In today';s rumor rundown, the Detroit Red Wings take a ton of the attention as
 there is news on Dylan Larkin, Jimmy Howard and Gustav Nyquist. The Vancouver
Canucks are also trying to shop a defenseman without much luck and agents
around the NHL are trying to predict Andrei Vasilevskiy';s next contract.Still
 Waiting on Larkin, "Something is Coming"

It feels like, for a couple weeks, Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings have been set
 to make an announcement that a long-term deal has been finalized. Larkin has
repeatedly said a deal should get done before training camp and there may be
some recent news that things are coming sooner than that. On Wednesday,
Larkin reiterated with Sportsnet's Luke Fox that he feels the two sides are
close.Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings, December 20, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The
Hockey Writers)

Larkin said, "Something's coming. I've told everyone I think it'll be before
training camp. It's right there. I'm just waiting to iron out the details."

Most of the reports have stayed the same, that the Red Wings and Larkin are
working on a five or six-year deal. But, for perhaps the first time, some
details about the potential offers are coming to light. Larkin indicated that
there are "different offers out there" that could also include a shorter bridge
 deal. No matter what the deal, bridge or long-term, GM Ken Holland needs to
move some salary.Related: NHL Rumors: McDavid, Drouin, Karlsson, MoreCanucks
Can';t Move Hutton

The Athletic's J.D. Burke took a look at the upcoming season for the Vancouver
Canucks and who on the team has seen their stock rise and fall. Part of that
article included a piece about Canuck';s defenseman Ben Hutton, who Burke
suggests the team has actively been trying to unload. Unfortunately, the
Canucks have not had any luck finding a taker.Ben Hutton, Vancouver Canucks,
Nov. 21, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Burke wrote:

You'd think that the Canucks would not only want Hutton on their team but want
to have him in a prominent place in their lineup. Instead, they've been trying
 to trade him for a while now, and they can't find any takers. Nobody is going
to suffer that more than Hutton, who could be the Canucks' sixth or seventh
defenceman next season.source - "Canucks stock report: Who's up, who's down
after off-season activity" - J.D. Burke - The Athletic - 08/04/2018

Burke adds that the Canucks have been trying to move Hutton since early last
season and while there were interested teams back in February, a deal was never
 made and Hutton continued to struggle. His lack of production has scared off
any teams that were interested.

Hutton';s production has fallen and his ice time reduced over the past two
years, even though as a rookie in 2015-16 he performed well. If the Canucks can
 move him, another NHL team could get a motivated shot-blocker at a bargain
deal.Related: NHL Rumors: Pacioretty, Nurse, Staal, MoreWould the Wings Move
Jimmy Howard?

Helene St. James of The Detroit Free Press said in a recent mailbag segment
that the Red Wings might move Jimmy Howard by the Feb. 25, 2019 trade deadline.
 She added, however, that the trade would be made with the notion the offer
was too good to pass up and that Detroit would like to re-sign Howard in the
following off-season as a free agent. She adds the Wings don';t want to lose
Howard long-term but figure there might be a win/win situation available to
pick up some picks and keep their player down the road.Jimmy Howard, Detroit
Red Wings, December 20, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Howard does not have trade protection built into his contract and there is a
decent chance Jonathan Bernier wins the starting job in Detroit this
season.Gustav Nyquist Gone Too?

Ansar Khan of Mlive.com also looked at the Red Wings and recently questioned
the long-term plans for forward Gustav Nyquist. Nyquist will become an
unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and he';s not provided nearly
 the production the Red Wings had hoped he would.

Khan suggests that if Nyquist doesn';t come out of the gates strong in 2018-19
he could be traded. Khan does concede there might be a small hurdle should the
Wings choose to move on. "He has a no-trade clause, but he would probably agree
 to waive it to join a playoff-contending team."Related: NHL Rumors:
Restricted Free Agents, Karlsson, MoreAndrei Vasilevskiy Could Get Expensive

Andrei Vasilevskiy is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in two years
 and a recent poll of NHL agents around the league suggested his next contract
could be worth between $8-8.5 million per season.Andrei Vasilevskiy #88, Tampa
Bay Lightning - taken on January 25, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Joe Smith of The Athletic wrote that right now, Vasilevskiy is a huge bargain
contract for Tampa and that the Russian goaltender has been paying attention to
 the recent contracts being handed out to players like John Gibson. Smith
wrote:

How does this impact Vasilevskiy? Well you can bet by the time Vasilevskiy is
up for a new deal, he'll more than double his AAV. As long as he continues the
type of performance he displayed in his first full season as the Lightning's
 No. 1. If (Vasilevskiy) wins the Cup and MVP, then he'll get (Carey) Price
money," said one agent, who does not represent Vasilevskiy. "Otherwise, between
 $8-8.5 million AAV."source - "Lightning notes: Which prospects could grab the
last roster spots in camp?" Joe Smith - The Athletic - 08/09/2018

According to one agent, this number is conservative and could jump dramatically
 if the Lightning win the Stanley Cup and he becomes MVP. That could boost him
another $2 million per season.

The post NHL Rumors: Larkin, Hutton, Vasilevskiy, More appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.05-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)