NHL Rumor Mill – March 21, 2025
Speculation over the futures of Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and Kings GM Rob Blake, an update on Sam Bennett’s contract talks, and the latest on John Gibson in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR SHANAHAN AND BLAKE?
TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos believes Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake are two executives to watch this summer.
Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan (NHL.com).
Shanahan’s contract expires at the end of this season. The Leafs’ performance in the upcoming postseason could determine his fate. The Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders could be monitoring his situation.
Speculation suggests Blake could reassess his future with the Kings regardless of how far they go in the postseason.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres need someone to oversee its hockey operations while the Islanders could shake up their front office if Lou Lamoriello steps down as president of hockey operations and general manager.
UPDATE ON BENNETT’S CONTRACT TALKS
TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos reports the contract talks between the Florida Panthers and Sam Bennett are going well. The 29-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Some believe Bennett will re-sign with the Panthers. Kypreos cites Bennett’s love of the team, head coach Paul Maurice’s love of the player, and a contract that could be around $60 million with no state tax.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The average annual value of a seven-year contract would be just over $8.57 million. If it’s eight years, it’s $7.5 million.
LATEST ON GIBSON
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes there’s some frustration John Gibson wasn’t moved at the trade deadline from the player, Ducks management and the teams interested in him. Friedman expects this could resume in the offseason.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. The Carolina Hurricanes reportedly looked into acquiring him last summer but opted to stick with their current goaltenders.
It’s believed the Ducks’ reluctance to retain salary hampered previous efforts to trade Gibson. With the salary cap rising significantly over the next three years, they could have better luck finding a suitor willing to take on his full cap hit. However, the rising cap could make the Ducks willing to retain some of his AAV to facilitate a trade and bring this ongoing saga to a close.
Florida has so many high dollar contracts that I really figured they would let Bennett walk after this upcoming playoff run and then shift more responsibility to Lundell (already signed at $5M per through 2029) and to Samoskevich, who will come a $900k ELC and will get a big raise (or a big offer sheet).
If they really sign Bennett to a long term deal around $8M it will be interesting to see the impacts it has across the rest of their roster.
Betting that Bennett signs with Fla. and by trading for Jones,that was the kiss of death for Ekblad!
So Blake and Shanahan could be available, remind me as to what makes them great alternatives for Islanders and Sabres(or any other team), my impression isnt that favourable
Is Kypreos reporting even credible?
Shanascam.
Elliotte Friedman believes but doesn’t report facts. He’s constantly speaking for fan bases and players without any accountability or approval. He probably believes his own crap and is surprised when many things he feels or believes doesn’t come to fruition and plays it like it didn’t come from him in the first place. Totally hack with a very punchable face.
Every so called insider is in the same boat as Friedman. They rely on tips from team officials in hopes of getting info, be it a trade, injury or just what`s going on in the dressing room. How does an insider get an actual fact when it comes to a trade, Treliving can`t come out and say I`m interested in Bennett, it`s called tampering. So GM`s have come up with novel ways of getting that out, so a guy like Bennett hears that, same thing with players who might want to play with a certain team. GM`s players and agents can`t come out and just say what they want. That`s where the so called insiders come in, they spread the bullsh^t and a few facts that the players GM`s and agents give hoping their comments hit the targets. Friedman even said a couple of years ago that he and the other insiders are being used in that way and they know it. 99% of the rumours are nothing but rumours and if guys like Friedman weren`t useful to the GM`s players and their agents nobody would talk to them, but they do talk to them. You me and everybody else that comes to these sites, are here looking for any little tidbit we can find. It gives everybody something to talk about and that`s the fun part of it. Like them or not the insiders do serve their purpose. Guys like Kypreos and most if not all the bloggers are the ones that give the rumour industry a bad name
Yogi, fyi when I say you’re a bit wrong in your assessment it comes from a person who does work in an industry full of rumors and BS. For example you said these “insiders” are used which is correct and they do know it but managers don’t go out and leak things however agents (aka scumbags) do. Most of the info insiders get are purposely false and I know the “insiders” know it too and report it anyway. Admittedly, I know some do follow up because they don’t want to look bad but with the rise of socials, if it’s worth the buzz, they’ll post.
Friedman covers his ass by saying, “I heard” or “I feel”or “something that is stirring” is code for BS to me. I don’t consider entertainment, which sports are a part of entertainment, the standards of reporting has and will always be suspect and do not follow the legitimate rules of journalism. These days you can say that about most news outlets originating in the US and we’ll all know s#it slides downhill.
It’s just a personal gripe I have with BS (from anyone). If I confident I’m smelling it, I enjoy pointing it out.
Ron GM`s players and agents all leak info to guys like Friedman. You have to be pretty naive to think GM`s don`t leak info. They`re the ones who have to fear NHL punishment by talking about rumours and or players who might be available and it`s called tampering. A player who signed this past summer was subject to an investigation pertaining to possible tampering. The NHL didn`t file any tampering charges, but it wasn`t too hard to follow the hints. Thus Bettman`s we`re going to come down hard on any possible tampering prior to July 1st. Bettman`s charge seemed to be directed towards players and GM`s not agents. Every July 1st 12:01pm players get signed to contracts by GM`s to whom you claim don`t provide any leaks, simply amazing. You`ll have to explain how that`s done by all these honest GM`s who would never violate in a million years the NHL rules
I don’t know how solid this ?
I am hearing because of the friction with US and Canada might effect the salary cap
https://www.sportico.com/leagues/hockey/2025/nhl-us-canada-tariffs-wayne-gretzky-bobby-orr-1234841975/
Sure it will, snowbirds are selling their condos in places like Florida. They buy tickets for games to the Lightning and Panthers. When the Leafs go on a road trip how many fans follow them to the games south of the border. Border crossings are way down in some areas so teams like Buffalo, Detroit and Seattle might be affected, especially the lower Canadian dollar, like George just pointed out. Canadian`s crossing the border to go see games in the US is significant
Add to that, Yogi, things like upwards of 9,000 people across the country losing their jobs in the Hudson Baby Company collapse, not to mention how many of those affected by the DOGE purges in the U.S. – in their thousands as well – losing theirs.
Recessions in both countries are looming big time, which leads to steadily increasing prime interest rates, and when it comes to choices between eating and feeding one’s family and keeping a roof over their heads not made of canvas, sporting events are among the first to suffer the consequences.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/131212-sports-economics-nfl-mlb-and-nhl-and-the-effects-of-the-depression
Hudson Baby Company??? LOL. Now THAT is some Auto-Correct!
Yeah The Bay, I`m surprised that the store in Vancouver isn`t one of the 6 stores staying open. Anybody want to buy a worthless mall, there should be plenty of them now available
Including Bayshore Mall here in Ottawa, where The Bay was the main attraction. There were three of them in Ottawa – none are among the 6 they hope to keep open.
That’s a lot of staff out of work. Needless to say, hockey won’t be on the plate of any fans involved.
It has the possibility to affect hockey revenue generated in Canada, Ken.
If tariffs drive the Canadian dollar lower, that affects the revenue the Canadian teams contribute.
If employment falls, or inflation rises, it makes attending games harder for people to afford. Attending hockey games in Canada right now is painfully expensive, more so if one adds a beer and parking onto the price.
LJ yep, beat me to the punch.
Both economies are project less growth, consumer confidence in the US has tanked. None of this is good for the NHL and many other industries.
Sabres have needed a team president for over a decade.
All teams player salaries are in USD. The lower the Canadian dollar the tougher it is to operate as the gap grows
If there is Russia USA two nations , I am out. The current administration thinks they can do anything they feel like .
There are still the owners and players association who have a say
S7, the players, the league and ownership have more than a say in it. It’s their call.
The CDN$ has actually hung in there pretty good vs the US$. Basically same today as it was Jan 1 and when the article George shared was published. Could still change of course.
Tough to determine what will happen.
As far as I know the NHL is the only professional league that didn`t kick the russians out. I wouldn`t be surprised if Bettman didn`t try to get the game going. He seems to like dick tators
You misspelled that, it’s dick traitors.
Nope Ron I spelled it exactly the way is meant to be. I know which of the 2 clowns you`re referring to (which case you had the right spelling), but I was referring to the other clown