In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Pittsburgh Penguins are speculated to have set their price for a Jake Guentzel trade. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken might be looking to try and re-sign Jordan Eberle versus trade him. The San Jose Sharks aren’t getting a lot of trade deadline action. Finally, what’s Morgan Rielly looking at in terms of a suspension? He’s accepted the in-person NHL DoPS hearing.
Penguins Want a Giroux-Like Return for Jake Guentzel
On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman offered up the latest he’s hearing about a potential Jake Guentzel trade out of Pittsburgh. Most knew the price was going to be high, but Friedman provided a comparable, saying, “Dubas is sitting there, he’s saying, look, if you want Guentzel, I want the Giroux deal.”
Giroux was initially linked to the Colorado Avalanche when he was moved by the Philadelphia Flyers but ultimately joined the Florida Panthers in a deal involving a 1st-rounder, 3rd-rounder, and Owen Tippett. Friedman suggests that if the Penguins decide to make Guentzel available, they might be seeking a comparable return. For teams like the Edmonton Oilers, this prompts careful consideration of whether the deadline’s asking price is feasible.
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The Oilers would be looking at something like their first, a third, or fourth, and a prospect that pans out to be a legit NHL player. It was previously reported by Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now that the Oilers want to avoid trading Philip Broberg. One can imagine they wouldn’t be open to moving both the first and Broberg for a rental.
Kraken to Try and Re-Sign Jordan Eberle?
If the Seattle Kraken fall out of the playoff mix, they could be sellers and Jordan Eberle’s name was reportedly one to watch. That said, Friedman’s latest update is that the Kraken might look to keep him instead of trade him. He notes, “I think the Kraken take a run at trying to sign him, we’ll see where that goes.”
Sharks Not Getting Many Bites on Their Deadline Players
Friedman also noted that the trade deadline action that many hoped would be there, isn’t. Particularly, the San Jose Sharks have players to sell but other teams aren’t lining up to ask about their availability. Friedman notes, “I think one of the things that has been a bit of a challenge this year is that some of the teams that are obviously selling they don’t really have a lot that people really want. I’m not convinced there’s a lot in San Jose that people really want.”
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In San Jose, Anthony Duclair is a likely name to be discussed, while Mike Hoffman, Alexander Barabanov, and Kevin Labanc could be available. The bigger names aren’t actually pending UFAs. They also may make goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen available. Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture. Both are locked into long-term contracts worth over $8 million each. If they were to say they wanted a fresh start, there might be interest.
Morgan Rielly Looking at a Suspension of 5 or More Games
After first announcing that Morgan Rielly was offered an in-person hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety thanks to his cross-check on Ridly Greig, the NHL DoPS announced that Rielly accepted the offer and his hearing will be held on Tuesday. That means a ruling on his suspension will come before the Leafs game Tuesday night versus the St. Louis Blues.
Considering Toronto plays on Tuesday night, a decision on the length of his suspension will need to be made fairly quickly after the hearing. The suspension will be at least five or six games.
