OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 15: Connor Brown #28 of the Ottawa Senators gets the puck past Jack Campbell #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs as Vladislav Namestnikov #90 of the Ottawa Senators and Tyson Barrie #94 of the Toronto Maple Leafs look on in the second period at Canadian Tire Centre on February 15, 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Another day, another Last Word on Hockey article covering your latest NHL Rumours. Every day, our team breaks down a selection of the latest rumblings from around the National Hockey League. As the trade deadline draws nearer, teams begin to turn their eyes to more specific targets in preparation for this season and next. Today, we’ll look at NHL Rumours from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Boston Bruins in an all Atlantic edition.
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: We start with TSN’s Insider Trading where Bob McKenzie says that Toronto Maple Leafs are listening in on offers for defenceman Tyson Barrie. However, the only way they would move him would be if they got assets to immediately flip for another defenceman, or if they get a defenceman in return.
Analysis: So, while it is a possibility Barrie gets moved, it seems unlikely. The biggest issue would be finding a partner to take him and knowing you can get something in return. The Leafs are still right in the thick of a playoff race. Considering they don’t have their first-round pick, they won’t be looking to sell off and punt this season. However, if a team is interested in Barrie the Leafs will listen.
The issue is getting enough assets from a Barrie trade to be useful in another trade. The Leafs have been linked to a name like Matt Dumba over the past few weeks. Would the return they get for Barrie be enough to then flip for Dumba? How much more would need to be added if not? Toronto has spent a lot of their assets this season and given that their window is nowhere near closed, they can’t sell the farm.
Guys like Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, or Alexander Kerfootmight be possible trade chips on top of a return. However, then you’re removing a couple of big pieces out of your team. Finding a logical deal for Barrie feels like it will be a tough move, but Kyle Dubas has shown that he can be craft before. Keep an eye on this as NHL Rumours approach the NHL Trade Deadline.
Ottawa Senators
Rumour: In Sportsnet’s 31 Thoughts Elliotte Friedman mentions that the Ottawa Senators will be waiting until after the season is done to talk contract extension with Anthony Duclair.
Analysis: Duclair has really found a home with the Senators since coming over the last deadline. After scoring 14 points in 21 games last season with Ottawa, Duclair signed a one-year “prove it” deal to show he was legit. Well, the pending RFA has added 37 points in 60 games this season. What’s crazy about that is that the number is probably low. Duclair has been incredibly unlucky in 2020, barely being able to find the back of the net.
What is super encouraging for Ottawa, however, is the fact that through this streal Duclair still adds in other ways. Often he is finding his way to being one of the hardest working Senators on the ice. His lack of production isn’t for a lack of effort. That was the biggest issue early in his career. The knock-on him was his inconsistency and that when he wasn’t scoring he wasn’t helping. Now, even when he isn’t scoring he’s buzzing all around the net, helping in transition, and playing a hard backchecking game. For Ottawa, it is a no-brainer to re-sign him.
The Contract
Duclair being an RFA means he is not on the open market this summer. This is likely the biggest reason Ottawa will leave contract talks to after the season is done. There is no rush, let Duclair play the last part out and see where everyone stands. The Senators will likely look to avoid a long-term deal with Duclair. However, a three or four-year deal would make sense both ways. Duclair would get some stability, something he hasn’t had in the NHL. Ottawa would get a solid player under contract as they rebuild. It seems like a good fit both ways.
Analysis: We will be focusing on the Boston Bruins part of this as Doug Winkey already covered the Colorado part. For Boston, this could be a very interesting pickup if Thornton does want to chase a cup. Joe Thornton started his career in Boston playing eight seasons there before moving to the San Jose Sharks. It would be a cool full-circle moment, however, it’d make sense on-ice too.
One of Boston’s biggest issues is its depth scoring. Their top line is monstrous and that is obvious. However, the depth could still use some help. Thornton is one of the best passers in NHL history and while he isn’t what he once was, he still has amazing vision and can help out in a bottom-six. He can also be an amazing fit on the powerplay.
San Jose
San Jose continues to retool as they traded away Brenden Dillonearlier this week. They don’t have their first-round pick this season. However, it is clear they won’t make playoffs and retooling for next year seems smart. This team has been destroyed with injuries and accepting this isn’t this year seems like a good move. If Thornton wants to look for a cup, this feels like a good fit for all parties.
That’s all for NHL Rumours, tune in again later today for more!
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
