NHL Rumor Mill – March 26, 2025
The latest on the Penguins goaltending, the Canadiens offseason plans, and the fallout of Jakob Chychrun’s new contract in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
PENGUINS FACE OFF-SEASON GOALIE DECISION
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: Mark Madden wonders if Tristan Jarry has saved his future with the Penguins.
The 29-year-old goaltender struggled in the first half of the season, leading to his demotion to the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. However, he’s rallied since his recall, prompting Madden to suggest Jarry could stick with the club beyond this season if he keeps playing well.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).
Jarry’s contract is part of the equation. He’s signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million. His recent improvement isn’t likely to increase interest in him. The Penguins would have to retain salary in any swap.
Madden believes the Penguins can’t retain Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic. The latter has a year left on this deal with an AAV of $2.5 million. Having both is blocking one of their promising young netminders from moving up
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Madden also mentioned buying out Jarry if need be would be the easy call but his recent play makes that difficult. A buyout would see a cap hit of $1.747 million for 2025-26, rising to $5.047 million in 2026-27, dropping to $4.547 million in 2027-28, and falling to over $797K for each of the final three seasons.
THE LATEST ON THE CANADIENS’ OFFSEASON PLANS
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported another important offseason awaits the Montreal Canadiens. They have salary-cap flexibility and draft capital at their disposal. Adding another top-six forward is the priority.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Specifically, a reliable second-line center.
Hughes acknowledged the situation but clarified a recent comment where he seemed to suggest a willingness to overpay in the trade market rather than doing so in free agency. He said he was contrasting the two options, adding that it was in the context of signing a 32-year-old player to a seven-year contract that isn’t going to age well. He said his team isn’t in a three-year window where they have to win now and would be comfortable carrying that type of contract on the back end.
The Canadiens GM said that his team needs to be smart about this because they expect to have a much larger window of opportunity. He’ll be engaged in talking with other general managers to explore ways of improving his team but doesn’t want to be short-sighted about it.
LeBrun indicated that finding a center in his mid-twenties this summer will be challenging, especially with teams like the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks seeking the same thing.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes has a pretty good offseason trade record but this summer will present his biggest challenge. If he can’t find a suitable option in the trade market, he might have to take a calculated risk on a short-term free-agent signing.
THE FALLOUT FROM THE CHYCHRUN SIGNING.
TSN: Chris Johnston believes Jakob Chychrun’s new eight-year, $72-million contract caught a lot of people around the league by surprise. He’ll be the 10th highest-paid defenseman next season. Some teams believe the salary cap will reach $120 million four years from now, which could make Chychrun’s new deal a bargain by that point.
Darren Dreger believes Chychrun might’ve received more on the open market this summer given the season he’s having. However, the 26-year-old blueliner is comfortable with the Capitals and wants to avoid the uncertainty of free agency.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun’s contract will be used as a comparable by Evan Bouchard’s representatives. The Edmonton Oilers defenseman is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The 25-year-old had 82 points last season and is on pace to reach 60 this season.
Chicklets contract will also impact Andersson’s negotiations with the Flames.
Jarry was brutal last night. First period yank.
Good luck trading him. Another Scooby Dubas blunder.
Why did the PENS, a numbers-driven organization, hire Scooby? Did they not look at his playoff numbers?
Furthermore, why would Team Canada give him the reins for our Olympic Hockey Team? What in Dubas’ past record indicates he is worthy of ANY NHL-level opportunities???
Very good question, Pete. But then again, you’re talking about the geniuses at Hockey Canada who showed, in the recent World Juniors team picks that, collectively, they couldn’t pick their noses.
As for Mark Madden’s wondering if Tristan Jarry has saved his future with the Penguins, his age and albatross contract and term has accomplished that.
I like Blomquist from what little we saw of him. Buy out Jarry
Chychrun has pedigree and in his prime . Locked him up. I think a smart move .
Carlson on the back 9 with the clubhouse in sight
Calgary is too cheap for UFA market but will retain Anderson for 8 years
Habs have a free top 6 coming in Demidov .
Long gone are the thoughts of Chychrun being injury prone.
9 mil wow.
Habs have Kirby Dach returning, Ivan Demidov arriving to consider when thinking of additions.
Hughes has enough prospects and picks to dangle for a trade. Zacha?
He has enough cap space for a UFA. Tavares? Bennett?
He has enough picks for an RFA offer sheet. Rossi?
Given Hughes history and most GMs for that matter, it’ll probably be a move I never though of.
I hope the new acquisition is better than Zacha.
I don’t have the same faith as you do regarding Dach. Very brief flashes leaving one wanting much more. And that is ignoring the fact he is injury prone. Demidov holds some promise but unfair to put too much on his shoulders next year. As other posters have already stated, Bennett and Tavares ain’t happening. Zacha??? Rossi is likely a dream. Here’s hoping the move Hughes makes is nothing that you or anyone else has thought of.
i hope the hawks bring back toews and kane next year would really help bednard