In today’s NHL rumors rundown, three teams have been linked to Conor Garland in trade talks. Will any of them make a deal with the Vancouver Canucks and how much salary are the Canucks willing to retain to move the forward? Meanwhile, the Ottawa Senators are hoping to have Josh Norris back at practice this week and taking contact. From there, they’ll hopefully figure out where he’s at with a return. Finally, the Toronto Maple Leafs got a number of complaints about the choice of a new goal song. They’re changing it… again.
Predators, Jets, and Blue Jackets Linked to Garland
According to a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, several NHL teams, including the Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, and Nashville Predators, have shown interest in acquiring Conor Garland. The Vancouver Canucks have recently allowed Garland’s agent to explore trade opportunities with other clubs, having failed on their own to complete a move that both sides see as mutually beneficial.
The Canucks are looking to free up between $1 million and $2 million in salary cap space. In exchange for Garland, who has a contract with an average annual value of $4.95 million until the 2025-26 season and does not have a no-trade clause, Vancouver prefers to receive a defenseman. The team tried to get this deal done before the season started to avoid playing shorthanded but was unable to do so.
The Blue Jackets have a number of them available and would likely be considered the favorites at this point to make a move.
Senators Waiting On Josh Norris
Friedman also reported last night that the Ottawa Senators are anticipating the return of center Josh Norris to practice today, albeit wearing a non-contact jersey, as they prepare for their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s not clear if Norris’ return to game action is imminent, but the Senators are optimistic. For now, the hope is that Norris can be cleared for full contact at practice the team can then assess a return timeline from there.
The Senators have avoided placing Norris on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), reflecting their confidence that he might be back on the ice by the end of the month. But, their lack of information and understanding about why he’s still out has to be concerning. A shoulder injury limited Norris to just eight games last season and if he’s out long-term, the team needs to make other arrangements if they want to be contenders. Not to mention, he is currently in the second season of an eight-year, $63.6 million contract, carrying a $7.95 million cap hit. Long-term, his injury history is not ideal.
Related: Are Maple Leafs Propping Up Klingberg for a Shocking Move?
As far as any Shane Pinto updates go, Friedman noted there is nothing new there. “It’s not believed anything has changed and he has not, according to multiple sources, asked for any kind of trade.”
Maple Leafs Changing Goal Song… Again
The Toronto Maple Leafs had decided coming into the season to retire Hall and Oates as their traditional goal song and the plan was to replace it a fwe different songs, including “Pursuit Of Happiness” by Kid Cudi. They played that song in the opener against the Montreal Canadiens and it generated significant buzz about the team’s choice for all the wrong reasons.
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This decision to change it once again came after the team received numerous complaints about the lyrics of the new song. The song’s messaging raised concerns, prompting the organization to discontinue its use for the rest of the season. In Saturday’s game, the Maple Leafs’ goal song was “Düp Düp” by Mickie Krause, a track that had previously been a finalist for the Sharks’ goal song several years ago.
