In today’s NHL rumor rundown there is news out of Toronto where one media member says the Toronto Maple Leafs should considering trading Mitch Marner and suggests the possible return. In Los Angeles, Rob Blake provided a number of updates on a number of topics related to the Kings. What are the Edmonton Oilers going to do with Darnell Nurse and might the Calgary Flames have a deal in the works with the Columbus Blue Jackets?
Should Maple Leafs Trade Marner?
Damien Cox of the Toronto Star writes there is a good possibility that Mitch Marner won’t be at camp and that he could miss the start of the season. If things appear to be headed that direction, Cox wonders if the Toronto Maple Leafs will “imagine other possibilities” when it comes to Marner’s future.
The Maple Leafs either need Marner or whatever they get for Marner in the lineup and the return could be at least two players that are under 27-years-old and under contract for at least two years. Cox says the combination might be a top-four defenseman along with a forward that could score 30 goals.
Meanwhile, Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, says his client could start skating with Zurich when training camp opens on September 12th.
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Updates in LA Through Rob Blake
Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake met with reporters, including LA Kings Insider’s Jon Rosen and touched on a number of topics. Among them, he acknowledged that the Kings took a look at UFA defenseman Ben Hutton.
Blake downplayed the possibility of signing Hutton but speculation is that Hutton still has the Kings on his list of teams he’s considering.
When it comes to winger Tyler Toffoli, there’s been a ton of trade speculation. Blake indicated to the media that he’s not in a hurry to re-sign the forward after a down season. Blake will wait until later in the season to look at a new deal should the Kings look at all.
Finally, Blake said that he spoke a lot with forward Dustin Brown this past offseason and while the Kings will be going through big changes, he doesn’t see a scenario where he would trade Brown.
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Michael Frolik for Riley Nash?
Brian Costello of The Hockey News writes that the Calgary Flames are still working on ways of signing Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane with the $7.7 million in salary-cap space they have left. It could require a trade.
He notes one option might be sending Michael Frolik and his $4.3 million cap hit to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Riley Nash. Nash has two years left but at $2.75 million per and if the Blue Jackets retained about $500k in salary, the Flames would have an extra $2 million in cap space.
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Oilers Keep or Trade Darnell Nurse?
Jonathan Willis of The Athletic writes that the Edmonton Oilers will have an important decision ahead of them when it comes to defenseman Darnell Nurse. Nurse is entering the final year of his deal and due for a big raise.
Willis says comparables for Nurse include Matt Dumba’s five-year, $6 million per deal and Esa Lindell’s six years at $5.8 million per.
Willis writes that there is another option. He explains:
The other option, often floated online, is for Edmonton to trade Nurse next summer rather than re-sign him. The timing would be right: a player looking for a raise, but one who still has two years left under team control. The rationale is that with Klefbom signed long-term, Larsson and Russell still under contract, and a wealth of prospects graduating the Oilers could move a valuable player from their blue line to address other problems.
source – ‘How much money will Darnell Nurse make on his next NHL contract?’ – Jonathan Willis -The Athletic – 08/29/2019
Willis suggests Nurse has already put himself in a position to get a big raise but this season could be massive in terms of dictating the type of deal Nurse could ultimately ask for.
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