NHL Rumor Mill – March 12, 2025
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin denies requesting a trade plus the latest on the Islanders and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
DAHLIN DENIES REQUESTING A TRADE
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington reports Rasmus Dahlin angrily denied comments by TNT hockey analyst Paul Bissonnette claiming the Sabres captain indicated he wanted a trade during a meeting last week with general manager Kevyn Adams.
“I want to be moved? I don’t know what he’s talking about,” said Dahlin. He admitted he’s unhappy with the team’s performance but never told Adams he wanted out.
Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin (NHL Images).
Bissonnette made the remarks on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast, claiming the story was given to him “by the people who really matter and who move the needle as far as the insiders.” He claimed Dahlin told Adams that “he was gonezos” if things didn’t turn around fast.
“That bugs me, actually,” said Dahlin. “I get pissed off by that. I haven’t even mentioned the word ‘leave”. So yeah, that’s just how it is.”
THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn acknowledged Dahlin’s comments. However, he believes Adams and Sabres owner Terry Pegula can’t be naive about the potential for other players getting discouraged with losing so often, especially restricted free agents like JJ Peterka, Bowen Byram, Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fairburn pointed out that Dahlin didn’t hide his frustration with the club’s lack of progress. That should worry the front office. Dahlin might not want out now but that could change if this moribund franchise doesn’t snap out of its long playoff drought. Other Sabres could also run out of patience if the losing continues.
LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS
NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports the Islanders weren’t believed to be shopping Noah Dobson, nor was the 25-year-old defenseman looking to leave. His name appeared in the rumor mill last month after it was reported that he had changed agents.
Dobson indicated he wasn’t concerned about the speculation. He declined to get into the reasons behind the move but pointed out it happened well before it was reported. The blueliner is a restricted free agent on July 1.
Sears also speculated that Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee could surface in this summer’s rumor mill as Islanders’ management attempts to make the roster younger.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports Pageau’s name was never out in the trade market before the deadline. GM Lou Lamoriello said he didn’t want to completely bail on the current roster, preferring to give them a chance to continue competing for a playoff spot.
Pageau and Lee may be shopped during the offseason. They both have a year remaining in their contracts, which could make it easier to move them.
Staple speculated that Pierre Engvall and Scott Mayfield could be bought out of their contracts. Both have five years left on their contracts but Engall would count as $1 million against the cap if bought out while Mayfield would be $1.66 million. That would give the Isles a combined $4.33 million in cap savings per season over the next five years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Changes will be coming this summer for the Islanders. It remains to be seen whether Lamoriello will be the one making them.
COULD THE CANADIENS SHOP FOR A CENTER THIS SUMMER?
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports that Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes didn’t make a move at the trade deadline to add a second-line center, claiming the trade deadline wasn’t necessarily the best time to fill that spot. He indicated he called other GMs to spitball ideas on several things, including players who didn’t appear in the rumor mill leading up to the trade deadline.
Hughes has put the futures of pending UFA players David Savard, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak on the back-burner. He’s not worried about the possibility of losing them to free agency in July, adding he felt it was more important to keep them so the younger players can lean on them down the stretch as the club pushes for a playoff spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kirby Dach’s season-ending knee surgery left the Canadiens needing a reliable second-line center. Hughes has plenty of trade capital to draw on with draft picks and prospects to swing a deal for a center this summer.
Re-NYI
Who the GM is just way too old and he’s signing guys are way too old to too long contracts
so it’s time for Lou to Retire and then to get a New GM and it looks like they just need to do a major re-tool l rebuild
And make some major moves could take four or five years, but it needs to be done sooner than later❓❓
What are you guys think about what islanders should do? This is like their third fourth year missing the playoffs. Don’t really know cause I don’t follow them too much.
williee, in 2021-22 the Islanfders missed the playoffs with 65 pts.
In 2022-23 they made the 1st WC slot with 93 pts but lost 4 – 2 to Carolina in Round 1
Last season they finished 3rd in the Metropolitan Division with 94 pts but lost 4 – 1 to Carolina in Round 1
Thanks for the for in fo George.
Don’t really follow the New York Islanders. They never really seem to do anything special. Those guys think. We should definitely retire at 82 years old.
I think they need a new direction those guys if they wanna get back in the playoffs and cause some damage, we just realized that his team is too old to compete❓
George, while all that is true, the Isles were primarily carried by goaltending and a defensive scheme that really carried them for a few years. But their offensive production hasn’t been great and age has caught up to a lot of their forwards. Without retooling their offense, I don’t see the Isles bouncing back to the win totals they put up the last few seasons, no matter how good their goalie is.
Oh I agree foleyd7 … I was just responding to williew’s speculation that “This is like their third fourth year missing the playoffs ….”
They have 2 top offensive prospects now in Eiserman (drafted last year) and Ritchie (acquired from Colorado).
I would love to see them both get a legit shot in the NHL next year to see what they could do. If they can make the jump without needing AHL development time, the Isles could retool rather quickly around Horvat, Barzal, Dobson, and Sorokin.
The GM and Coach will need to give them the proper deployment to succeed (and not block their offensive potential by overplaying guys like Palmeri, Engval, Lee and Holmstrom).
But if those rookies are going to need a couple years before playing in the NHL, then the Isles are in for a longer rebuild.
GM needs to go.
Coach can go anytime too. Roy just isn’t NHL coach material. I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority on that belief but ya…even 2nd time around Roy is lacking vision on how to ice a team properly.
Pretty sure the Sens kicked the tires on Pageau before pulling off a coup getting Zetterlund at 2:59:23 on trade deadline day. It’s the type of player they wanted.
And it’s easy to not follow the Islanders or know what they’re up to because you couldn’t make a more middling team if you tried. They’re never contenders, and never quite in the basement.
Unfortunate.
Funny that the Habs “need” a 2C when the search has always been for a true 1C which now exists in Suzuki.
The Habs have had 2C’s filling the ranks for 20 plus years.
Pundits glass is half empty don’t look at Beck, Kapanen and Jared Davidson as potential 2C or in-house at Newhook or Dach stepping into the role.
The Habs offense is spread out beyond the first line with 11 guys having 10G plus.
Between now and the end of the year Hughes has ample time to decide and ample resources to pachage if so inclined.
For whatever reason, Jared Davidson hasn’t got a call-up. They will keep Beck in the AHL as long as possible for the Rocket’s playoff run. Kapanen has not smelled an NHL game. All of that is to say, Habs followers are optimistic that one of those 3 and/or Dach/Newhook can fill the 2C role but pundits are skeptical because they haven’t seen results.
Frankly I’m not convinced that any of the above can truly handle the 2C position for a full season on a playoff contending team. If the Habs were bottom dwellers then yes, but they are playing meaningful games right now and they intend to be playing meaningful games all next season. That puts strain on their 2C position.
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they make a trade to fill that void, despite the progress of their AHL players and Kapanen.
Not included in this conversation is Demidov, who everyone expects to slot in on the 2nd line but time will tell.
Everyday, Kapanen played 12 games for the Habs at the beginning of the season. He didn’t score a goal and looked surprisingly good but he is projected to be a defensively responsible bottom 6 center, as is Beck. Projections can be wrong but …
Demidov is a center but has been playing wing in the KHL and is most likely to play at least his first season in the NHL as one.
Newhook hasn’t shown he can be a 2C, and I don’t share HF30s faith in Dach as a center. Hence my reply to him.
LJ I forgot about those 12 games by Kapanen!
Kapanen, Davidson and Beck are several years away, HF30, and at least two are prospects. Meanwhile?
The next highest scorer after Suzuki and Caulfield is Gallagher, heart and soul player but he hasn’t registered a point in 5 games. Neither has Heineman, and Anderson has scored once. Laine has scored once in the last 5 he has played, indicative that his hot debut with the Habs is over.
As has been widely noted if Suzuki’s line doesn’t dominate the Habs have no chance of winning. And if you saw the past two games you’ll have seen a team with two third and one forth line.
Not sure why you seem to say Suzuki is a 2C (he is 10th amongst all NHL center scorers), but your larger point about the Habs not having a legit # 1 center for a passage longer than in the bible is bang on.
Which is why the Habs haven’t won a Cup in that period, and why they will do exactly as Lyle suggests they will.
In fact, here’s an offer: if the Habs don’t trade for a 2C by the beginning of next season, and you and Lyle are ok with him giving me your mailing address, I will send yo $50. If they do, you owe me nothing. Not even an acknowledgement.
Nice and friendly deal?
LJ.
You misread me, I think Suzuki is the 1C the Habs haven’t had for the past 20 plus years, he’s legit.
My point was that the Habs have had 2C filling the role in the past eg Koivu, Plecanec.
We all have our opinions on prospects and in mine, Kapanen looked better than Heineman (who has blossomed) and Beck in pre-season.
I think he was sent back to Europe on account of his age AND wanting to work with Dach and Newhook.
As you may recall, I have been high on Davidson for a while. I think his staying in Laval is more a part of setting a winning culture there this year.
I definitely do NOT want your money LJ and am always happy to acknowledge your opinion. After all we are just fans who try to have realistic opinions as opposed to fanboys.
To be clear, HF30, the $ offer was part fun, part putting my $ where my mouth is, not disrespect for you.
I haven’t an opinion on Davidson, perhaps you’ve been able to see him. I would of course love you to be right, but unless this rebuild is to go on for several more years the Habs need a legit 2nd line. I am optimistic about the future but I wish it to soon be the present.
That’s a shared view, I am sure.
HF30. Count me in as glass half empty. None of the players you listed will be suitable 2nd line centers next year. Demidov and Laine will need a legitimate center not to mention that a legitimate 2nd center will take pressure off the first line (which did all the scoring last night in Vancouver).
Habsman67,with your 28 picks in the next 3 drafts do you think you can find a 2nd line center?
Sr. Maybe but none of those picks will be ready to step in next year to be a #2 center. I’d rather use that draft capital and trade for a center.
Habsman67,your rightdraft picks have become your best trade pieces! It seems like all year everyone was looking for a third line center!Now it s shifted to the 2nd line center! Ottawa looks like they are setup at center with Stutzle, Cozens and Pinto! And all under25 yrs old!
Re-Hab’s
What they need is getting a 25-27 year-old
A really good one that can teach Deminove
Don’t think Patrick Laine is a keeper @$8.M+ ….🤔
Hab’s should put a package together
A their second1st
A 2nd pick ,
A good prospect
A Newhook
To get a really good 2nd line Centre…..❓
They also need 2X RD men
Maybe from. UFA
Your Thoughts….❓
That’s how pundits work… “this is the one piece a team needs.”
*team fills that need*
“They still have a glaring hole in…”
It’s exhausting but how they get paid.
To be honest the Habs should be looking for a 1 and 2 centre they have an adequate 3 centre in Suzuki
Islanders remind me of Boston as to how they run the organization!! They both hold on to players to long! Loyalty can work against you! Sweeney,Boston finally stripped it down this trade deadline!Boston went from one of the older teams to the 2nd youngest in 1 week! The got young players and assets,draft picks to move forward! Boston has 6 picks in the first2 rounds of the 26,27 draft! Boston identified its 3 main core players that they want to build around!
Something Pittsburgh has yet to learn.
George, I give Sweeney credit for recognizing the opportunity for a retool is now. Small sample size, but shut out Tampa and 3rd period comeback against Florida. My concern going forward is who are the leaders on the team now? Obviously Pastrnak & McAvoy (out with injury). Geekie & Kastelic seem to have potential. Neither both Lindholms nor Zacha move the needle for me, as uninformed as I am. Zadorov needs to be more disciplined in his own play, I believe, to hold much sway. This young team will need strong leadership when, not if, adversity does strike
That Buffalo news is interesting in that now players might be tired of losing? Did moving Cozens finally make them realize that? Because he sure as hell helped Ottawa find that missing gear there…he’s that cog that makes a team find that top gear.
Hey Ron, hard to find a bigger Cozens booster on this site than me, big believer.
Might just be a bounce that you see after a change of scenery or a new coach or whatever. But his talent and motor (when younger) is hard to deny. The guy should be a very good player.
I’m rooting for him, and the Sens in the Atlantic, assuming my B’s don’t get in. I may eventually get to cheering for the Leafs, definitely will if they play against one of the FLA teams in RD 1.
Can’t think of a team I dislike more than the Panthers, even with Marchand, its a conflict for me.
As I post in the other thread, Ray, the Panthers without Tkachuk, Marchand and Ekblad for most – if not all – of the rest of the regular schedule, might find the going a little rocky. Either that, or their system replacements really step up and they hardly miss a beat. We’ll soon see which.
George, safe to say they’re happy to have Jones in the lineup with Ekblad out.
No doubt that lessens the sting, Ray. But you can bet they were counting on having both in the line-up … and Jones, by himself, is no Ekblad.
Ya, pretty even & similar players in my books George, but obviously better with both guys playing.
I think Ekblad will miss the first 2 playoff games too.
Watching Toronto v Colorado recently, I was impressed by the leafs game. That’s my 2 cents. Could see them being a problem for both TB and Florida. I thought Matthews, marner and Tavares were really good. Knies , Stolarz in goal was good . That is MHO from out west for what it’s worth, lol !!!