NHL Rumor Mill – May 5, 2025
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: a pundit pitches a trade proposal that would send Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Devils, and the latest on the Penguins.
A PUNDIT’S PROPOSAL TO SEND QUINN HUGHES TO THE DEVILS
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes it’s only a matter of time until Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes joins brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils. He thinks it’s in the best interest of both teams to get a deal done sooner rather than later.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).
Quinn has two years remaining on his contract and has made it clear he wants to reunite with his brothers. Brooks doesn’t see New Jersey shipping Jack and Luke to Vancouver. He felt the Canucks could get a considerable bounty for Quinn from the Devils.
Brooks proposed Quinn going to the Devils “for Vancouver’s choice of Simon Nemec or Seamus Casey; Vancouver’s choice of prospect defenseman Anton Silayev or forward prospect Arseni Gritsyuk; a first-round pick; and forward Dawson Mercer.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks’ proposal is not something that is being discussed by the Canucks and Devils. No reports indicate the two teams are talking about trading Quinn Hughes.
This came up because Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford mentioned Quinn had talked about one day playing with his brothers. However, Rutherford also said that his club would do everything it could to keep the Norris Trophy winner in Vancouver.
That could change by next summer if Quinn proves reluctant to sign a contract extension with the Canucks. If so, what Brooks is proposing could be close to the asking price they would seek from the Devils to stage a Hughes Brothers reunion in New Jersey.
THE LATEST ON THE PENGUINS
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently reported that Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas intends to take his time in conducting a thorough search for a new head coach. That will begin after he returns from Stockholm, where he’s the GM for Team Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championships.
Former Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet could be a candidate. He’s a former assistant coach with the Penguins. Yohe believes there’s a real chance Tocchet ends up with the Philadelphia Flyers, but he could seriously consider an offer from the Penguins.
Team sources told Yohe that the club has an interest in former St. Louis Blues coach Drew Bannister. He lasted less than a year with the Blues but Dubas likes him.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski suggests Isaac Howard should be a trade target for the Penguins. The 21-year-old left winger is a prospect of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the winner of the 2025 Hobey Baker Award.
On Friday, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois admitted his club is unlikely to sign Howard, who can become an unrestricted free agent next August. Kingerski believes the young, dynamic winger is everything the Penguins are seeking. Dubas acquired Rutger McGroarty when he was in the same situation with the Winnipeg Jets last summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Lightning shop Howard, the Penguins will likely be among the suitors. Dubas parted with promising Brayden Yager for McGroarty. However, the asking price for the top US college player could be higher.
Pundit? Is that the new term for self-promoting blowhard?
Brooks is a hack. And that is just click bait. I do not see the Devs giving up that haul when they know they can get him for free in 2 years. Now getting him 2 years earlier would be great, that is not the haul the Devs give. If that is correct, Canucks should trade him at the deadline with some one else for a better haul and Devs can use those assets lizted above to fill their many other holes.
Certainly agree that he’s a hack and it’s clickbait. But I’d say the whole PLD to the Habs when he becomes a UFA episode showed that a team can’t count on waiting around for two years for a player to become a UFA,
Brook’s proposal does not seem realistic unless there is more salary in the return to Van.
The YVR-NJ rumor mill will be buzzing this summer. The best deal would be the one made with plenty of time left on him Vancouver deal.
Once Crosby is gone Pittsburgh is going to be one of the least desirable places to play. They are basically starting as an expansion team at best.
Without Lemieux and Crosby not sure this team would still be in Pittsburgh. These fans not will support a rebuild.
Well, that’s on them to be honest. 3 cups and a final in the last 17 years is not too bad. You eventually will have to rebuild. It comes with having elite players who last a long time. You end up having to respect them and what they put in, and give them a paycheck that you probably wouldn’t if it were just a random player of the same calibre. Chicago had Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Keith, and Sharp. Now they have a pretty good pool; they need a GM to take action, and Pittsburgh will have to do the same.
I’d bet my house that they’ll win the draft lottery next season so they can draft Gavin McKenna
Least desirable? Ever been to Philadelphia, Jeff?
😂😂
Bob I have thought the exact same thing have already bet it .
Been there beautiful city. My point is Pittsburg does not have the best track record supporting losing teams.
Pittsburg is in Kansas. You ever live in Pittsburgh (the one with the professional hockey team)? The fans won’t support ownership that is only in it for profit. It’s not the losing, but the lack of caring about losing that causes the fans to stop supporting teams there. So, from a Pittsburgh native, your assessment is, well, wrong.
Jeff.They will support a losing team as long as management and ownership are showing they are trying…unlike the Pirates.
Vancouver a mess. Traded JT for a kid whose career is hanging by a thread. Going to lose Boeser. Petterson a head case. Hughes shouldn’t be an issue unless he starts asking for a trade. Long way to go before we need to start talking trade packages. Only reason Brooks not talking about uniting Brady with Matt Tkachuk in Fl is he wants him in NY. Brooks gets any more senile he’ll end up Dem nominee in 2028 election.
Brooks is just spit balling because the kid said he want to play with his bros.
What would you prefer to write about? A factual statistical analysis about how many 2 on 1’s go on passes vs shots? How about he can write an article about how the lottery works again? Or will they resign this RFA or that one. The Rags and Devils are out, give the people something to read and talk about. If you don’t like it……
Relax people.
We have no idea how serious he is about playing with his brothers, but he DID ACTUALLY SAY IT to the guy who runs the Canucks. So it isn’t nothing.
So since you brought it up Slick62, I will discuss it too. If the NJD actually offered Silayev, Nemec, Mercer and a 1st for Hughes, Rutherford should take it and run before they changed their mind.
Vancouver just lost Miller (their best forward), their tender is damaged goods health wise and their coach left. While Boesser isn’t worth close to his reported contract ask, he scores goals. He probably leaves too because he isn’t worth the ask. So that’s a problem whether he stays or leaves.
All of that is too say, they ain’t winning sh*t next year, and then Hughes is a year away from leaving as a UFA.
I would do it in a heartbeat if I was VCR, waiting makes no sense to me. But again, those talks aren’t happening. And if they did, NJ would be wise to wait them out not sell the farm.
Why wouldn’t a US political part nominate another old guy in his late 70’s? You folks have elected 2 in a row? Again, I didn’t bring it up, you did.
Not supposed to be political here so keep your comments to yourself.
Just a reminder to keep the politics off this board. Otherwise, fire away at all things hockey.
and the current moron isn’t senile, just stupid?
Reading the tea leaves here and you have to think Quinn is gone at the draft. That wasn’t an accident that Rutherford brough it up, why else would he start this chaos. He is prepping the fan base for it. It is inevitable, and they should do it now while he still has 2 years left on his deal. He also surprisingly doesn’t have a NTC- so a contender can trade for him and have him for a couple years before dealing with the ufa issue. They would get an absolute haul because they aren’t forced to deal him to New Jersey alone, if they get ahead of it now.
Crazy that this team lost Miller, Boeser and now Hughes but they kept Petterson…. wow thats a choice..
Sam, I’m not 100% on this, but I don’t think a player can even get a NMC until he is UFA eligible.
Maybe Lyle can confirm, I only say it because I can’t think of an instance where a player got one for a season he wasn’t UFA eligible. It would also make sense because if you are giving up a UFA year as a player, you would want some control over where you go.
Hughes isn’t UFA eligible until next season, and it’s only 1 year until he is.
Pasted:
A player becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) if their current contract ends after either 7 Accrued Seasons or they are 27 or older as of June 30. An Accrued Season is defined as a year in which a skater is on an NHL roster for at least 40 games (30 games for Goalies).
I know that Marner has a full ntc for the last two years of his second contract and Matthews had one year NTC at the tail end of his 2nd deal. Hughes was eligible for at least the last year of his current deal. I’m not sure either . Brady Tkachuk and Dahlin (both same draft class) also have them at tail ends. So even he had only 1 year of UFA eligibility at the end I am surprised he didnt get it for that year.
Either way him not having one is a good thing for the Canucks.. he is good as gone
Again- I just put a lot of stock in the fact Rutherford even mentioned it- why would you put your fan base in a panic unless you are trying to get out n front of it. This is not good PR
Well Sam, Rutherford was in the room with him when he said it, or assume he was. And yes, why say it.
I suppose you can wait and see if he will sign an extension next July, but if you think he was serious, why do that?
I just don’t the return mentioned is realistic from NJ. Why do that if you think he wants to go there anyway in a couple years.
I agree, the haul will be better with 2 years, especially another team vs NJ.
The Byram trade out of Buffalo rumors will begin pretty soon as well. Sabres need a steady right hand defenseman to play with Power. A guy who can help Power grow further and Bowen may be their best trading chip currently in the roster.
Rob Blake out in LA, no surprise.
Howard his PLD deal did him in.