Connor Hellebuyck’s situation may not be resolved on the timetable everyone expected, and the Winnipeg Jets could end up pushing the whole thing past the weekend.
Darren Dreger said there’s a sense that an agreement could be in place between Hellebuyck’s camp and the Jets to delay his physicals until a later date. The timing matters because Winnipeg is set to host the Heritage Classic on the weekend, and Dreger said that’s the reason the delay would be considered.
The idea, he added, is for Hellebuyck, his camp and the Jets to keep the focus on the spectacle of the Heritage Classic and the growth of the game. Even with that possibility hanging over things, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has continued to work on moving the star goalie, and Dreger said that pursuit would continue after the weekend.
Dylan Larkin’s trade list is also still driving plenty of chatter, even though Montreal remains off it for now. Pierre LeBrun said that doesn’t necessarily close the door, because Larkin could still change his mind.
The Detroit Red Wings have been scouting the Canadiens lately, along with other teams, doing their homework in case Montreal gets added to the list. LeBrun pointed to the kinds of packages the Canadiens put together for the Toronto Maple Leafs last year for Matthew Knies and for the Columbus Blue Jackets last month for Kirill Marchenko, saying Detroit is aware of that aggressive approach.
He also said Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, has told Detroit they want movement and don’t want this dragging on for months. As for Montreal specifically, Nick Suzuki’s injury does not affect the Larkin discussion, and Suzuki is expected back in a couple of weeks.
Chris Johnston added that the public 10-team list has sparked a lot of industry speculation. He said some Canadiens would not mind being on that kind of list, and suggested teams such as the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins could make sense as possible fits for Larkin.
Johnston said the list reflects where Larkin believes he can win, and that it is not impossible that it could grow later. He also noted that the presence of teams like the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Utah Mammoth on the list has only added more to talk around the league.
In Pittsburgh, the Penguins’ slump may force a bigger decision. They have one win in their last eight games, and Dreger said a deeper sell-off by Kyle Dubas is a real possibility if the season keeps going south.
He said the organization’s new ownership still wants the team to get younger, but the management side is more complicated because Dubas is working under a cash strict budget, not just the NHL salary cap. Dreger said Dubas is listening on players like Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, and that players around the league know he is open for business.
There is also movement, or at least the lack of it, around Alexander Nikishin and the Carolina Hurricanes. LeBrun said Nikishin still wants to be traded.
The Hurricanes have told him and his agent they continue to look at the market, but if a move does not happen they could bring him back on a one-year deal and revisit the situation next summer. LeBrun said the player’s focus has been on getting dealt, even though a trade was verbally agreed to last summer before it fell apart when Nikishin could not agree to terms on a new contract with the other team.
He also said Nikishin is a 10.2(c) player, not a traditional restricted free agent with offer-sheet rights, and that the Hurricanes have explained he would have more control next summer if he signs that one-year deal.
Johnston closed with a jersey issue that could affect international tournaments. He said the IIHF has not yet finalized and announced an agreement for an on-ice jersey supplier for the coming season, which matters because the Women’s Worlds begins the first week of November in Denmark.
Canada and the United States, among others, still do not know what jerseys they will wear when the tournament starts. Johnston added that the issue could also impact the World Junior tournament, depending on what the IIHF decides.
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For Winnipeg fans keeping an eye on potential postseason noise in the East, the uglier subplot mattered just as much as the score. Ottawa also had to absorb an early scare when Linus Ullmark left in the third period after making a pad save, though the group barely missed a beat from there, and the tension around Tkachuk only kept building as the game wore on. [Read more 🡒]