NHL Rumor Mill – July 16, 2024
Which teams remain due for a big move this summer? Will Evgeny Kuznetsov bolt for the KHL? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
ARE THERE MORE MOVES TO COME FOR THE JETS, AVALANCHE, GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND PANTHERS?
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jim Parson believes the Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers still have some work to do in his offseason.
Jets prospect Rutger McGroarty isn’t interested in signing with the club and wants a trade. Meanwhile, there is talk winger Nikolaj Ehlers could be on his way out.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McGroarty and Ehlers have recently surfaced in the rumor mill. However, Winnipeg doesn’t have to move either player this summer. McGroarty’s NHL rights still belong to the Jets while Ehlers has one year remaining on his contract. They could trade one or both this summer or at some point in the lead-up to the March trade deadline.
The Avalanche have 19 of their 23 active roster spots filled for 2024-25 but don’t have much cap room. Uncertainty hangs over sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog and suspended winger Valeri Nichushkin.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog hopes to return to action after missing the last two seasons recovering from knee surgeries. He carries an annual salary-cap hit of $7 million. They were able to garner cap relief the last two years by placing Landeskog on long-term injury reserve.
Nichshukin, meanwhile, has a $6.125 million cap hit. He’s in stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and is suspended until mid-November. The Avs can place him on long-term injury reserve to start the season but they must be cap-compliant when his suspension ends.
The Avalanche faces a cost-cutting move if Landeskog returns to action and Nichushkin comes back in November. They don’t have to do it now but are over the $88 million cap ceiling by $1.33 million with four active roster spots to fill. They can remain over the cap by 10 percent until their season opener in October.
The Golden Knights appear to be reeling from the departures of Logan Thompson, Jonathan Marchessault, Alec Martinez, Chandler Stephenson and Anthony Mantha. They’ve been quiet thus far but Parsons reminds us that this is a cutthroat and ruthless organization that will do anything to improve their situation.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Avalanche, a lack of cap space is hampering the Golden Knights’ efforts to bolster their roster. It’s what led to the departures of those players. They’re above the cap by over $3.6 million but have relief for the coming season with goalie Robin Lehner and his $5 million cap hit on LTIR. They have room to add three more contracts to reach the maximum of 50 but they already have a full active roster of 23.
The Golden Knights could make a splash in the trade pool. However, they could be content to start the season with their current roster and see how things unfold.
Parson also noted the Panthers aren’t the same team that won’t the Stanley Cup last month, losing Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Vladimir Tarasenko, Anthony Stolarz and Ryan Lomberg to free agency. There’s ongoing speculation they could trade long-time defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ Bill Zito is among the more aggressive NHL general managers. However, he only has a little over $766K in cap space for 2024-25 with 22 of his 23 active roster spots filled.
Zito could trade Ekblad and his $7.5 million cap hit but doing so would blow a big hole in their blueline that will be difficult to fill. He could be stuck with affordable depth moves for now.
COULD KUZNETSOV RETURN TO THE KHL?
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited a report out of Russia claiming Evgeny Kuznetsov planned to leave the Carolina Hurricanes and sign a four-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.
Kuznetsov has one year remaining with Carolina. The report claimed he’d head to SKA St. Petersburg after he works with the Hurricanes to terminate his NHL contract.
Shumi Babayev, a player agent and Kuznetsov’s friend downplayed the report. He said there was interest in the 32-year-old center from several KHL clubs. However, he added it is too early to definitively say he’s heading back to Russia.
Silber noted that terminating Kuznetsov’s contract would remove his NHL cap hit from the books of the Hurricanes and his former club, the Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes carry half of his $7.8 million cap hit and the Capitals the other half.
A buyout is also possible once the Hurricanes’ contract arbitration hearings are settled. That would count as two-thirds of the remaining value over twice the remaining term for both teams.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Capitals would likely prefer a contract termination over a buyout. Kuznetsov’s performance has steadily declined over the last two seasons.
With Parsons describing Vegas as a “cutthroat and ruthless organization” you have to wonder if the rival organizations sees them exactly the same way and, if so, why should any of them willingly accommodate them in trades unless they can adopt the same attitude and squeeze the Hell out of them.
That rep didn’t hurt their efforts to acquire Noah Hanifin from Calgary or Tomas Hertl from San Jose leading up to this year’s trade deadline.
Looking at their recent trade history, Vegas has no trouble finding teams to make deals with.
So, P. T. Barnum was bang on.
That is one journalist’s characterization, George. I doubt very much that other organizations would be characterized as pussy cats.
Absent cap related reasons, GMs make trades when they think it is an improvement. If a GM asks too much for a player, trades don’t happen. Remember the asking price for Eichel and for Chychrun (when in AZ) went down before their GMs found a partner.
Yeah … I just detest that organization and wish them only bad luck.
it makes no sense for the Panthers to trade Ekblad, as he is by far their best dman. if they need to trade him to save cap space they won’t receive back an equal top dman. Who else on that roster will run their PP and PK?
Ya mikeP, that D core has some big holes. Cheers to that!
And if Ekblad is running your PP on the back end, not great. They will miss Montour. Barrie is still out there looking for work I think. Doesn’t defend well, but he can sure play on PP.
Ray Bark the Panthers issue is that that have 14.5 million in one position! And only one of them can play at a time! Look what happened in Boston! In Fla. at least you won a cup!
Forsling carries Ekblad, he is by far their best D
Maybe Boqvist on the PP?
The Kuznetsov news is interesting from a timing perspective as it relates to Necas. If Kuz does agree to a separation/termination this year, I wonder if Necas is quickly re-signed and maybe get the 2C gig.
Ekblad isn’t going anywhere unless there’s a lot of money retained.
He’s big but slow-footed, often out of position, Forsling covers his butt. He loves instigating in the crease but isn’t very effective.
If he was a 3rd pairing he’d be fine but he’s paid like a top 2.
Ekblad and Trouba are similar players! Both at this stage of their career,third pair players! The problem is that they are not aging gracefully and they are paid like No. 1 Defensemen! The GMS didn t help with the contracts they gave them! GMS have to start doing away with the NTCand NMC clauses!
here’s hoping Landeskog returns for training camp. we need him back so desperately. although, i don’t completely trust the avalanche organization when it comes to what’s going on with him. i just hope for his career that he is able to give it a go. guy is awesome. plays great 2 way hockey. didn’t even get a chance to defend the Cup win in 2022. let’s go AVS!!!!!!!! get your act together and let’s bring it this year. never mind this jackin around stuff