NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2025
Check out the latest on Mitch Marner and Nikolaj Ehlers, plus a look at the Golden Knights’ possible offseason plans in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST MARNER SPECULATION
TSN: Pierre LeBrun noted the contrast between Toronto Maple Leafs forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner when discussing their futures during Tuesday’s media availability.
Tavares was optimistic about returning with the Leafs next season. However, Marner spoke in the past tense about loving being a Leaf, and his intention to take time with his family to discuss his future.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
Chris Johnston believes Marner intends to test the free-agent market on July 1. He noted that the 28-year-old winger didn’t want to discuss a contract during this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner’s situation has reached the point of no return. He’s a goner to the highest bidder on July 1.
TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons also believes it’s time for the Leafs and Marner to part ways. He believes the winger’s rights can be traded for next to nothing before July 1 or he leaves in free agency.
Simmons noted the Leafs will have around $22 million in cap space to work with if they don’t re-sign Marner and Tavares. He suggested using that money to get into the bidding for forward Sam Bennett if he doesn’t re-sign with the Florida Panthers before July 1. Simmons also noted that Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad could also be available.
Other free-agent options could include Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks, Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings and the Panthers’ Brad Marchand.
DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Leafs finding a trade destination for Marner where he wants to pre-negotiate before July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs won’t get a big return for Marner if they trade his rights before July 1. The Carolina Hurricanes got a 2025 third-round pick for Jake Guentzel when they traded his rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning last June.
WILL NIKOLAJ EHLERS STAY WITH THE JETS OR TEST THE MARKET?
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates looked at what the Winnipeg Jets must address during the offseason.
Sorting out their contract signings is a priority, with Nikolaj Ehlers being the biggest question mark. The 28-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1 and might be inclined to test the market after 10 years in Winnipeg. He wasn’t available at the Jets’ media availability on Tuesday as he departed for the World Championships to play for his native Denmark.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers’ teammates praised him during the media availability, expressing their hope that he’ll re-sign with the Jets. If he hits the open market, he won’t lack for suitors. The Province’s Ben Kuzma believes the Vancouver Canucks will be among the bidders.
UPDATE ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell doesn’t expect Golden Knights management to blow up the roster after their elimination from the second round of the 2025 playoffs.
She acknowledged the Golden Knights’ inability to score against the Edmonton Oilers led to their elimination. Their shallow prospect pool means they don’t have many tradeable assets, meaning they’ll have to turn to free agency to bolster their offense.
The Golden Knights will have over $9.6 million in cap space next season. That’s not enough to add someone like Mitch Marner via free agency. Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers could be just out of their price range, and there will be plenty of suitors for Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon will have to get creative. Jack Eichel is the only untouchable on the Golden Knights’ roster. Five of their nine forwards and three of their five defensemen signed through next season have some form of no-trade protection.
Kirkell suggested winger Ivan Barbashev as a trade candidate because he only has an eight-team no-trade list. Their depth at center could allow them to dangle Nicolas Roy as trade bait for a scoring winger.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McCrimmon and the Golden Knights’ front office have a reputation for making surprising moves to improve their roster. It won’t be shocking if they swing a major deal this summer to improve their offense.
If indeed Marners intention is to test free agency , it might of been ideal , proper mannerism for him to accept the trade to Carolina at the trade deadline
It would have been a win , win ..
Carolina is doing well
A fabulous coach in Brind’Amour – who would y want to play for him
Although , obviously Rantanen didn’t ?
Rantanen might have been enough to over take Florida !
It’s all behind us now ..
WHAT IF scenario !?!?!
I watched a video on Paul Maurice screaming on the bench , as per pound the defence – game 7 – there is nothing left !
Maurice definitely has a strategy , whether Leaf fans are in agreement or not , it’s effective
Ya Ken, Maurice has a strategy, as does every coach. He has the team to execute it, which is a big difference IMO. I think he’s an excellent coach. Good behind the mic too.
And the team has a culture where the leaders hold the rest accountable. Barkov doesn’t give many details publicly, but he leads internally and walks the walk. Great player. Their best player. Doesn’t get enough credit IMO. The Panthers are hitting their stride, and are the team to beat again. Cheesy pricks that they are.
Would it have been ideal for Marner to accept that trade, and sign long term, with his wife expecting and close to UFA where he can take his time and make an informed decision for his family?
Would you?
Out of the 16 Playoff Teams, the TML’s allowed the 5th highest goals against per game. That defense was not built for the postseason.
If he wanted to test free agency, be wined and dined, pick his spot why accept a trade? As of now he gets to pick a location that didn’t have to give up large assets to get him thus weakening the teams chances to be competitive
Marner likely would of had to a free to signing with Carolina for that trade to go through
Seattle still lacks the elite skill player…imho they should be calling Toronto already to see if Marner would waive his rights to an 8 year deal with Seattle
ds, Marner just turned 28. Do you think Seattle – or any other team for that matter – is going to tie up upwards of $14 mil per in a player who doesn’t embrace the physical side of the game and who’ll be 36 when an 8-year deal ends?
I realize the cap will be going up steadily over that span (barring another pandemic of some sort), but that is still one hefty contract to be saddled with for 8 years.
@george
with Seattle missing the playoffs…. and Marner the player that could make their powerplay consistent? how could they not make the move…. do they have a point per game forward n the system?
I think Seattle would def love to add Marner; he could really help their offense and PP.
Question is, does Marner see Seattle as a place to live and compete for the next 7 years?
It will be interesting to see where he ultimately lands. Teams that are playoff contenders now are probably already tight on cap space and can’t add a $13M contract for 7 years.
The teams best suited to add that salary without shedding other important parts are likely going to be the younger teams that are on the rise (but not there yet): Anaheim, Philly, Seattle, SJ, Chicago, etc
Yes George. Teams would absolutely give him 8 years. And possibly 14. Definitely close to that
ds, they might not (yet) have a point-per-game player, but when you look at their entire roster production they have better-balanced scoring than 3/4 of the league! And the potential is certainly there for a a couple to reach the point-per-game mark.
Their 247 total goals scored is better, in their Conference, than 8 of the teams – Minnesota (228), Utah (241), Nashville (214), Chicago (226), Calgary (225), Vancouver (236), Anaheim (221) and San Jose (211), and just a handful back of St. Louis (254), L.A. (250), and Edmonton (259) – and most of those teams have a point-per-game player – a few several!
Where they need to shore up is their defense as their 265 goals against was exceeded, in their Conference, by only Nashville (274), Chicago (296), and San Jose (315).
Bringing in a $13 or $14 mil per player who’ll be 36 when an 8-year deal ends is not the way to go for a team in their position. And it certainly would not age well.
George. You are talking sense. It’s fa season. Big names like Marner don’t hit ufa every year. Gms prove every year that collectively they lose their minds this time of year.
I think the # comes in at 7 x $13M if he hits the open market, but close enough. Maybe he takes a discount if the fit is right, he’s made close to $70M already, and will get at least that on this next deal. He’s all good financially.
I believe Berube when he said he wanted to keep Tavares and Marner. While it’s hard to ignore all the noise and Marner’s own comments, it isn’t 100% he leaves. Say 75%. Simply saying that because Berube’s opinion must matter, if I was Tre I would for sure be talking to him, and listening. The guys knows what he is doing as a coach and has been around. He knows the drill, as does Tre. My guess is it is Marner that wants to leave.
CLB is an interesting option, up and coming team IMO. They have the C’s already too. Some of these young guys will get paid eventually though, need to patient.
Same with Seattle and Utah. The Seattle idea makes sense foleyd7, for the reasons you state, not how Francis usually rolls though.
Somebody will buck up if he hits the market, but I think fit for him and family will be high on his list though. How can it not be?
Chrisms, while I fully agree that the UFA frenzy is usually highlighted by some GM going overboard (e..g., Trotz last year), as Ray Bark notes, that is not in Francis’ history. He has been the epitome of the careful, “steady-as-she-goes” approach.
I would bet that any changes he makes, whether through trade or free-agent signings, will be designed to improve his D and/or goaltending.
@george
all good data and opinion as usual
but i still think some ‘star’ power is needed in that market.
IMHO they do not have any 1st line wingers.
these 4 wingers got the most ice over the last few games of the season Schwartz, Eberle, McCann and Burakovsky. Tolvanen and Kakko 3rd line minutes.
I agree George. I was speaking about the field not just one team. Somebody… probably multiple somebodies, will pony up term and dollar.
Further to the ongoing Tavares debate … wasn’t a BIG selling point on his choice of the Leafs’ offer a HUGE up-front multi-million $$ payout? Something very few teams could offer. And isn’t that now the crux of the ongoing CRA dispute?
That’s how I recall it, George, and as far as I know the CRA dispute is ongoing. But no link to his current negotiations with the Leafs.
LJ, found this blurb on the Web
“When John Tavares signed his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2018, he received a significant signing bonus. Specifically, he received a US$70.9 million signing bonus, with US$15.25 million payable on July 1, 2018. His total contract was a seven-year, US$77 million agreement.”
That’s at the heart of the ongoing dispute with the Canada Revenue Agency
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/canada-revenue-agency-disputes-leafs-captain-john-tavares-argument-in-tax-case/
Does anyone know what the record for misconduct penalties for one player in a single playoffs is?
Found overall playoff penalty minutes career record is 283 penalty minutes by Corey Perry. Interesting Evgeni Malkin is second with 242 penalty minutes. Misconduct penalties in playoffs require further research.
I predict that Ehlers will become the fall back option for teams that miss out on Marner, so don’t expect Nick to sign until at least the 2nd week of July. Carolina should be the favorite for MM but I think Columbus should be considered a dark horse for either of those guys
If Carolina made the conference finals and is getting knocked around by Florida – I doubt they see MM as any kind of upgrade or something that puts them over the edge in the playoffs. Marner appeals to teams who are trying to get into the playoffs ANA SJ Chicago Utah etc.
I am hesistant with a team like San Jose who will have to resign Celebrini and Smith as they would go thjrough the same issue the Leafs did when they signed Tavares
I also doubt Marner wants to visit Toronto multiple times a year- which puts him the west
I predict the Bruins sign Sam Bennett to a $7+ million per for a 5 year contract ….This will allow them to sign Geekie ..possibly another goal scoring forward a #3 Dman ….move Korp out add $3 million to cap
For only 5 years and $7M, I think Florida matches that to keep him.
Other teams might have to overpay to entice him to leave….. offering 7 years or $8M+ to lure him away, and that would likely be a bad signing for the last 4 years of the deal
foleyd7 – To your point of Sam Bennett – If to your point the last years of his 7-8 yr deal would be terrible for a team – that would also be for the Panthers. So what difference is there between the Panthers signing Bennett to 7-8 years or another club? Regardless the final 3 years will be tough to swallow.
Now a team offering say 8 mill on a 4 year deal with a contender and bonuses. That might be worth exploring
@ Scott, I don’t think Florida should/would give him a 7 or 8 year deal.
I think Florida wants to keep him for the right price/term and I think they would match a 5 year / $7M contract.
That’s why I think it will take more than that (term and $) for another team to get him, and that would represent an overpay for the teams trying to lure him away.
Joe I think the Bruins are gun shy over last years UFA signings.I hope Lindholm keeps lighting up the scoreboard in the World Tournament.Maybe they can find a taker for Lindholm and Korpisalo and win the Bennet sweepstakes. Bring Marchand back also.
Teams need a combination of grit and skill. You add marner to a team that has grit he will thrive.
Toronto has skill no grit so the formula doesn’t work. The formula also doesn’t work if teams have grit but lack skill. Teams need a balance of both.
Still think the perfect landing spot for Mathew’s would be LA. They need an offensive star and have Kopitar and doughty to be the leaders. I think Matthew’s would jump at the chance play in that market plus Scottsdale is probably only a hour flight away. At minimum Byfield would need to be included in any package.
Would like to see Columbus land Marner. It would be positive considering all challenges the team has dealt with the last year or so.
The move the leafs need to explore above all else is that of trading Matthews.
Yes teams will be interested. No you won’t get the Kings ransom that you may have gotten a year or two ago but it should still be a solid deal.
If you can convince Matthews to be open to a fresh start that is the direction I go and preferably before the draft. Then based on the return that drives what else happens in the summer
I just feel that nothing will dramatically change as long as Matthews is tagged as the guy and captain of this group.
As Bruin fan I hope Boston spends wisely and saves a bunch of cap space for 2026 some great talent might be available. If I’m a Toronto fan and thank God I’m not I would take Sam over Mitch even at same contract it’s not about regular season points it’s about performance in the playoffs.
It’s fun to speculate but there is less than zero chance of Auston Matthews being moved. Logically he as NTC, but realistically he was named captain of the franchise and is the face (for better or for worse). You add physical players around him. They arent asking him to waive lol. You dont find centres like that.
The leafs issues arent Marners Matthews and Nylander, the issue is that they have all 3! Bad mix,
I would entertain moving Nylander in a deal if he agreed to waive, his value is high and contract is fair. if you could somehow parlay him into a deal where you can get two quality pieces with more grit to their game.. Would you get a Mctavish and an underperforming Troy Terry from Ana for Nylander and something?
Keller and Hayton?
Spit balling of course but if this team is letting Marner walk and then resigning JT as it sounds (albeit for less $) its not enough . They have no assets to deal so everything will need to come from the UFA pool
Seems to be the problem with the Leafs is too many “passengers”.
At least that’s what Passenger 34 said.
Ah yes passenger 34 not be confused with passenger 16. 88 or 91 lol
Chris Johnston of the Athletic is reporting that the Isles have asked for permission to interview Shanahan. I guess the real world is wider than we think it is,
Heard that at another source as well, Howard. That’s as firm an assurance as any that the Shanaplan and its author are finished in Toronto.
The big question then will be, since no one individual owns the team, does the organization appoint someone else in that role, or do they go back to allowing a General Manager be exactly that and answerable only to a faceless committee again?
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-grant-islanders-permission-to-speak-to-brendan-shanahan/
Carolina isn’t getting knocked around so quickly, they came in too rested while Fla was still on a high.
Game 2 will tell us more about the direction of the series.
Carolina plays a similar style as Fla, hard forecheck, aggressive man on man D, physical , however Carolina is a faster skating team and should win….unless Bobrovsky steals it which is possible.
Hab fan30 Carolina s forwards Don t match up well with Fla.,who has the best forward group in the playoffs.Bob has been there before.Big money goalie. First 3 goals on Andersen,high over the shoulder.Fla. Exposed him.
I wonder if William Karlsson could be available from Vegas, get him some good wingers and he could play 2nd C
I would think if you shoot the puck at a guys head that when he comes flying at you to rearrange your nose you should probably drop your gloves.