In today’s rumor rundown the Carolina Hurricanes just made a trade for one of their defensemen almost a guarantee with the signing of Calvin de Haan on Tuesday. Who will it be? Also, it looks like there is a frontrunner for Erik Karlsson’s services and a surprise team might be leading the charge. The Rangers have a decision to make on Kevin Hayes and
Carolina to Make Moves
After landing top-four defenseman Calvin de Haan in free agency, the Carolina Hurricanes must have something else coming. Of the many teams that needed another defenseman, Carolina really wasn’t one of them so the expectation is that with Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Trevor van Riemsdyk (an RFA), young pros Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown, and elite prospects Jake Bean, Luke Martin, and Adam Fox all on the roster, someone is moving. Logic would suggest that someone is Justin Faulk.
One of the biggest surprises of the off-season is that the NHL Entry Draft and the opening days of free agency have passed and Carolina still hasn’t moved at least one of Jeff Skinner or Faulk. The signing of de Haan allows new GM Don Waddell to make a move.
Chicago is a team rumored to be putting a package together.
Related: NHL Rumors: Karlsson, Krug, de Haan, More
Dallas Stars the Favorite for Erik Karlsson?
We talked yesterday about teams being granted permission to speak with Karlsson about an extension. This came after the Ottawa Senators offered the elite blueliner an eight-year contract that was not well-received. NBC Sports’ Kathryn Tappen reported that the Senators’ offer was for eight years at $10MM per season and Karlsson is looking for Drew Doughty and John Tavares money.
As teams reach out, it appears a frontrunner has emerged, that being the Dallas Stars. The Athletic’s Chris Stevenson has heard from a source that Dallas and Ottawa are well into talks about a trade for Karlsson but one that does not include Bobby Ryan.
Shapiro believes that any deal for Karlsson would have to include young defenseman Julius Honka, while Ottawa may be asking about Esa Lindell. But, that wouldn’t be all. More names like Miro Heiskanen, Radek Faksa, Devin Shore, Valeri Nichushkin, and Riley Tufte, or a combination of these players could be part of the deal as well.
Related: NHL Rumors: Simmonds, Spooner, Thornton, More
Kevin Hayes for Jake DeBrusk?
Obviously, this is just one person speaking hypothetically, but New York Posts’s Larry Brooks believes New York Rangers restricted free agent center Kevin Hayes would be worth $30 million over five years on the open market and the Rangers are trying to decide if they should offer him something in that range or move him for other help.
Brooks thinks it would be a mistake to go through arbitration and see a one-year deal come out as a result. He asks if the Bruins would consider moving Jake DeBrusk for Hayes?
Oilers to Move Zack Kassian?
With a cap hit of $1.95 million, Zack Kassian is being viewed in Edmonton as a player the team potentially can’t afford since other options are out there in free agency that would cost less to acquire and he had a rough season in 2017-18.
Speculation is the Oilers would trade Kassian for a pick and then sign another forward or two to replace him. The names being tossed around are Jason Chimera, Nick Shore, Anthony Duclair or Scottie Upshall.