Welcome to another edition of Full Press Hockey’s NHL Rumors! The NHL Draft is history, and every team has high hopes for the prospects they add. 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. In this Sunday edition of NHL Rumors, we will take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Rasmus Sandin
Rumor: Per – Luke Fox – sportsnet.ca. Maple Leafs, Rasmus Sandin hit contract rut: ‘Negotiations are going nowhere’
It is believed that the Maple Leafs have offered Sandin a two-year, $2 million bridge deal. That would be the identical contract they offered Timothy Liljegren, which he accepted. If Sandin expects a more lucrative deal, the Leafs (as usual) don’t have the cap space available unless they move a contract.
Lewis Gross, the agent for the Toronto Maple Leafs RFA defenseman stated, “Negotiations are going nowhere.” When asked why they are at a standstill, Gross said: “I can’t answer that. You know, I don’t usually say much (publicly) anyway. But they’re just going nowhere right now.”
Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas in a text. “Negotiating contracts via the media have an adverse impact on player (and) team reputation and traditionally do not create resolutions to private matters.”
It seems money, term, and Sandin’s role on the Maple Leafs blueline are factors in why no deal has been reached. We will keep you informed here at Full Press Hockey if anything breaks.
Vancouver Canucks – Evan Rodrigues
Rumor: Per – Rob Williams – dailyhive.com. Canucks looking at signing Evan Rodrigues in free agency: report
“I was told this morning #Canucks are poking around on Evan Rodrigues…I also believe in my heart #Canucks are still in the mix to land UFA d-man Calvin de Haan. That could be in relation to Tucker Poolman’s health, I’m not so sure.” @AlteriInsurance
— Sekeres and Price (@sekeresandprice) August 19, 2022
Rodrigues would be a solid addition to the Canucks lineup. He collected 19 goals, and 24 assists in 82 games in the 2021-22 season. Rodrigues added seven power-play goals and averaged 15:50 of ice time last season. While signing Rodrigues may be a good move, the Vancouver club is already $2.75 million over the cap limit and would need to figure that out. Rodrigues signed for $1 million on his now expired contract and perhaps GM Patrik Allvin is playing the waiting game to see if the price decreases.
Allvin still needs to determine the status of forward JT Miller before he makes any more moves affecting his over-budgeted salary cap situation. Bo Horvat is another player whose future with the team is uncertain. Rodrigues will land somewhere, he’s a good all-around player. His Corsi For last season was an amazing 59.8, with his Relative Corsi For was 10.5. As time ticks by, Allvin may lose Rodrigues’ services to another team. He has spurred some interest around the NHL, so we shall see how this one turns out.
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Vegas Golden Knights – Season done?
Rumor: Per – Jason Pothier – sinbin.vegas. Toronto Talking Heads Count Vegas Out For 2022-23.
After losing starting goalie Robin Lehner, Bryan Hayes stated on the OverDrive radio show on TSN1050 Toronto, “Your season is done. I credit them for what they accomplished that first season. Ever since that success, they’ve been drunken sailors. They’re in video game GM mode. Trade this guy, sign that guy, don’t need that guy, dump that guy, trade this pick, trade that prospect. It’s karma in a way, you’ve been too reckless.”
Dave Poulin on the same TSN1050 show stated, “Direction-wise over the next couple of years, what’s going to happen with Vegas? They’re going to expire. They just are. They’ve depleted their farm system. They refute everything they were when they came into the league. They’re the exact opposite. They used to be the have-nots, the castaways.”
If this prediction holds true, the Golden Knights for the second time in their new history are not considered to be a Cup favorite.
They have let players like Marc-Andre Fleury, and Max Pacioretty go and didn’t qualify for the playoffs last year. They have gone after players like Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo instead costing them $18.8 million just for those players. Now, without a starting goalie, their fate is uncertain. The current plan is to start the season with their current goaltenders unless something falls into their laps. This leaves Logan Thompson, Laurent Brossoit and Michael Hutchinson to fill the void. Will it be enough? Time to bet red or black on the Golden Knights performance this coming season.
That concludes this edition of NHL rumors. Be sure to check back for our next article, and thanks for reading!
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