NHL Trade Rumors: Jacob Trouba, Evander Kane, and More

NHL Trade Rumors: Winnipeg Jets D Jacob Trouba, Buffalo Sabres F Evander Kane, and More

NHL Draft and Free Agent frenzy are over, but there are still many big names left on the board in trade rumors. Better yet,  there is no reason to believe teams are done dealing with impending expansion on the way.

In this article I take a look at seven of the hottest NHL trade rumors floating around – any fact or fiction to the latest buzz?

Evander Kane To Vancouver?

Former NHL player turned insider Georges Laraque told WGR550 radio two weeks ago that he was told by an agent the Buffalo Sabres are looking to move left winger Evander Kane.

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Kane, 24, is facing non-criminal charges after allegedly assaulting two women at a nightclub in Buffalo. Coming just weeks after being investigated for sexual assault, this is a big concern for the Sabres heading into the season.

It seems credible that they would want to move Kane, but who would want him? He has likely escaped any major legal punishment, but still may be suspended and/or fined by the NHL.

When thinking of trade destinations for Evander Kane, his hometown city in Vancouver is among the first that comes to mind.

It’s no secret that the Canucks are in the market for a winger, and Kane can offer scoring and size, two things that the Nucks need. I definitely believe that this deal is being considered by the Canucks but only after Kane’s fate is decided.

Jacob Trouba To Arizona?

It appears that the Arizona Coyotes have emerged as the favorites to land RFA Jacob Trouba,

Trouba, 22, did not file for arbitration with the Jets and day by day it is more likely Trouba is the next big name traded. Does it makes sense for Winnipeg to move the defender?

The Jets have $8.4 million in cap space and with Trouba, Brandon Tanev, and JC Lipon in need of new contracts.  With Trouba’s asking price likely north of $6 million per year, it’ll be a tight cap situation in Manitoba. Another team looking for a top end defender is the Boston Bruins.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins For Cody Ceci?

Yet another rumor making the rounds is the possibility of a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-Cody Ceci swap.

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Ceci, 22, is a RFA but his camp and the Senators have not made any progress in trade talks. This trade also makes a lot of sense, as Ottawa needs a 1st/2nd line center and Edmonton is obviously looking to improve its defense. I do believe Ottawa would like to keep Ceci but ultimately this trade could end up being the right move to make.

There is some doubt to whether the Oilers will move Nugent-Hopkins however. They could have made a RNH-Matt Dumba deal at the draft but felt the 23-year-old center was worth more. Maybe, with it being mid-July and no one else looking for a key addition down the middle, the Oilers will settle for Cody Ceci, drafted 15th overall by Ottawa back in 2012.

Nikita Kucherov To The Islanders?

Flame for Thought

After the P.K. Subban–Shea Weber blockbuster in late June, you can never count out any possibility when it comes to trading a player.

I mean trading Nikita Kucherov seems far-fetched, but did it seem like Brandon Saad was going to be moved? The situations are very similar as well. Both the Lightning and Blackhawks are cap-crunched teams who could afford to lose a big name RFA.

The trade also came at a time when the market was seemingly dead. Do you think there is any possibility of the Lighting moving Kucherov. Remember, they have $12M in cap space with Ben Bishop (unless he goes to Vegas), Tyler Johnson, Jonathan Drouin, and Ondrej Palat to sign in the summer of 2017.

If the Lighting do go ahead and make the 23-year-old available, expect the New York Islanders to be front-runners. All signs point to NYI being in the market for a scoring winger and Arthur Staple of Newsday Sports thinks that the Islanders should be willing to give up Ryan Strome plus their 2017 first rounder to acquire Kucherov. If you’re Tampa, can you say no to that?

Does a Max Domi for Hampus Lindholm swap make sense?

There has been no evidence that this deal is actually in the works, but is it just me or does a Max Domi for Hampus Lindholm trade make too much sense? Anaheim needs a left winger in their lineup, and Domi is a rising star in that position. In terms of Arizona, its clear they are looking for a solid, young defender and there might not be much better than Hampus Lindholm.

Next: Inevitable Offseason Moves Still to Come

We all know how analytical the Coyotes new GM John Chayka is, and there is no better liked player in the statistical community than Lindholm. Yes, he’ll cost a lot to obtain, but the numbers suggest the 23-year-old Swede is trending up big time. Every player on the Ducks roster had their Corsi percentages increase by a significant amount when playing with Lindholm, and he ranked top 100 among defenders in the NHL in TOI, blocked shots, points, penalty minutes, and takeaways.