NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2025
Could the Blues pursue Mitch Marner via this summer’s free-agent market? What’s the latest on Sabres winger JJ Peterka? What will the Jets do with Luke Schenn and Neal Pionk? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
COULD THE BLUES PURSUE MITCH MARNER?
THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford was recently asked what he thought the St. Louis Blues might do regarding Mitch Marner. The 28-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Rutherford believes Marner would be a terrific fit with the Blues alongside his former junior teammate Robert Thomas. However, he’s set to be the premier player in this summer’s UFA market and could seek an average annual value of $14 million.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have a projected cap space of $7.146 million with 23 active roster players under contract for next season. They’ll have to shed considerable salary to sign Marner, making it unlikely they’ll be bidding for him if he goes to market on July 1.
THE LATEST ON PETERKA
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski recently profiled JJ Peterka, singling out the 23-year-old forward’s development this season into one of the Sabres’ “core, young guys”.
Peterka is completing his entry-level contract. He’s in line for a significant raise though the Sabres hold the advantage because he lacks arbitration rights. They could do a short or long-term deal, with the latter projected to be a six-year deal with an average annual value of $6.6 million.
An offer sheet is possible but unlikely. The Sabres possess the cap space to match and they won’t want to lose him for draft picks as compensation. General manager Kevyn Adams has no intention of trading him and hopes to extend his contract as soon as possible.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peterka surfaced in the rumor mill as a potential target for the New York Rangers before last month’s trade deadline but Adams quickly denied any trade discussions occurred.
The young forward recently popped up as a possible offer-sheet candidate. The only way that happens is if someone pitches an offer that far exceeds that $6.6 million projection.
Given Adams’ recent comments, Peterka could be re-signed well before his restricted free-agent eligibility on July 1.
JETS EXPECTED TO RETAIN SCHENN AND RE-SIGN PIONK
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates was asked if the Winnipeg Jets intend to keep Luke Schenn next season. The 35-year-old defenseman was acquired at the trade deadline. He’s signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $2.75 million.
Ates fully expects they’ll keep Schenn, pointing out that the Jets are happy with his defensive play and veteran presence.
He also believes they intend to sign Neal Pionk to a contract extension. The 29-year-old blueliner is UFA-eligible on July 1. He’s completing a four-year deal with an AAV of $5.875 million.
While there can be no doubt that Marner will be among the top UFAs available, it’s also becoming quite clear that, if his demands are in the $14 mil range, there are also precious few among the acknowledged contenders that might interest him in the first place who could take that on without some major roster moves elsewhere. And all that would do – thanks in no small part to the plethora of no-trade clauses – is magnify the difficulty in convincing players to move AND finding teams that could accommodate them without roster adjustments of their own.
And lurking somewhere in the background are simmering financial consequences for just about every aspect of society – including fan attendance – of the ongoing global trade war and the growing possibility of a recession.
In other words, lingering in the minds of team management as they try to conduct daily business will be the need for caution – especially for those with pending major contract renewals of their own – since one of the first victims of a recession will be increases to the cap.
Then again, some may just choose to toss caution to the wind and forge ahead regardless.
It’s going to be interesting to watch it all unfold.
Also, there’s a new CBA on the horizon that could come into play.
I’d really like to see more flexibility around buyouts in the next CBA. More slots and less limitations for teams.
So many players are working their contracts to be heavily signing bonus heavy, as those can’t be bought out. I’d like to see SBs capped as a % of the total contract value too.
And while we are at it, lower the max number of years for a contract too (maybe down to 5 years, or 6 if resigning your own player). The 7-8 year contacts are too long.
I know all these wishes benefit the owners, so won’t happen without concessions to the players, but something has to be done to enabling more trading and roster flexibility across all the teams.
Foleyd7, the GM s need to stop giving out so many NMC and NTC so there is more player movement!
All these things are factors in the decision making and all this means is that what once was a parity league, and by design, will move away from that, albeit slowly. Teams that are financially strong will take chances and spend to the cap while teams like the Jets, Columbus and Calgary will have a harder time to compete
A prime example was Toronto signing Tavares. Cap didn`t go up as expected and Dubas found himself in a tiny corner in a hurry. He didn`t learn from that mistake and probably never will. See Karlsson in Pittsburgh. The unforeseen seems to be on the horizon again
Marner needs to have some kind of playoffs in order to secure that 14m number. Great regular season guy but he’s about to get a big spoonful of Ridley Greig and Nick Cousins and Mike Amadio. That top leaf line has to click. I think the Leafs will have a good showing against the Sens if Knies, Domi and Robertson pick up the slack.
7 years at $14 million elsewhere or 8 yrs at $13 million to stay in Toronto with 90% paid as bonus each July 1.
Bought a house
Wife expecting their first
Both sets of soon to be Grandparents living local
Father owns an “everything Mitch” store
This is a no brainer. He ain’t going anywhere.
Marner is a big pill to swallow . He has to have at least Nylander money. No tax state would help. Even might have to go to a team not very high on his list like a Calgary or Columbus if it is about money that is.
True, but very few players can do what Marner does. For example, he is top 4 in facing off against quality of competition and still putting up approximately 100pts. Looking at someone like Pastrnak who puts up his 100+pts is somewhere like 74th. This simply means Marner is more relied upon on bringing the offense 200ft away while facing the oppositions best players where as Pasta does it in a bit more sheltered role. However you look at it, it’s going to be an expensive signing where ever he does and worth it. As a player now entering his prime, I’m curious to see how good he can become.
It is all about the money, isn’t it really when you get right down to it? Rantanen found out that not everyone is going to open the vault. I think he ultimately got 12M ? So, good for him but he did price himself out of Colorado. I guess he would have gotten more from Carolina but he didn’t wish to be there. Isn’t the marner situation the same basically. He wants to get paid but he can’t make more than Matthews or Nylander? Then, if they win the cup, he will be gone because there will be no signing of him then , right? He will want 14M or something in that neighborhood? I get it, we all want our money but at what cost. Pluses/Minuses. 14-15M in Utah or Philadelphia?
I think he’ll stay in Tor and still get $14, which would leave his percentage of the cap about the same I think. I also think the new trend is going to be what Matthews did, salaries go up every year so why sign a 7 or 8 year deal.
wow lol, David Pastrnak in the same breath as Mitch Marner..If there is anyone that would take Mitch Marner over David Pastrnak Im not sure what to tell you. How can anyone take a Mitch Marner metric with any kind of seriousness when he plays with Auston matthews ALWAYS or the other 40 goal centre with 34 is hurt, while Pastrnak gets Morgan Geekie?.At some point someone has to sit back and look at the fact that he have never ever carried his own line. And while that is not his fault, you cannot ignore it when looking at his stats…which btw arent close to Pastrnak, Kaprizovs etc. he scores 40 percent less than they do… He gets a lot of assists because they guy that centres him scores a lot.
I wish he would get 15 mill somewhere else and play without a top centre so they can see how fast he comes Sebastian Aho.
Imagine if Pasta played with Matthew’s McDavid or Nate he would score 60-70 goals a year. As a Bruin fan I hope Leafs sign Marner and Boston offer sheets Knies. I can dream can’t I Gabe Vilardi could also be a target. Boston may beg Pasta to stay sign nobody tank and pray for Gavin McKenna.
No Obe he wouldn’t because Pasta doesn’t play against the type of players both Matthews and Marner play against and second why would any player want to play for Boston when they are playing with Matthews and Marner? No dream all you want, Knies would never sign an offer sheet (nor do I think the bruins have all the picks to make the offer) from any team to not play with Matthews and Marner. It’s entirely in his best interest to stay in Toronto
Who’s this Ron character Pasta plays against every teams best players always does always will. Last 10 years bruins most points one of best organizations in the league. Leafs arguably the worst 67 really most players dream is to be in the black and gold once Ottawa eliminates Toronto they all will be jumping ship. Personally only one I would take is Knies him and Tanev only heart on team.