NHL Rumor Mill – October 28, 2024
The Maple Leafs and Blackhawks need second-line centers plus the latest on the Wild in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SHOULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TRADE FOR A CENTER?
THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel observed the Toronto Maple Leafs lack depth at the center position. Head coach Craig Berube is reluctant to use the 34-year-old John Tavares as the second-line center but his fallback option (Max Domi) isn’t working.
Berube tried William Nylander at center during the preseason. Siegel doesn’t see 20-year-old Fraser Minten as part of the solution when he returns from a high-ankle sprain.
Siegel believes a trade is the only way to address that issue this season. However, a lot of teams need centers, there may be few available, and the Leafs have little trade ammunition.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could hold things together until the March 7 trade deadline approaches. There should be more trade options by that point. However, it could cost the Leafs a promising prospect or their 2026 first-rounder since they traded away their 2025 pick.
LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Brooke LoFurno recently cited The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the Blackhawks would love to add a second-line center.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).
LoFurno indicated that Pagnotta mentioned Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks as a trade target, as he’s been mentioned in rumors since last season. Young centers are a luxury but the Blackhawks have plenty of draft capital to draw on for trade bait.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson mentioned many times he’d be willing to use draft capital in a trade to address a specific need. LoFurno believes a trade seems likely at some point.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: LoFurno noted the Blackhawks have 13 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, including two first-rounders in 2025. She thinks Davidson might be willing to part with one of them for the right price.
Zegras was a promising foundation player for the Ducks but his stock has dropped since his injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign. He’s been relegated to the wing this season and has only two points in eight games. The 23-year-old Zegras carries an average annual value of $5.75 million through 2025-26.
Changing teams could help Zegras regain his once-promising offensive form. However, he could be unsuitable for the Blackhawks’ second-line center role.
The same goes for the Leafs.
DO THE WILD NEED A REPLACEMENT FOR SPURGEON?
THE ATHLETIC: A reader recently asked Michael Russo if the Minnesota Wild would place sidelined defenseman Jared Spurgeon on long-term injury reserve. The 34-year-old Wild captain hasn’t played since Oct. 12 because he’s still feeling the effects of last year’s season-ending back and hip surgeries.
Spurgeon doesn’t appear to have suffered a medical setback. The discomfort he felt is believed to be part of the recovery process. They’re allowing him time to let things calm down before he resumes skating.
Russo doesn’t believe the Wild are interested in Toronto’s Timothy Liljegren if they must find a replacement for Spurgeon. Who they pursue will depend on whether GM Bill Guerin believes they’re a right-shot defenseman away from being a legitimate contender.
The Leafs, as we all know, have a very top heavy group of forwards. They’re paying Tavares and , both centers, nearly $15m. combined. And yet they still don’t have a #2 Center. And some people wonder why they go nowhere in the playoffs.
But then again Howard, I guess any team can beat Boston, Tampa, or Florida year after year as their first round opponent?
Blaming the team’s structure is a lazy way to look at it.
Ron – I’m struggling to come up with another way to look at it. The commitment they made to Tavares, Marner, Mathews, Nylander and to some extent Reilly has them hand-cuffed and struggling to address goaltending and team depth. The evidence is that they are not good enough to beat great teams – all with a more balanced payroll structure.
I find it a lazy excuses of TML fans to cite the flat cap as somehow robbing the team of the opportunity to get some balance – all teams would benefit from the opportunity to spend more and depth would become more expensive.
I don’t want to suggest solutions as I’m not a TML fan but how Brendan (teflon) Shannahan still has the ultimate reins is baffling. He is one of my all time favorite players but has been a disaster as president.
Structure as in personnel, Ron? Is that what you mean?
If so, surely that’s the first place to loo
As for the Leafs playoff opponents, you need to check your facts.
in this century the Leafs have failed to make the playoffs 10 times, won 0 playoff series 9 times, won a playoff series 4 times, and one 2 playoff series once.
If you mean in more recent history, Tampa has lost in the first round two years straight. the Bruins have done poorly the last 4 poor years, and the Panthers have only been strong the last two.
The Leafs lost to the Canadiens in 2021, and the CBJ in 2020.
Are you sure the issue is the Leafs opponents?
Then I guess the hockey world is filled with us lazy folks as countless people have put forth that very argument.
When these GMS put teams together,despite injuries, why can t they find second line centers!A guy like Trocheck fits the description perfectly!With all the forwards in the NHL why is this such a problem!
Were it not for the salary, I could see a deal for…wait for it…Naz Kadri…back to TOR. He checks all the boxes, except for the contract.
The GM who traded him is gone and the leafs have added lots of size support…they have not added much spark up front though. Kadri brings some fire.
Calgary, in a rebuild, could eat a bit of salary for a solid return of a high pick, a top prospect and an everyday NHLer.
The main obstacle is likely some bad blood over last season’s negotiations over Tanev and Zadorov.
But I coould see several options that would help both teams.
Re young centres under 25
There maybe demand for under 25yr old centres this year
Hawks & Habs & Flames All looking for the same thing…
They could all be looking at Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks as a trade…..⁉️
Same with top 4 d/men, 4-5 team’s looking for that position, Utah, Habs, Oilers,Wild,
and
Buffalo may look to add a mature top 4 d/man to many young kids on there d they all are runing around….🤔
I don’t think the Habs are looking for a center, williew.
Dach will be moved to 2C shortly. Currently, Evans and Dvorak are playing well as 3c & 4c.
They have Kappanen on the roster now whose natural position is center, and Beck has a chance to make the team next year.
The rumour is that the Habs are looking for a forward with an edge, typically a winger.
Williew ,the perfect top 4 defensemen for you would be Hampus Lindholm! Unfortunately like everyone in the NHL these days has some type of NMC in their contract! A top 6 forward either C or W would be an equivalent return!
I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again: Nylander is NOT a centre, yet they try year-after-year.
Why not try Marner at centre, just once? Plays all situations, elite play-maker, two-way player, and I’ve seen him win face-offs.
I’ve been wondering that for several seasons now WestBrantKid – he IS one of the nicest play-makers/passers in the league, has decent size for the position, is a right shot, and his penchant for playmaking is reflected in his career stats – 195g 454a – something that has manifested itself as well in the playoffs – 11g 39a.
From this vantage point he has always come across more like a natural C.
Knies – Matthews – Domi
Nylander – Marner – McMann
Patches – Trevares – Robertson
So multiple teams are looking for a 2C and a top 4 RD. Go figure.
Knies – Matthews – Domi
McMann – Marner – Nylander
Robertson – Tavares – Josh Doan
Holmberg – Lorentz – Brett Leason