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Insider Trading: Gallagher's future in Montreal has taken a sudden turn – TSN

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2020

TSN Hockey Insiders Darren Dreger and Frank Seravalli join host Gino Reda to discuss whether or not Brendan Gallagher could be dealt, what the remaining free agent market looks like and how the Tampa Bay Lightning plan to navigate their way out of a cap crunch.

Is Gallagher’s future as a Montreal Canadien in doubt?

Montreal has thrown out over $55 million this off-season to improve up front. What does this mean for Brendan Gallagher?

Dreger: Veteran Brendan Gallagher is going into the final year of his contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Now up until, I would say, a month ago, if you would have questioned the future of Gallagher in Montreal, I would have said “No, no, no, he’s a long-term fit and probably the next captain for the Canadiens.” But contract negotiations haven’t gone as expected. Up until recently, there was good dialogue. But as you mention, the Canadiens acquired Josh Anderson. They signed Tyler Toffoli and all of a sudden now, Marc Bergevin is playing hardball with Brendan Gallagher’s camp. Now, granted he is going into the final year of his contract so Bergevin does have the better part of that year to figure it out. But I can tell you guys this has sparked trade speculation. Some openly and fairly wondering whether or now Bergevin now would consider trading Brendan Gallagher or use his services for the remainder of the year. No matter how it shakes down, there will be no shortage of teams or interest if Gallagher hits the market.

Seravalli: And you can put the Vancouver Canucks right at the very top of that list of teams that would be interested in Brendan Gallagher if and when he makes it to the block in Montreal to bring Gallagher home. Of course, he makes his off-season home there, starred for the Vancouver Giants, and more than that, the Canucks at large are interested in a winger. General manager Jim Benning after acquiring defenceman Nate Schmidt on Monday night from the Vegas Golden Knights is certainly perusing the market for both trade targets and also the free agent market to try and figure out how he can add some punch to his team on the wing. I think it all depends on cost. I think the Canucks, at this point, have some ability to move out some contracts, whether or not it’s Loui Eriksson or Brandon Sutter, who knows what happens with Jake Virtanen the restricted free agent. So, Jim Benning has some flexibility now and it all is going to depend on cost. And so they could go back in a budget item with a guy like Josh Leivo, but moving forward I think Benning would like to make one more splash if he can this off-season.

Where does the free agent market stand now?

About half of the players on TSN’s Top 100 pre-Free Agent Frenzy list are still available. We knew the flat cap was going to be a problem, but are things even tighter than we initially thought?

Dreger: It feels that way. Certainly, to those player agents who are still in the mud and likewise their clients, the players. I mean you’re right, most of the big-name guys are now off the board but I’ll give you an example how paralyzed the system is right now. I can give an example of a player who was making between $3 million and $4 million last year – a very good player – who has had teams offer a lot of one-year deals at $1 million or less. So, teams are value shopping if you want to put it that way which is being polite. They’re looking for a steal of a deal and that is not sitting well with the player agents or the players appreciably and understandably. To the point where there’s some grumbling and looking back in hindsight in what could have been included in the collective bargaining agreement. Why didn’t they pursue franchise exemption for a player so every team could have that one guy? Or looking at some of the other things like simply raising the cap floor. Not the ceiling, the cap floor. But most of this is predictable and the system is where it’s at most expected would get there.

Seravalli: And one player who has held firm on his value and his belief is Mike Hoffman. Who is somewhere probably between $5.5 million and $6.5 million on a one-year deal. A guy who averages 27 goals a season. He can be had on that one-year deal. The teams that are most interested at this point are the Boston Bruins, the Columbus Blue Jackets and also the Nashville Predators. But other teams like the Habs, like the Canucks could be in the mix if they’re able to move pieces.

Where might Tyler Johnson land?

With four years left at $5 million per season, what’s the latest on that front?

Seravalli: Well there’s been some increased flexibility with the Johnson camp and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s expanded his list of available teams that he would accept a trade to from five to eight. They’re willing to accept some other suggestions as well from the Lightning in order to best facilitate a move and help get the Lightning out of cap jail. But at this point, the Lightning are going to have to swallow hard here and be prepared to make a trade much like the Vegas Golden Knights did previously with Paul Stastny and Nate Schmidt. Perhaps even including a draft pick to move on from Tyler Johnson or one of a number of other players that they would consider doing so including Alex Killorn, Yanni Gourde, a number of players. But the real hang-up in Tampa Bay is that all of those players – with the exception of Killorn who has a modified no-trade – is that they hold all the cards like Johnson does with full no-trade moves.

What were the financials of the bubble?

It worked about as well as expected, but it didn’t come cheap, did it?

Seravalli: That’s right. At an estimated cost of $75 million to $90 million. The NHL believes a cost benefit analysis still is in their favour with the continuity and awarding a Stanley Cup. And also, the revenue that it brought in and preserved from last season.

Reda: And in terms of the re-start, the NHLPA has now assembled its players committee, they’re expected to begin discussions with the NHL in the next week or so.

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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