In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: bold predictions for the Stars, Red Wings, and Rangers and the possibility of the Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj starting the season in the AHL.
SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently made bold predictions for all 32 NHL clubs this season. Among them was some trade speculation regarding the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers.
Dixon believes the Stars are all-in on a Stanley Cup run this season. He predicts they’ll deal from a position of strength (young forwards) to address an area of weakness (right-side defense) by shipping center Mavrik Bourque to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bourque was the Stars first-round pick (30th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft. He has one game of NHL experience but could become a full-time roster player this season.
Andersson surfaced in trade rumors over the summer. The 27-year-old is a solid top-four defenseman with an affordable annual cap hit of $4.55 million through 2025-26. He also has a six-team no-trade list but could be open to joining a Stanley Cup contender.
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (NHL Images).
With the Flames rebuilding, they could be open to solid offers for Andersson before the trade deadline. Bourque could tempt them, especially if he plays well this season.
Dixon predicts the Detroit Red Wings will acquire local boy Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings have the depth in prospects and promising young roster players to make a competitive offer to the Ducks. Fowler would bring skilled, experienced depth to the Wings’ defense corps. He has a three-team trade list but reportedly expanded that list to double digits. Maybe the Wings are among those preferred destinations.
Dixon predicts the New York Rangers will include winger Kaapo Kakko in a trade package to the Winnipeg Jets for winger Nikolaj Ehlers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers isn’t going anywhere if the Jets are playoff-bound by the deadline, especially if he’s played a significant role in getting them to that stage.
RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico suggests the Montreal Canadiens could send Arber Xhekaj to their AHL affiliate in Laval, not because they’re unhappy with his performance, but for salary cap reasons.
D’Amico explains the Canadiens hope to avoid using LTIR until the season begins. Their goal is to maximize their LTIR relief space and performance bonus pool in one move.
They could demote Xhekaj as $1.15 million of his $1.3 million salary would be buried in the minors. That would move them to within $900K of the salary cap before placing sidelined Rafael Harvey-Pinard on LTIR to start the season. That would allow them to hold off putting Carey Price or Patrik Laine on LTIR.
Xhekaj also doesn’t have performance bonuses, so the Canadiens can quickly recall him on Oct. 8 once they place Price or Laine or LTIR.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico goes into greater detail on how the Canadiens could do this. In short, this would be a paper transaction for salary cap accounting purposes, meaning Xhekaj wouldn’t spend time in Laval.