In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Brady Tkachuk had his automatic one-game suspension rescinded, while the team considers trading Dominik Kubalik or someone else to make room for Shane Pinto. Meanwhile, are there concerns in Winnipeg that the team might actually have to move again? Will the Montreal Canadiens try to fill the hole left by David Savard externally? Finally, would the Edmonton Oilers consider doing something drastic with Connor Brown?
Brady Tkachuk Suspension Rescinded
The Ottawa Senators managed to evade additional consequences in the case of a late-game instigator penalty given to forward Brady Tkachuk. The league recently declared that Tkachuk won’t be suspended for his altercation with Buffalo’s Alex Tuch towards the end of the game. Notably, Head Coach D.J. Smith will also not be fined in this matter.
Pierre LeBrun tweeted: “Rule refresher: Tkachuk received an automatic one-game suspension for getting the instigator in last 5 min of the game. But then the league automatically reviews it and can rescind the suspension if it feels the fight was more heat of the moment and not message-sending or predatory, etc. End result: league decided to rescind the one-gamer.”
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In other Senators talk, During his appearance on TSN Radio, Dave Poulin discussed potential trades involving Dominik Kubalik, Mathieu Joseph, and Erik Brannstrom to create space for Shane Pinto. Poulin emphasized his belief that Pinto himself is unlikely to be traded.
Jets are Having Troubles, But Don’t See Moving as Likely
Winnipeg Jets chairman Mark Chipman, speaking to Darren Dreger, acknowledged the limitations of the Jets’ market, suggesting it couldn’t withstand a complete rebuild. Dreger highlighted the financial and time-intensive nature of rebuilding, and explained that the Jets opted for a win-now approach. This decision led to investments in key players like Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck, as Chipman recognized the need to focus on the present rather than pursuing an extensive historical rebuild.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Woll, Rielly, Tavares & Nylander
The Jets have been dealing with attendance issues. The Jets recently set a franchise low for attendance with a game that saw only 11,136 fans.
Savard to Miss 6-8 Weeks
The Montreal Canadiens have confirmed that defenseman David Savard will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks due to a fractured hand. Savard sustained the injury while trying to block a slapshot from Tage Thompson during Montreal’s victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. In response to Savard’s injury, the Canadiens have made an emergency recall, bringing Gustav Lindstrom into the lineup.
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It is not believed the Canadiens will make a trade to address his absence. Instead, they will rely on the development of young players like Justin Barron.
What Do the Oilers Do With Connor Brown?
There is some buzz picking up on social media that the Edmonton Oilers should consider waiving Connor Brown. While there are no reputable inside sources claiming the Oilers will actually do so, the idea would be to send him down before he hits the 10-game mark and earns his signing bonus.
In his initial five games with the Oilers, he has yet to score a point and hasn’t had the significant impact many anticipated after he joined the team as a free agent following a torn ACL. Head coach Jay Woodcroft is urging patience for the winger, but the Oilers are in such dire straits early in the season, it’s hard to know what’s going on in conversations behind the scenes.
With their roster constructed the way it is, and the salary cap situation forcing them to run with a short bench, it’s even difficult to sit him. He’ll make a $3,225,000 bonus at the 10-games played mark and there’s no one to come in for him on the current roster.