NHL Rumor Mill – March 18, 2025
A look at the potential offseason plans for the Hurricanes, Flyers and Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
HURRICANES TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN THIS SUMMER’S FREE-AGENT MARKET
THE ATHLETIC: In an interview with Pierre LeBrun, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky indicated that his club intends to use its salary-cap space to be aggressive in this summer’s free-agent market.
Tulsky also said that he’d be willing to gamble again on acquiring a big-name rental player without assurances of a contract extension. He made a splash two months ago in the trade market by acquiring Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche, only to trade him to the Dallas Stars before the March 7 trade deadline because he wouldn’t commit to an extension.
TSN: LeBrun said he expects the Hurricanes will pursue Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs winger heads to the free-agent market on July 1.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
Before trading Rantanen to Dallas, the Hurricanes offered him to the Leafs straight up for Marner. Leafs management took the offer to Marner, stressing their priority was to re-sign him but there was an opportunity to send him to the Hurricanes if he wasn’t sure about staying with the Leafs. Marner decided not to waive his no-movement clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes won’t be the only team to pursue Marner this summer if he tests the market. However, they could be the only playoff contender with deep enough pockets to land him.
WHICH PLAYERS SHOULD THE FLYERS TARGET THIS SUMMER?
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: A reader recently asked William James which players he believes the Philadelphia Flyers should target in free agency this summer.
James believes they need a reliable backup goaltender, suggesting Alex Lyon of the Detroit Red Wings as an option. He also thinks they should consider signing Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun to upgrade their blueline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: What do you think, Flyers fans? Which players would you like to see your club add via free agency or trades this summer? Let me know in the comments section below.
WILL THE CANUCKS USE TRADE OR FREE AGENCY TO ADD A FORWARD?
THE PROVINCE: A reader asked Patrick Johnston if he felt the Vancouver Canucks would use this summer’s free-agent market to add a top-tier or second-tier forward to their roster.
Johnston cited Mitch Marner as the top potential unrestricted free agent but wondered if he’ll even make it to market. Nikolaj Ehlers is the next most exciting player out there but questioned if the Canucks need to add another small forward.
Ultimately, Johnston thinks they’ll go the trade route this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have a projected cap space of $14 million for next season with 20 active players under contract. Brock Boeser and Pius Suter are their notable pending UFAs this summer. They won’t have enough to land Marner and could consider more affordable options besides Ehlers.
Alex Lyon a good backup option for the Flyers? Hah, he is the 3rd goalie in DET behind a very average Mrazek and Talbot. How is Lyon an improvement?
they need a goalie who can push Ersson
Marner’s contract negotiations goes unsettled till June 28th and the Leafs trade his rights for a 2nd to the Canes so that Marner can refuse to sign with them and go to FA and sign with the Pens!
Tri-fecta!!!!!
wouldnt’ be surprised to see Dubas sign Marner.
But Pens badly need a reset, and need to convince Malkin to waive his NTC/NMC, and find a way to get rid of Karlsson. They need to bring in some younger players to eventually take over when Crosby/Letang retire
Canes have a reputation of skimping on contracts so not sure what they’ll do to recover from losing both Necas & Rantanen.
Ummm play Stankoven
They have a reputation for skimping on contracts? that’s news to me. Anyway, they offered Rantanen more than he got from Dallas. Money was hardly the issue.
And they didn’t really ‘lose’ Rantanen. they barely had him in the first place.
Effectively they’ve traded one year of Necas for Stankoven. Hardly a major loss.
(it doesn’t help them this year, but that’s a different argument)
Yes but you have to admit it was a dumb move acquiring a player who, via his agent, said they were focused only on signing in Colorado and not still acquire him. That’s as dumb as saying if Marner goes to free agency, they’ll pursue him. Why? Marner and the canes had their chance to be united but Marner said no…my guess is no means no and that partnership has sailed.
Malkin is a fine 2nd center anytime he is give am halfway decent wingers. Aging. But he’ll play out his last year and not be remotely among the top problems in Pittsburgh
I think it’s interesting that both, Benn and Duschene are going to be UFA’s, but no one is talking about them…Duschene is having one of the best years of his career and is only making $3 million. Jamie will have to take a pretty big pay cut, but…I hope they both resign, as their perception is that they just belong on the Stars, but they are still both team leaders that I’m sure a lot of teams would value….am I wrong?
Duschene was in the new yesterday and it was floated that he would sign another 1yr deal with the Stars.
Sometimes it’s just understand that aging vets are only interested in staying with their clubs and so it doesn’t always make the news.
It’s good to see those guys having good seasons 🙂
Not many are talking about Claude Giroux either who’s also a pending UFA. He and Benn share strikingly similar stats – except for the fact Benn has an expiring $9.5 mil cap hit while for Giroux it’s $3 mil less:
Benn 66gp 16 25 41pts – turns 36 in July – career 1178gp 399g 549a 948 pts
Giroux 66gp 14g 29a 43 pts – turns 38 next Jan – career 1248gp 364g 745a 1,109 pts
If they remain where they are, both will likely come in with substantially-reduced cap hits (say, around $4.5 mil each for perhaps 2 years?).
But if they test the UFA market they could get close to $6 mil each – but again for no more than 2 years.
I”m mostly on the side of keeping Claude for another year or two. His face off numbers, his drive and example for the kids is really good. And hasn’t slowed down “much”.
Hamonic just has to retire, move on or something. I just wish whatever dirt or nude photos he has of Green would go away so the coach stops putting him in the line up over younger talent.
I’d like to see him finish up here as well Dark G … but not at $6.5 mil per. And, over 2 years, he could get an offer like that from someone (so could Benn for that matter).
And while I share your thoughts on Hamonic, the problem there is, he’s a RD and they remain woefully thin on that side as Staios didn’t (or more likely couldn’t to his satisfaction) shore that up at the trade deadline.
Right now, with everyone healthy, their right side D is Zub, Jensen, Matinpalo and Hamonic.
Matinpalo is a mid-season system “discovery” who has played very well since being thrust into nightly action on a regular basis on the 3rd pairing, while Zub and Jensen are solid in the 1st and 2nd pairings.
The problem is, Jensen is in and out of the line-up with various dings and when that happens, it’s either move the rookie Matinpalo up, or go with the veteran Hamonic.
There isn’t much in Belleville at RD that could be inserted in these clutch games – 23 y/o Maxence Guenette and 21 y/o Djibril Toure. That’s it. Yakemchuk isn’t available until next season.
Gilbert can play both sides and brings a younger element of sandpaper to the line up.
I’d start a shooter-tutor over Hamonic, who, always seems to be in the middle of a run-a-round cluster.
Well, we’ll see which way Green goes tonight in Montreal – this from a column by Garrioch today in the Sun
“It would appear the Senators will be without defenceman Nick Jensen. He has been dealing with a lower-body ailment for the past couple of months and missed the club’s game against the Leafs. He wasn’t on the ice on Monday, but did skate beforehand.”
HF30
A few days ago you mused about acquiring Nemec. This is a quote from an interview yesterday with Kent Hughes regarding off season moves:
‘We’re not going to go into free agency like a bunch of drunken sailors and get stuck with eight-year deals that we wish we could get out of the minute we get into them,” Hughes said, “but I think we’re probably closer to overpaying in terms of what we give up in assets to acquire a player.”
If that is what the Habs are looking at then I doubt that they will take a detour and pick up any player requiring parting with any assets that is not a high priority, ie a center. So I doubt Nemec is on their radar, given they have both Mallioux and Engstrom who are also RHD prospects and who may feature as part of the price for improving the second line.
The full article is on Sportsnet if you are interested.
LJ, Engstrom is an LHD. You were probably thinking of Reinbacher.
Yes, thanks. I was.
I agree LJ. Unless the trade is Mallioux or Reinbacher for Nemec, it makes no sense to acquire another RD with little NHL experience. I’m not sure if Nemec is an upgrade on those two so might as well keep what you already have. I think the management sees what we see: Habs need a 2nd line centre and they need to make a hockey trade to get one. They have the assets to get one but it may be easier said than done.
Hughes commented to the effect that Suzuki was in his prime and the Habs weren’t going to waste that by not improving the 2nd line, so yep, a second line center.
Habs have 2 holes to fill, RD and 2C, Mailloux will never make it and Reinbacher is still a question mark.
Beck, Kapanen are both going to make it, the question is next year or the year after.
What will Hughes shore up depends on what’s available. Dvorak is one of the few Left centres on the team, and takes every important face off, a 2 year contract might be in store.
Tavares, Granlund are interesting and could be on his list.
Nemec doesn’t have room in NJ and I have no problem with a surplus of young RD fighting it out.
HF30. We agree that the moves that Hughes ultimately makes will depend on who is available. We also agree that we need a RD and a center and I will also add a true #1 goalie (although I am impressed with Montembeault on some nights, his lack of consistency is still a concern). Acquiring Nemec does nothing to address the immediate RD problem. New Jersey does not seem to have him in their immediate plans as evidenced by the signing of Kovacevic. So I agree that he is probably available but I am not sure that this is a good thing. If we are not trading one of our RDs to get him, then maybe we have to give up a 1st round pick or Kapenen or Beck to get him. So now you are depleting your young center pool which is unnecessary given that you already have Mailloux and Reinbacher.
I see Kapanen and Beck as 3rd and 4th line centers. It’s too early but maybe Hage can be a second but probably 3 years away, at least, before he can be an impactful 2nd line center. So I think the priority, if available, is getting a 2nd line center. IMO, Dvorak has been a huge disappointment. He was supposed to be the #2 center to replace KK. I’m ok with saying goodbye.
While I like the idea of trading for Nemec, I wouldn’t trade one of the young centres for him.
Habs are overloaded on the wings and that’s where I’d move a prospect.
It’s nice to say get a 2Cm but who is the target?
The Bruins were all over Lindholm till he started playing.
Yes
I think you should probably get something into the replace travis harmonic
On the right hand side, just in case it gets hurt again just in zob gets hurt again and we have a better back up ❓
Yes
I think you should probably get something into the replace travis harmonic
On the right hand side, just in case it gets hurt again just in zob gets hurt again and we have a better back up ❓
I will get called out by the Marner fan club but truthfully unless he has a really impactfull playoffs and the Leafs go deep. Let him walk. I just dont get the hype at all. For arguments sake, i wont even address playoff performance, strictly regular season.
Marner wants to be the highest paid leaf, maybe even highest paid player period. Good for him, go get it but it does not equate.
in 8 seasons- he has exceeded 90 points only 3 times.
over 30 goals just twice
Wants more than Matthews but has never scored 50-goals, heck not even 40.
Has never broke 100 points.
No ROY, no Hart Trophy, No Richard trophies.
They will tell you he is a defensive specialist despite being nominated only once for the selke. They will say he kills penalties but so does Matthews and really- is it all that difficult when David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok do it?
He has 215 goals in 642 games. Matthews has 394 in 614. Goal scorers and centres are who historically get paid max dollars. He is neither. To say nothing of his less than impactful performances in playoff games.
He is a very good point per game player who has been blessed to play almost his whole career with Auston Matthews or John Taveras.
LET HIM WALK- he was over paid out of his entry level deal by a dumb young GM….
And finally of the Swede, American and Canadian who would have thought the “hometown” boy would be the one squeezing out of every dollar.
Guy is a complete fraud, and for those calling him the whipping boy- stop with the recency bias. Nylander has been getting destroyed for years- and all he did was rise above it AND sign early.
Well, Sam, that was a 6 paragraph whipping of Marner.
So maybe irony is dead?
lolol very true, again recency bias
I really just wonder how things would have been different if he wasnt paid what he was by Dubas-
Not really, Marner has been getting whipped by the locals for years IMO. I check this site out pretty regularly. For sure after every lost playoff series.
Now he gets it more than Nylander, seemed more like a tie before that. The only one that seems to escape it is Matthews.
The Leafs have a very good team, again, but will have another tough first round series. So we will see I guess. Plus Florida will be super tough when the playoffs come around if healthy.
So is it make the ECF or let Marner walk with you Sam, or…?
The Leafs are good, but making it to the SCF is possible, but I would argue unlikely.
Ray- not really about how far- just want to see him impact a game, not just the empty points .
Im not a marner fan lol, as you can decipher, I just think he has been coddled over and over and is soft mentally and physically. Some just cant excel in this market- and cant take the scrutiny.
if he was given 11.5-12 I wouldnt hate it- but I realize a non centender will give him more and thats his choice. Most importantly, I dont think he is in the same echelon as Mcdavid Draisatl Mackkinon and Matthews. He just isnt- and I think it bothers him that he doesnt get the same hype- I really do. Auston matthews for all the critique about his playoffs has won awards and is a generational scorer, how the heck can he want more…..William Nylander does more, when you consider who is linemates are half the time
Sam, you might want to ask Auston Matthews about Marner. And, while you’re at it, check how many of Matthews’ goals have been off assists from Marner.
I can see Marner going to market this year but the Leafs will need to find a reasonable replacement and that will take some doing.
The salary cap makes decisions like this one a lot harder than you seem to think.
Would be careful of signing free agents!Look what happened to Boston,Seattle and Nashville! Now they are stuck with over priced players with talent issues! Wonder if teams will enter the RFA field! St. Louis broke the ice last night!
The Flyers have made enough poor moves. 1) Letting Torts destroy the confidence and trade value of young players while flogging the team ever-harder to squeeze out meaningless points and 2) re-signing aging veterans to long-term deals is a guaranteed path to eternal mediocrity. The change needs to start with a complete overhaul of the entire coaching staff and acquiring as much capital in draft picks, young players and prospects as possible.
Briere has not done a terrible job of this (nor has he been very good), but it does not seem that he and Torts have the same goals in mind.
Just to clarify Sam – and I’m not disputing your facts above – they speak for themselves for sure – but Marner’s acknowledged “strength” on offense has always been his playmaking and setting-up ability, and this, too, is reflected in the stats.
In 57 playoff games Marner has 11g 39a 50 pts and over 642 career seasonal gp he has 506 assists which works out to 0.8 assists per game.
Nylander, in 54 playoff games, has 20g 23a 43 pts – 7 less than Marner … and in 670 career seasonal gp, has 344 assists – or 0.5 apg
Matthews, in 55 playoff games, has 23g 25a 48 pts – 2 less than Marner … and in 614 career seasonal gp has 315 asists – or 0.5 apg
Tavares, in 62 playoff games, has 23g 23a 46 pts – 4 less than Marner … and in 1,169 career seasonal gp, jas 613 assists – or 0.5 apg.
Clearly, Marner has been setting someone up pretty regularly … be interesting t know how many of those playoff goals scored by Nylander, Matthews and Tavares (in Toronto) resulted from tape-to-tape passes from Marner.
Just saying …
Nobody is saying Marner is a bad player, to the contrary, he is a good player, but he isn’t worth more than Mathews and even doubtful if he is worth more that Nylander. I actually rank Nylander slightly ahead because he scores in the playoffs, when it matters the most and he isn’t playing with Mathews
I get that Kent … and that pretty much sums up the dilemma.
Can they, by letting him walk and using that close to $11 mil elsewhere, bring in someone just as good at playmaking and setting up the snipers as has been Marner – consistently – and if they don’t get someone as good at that aspect of the game, what will the overall effect be on the goal-scoring of Nylander, Matthews and Tavares (if he stays)?
George you should know that stats don`t always tell the whole story. Sometimes 2 players making about the same money can even surpass what one player does. A smart GM probably can use the 11 million to improve the team. I realize that it doesn`t mean he will. Lets say Marner walks from a 13 million offer, would the team be better off with maybe a Bennett and a Giroux, for that money. Combined they have 36 goals and 88 points and both have a far better track record of showing up in important games. Neither is anywhere near as talanted as Marner but combined they may improve the team over what Marner can or will do. Yes the team would have the hurdle of signing them first, but then they have the same hurdle with Marner. Whichever team signs Marner, their fans will be questioning that move for years to come
Yes
Georgia I think they need one more younger defenceman probably physical that can hit
And be physical
To replacc Travis Harmnik
Who is younger around
28-29…❓🤔🤔
Thats fair George
I have watched every leaf playoff game and it is just my opinion, that he is the least impactful of the 3 . He is a good playmaker but many of his points are secondary assists or pp – he generates little 5 x 5. Again – just my observations. Also as I mentioned goal scorers and centres are who command top dollars.
been saying for years would love to have watched him run with Holmberg and Robertson for 10 games like Nylander is forced too and see what he can do on his own. He will always be Robin to Batman to me . Even with matthews is hurt , Nylander is moved down to so that Marner gets tavares.
Interesting statistical tables here dealing with things like Primary 1 Assists – Primary 2 Assists
https://www.icydata.hockey/player_stats/primary-and-secondary/47/stats
Bad data on that link George. Marner is listed as only playing 45 games. Which is odd.
This list, Natural Stat Trick, lists him as 4th in the NHL in primary assists. Over that 3 years combined he is 5th.
https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerteams.php?fromseason=20242025&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=all&score=all&stdoi=std&rate=n&team=ALL&pos=S&loc=B&toi=0&gpfilt=none&fd=&td=&tgp=410&lines=single&draftteam=ALL
Marner is an elite playmaker, folks can’t simply ignore all the available evidence of it. The Leafs as a team have struggled in the playoffs relative to their regular season success. And it’s their top guys production that is a major cause of that failure. All 4 of the big 4. Marner no better or no worse than the rest.
Why are people assuming he wants more money that Matthews when we have no idea what his expectations are? Based on what?
If the Leafs let him walk in the off season, maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. Pretty risky move if they do. Especially if they lose Tavares too, although he seems to want to stay as well.
Maybe he tired of so many fans blaming him, like they did last year on the Pasta OT goal, which according to a previous Leaf coach, it was not his man.
I think he signs for around 12.5 x 8 and stays in Toronto.
Thanks, Ray. Much better tables. And just adds a bit of emphasis to my responses to Kent and Sam above.
You could be close to the final settlement there.
Ray people aren`t saying Marner isn`t talented, he is. What most of us are saying is that we don`t think he`s worth the money he wants. But you`re right nobody knows what Marner`s asking for in his next contract. But, if Treliving can put together a contract that was acceptable to Rantanen in a couple of days. What`s stopping Marner from signing, money`s there. Says he doesn`t want to negotiate during the season, he had 3 months to get done last summer. What Marner says and what Marner does paints 2 different pictures. Toronto played Florida a few nights ago, probably the most important game for both teams fighting for 1st, Toronto lost, Marner was nowhere to be found in that game. Marner = all the talent in the world, but disappears when it matters most.
Maybe he has disappeared in some past playoff series, but in the highest pressure, most intense game of his life – the 4 Nations final – he set up Canada’s last 2 goals. Game tying and game winning. Coach raved about him and his poise under pressure. A coach with multiple cups.
Some times players don’t perform in the playoffs, until they do. Sometimes previous playoff stars struggle.
To quote Ken Holland – You need to keep giving yourself a chance.
Marner is a big decision for the player and the team.
You know Ray I don`t give a rats ass what Marner did at the 4 nations, it`s what he does in a blue & white that matters. It`s nice that he can go do it somewhere else, but it would be even nicer if he tried doing for the Leaf fans for a change. Marners made roughly 68 million in a blue and white uniform, most fans would love to see him earn that money by showing up in a meaningful game for a change. He could win the hearts of all his critics by doing that, but will he ever. That`s the 64 dollar question
BC Leaffan – why do you think i find them easy to make lol? Am i not capable of deductive thinking bc I dont seem to think Mitch Marner is the second coming of Gretzky and should be paid in the top 5 in salary?
Do you need to find a replacement for Mitch Marner? That would go against everything I have said lol. We need a different type of player- not run a different version if him out.
Thats an interesting question you posed. Marner has primary assists on 145 of Matthews 394 goals. 36%. A good number but is that impressive? I dunno is it? He is stapled to the hip of a generational scorer. Wouldn’t it be common to have a large amount of assists on your linemates goals? Especially one you never get seperated from?
Are you going to argue Matthews wouldn’t score without him? A good run with Domi and Bertuzzi last year proved otherwise. Marner is a great passer but not a 13 million worth of a good passer.
If I flip the tables and ask you if Marner was playing with Pontus Holmberg at centre would he have all the assists he does now lol.
Ray- As for the salary demands- we don’t know- we assume.. this site is about conjecture. We assume he wants more or he would have signed? if he didn’t want to be here, we assume he would avoid saying he wants to be here. We also assume based on his history of negotiation that he wants to suck every penny he possibly can out of this franchise bc that what he did before. Either way more power to him, but lets not pretend- that his unwillingness to sign a deal hasnt hampered this management team from planning.
Again- not blaming the player- he can sign or not sign whenever he wants- but its fresh to say he is a team first guy and loves it here at the same time.
No one said he wasnt a good player- i think the level of good is up for debate….i think Marner’s numbers would suffer far more than Matthews would without each other.
i also find it interesting that not one person has used the term “contract year” for Marner? Thats all they used for Nylander? So sure we are going to use 2024-25 stats only to draw a conclusion that he is in the same category as Connor McDavid and Matthews in down years lol…
Yogi- is 100% spot on-eye test….
Marner fans see what they want to see..and I choose to do the same
Sam and Yogi, again just to be clear, my posts re Marner are not based on me being a fan … but instead just playing Devil’s Advocate based upon the statistical evidence. Which, I agree, does not always tell the whole story, but is almost always – if not totally always – used comparatively by the players and their agents when advocating salary and term.
And therein lies a problem that is only going to proliferate as more and more players around the league – especially those on contending teams – continue to put up numbers that stand out and often times are padded through production against the bottom-feeders.
We don’t readily see those statistical breakdowns without a lot of searching, but you can bet the GMs do. Small wonder some – at least where they can to their advantage – likely bring into focus during negotiations the one stat that most feel is the most misleading – the +/- factor.
George and Ray- absolutely. Always respect your opinions. Sorry if it came across any other way. Have a good one
To answer Lyle’s comment on who the Flyers should sign in July, how about the once highly-touted Devon Levi? Does he have a shot at the starting role in Buffalo? If not, he would fit in quite nicely in Phila. Marner and Boeser would also be a major infusion of talent, which is sorely needed, but I doubt they would sign with a rebuilding squad.
I believe the Flyers can do better than Alex Lyon or an experienced back-up. I like the idea of trying to sign Chychrun because he can definitely help the PP. I would also like them to try sign Marner who who also help the offence so badly required. The 2025 draft will be no time for weak knees…..go hard Flyers and make a splash or two.