In today’s NHL rumors rundown, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun offered some updates on Brock Boeser and the Vancouver Canucks, Seth Jones and the Chicago Blackhawks, and a Mikko Rantanen trade out of Carolina. Meanwhile, Nick Kypreos suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs might be ready to step up and trade for Rantanen. Finally, are the Edmonton Oilers going after a goalie or will they try to fix their defense?
Latest on Brock Boeser’s Talks with the Canucks
LeBrun reports there is dialogue happening between the Canucks and Boeser’s camp, which is normal between now and the deadline. However, he added, “I don’t know if this one gets done.”
LeBrun didn’t say that Boeser is ready to move on or is looking for a trade, but the NHL insider suggested that everyone should be ready for that possibility. He wasn’t sure if a deal would get done before next Friday, which would put the Canucks in a tough position. They don’t want to lose the player for nothing in the summer, which means a trade seems likely.
A Seth Jones Trade Is Difficult
LeBrun also said that Seth Jones‘ comments about the Blackhawks aren’t likely to speed up the trade process. He said he didn’t think it worked that way simply because Jones’ contract is the hurdle. No one is taking him at $9.5 million per season.
LeBrun figured that teams still see him as a top-four defenseman but not a top-two, and that would mean getting his salary knocked down to $6.5 million or so. Retaining that much money is a lot to ask of the Blackhawks. It’s not clear they are willing to do so over the next five seasons. If they are, they need something of value in return, and determining that value can be tricky.
Rantanen Trade Talk Heating Up
LeBrun believed the Carolina Hurricanes would be ridiculous to trade Mikko Rantanen. Still, he said all bets are off if Rantanen won’t sign an extension, which could anger owner Tom Dundon. It’s a matter of giving the forward more time to acclimate, but the Hurricanes might feel they are running out of it.
Toronto Star writer Nick Kypreos suggested the Maple Leafs might be ready to step and chase Rantanen in a deadline trade. If the Hurricanes can’t get Rantanen signed, Kypreos says the Leafs should “rise above the rest and make this incredibly consequential trade going into the playoffs and a crucial off-season.”
He added:
“If the Leafs are able to satisfy the Hurricanes’ trade demands — a package that includes one of their top prospects, Easton Cowan or Fraser Minten, plus Bobby McMann and a draft pick should do it — Rantanen could be the perfect rental player.”
Oilers Not Chasing a Goalie
Finally, it sounds like the Edmonton Oilers are not going after a goaltender at the deadline. Stan Bowman has said it’s not a priority, and LeBrun agreed. While Kypreos mentioned Jordan Binnington as an option in his latest trade bait board, it sounds like the Oilers don’t believe there is a guaranteed upgrade out there.
The team still has faith that Stuart Skinner will find his way. A lot of what’s going on right now isn’t related to the goaltending but to the Grade A chances against and how poorly the defense is playing. LeBrun cited Mattias Ekholm as a specific example, noting that most people overlooked that Ekholm was almost a healthy scratch in Sweden’s last game of the 4 Nations tournament. Ekholm only played because of an injury. He’s struggling right now, but he’s too good a player not to rebound.
That will help the goaltending situation. There is some thought that the losing streak might affect Stan Bowman’s plans at the deadline, and he might feel the need to add a higher-quality player than the team originally thought they would need.