Laine speculation to likely continue
Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet: (mailbag) When asked why Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff doesn’t squash any trade speculation involving Patrik Laine, Wiebe notes that trade speculation involving Laine or any player isn’t going away and that it’s a part of most hockey market, especially in Canada.
Nikolaj Ehlers went through similar talk last offseason. Cheveldayoff usually doesn’t engage in rumor mill speculation. Laine hasn’t spoken with the media and wasn’t available after the season. There may be some unresolved issues between Laine and the team, but there is no indication the sides have hit a point of no return and that a trade is eventually inevitable.
Laine will either get a contract extension or he will be traded by next offseason.
Something is going to have to give in Vegas eventually
Tom Callahan of Vegas Hockey Now: The Vegas Golden Knights are almost $1 million over the salary cap with 21 players under contract. Moving Marc-Andre Fleury is the obvious option for cap relief but GM Kelly McCrimmon has come out and said they’ll run with both Fleury and Robin Lehner this year.
Lehner had offseason surgery and is an LTIR candidate to start the season. The longer the delay to the start of the season, the harder it would be to take advantage of the LTIR space.
Any trade would require them to take back at least $1 million less than they are moving out. A type of deal may not be easy to pull off.
Teams aren’t going to be running to help out the Golden Knights, so they may have to take less of return, and/or give up more.
Top trade candidates for the Golden Knights could be Jonathan Marchessault ($5 million), Ryan Reaves ($1.75 million), Tomas Nosek ($1.25 million), Alec Martinez ($4 million) and Nick Holden ($1.7 million).
Marchessault and Martinez have value and may net a player in return.