Check out the latest on Jeremy Swayman and Mitch Marner plus the latest on the Canucks and the Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST ON SWAYMAN’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE BRUINS
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Christopher Hurley reports Bruins general manager Don Sweeney responded to a report by “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcaster Paul Bissonnette regarding his contract negotiations with goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
Bissonnette claimed the Bruins GM ignored calls from Swayman. “I think it’s bullshit that somebody says I wouldn’t return a call for three weeks,” said Sweeney.
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).
Sweeney declined to go into detail regarding the negotiations with the Swayman camp. “I have respect for the position that Jeremy and his camp have taken,” he said. “And we continue to try and find common ground.”
The Bruins GM said he’s disappointed but remains optimistic that a deal can be reached before Dec. 1. He also scoffed at reports claiming he refused to offer Swayman an eight-year contract or was unwilling to compromise with the netminder.
“That’s far from the truth,” said Sweeney, adding that there’s been constant dialogue and communication between the two sides.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dec. 1 is the deadline for Swayman to be under contract or he’ll be forbidden to play for the rest of this season. That’s not a scenario either side wants. It would cost Swayman a year of his playing prime while robbing the Bruins of their promising starter.
The last notable standoff involving a restricted free agent was in 2018 when last-second negotiations led to an agreement between William Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs before the 5 pm ET deadline on Dec. 1.
It’ll be interesting to see how long this saga goes. It could drag on for weeks or a breakthrough could happen within days.
MARNER DECLINES TO DISCUSS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
SPORTSNET: Mitch Marner met with the media on Wednesday but indicated he wouldn’t discuss his contract situation. The 27-year-old winger is in the final season of his deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs and can become an unrestricted free agent next July.
Leafs GM Brad Treliving has also declined to publicly discuss Marner’s contract status until there’s news to announce.
THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes Marner and the Leafs are holding contract talks despite their public unwillingness to discuss it with the media. He cited Marner’s agent Darren Ferris releasing a statement earlier this week indicating he preferred to keep “ongoing negotiations” confidential.
TORONTO STAR: Rosie DiManno believes Marner’s contract situation could fester if it remains unresolved during the coming season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner and Treliving won’t discuss this with the media, but the latter abhors a vacuum, leaving this situation ripe for speculation the longer this goes.
CANUCKS UNCERTAIN IF THEY’LL NEED TO ADD A GOALIE
THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin doesn’t know when sidelined starting goaltender Thatcher Demko will return to action. It could be a talking point that dogs the club for weeks or months.
Allvin was asked if he would need to add another goaltender before the start of the season. “I don’t know,” he replied, adding he’ll see how Demko comes along rehabbing his injury and how well their young netminders perform over the next two weeks in training camp.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adding a goaltender won’t be easy. There are few available in the trade market while the free agent market has been mostly picked clean.
The Canucks reached out to former Predators backup Kevin Lankinen. It’s rumored they offered him a one-year deal for less than $1 million but he’s seeking more than that.
LATEST ON THE CANADIENS
RDS.CA: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang laughed off a rumor from earlier this summer claiming he requested a trade to the Montreal Canadiens.
“People were talking about that? They weren’t talking to me!”, replied Letang.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming Letang wanted a trade to Montreal, I doubt the rebuilding Canadiens would be interested in a 37-year-old defenseman who’s past his prime carrying an annual cap hit of $6.1 million through 2027-28.
TVA SPORTS: Eric Fichaud doesn’t expect Cayden Primeau to finish the season with the Canadiens. The 25-year-old netminder will serve as Samuel Montembeault’s backup this season.
Fichard believes the Canadiens need a more experienced veteran backing up Montembeault.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens had that with Jake Allen and they shipped him to the New Jersey Devils at the March trade deadline. They wouldn’t have made that move if they didn’t have faith in Primeau. They spent most of last season carrying three goalies because they didn’t want to risk losing Primeau to another club via waivers.