In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Evander Kane is questionable for Game 5 of the Edmonton Oilers versus Calgary Flames series because of the birth of his baby son. Meanwhile, there is talk about what kind of extension the Oilers would be willing to throw his way.
The Vegas Golden Knights have some coaching developments, Claude Giroux talks about a possible future with the Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks say they aren’t feeling any pressure when it comes to Brock Boeser’s pending contract situation.
Will Evander Kane Make it For Game 5?
Kane didn’t travel with the Oilers to Calgary this week. Instead, he left the team to be with his girlfriend for the birth of their baby son, Iverson Frank Kane. It’s not clear if Kane will make it to Calgary in time for Game 5, which would be a huge loss for the Oilers who are trying to close out their series with the Flames after taking a 3-1 series lead on Tuesday night.
Kane is clearly not done for the season, but it would be ideal for the Oilers to try and close this series out as quickly as possible based on a couple of injuries that are lingering on the roster. The more they play, the better chance Calgary has of getting back in the series, or players like Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, or other banged-up players can get hurt.
If Kane doesn’t play, it’s not clear who will slot in for the Oilers at forward. It’s likely guys would get bumped up a line and a depth player like Devin Shore or Derrick Brassard will slot in.
Related: 3 Key Deals Oilers Can Make to Keep Evander Kane For Next Season
As for talk of an extension for Kane, Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 said that he could see Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland offering more term than some other teams on an extension. He figures three years may be the sweet spot but the Oilers could offer four or more to keep the AAV down.
Golden Knights Coaching Rumors
As per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, there has been some talk that the Vegas Golden Knights have some interest in talking to Paul Maurice and Rick Tocchet about their vacant head coaching position. There are plenty of other candidates and they will likely speak with many of them, but these two are rumored to have already been short-listed.
This coaching situation will be interesting in Vegas. One has to wonder why coaches would short-list Vegas if they have other teams offering them jobs. It’s clear the Golden Knights don’t show loyalty to coaches and anyone taking that job has to know it could be short-term.
Giroux Needs Time But Could See Himself Staying with Panthers
When asked about his future NHL plans and whether he could see himself sticking with the Florida Panthers, Claude Giroux says he had no negative thoughts on his decision to come to Florida despite the team being bounced from the playoffs earlier than expected. He noted, “I believe in this group. A lot of potential and a lot of good things to come for this organization.”
Giroux was asked what was next for him and he noted, “One step at a time here. You’ve gotta take a few weeks to settle down. We’re still pretty fired up. We’ve got a lot of things to think of.” He was asked if he could see a deal being worked out between the two sides and he said, “Yeah, I do. Obviously, there’s a lot to worry about and a decision has to be made. It’s a tough question.”
Giroux had choices before he went to Florida so it’s logical to assume he’ll think carefully about what he wants to do next and won’t just jump into an extension with the Panthers. The Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators are both teams rumored to be interested in bringing him in next season and the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers were two teams that kicked tires on him before the NHL Trade Deadline.
Panthers Tried to Trade Bobrovsky
During his “32 Thoughts” podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said he suspected the Panthers tried hard to trade goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky during the 2021-22 season or lay the groundwork to do so in the future. He’s sure not if the team will be able to based on the size and length of his contract, but he heard the Panthers really worked on it to see if it was possible.
Canucks Not Feeling Pressure to Trade Boeser
Rob Simpson of Vancouver Hockey Now reports that Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford dismissed any rumors the team would have to trade Brock Boeser based on the size of his qualifying offer. Obviously, the team will try to negotiate a better deal than the $7.5 million qualifying offer he’s guaranteed but Rutherford said the team could afford to pay that and it’s in their budget, should they need to do so.
“We are definitely not pressured to trade him for financial reasons,” he said. Simpson also notes that a decision has not been made by the Canucks yet as it pertains to Boeser’s future.