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NHL rumors roundup Week 5: Leafs hungry for trades, Oilers hunt for RHD, Canadiens UFAs attract attention, and more
After one full month of NHL regular season hockey, here is this week's NHL rumors roundup consisting of speculations of injury-laden teams looking to make additions, to fill voids in their roster. The Colorado Avalanche and New York Islanders are the two teams that mainly fall under this bucket.
Another bucket of teams looking to make additions are star-studded squads like the Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers after having a not-so-good start to the season. These teams will likely have to give up some future draft considerations in order to acquire a solid player who will aid playoff hopes.
Deep dive into this week's hottest NHL rumors
Week 5's NHL rumors roundup is headlined by the Maple Leafs, Oilers looking to make trades, and Canadiens playing around with their trade fodder after a disappointing start to the season.
In addition, injury-laden teams like Avs, and Isles are forced to make moves, Bruins forward garnering a lot of interest from the market, and the young Sabres stars attract attention.
Here's a detailed view of each of this week's rumors:
#6. Teams not shying away from inquiring about $49.7M Sabres center
Per Elliotte Friedman's latest "32 Thoughts" blog, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams "aggressively worked the phones" after the team's 7-7-1 start, which put them 5th in the Atlantic Division.
Per Friedman, NHL teams did not shy away from inquiring about stars in the making, Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens, who signed a $49.7M extension in February 2023. The Sabres did not entertain offers including either of them.
#5. Injury-hit Avalanche, Islanders may be forced to make moves
At the start of November, the Colorado Avalanche were missing 6 of their top 9 forwards. Despite Artturi Lehkonen's return in early November, Ross Colton, Miles Wood, Jonathan Drouin, and Gabriel Landeskog are all placed on the IR list, with Valeri Nichushkin expected to return later this month, after serving his six-month ban.
In his last "32 Thoughts" column of Oct. 2024, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Colorado Avalanche are unsurprisingly looking to acquire forwards.
The Islanders are in a similar predicament with their defense. D-men Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly are ruled out for extended periods, while Alexander Romanov's status remains day-to-day. Given all these players are LHD, Friedman reported the Islanders are at least "sniffing around to see what's out there" in the LHD market.
#4. Bruins' Trent Frederic attracting interest
Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic has been garnering interest in the trade market as per insider Kevin Weekes' November 5 report. The 26-year-old is currently in the last year of a two-year/$4.6 million extension signed in August 2023.
Frederic has three points from 16 games this season, and per Weekes, his "size, speed, toughness, character and skill" have led to him being a top forward prospect for teams across the league.
#3. Canadiens look to acquire and ready to trade pending UFAs
TFP's David Pagnotta reported that Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is looking to make a mid-six forward or a defenseman addition who complements the existing roster. The Habs have a 4-9-2 record and sit at the bottom of the Atlantic Division at No. 8.
David Savard, Jake Evans, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak are all pending unrestricted free agents, and contending teams will look to "pounce on them" toward the end of the regular season, per Pagnotta.
#2. Edmonton Oilers on the hunt for a right-shot defenseman
Oilers reporter and insider Bob Stauffer reported that Edmonton may be making an "inevitable" trade for a right-handed shooting defenseman. In addition, Stauffer speculated Jeff Skinner and Mattias Janmark as possible trade candidates when Evander Kane returns from his injury.
Oilers acquired RHD Ronnie Attard from the Flyers last week, but he's nowhere close to the calibre of the RHD that the Oilers can expect to make a deep playoff run with, so Stan Bowman & co., will continue to be on the hunt for a proven RHD.
#1. Toronto Maple Leafs hungry to make further trades after Liljegren move
Despite trading Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks, the Maple Leafs will need to make moves to make cap space for players returning from conditioning stints like Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar.
TFP's David Pagnotta speculates defensemen Conor Timmins and Matt Benning and forwards Calle Jarnkork (currently on LTIR) and Nicholas Robertson are all trade prospects whom GM Brad Treliving will use to facilitate moves.
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