In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Matt Grzelyck is reportedly signing a PTO with the Chicago Blackhawks. Meanwhile, one insider suggests that Dillon Dube could be on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ radar. Klim Kostin is likely not joining the Edmonton Oilers on a PTO, and did Sidney Crosby shoot down or tease that he might be ready to leave the Pittsburgh Penguins?
Grzelcyk to the Blackhawks
According to Elliotte Friedman, “Hearing Matt Grzelcyk is signing a PTO with Chicago…was surprised to still see him on the market after a 40-point season.” The defenseman is coming off a career season, having played in 82 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He set career highs in assists (39), points (40) and played an average time on ice (20:37).
For some reason, he couldn’t turn that into a contract with an NHL team.
Grzelcyk could bring some needed experience to what is a very young group in Chicago. At the same time, the Blackhawks don’t expect to be a contender, and they’ve got some good young pieces ready to take the next step into the NHL. It will be intriguing to see if Grzelcyk has a chance to earn a deal.
Does Dube Make Sense for the Maple Leafs?
TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs could take a look at former Calgary Flame Dillon Dubé. Eligible to sign a contract on October 15th, Dubé, 27, once played for GM Brad Treliving in Calgary. Dreger wonders if there’s a connection there, despite the fact that the winger managed just seven goals in his last 85 professional games.
Dreger admits that there might be a tough transition period for Dube coming into a big Canadian hockey market after the Hockey Canada trial. There’s also the fact that the Leafs are already employing a surplus of forwards and insiders like Elliotte Friedman suggested there would be a move in the next few weeks.
Crosby Shoots Down Talk of Him Leaving Penguins
Sidney Crosby was out delivering season tickets to fans this week and commented on the remarks by his agent and stories that he might finally be ready to leave the Penguins. He denied any truth to that speculation.
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“There’s a lot of narratives out there and I don’t think a lot of those have come from me,” Crosby said. “This is where I want to be. I love it here. I can’t keep having to answer the same question over again because of these narratives, you know?” He added, “I think anyone who knows me knows what this city means to me and how special it is. I guess take those rumors or some of those things lightly.”
He also said he has no intentions of letting the team lose this season to speed up the rebuild process. That’s not how he’s wired.
Klim Kostin Not Joining Oilers
According to veteran Edmonton Journal reporter Jim Matheson, “At this point, there are no indications of any pro tryouts at Oiler camp, so no re-engagement with Klim Kostin.”
This will be sad news for some Oilers and Kostin fans. There was a grounswell of support online for the Oilers to give him a shot on a PTO. Speaking with Sport-Express in Russia, Kostin said he would love nothing more than to rejoin Edmonton.
“In Edmonton, I wanted to die on the ice for the fans,” Kostin said. “This is the place where I felt most comfortable and was myself. Of course, this is my dream.”
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