“There are so many big names out there right now,” the GM said. Well, we sure like to hear it. And it doesn’t mean that all of those players he was referring to will move his week or not at all, but the fact that so many of them are being discussed by teams certainly provides some possibilities. Teams keep calling Vancouver on JT Miller, for example. Rangers are again among those suitors, according to sources. No surprise there, especially if the Rangers can’t re-sign Andrew Copp. But there is a lot of interest in Miller. The Canucks could wait until next year’s trade deadline to move him, but I suspect it could be done this week if a team moves forward with the package the Canucks are asking for. Teams are delicately approaching the Flames for Matthew Tkachuk, whose Newport Sports-led camp is, I think, sitting back and waiting to see how Johnny Gaudreau’s UFA situation plays out before formalizing a game plan for their RFA client. Makes sense. You’ll want to see how the dust clears and how much of a contender the Flames remain before making any commitments. Meanwhile, other clubs are calling to feel the flames in Tkachuk. It goes without saying that the Flames’ only 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 become a UFA in one year, it puts Calgary in a brutal position. Sources also shared Wednesday that teams have begun making their best trade offers to the Blackhawks on Alex DeBrincat, a potential trade that would likely require a Thursday first-round pick included in it. So there is a pressure point developing there on that front. Then there’s the entire goaltending carousel that is primarily impacted by four pending UFA goaltenders in Marc-Andre Fleury, Darcy Kuemper, Ville Husso and Jack Campbell. Agent Ben Hankinson was scheduled to meet with Avs GM Joe Sakic today regarding pending UFA goaltender Darcy Kuemper… — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 6, 2022 Kuemper’s agent, Ben Hankinson, was scheduled to meet with Avalanche GM Joe Sakic here in Montreal on Wednesday. The Stanley Cup champions 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 will be real. So many people around the league see Colorado as the perfect landing spot for Fleury if Kuemper leaves. The Wild, by the way, continued to be interested in bringing Fleury back as of Wednesday so he remains on the table. And as previously discussed, the Maple Leafs could be another option for Fleury. Meanwhile, the sense is that Edmonton and New Jersey are the top suitors for Campbell once/if he hits the market next week. I wouldn’t be surprised if Washington asked Campbell as well. Finally, Husso’s agent, Todd Diamond, was expected to meet with Blues GM Doug Armstrong sometime this week. Hard to think the Blues could afford to bring Huso back with Jordan Binnington signed long-term. it would be a lot of dough in the net. The Leafs and Oilers could be among the options for Husso depending on how some of the other dominoes fall. So the whole goalkeeping thing is fun as always this season. Somewhere else: • The expectation is that Flames GM Brad Treliving will meet with Johnny Gaudreau’s agent, Lewis Gross, in the coming days. Calgary needs clarity, one way or another. This does not mean that the Flames will gain clarity. The team’s eight-year deal has been sitting in front of Gaudreau for a month now. But if they find out this week, say, that he’s not going to sign, 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 movement out there that replaces Gaudreau’s impact. • Add Carolina to Claude Giroux’s potential suitors, along with Edmonton and Ottawa. The Hurricanes have prioritized adding some offense if possible this offseason and are likely to lose Vincent Trochek and Nino Niederreiter in free agency. Well I hear they have discussed going after Giroux. Meanwhile, Florida continues to try to find a way to bring Giroux back. But the Panthers’ cap situation isn’t helping matters on that front. • There were four other finalists for San Jose’s GM job besides Mike Grier, who got the nod Tuesday. Sources say Scott Nichol, Scott Mellanby, Ray Whitney and another mystery candidate were part of the final team. This mystery prospect told the Sharks to keep his name out, so we haven’t heard from him. I think Mellanby will find a gig with another NHL front office soon, from what I hear. The Sharks’ GM search process was exciting and exhaustive, starting with 50 or so names, then interviewing 13 candidates before settling on these final five. It’s indicative of Grier’s reputation how many people I’ve heard, from around the NHL, excited about his appointment. He is very likeable. 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 at the time either. This turned out pretty well. (Photo: Perry Nelson/USA Today)
