Category Archives: Hockey News
Report: Leafs expected to sign Spezza to 1-year deal
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to add veteran pivot Jason Spezza on a one-year contract Monday, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Spezza is expected to earn roughly the league minimum of $700,000, McKenzie adds.
The 36-year-old spent the last five years with the Dallas Stars, putting up 27 points and averaging 13 minutes across 76 games while winning 58.2 percent of his draws. He'll offer reliable center and power-play depth for a Leafs team searching for cost-effective players.
Spezza, a Mississauga, Ontario, native, is quite familiar with the Leafs, having spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Ottawa Senators.
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NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2019
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2019
Report: Canucks expected to sign Myers to long-term deal worth $30M
The Vancouver Canucks are expected to sign free-agent defenseman Tyler Myers to a five-year contract Monday, according to multiple reports.
The two sides are "closing in" on a deal worth $30 million, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
The free-agent market opens Monday at noon ET and Myers is one of the top defenders available. The 29-year-old had nine goals and 31 points in 80 games with the Winnipeg Jets last season.
Myers was a first-round pick, 12th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2008. He has 74 goals and 265 points in 635 career games.
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Report: Leafs trading Brown, Zaitsev to Sens for Ceci on Monday
The Toronto Maple Leafs will reportedly send forward Connor Brown and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to the Ottawa Senators on Monday in exchange for defenseman Cody Ceci, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
At least six pieces (players and draft picks) are included in the deal, but those are the key players involved, McKenzie adds. Zaitsev has a $3 million bonus that is scheduled to be paid out Monday by the Maple Leafs before the deal is completed.
Zaitsev has reportedly waived his no trade clause in order to make the trade possible, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. The 27-year-old requested a trade from the team in May.
The Russian rearguard has five years remaining on his current contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million.
Ceci, who is a restricted free agent and is in need of a new deal, enjoyed a career season with the Senators, posting 26 points in 74 games.
Brown hasn't been able to replicate the offensive production he saw in his 20-goal rookie campaign, but he did contribute 29 points in 82 games in a depth role for the Leafs last season. His current deal has one year remaining with a team-friendly cap hit of $2.1 million.
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Report: Jackets table massive, last-minute 8-year deal to Panarin
The Blue Jackets are making a last-minute pitch to Artemi Panarin with hopes of keeping him in Columbus.
The club's offering the star forward an eight-year deal worth at least $96 million, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, and the contract could be worth as much as $100 million.
However, in order to lock up Panarin for eight years, the deal must be agreed upon and signed by midnight ET on Sunday. If Panarin hits the open market Monday, the longest contract he can sign is seven years, with any team, including Columbus.
The Blue Jackets reportedly made an eight-year, $72-million offer to Panarin last summer, but he informed them he wasn't interested in negotiating an extension.
The Russian winger led Columbus in scoring in each of his two seasons with the team and tallied a career-high 87 points this season.
With reports of Matt Duchene signing with the Nashville Predators and netminder Sergei Bobrovsky likely headed to the Florida Panthers, the Blue Jackets are taking one last swing at keeping one of their most promising talents.
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Rumored NHL UFA Signings – June 30, 2019
Report: Duchene expected to sign with Predators
Free-agent forward Matt Duchene is reportedly set to join the Nashville Predators on a contract carrying an average annual value of $8 million, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
As others have also speculated, while nothing can be signed until Monday, Matt Duchene slated to join Nashville. Contract can’t be officially negotiated until Monday but sounds like $56 million over 7 years is what has been discussed.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2019
The deal would make Duchene the team's highest-paid player along with center Ryan Johansen.
The 28-year-old was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets last February and played a key role in helping the franchise win its first-ever playoff series, contributing 10 points in 10 playoff games.
Duchene scored a career-high 31 goals and tied a career-best mark with 70 points last season between the Ottawa Senators and the Blue Jackets.
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Report: Pavelski expected to sign 3-year deal with Stars
One of the most coveted available free agents could be off the table.
Forward Joe Pavelski is reportedly poised to sign a three-year deal with the Dallas Stars, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
More to come.
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