In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Elliotte Friedman offered a number of rumors in his season-ending episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. Among them, the Buffalo Sabres are talking contract extensions with important defensemen, and Max Domi is interested in sticking around with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, there is a rumored trade being discussed between the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks, while the Detroit Red Wings admit they are looking for more scoring.
Sabres Working on Contract Extensions
During the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman discussed the Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. He mentioned that there has been extensive discussion about extending the contracts of both players. Friedman heard that representatives from both camps met with the Sabres’ management at the combine and the draft.
Related: NHL Rumors: Senators, Red Wings, Islanders, Ducks, Hurricanes
According to him, the feedback from Buffalo is highly optimistic, as both Dahlin and Power expressed their desire to remain with the team for the long haul. The organization is committed to working towards securing deals for both of these talented players.
News on Matt Murray and Max Domi
According to Chris Johnston from NorthStar Bets, the Toronto Maple Leafs have exceeded the salary cap ceiling and are actively seeking ways to offload Matt Murray and his $4.69 million salary cap hit. The team is actively exploring trade opportunities to address this situation.
In the event that the Maple Leafs have a player, potentially Ilya Samsonov, going through salary arbitration, it triggers the opening of a second buyout window. This additional window provides another avenue for the team to consider a buyout as a potential option for dealing with Murray’s contract.
Meanwhile, Friedman says that Max Domi has made it clear he’s looking to stay in Toronto. He said Domi “wants this to be his NHL home for a long time. He wants to be a Leafs, he’s got the bloodlines to be a Leaf. He’ll do anything to stay a Leaf. He never wants to leave here.”
Red Wings Want More Scoring
According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, GM of the Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman, is happy with the signings he’s made this summer — forwards J.T. Compher, Daniel Sprong, and Christian Fischer, defensemen Justin Holl and Shayne Gostisbehere and goaltenders James Reimer and Alex Lyon — but he wants more scoring. He noted it remains an area of concern for the team.
St. James quotes him as saying:
“Collectively, I expect us to improve a little bit. Probably still not where we’d all like to be, so we’ll continue in the offseason here, what, if anything, if it be through some more free agents that are still out there, or even look at potential trades.”
source – ‘Steve Yzerman still looking to add offense to Detroit Red Wings’ Helene St. James – Detroit Free Press – 07/04/2023
It’s no wonder rumors persist that the Red Wings are in the trade conversations related to Alex DeBrincat.
Sharks and Canucks Talking Myers for Labanc Trade
According to a report by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, there have been discussions regarding a potential trade between the San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks involving defenseman Tyler Myers and winger Kevin Labanc. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff initially reported this trade scenario.
However, as of now, the deal has not yet materialized, causing frustration for the Canucks. It is speculated that the Sharks may prefer to wait until September 1st when Myers receives his $5 million signing bonus. This would result in the Sharks only having to pay $1 million of his remaining salary, while the full $6 million cap hit would still count against their salary cap for the current season.
There is always a question about which player is more valuable at the trade deadline. Perhaps one side views their own player as the easier asset to move.
