In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Dallas Stars might be eager to look toward the trade market but there’s not much they can do until they tackle other business first. Meanwhile, are the Carolina Hurricanes ready to carry three goaltenders?
What are the Vancouver Canucks asking in return for Bo Horvat? Finally, will James van Riemsdyk be traded and will there be a market for him?
Stars Need to Clear Space to Add Winger
As per Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas News, the Stars are handcuffed when it comes to entering the trade market, simply because of the salary cap. “But they are accruing more cap space every day this season that they don’t have to use the long-term injured reserve.” He notes that the team would like to make a trade and is targeting a winger to play on the Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin line, but they would need to move one of Denis Gurianov or Anton Khudobin.
DeFranks writes that as long as the Stars find a way to create cap space, he expects GM Jim Nill to make a move of some sort. The one thing he cautions:
And before we get to those options, one thing needs to be said: The Stars don’t have much of an appetite to trade one of their top three prospects for a rental player. That means Dallas is reticent to part with Johnston, Logan Stankoven or Mavrik Bourque. Might a reluctance to include one of them scuttle a potential deal? Sure. Could the Stars’ stance change in three months? Sure.
source – ‘Stars mailbag: Potential trades Dallas could make to solidify defensive depth’ – Matthew DeFranks – Dallas News – 12/16/2022
Hurricanes to Carry Three Goalies?
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic writes that when the Carolina Hurricanes get goaltender Frederik Andersen back, the sense is that the team will carry three netminders. Obviously, Andersen will be in the mix, as will Pyotr Kochetkov and Antti Raanta. He notes that both Andersen and Raanta are injury prone, so the Hurricanes don’t want to take any chances.
The 23-year-old Kochetkov signed a four-year extension $2 million per season last month. The move surprised some.
Canucks Looking for a Hockey Deal for Horvat
LeBrun also looked at the latest on Bo Horvat’s situation and writes that he’s a bit surprised by the return the Canucks are looking for in the trade. While he notes that the Canucks may not completely close the door on re-signing him, they are looking to move him and get fair assets that can play and make a difference now in return.
He writes:
“I assumed the Canucks would be asking for a futures-only package, as selling, retooling teams most often do when they’re dealing with an in-season trade for a pending unrestricted free agent. But so far, it seems that Vancouver is looking instead for more of a hockey deal — to upgrade at center ice and/or right-shot defense if possible and bring in a player in the twentysomething age range this Canucks management group has focused on since coming on board.”
source – ‘LeBrun: Bo Horvat’s trade cost, Oilers’ defense targets, more NHL rumblings’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 12/16/2022
LeBrun believes this means the Canucks think they could be a playoff team and there’s some thought the acquiring team will be trying to sign Horvat right away to a long-term extension.
Expect James van Riemsdyk to be Traded
“The Flyers are going nowhere, meaning JvR’s going somewhere,” notes Michael Russo of The Athletic. He adds:
In the last year of his contract, he just returned to Philly’s lineup and almost immediately put up a four-point game in Arizona. If he continues to produce in the new year, he could move up our board because he’s a guy who gets to the net and knows how to pot goals. He shouldn’t be expensive, either — think a mid- to late-round pick, even though he’s at a point per game in short spurts.
It was also noted that if van Riemsdyk continues to produce, general manager Chuck Fletcher can up his asking price and sell him off as a forward who can assist any team’s power play.
