“Hockey Shakeup: Insider Buzz on Canucks, Flyers, and Canadiens’ Franchise Moves”
As free agency rears its enticing head, Vancouver Canucks’ forward Brock Boeser finds himself at a critical juncture. With the Canucks expected to cap his contract extension at a cautious five years and $8 million annually, it seems all roads are leading Boeser to open the door to a bidding war come free agency time. Here’s where things get interesting: several teams, hungry for goals, have their sights set on this scoring sensation. From the Boston Bruins to the Calgary Flames, and not to forget the Ducks, Utah Hockey Club, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Flyers, Sabres, and even the Islanders… the list is impressive. Each franchise has its own reasons, ranging from retooling on the fly to simply boosting their offensive firepower. And let’s not overlook the looming shadow of Mitch Marner who might shake up the market if he decides to test the waters.
If you’ve been following the NHL, you’ll know just how critical cap space can be, which makes Boeser’s potential move one of the most talked about this season.
Who could be interested in Brock Boeser?
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Can’t see the Vancouver Canucks offering pending UFA Brock Boeser more than five years at $8 million. Since it’s gone this far, he’s likely heading to the open market and there will be teams looking for a 25-40 goal man.
The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames are two teams looking to retool on the fly. Teams looking to improve and who have some room to overpay include the Anaheim Ducks, Utah Hockey Club, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres. The New York Islanders will be looking for some scoring as well.
If Mitch Marner goes to free agency, the likes of Boeser and Nikolaj Ehlers may have to wait.
NHL Trade Deadline Playoff Impacts from the West
A Philadelphia Flyers goaltender could head back to the KHL
William James of Philadelphia Hockey Now: Anthony SanFilippo said that Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Aleksei Kolosov will return to Belarus instead of going to the AHL for their playoff run. EliteProspects reported from a Belarusian source that Kolosov could be returning to the KHL.
SanFilippo added: “This may have been the last time you see Kolosov.”
Dynamo Minsk retains Kolosov’s rights, but for now, he’s still a member of the Flyers. He has one year left on his entry-level contract. He went 5-8-1 with a 3.56 GAA and a .867 SV%.
If they were to try and trade him, they may only get a late-round pick for him as he holds little value. The Flyers season ends on Thursday, and there could be an update on Kolosov shortly after.
NHL Trade Deadline Playoff Impacts from the East
The Montreal Canadiens may need to find a taker for Carey Price
Marc Dumont of Montreal Hockey Now: The Montreal Canadiens’ projected lineup for next year is just under $91 million, which includes Carey Price’s $10.5 million salary. The LTIR space only applies when you go over the cap ceiling. So, if they spend another $4.7 million-ish, they can put him on the LTIR and use his space.
An ideal situation might be to find someone to take on his contract and not have to worry about the LTIR details. A team looking to get to the salary floor might be interested. Such a move would give the Canadiens around $15.2 million in cap space for next season. Trading a roster player to create more flexibility is also an option to create more space for a high-end UFA.
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