NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2025
Check out the latest about the possible offseason plans for the Rangers, Blackhawks and Flames in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
BIG CHANGES COMING FOR THE RANGERS THIS SUMMER?
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reported the New York Rangers have fallen behind younger Eastern Conference rivals like the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Rangers carry an older roster that fell from being considered a Stanley Cup contender a year ago to missing the playoffs, raising concerns about their future. They have a middle-of-the-pack prospect pool and gave up one of their next two first-round picks acquiring J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks.
New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).
Baugh expects general manager Chris Drury will fire head coach Peter Laviolette. He’ll likely try to keep reworking the roster as he did during this season. However, the Rangers only have $9.672 million in cap space for next season. Most of that will have to go to re-signing restricted free agents Will Cuylle and K’Andre Miller, though the latter could become a trade candidate this summer.
Chris Kreider is the most obvious cost-cutting candidate. However, the 33-year-old winger had a disappointing performance this season. He also has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a 15-team no-trade list. Drury could also try moving Mika Zibanejad, but his full no-movement clause gives him complete control over his situation.
RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports the Rangers face a massive roster overhaul after missing the playoffs this season.
Teams called about Zibanejad and Kreider last fall when Drury let it be known they were looking to make changes. Biringer wondered if they could be moved this summer. He also wondered if Artemi Panarin could be shopped. He’s in the final year of his contract. Like Baugh, Biringer suggested Miller could become a trade candidate.
The Rangers could also decide to make a coaching change. Biringer also cited a source suggesting a management change might be in order.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider and Miller have frequently surfaced in this season’s rumor mill, with Kreider considered the leading trade candidate.
Like Zibanejad, Panarin has a full NMC and controls his fate. That doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t accept a trade, but their preferred destinations would be limited.
Laviolette seems all but certain to be relieved of his coaching duties. As for Drury, he’s not going anywhere. He wouldn’t have made the moves he did in this season’s trade market without the blessing of team ownership.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BLACKHAWKS?
THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers wondered who would become the next head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks.
They believe interim bench boss Anders Sorensen will probably get an interview. University of Denver coach David Carle is the hottest name among this year’s NHL coaching candidates, but there’s no guarantee he’ll leave Denver.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: RG.Org’s James Murphy cited a league source claiming the Blackhawks want Carle badly and are willing to “show him the money if the situation presents itself.” However, they’re not the only NHL club hoping to pry him away from his current job. Another source told Murphy to keep an eye on the Seattle Kraken and the Utah Hockey Club.
The Blackhawks would love to re-sign UFA-eligible forward Ryan Donato. There is a three-year offer worth an AAV of $4 million on the table but the 28-year-old hasn’t accepted it. Donato’s coming off a career-best performance of 31 goals and 31 assists for 62 points.
Lazerus and Powers believe the Blackhawks would be first in line if Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner hits the open market on July 1. They have the cap space to offer him an AAV of between $12 million and $14 million.
The Blackhawks could also get creative by going the offer-sheet route. “The Rangers’ Will Cuylle could be a target, or maybe Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have the cap space and tradeable assets to improve their roster through trades, the unrestricted free-agent market, and offer sheets. Whether they can land the talent they need could be easier said than done.
Signing Marner would be a major acquisition by the Blackhawks that could accelerate their rebuild process if he clicks with franchise player Connor Bedard. However, he could prefer signing with a playoff contender if he goes to market.
THE LATEST ON THE FLAMES
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Calgary Flames must improve an offense ranked 30th overall this season.
GM Craig Conroy knows a team can’t be built through free agency, but he isn’t ruling out finding assets that could improve their roster in the UFA market. He’s also looking at adding young players from within their system.
The Flames’ top need is a right-shot center. They were interested in Dylan Cozens before the Buffalo Sabres traded him to the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline.
CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson reports the Flames must decide on Rasmus Andersson’s future with the club. The 28-year-old defenseman is a year away from UFA eligibility. He could be traded away if he’s not signed to a contract extension this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Blackhawks, the Flames have a lot of cap space for next season ($34.2 million) and tradeable assets like draft picks and prospects. Some cap room will go toward new contracts for Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, Adam Klapka, Morgan Frost and Kevin Bahl. However, there should be enough to add that elusive right-shot center if one can be found this summer.
Andersson indicated that he loves living and playing in Calgary and wants to stay. Whether he and the Flames can find the right deal remains to be seen.
Rangers! Please please please keep your pick this year. This Pitt fan wants that unprotected 2026 1st! Could very well be a lotto pick.
I don’t think a 10th overall or worse first round pick in this years draft would help either team. I’d be shocked if NY didn’t just let the 2025 go.
Me too. Unless drury thinks he can trade it for immediate help. He might be desperate enough to as his job is on the line.
Hi Chrisms
Pens have only 1 path to getting Rangers pick in ‘25
“Pittsburgh will receive a first-round pick in 2025 if the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2025 is outside of the top thirteen selections. Otherwise, the pick will defer to 2026”
There is only one path to Rangers landing at 14th :
Rangers win tonight; AND Detroit loses in reg
This puts Rangers at 12th OA
Then there has to be 2 (two) of Jackets, UHC, Cannucks and Flames win the two lottery drops; then bumping Rangers to 14th OA
It’s not happening
Hoping for a Pen’s lottery win this year; and a Rangers lottery win next year
Pretty sure rangers can choose to keep pick or divest it.
I thought so too but they said differently during the broadcast and I cut and pasted the quote from the trade ; “will receive” seems definitive
The odds that Rangers finish bottom 11 and win lottery NEXT year is pretty slim
The pick next year very likely won’t end up lower than 12th
A 12th overall in ‘26, is not valued as much as a pick in around the same in this year’s draft ; because this year’s draftee will play one year sooner (barring a miraculous diamond in the rough pick)
Of course everybody here wants McKenna on their team
Odds that Pens get him (own pick or Rangers) is very slim
With that in mind; picking 7th to 11th (Pens own) AND 14th (Rangers) this year; would be good
We also have 4 2nd rounders over the ‘25 and ‘26 drafts; perhaps used towards obtaining an NHL ready player in a trade
Everything I’ve read says they choose. And with a deeper draft next year even if it’s slightly lower it’s still more valuable. Nobody at 11 this year is helping this team for several years. Better for the pens to punt and get one more possible ticket for a top pick next year.
I don’t know, if they let us have that pick we could maybe move up a little with all those extra picks. If we could get Frondell and Eklund, I would be pretty happy.
Moving up in the draft isn’t very common. Particularly in the top 10. I wouldn’t hold my breath
All this potential trade chatter surrounding the Rangers, and speculation about Laviolette’s job sounds – if they happen – eerily like the road the Senators took after badly falling off in those 2017 playoffs when they missed going to the finals by 1 double-OT goal in Pittsburgh.
Within a couple of seasons the coach (Guy Boucher) was gone, as were Hoffman, Karlsson. Methot, Phaneuf, Pageau, Ceci, Stone, Turris, Ryan.
And it’s been a long, long road back.
yep George it sure has. I had forgotten what it felt like to be watching post season and caring about it haha
Also so weird to think of where I was in life 8 years ago to now. It’s a little insane.
I wouldn’t consider the rangers roster “old”. They’re actually the 13th youngest roster in the league. Maybe their key players are getting up there but not the roster. Of the 12 younger teams only 2 are playoff bound.
Of the 16 oldest teams in the league , only 3 are missing the playoffs. And it’s this way pretty much every year.
Younger does not mean better. Younger usually means basement dweller.
It’s not hard to believe that a coaching change and a few players shuffled in and out will make them better next year.
The 4-17 slide in November / December was the death of this team. Laviolette should have been gone by January.
***12th youngest roster*** and all 11 younger teams are missing the playoffs.
First link was not up to date.
the recent reports that Panarin and the Rangers owners paid off someone who accussed Panarin of a sexual assault, might increase the chances of his exit from the team. Think Rangers will be very different next season. But the question is, is Chris Drury the right guy to steer the ship?
from the Gooderow/Trouba break ups to questionable trades this season, not so sure if he is the right guy there
One asset the Flames do not have is their 2025 first rd pick, which goes to the Habs for taking on Monahan.
Yes, but we have two other first-round picks.
The best move for the Rangers would be to replace Drury. He lacks the people skills needed for the job. But it doesn’t seem likely to happen.
Captain O, or another Ranger fan can answer better than me, but from the outside Howard I would agree.
How the team/Drury handled Goodrow and Trouba may have pissed off some of the other players. The number one reason people leave jobs or organizations – their boss was an A-hole. Not an option for players on contract, but they may have felt the same way about Drury or ownership and that can have an impact on performance.
I get it, they could, and hockey can be a cut throat business. But you also have to expect there will be a downside and a player reaction, and you best be able to deal with that or at least take it into consideration when making these decisions.
Habs,BJ’s and Sens all have had better results with high draft picks.
Kreider had dissspointing season as far as health and point production. Still, he’s 3rd leading goal scorer on team. If he gets traded, maybe Zibanejad waives nmc. They’re pretty tight. Right now it looks like he’s either RW with JT or 3C. Could be 2C in Vancouver? Would probably need to retain. As far as K’Andre Miller. Not a fan of his play this year. Need to trade him and Soucy. Let Jones play. Give Robertson a look. 2 other prospects in the wings. FIRE Lavi! Promote Muse.
So Robertson finally got an NHL game in. Good for him.
I think he has to clear waivers next year, so decision time for the Rangers. Worth a flyer for teams in need of a D I would think.
I saw an article today on Panarin that makes it look to me like he’d be a player the Oilers would covet highly.
Forget trading Zibanejad
Mika Zibanejad: “I know what my contract says…Both parties agreed to it, and like I said, I think I’ve earned it. Until it’s time to adjust it, I have no plans of going [anywhere]. I’ve invested a lot of years here.”