In today’s NHL rumors rundown, one Toronto columnist thinks this is the timeframe that a Mitch Marner trade is going to happen if it ever does. Meanwhile, Brock Boeser could sign an extension with the Vancouver Canucks but the team might want to wait to see which version of the forward shows up next season. Finally, did the Jacob Trouba camp add the Detroit Red Wings to his 15-team no-trade list after it was leaked the New York Rangers were trying to trade him there?
If Marner Isn’t Traded Soon, He’s Staying Put
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun writes this weekend that buzz from the NHL draft in late June hinted that if Mitch Marner were to be traded, it would take a few weeks to finalize. That means the deal would be happening right about now. He also writes, as the Leafs approach that timeframe, there’s no indication that a Marner trade is imminent.
Koshan explains:
We’re heading into that territory on the calendar now, but there has been nothing to lead anyone to believe that a Marner trade actually will happen. The line from Marner’s camp all along is that the star winger will be in camp in September with the Leafs as he heads into the final year of his contract. As we say, there has been nothing concrete to expect anything otherwise.
source – ‘Mitch Marner and other mid-July ponderings on the Maple Leafs’ – Terry Koshan – Toronto Sun – 07/12/2024
Marner has never waivered on wanting to stay with the Leafs and he held a charity event on Friday in which he didn’t allow questions regarding his status with the team. He reportedly didn’t give credentials to TSN or Sportsnet and had no desire to talk about trade speculation.
Boeser’s Contract Extension This Summer Not a Priority for Canucks
Brock Boeser’s contract extension might not be a top priority for the Vancouver Canucks right now, as the team wants to evaluate his performance in the upcoming 2024-25 season. According to Frankie Corrado of TSN, the Canucks have set themselves up well for future negotiations by securing their core players, including J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Filip Hronek, and Quinn Hughes. They also have another year of Thatcher Demko at $5 million, which has improved their salary cap situation significantly.
Despite being a nearly point-per-game player in previous seasons, injuries have affected Boeser’s performance, and his $6.65 million salary hasn’t always provided the expected value. However, after a strong season with 40 goals, Boeser’s current salary seems more justified. The question is, will he stay that productive if signed to another big-money deal?
Vancouver is in a good position to offer Boeser a fair market value contract, but a lack of consistency means it’s hard to evaluate that value. Corrado wonders if the key now is to see which version of Boeser will show up this season – the prolific scorer from last year or the inconsistent player from the two previous seasons.
Trouba Added Red Wings to No-Trade List After Rumors Leaked?
Former Rangers general manager Neil Smith recently discussed Jacob Trouba’s ongoing conflict with the team on the Hockey Night NY podcast. Smith was taken aback by how the Rangers managed the situation, particularly the public nature of the trade discussions. He believes the lack of discretion on the part of the Rangers may have ruined their plans.
Smith said, “The thing that I’m surprised about in that situation is to allow this to happen, and to allow it to happen publicly.” Smith revealed that once Trouba and his team learned of the Rangers’ interest in trading him to the Detroit Red Wings, they acted swiftly to prevent the move.
He explained:
“Now you go to him and it leaks out that you’ve talked to Detroit because he’s a Michigan guy… and now you ask him for his 15-team no-trade list. They say, ‘Well, screw you, we’re not giving it to you until July 1st,’ and what do they do? They put down Detroit as one of the 15 no-trade teams because it’s already gotten out there.”
Unfortunately, all of this could lead to a soured relationship between Trouba and the team and affect Trouba’s performance on the ice. He said, “Now you’ve got some muddy waters with maybe the most important guy on your team, the captain, the guy that has the most influence in the locker room,” Smith added, “It’s something they are going to have to handle.”
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