In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Winnipeg Jets’ GM Kevin Cheveldayoff updated the media on the status of negotiations with Cole Perfetti. Meanwhile, the GM explained where things fell apart with Rutger McGroarty and why the forward didn’t want to be a Jet. More news on the Edmonton Oilers reveals they did offer Philip Broberg a contract and now that they’ve lost him are looking to the PTO market for a replacement. Could a familiar name be back? Finally, are the San Jose Sharks hoping to move Cody Ceci before the trade deadline?
Jets and Perfetti Talking Contract Extension, Trade McGroarty
Cheveldayoff confirms that he had a conversation with Perfetti’s camp on Wednesday, and that “those discussions are ongoing” “Hopefully it’s something that we get done sooner rather than later.” Perfetti has been skating with Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, and Adam Lowry, as the two sides go through these negotiations.
Jets beat reporter Scott Billeck reported on Thursday that there is nothing substantial yet to note. He adds, “I continue to hear Perfetti wants a long-term deal. He sees his peers getting similar contracts this summer.”
McGroarty Wouldn’t Give the Jets Answers
Cheveldayoff also talked about trading Rutger McGroarty to the Pittsburgh Penguins after weeks of uncertainty regarding his future in Winnipeg. There was speculation he told the Jets he wasn’t going to sign their long-term and the GM addressed those rumors. Cheveldayoff says McGroarty’s camp texted him at the combine in June. He met with his agent and McGroarty several days later to ask why. The response was, “he just didn’t feel right.”
Related: Grading Penguins’ Trade for Rutger McGroarty
“(The agent) didn’t have a reason. I went through a litany of questions to the agent to see. Was it player development? Was it we didn’t burn a year (of his contract?) He says ‘No.’ He said it just didn’t feel right. It started at development camp and it just didn’t feel right. … He said that, when he got to development camp here, he put the jersey on, it became real, and it just didn’t feel right at that time.”
Penguins Signed McGroarty
Immediately after trading for him, the Penguins signed Rutger McGroarty to a three-year, entry-level contract. The belief is that the team wanted to speed up the rebuild but struggled with the idea of trading Brayden Yager.
The plan is to give McGroarty every chance to play in the NHL this season and likely an opportunity on a top line with a player like Sidney Crosby.
Oilers Offered Broberg an Extension and Have Talked to Barrie
As per TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, the Edmonton Oilers did offer Philip Broberg a two-year extension, but it wasn’t anywhere close to the number he accepted with the St. Louis Blues. Rishaug notes, “Some other info that we know. The Oilers did enter into negotiations with Broberg before these offer sheets happened. Two years at $1.1 million was their offer, according to Broberg agent Darren Ferris.”
Rishaug also confirmed that there were several other teams prepared to move with this offer sheet strategy against the Oilers. “So if it wasn’t the Blues, sounds like it would have been another team.”
Meanwhile, TSN’s Dustin Nielson reports that the Oilers are open to the idea of offering professional tryout offers. Nielson says they’ve already had conversations with former Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie. He writes, “They love him in the room, is he a fit on the ice with the way the blueline is currently built?”
The answer to that is probably no, but that doesn’t mean some depth at no cost to the team is a bad idea.
Will the Sharks Trade Ceci Before the Trade Deadline?
Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson is under the impression the San Jose Sharks will trade Cody Ceci to a Stanley Cup contender before the March 2025 trade deadline. Potentially adding him in a trade to later flip him for an asset, is there any chance the Sharks might trade him back to the Oilers at a reduced salary?
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