NHL Rumor Mill – February 17, 2025
Check out the latest on Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko and Flyers forward Scott Laughton plus updates on the Penguins and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST ON TARASENKO AND LAUGHTON
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan believes the Detroit Red Wings are unlikely to be sellers at the March 7 trade deadline. However, if they get an opportunity to make a “hockey trade”, acquiring a player who can help them now in exchange for a roster player, it’s worth exploring.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently said he’d heard Vladimir Tarasenko had come up in the rumor mill. The 33-year-old winger signed a two-year deal last summer with the Red Wings worth an average annual value of $4.5 million. He’s been the club’s biggest disappointment this season with seven goals and 15 assists in 53 games.
Detroit Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).
Friedman said he’d heard the Florida Panthers as a possible destination as Tarasenko won the Stanley Cup with them last season. The Panthers would have to trim some salary to reacquire him. Tarasenko has a full no-trade clause but could waive it to return to Florida.
Khan believes the Wings must retain half of Tarasenko’s salary to move him. He also doesn’t see them packaging him with a first-round pick or a prospect to get it done. If the Wings can’t find any takers by the trade deadline, Tarasenko could become a buyout candidate in June. It would cost the Wings $1.583 million per season against their cap for the next two years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ priority should be shoring up their defense corps. It wouldn’t be shocking if Tarasenko finishes the season in Detroit and is bought out in the offseason.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber recently cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli saying the Washington Capitals are in the market for a third-line center. He suggested Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers could be a good fit.
Laughton, 30, is a versatile two-way forward signed through next season with an annual cap hit of $3 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers management is reluctant to part with Laughton and reportedly set a first-round pick as an asking price. Nevertheless, he’s believed to be drawing interest from playoff contenders seeking depth at center, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning.
UPDATES ON THE PENGUINS AND CANADIENS
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Venzel recently looked at every player on the Penguins to determine their availability by the March 7 trade deadline.
Pending unrestricted free agents like Matt Grzelcyk and Anthony Beauvillier could draw some interest. However, the Penguins could retain Grzecyk after trading away left-shot blueliner Marcus Pettersson.
They could also move players with a year left on their contracts. Noel Acciari, Blake Lizotte, Kevin Hayes and the recently acquired Danton Heinen and Vincent Desharnais would fall into that category.
Vensel believes it will take significant offers to pry away Rickard Rakell or Michael Bunting.
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes the Canadiens 1-7-1 slump in their last nine games puts them into “hard sell” position for the trade deadline.
Cowan expects UFA-eligible players like Jake Evans, Joel Armia, David Savard and Christian Dvorak will be traded by March 7. There might be some interest in winger Josh Anderson but they won’t give him away. The 30-year-old Anderson has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $5.5 million.
Significant offer required for Bunting.
lmao, good one.
Almost as good as “Josh Anderson is drawing I retest but they won’t give him away”
Yeah, teams will be lining up for an 18 point 3rd line winger with a $5.5M cap hit. 🤣
Jim Benning, to bad for Montreal he is no longer a GM
So out of all that has been written, this is what’s coming out the most for you ?
Bunting won’t fetch anything!
Hey, now you’re hurting the feelings of some Penguins’ fans. He was the icing. don’t you know, on that masterful transaction where Dubas gave aw … err … dealt Guentzel for those 3 can’t miss prospects that Carolina unwisely relinquished.
Of course, they did no better when they literally did give him away to Tampa for a 3rd round pick.
Don’t need to trade a GM or a coach that 100% on the right track
It just takes time and has fans need to be patient along with the media and everybody else they got like a bucket load of talent on the way up. They’re laughing.
Who are some among that bucket load of talent and how are they any different – as prospects – from any number of teams also with “bucket loads of talent” but who haven’t proved anything yet at the NHL level?
ofc what wlse!
The Tarasenko math is going to cost the Wings $3.1 for buyout so hold that amount and get a pick. He is not top 6 and barely top 9 in Detroit .
That is sure a motley crew (not the band) on the Pens available list.
And some have criticized Staios for the deal when he got him to waive the NMC handed out by Dorion and sent him to Florida for a conditional 2024 4th-round pick and a 2025 3rd-round pick.
Regardless of the player and salary today, that was still a brutal return on a decent player who ended up helping a team win a cup that year.
Yeah, Brock, but surrounded by some pretty good talent. And obviously did nothing to entice Florida to find some way to keep him. So Yzerman – like Dorion before him, let stars in his eyes overcome better judgement and signed him to a 2-year $9.5 mil deal. And now he’s considering a costly buyout?
All of the people I see listed as trade chips all look like spare parts! All you read about is teams looking for third line centers,or forwards with jam and veteran third pair defensive defensemen! Thank God for the Four Nations tournament and theJT Miller and Rantanen trades!There are 16 teams approaching spring tee times! Make some moves!
Ever seen a hockey team with just two lines and 4 D, Sr?
Ever seen a team that isn’t looking for ways to get even just a bit better?
Have you never seen a team whose depth has been the difference in a series?
Tell that to the 16 teams that don’t make the playoffs!
Re “However, the Penguins could retain Grzecyk ”
Ummmm…No
On second thought…No!
Just called Richard Dawson via super long-distance. Survey says— “NO”
Sid just called his agent about a trade to Avs when he heard that rumour. So—NO!
The Penguins’ season ticket sales managers (on bonus and commission) just had a collective panic attack on that rumour—- so NO!
The US Supremes just ruled 9-0…NO!
For the love of everything holy— NO!
Richard Dawson? Boy are you dating yourself.
Now excuse me while I turn the TV to a Hogans Heroes rerun,
Following my read on your “apology” to Canada, I have 2 words only for you, “Bye-Bye”.
What are you talking about?
If you ever find out, Lyle, let us all know. I’ve been trying to find a connection to that vague statement since it posted.
I thought maybe he confused me with Mark Spector of Sportsnet. It happens sometimes and we kid each other about it. I didn’t see any “apology” about Canada from “Cousin Mark” in any of his recent columns.
I solved it! He thinks you are ekland!😂😂😂😂😂😂
Eklund on Hockey Buzz had an apology post today, that might be the reference, But I have no idea to the connection here. Eklund is the worst at everything however.
This one I guess
https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/An-Apology-to-Canadabefore-we-get-back-to-hockey-rumors-and-fun-today/1/127475
But if that was indeed the inspiration for the post by Richard Farish, I still don’t get the gist of what he was getting at!
Eklund did it on Hocky Buzz:
https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/An-Apology-to-Our-Good-Friend-Canada/1/127475
Except he had it ghost written, Ek is a terrible writer and speller.
Is bye-bye one or two words?
Also. You technically had 15 or 16 words and the number 2.
Cuthbert, Simpson, Friedman, Backstabber Maclean and Botterill are brutal on the ears.
Only one worth listening to is Bieska..
Kind of agree. Don’t mind Kelly either.
Ever tried posting your critiques in your pleasant manner to the socials of the show or network or parent company?
You could inspire change there.
Tarasenko’s apex was the trade from STL to NYR, downhill after that; plus being slightly overrated for some time as a star player who barely made the point per game threshold given his skills and ice time. Stevie Y had to know all of that when he signed him.
However…. he is a guy that has 2 Cups to his name and has to be good in the room. And because most of the Wings locker is younger, having Tarasenko (along with Kane and Petry, and Perron before them) is important. Tarasenko will finish his contract in Detroit.