NHL Rumors: Canucks, Canadiens, Senators, Maple Leafs – The Hockey Writers NHL Rumors Latest News, Analysis & More

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the trade talk surrounding Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller continues, with Pettersson finally addressing the rumors with the media on Monday. Meanwhile, has the recent success of the Montreal Canadiens allowed GM Kent Hughes to approach trade conversations more cautiously? What’s the latest on Jake McCabe’s injury status? Finally, are the Ottawa Senators looking at the trade market with so many question marks surrounding Linus Ullmark?

“I know I can do better,” Elias Pettersson said when asked about his recent play and after his general manager commented that Pettersson needs to work harder and mature a little. He added, “I will be the first one to say it, and I never think things will get easier.”

When asked about the trade chatter surrounding him, Pettersson noted, “I haven’t met them yet. But, I mean, it doesn’t matter what people say. I know what I can do, and that’s what I’m focussing on doing.” Meaning he hasn’t asked for a trade and says he wants to stay with the Canucks. “That’s why I signed here. Of course.”

Canadiens Afforded More Time With Recent Winning Streak

Dennis Bernstein of the Fourth Period was on TSN Radio in Montreal and argued that the Canadiens being as successful as they’ve recently been has bought the organization a little more time before needing to make trade decisions. When asked if the team will likely still move Mike Matheson or David Savard — because the Canadiens could move themselves into a playoff conversation — Bernstein responded, “…other GMs are gonna saying, well, maybe they don’t call Hughes because they’re only three points out of the spot, or he might be telling guys like, ah, I’m not there yet.”

He added that the Canadiens might still trade players they think they could lose for nothing over the summer and have strong trade value. That includes players like Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak, and Joel Armia. He notes, “But I would suspect, look, if there’s some regression from the Habs, yeah, they’ll wind up trading Savard. Like Matheson, a possibility.” He said those two guys, because of their UFA status, are still at the top of the trade potential list and are names to watch.

McCabe Leaves Game With “Upper-Body” Injury

The Toronto Maple Leafs have released a statement that Jake McCabe would not return to Sunday’s game between the Leafs and the Philadelphia Flyers. There hasn’t been much of an update beyond that, with head coach Craig Berube telling media that all he could offer was that it was an “upper-body injury.”

After getting into a fight with Garnet Hathaway, McCabe hit his head on the ice as he fell. He struggled to get up on his own, eventually getting his equilibrium back and skating off under his own power.

Senators to Explore the Trade Market With Ullmark Delay?

With goaltender Linus Ullmark week-to-week, Ottawa Senators’ scribe Bruce Garrioch believes the team might explore the trade market in search of some goaltending depth.

Garrioch writes:

“If he hasn’t already, Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, should be scouring the National Hockey League’s goaltending market to see if there is anyone available because Ullmark’s uncertainty is a cause for concern…. A check with a league executive and a league insider indicated that the market isn’t great for netminders. The names floated to Postmedia included Anaheim’s John Gibson, Montreal’s Cayden Primeau and Buffalo’s James Reimer.”

source – ‘Ottawa Senators will have to study trade market with Linus Ullmark’s status uncertain’ – Bruce Garrioch – Ottawa Citizen – 01/05/2024