In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on Zach Werenski, Kirill Marchenko, Connor Hellebuyck, Jason Robertson, Darnell Nurse, and Mathew Barzal heading into the second day of the NHL Draft.
WERENSKI AND MARCHENKO COULD BE ON THEIR WAY OUT OF COLUMBUS
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Zach Werenski is unlikely to sign a contract extension next summer. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman has two years remaining on his deal.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)
Over the past week, the Blue Jackets have been taking calls to gauge Werensky’s value in the trade market. There’s no guarantee that he’ll be traded this summer, but there is now a little more urgency on the Blue Jackets’ part.
LeBrun subsequently indicated that a dozen teams could become suitors for Werenski. He suggested the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, and Carolina Hurricanes might come calling.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported that Kirill Marchenko’s camp told him that it’s unlikely he’ll sign a contract extension with the Blue Jackets.
The 25-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract and will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. He’s earning an average annual value of $3.85 million.
Weekes also indicated that the Marchenko camp will seek a deal comparable to what winger Pavel Dorofeyev signed on Friday with the New York Rangers. The Vegas Golden Knights traded the 25-year-old Dorofeyev to the Rangers, who promptly signed him to a seven-year contract worth an AAV of $11 million.
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell didn’t rule out retaining Werenski and Marchenko for next season. Werenski’s no-trade clause becomes a 10-team trade list next July 1, while the Blue Jackets would still retain Marchenko’s rights.
Waddell will continue trying to improve his roster’s depth for next season, but Portzline believes it’s hard for the Blue Jackets GM to proceed when two of the pillars he was building around are starting to crumble.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who claimed the Canadiens made a “MASSIVE” offer for Marchenko. “I don’t know the pieces involved,” Seravalli said, going on to say that he’d been told the Canadiens might look “borderline insane” for putting that deal on the table.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This news is a horrible gut punch for the Blue Jackets. Werenski and Marchenko are two of their core players. Having them indicate that they no longer see their futures in Columbus could have a demoralizing effect on the franchise and its fans at a time when they were hoping to build their roster this summer to push through as a playoff contender next season.
Waddell has a measure of control over this situation. He doesn’t have to move either player right away and can afford to wait for the right offers to come in. On the other hand, starting next season with two players who don’t want to be there will hang like a dark cloud over this franchise, becoming an unnecessary distraction for the players.
UPDATE ON CONNOR HELLEBUYCK
TSN: Darren Dreger reports there have been trade negotiations regarding Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Before Friday’s draft, there were “deep negotiations” with the Buffalo Sabres, with the fourth-overall pick in this year’s draft as part of those discussions, but those talks cooled before the draft.
Hellebuyck is under contract with the Jets for four more years, so they can afford to remain patient and await the right offer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It looks like Hellebuyck to Buffalo isn’t happening as the Sabres used that pick to select prospect defenseman Daxon Rudolph. Of course, we can’t rule out other pieces being offered by the Sabres if they wish to revisit the talks, but that high draft pick was likely the main piece in their original discussions.
THE LATEST ON JASON ROBERTSON
TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes Jason Robertson wants to remain with the Dallas Stars, but the two sides are having difficulty finding the right number.
Robertson, 26, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1, and is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. According to LeBrun, the winger seeks $14 million annually, while the Stars aren’t comfortable with going beyond $12.5 million.
LeBrun said the Stars have gone back to the teams that were interested in Robertson. However, there’s been nothing new because those clubs saw his rejection of a trade to Seattle and are concerned that he wouldn’t sign an extension.
An offer sheet is also a possibility on July 1. A $15 million AAV offer for seven years would mean the Stars would be entitled to four first-round picks as compensation.
THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus wondered if the Chicago Blackhawks have a shot at landing Robertson. They point out the Blackhawks have the financial freedom to sign Robertson, Connor Bedard, and Bowen Byram to $10-plus million contracts and still have plenty of cap space.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson and the Stars could agree to a new contract, but it seems more likely that he’s going to be playing for a new team next season. The Stars would’ve traded him to the Kraken if he’d been willing to accept their offer (eight years, $15 million AAV). They’re probably going to call around until they find a club he’d be willing to join before someone tries to sign him away with an offer sheet.
As for the Blackhawks, maybe the chance to play alongside Bedard would have more appeal, but Robertson’s preference seems to be playing with a contender.
NOTHING NEW ON DARNELL NURSE
TSN: Darren Dreger said there was nothing new to report on Darnell Nurse’s trade request. The Edmonton Oilers received a three-team trade list from the 32-year-old defenseman, but there’s been no headway with those clubs.
Dreger believes there is no benefit to either side in having this situation drag on through the summer. He speculated that Oilers management could ask the Nurse camp to expand their trade list.
TEAMS CALLING ABOUT MATHEW BARZAL
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner reports cited sources claiming the New York Islanders are getting trade inquiries about forward Mathew Barzal as the trade and free-agent markets dry up.
Two of the teams are believed to be the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars could see Barzal as a potential replacement for Jason Robertson. The Canadiens are trying to find a top-six forward to skate alongside rising star Ivan Demidov on their second line. Rosner pointed out that the Isles previously told the Habs that Barzal wasn’t available.