Welcome to another edition of Full Press Hockey’s NHL Rumors! Teams are always looking to improve, and the excitement of another NHL season is upon us. With the March 8th trade deadline approaching, the rumors are hot and heavy!
In this Sunday edition of NHL Rumors, we’ll examine the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, and the Winnipeg Jets.
NHL rumors in this edition include:
Are the Maple Leafs still interested in acquiring Matt Dumba? Has Pierre-Luc Dubois lost his luster in LA? What trade targets are out there for the Jets?
Toronto Maple Leafs – Matt Dumba
Rumor: Per –James Wilson – nhltraderumors.me. Per Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs wanted Dumbe last summer but couldn’t work out a deal under the cap. Have things changed with that?
Presented by SOBER CARPENTER
“I think the guy they really wanted on July 1st was [Matt] Dumba.”
– @FriedgeHNIC dropped a serious #LeafsForever scoop during his time w/@thegoldenmuzzy & @Jay_D_Rosehill on Leafs Morning Take earlier today pic.twitter.com/3ZFFqkJD8U
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) November 9, 2023
Of course, the Leafs wanted Dumba. He could really fortify their blueline with the playoffs in mind. His physical play and veteran skills are enough to allow the Leafs management to determine how to acquire him. He was signed with the Arizona Coyotes to a one-year $3.9 million pact over the summer. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season. Could the Maple Leafs work a deal with the Arizona Coyotes to add Dumba to their roster by the trade deadline?
He has two goals, five total points, a -10 plus/minus rating, and 61 blocked shots across 44 games played. The Leafs are desperate to win a Cup, and actually get past the second round in the postseason. Dumba does have some defensive flaws, but he makes up for it with his crushing hits and blocked shots. He could be that defenseman the Leafs have been searching for to take them further in the playoffs. We will need to keep attuned to the rumor mill to see how this one plays out.
Los Angeles Kings – Pierre-Luc Dubois
Rumor: Per – Craig Button – @tsnhockey. If the losses continue to pile up, expect to see Kings GM Rob Blake shopping Pierre-Luc Dubois before the March 8 trade deadline.
Dubois was acquired in a blockbuster with the Winnipeg Jets and simply has not worked out for whatever reasons in LA. PLD’s stats are down, and so is his recent ice time. To demonstrate how much his play has deteriorated, he recently started a game with two wingers who haven’t scored in 50 games combined. OUCH!
Forwards with a $8M cap hit or more ranked by fewest points per game this season. (* = injured)
*Nicklas Backstrom – 0.13
Ryan Johansen – 0.39
Pierre-Luc Dubois – 0.45
*Patrick Laine – 0.50
Timo Meier – 0.55
Jonathan Huberdeau – 0.57
Jamie Benn – 0.61
Johnny Gaudreau – 0.64…— CapFriendly Depth Charts (@CF_DepthCharts) January 19, 2024
With a less-than-impressive past 10 games sporting a 2-5-3 record, the Kings are falling from grace. They are barely holding onto a wild-card spot and were replaced in the standings by the surging Edmonton Oilers. Dubois has just 10 goals and 10 assists in 46 games and has dropped below 50 percent in faceoff wins. PLD is signed for $8.5 million AAV through the 2030-31 season. His no-movement clause does not kick in until July 1, 2024, so this will be the only season where Blake can move him at will.
When team leaders like Drew Doughty are calling out their level of play, something must change soon, or this team will certainly underachieve… if it hasn’t already.
Drew Doughty didn’t hold back in his post-game media availability. 😳
(🎥: YouTube/L.A. Kings) pic.twitter.com/TjpaQ0OdFp
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 25, 2024
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Winnipeg Jets – trade targets
Rumor: Per – Scott Billeck – winnipegsun.com. They need a second-line center who can help them improve in the faceoff circle, scoring depth and a middle-pairing defenseman.
Calgary Flames‘ Elias Lindholm, the Montreal Canadiens’ Sean Monahan, and Anaheim Ducks’ Adam Henrique could address that second-line center issue. Calgary’s Chris Tanev, the Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Walker or Nick Seeler and the Ottawa Senators’ Jakob Chychrun could be blueline options. Billeck’s dark-horse candidates include Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz, Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano, and Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny.
That’s a long list of possibilities. The Jets possess $5.4 million in deadline cap space, so they have some capital to work with. The Jets have some prospects and draft picks to help work out prospective deals. Who will they target? They could have a realistic shot at Monahan, Henrique, Tanev, Walker, or Seeler. The Jets are sitting pretty with 65 points in 47 games. They have some bargaining power and now is the time to use it. The March 8th trade deadline is just 40 days away. Let the trading begin!
That concludes this edition of NHL rumors. Be sure to catch our next article, and thanks for reading!