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 Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, and the Ottawa Senators.
NHL rumors in this edition include:
Will Noah Hanifin be headed to Toronto in a blockbuster trade? Are the Rangers and Anaheim Ducks contemplating a trade? Could Matt Dumba be headed to Ottawa?
Calgary Flames – Noah Hanifin
Rumor: Per – Dave Littman – nhltraderumors.me. In a huge trade proposal involving five players and three draft picks, fasten your seatbelt for this one.
Frank Seravalli (dailyfaceoff.com) put together this trade proposal for all to absorb. He has Hanifin heading to Toronto, who also covets Chris Tanev. Along with Hanifin, Andrew Mangiapane would become a Maple Leaf. In return, the Flames would get a boatload, to say the least. Going to Calgary would be the Leafs’ 2024 first-round pick, their ’24 third-rounder (from New York Islanders), and their ’24 fifth-round choice (from Calgary Flames). Along with the picks, the Leafs would send tough guy Ryan Reaves, and young defensive prospect Topi Niemela along with young forward Nicholas Robertson (50% salary retention).
One must admit that with this trade proposal, the Leafs would be going for it. There is unbelievable pressure for them to go further in the playoffs if not all the way to winning the Cup. It would leave their 2024 draft picks down to just six selections, all from the fourth through the seventh rounds.
There is no doubt that Hanifin would be an excellent addition to the Leafs’ blueline and that the Flames, who have lost three straight and are five points from a wild-card spot, are looking toward the future. Now, this trade may not go down, but yet it would seem to meet the criteria of helping both teams with their needs. We’ll see on this one.
New York Rangers – Kaapo Kakko
Rumor: Per – Frank Seravalli – dailyfaceoff.com. Kakko could become the player he was expected to be when he was drafted second overall five years ago.
While the Rangers need another center, finally moving Kakko for an established center like Adam Henrique makes perfect sense. Per Seravalli:
“Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is reportedly looking for a second-round pick, a third-round pick and one additional third-round pick in exchange for Henrique and to retain half of his deal. The Rangers have a clear need for a third line center, one who could also play up the lineup late in games with his high Hockey IQ. But they don’t have another third-round pick until 2026. In lieu of two additional third-rounders, would Kakko fit the bill? He has struggled to produce consistently in nearly 300 NHL games, but he perfectly fits the Ducks’ age scheme and is worth the flier as the 2019 No. 2 overall pick. Henrique instantly makes the Rangers better. He is a candidate to re-sign. And the Rangers don’t have to give up their first-round pick ahead of the deadline for the third straight spring. Make no mistake, though, James Dolan wouldn’t stand in the way of the Rangers going for it – even with the Draft at the MSG-owned Sphere in Las Vegas.”
If the Rangers are hot and heavy in acquiring Henrique, they had better get focused quickly. He is becoming a popular trade candidate mentioned in NHL rumors frequently.
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Ottawa Senators – Matt Dumba
Rumor: Per – Rob Couch – nhltraderumors.me. One player the Sens are considering per Bruce Garrioch is Matt Dumba of the Arizona Coyotes.
The Coyotes are falling faster in the Western Conference wild-card race after losing eight straight, with one loss being an overtime loss. With that in mind, obtaining Dumba was never a long-term solution. It was hoped that he could add a veteran leadership role to the blue line. While that hasn’t really worked for the Yotes, it can be expected that Dumba will be dealt.
A team that seems interested in him (besides the Tampa Bay Lightning) is the Ottawa Senators. He could expect to fill a second or third-line role on the blueline while logging in 20-plus minutes a night. He does have a negative side in that his defensive mistakes can hurt you. If Dumba works out well in Ottawa, he could get more than a one-year extension. The Sens could use a hard-hitting defenseman like Dumba, but we will need to wait and see if they go after Dumba before the trade deadline arrives, especially if the Arizona club retains some of his salary.
That concludes this edition of NHL rumors. Be sure to keep it right here to learn of all the upcoming news in the NHL, and thanks for reading!