Rumor Corner: Anders Lee Could Be an Interesting Candidate for the Habs

Jonathan Di Gregorio
Rumor Corner: Anders Lee Could Be an Interesting Candidate for the Habs
Credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Even though the Stanley Cup Final is heating up, that hasn't stopped rumors from swirling throughout the NHL.

With the draft and the free-agent market fast approaching, we could see some movement in the coming weeks.

Here are the latest rumors from around the League.

Anders Lee and the Islanders are far from a deal

Anders Lee's agent met with Mathieu Darche today, and the two sides are still far from reaching an agreement.

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Islanders' captain is preparing to become an unrestricted free agent.

Last season, the 6-foot-3, 234-pound forward recorded 42 points, including 19 goals, in 82 games, and he could be an interesting option for the bottom six of a team looking to add depth, such as the Canadiens.

He could bring grit and experience to Montreal.

Lee has just completed a seven-year contract that paid him an average of $7 million per year, and we can expect the value of his next contract to be significantly lower.

The main risk in his case is his age. At 35, a one- or two-year contract would be the best option, even though Lee has missed only one game over the past four seasons.

Darnell Nurse could be on the trade market

The Oilers are reportedly looking to trade Darnell Nurse.

As Elliotte Friedman explains on the show 32 Thoughts, the defenseman still has one year remaining on his full no-movement clause.

However, the Oilers could reach an agreement with him to trade him this summer to a destination of his choice rather than wait a year, when he'll be able to block a trade with just ten teams.

What could potentially complicate a trade is the 31-year-old defenseman's contract, which averages $9.25 million per year for the next four years.

As Darren Dreger mentions in the Barn Burner podcast, this is a situation similar to that of 32-year-old Morgan Rielly and the Maple Leafs.

In fact, my colleague Michaël Petit had said that Rielly could be an interesting target for the Oilers, and one might wonder if a trade involving Rielly and Dreger wouldn't be possible between the two teams.

Alex Tuch may test the market

This year's free-agent market doesn't have many big names, and the most sought-after player is likely to be Alex Tuch.

Darren Dreger discussed the situation on the First Up podcast, and it appears there has been no progress in negotiations between the forward and the Buffalo Sabres.

Tuch just had a 66-point season, including 33 goals, in 79 games. He also scored four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games, but was held scoreless in the second round against the Habs.

The 6-foot-3 forward has just completed a seven-year, $4.75 million contract and is expected to see a substantial pay raise.

Several teams looking for a top-6 forward are likely to be interested in Tuch, who could very well land a big contract this summer and who, at 30 years old, will undoubtedly want to maximize the length of his deal.


In a nutshell

– A warm welcome.

– Alliance loss.

– A great streak.

– Adding fuel to the fire.

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