In today’s NHL rumor rundown there is news as to why Jesse Puljujarvi might be wanting out of Edmonton and why it’s possible he’ll change his mind. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes are going about their business despite their GM not having a contract and the Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars are still working on smaller moves.
Puljujarvi Getting Bad Advice?
Dustin Neilsen of TSN seems to think there is a chance that Jesse Puljujarvi will stay in Edmonton despite saying he wants to be traded. Understanding that Puljujarvi is earning a bad reputation throughout this process, Neilsen started his point by tweeting, “McLellan was not a great communicator, to the point that one of the guys traded this past year was happy to be moved due to a lack of communication from McLellan.”
Neilsen didn’t say which one guy was happy to be moved to another team but he did add, “If he [McLellan] couldn’t communicate with his players from North America how do you honestly think it went with a teenager from Finland?” Neilsen believes Puljujarvi is simply getting some bad advice and that he’s overlooking what a fresh start under Dave Tippett and Ken Holland will feel like.
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No Contract For Don Waddell Works For Both Sides
When it was learned that Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell was interviewing for the job as GM in Minnesota, there were more than a few surprised fans. At the same time, it wasn’t completely shocking considering the Hurricanes are an organization that hasn’t exactly done everything by the book.
Owner Tom Dundon was asked why he was letting Waddell run the Hurricanes while not under contract, and he explained his reasoning to Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer.
DeCock quotes Dundon in his article:
Even if he had a contract I would let him interview, so what’s the difference? It’s not going to stop somebody from doing whatever’s better for them. If they’re going to pay somebody more money, I’m not going to stop them. I told him he’s got to do what’s best for him.
source – ‘Don Waddell flirts with Wild as Carolina Hurricanes face front-office dysfunction’ – Raleigh News & Observer – Luke DeCock – 08/06/2019
Waddell himself talked about whether or not this was something that was working for him. Noting that Dundon is not big on contracts, Waddell seems to be totally ok with things. The current Hurricanes’ GM explained, “Tom’s told me I have a job for life. But he’s also encouraged me to explore other opportunities to see what the market will pay.” And, for his part, Waddell isn’t really looking to leave. “We started something here, I love it here, but when the job opened up and Tom said you should explore it, that’s what I’m doing.”
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Capitals to Clear Cap Space
J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington writes he believes while a popular thought in Washington would be to trade Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos ($1.25 million) to get below the salary cap ceiling, the Caps will actually demote Chandler Stephenson ($1.05 million) instead.
Stephenson’s salary for next season “comes just under the maximum cap relief cutoff for players in the AHL,” so he’s a good fit for a demotion and solves a financial problem for the Capitals.
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Honka Still on Trade Block in Dallas
Sean Shapiro of The Athletic believes the Dallas Stars are still going to trade defenseman Julius Honka but are waiting for the best offer. A fourth-round pick might be a realistic return but either the Stars want more than that or no one has come forward offering it.
Shapiro writes:
I get this sense on the Honka situation right now: There are two games of chicken being played. The Stars are hoping and waiting for the best offer; at the same time, there are teams that might be interested in acquiring Honka who also realize that if Dallas can’t make a move he could be a free waiver claim in October.
source – ‘Stars Mailbag Vol. 49: The Gurianov hype, a faster system and the virtues of depth’ – Sean Shapiro – The Athletic – 08/31/2019
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Jim Parsons is a senior THW freelance writer, part-time journalist and audio/video host who lives, eats, sleeps and breathes NHL news and rumors, while also writing features on the Edmonton Oilers. He’s been a trusted source for five-plus years at The Hockey Writers, but more than that, he’s on a mission to keep readers up to date with the latest NHL rumors and trade talk. Jim is a daily must for readers who want to be “in the know.”
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