NHL Rumors: Taylor Hall reunion with Oilers, and Avs to play hardball with Gabriel Landeskog

If the Leafs can’t get Zack Hyman done, I expect the Oilers will be in pitching for him. But there will be many suitors. So, who else may they target… One to watch could be Alex Killorn. He’s a legit Top-6 guy at $4.45. That would be right in Edmonton’s price range. If Boston can sign Taylor Hall, then hometown RFA Jake DeBrusk becomes expendable. The Bruins won’t get what DeBrusk is worth, they’ve been too busy devaluing their own asset. Oh, and if Hall doesn’t sign in Boston then do not dismiss Edmonton’s interest in Taylor, either.

Edmonton Journal

Around the NHL Trade Deadline, before Boston made the deal, analyst Doug MacLean was told that a reunion was discussed.

“I also heard yesterday they’re in on the guy from Buffalo that everybody wants [Hall]. I’m thinking, how could Taylor Hall go there on a deal?” MacLean said. “The guy told me they’re looking at a deal that would have [Hall and RNH] both done for less than $12 million for both of them, and it would work next year. It was a reasonable source that said it.”

The possibility is still there to sign both, but I see it as unlikely. If Nugent-Hopkins were to depart, Hall makes as much sense as anyone.

Will the Avs play hardball with Gabriel Landeskog?

The Denver Post did their Avalanche postmortem and suggested that Joe Sakic may opt to play hardball with his captain, Gabriel Landeskog.

They mused over Gabriel Landeskog’s future with the club following his disappointing performance against the Golden Knights. Chambers speculates the Avs could offer their captain a “take it or leave it” offer of $5 million annually and not at his preferred term. O’Halloran believes a “bad team with salary-cap space” like the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks seeking a “heart-and-guts leader like Landeskog” will give him an offer he can’t or won’t refuse.

via Spectors Hockey

When it comes to Colorado, they will likely hold off on signing any of their UFAs. The big names that stands out here are Gabriel Landeskog, Brandon Saad and Phillip Grubauer. Joe Sakic is likely to re-sign all three come post expansion draft.

What could cause the Avs to go the take it or leave it route? Cale Makar is an RFA and if Sakic believes it would be best to go a full 8 years at around $8 to $9 million per season, there will be cap casualties. Even so, I don’t see Landeskog being the one. Should Sakic go in that direction and not a bridge deal with Makar, it will be Saad signing elsewhere.