In today’s NHL rumors rundown, is there a scenario where the Pittsburgh Penguins could trade Sidney Crosby to a contender? Meanwhile, might the Boston Bruins and Jeremy Swayman consider a short-term deal to end their negotiation stalemate? The three teams interested in Max Pacioretty have been identified and who else is looking at Max Pacioretty outside of the Toronto Maple Leafs? Finally, is Milan Lucic headed to New Jersey on a PTO?
Might the Penguins Trade Sidney Crosby at Deadline if Playoff Hopes Fade?
TSN’s Travis Yost acknowledges that while it’s unlikely the Pittsburgh Penguins trade Sidney Crosby, he looked at a possible scenario for a trade in a recent article. Crosby, 37, has one year left on his contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Yost speculates that if the Penguins are out of playoff contention by the March trade deadline, Crosby could accept a trade to a Stanley Cup contender.
Yost names the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Colorado Avalanche as potential suitors with the cap space available and a potential willing to take on Crosby short term. Why short-term? Yost believes Crosby would re-sign with Pittsburgh as a free agent in the summer.
Could the Bruins and Swayman Consider a Short-Term Extension?
Most insiders believe the Bruins and goaltender Jeremy Swayman are negotiating a long-term extension, but the two sides are having trouble finding a middle ground. One columnist wondered if a shorter-term deal might be the solution.
According to The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont, the Bruins are considering offering Swayman a bridge contract. He writes:
Given that the Bruins have yet to use Swayman as a full-time No. 1, they are looking to ink him to a bridge deal, one of maybe 3-4 years, scaled up from his $3.475 million of last season. The number could be, say, $22 million-$24 million if stretched to four years, at which point he then would eligible to become an unrestricted free agent at age 29.
source – ‘Sharks looking to Massachusetts connections to help them end playoff drought’ – Keiv Paul Dupont – Boston Globe – 08/30/2024
It’s a risk that Swayman could leave after the contract is over, but it does get him signed and at a cap number the team can work with.
Related: NHL’s Top 5 Bargain Contracts for 2024-25
A three-year agreement would carry an average annual value (AAV) of $7.33 million, while a four-year contract would have an AAV of $6 million. This type of bridge deal could provide the Bruins flexibility with their salary cap while allowing Swayman to potentially secure a larger contract in the future.
3 Teams Interested in Max Pacioretty
Along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reported that the Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers have considered inviting the winger to training camp. TSN’s Chris Johnston reported on Tuesday the Leafs were among the teams thought to be interested in signing Pacioretty.
Some of that could be dependent on what ends up happening with Nick Robertson. If the Leafs can’t find a way to convince Robertson to change his mind about playing for them this season, the 35-year-old Pacioretty becomes a much more realistic option to fill a potential hole in their top nine.
Johnston believes that Pacioretty is in a position to sign a contract with a team, not just have to accept a PTO.
Are the Devils Looking at Lucic on a PTO?
Reports surfaced that the New Jersey Devils might be bringing in Milan Lucic on a PTO. Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now sent Lucic good luck in a passing comment on his show and the comments section exploded on social media. Rick Dhaliwal reports that Stauffer’s comments aren’t accurate.
“Milan Lucic has not signed a PTO with the Devils according to his agent Gerry Johannson,” said Dhaliwal. He adds, “He needs to be cleared by the NHL before he signs anything.”
32 Thoughts Gets New Host
Elliotte Friedman announced on Thursday that Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas is going to be the new co-host of 32 Thoughts, starting tomorrow. Jeff Marek was released by Sportsnet following allegations of leaking details of the NHL Draft and this hiring makes it seem like Marek isn’t coming back.
Bukauskas is a fine replacement and will do a good job. The fans aren’t being overly receptive to the news, but I believe if they give it time, listeners will warm up to him.
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