MONTREAL — I was chatting with a GM on Wednesday morning when he made this general observation as the first round of the NHL Draft approached.
“There are so many big names being floated out there right now,’’ the GM said.
Well, we certainly love hearing that.
And it’s not to say all those players he was referring to will move his week or at all, but the fact so many of them are being discussed by teams certainly provides some possibilities.
Teams continue to call Vancouver on J.T. Miller, for example. The Rangers are once again among those suitors, according to sources. No surprise there, especially if the Rangers aren’t able to re-sign Andrew Copp. But there’s lots of interest in Miller. The Canucks could wait until next year’s trade deadline to move him but I suspect it could get done this week if a team steps up with the package the Canucks are asking for.
Teams are delicately approaching the Flames on Matthew Tkachuk, whose camp led by Newport Sports, I think, is sitting back and waiting to see how the Johnny Gaudreau UFA situation plays out before formalizing a game plan for their RFA client. Makes sense. You would want to see how the dust clears, and how much of a contender the Flames remain before making any commitments.
In the meantime, other clubs are calling to feel the Flames out on Tkachuk. It goes without saying the Flames’ lone intention right now is to sign Tkachuk long-term and keep him in the fold. But if he prefers to do a one-year deal and bring himself to UFA in a year, it puts Calgary in a brutal spot.
Sources also shared Wednesday that teams were starting to put their best trade offers forward to the Blackhawks on Alex DeBrincat, a potential trade that would most likely require a Thursday first-round pick included in it. So there’s a pressure point developing there on that front.
Kuemper’s agent, Ben Hankinson, was slated to meet with Avalanche GM Joe Sakic here in Montreal on Wednesday. The Stanley Cup champs have expressed a desire to bring Kuemper back. And the feeling is mutual. But does that translate into an extension both sides can live with?
If not, and Kuemper hits the market, the domino effect is going to be real. So many people around the league view Colorado as the perfect landing spot for Fleury if Kuemper is gone.
The Wild, by the way, remained interested in bringing back Fleury as of Wednesday, so that remains on the table. And as discussed before, the Maple Leafs could be another option for Fleury.
Meanwhile, the sense is Edmonton and New Jersey are the leading suitors for Campbell once/if he hits the market next week. It wouldn’t surprise me if Washington also inquired on Campbell.
Finally, Husso’s agent, Todd Diamond, was expected to meet with Blues GM Doug Armstrong sometime this week. Hard to think that the Blues could afford to bring back Husso with Jordan Binnington signed long-term; that would be a lot of dough in net. The Leafs and Oilers could be among the options for Husso depending on how some of the other dominoes fall.
So, the whole goalie thing is fun as always at this time of year.
Elsewhere:
• The expectation is that Flames GM Brad Treliving will meet with Johnny Gaudreau’s agent, Lewis Gross, over the next few days. Calgary needs clarity, one way or the other. That doesn’t mean the Flames will get said clarity. The team’s eight-year offer has been sitting in front of Gaudreau for a month now. But if they find out this week, for example, that he’s not going to sign it, the Flames can at least try to make other moves on the trade front here around the draft to bolster the offense. Although I’m not sure there’s any move out there that replaces Gaudreau’s impact.
• Add Carolina to the potential suitors for Claude Giroux, along with Edmonton and Ottawa. The Hurricanes have prioritized adding some offense if possible this offseason and are likely losing Vincent Trochek and Nino Niederreiter to free agency. So I hear they’ve discussed the possibility of going after Giroux. Meanwhile, Florida continues to try and find a way to bring Giroux back. But the Panthers’ cap situation is not helping things on that front.
• There were four other finalists for the GM job in San Jose apart from Mike Grier, who got the nod Tuesday. Sources say Scott Nichol, Scott Mellanby, Ray Whitney and another mystery candidate were part of the final group. That mystery candidate expressed to the Sharks that his name not get out so that’s why we haven’t heard it. I think Mellanby will soon find a gig with another NHL front office, from what I hear. The Sharks’ GM search process was fascinating and exhaustive, beginning with 50 or so names, then 13 candidates interviewed before it got down to those final five. It’s telling of Grier’s reputation how many people I heard from, from around the NHL, who were thrilled with his appointment. He’s really well-liked. Yes, the obvious knock is his lack of experience but I was reminded that years and years ago the Sharks handed the GM job to Doug Wilson who didn’t have much front office experience either at the time. That turned out pretty well.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
