In today’s NHL rumors, are the Buffalo Sabers in panic mode just two games into the season? If so, does this mean certain players could enter the trading market? Meanwhile, Lane Hutson has signed his eight-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens, seemingly resuming a previous deal he rejected. What happened? Finally, did Connor McDavid’s agent just hint that there will be a day when McDavid and Auston Matthews will eventually be on the same team?
Sabers are already feeling the crunch
Elliotte Friedman is among the insiders reporting that the Buffalo Sabers could be a team worth keeping an eye on early this season. He was already off to a rough start, he noted 32 Thoughts podcast“We actually know that two of their franchise players, [Rasmus] Dahlin and [Tage] Thompson, have indicated that things must be better this year; the Sabers don’t have a long runway for this.”
There is also talk about what this could mean when it comes to an Alex Tuch extension. said Jeff Marek on Sekeres and Price that “there is a lot of talk about Tuch around the Oilers.” Tuch wants to re-sign, but the two sides are not close. He could soon become a trade target for contending teams.
TSN’s Craig Button added that he would “call up the Sabers and try to poach players out of there.” He also mentioned the Oilers as a good fit, envisioning what the combination of Tuch and Connor McDavid could mean for the Oilers’ top line. Jason Gregor suggested during that conversation that Tuch should tell the Sabers he won’t sign, giving management time to reach a deal.
There is also news that Sabers forward Josh Norris could be out for eight weeks.
Why did Lane Hutson take the Canadiens’ original cut deal?
Lane Hutson signed an eight-year extension with the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, deciding to take less than $9 million per season, which surprised a few people. There was talk that recent deals with top defenders could push Hutson above a certain level. It was also said that the contract negotiations that became public were weighing on Hutson and that things had become emotional.
Related: Canadiens still moving forward after Dach Trade
Insiders reported after the deal that Hutson agreed to the deal in large part, which had to do with the pressure he felt to make it happen. Frank Seravalli commented”The mental grind of playing a full season with a lot of money on the table is real. That’s a lot of pressure. Lane Hutson can just play now. He signed a very similar deal that #GoHabsGo had on the table for him weeks ago – slightly less total $ than a deferred money deal.” Pierre LeBrun added”The Hutson deal started to come together Saturday and Sunday. The deal includes $55 million in signing bonus money. The bottom line is that Lane Hutson didn’t want his situation to be a distraction to the team all year. I wanted to get it done.”
McDavid and Matthews free agency tease
Judd Moldaver, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews’ agent, was present 32 thoughts podcast and teased the idea that McDavid and Matthews would one day join forces.
“That’s just too far in the future. You know, it just so happens, I think, that they’re all UFAs the same summer. What the future holds, I don’t know.” At the same time, though, he said he hoped all three of his major clients (including Zach Werenski) would stay on the teams they started with.
He noted, “I think I can say clearly for all three of them, they love their organizations, the Leafs, the Jackets, the Oilers respectively. And for them, winning is where they are right now, and in all three cases they’ve only played for one organization.”
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