BS Meter on Latest NHL Trade and Free-Agency Rumors

The calendar has flipped to November on the NHL's 2023-24 season. So far, however, only one deal has taken place since the season opened on Oct.10. Salary-cap constraints around the league continue to make trades difficult to pull off.

There's been some activity in the free-agent market with six unrestricted free agents signed to one-year contracts. They include Sam Gagner and Adam Erne signing with the Edmonton Oilers, Danton Heinen joining the Boston Bruins, Justin Danforth rejoining the Columbus Blue Jackets and Noah Gregor signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Despite the limited player movement via trades and free agency, there's plenty of speculation over which players could become trade candidates. Meanwhile, William Nylander's hot start with the Toronto Maple Leafs is generating conjecture over the cost of his next contract.

Where do these rumors rate on our BS meter? Read on to find out and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Kyle Dubas took over as the Pittsburgh Penguins' president of hockey operations and general manager in June. He made a series of moves during the offseason to build up his roster around aging stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The most significant included the additions of defenseman Erik Karlsson and winger Reilly Smith.

Through October, however, the Penguins had little show for Dubas' handiwork. With a record of three wins and six losses, they found themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

That prompted The Athletic's Josh Yohe to suggest that Dubas could make a trade to shake things up if the Penguins fail to improve soon. He acknowledged the club's lack of cap space, and several of its players carrying no-trade protection would make it difficult. Nevertheless, he felt Dubas couldn't let this situation drag on much longer.

BS Meter: Not BS

This is not the start that a club with Stanley Cup aspirations like the Penguins was expecting for this season. Dubas has a history of making in-season moves despite limited salary-cap space. He could try to shake things up in the coming weeks to snap his club out of its doldrums.

NHL clubs usually carry just two goaltenders on their roster. However, the Montreal Canadiens are a month into this season with Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau jockeying for playing time.

The Canadiens usually have Allen and Montembeault as their goalie tandem. However, they risk another club plucking Primeau off waivers if they attempt to send him to their AHL affiliate in Laval. On Nov. 2, TSN's Darren Dreger stated his belief that there's a decision coming soon that could involve trading one of their netminders.

Montreal Hockey Now's Marc Dumont felt the logjam in goal could work in the Canadiens' favor. On Oct. 28, he suggested the Buffalo Sabres as a possible trade partner with Eric Comrie and Devon Levi sidelined at the time.

BS Meter: Not BS on a trade but BS to the Sabres

At some point, a club struggling between the pipes should emerge as a suitable trade partner for one of the Canadiens' three goaltenders. However, it won't be the Sabres, as they also started the season with three goalies in Comrie, Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Levi recently returned from an injury, so they'll stick with him and Luukkonen for the time being.

Morgan Frost was among the promising positives in a sea of negatives for the Philadelphia Flyers during a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. He enjoyed a solid sophomore performance with 19 goals and 46 points in 81 games to finish fourth among their scoring leaders.

Frost is off to a rocky start to this season. The 24-year-old center was scoreless in six games and a healthy scratch through most of October. On Oct. 20, The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta indicated the Flyers attempted to trade Frost during the offseason. He claimed several clubs may have recently made inquiries into his availability.

Ten days later, The Athletic's Kevin Kurz cited a league source saying the Flyers aren't looking to move Frost and haven't engaged in any serious trade discussions. They still view him as one of the young assets they wish to rebuild around going forward and will give him every opportunity to succeed.

BS Meter: It's BS...for now

The rebuilding Flyers can afford to be patient with Frost given the potential he displayed last season. However, they could consider peddling him if he fails to improve as the season progresses.

Uncertainty over the futures of center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin with the Calgary Flames made them the topic of offseason trade speculation. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents next July. Lindholm topped our September Trade Block Big Board with Hanifin sitting third.

Both players told reporters during training camp of their willingness to sign contract extensions. On Oct. 21, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Hanifin and Flames management were getting closer to a deal.

However, the Flames' record of two wins, six losses and one overtime loss in October brought those negotiations to a screeching halt. On Oct. 31, Friedman's colleague Eric Francis reported all contract talks involving the club's pending free agents were placed on hold as the front office evaluates its next step.

Francis indicated the Flames could opt to shift directions toward a significant retooling of its roster. That would involve trading franchise pillars such as Lindholm and Hanifin.

BS Meter: Not BS

The Flames were hoping to rebound from last season's disappointing performance. Their chances of reaching the 2024 playoffs will be in jeopardy if they don't improve soon. That could result in Lindholm and Hanifin getting shopped by the March 8 trade deadline for young players and prospects.

Having been underpaid compared to Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, William Nylander is poised to land a significant pay raise on his next contract. Eligible for unrestricted free agent status next July, he's in the final season of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $6.9 million.

Nylander is out to prove this season that he's worth much more than his current salary. With 15 points in 11 games, the 27-year-old winger is also among the league's top-15 scorers.

On Oct. 30, the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan noted that the Nylander camp's asking price of $10 million annually was a sticking point in earlier negotiations. He speculated that the price is bound to rise if Nylander maintains his dominating play over the remainder of the season.

Two days later, The Hockey News' Stan Fischler expressed his belief that Nylander is poised to become one of the NHL's highest-paid players. Fischler also thinks he could prefer moving on to another club where he won't have to toil in the shadows of Matthews, Marner and Tavares.

BS Meter: Not BS

Nylander is well within his rights to seek at least $10 million annually on his next contract. The better he plays this season, the more expensive he'll become to sign. With the Leafs already committing $355.2 million to Matthews, Tavares and Marner for next season, they will find it increasingly difficult to keep Nylander in the fold after this season.

Stats (as of Nov. 5, 2023) via NHL.com, salary info via Cap Friendly with additional info via Hockey-Reference.com.