Rumor mill: Teuvo Teravainen could leave Carolina, and soon

It’s July 20, a date when there’s usually very little activity in the NHL. The draft and the opening of the free-agent market are far behind us, and no decisions have yet been rendered via arbitration.

But 2023 will be a year in which July 20 will still have stirred the pot.

Guy Boucher has accepted an assistant coaching position with sworn enemies Toronto…

Kirk Muller, who had been out of work since leaving Calgary, has just done the same, but with the Washington Capitals…

The Washington Capitals have named Kirk Muller as an assistant coach and Kenny McCudden as an assistant/skills coach.#ALLCAPS

– Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 20, 2023

Former Canadiens’ Nate Thompson has announced his retirement after 15 years in the NHL…

And Nicklas Backstrom confided that he no longer feels any pain following his major hip surgery, having been diminished since 2015 due to the injury. Backstrom will be back in action on Day 1 of training camp in Washington. Good news for the Caps, who need some offensive punch.

And a number of rumours could become reality over the next few hours. Big July 20 in the field hockey world!

The Islanders are shopping for a goal-scorer (again)
The Islanders have been trying to lure Pierre-Luc Dubois and Vladimir Tarasenko to New York, but Brooklyn, Elmont and the New York suburbs are clearly no match for Manhattan.

However, according to Elliotte Friedman, good old Lou hasn’t thrown in the towel on that front. He’s reportedly still trying to attract a guy capable of putting it in his locker room.

The options on the fully autonomous market are limited, however. Patrick Kane won’t sign until he’s recovered, Jonathan Toews isn’t what he used to be, Phil Kessel, Zach Parise, Eric Staal, Derick Brassard and Tomas Tatar aren’t, and I can’t really see Parice Bergeron or David Krejci landing with the Isles.

That leaves the transaction market… and the hostile bid market.

Are Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras real options for Lou?

Is Alexis Lafrenière really on the market?

I’ve got a good option for you, Lou: Mike Hoffman is the one to give away right now. And his greatest quality is his lightning shot, like…

Teuvo Teravainen on the market?
No, Don Waddell’s vacation isn’t as quiet as Jeff Gorton’s and Kent Hughes’.

The Hurricanes have their noses everywhere.

Erik Karlsson: the “race ” would still be between the Penguins and the Hurricanes.

Vladimir Tarasenko: his name is still constantly linked to the Hurricanes.

Waddell would like to add at least one important ingredient to his recipe before the start of the 2023-24 season.

But with only $2.5 million in salary cap room (and Karlsson and Tarasenko below the minimum wage), the Hurricanes GM should be able to free up space to complete any move.

And that move could involve Teuvo Teravainen.

The former first-round pick of the Blackhawks, sent to Carolina in order to get rid of Bryan Bickell’s atrocious contract, will be eligible for full autonomy in less than a year.

He earns an average annual salary of $5.4 million, but is coming off a tough season of just 37 points (in 68 games).

The Hurricanes would have to give something up with Teravainen in order to part with him.

Kent? Jeff? Your cell isn’t closed, right?

William Nylander and the Maple Leafs are far from an agreement
Brad Treliving has added some important pieces to the Toronto recipe: Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg, Guy Boucher…

But he’s nearly $9 million over the salary cap this morning, while placing Jake Muzzin on the LTIR will only unlock $5.625 million. Can’t wait to see how he does at this level…

And the next step is to get Auston Matthews and Willam Nylander to sign contract extensions. Matthews is rumoured to be looking for an average annual salary of $14 million, while Nylander wouldn’t want to be the only top Maple Leaf forward to sign (a little) on the cheap.

Matthews might even like to wait for Nylander to sign before doing so himself, but last I heard, Nylander and the Maple Leafs aren’t even close to a deal.

That’s not likely to be settled on July 20, unfortunately…

Gossip

– At least $4 million for Ilya Samsonov, while the Maple Leafs are only offering him $2.4 million right now (on the cusp of arbitration?)

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– All in unison: no!

– The countdown has not only begun in Montreal. In Laval, too.

8️⃣5️⃣ days before it starts
8️⃣5️⃣ days before it starts #GoRocket pic.twitter.com/GB9MLn9lGj

– Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) July 20, 2023

– Can’t wait for tomorrow night.

– Bravo champion!

– Eugénie Bouchard has received an invitation to take part in next month’s National Bank Open in Montreal. She hasn’t played in Montreal since 2009.