Welcome to another edition of Full Press Hockey’s NHL Rumors! The NHL 2022-23 regular season games have begun and players will be evaluated. Now, with free agency moves mostly done, rumors are still around. Clubs are always working to improve their rosters for next season. Some teams are having difficulty creating enough cap space to make moves. Others are experiencing severe injuries to star players. Trade rumors/signings are still prevalent. In this Sunday edition of NHL Rumors, we will take a look at the Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Dallas Stars – Jake Oettinger
Rumor: Per – Greg Wyshynski – ESPN.com. Can Jake Oettinger be the Dallas Stars’ future in goal?
Oettinger hit the spotlight in last season’s playoff series against the Calgary Flames. He managed to keep the Stars in the series by stopping 272 of 285 shots, including 64 of 67 in a deciding Game 7.
GM Jim Nill had this to say about his young netminder:
“When we started the series, probably one of the biggest question marks we had was that we had a young goalie getting his first Stanley Cup playoff action,” Nill said. “This résumé isn’t very long. How is he going to handle it? Now we look back on it, and I’ve never seen a young man enjoy the moment as much as he did. He cherished being in the net.”
The Stars realized that they have a talented, young goalie and on Sept. 1, they decided upon a $4 million AAV deal with Oettinger, who is a restricted free agent when it expires in 2025. He is their starting goalie and wants to show everyone he’s worth that sizable contract.
According to Nill, “He’s a player with high-end character. And he’s our future, going forward.”
Buffalo Sabers – The Sabers are on the right track to becoming a contender.
Rumor: – Per –Steven Ellis – dailyfaceoff.com. There’s a lot to love about the Buffalo Sabres’ future.
Due in part to years of futility, Buffalo has managed to snag Rasmus Dahlin (2018) and Owen Power (2021) with the first overall pick in recent years. Add in Jack Quinn (2020), JJ Peterka (2020) and Dylan Cozens (2019) and this year’s roster is starting to bear the fruits of successful drafting in recent years.
And, that doesn’t include 21-year-old Peyton Krebs, whom the team acquired in the Jack Eichel trade, and Mattias Samuelsson, who just signed a seven-year deal this week. The youth is obvious as they sport the youngest opening night roster in the NHL at an average age of 25.58.
There’s a valid reason for optimism in Western New York. The Sabers aren’t going to take huge steps instantly, and that’s OK. Both coach Don Granato and GM Kevyn Adams have been given extensions over the past few weeks, so the organization feels they have the right people in charge.
Now, let’s see how all this can come together as the new season unfolds. One thing is certain, the Sabers won’t be dwelling in the NHL cellar as in the past. Their future is bright.
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Philadelphia Flyers – Wayne Simmonds
Rumor: Per – Mike Stephens – thehockeynews.com. Wayne Simmonds may be just what the Flyers need in their culture.
Simmonds is certainly on his way out of Toronto and can still add his physicality to the Philly lineup. His $900,000 salary won’t hurt the Flyers’ cap hit, with $3.9 million to spend.
He may have lost some speed, but can still put fear into an opponent’s eyes when he heads towards them. With new head coach John Tortorella in charge, it seems like the two are a perfect match. It could be a homecoming for Simmonds to go back to Philadelphia where he played for eight seasons from 2011-19.
For now, he awaits what his future holds.
That concludes this edition of NHL rumors. Be sure to check in for our next article, and thanks for reading!
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