Check out the latest on Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly, Canucks center Elias Pettersson, and Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
KNIES AND RIELLY HOPE TO REMAIN MAPLE LEAFS
SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva reports Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly reiterated their desire to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Rielly has a full no-movement clause in his contract. When asked about waiving it, the 32-year-old defenseman acknowledged that it’s something he must be prepared for, but said he loves being a Maple Leaf and wants to stay.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).
Meanwhile, Knies admitted he’s not pleased that his name surfaced in trade rumors this season, and could continue to pop up in offseason trade speculation. However, he said that those things are out of his control, that he’s not bothered by the rumors, and maintained he wants to stick around.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly and Knies said that any decision to move them rests with whoever becomes the next Leafs general manager. However, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley recently said the club was not rebuilding. Moving Rielly and Knies would be considered part of a rebuilding process.
Ultimately, the futures of Rielly and Knies in Toronto will depend on how much autonomy Pelley is willing to give the Maple Leafs new general manager.
CANUCKS CENTER ELIAS PETTERSSON
THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes the future of Elias Pettersson is the first order of business facing the Vancouver Canucks as they chart the direction the franchise will take with the expensive center.
Pettersson’s offensive production remains down, netting 51 points this season. However, his defensive play has improved as he led all NHL forwards this season with 108 blocked shots. He has six more seasons remaining on his contract with an expensive average annual value of $11.6 million.
The 27-year-old Pettersson told Kuzma that he remains committed to the Canucks and is invested in their future. However, trade rumors have swirled, with some suggesting the club might be willing to retain salary.
If the Canucks were to trade Pettersson, Kuzma suggested the Detroit Red Wings might be a good fit. However, he has a full no-movement clause and didn’t sound to Kuzma like he wanted a change of scenery.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s contract gives him full control over his situation. If he doesn’t want to go, the Canucks will have to find a way to get more out of him offensively if they want this rebuild to succeed with him as part of it.
THE LATEST ON DOUGIE HAMILTON
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nicholls observed that Dougie Hamilton politely declined to speak with the media during the Devils’ locker cleanout day earlier this week. He believes the 32-year-old defenseman’s silence speaks volumes about his future with the club.
Hamilton frequently surfaced in trade rumors going back to last summer, with one report claiming he used his no-trade clause to block a move to the San Jose Sharks. Following last month’s trade deadline, now-former GM Tom Fitzgerald claimed he wasn’t shopping the puck-moving blueliner.
New general manager Sunny Mehta might be able to mend fences with Hamilton, but Nicholls considers it unlikely. He believes the veteran blueliner’s tenure in New Jersey could be drawing to a close.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamilton has a 10-team trade list, but Nicholls pointed out that he might be willing to expand that list to facilitate a deal. We can expect the Hamilton trade rumors to continue following the postseason.