In today’s NHL rumors rundown, is Kevin Cheveldayoff in risk of losing his job as the GM of the Winnipeg Jets? Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks would like to add a defenseman to their roster.
Who will they use as trade bait to land a regular blueliner? The Ottawa Senators have good news when it comes to star rookie Jake Sanderson and there is an update on the injury status of Vegas Golden Knights’ goaltender Laurent Brossoit.
Jets’ Cheveldayoff on Hot Seat
While Cheveldayoff was praised for building a young, skilled and potentially contending team, over the past couple of seasons, the Jets have looked like anything but the Stanley Cup contenders many had them pegged to be. That has placed the GM on the hot seat when it comes to this season, according to The Hockey News.
“…the Jets have, for the most part, been an example of the law of diminishing returns, and they bottomed out this past season, first suffering the indignity of head coach Paul Maurice walking away from his job, then missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and finishing sixth in the Central Division, ahead of only Chicago and Arizona.”
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Foligno, Stepan, Matthews & Bure
They cite the fact that Chevelydayoff’s coach walked, the replacement wasn’t his first choice and a lack of depth in key positions on the team could be problematic. Cheveldayoff has been with the organization for 11 years and if the team can’t turn things around, it’s potentially time to see if someone can do a better job.
Could Canucks Trade Garland for a Defenseman?
While all eyes will shift to Bo Horvat in Vancouver, there is talk by Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province that the organization would like to add a defenseman, potentially using forward Conor Garland to land what they need in a trade.
Johnston writes:
The Canucks would be silly to trade Garland given the energy he brings to the table and the production that comes with it — he scored at the best rate on the team last season while barely seeing power play time — but those are reasons why he’d be a valuable trade chip.
source – ‘Canucks: Signing J.T. Miller answers one question, but where do they go from here?’ – Patrick Johnston – Vancouver Province – 09/03/2022
Senators’ Sanderson Ready for Season
Ottawa Senators prospect Jake Sanderson is relaying that the hand injury that kept him on the sidelines for the Senators and off the U.S. World Championship team is healed and he’s ready to return. According to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press, Sanderson met with media during the NHLPA rookie showcase and he noted he expects to be 100% healthy for training camp.
It’s not a given that a spot will be available for him on the blue line. The team is rumored to be looking to add another top-four defenseman via trade and they also have Thomas Chabot, Nick Holden and Erik Brannstrom on the left side. One thing that is clear, the Senators are not planning to move Sanderson even though they’ve been getting calls about the player’s availability.
Brossoit’s Status Unclear for Golden Knights
According to new head coach Bruce Cassidy, when goaltender Lauren Brossoit returns for the Vegas Golden Knights isn’t quite clear. Cassidy notes: “He’s healing well from his surgery, again a guy that is highly motivated to get out there. Whether he joins us at the end of the year or two or three weeks in, we’ll see him.”
This isn’t great news for the Golden Knights who are without Robin Lehner and are putting all their eggs in the Logan Thompson basket to start the 2022-23 season. If he’s out until the end of 2022, the Golden Knights can’t do much with his contract as the team will need to make room once he comes off of LTIR.
