NHL Rumor Mill – January 15, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025 | Rumors | 30 comments

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Stars and Canadiens plus the latest on Ryan O’Reilly, Rasmus Andersson and John Klingberg in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports there’s a sense that the situation between Vancouver Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller is holding up the trade market.

As the Canucks work through their options, sources tell Johnston there’s a sense league-wide that Miller is the most likely to be moved. The 31-year-old center has a no-movement clause and none of this has been his idea. Nevertheless, there’s a belief that he’s more likely to move on if it’s the right situation.

It could take some time for this to occur, meaning there might not be much action in the trade market until it does.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks could eventually decide they’re keeping both players. That will also end the delay in activity in the trade market. It’s simply a matter of how long this plays out.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

102.5 THE GAME’s Nick Keiser reports Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz expects teams to call him to express an interest in Ryan O’Reilly. Trotz indicated he’ll speak with the 33-year-old center before making a deal. “If we do anything we have to do it with respect,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly has two years remaining on his contract and lacks no-trade protection. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday that the Predators intend to treat him like he has a no-movement clause.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty believes the struggling Nashville Predators have no hope of reaching the playoffs this season. He thinks Trotz should be a seller at the trade deadline, suggesting Gustav Nyquist, Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon as trade candidates.

Nyquist is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He could fetch a third or fourth-round pick. Sissons has an affordable $2.8 million average annual value through next season and could bring in a prospect and a second-round pick.

Lauzon is currently sidelined but would be a solid addition to a playoff contender’s defense corps once he’s healthy. He’s signed through 2025-26 with an affordable AAV of $2 million and might bring in a first-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nyquist is the most likely of this trio to be shopped by the March 7 trade deadline because of his UFA status. Sissons and Lauzon could also move if Trotz can get the type of returns suggested by Daugherty.

FLAMES AREN’T PEDDLING RASMUS ANDERSSON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Calgary Flames aren’t shopping Rasmus Andersson. They’re confused as to why teams are calling about the 28-year-old defenseman. He been telling them that Andersson isn’t available.

The Flames are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. Andersson isn’t on an expiring contract and they hope to sign him to an extension starting this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted yesterday that Andersson recently told the Calgary media that he loves living and playing in the Stampede City and doesn’t want to be traded. It seems he’s going to get his wish.

MORE ANTICIPATION THAT THE STARS WILL BE MAJOR DEADLINE BUYERS

TSN: LeBrun believes the Dallas Stars will attempt to add a top-six forward and a top-four defenseman by the March 7 trade deadline. They’re trying to be patient because certain needs could develop that they haven’t identified yet based on injuries.

Tyler Seguin remains sidelined but they haven’t put him on long-term injury reserve yet. They’re trying to accrue cap space and then put his $9.85 million on LTIR, which gives them more cap flexibility to make additions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent reports out of Dallas suggest Seguin could be sidelined for five to six months. It’s only a matter of time until they put him on LTIR and use the savings to stock up in the trade market.

TEAMS ARE INTERESTED IN KLINGBERG

TSN: Darren Dreger reported NHL defenseman John Klingberg is attempting to resume his NHL career. He’s been sidelined for 14 months following hip resurfacing in 2023 but has ramped up his training lately and feels good.

Dreger claims there are five to seven teams that Klingberg must decide on. He lists the Toronto Maple Leafs as the front-runners, with the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators among the suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klingberg must sign by the March 7 trade deadline to be eligible to play in the postseason.

CANADIENS NOT SEEKING RENTAL PLAYERS

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes isn’t going to sacrifice his club’s future for immediate help to make the playoffs this season. He’s not interested in acquiring pending UFA players.

Hughes isn’t ruling out making trades but suggests he’d prefer to acquire players with term remaining on their contracts, pointing to his recent acquisition of defenseman Alexandre Carrier as an example.







30 Comments

  1. Any talk/rumours about Gavrikov in LA? Him and Mikey Anderson have been the team’s best pairing and have really stepped up with the absence of Doughty.
    Kings lost Roy to UFA last year deciding to keep him for the playoffs.
    They’d be foolish to do that again with Gavrikov.

  2. no Tony Deangelo to Boston to help their powerplay rumblings?

    • Re; Tony De Angelo

      im sure any team can pick up De Angelo for leauge minimum….🤔

      Maybe its some RD/man the Oilers can look at
      to play with Nures in the 2.nd pairing❓

      Defenseman John Klingberg is attempting to resume his NHL career. 😲
      The Oilers are 100% Not looking at a frigile china cup like him…‼️

  3. Good luck to whatever team signs Klingberg. Last night I heard the Stars announcers talk about bringing him back, and that stranger things have happened. Offensive upside has always been amazing. But he has always been a defensive liability. And now with a new hip….Buyer beware

    • My thoughts exactly. They mention Toronto, Edmonton and Ottawa as 3 most-interested teams, but surely whichever teams he signs with can’t be looking at him as anything more than a 3rd pair insert?

      • Klingberg will sign for league minimum, so not much of a risk. If he can`t make a go of it he gets waived and goes to the minors. All it`ll cost a team is one of their 50 allotted contracts

      • 3rd pair minutes, but likely also there to add a spark to PP. Which really doesn’t make sense for Ottawa and Edmonton; I don’t see him cracking PP1 there.
        But it might work in Toronto if he gets 4-5 PP minutes and 8-10 reg minutes a game.

      • O’Reiley to the Sens, nothing retained for Forsberg, JBD and a 2nd. And that’s being generous.

      • While that is interesting Dark G, right now Ottawa has just $80,000 in cap space. Forberg and Bernard-Docker combined cost $3,555,000 off the cap and O’Reilly $4.5 mil. Another million and change would need to be cleared.

        And with Bernard-Docker out week to week with his injury, I doubt Trotz would be interested.

      • All 3 teams are looking for top 4 RD defenseman. So they won’t be looking at Klingberg as a 3rd line D but a top 4 D. For the Oilers, they’d be looking at Klingberg to pair with Nurse. But as history has proven, Nurse needs a good shutdown defenseman like Adam Larsson to make him good. Not an offensive Defenseman. So I’m not sure why Edmonton would want him as a top 4 besides the fact that he’s basically going to come for free (no trades going the other way)

  4. So looking at a few options for Canucks, some stated already, others are my thoughts. Most seem to make sense. These are all for JT Miller as I dont see the Canucks trading Petterson. As well, Miller has been in the middle of Bo Horvat (traded) and now Petterson.

    Buf – Byram/Cozens/(+?) for JT Miller and Hoglander
    Sabres are young, they could use some experience and toughness
    like Miller to push them. a 100 pt veteran power forward

    Car – Necas (+?) for Miller (+?)
    Again, 100 pt veteran power forward as your # 2 centre? you bet

    Dallas – W Johnson or R Hintz
    and two of L Stankoven/M Bourque/N Lundkvist/(+?)
    for Miller and Hoglander and (+?)
    Again, 100 pt veteran power forward as your # 2 centre? you bet

    This one MAY be a bit of a reach as these two teams dont like each other very much BUT Dallas time is NOW to win. They have a very good team, and even though bad blood would overpay for Miller because he will only help their cause.
    They have the young depth to trade back.

    • Sabres are such a mess that it’s hard to tell what might benefit them. That’s two young, talented players for a player who has already played 800 NHL games. Looks like Sabre desperation to me.

    • Hey Yogi

      Klingberg is signed with the Leafs for $1.9M
      for 2024/25 season Sound like they Dont want him, had to do a bit of digging to find that out…..he has been on LTR all year. I dont know who is touching him, Midia are doing some good Sales & Markeiting for him…❗️

      The Sen’s only have $80,000 in cap space for the rest of the year Now … and now RD, Zub
      is Back👍

      • Klingberg’s last contract was 23/24 with Toronto for $4.15M.
        He’s currently not under an NHL contract and is a free agent for the 24/25 season.

      • But RDs Hamonic and Bernard-Docker are not back … and won’t be for some considerable time.

  5. Leafs are the “frontrunners” for Klingberg.

    According to T arse N and LeafsNet the Leafs are the frontrunners for every player from PeeWee to retired veterans.

    Never any thought put to tradeable assets or draft picks to obtain said players.

    • Re-Leaf

      Now, the leafs want to sign the China Cup
      John Klingberg, sounds like he is looking for north of $1.5M
      So that would not be a Trade if a pick up, with the d/men listed below
      thats 10, d/men the leafs will have a few of them will ask to be traded out and or Waved.!!!

      The Leafs have 8 d/men listed on ther roster as per Puckpedia,2 d/men are Both are injured,
      Jani Hakanpaa $1.47M
      &
      Jake McCabe @ $2.M ….
      &
      Matt Beding in they they sent down to the farm…$1.25M.
      So they will have a total of 10 d/men they are going to have to Trade and or Wave a couple of them…⁉️

  6. Not sure how the TVA report that Hughes isn’t going to add players on expiring contracts is news.

    In his recent presser Hughes was clear he wanted to let his team to experience the pressure of winning meaningful games before making any moves. Right now their recent success includes a delicate paradox: Anderson, Dvorak, Armia and Gallagher are overpaid yet playing assigned roles very well. I think its clear the Habs don’t want to disturb the pixie dust they have found.

    Even if the Habs do make the playoffs they aren’t a contender. Thus in any scenario any acquisition will have to fit into their long term plans, which includes anticipating Demidov, Roy, Beck and Kapanen next year.

  7. As I said yesterday… I dearly hope the Sens do not waste money on Klingberg. This feel more like sports pundits needing to fill word count and less like something Staios would do.

    That said… as a Sens fan… Staios may be the first GM in recent memory that does not tip his hand about ANYTHING… I almost never have a clue what he is planning to do.

    • He’s taken a page from Cheveldayov’s and Lamoriello’s books on management in that regard 🙂

      • I honestly like it. Like I loved the surprise of Ullmark trade haha. He does not like to have other GMs knowing his moves.

  8. Miller to Boston for Lindholm and Frederic

    • Dave I m ok with that!Frederic was involved yesterday with a fight and scoring a goal! Lindholm hasn t done anything but win face offs!He looks lost at times!

  9. Penguins announce today at 2 PM will place Tristan Jarry on waivers.

    • My least favorite Dubas deal was signing Jar Jar to the 5 year 5.35 million per year deal. Waiving him should have been something done long ago…or just not signing him at all. But hey, he was a warm body that played goal and goalies were getting snapped up left and right at the time he was signed.

      I won’t miss him in net, nor will the Penguins.

  10. Haven’t heard this rumor, yet.
    The Hurricanes cannot win the cup as currently constructed, Seems to me that either one or both of the defensive players on expiring contracts could or maybe even should go on the trade block. Burns and/or Orlov. There are replacement already in the system. Rookies but NHL ready. Thoughts?

  11. O’Reiley to the Sens would be good
    Klingberg – NOT A CHANCE

  12. Except, Scott, one would cost you assets, including the need to clear enough cap to take on his $4.5 mil per cap hit, and the other minimal $$ that could be quickly buried if he didn’t pan out.

    Who do you see them relinquishing for O’Reilly?

    • Ottawa would not be smart to make such a trade unless it’s off season when Forsberg will be gone and the cap goes up.

      But again…who knows with Staios?

  13. ROR without trade protection right?…

    what contending team wouldnt benefit with even him as 3C.