In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there is news on the Montreal Canadiens and their plans heading into the NHL Draft on Thursday. What trades might the team make ahead of making their selection at No.1 overall? Meanwhile, are the Los Angeles Kings viewing this offseason as the one to make a huge push?
The Edmonton Oilers are rumored to be eyeing Claude Giroux in free agency and would Marc-Andre Fleury consider the Toronto Maple Leafs if they showed interest?
Canadiens Testing Market on a Number of Players
After the Ryan McDonagh trade on Sunday, there is real curiosity surrounding Jeff Petry out of Montreal. The Canadiens are looking to make a couple of trades at or before the NHL Draft and he was potentially among them. But, the lack of return for Tampa Bay in a cap-dumping deal has insiders wondering what Petry would be worth.
Friedman also reports in his latest 32 Thoughts column, “the Canadiens will continue to test the market on some of their veterans: Christian Dvorak, Jeff Petry, and possibly Josh Anderson.” He says there are teams who doubt that Canadiens want to move Jake Allen and the ask for Anderson might be quite high.
Kings Not Done Making Moves
After trading for and signing Kevin Fiala, the Los Angeles Kings are likely not done making moves, according to Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman. Marek wonders if the New York Rangers don’t re-sign Andrew Copp, will the Kings be interested? Friedman believes the Kings might take a run at pending UFA defenseman Josh Manson.
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The Kings might see this as the offseason to really push the boundaries of how competitive they can become and how quickly. They made a couple of key moves last season and have already made the biggest splash ahead of the draft and free agency. Will they go all-in?
Marc-Andre Fleury Open to Maple Leafs
As per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury might be open to considering the Maple Leafs as a free agency option. He writes there was some work done on a Fleury-to-Toronto trade at the deadline, but it fell apart between Chicago and Toronto. LeBrun explains:
I wouldn’t be surprised if Toronto was one of those teams. Fleury in the end was willing to go to Toronto at the trade deadline in March and we know the Blackhawks and the Maple Leafs were cooking up a deal that fell apart at the time. Which paved the way for the Wild to swoop in and get him on deadline day.
But I do think Fleury would be open to the Leafs among other contenders.
source’ -LeBrun rumblings: Why hasn’t Filip Forsberg re-signed with Nashville yet? Claude Giroux to Edmonton?’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 07/04/2022
Oilers Showing Interest in Claude Giroux
Also per LeBrun, the Edmonton Oilers have interest in pending UFA forward Claude Giroux. A 34-year-old veteran performer with a desire to win, Giroux is still a great two-way winger, and legit first-line forward. The idea of him alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl has some appeal for the Oilers who could view him as a strong backup plan if Evander Kane doesn’t extend with the team.
It doesn’t hurt that this news is out there either. If Kane is hoping for a big payday and word is the Oilers are making plans in the event that he bolts, Kane might be more apt to sign his extension out of concern he could miss out on the long-term deal, a bigger-money deal the Oilers are willing to throw his way.
Oilers Actively Shopping Puljujarvi
Kevin Weekes is reporting that the Oilers are actively shopping forward Jesse Puljujarvi, “and there’s some interest from clubs in market for his services.” He wonders if there will be a trade prior to the NHL Draft on Thursday. Holland did relay to Daniel Nugent-Bowman in a previous interview that he wouldn’t give the player away. It will be intriguing to see what Holland has set as a fair return.