In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Patrick Kane is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. Why did he choose them over the many other teams that had rumored interest? In other news, a report suggests that the Toronto Maple Leafs were on the cusp of trading a member of the core four right before Kyle Dubas was fired and went on to take a job with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And, where are the Leafs at with John Klingberg? Finally, why did the Minnesota Wild fire Dean Evason?
Kane Signing With the Red Wings
In a pivotal move for the Red Wings, veteran Patrick Kane is reportedly signing a one-year deal valued at a pro-rated $2.75 million. He will make for a significant addition to the team’s roster following his recovery from hip resurfacing surgery. It is said that Kane, 35 was influenced by Detroit’s head coach, Derek Lalonde, who walked him through his vision for the team.
The deal, structured entirely in salary, guarantees Kane slightly over $2 million for the upcoming season, contingent on the contract registration timing. With a cap space of $5,021,241 and an open roster spot, Kane’s signing could be a big deal for a Red Wings team that is already in a playoff spot.
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Kane’s signing aligns with his rumored aspirations to follow in Alex DeBrincat’s footsteps. Frank Seravalli is reporting that General Manager Steve Yzerman personally traveled to Toronto for a face-to-face meeting with Patrick Kane. And, last week, the Red Wings decided to disband the DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin and Lukas Raymond line, paving the way for a reunion between Kane and DeBrincat.
Dubas Would Have Traded A Member of Leafs Core Four
In a revealing interview with TSN First Up, The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel shared intriguing insights into former Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas’s tenure and departure from the team. Siegel disclosed that Dubas was on the cusp of making a substantial roster move before his abrupt dismissal by the Maple Leafs, leading to his subsequent role with the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Siegel notes it’s speculation, the belief is he was looking to trade one of the core four.
When prompted to envision the Maple Leafs’ hypothetical trajectory under Dubas, Siegel emphasized that the team likely would looked “totally different”. Siegel speculated on players like Mitch Marner or William Nylander being potentially moved, anticipating substantial returns.
He also dismissed the likelihood of Dubas pursuing prominent free-agent signings from the summer, expressing skepticism about moves like acquiring John Klingberg or committing to a three-year contract with Ryan Reaves. He entertained the idea of Dubas bringing in Max Domi but remained doubtful. The only player he thinks he would have gone after was Tyler Bertuzzi.
Treliving Talks Klingberg’s Injury
When current GM Brad Treliving addressed the latest on the Klingberg injury news with the media on Monday, he started by saying, “First of all, we didn’t anticipate, this wasn’t something that we knew the player was injured and we went and signed him anyhow.” He added, “We knew the history of the player but we didn’t anticipate there was going to be an issue.”
He then noted that the Maple Leafs will need to wait until the end of the week (he anticipates) to see if Klingberg will need surgery. From there, the plan is to find someone on the trade market that can help bolster the team’s blue line. Identified options for the team include Chris Tanev of the Calgary Flames, Ilya Lyubushkin, formerly with the Toronto Maple Leafs, now in Anaheim, and the under-the-radar Sean Walker, a five-foot-eleven right-shot defenseman in the Philadelphia Flyers. Additionally, Andrew Peeke from the Columbus Blue Jackets, might get consideration.
Wild Fire Dean Evason, Hire John Hynes
John Hynes was introduced as the new head coach of the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. This comes after news that Dean Evason was relieved of his duties on Monday. It is being reported that Hynes was someone GM Bill Guerin wanted so the interim tag was not placed on his position.
Michael Russo of The Athletic writes:
“Chatted with Bill Guerin after the 35-minute presser. Succinctly, “we are not giving up on this season,” and he playoffs are attainable, and the expectations for the #mnwild will always be to win no matter the cap hits. He’s going to give team chance to win before trades.”