In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Vancouver Canucks are reportedly narrowing down the field of suitors interested in Bo Horvat. Meanwhile, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are saying mid-February for any trade decisions. The Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are both interested in Vladislav Gavrikov and the Montreal Canadiens are still planning on negotiating an extension with the injured Cole Caufield.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks are allowing teams to talk extension with Timo Meier before potentially trading for him.
Canucks Considering Only Serious Horvat Suitors
Jeff Marek noted that the Canucks want three players including a top prospect for Bo Horvat and the organization is narrowing down the list of teams that are willing to meet that asking price. Elliotte Friedman noted during the 32 Thoughts segment of Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, “Okay, so there was a lot of talk about this in the last 24 to 48 hours. I think the reason is, I’m getting the impression that Vancouver is separating the teams who are willing to consider that or continue down that level of conversations from the teams that won’t.”
Friedman said that Vancouver is figuring out who’s really serious. “I don’t believe there is anything imminent at this time but I do think the Canucks know who’s in the game and who isn’t,” he noted.
Marek also noted that the Canucks are expected to announce Rick Tocchet as the next head coach on Monday.
Blackhawks’ Toews and Kane to Decide Future in Mid-February
Marek reports that it sounds like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews aren’t prepared to make a decision on their respective futures until sometime in mid-February. Marek added that the season-ending injury to Max Pacioretty will make things interesting for those two players as the Carolina Hurricanes may have opened up the opportunity to make a pitch for either player.
Oilers and Maple Leafs Look Into Gavrikov
Friedman noted that the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are two teams that have kicked tires on Vladislav Gavrikov and the Columbus Blue Jackets have allowed teams to talk to Gavrikov about a possible extension. The defenseman is a pending UFA.
Marek noted that the Blue Jackets’ preference was to re-sign him but that didn’t pan out. The ask is about what the Blue Jackets got when they traded David Savard: a first and a third-round pick or a first-rounder plus other assets in return.
If that cost is too high for the Maple Leafs, it was reported earlier this week by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli that the Maple Leafs are also interested in Blackhawks’ defenseman Jake McCabe, who carries a seven-team no-trade list. Meanwhile, the Oilers are believed to have identified Gavrikov as their main target because they don’t necessarily want to add a defenseman who has term left on his deal, thus moving Philip Broberg down the depth chart.
Canadiens Still Intend to Negotiate With Caufield
Despite a season-ending injury, Marek says that the Montreal Canadiens aren’t concerned with negotiating a new contract extension with forward Cole Caufield. The wonder in Montreal is if Caufield will become the highest-paid Canadien or if the team will use Nick Suzuki’s deal as the ceiling within the organization.
Suzuki’s cap hit is $7.875 million per season.
Sharks Allowing Teams to Speak to Timo Meier
The Sharks are giving permission to teams who want to talk about a trade for forward Timo Meier to talk about a contract extension with the player. Meier is a pending RFA with arbitration rights at a $10 million qualifying offer. Any team that shows interest — the New York Rangers are said to be keenly interested here — will want to get his AAV down lower than that and it will likely require a max term of eight years to do so.
