In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Edmonton Oilers may have no choice but to walk away from the UFA market and take another approach when it comes to finding a depth center. Meanwhile, one journalist is suggesting that Matt Murray going to LTIR might not have been just a happenstance for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who may also have a plan when it comes to moving the rest of their salary cap overage.
Finally, are the Pittsburgh Penguins giving signs that they are the closest team to acquiring Erik Karlsson based on their lack of other hockey deals?
Oilers May Use PTO or Trade Route for a Center
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal writes that negotiations with Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod may force the Oilers to leave the UFA market. Even though they weren’t likely to spend more than the league minimum on a player, the fact the goalposts have moved when it comes to the salaries for their RFAs means Edmonton can’t afford to “shop”, even if players are willing to consider Edmonton on a team-friendly deal.
Leavins writes:
I wrote last week in this space that the Oilers were close to deals with RFA’s Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod (the latter’s arbitration case is scheduled to be heard August 4th). I stand by that, as I continue to hear that “both will get done.” But I do think the goalposts may have moved slightly in terms of what it may take. As a result, it may result in the club inviting a couple depth Centers to camp on PTO’s versus signing a UFA. That crop is now picked over pretty thoroughly. Instead, I can see the Oilers reassessing their strength at Center in-season and targeting a solution via trade instead. Names that may make sense: Nic Dowd ($1.3m x 2 in Washington) and Jake Evans ($1.7m x 2 in MTL).
source – ‘No matter how you mix it, the recipe for an Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup has 2 main ingredients: 9 Things’ – Kurt Leavins – Edmonton Journal – 07/30/2023
Maple Leafs May Move Brodie to Get Under the Cap
When asked about Matt Murray going on LTIR, Nick Kypreos said he was a bit surprised by the news considering Murray was healthy enough to state he was ready to play in the 2023 post-season. Kypreos suggested this LTIR move wasn’t likely just a result of Muray’s injury situation changing.
Noting that the goaltender is set to make a base salary of $8 million, Murray didn’t want to be bought out and that LTIR works for all parties. He noted:
Matt Murray gets to protect his money. The Leafs get to get the complete cap hit off their books and the fans get to get their salary cap alleviated and don’t have to watch necessarily the Leafs panic, you know, with two months to go before the first preseason game.
When asked about how the team will get under the salary cap ceiling over the next few weeks, Kypreos suggested the team could trade defenseman T.J. Brodie. He noted, “Well, is there a chance to fix the blue line. And what does that mean? When you look at certain players like T.J. Brodie with one year left on his deal. Is there a chance to move that money out and get a bigger defenseman in return? Maybe younger, remains to be seen.”
Penguins Lack of Movement a Sign That Leans Toward Karlsson Deal
According to Rob Rossi of The Athletic, the Pittsburgh Penguins stand out as the only team in the Erik Karlsson sweepstakes that hasn’t made significant roster moves in the past two weeks. While other clubs, like the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Seattle Kraken, have made notable additions and signings, the Penguins have remained relatively quiet. He suggests that the Penguins’ recent lack of activity could indicate that they possess information about the three-time Norris Trophy winner’s situation that remains unknown to others.
So too, the upcoming arbitration hearing for forward Drew O’Connor means that the Penguins will have another window to buy out a player, thus freeing up cap space that would be needed for Karlsson to come on board.
Related: 4 Sharks Prospects Who Could Make Their NHL Debuts in 2023-24
Still with the Penguins, Rossi writes that Dubas needs to decide what to do with Jake Guentzel. He explains:
If the Penguins and Guentzel are open to continuing their marriage, a deal should come together quickly. At this point, it’s well established that all players — even a scorer as consistent as Guentzel — take a slight financial discount, usually in exchange for added term, to stay with the Penguins. Crosby started that trend with his second contract, and everybody who has stuck around has since fallen in line.
