In today’s NHL rumors rundown, are the Dallas Stars going big-game hunting to find a replacement for Tyler Seguin? Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers provided an update on Evander Kane’s injury status. Finally, Arthur Staple of The Athletic explored several trade targets for the New York Rangers as they continue to assess the market.
Dallas Stars Eyeing Big Moves After Seguin Injury
With Tyler Seguin’s injury creating an opening, the Dallas Stars are planning to be aggressive in the trade market. According to Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek, GM Jim Nill is targeting big-ticket players both upfront and on defense, with the belief that this is the year for a serious Cup run. The team’s ownership, led by Tom Gaglardi, is fully aligned in this push.
Marek did warn that major moves could come at a cost, which might be why the Stars are looking at internal options first. If Nill wants to land a big fish, the Stars will likely need to part with prized young prospects like Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, and/or Lian Bichsel.
Marek also hints that any major move may come after the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament where Jake Oettinger’s health is of critical importance. Should the goaltender suffer an injury it would change what the Stars do in terms of trades.
Evander Kane At Least a Month Away
Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch provided a practical update on forward Evander Kane’s recovery during a media briefing on Tuesday. The news was far from ideal but it does give some kind of an idea for fans who want to know if Kane is anywhere close to being back. Knoblauch confirmed that Kane won’t be back for at least a month.
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“He’s got a schedule that he comes in on certain days and gets treatment, whether we’re on the road or at home,” Knoblauch explained. “He’s coming in several times a week and getting that treatment.” The head coach did not clarify whether Kane’s timeline could extend beyond the month, leaving questions about the Oilers’ lineup and trade deadline plans.
The Oilers are starting to roll and are moving up the Pacific Division standings. If and when Kane can return, it begs the question of what happens with players like Jeff Skinner, Vasily Podkolzin, and Kasperi Kapanen.
Rangers Targets in Potential Future Trades
Arthur Staple of The Athletic had some fun with a post about potential trade targets for the New York Rangers. He admitted the deals he’s suggesting aren’t imminent, and some might be long-shots, but he saw each as a potential fit.
He started by writing:
As a couple of league executives have told me in conversations since the Rangers declared themselves open for business, no one is blowing up Drury’s phone for Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad. “Teams want (Will) Cuylle, they want (Victor) Mancini, they want (Gabe) Perreault,” said one Western Conference exec
source – ‘Let’s try some soft tampering: 10 potential trade targets for the struggling Rangers’ – Arthur Staple – The Athletic – 12/11/2024
Among the names he mentions, Staple noted Thomas Chabot, Ivan Provorov, and Jonas Brodin on defense. He then mentioned Trent Frederic, J.T. Miller, Alex Tuch, Joel Farabee, Trevor Zegras, Brady Tkachuk, and Dylan Cozens. Staple seemed to focus on teams that were looking like they already are on the outside of the playoff scene.
It’s important to note that in some of these cases, teams have already shut down trade rumors. The Canucks say they aren’t moving Miller and the Senators have noted they have no desire to even discuss a Brady Tkachuk trade. Zegras is also badly injured, so a trade there seems highly unlikely.