In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Brady Tkachuk comments on the trade rumors that surfaced of his potentially leaving the Ottawa Senators. Meanwhile, could the Vancouver Canucks make a trade now that they’ve signed Daniel Sprong? The Boston Bruins are getting an idea of what Jeremy Swayman could cost on a new deal, and were Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl consulted before the Edmonton Oilers hired Stan Bowman as their next general manager?
Tkachuk Denies Validity of Trade Rumors
In the latest episode of the Locked On Senators Podcast, Ross Levitan and Brandon Piller hosted Brady Tkachuk, who addressed trade rumors involving him this offseason. Tkachuk dismissed the rumors, stating, “These rumors are coming out of nowhere. My number one goal is to bring a Stanley Cup back to Ottawa.”
Related: 6 Players Who Recently Rejected the Maple Leafs in Free Agency
He emphasized the importance of Ottawa to him, highlighting his community contributions and the city’s deserving nature. Tkachuk expressed that these factors inspired his dream of winning the Stanley Cup with the Senators. He seems committed to the team and with the moves the club made over the summer, he’s ready to give it at least one more shot to make the playoffs and go on a run.
Could Canucks Trade for a Defenseman?
The addition of Daniel Sprong in Vancouver could open the door for other moves, particularly trading a forward for a defenseman. Will the Canucks move a guy like Nils Höglander for a puck-moving blueliner after signing Daniel Sprong?
Irfaan Gaffar and Patrick Johnston of the Sekeres and Price podcast discussed this idea and noted, “Acquiring a guy like Sprong means that now they can kind of set up a little package if they want.”
What Will Swayman’s Next Contract Look Like?
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is poised for a substantial payday, with NHL.com’s Dan Rosen projecting his potential earnings at over $9 million per season. As a restricted free agent, the 25-year-old is in a unique situation, with the Bruins having just under $9 million in salary cap space to finalize his contract. Both sides opted against filing for arbitration, and while an offer sheet is possible, it’s expected that a deal will be reached.
Rosen notes several comparable contracts: Juuse Saros signed an eight-year, $61.92 million contract ($7.74 million AAV) with Nashville at 29, Connor Hellebuyck secured a seven-year, $59.5 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) with Winnipeg at 30, Thatcher Demko signed a five-year, $25 million deal ($5 million AAV) with Vancouver at 25, and Andrei Vasilevskiy signed an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV) with Tampa Bay at 25 after winning the Vezina Trophy. If Swayman opts for an eight-year contract, his AAV might be just under $9 million, while a shorter deal could see his AAV rise to $10 million, potentially requiring Boston to make additional moves.
Oilers Didn’t Consult McDavid or Draisaitl on Bowman Hire?
When he introduced Stan Bowman as the new general manager and Executive Vice President on Wednesday, Edmonton Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson was asked if he talked to the players about the move before officially making the hire. Jackson said he didn’t consult the players on bringing Bowman in. He said players are consulted about travel, schedules and other day-to-day aspects of their jobs, but not the hiring of coaches or GMs. “That’s not what they want – they don’t want to do that,” Jackson said.
The reality, however, suggests that both players were aware of the hiring and Jackson would have had them in mind before he pulled the trigger on this. Bowman talked about wanting to make Leon Draisaitl an Oiler for life and it’s hard to imagine that Jackson doesn’t at least get a read on the room, making sure that his two top stars won’t think twice about extending.
“It would not surprise me if Leon were to be signed to an extension shortly” Bob Stauffer said on Wednesday when he reacted to the Bowman news and how it might affect a Leon Draisaitl extension.
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