It's been a long season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who entered the season with realistic playoff hopes looming for the first time in years. After a 4-0-0 start, it looked like the Leafs actually did have a chance to make the playoffs after all.
However, everything has gone completely wrong.
The Maple Leafs have gone 8-15-4 since their undefeated start, including a streak of eight straight losses. Their first-half struggles have driven them out of the playoff picture and even put head coach Ron Wilson's job into question by many.
Although firing Wilson might not seem like the right thing to do, a potential replacement always has to be looked for. In the Maple Leafs' case, that potential replacement could come from inside the organization.
Toronto Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins is a former assistant coach with the Maple Leafs and might be their best option when it comes to a new head coach. Eakins' previous NHL experience means he knows not only what it's like to coach in the world's best league, but one of the league's most passionate, impatient markets.
If you're looking for previous success of an AHL coach being hired by their NHL clubs, look no further than Pittsburgh's Dan Bylsma.
Bylsma was coaching the Penguins' AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before the Penguins hired him. Just four months after he was hired, he led the Penguins to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals. A year after that, Bylsma coached the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup championship in 15 years.
It just so happened that Bylsma was an assistant coach with the New York Islanders during the 2005-2006 season.
Of course, a change still has yet to be made, but if one is, Eakins could be Toronto's best option.
Now, for the rumors...
Atlanta's Bergfors on the trade block?
ESPN's Peirre LeBrun went on Hockey Night In Canada's second intermission show and said that Atlanta Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley could be looking to make a move involving Niclas Bergfors.
Bergfors, 23, has been having a mediocre season. In 27 games, the Sodertalje, Sweden native has seven goals and 11 assists to go along with a plus-1 rating. In 117-career NHL regular season games, Bergfors has 29 goals and 34 assists.
He was acquired from New Jersey in the same trade that saw long-time Thrashers star Ilya Kovalchuk head to the Devils.
Ducks still looking to trade?
According to TheFourthPeriod.com (via the Orange County Register), the Anaheim Ducks are still looking to trade a defenceman.
The report suggests Luca Sbisa, Lubomir Visnovsky, Cam Fowler and Toni Lydman are all safe, but general manager Bob Murray may be willing to trade away veterans Andy Sutton, Paul Mara, Andreas Lilja and Sheldon Brookbank.
Murray wants to have a surplus of defenceman on the Ducks' roster but with eight of them, a move appears to be on the horizon. However, any trade that they do make will have to be made after December 27th, as the NHL's trade freeze is now in effect.
According to multiple reports, Murray has been looking to move a defenceman or two all season. The team currently has just under $4 million in cap space to work with, allowing Murray flexability on the trade market.
Teams calling about Nabokov
ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Saturday that former San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov is drawing interest from more than one NHL team.
LeBrun says he's told that "several NHL teams have called about him," but that he could only confirm the Tampa Bay Lightning. He doubts that the Lightning will end up signing him, however, as they don't have very much money to spend and Nabokov would have to clear waivers once signed.
Senators interested in Bieksa
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported on Saturday that the Ottawa Senators are interested in Vancouver Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa, although, despite recent reports, Garrioch says Bieksa isn't on the trade block quite yet.
The Senators currently have about $1.5 million in cap space, but Bieksa comes with a cap hit of just over $3.5 million, meaning the Senators would likely have to move someone with a rather expensive contract.
Bieksa has two goals, five assists and a plus-3 rating in 29 games this season.
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Showing posts with label nhl rumors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nhl rumors. Show all posts
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sunday NHL Rumors: Emery Looking to Return, Trio on The Hot Seat, Beauchemin on The Trading Block
Ottawa Sun:
Ray Emery eyeing a return, Sutters and MacLean on hot seat, Blues interested in Senators' Lee
Emery
Bruce Garrioch reported on Sunday that former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery is attempting a return to the National Hockey League. The 28-year-old is reportedly in Toronto and working with former Toronto Maple Leafs trainer Matt Nichol.
Emery was the Senators' goalie when the team went all the way to the Stanley Cup final in 2007, only to fall short to the Anaheim Ducks.
He last played in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2009-2010 season before suffering a hip injury that forced him to undergo career-threatening surgery. He went 16-11-0 in 2009-2010 and had a goals against average of 2.64 to go along with a .905 save percentage.
While Emery is going through intense workouts every day, Nichol has yet to set a timetable for his return. Garrioch says the first step is to get him skating again, meaning he will likely begin to work out with an OHL team in the coming weeks. After that, Emery will have to go through a 25-game professional tryout in the AHL before being signed to a contract.
Sutters
Garrioch also said that Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter and head coach Brent Sutter are on the "hot seat." The two are brothers and have been in Calgary together since June of 2009 and have had very little success since.
Brent led the team to a 40-32-10 record in 2009-2010, failing to miss the playoffs. This season the Flames are just 11-32-2 and sit last in the Western Conference.
“The moves made in the summer bringing back Olli Jokinen and Alex Tanguay were mystifying,” a league executive told Garrioch.
MacLean
The New Jersey Devils have been nothing short of a disappointment this season and, with a record of 8-16-2, are in serious trouble.
The team's stuggles have put rookie head coach John MacLean under the radar for some time now and his time in New Jersey seems to be very close to an end.
Garrioch says the Devils might be interested in bringing back former Atlanta Thrashers head coach Bob Hartely, but rumors of Jacques Lemaire coming out of retirement to coach his former team were going around on Saturday.
Hartley coached struggling Devils star Ilya Kovalchuk during his time in Atlanta. Garrioch says he turned down an offer to coach Lugano of the Swiss league recently.
Lee
Ottawa Senators general manager Brian Murray has been shopping defenceman Brian Lee for some time now. After clearing waivers last week, multiple teams have reportedly been knocking on Murray's door to talk about Lee's availability. Garrioch said the St. Louis Blues, who are currently looking for a defeceman, could be one of those teams.
The Blues are rumored to have been combing the league for a trading partner, as they could also be willing to work out a package deal that would also include a veteran forward going to the Blues.
One more...
Beauchemin
With the Toronto Maple Leafs coming off of a four game losing streak, including losses to fellow Canadian teams Ottawa and Edmonton, reports of Francois Beauchemin being shopped are swirling all around the media.
Even with all the reports of Maple Leafs management looking to make a change, general manager Brian Burke still claims that a trade is not imminent and a coaching change will not happen anytime soon.
A trade is not likely until the New Year, as Burke's holiday trade freeze always kicks in earlier than the NHL's, which goes from December 19th to the 27th.
Beauchemin came extremely close to scoring his second goal of the season on Saturday night before Tim Thomas made a save-of-the-year candidate stop. He has one goal and four assists to go along with a minus-3 rating in 25 games this season.
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Is it Time for VIncent Lecavalier to go?
There has been a debate for the last two years, if Vincent Lecavalier should be traded, and I believe the time is now. Even though he is injured for another four to five weeks , I believe there would be some teams interested in his services. The last two years Lecavalier has been linked to trade talks with several teams, but the deals have fallen through. He has had a respectable start to the season, before the injury and this could add to his trade value. Vincent has lost favour with the fans and most are calling for a trade.
Lecavalier had nine points in fourteen games before suffering a broken hand in a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, and is on injured reserved for an estimated two to three weeks. He was playing on the second line, and only had three goals in the season. The Lightning have not missed Lecavalier going 5-3 in the games since. Steven Stamkos has emerged as the new star for Lightning leading the NHL in goals and points with 38. With the Lightning emerging as a playoff contender, Lecavalier should be traded to add some depth on the blue line and some draft picks.
Vincent has not scored thirty goals in the past two seasons, and has 9 seasons left on his contract with a cap hit of 7.7 million. A change in scenery might be welcomed by Lecavalier who has a no trade clause. In the past Montreal(Lecavalier's home province) has been linked to trades for Lecavalier, but they have lost significant cap space and Tampa would have to be willing to accept large cap players to make the deal work. A potential deal could be: Vincent Lecavlier to the Montreal Canadiens for Roman Hamrlik, Ben Maxwell and a first round pick (via capgeek.com). This deal would be very hard to pull off but could help both teams in different areas. Montreal would get the large center they've been criticized about and Tampa would get some defensive depth to help the young defenders.
That is just one trade the Lightning could make, but don't expect them to trade Vincent, unless Yzerman gets a deal he can't resist. I know many fans who have been disappointed with Lecavalier, and I too expect much more for a player who is getting paid 10 million for the next six seasons, but unless something large happens, Vinny may stay in the Sunshine State for another couple of seasons.
Follow Braden @OTCBraden on twitter to stay update with the Tampa Bay Lightning
Lecavalier had nine points in fourteen games before suffering a broken hand in a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, and is on injured reserved for an estimated two to three weeks. He was playing on the second line, and only had three goals in the season. The Lightning have not missed Lecavalier going 5-3 in the games since. Steven Stamkos has emerged as the new star for Lightning leading the NHL in goals and points with 38. With the Lightning emerging as a playoff contender, Lecavalier should be traded to add some depth on the blue line and some draft picks.
Vincent has not scored thirty goals in the past two seasons, and has 9 seasons left on his contract with a cap hit of 7.7 million. A change in scenery might be welcomed by Lecavalier who has a no trade clause. In the past Montreal(Lecavalier's home province) has been linked to trades for Lecavalier, but they have lost significant cap space and Tampa would have to be willing to accept large cap players to make the deal work. A potential deal could be: Vincent Lecavlier to the Montreal Canadiens for Roman Hamrlik, Ben Maxwell and a first round pick (via capgeek.com). This deal would be very hard to pull off but could help both teams in different areas. Montreal would get the large center they've been criticized about and Tampa would get some defensive depth to help the young defenders.
That is just one trade the Lightning could make, but don't expect them to trade Vincent, unless Yzerman gets a deal he can't resist. I know many fans who have been disappointed with Lecavalier, and I too expect much more for a player who is getting paid 10 million for the next six seasons, but unless something large happens, Vinny may stay in the Sunshine State for another couple of seasons.
Follow Braden @OTCBraden on twitter to stay update with the Tampa Bay Lightning
Friday, November 26, 2010
NHL Rumors: Bergeron Not Returning to Habs, Bieksa to The Islanders?
Bergeron ready to return, but not with Montreal
According to SpectorsHockey.net (via RDS.ca), defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron has been given medical clearance to play, but won't be returning with the Montreal Canadiens, who he played for last season.
The report states that the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks are all believed to be interested in the 30-year-old.
Bergeron played in 60 games with the Habs last season, putting up 34 points, including 13 goals. In 399-career NHL regular season games, Bergeron has 75 goals and 119 assists.
Kevin Bieksa to the Islanders?
This isn't to say the Vancouver Canucks will ship defenceman Kevin Bieksa to the New York Islanders, but it is possible.
The Islanders, who were riding a 14-game losing streaking going into Friday afternoon's tilt with the New Jersey Devils, are looking to make a trade, according to TheFourthPeriod.com.
The report says the Islanders have over $16 million in cap space to work with, meaning general manager Garth Snow might be willing to take on a large contract to help another team with its cap problems.
Kelly Friesen, meanwhile, reported via Twitter that Bieksa had been "supposedly traded," however turned out that Bieksa never did get traded. Still, it has been widely reported for what seems to be ages now that Bieksa is on the trade block, and that many teams have been calling Canucks general manager Mike Gillis to discuss a trade.
The Islanders sat last in the NHL with just four wins and 13 points through their first 21 games. They lack the defensive talent neccessary to make it into the playoffs and there is no doubt Bieksa would recieve top-four minutes, possibly even top-two minutes, in New York.
**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates.
lukas.hardonk@gmail.com
Monday, November 22, 2010
Report: Flames Tell Iginla He's Not Going Anywhere
Many news papers and media members have been reporting that Iginla is on the brink of being traded, however the Sun says Iginla sat down with a team official and was told he will not be asked to waive his no-trade clause at any point this season.
The Flames currently sit 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 8-10-1 record, good for 17 points. They are suffering from their lack of defence, as they are 23rd in the NHL when it comes to goals against per game, with an average of 3.10.
The Flames already completed one trade this season, as general manager Darryl Sutter traded his son Brett to the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Ian White, in return for Anton Babchuck and Tom Kostopoulos. The report suggests the Flames could "entertain" offers for the likes of Robyn Regehr, Cory Sarich and Daymond Langkow, but all three have no-trade clauses.
Iginla has eight goals and eight assists in 15 games this season. He has two years remaining on his contract, which consists of a $7 million cap hit.
**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates.
lukas.hardonk@gmail.com
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