NHL Rumor Mill – May 28, 2025
Check out the latest on Jonathan Marchessault, Connor Murphy, Morgan Rielly, Thatcher Demko, Bo Horvat and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli updated his offseason 20-player NHL Trade Targets list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Many of the names are familiar ones (JJ Peterka, Bowen Byram, Erik Karlsson, Rasmus Andersson, Chris Kreider, Marco Rossi) that have frequently appeared in the rumor mill since the end of the regular season. Seravalli provides a useful synopsis of the recent news and rumors for each of those players who have already been noted on this site.
Seravalli has added some new names to his list that are worth examining. Read on…
Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators sits fifth on this list. Seravalli believes the 34-year-old winger might welcome a trade after a disappointing season with the Predators. He has four years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun included Marchessault among his list of trade and free-agent targets for the Maple Leafs. Given the winger’s contract, he believes the Predators would have to retain some salary to facilitate a deal. They’d likely have to do the same to send him to other NHL clubs.
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy checks in at No. 8. With promising young defensemen Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov patrolling the Chicago blueline, the 32-year-old could be on the move this summer. He has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $4.4 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks could use Murphy as a trade chip to add depth up front. However, his experience and leadership would be of greater value to this youthful defense corps this season. If they attempt to move Murphy, it could be at next year’s trade deadline if he decides to become a UFA next summer.
Morgan Rielly holds the No. 15 spot. Seravalli believes the 31-year-old is no longer an effective puck-moving defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Rielly has five years left on his contract with an AAV of $7.5 million. Seravalli wonders if they should try to move Rielly’s contract before it becomes oneous.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Rielly going anywhere this summer. He has a full no-movement clause until 2027-28. If he’s willing to waive it, the Leafs would probably have to retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit to make a deal happen.
Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha and Morgan Geekie share the No. 16 spot. Seravalli noted that the Bruins are in transition and must decide which players they will keep. Geekie is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is a year away from UFA eligibility. Zacha has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur with Seravalli that both would have value in the trade market. Geekie appears the most likely to move if his contract extension talks with the Bruins become difficult.
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko sit at No 18. He’s a year away from UFA eligibility. Kevin Lankinen played well filling in for the sidelined Demko this season, earning a five-year extension. Seravalli wonders if the Canucks might consider moving Demko this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks may have tipped their hand by inking Lankinen to that long extension. They could keep the goalie tandem intact for this season to see how things shake out, and peddle Demko at the trade deadline if they can’t re-sign him or if they’re out of playoff contention by then.
DAILY FACEOFF: Seravalli was asked if the idea of New York Islanders center Bo Horvat being available is hot or cold. He considers it “lukewarm”, suggesting they’ll need his experience and skills if they hope to stage a quick turnaround under new GM Mathieu Darche. He also thinks they should be patient to see what he might fetch in a market thin on quality centers this year.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what Darche has in store for the Islanders. A rebuild seems unlikely with core players like Horvat, Mathew Barzal and Ilya Sorokin under expensive long-term contracts, with RFA defenseman Noah Dobson likely to join them.
We can’t rule anything out, and Darche could be tempted if he receives a substantial offer for Horvat. Nevertheless, the betting here is he’ll consider other moves to shake up his roster before asking Horvat about waiving his full no-trade clause.
TVA SPORTS: Nicolas Cloutier observed that Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau has backstopped their AHL affiliate in Laval into the AHL Conference Finals. The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent this summer who’s a year away from UFA eligibility.
Primeau struggled during his tenure with the Canadiens. Despite his strong performance with Laval this season, Cloutier expects he won’t receive a qualifying offer from the Habs, enabling him to become a UFA.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens could also attempt to shop Primeau’s rights or include him in a package deal for a center before July 1.
Van should peddle Demko to CBJ for the Wild’s 1st (20 OA) and Jorden Harris (LD, RD)
Then CBJ should be able to peddle Elvis with some retained salary, in a goalie scarce market.
Harris could be in Van’s bottom pairing for an AAV of $2M or less.
I guess I don’t understand how a team would have to eat part of Marchessault’s 5.5 to trade him… seems like a steal for that player, but he had a down season playing on a team that couldnt put it all together…
but Connor Murphy’s 4.4 makes him a valuable asset, also on team that we’ll, you know
it’s the old adage of, player X scored 22 goals this season and it just wasn’t enough, and player Y score 21 and he had a break out year… sure 22 goals wasn’t enough for Austin Matthews, but c’mon
Starsfan: It’s his age that’s the factor. He turns 35 in December, and with four years left on his contract, few teams will be keen to pick up the full salary of an aging asset whose best seasons are likely behind him. If he were four or five years younger, it would be a different story.
makes sense…i guess I didn’t realize he was that old.
I don’t see the Habs just letting Primeau go. He obviously hasn’t played well at the NHL level but it may be too early to write him off. If he’s not traded I still think they’ll qualify him. At the very least they’ll want a veteran to support Fowler in the AHL.
The Habs probably will qualify him, only so they can get something for him. But keeping him?
Fowler will get the most starts in Laval next year, so what would that mean for Dobes, who won enough starts in a back up roll to helpget the Habs into the playoffs?
Meanwhile we all know how many chances Primeau has had to show he is an NHLer. Last season: 2 wins, 9 losses, .836 save %.
If Primeau’s ELC has expired, doesn’t he have to clear waivers even if he is signed?
If he is really playing great, then somebody would take a shot at him IMO.
Might as well cut him lose and focus on getting a replacement for Laval.
Primeau had a very good year in Laval. 1.96 GAA and .927 S% in 26 games. He could be the 3rd goalie on a lot of teams easily. He is only 25 and is still young enough to overcome his difficulties in NHL play.
Looks like Dallas took a shot at the cup and whiffed. Adding Rantanen put them in a tough salary quandary.Learn a lesson from Boston,Don t string this along praying for a cup by trading all your high draft choices at the deadline.Benn done,Seguin next,time to move on around Heiskanen,Harley,Hintz,Rantanen Johnston,and Ottenger.
I think Dallas will stay a contender for the next 5 seasons easy.
a few tweaks
What’s the point of playing if you aren’t going to go out out to try and win. Even the management?
ds, I think Dallas is going to need some very significant tweaks.
Next season, with the cap at $95.5, they are committed to 8F (Rantanen – $12,000,000; Seguin – $9,850,000; Hintz – $8,450,000; Johnston – $8,400,000; Robertson – $7,750,000; Marchment – $4,500,000; Steel – $2,100,000; Back $825,000), 6D (Heiskanen – $8,450,000; Lindell – $5,250,000; Harley – $4,000,000; Dumba – $3,750,000; Lyubushkin – $3,250,000; Bichsel – $918,333) and 2 G (Oettinger – $8,250,000; and DeSmith – $1,000,000).
That leaves them with just under $5 mil with which to sign 7, including key RFAs Mavrik Bourque, coming off his ELC of $894,167, and RD Nils Lundqvist, coming off an expiring $1,250,000 cap hit. Those two alone will eat up most – if not the remaining cap, and with 5 still to sign.
And we haven’t even mentioned their UFAs: Duchene, Benn, Dadonov, Granlund, Ceci, Smith and Blackwell. Fine to say let them all walk … but they still must replace 5 of them who are at least as effective as they have been – and at what cost and where do they get the cap?
That’s some tweak.
Looking at in in numbers – season – playoffs
Duchene 30 52 82 – 1 5 6
Benn 16 33 49 – 1 2 3
Dadonov 20 20 40 – 1 3 4
Granlund 22 44 66 – 5 5 10
Ceci 4 20 24 – 0 3 3
Smith 1 5 6 – nothing yet
Blackwell 6 11 17 – 1 0 1
That’s 99 goals 175 assists 274 points season
and 9g 11a 20 pts playoffs (to date)
Looking at it in expiring $$$
Benn – $9,500,000
Duchene – $3,000,000
Dadonov – $2,250,000
Granlund – $5,000,000
Ceci – $3,250,000
Smith $775,000
Blackwell $1,000,000
Of course, with the exceptions of Duchene and Granlund (who each had a pretty good season), none of the rest would get anywhere near their expiring cap hits, including Benn – but he did produce 49 pts and you’re not going to get that cheap. And what do they give Duchene and Granlund to keep them? Or, better still, where do they find their lost production … again … cheap?
You wonder when the Sabres are going to finally wake up and get some management that knows what they are doing.
I would take Buffalo right now over Toronto. The sabres have more core pieces in all positions compared to the Leafs. Yes Buffalo has not made the playoffs in 14 years but remember the Leafs had a long stretch of missing the playoffs before they brought there core together.
I guess what I’m saying now is that Buffalo’s core will have more success in the playoffs than the Leafs Core. Let’s compare the next 5 or 7 years and see where Buffalo ends up. My bet is they will win more playoffs rounds than the Leafs.
The Leafs started their rebuild right around the same time as the Sabres and look what they have accomplished in the past few years. While things haven’t totally gone their way, at least they have made playoffs consistently and gave their fans some hope. Then think about how hard it is to miss playoffs for 14 years straight.
So instead of hiring an established team president, the Sabres are going to go for Season number 15 of futility with basically the same crew. At least the Leafs have made some changes and will probably make a few more. That’s what you do when you don’t reach your goals.
Totally amazing
Thanks for your thoughts Jeff. What you are saying is very logical for most NHL teams. But the Sabres are such a hockey Chernobyl, that I just don’t see any measured success in their future. In their case, measured success if making playoffs. I can’t imagine how loud that arena will be if that day ever comes.
Thanks for your thoughts Jeff. What you are saying is very logical for most NHL teams. But the Sabres are such a hockey Chernobyl, that I just don’t see any measured success in their future. In their case, measured success if making playoffs. I can’t imagine how loud that arena will be if that day ever comes.
Dallas maybe trading ran tienen to a team with lots of cap space and to which he has indicated he would prefer to join in order to solve their roster problem. Essentially using him for a Stanley cup run.
Lankinnen is a good goalie but realistically only a 1b. Demko when healthy is a top 10 goalie easily. I would take Demko in a playoff 24/7 over Lankinnen. But there is the health so the question is if the Demko camp do the realistic approach given the last 3 years or want what he is when healthy. If it’s the last option they might overplay their cards.
Please shout it from the rooftops for every last Leafs fan to hear……Morgan Reilly has a full No Movement Contract for the next two seasons!
Every where you turn, their fans are trying to peddle him to another team to either clear cap space or to get a couple of players in return. All GMs have eyes and know that Reilly is not worth $7.5M per season. The Leafs would probably have to eat half the salary.
But, the biggest part is the NMC. If he doesn’t want to go, there is nothing they can do about it. Just like Marner at the deadline, he has the rite to decline any trade brought to him. It changes to a 10 team no trade list in 2 years. Otherwise, a buyout will be $3.75M per year for the next 10 years
I thought Tanev would have been a good partner for him.
NMC doesn’t mean a player cannot be traded it just means he has to approve.
When a player is getting media whipped he might just prefer to get the heck out of town and play happy having his family happy as well.
I can see the guy accepting a trade to Florida, adding mobility to the D for example.
Dobson for Byram?
IDK, Isles have quite a few LD, but Byram is better than most of them. And you are substituting one hard negotiation with another and possibly pushing it into July and “Offer sheet” time. Both could still be contactless in July still!
Might be a good deal for both teams
Bad news for you Sens fans:
It appears that Rasmus Andersson has Ottawa on his no-trade list!
Doesn’t surprise me.
Where did you read that? Also, if I were Sens I’d pretty stand pat with some minor tweaks. No way I trade pinto or cozens for andersen which is what they’d want. Sens have yakchuk coming and Jensen when healthy solid. A young team where almost all are still just going to get better. Why ruin that for andersen
Owen, we heard the same sort of “speculation” with regard to Ullmark, and when he was dealt some of the initial reactions were “well, he must have waived that clause …” In response to that, Ullmark said “Ottawa wasn’t on my no-trade list, so there was nothing to waive.”
Then, of course, the all-knowing pseudo-insiders assured everyone that he would never sign here. $8,250,000 per to 2029 later ….
Owen, as I thought … deafening silence. It probably came from some blog.
Ottawa may well be one of the 6 no-go sites … we’ll never know unless the list is published … and we don’t see that happening too often.
Just out of curiosity Johnny Z, where did you see that confirmed? Can you provide a link?
I ask because I find it strange that it didn’t come up in Pagnotta’s article:
https://www.hockeyunplugged.com/nhl/trades/top-swedish-defenseman-emerges-as-prime-trade-target-for-canadian-team
All mute Anderson will get paid and stay in Calgary
I think the stars keep Granlund as the only one on the list. Dumba bought out ?
Lankinen is well paid insurance
Dallas maybe trading ran tienen to a team with lots of cap space and to which he has indicated he would prefer to join in order to solve their roster problem. Essentially using him for a Stanley cup run.