The Rangers may be the team to watch if their season starts going sideways fast.
According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, a bad first quarter could push general manager Chris Drury into making bigger moves than anyone in New York wants to think about right now. And if it gets to that point, Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere and Igor Shesterkin could all end up in the conversation.
There’s no sign the Rangers are actively shopping those names, but the pressure would be real if the results turn ugly. Drury has already made major changes to the roster, and this season could wind up being a defining one for the organization.
Connor Hellebuyck is another name floating around the rumor mill, and San Jose has been mentioned as a possible landing spot.
Jamie McLennan made the case that the Sharks should at least take a hard look at the Winnipeg Jets goalie, saying he could speed up the growth of a young team. McLennan pointed to Yaroslav Askarov as part of the equation and suggested Winnipeg could try to land a young goalie who is still learning how to become a true No.
- He also tied the idea to what Anaheim did last year, calling it the kind of path that could make San Jose more dangerous as the group gains experience.
“If I’m San Jose, I take a pretty good hard look at him. They’ve got Askarov there, and that might be a scenario where Winnipeg can get themselves a really good young goaltender who’s just learning to become a number one.
And Hellebuyck might fast-track what’s going on in San Jose. To me, if I’m San Jose, I look at what Anaheim did last year, and I think that’s what is in store for them: a dangerous team that is just getting better with experience.
You add a Hellebuyck in there, it might be very interesting, because San Jose has nothing but cap space and picks and prospects. You can make a pretty good deal there if I’m Kevin Cheveldayoff and Mike Grier.”
Hellebuyck, 33, still has five years left on his seven-year, $59.5 million contract. Last season was a rough one by his standards: a 23-23-11 record, 2.86 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in 57 starts.
He wants a fresh start and is said to have plenty of teams on his preferred list. Whether San Jose is on it is the open question.
In Carolina, the Alexander Nikishin situation has only gotten messier.
Nikishin’s agent has publicly said NHL teams are trying to get involved, but the Hurricanes have not been willing to talk trade. Nikishin reportedly asked for a change of scenery after last season, and now his agent says there is at least one sign-and-trade offer sitting there. The agent also says Nikishin has no intention of going back to the KHL, which leaves him in a tricky spot if Carolina keeps holding firm.
Chris Johnston said on The Chris Johnston Show that the Hurricanes don’t have to do anything at all. “They (Canes) don’t have to do anything either, in a sense.
He’s a player in a tough spot. He can’t really do much other than sit out and hope that forces a change.”
Johnston also said Carolina is comfortable with its depth even without Nikishin, despite the 24-year-old having been part of the Hurricanes’ top six last season.
In Edmonton, the Mike Babcock hire has become its own headline, and Bryan Hayes thinks that may be the point.
Hayes said the Oilers may have wanted the conversation to shift away from the bigger issues hanging over the team, including Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the ongoing talk about McDavid’s future. In his view, Babcock’s arrival has taken over the spotlight, which is exactly what a polarizing coach with a long résumé tends to do.
Hayes also called some of the Oilers’ messaging around the hire “performative” and said they’ve been “laying it on thick”. He added that it has made former coach Kris Knoblauch look incompetent.
For now, Babcock is the story in Edmonton. The question is whether that keeps the heat off the issues the Oilers may actually need to answer.
In Other News...
Oilers Coaching Move Suddenly Feels Tied To A Much Bigger Concern
The latest coaching chatter around Edmonton has taken on a sharper edge because it is no longer just about who will be behind the bench. With Mike Babcock in the conversation, the Oilers are being discussed in a way that reaches beyond tactics and into the larger business of managing expectations, headlines and pressure around the franchise's biggest name.
TSN's Bryan Hayes drew a direct line between the coaching move and the noise surrounding Connor McDavids contract situation, suggesting the timing was about more than a simple hockey decision. He also noted how the public praise surrounding Babcock has already shifted attention away from Kris Knoblauchs run to the Cup Final, which only adds to the sense that Edmontons offseason storylines are stacking up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Fans Have One Huge Reason To Worry About Hellebuyck
Connor Hellebuycks situation has become one of the more intriguing sideshows around the Jets as camp approaches, and Oilers fans have every reason to keep an eye on it. The Winnipeg goalie has asked for a trade and has not reported while he waits for a deal, leaving plenty of room for speculation about where he could land and how aggressive teams might be if they believe a top-tier option is actually available.
For Edmonton, the interest is obvious, because a goaltender of Hellebuycks caliber would change the conversation in a hurry. The Jets are still holding firm on getting the right return, though, and the list of possibilities is wide enough to keep the story moving, with no clear resolution yet on whether Winnipeg keeps him, moves him, or sends him elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Ike Howards Early Oilers Role Is Raising An Uncomfortable Question
Ike Howards early run with the Oilers has already become a useful little test case for how Edmonton wants to deploy its young talent. In a recent game, he skated on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman and showed some encouraging signs, contributing with a few notable passes and defensive plays that suggested he can handle real responsibility at the NHL level.
Still, the fit only sharpens the larger question around where Howard ultimately belongs in the lineup. He looks like the sort of winger who could benefit from a longer runway alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, but Edmonton also has to decide how long it can wait for production to catch up to potential, especially if the early return does not come fast enough for a team trying to stay in the window of contention. [Read more 🡒]