In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start off with the New York Rangers recalling forward Brennan Othmann after some trade chatter. Next, the Dallas Stars are working on some big-ticket contracts with Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley. Finally, Steven Stamkos and the Nashville Predators could look to part ways if things don’t turn around for the organization.
Othmann Getting Chance With Rangers
Less than two weeks ago, word got out that Othmann, the Rangers prospect, may be ending up on a new team. Elliotte Friedman had reported that after failing to make the NHL roster, conversations began about the future for him in New York.
Friedman followed up the report by stating, “When asked, the Rangers have requested good AHL prospects in exchange for Brennan Othmann,” in his latest 32 Thoughts blog.
The Rangers’ decision to bring Othmann to the NHL club came after forward Matt Rempe suffered an upper-body injury.
Othmann was selected 16th overall in 2021, and while there have been plenty of positive signs with him as a prospect, it hasn’t translated to the NHL just yet. Nobody hopes for an injury, but in this case, the opportunity has arrived for Othmann to get what could be one of his last chances with the Rangers.
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He could end up with some good middle-six and power play time, but will Othmann take advantage of this opportunity to stick in the NHL, or could it be his last stint before a trade?
Stars Working On Robertson/Harley Extensions
Teams that do a great job of drafting and bringing in young players always run into the issue of having to sign them to big contracts when the players hit. For the Stars, both Robertson and Harley are set to become restricted free agents at the end of the season, but this is the deal for them to take them through unrestricted free agency years.
With the way contracts have skyrocketed, the expectation is that Robertson and Harley are going to command a ton of money combined, and could be close to $20 million annually for the two players together.
Over the offseason, there was some speculation that the Stars may be looking to move Robertson after signing Mikko Rantanen to a big ticket. Later, reports surfaced that the Stars would prefer to keep him and figure out a contract. There was some extension talk being noted, but it didn’t get very far before shutting down.
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta stated that things are status quo right now, and that the conversations have not picked up with either player.
Harley had a huge breakout season and got the recognition he deserved last season, and is an integral part of the defense group.
The Stars’ team structure is built around the success of these two players. Getting them signed still remains a priority, but it sounds like there isn’t a ton of pressure from either side to get a deal done right now.
Stamkos’ Future With Predators is Undetermined
Since joining the Predators, things haven’t gone very well for Stamkos and the team. Stamkos looks less impactful than he did with the Lightning, and the team could look to take the opportunity to trade him before it is too late. He has two more seasons after this one under contract, with a cap hit of $8 million.
On a recent podcast episode with DMase, Vingan & Dauni, Elliotte Friedman joined the show, and at one point talked about Stamkos.
Adam Vingan made a comment about how he is concerned about Stamkos and how he may have lost his touch. Friedman responded with, “I think the thing I’m most concerned about is that he’s not making an impact on the power play… Stamkos’s bread and butter was always the power play… That is the thing that stands out to me.”.
Friedman was then asked, if Stamkos and the Predators don’t turn things around, could a trade be made?
He responded with, “If this continues the way it’s going, I could see a situation where both sides sit down and talk and say, what are our options here?… If, if, if it doesn’t get better, could you not see a situation where it is beneficial to both the team and player to explore it?”.
Regardless of what the future holds for Stamkos, he was one of the best players throughout the 2010s, and had made huge impacts through the 2020s so far. There is work to do to get back on track with the Predators, and a trade is far from imminent, but it is something to keep an eye on.
