NHL Rumors: Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, Detroit Red Wings

Welcome to another edition of Full Press Hockey’s NHL Rumors! The NHL training camps have begun and players will be evaluated. Now, with free agency moves mostly done, rumors are still around. Clubs are always working to improve their rosters for next season. Some teams are having difficulty creating enough cap space to make moves. Others are experiencing severe injuries to star players. The new 2022-23 season will begin on October 7th, and trade rumors/signings are still prevalent. In this Sunday’s edition of NHL Rumors, we will take a look at the Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, and the Detroit Red Wings.

Columbus Blue Jackets – Patrik Laine/Johnny Gaudreau

Rumor: Per – Kayla Douglas – thescore.com. Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen is experimenting with having both Laine and Gaudreau on the same line. 

It sounds like Gaudreau is as excited as Laine to have each other on the same line. In training camp on Thursday, Boone Jenner was centering the two prolific scoring wingers. Gaudreau had this to say, “Obviously, (Laine is) a really, really smart player,” Gaudreau said. “He can see the ice really, really well, and his shot’s just off the charts. I kind of see myself as a pass-first guy, so hopefully, I can find him somewhere in the slot or in the zone, and it’ll probably go in if he has a second or two to get the shot off.”

The possibility of Laine’s game propelling with Gaudreau feeding him the puck should excite Blue Jackets’ fans. Laine has surpassed the 30-goal mark three times in his NHL career. Gaudreau was third in assists last season doling out 75 helpers. Seems like a perfect match. Throw in Jenner who collected 23 goals and 21 assists in 59 games due to injury and you have a top line most NHL GMs would only wish for.

The projection could be that the Blue Jackets see playoffs in their future this season. With these two dynamite offensive players, who can blame them?

Winnipeg Jets – Pierre-Luc Dubois

Rumor: Per – Darren Dreger – TSN.com. This offseason, Pierre-Luc Dubois could have committed long-term to the Winnipeg Jets. He was a restricted free agent, had just turned 24, and was coming off a solid 28-goal season. Instead, he told the team he wasn’t interested in a long-term deal and accepted his $6 million qualifying offer.

Dubois has one more year of restricted free agency and he could then sign another one-year deal or walk. He seems to be a bit more comfortable in Winnipeg as stated in his comment. “I could see myself in Winnipeg in the future. Just this summer I didn’t have the answer. Everyone wants an answer immediately, that’s kind of the world we’re in. But it’s my life at the end of the day. It is a decision that six, seven, eight years is a long time to bring me toward the end of my career. It’s not just me, it’s also a family that I have. It is a big decision that this past summer I wasn’t ready to make.”

He also stated how things feel different in Winnipeg this season – in a good way, he clarified – and that he’s excited to take another run at the playoffs with this group. So, he may still want to pursue playing in Montreal or stay put in Winnipeg. He has been the subject of numerous NHL rumors about his future. His ultimate goal is to win a Stanley Cup whether he has a one-year, three-year or eight-year deal. Wherever he plays, he’s a very talented player who can help a team succeed.

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Detroit Red Wings – Simon Edvinsson

Rumor: Per – Tristin McKinstry – clutchpoints.com. “It’s up to me”: Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson gets brutally honest on push for NHL job.

The Red Wings’ sixth overall pick last year is fighting for a spot in the Red Wings lineup. He won’t however just gain a spot due to his draft position. “You need to earn your spot, and that’s what they told me,” he said. “That’s what I want to do: I want to earn my spot. I don’t want to have it given just because of some hype that I get. I want to really feel that I can play my game in this league and against these players.”

The Red Wings prospect has impressed at the World Juniors tournament, drawing praise from head coach Tomas Montén.

“He’s a unique talent,” Montén said. “I think it’s his size and how he moves, that’s what first comes to mind. He’s big and can skate and can handle the puck. Usually, those size defensemen are more like stay-at-home D and just rim it off the glass and things like that. Not him… He’s an ’03, he has some experience, but he’s always cool. I think it’s a strength.”

With the success of Moritz Seider (50 points in 82 games), the Red Wings seem to have two young prospects who will be around for a while helping the team improve.

That concludes this edition of NHL rumors. Be sure to catch our next article, and thanks for reading!