In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there are updates on the Calgary Flames, LA Kings, Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche. For most of these teams, the speculation surrounds college prospects and where they’ll end up signing.
Flames to Sign Zagidulin
According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Calgary Flames are getting close to signing a deal with KHL goaltender Artyom Zagidulin. His season with
Magnitogorsk came to an early end when they were eliminated from the playoffs and while his current KHL deal doesn’t expire until the end of April, it looks like he’s been granted an early release to join the Flames.
If the 23-year old does, in fact, sign with the Flames, his NHL contract would have to be a one-year entry-level deal and it would kick in next season
Dreger also said Calgary Flames are one of the teams interested in 26-year old Joakim Nygard of Farjestad (SHL). GMs have traveled to Sweden to watch him. The Ottawa Senators are the other.
Nygard is being compared to Carl Hagelin and it’s said that he is a real speedster. At his age, he’s forced to sign a one-year deal with any NHL club so, in a way, he’s a test drive for whichever club
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Kings Interested in Nico Sturm
Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider is reporting that the Los Angeles Kings continue to have interest in NCAA free agent center Nico Sturm of Clarkson. They are not the only team interested however, as a number of NHL clubs have reached out. Rosen reports that he is getting significant interest from around the league.
Hurricanes May Have to Trade Adam Fox
Another college free player that is being talked about is Adam Fox out of the Carolina Hurricanes organization. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun is reporting that the Hurricanes don’t know which way Fox is leaning and if they’ll be able to get the defenseman out of Harvard signed.
LeBrun said in the latest Insider Trading video that as part of the Flames trade, the Hurricanes were counting on being able to sign Fox and with his team potentially out of the playoffs (they play UMass on Friday) he is set to let the Hurricanes know within 48 hours what he intends to do.
LeBrun said, “I’m told that within 48 hours of his
What could be interesting to watch is if Carolina waits a little while to move his rights. Fox has to sign with an NHL club by the end of the regular season or the playoffs to be able to burn a year of his entry-level contract. If he doesn’t, it sets him back a season. That is a bit of leverage the Hurricanes can potentially use against him should he decide not to sign with them.
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Avs Will Be Busy This Summer
Outside of having to deal with the restricted free agent contract of Mikko Rantanen, Darren Dreger said on Montreal’s TSN 690 that the team will look to add some serious pieces over the summer, focusing on their blue line.
The Avs have plenty of cap room and a few prospects they could move to find the defenseman they think they need to be more competitive.