for a “reasonable” contract between Edmonton Oilers and Leon Draisaitl, reports NHL insider’ – David Staples – Edmonton Journal – 08/12/2024
** Update: The St. Louis Blues also tendered offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway of the Oilers. Edmonton has seven days to match, should they choose to. We’ll have more on this tomorrow and throughout the rest of the week.
Auston Matthews to Be Named Maple Leafs’ Captain
The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to name Auston Matthews as the team’s new captain on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. TSN’s Darren Dreger broke the story and wrote on social media, “Expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to name Auston Matthews captain on Wednesday. This is part of the evolution of Matthews as a leader, and current Maple Leafs captain John Tavares fully supports the change.”
Related: Canucks’ 5 Burning Questions Heading Into 2024-25 Season
Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston confirmed Dreger’s report and said the seeds to make a captaincy change were planted after Toronto’s playoff exit at the hands of the Boston Bruins. The Leafs have called a media conference for Wednesday at 11 am to make the announcement official. It is not clear when the team told Tavares that this was the direction the team wanted to go.
Flyers and Blue Jackets Good Trade Partners?
Suggesting each team could offer a fresh start for a couple of their stars, Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report wonders if a Johnny Gaudreau trade for Sean Couturier would make sense for the Blue Jackets and Flyers. In the case of the Blue Jackets, he writes:
Two years into his massive contract, they might be dealing with a case of buyer’s remorse as he has not played up to expectations or his contract. Gaudreau might also be having some remorse as the Blue Jackets have been one of the NHL’s worst teams since he arrived…
He also suggests the Flyers have a problematic contract that they might like to move out in Couturier and noted rumors of a trade this past offseason.
In theory, the idea is intriguing, but the Blue Jackets likely want to wait and see how Gaudreau pairs with newly acquired center Sean Monahan before making any decisions. They might want to assess whether Gaudreau and Monahan can rekindle the chemistry they had during their time with the Calgary Flames.
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