In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Edmonton Oilers promised to trade Jesse Puljujarvi if things didn’t go well. It sounds like the two sides might be getting to that point. Meanwhile, could the Philadelphia Flyers buy out Kevin Hayes’ contract?
The Montreal Canadiens has had previous interest in Brock Boeser and Kevin Bieksa shoots down rumors about a mock Stanley Cup celebration in 2011.
Will the Oilers Keep Their Promise?
Elliotte Friedman noted during the 32 Thoughts segment on Hockey Night in Canada that the Edmonton Oilers promised Puljujarvi that they make a deal work if things went sideways during the year. Friedman notes, “Now, from what we understand there was a conversation at the beginning of the season between the team and Puljujarvi’s representatives where it was decided if things didn’t go well, the Oilers would try to move him.”
Friedman also adds:
I do think that is going to happen. What I can’t tell you is, what the timeline is going to be. Edmonton is still banged up at forward and the Oilers don’t have a salary cap issue until Evander Kane is back and returns sometime in the next few months. So I don’t think this is necessarily going to happen quickly or anything like that. But I do think the Oilers and the player are going to try and find a solution.
In the meantime, one thing the Oilers are going to do is try to make the player comfortable and likely not play him with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl because the player puts too much pressure on himself when he plays with the best players.
Could Flyers Buy Out Kevin Hayes’ Contract?
Larry Brooks of the New York Post observed that Philadelphia Flyers should have tried to rebuild this season and give themselves the best shot at Connor Bedard. Instead, coach John Tortorella is trying to manufacture wins out of a team that isn’t very good. It might be time for the Flyers to start moving pieces out.
That leads to talk about center Kevin Hayes, who has three seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of over $7.14 million. A contract that will be nearly impossible to trade without retaining 50% of the deal, Brooks believes a buyout is inevitable. The buyout would cost between $1.6 million and $4.75 million against the cap for the next six seasons.
Did the Canadiens Try to Trade For Boeser?
According to an article in Montreal Hockey Now, it was said during the Sekeres and Price Show podcast by NHL insider Rick Dhaliwal that the Montreal Canadiens have had a longstanding interest in Vancouver Canucks’ winger Brock Boeser. In fact, it was said they previously tried to trade for him.
Related: Canucks News & Rumors: Boeser, Horvat, Poolman & More
Dhaliwal said his sources claimed that former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin offered up defenseman Alexander Romanov plus a draft pick for Boeser and would’ve also taken on a bad contract in return. Whether current GM Kent Hughes has the same fondness for Boeser is unclear. Then-GM of the Canucks, Jim Benning said no, but it’s not believed current GM Patrick Alvin would say no to a decent offer like that now. Keep in mind, Romanov is now with the New York Islanders so a different piece would have to go back to Vancouver.
He wonders if Sean Monahan would be the right piece and the kind of expiring deal that could go back to Vancouver.
Bieksa Shoots Down Chara Claim About Stanley Cup Celebration
Finally, Kevin Bieksa addressed rumors and claims made by Zdeno Chara that the Vancouver Canucks had practiced holding up and passing around the Stanley Cup during their Finals matchup in 2011. Chara claimed that the Bruins saw the Canucks pretending to take laps after having beaten them and that was a motivator for the Bruins to come out and really hammer on the Canucks during that series.
Bieksa called it “one of the dumbest things we’ve ever heard” and that it’s not even remotely true. He said it was logistically impossible considering all the coverage that was there. It would have been reported on. Bieksa also calls out Chara for not fact-checking and saying he’s already walked back some of his comments, noting that he said he “saw” this to now saying “he heard.” Bieksa was really disappointed in Chara putting that out there and questioning the character of guys like himself, Robert Luongo, and the Sedins.
