BS Meter on Newest NHL Commerce and Free-Company Rumors

The NHL’s 2024-25 common season is underway because the 32 groups start their quest to find out who will earn the suitable to hoist the Stanley Cup subsequent June.

After a quiet September with no exercise within the commerce market, a deal passed off on October 6 that noticed the Colorado Avalanche commerce Erik Brännström to the Vancouver Canucks for Tucker Poolman and a 2025 fourth-round decide. Maybe it is a signal of extra strikes coming quickly as groups make early-season changes to their rosters.

Coming into the brand new season, the media rumor mill is buzzing with hypothesis over potential commerce candidates. A few of it’s centered on Anaheim Geese defenseman Cam Fowler, who emerged final month as a subject of frequent conjecture, incomes him the highest spot on our October NHL Trade Block Big Board.

Among the chatter entails Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers. The 28-year-old goaltender is slated to change into an unrestricted free agent subsequent July until he and the Rangers comply with a profitable long-term deal earlier than then.

As all the time, we have our trusty BS meter to assist us decide which rumors are reality or fiction. You possibly can present your ideas on this matter in our app feedback under.

Timothy Liljegren has been a full-time a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs blue-line corps for the previous three seasons. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old defenseman might change into the odd man out this season.

On Oct. 4, The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel suggested Liljegren might change into a commerce candidate. He famous the Leafs had been open to buying and selling the blueliner throughout the offseason earlier than signing him on June 30 to a two-year contract with a median annual worth of $3 million.

Liljegren slipped down the Leafs’ blue-line depth chart throughout preseason. Siegel prompt that he’d make an costly seventh defenseman.

Siegel questioned how a lot worth Liljegren may need on the commerce market. Nonetheless, he additionally famous it may not be sensible to maneuver him given the Leafs have an older protection corps with some harm issues.

BS Meter: It is BS

Liljegren might change into a commerce candidate sooner or later, nevertheless it’s too early within the season to maneuver him now. They’re going to have to maintain him as insurance coverage in case accidents sideline a right-shot defenseman like Chris Tanev and Jani Hakanpää for a prolonged interval.

The Buffalo Sabres enter 2024-25 hoping to finish a 13-season playoff drought. They’re off to a tough begin, dropping their first two video games of the season to the New Jersey Devils throughout final week’s NHL 2024 International Sequence in Prague, Czechia.

Earlier than the International Sequence started, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic wondered if the Sabres may make a major in-season commerce. He identified that they’ve loads of salary-cap house ($6.3 million) and promising prospects to attract on for commerce bait.

Scoring was a difficulty for the Sabres last season after ending twenty third with a goals-per-game common of two.98. That situation endured throughout their opening two games in opposition to the Devils, scoring solely twice whereas giving up seven targets.

Fairburn reported the Sabres had been trying round on this summer season’s commerce marketplace for a top-six ahead. He thinks common supervisor Kevyn Adams might make a transfer earlier than the March 7 commerce deadline if the Sabres are in playoff rivalry by that time.

BS Meter: Not BS

Adams might begin making calls quickly if the Sabres do not enhance their manufacturing by way of the opening weeks of this season. At their current tempo, they will not be wherever close to the playoffs if Adams waits for the March commerce deadline.

As we famous in our intro, the potential of the Anaheim Geese buying and selling Cam Fowler this season put the 32-year-old defenseman atop our October NHL Trade Block Big Board. We additionally checked out potential landing spots for the long-time Geese blueliner.

Fowler is signed through 2025-26 with a median annual worth of $6.5 million. The puck-moving rearguard has a four-team no-trade listing, however we famous in our October commerce board that he is expanded that listing to double digits.

The Detroit Crimson Wings had been amongst our potential touchdown spots for Fowler. He grew up and performed hockey within the Detroit space and can be a terrific addition to their protection corps.

Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon shares that view. On Sept. 30, he predicted the Wings would purchase Fowler to proceed their push for a playoff berth, suggesting he might fill a second-pairing position alongside promising Simon Edvinsson.

BS Meter: It is BS…for now.

There’s been no media hypothesis suggesting the Crimson Wings are pursuing Fowler neither is there something suggesting the Geese are actively purchasing him. However, we will not dismiss the likelihood, particularly if the Wings are urgent for a playoff spot by the March 7 commerce deadline.

Kirill Kaprizov is not slated to change into an unrestricted free agent until July 2026. However, there’s already been some hypothesis over which membership may pursue the 27-year-old winger if he and the Minnesota Wild fail to comply with a brand new contract by then.

Throughout a Sept. 25 episode of The Athletic Hockey Present, Mark Lazerus said it was rumored throughout the 2024 NHL draft that Kaprizov is perhaps concerned with becoming a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. He subsequently clarified his remarks, saying it was Chicago that may have an interest within the winger including that Kaprizov wasn’t asking out of Minnesota.

Chicago would not be the one staff concerned with Kaprizov if he exams the market in 2026. The three-time 40-plus objective scorer can be in excessive demand amongst that summer season’s free brokers.

Kaprizov can be invaluable to the Wild. On Oct. 1, The Hockey Information‘ Dylan Loucks reported staff proprietor Craig Leipold intends to make sure the high-scoring winger stays put. “I’ll let you know no person will supply extra money than us or longer,” mentioned Leipold, including it was as much as the Wild to show to Kaprizov that they need to win.

BS Meter: It is BS

The Wild will open the vault to maintain Kaprizov past 2026. He is their prime scorer and franchise participant. They want him in the event that they intend to construct and preserve a winner.

This season is the ultimate one on Igor Shesterkin’s contract with the New York Rangers. The 28-year-old goaltender is slated to change into an unrestricted free agent subsequent July. His representatives have been in discussions with Rangers administration relating to a contract extension.

Shesterkin is finishing a four-year contract with a median annual worth of $5.66 million. Winner of the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22, he backstopped the Rangers to the Jap Convention Closing in 2022 and 2024, and the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy.

On Sep. 23, The Athletic’s Peter Baugh and Arthur Staple reported Shesterkin’s camp had given the Rangers till their season opener (Oct. 9) to achieve an settlement on a brand new contract. In any other case, they’d shelve negotiations till the top of the season.

Two weeks earlier, ESPN’s Casey Ditzel reported that Shesterkin’s reps sought a long-term extension with a median annual worth of $12 million. That will make their consumer the highest-paid goaltender in NHL historical past, eclipsing the $10.5 million AAV of Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Worth.

On Sept. 24, Each day Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported the Rangers weren’t involved a couple of deadline to get a deal accomplished. Three days later, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman expressed confidence that the Rangers and Shesterkin would comply with a brand new contract.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported on Oct. 8 that the Rangers supplied Shesterkin an eight-year, $88 million contract extension however the supply was rejected. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated negotiations had been persevering with.

BS Meter: Not BS

Shesterkin is an important a part of the Rangers’ Stanley Cup hopes for this season and the foreseeable future. They’ve nobody of their system who can substitute him neither is there anybody comparable accessible through commerce or subsequent summer season’s free-agent market. They’re going to make him the highest-paid goaltender.