Alex DeBrincat may be headed toward a hefty payday if the market breaks the way one report suggests. David Pagnotta said on OilersNation Everyday that the Detroit Red Wings pending UFA is aiming for “somewhere in the 12 to 14 million dollar range depending on term.”
In Dallas, the Jason Robertson contract talks sound like they’re moving toward a more active phase. Jim Nill said on 105.3 radio last week that the Stars will begin having “more serious discussions” with Robertson’s agent about an extension on December 1st.
Nill also made clear where both sides stand. “Jason wants to be here, and we want him to come back. We just need to find the right contract that fits, and I think we’ll be able to do that.”
There was also a note about Matthew Knies that points back to the 2021 draft. Brian Burke said on The Sheet with Jeff Marek that when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins, they were prepared to take Knies at No. 58 in the second round, but the Maple Leafs grabbed him one pick earlier.
Burke described Knies as the kind of player teams hunt for. “Yes, it’s a marriage made in heaven, it looks like.
It looks like a good deal. I really like Matthew Knies.
I don’t know him. Only said ‘Hi’ to him a couple of times when he was here, but I really like him as a player.
We were going to draft him in Pittsburgh, you know.
Marek: “Oh yeah.
Burke: “We took Tristan Broz. But we’re going to take Knies, when right before Toronto took him.
I said at the draft. I said to (GM Ron Hextall), ‘What are we doing?’
He said, ‘We’re going to take Knies.’ I said, ‘Okay, tell Chris Pryor.’
Chris Pryor told him to start filling out the slip, started typing in the name, and they took them.
So we,-that’s how much we like Knies in Pittsburgh at that time. We just missed on him, but I like him.”
Another item from the rumor round involved Simon Edvinsson, with the report saying the Red Wings made a big offer but will need to go higher.
In Other News...
Crosby And Ovechkin Get One More Penguins Chapter To Savor
Alex Ovechkins announcement that this will be his final NHL season gives every meeting with Sidney Crosby a little more weight, and the first of four remaining regular-season matchups between the longtime rivals now carries the feel of a farewell tour as much as a divisional game. For the Penguins, it also comes at a time when the roster is still in motion, with practice offering another look at how the forward group might be arranged around Crosby as the season wears on.
Bryan Rusts return is getting closer after he was a full participant in practice, a welcome sign for a Pittsburgh team that could use more stability and scoring touch as the schedule tightens. Even in a season that has already produced its share of odd side notes across the league, from the NHLs short-lived Hot for Hockey campaign to comeback stories elsewhere, the Crosby-Ovechkin chapter remains the one Penguins fans will circle first, because once Ovechkin is gone, these games will never quite feel the same again. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Suddenly Have A Roster Situation Fans Need To Watch
The Penguins forward group took on a different look this week after a trade with Edmonton brought in defenseman Spencer Stastney and sent Filip Hallander the other way. For a team still sorting out its lineup and trying to keep the back end stable, any move like that can ripple through the depth chart quickly, especially with the schedule moving fast and roles still being defined.
There is also a more immediate personnel wrinkle to monitor around Andrei Kuzmenko, who has returned from Russia and is with the club but will not play right away as he adjusts. Coach Dan Muse confirmed that part of the picture, and Bryan Rust is also a game-time decision for the upcoming game, leaving Pittsburgh with a little more uncertainty than usual as it tries to settle on who is available. [Read more 🡒]
Bryan Rusts Return Forces A Penguins Lineup Shakeup
Bryan Rust is back on the Penguins roster after being activated off injured reserve, bringing an end to the extended recovery from an upper-body injury he suffered in the preseason. His return gives Pittsburgh another veteran piece up front at a time when the lineup has already been shifting around, and it comes just as the schedule offers a familiar measuring-stick opponent in Washington.
The timing of the move also reflects a bit of roster reshuffling behind the scenes, with Pittsburgh making room by dealing Filip Hallander to Edmonton for Spencer Stastney. Rusts presence should immediately change the look of the forward group, and the next question is how the Penguins line combinations settle once hes back in game action. [Read more 🡒]