In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Boston Bruins aren’t sure what Tuukka Rask’s future with the team looks like yet. The two sides have agreed to talk after the season. In Nashville, the Predators have a lot of questions to answer and there could be some significant offseason changes. A couple of NHL insiders believe the Edmonton Oilers will look to buy out goaltender Mikko Koskinen and could the Ottawa Senators be interested in a Philadelphia Flyers star forward?
Rask and Bruins to Talk After Season Ends
The Bruins are set to take on the New York Islanders in Round 2 of the NHL playoffs this season but there are a lot of off-ice questions surrounding the team, including possible deals for Taylor Hall, David Krejci and Tuukka Rask. Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston notes that president Cam Neeley said the two sides are holding off talking about his future until after the season ends.
Neeley said, “Both Tuukka and our camp, we said we’d table everything until after the season and see how things go. Get a better sense after the season is over for how Tuukka is feeling both mentally physically, and we’ll go from there.” As for whether or not Rask (and Kreijci) would like to stay, Neeley said, “My guess is that they would. I think they both would probably like to finish their careers as a Boston Bruin, so let’s see what happens this offseason.”
Predators Offseason Questions
Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN took a look at the Predators plans now that their season is officially over. The team will have to decide how much change is needed after a strong finish to a somewhat questionable regular season.
Both scribes wonder if defenseman Mattias Ekholm will be talking with the team about an extension or the if club will consider trading him again. He has a year left on his current deal at $3.75 million. It doesn’t sound like UFA goaltender Pekka Rinne will be back next year and there are questions about both Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen (each make $8 million per season) possibly being dangled during the NHL Expansion Draft. If the Predators really want the Seattle Kraken to select either. they’ll have to offer up a sweetener.
Oilers May Try to Move Mikko Koskinen
While GM Ken Holland said that he could see a situation where both goaltenders — Koskinen and Mike Smith — are back next season, NHL insider Brian Lawton said during the Oilers Now show, that it is time for the Oilers to move on from Koskinen. He said, “It just wasn’t a tandem that I felt good in.”
Louie DeBrusk was also on the show an added, “Mikko Koskinen, another question mark on the team. Obviously I don’t think he’s part of the future here. I don’t…”
Another insider, Elliotte Friedman said during a hit on SN960 that he thinks the buyout Holland was hinting at during his media avail is more likely Koskinen than James Neal. Friedman said, “The problem with Neal is that he’s on your cap for four years.”
Senators Interested in Claude Giroux?
Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch, said that he’s heard from Senators followers that the team might be interested in Flyers forward Claude Giroux. Giroux becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer but Garrioch says it doubtful he’ll be traded because of his contract situation.
Garrioch writes:
He has a full no move clause and has no desire to leave the City of Brotherly Love. He wants to help Philadelphia get to the next level and though you never-say-never this one has little or no chance.
source – ‘GARRIOCH: If the Ottawa Senators want a centre, the market through trade or free agency is limited’ – Bruce Garrioch – Ottawa Sun – 05/25/2021
If Giroux decides not to stay with the Flyers past next season, at 33-years old he will likely want to join a Stanley Cup contender.
