NHL Rumor Mill – May 6, 2025
What’s the latest on the off-season plans for the Canadiens, Canucks and Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE CANADIENS?
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Herb Zurkowsky and Stu Cowan report Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens executive vice-president of hockey operations, is pleased and proud of his rebuilding club’s performance this season. However, he felt there was still work to be done.
Gorton believes the Canadiens must improve defensively, they need more scoring, and must get bigger and more competitive. “We want to build a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup every year,” he said. “We’re getting there (but) we’re not quite there.”
Gorton acknowledged the club’s need for a second-line center, but suggested adding a creative winger who can drive the play could be another way to bolster their top-six forwards. He didn’t rule out the possibility of using an offer sheet to address a roster need.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes will explore the trade and free-agent markets for a second-line center. However, Gorton’s remark about seeking a winger suggests limited options will be available to address that center position.
Cowan noted that Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs is the type of winger Gorton was referring to. The 28-year-old is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. If Marner goes to market, the Canadiens could find it difficult to win a bidding war that could see him earn over $15 million annually on his next contract.
TSN: Canadiens GM Kent Hughes came to the defense of Patrik Laine. The 27-year-old winger had an up-and-down performance this season, missing the first two months of the season with a knee injury and the final three games of the postseason with a broken finger.
Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).
Speaking in French, Hughes told reporters the Canadiens wouldn’t have made the playoffs without Laine. He scored 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine received recent media criticism regarding his play, culminating in Pat Hickey of The Gazette calling for the winger to be traded or bought out. However, Laine’s return to the lineup in December was among the factors in their midseason turnaround that vaulted them into playoff contention.
Laine has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $8.7 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. They’ll likely hang onto him and try to find a playmaking second-line center or winger that best suits his shoot-first style of play.
TVA SPORTS: Hughes said the Canadiens haven’t announced their intentions regarding their UFA players like Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak and Michael Pezzetta. Management intends to meet soon to discuss their options and will inform those players of their decision.
COULD THE CANUCKS TRADE THEIR FIRST-ROUND PICK?
THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes the Vancouver Canucks should use their first-round pick in this year’s draft (15th overall) as a trade chip to bring in a proven center.
The jury remains out on Elias Pettersson as a reliable first-line center. Meanwhile, health concerns continue to dog midseason acquisition Filip Chytil.
Kuzma suggested targeting someone like Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. Larkin recently expressed his unhappiness with management’s inability to make a significant move at the March trade deadline to improve the club’s playoff chances.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin may be unhappy with the Wings’ direction this season but there’s no indication that he wants to be traded. He also has a full no-trade clause and Kuzma acknowledged it would take something special to pry him out of Motown. A first-round pick would only be one piece of a likely three-asset offer to get him.
Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre also believes the Canucks must shop their 2025 first-rounder for a return that will help them bounce back next season. He agrees that they’ll target a top-six forward.
WHAT ARE THE SENATORS’ OFFSEASON PLANS?
THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie believes the Ottawa Senators will attempt to find a scoring forward this summer.
Toronto’s Mitch Marner could be a free-agent option but he’ll likely be out of the Senators’ price range. Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets seems a realistic target. They could also be linked to Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks.
The Senators also need more blueline depth. One option could be Rasmus Andersson if he and the Calgary Flames don’t agree to a contract extension this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The availability of salary-cap space and tradeable assets will be an issue if the Senators intend to go big-game hunting this summer.
They have a projected $17.5 million in cap room with 14 active roster players (including their core players except Giroux) under contract next season. Landing a top-six scorer will take up a big chunk.
The Senators used to have a deep prospect pool, but it’s now ranked 27th by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. They also don’t have a lot of extra draft picks to use as trade bait.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports sources told him the Senators will likely search for a top-six right wing and a right-shot defenseman.
Senators forward Drake Batherson’s name surfaced at the trade deadline, but the club instead traded Josh Norris to Buffalo for Dylan Cozens. Garrioch writes that several teams wonder if general manager Steve Staios would be willing to listen to offers for Batherson around the draft.
Garrioch believes the Senators would have to tread carefully regarding Batherson because of their scoring difficulties this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators would want an established player in return for Batherson, not picks, prospects or an inexperienced young NHLer. In other words, something like the Cozens-for-Norris deal.
Note, Habs fans, Gorton’s comment that getting bigger is one of the team’s needs. So scratch thoughts of Rossi or any other 5’9″ addition.
To that I would echo Eric Engel’s comment that adding a big player who doesn’t play big is pointless.
But I also want to be clear size alone isn’t the answer. I felt my comments a few days ago were misinterpreted, Speed, skill and smarts are necessary.
Gorton and Hughes were/are being coy. They obviously don’t want to advertise their plans.
Bottom line is the Habs need a #2 center much more than anything else. That would make for a much more effective and productive second line and provide support to the first line. There are certainly options,
I believe that Laine would be much more productive at 5 on 5 with a real top 6 center. Something he didn’t have this year. And I expect that Demidov will man the other wing on the second line. And with Caufield and Slafkovsky on the first line, the top 6 wingers are set. The second line center is the obvious hole in the lineup.
Not sure it’ll pay to bring in a winger for the top 6. Im far from sold on Boeser. He gets banged up a lot and he’s had only one season of over 56 points. That’s a good second line winger who’d be a good pickup making $6m. or so a year. He’s already turned down much more than that from Vancouver so he’s not worth pursuing. Ehlers would be better but the term he’d want may be too long. And I don’t see the Habs winning a bidding war for Marner.
Dach, the Flames 1st and the NJ 3rd for Batherson.
Lyle. Quick response to comments I saw from yesterday. My comment was really about Brooks with some political humor to reference that maybe he should hang it up. I’m actually a registered Dem.
Ray Bark. I’m a Ranger fan. There’s no shortage of media worth reading in off season. Brooks wouldn’t be in that category. Besides, most of his stuff online has a paywall.
Montreal fans. Maybe Gorton could call guy who has his old job in NY. Maybe they can get Panarin to waive his nmc. Not big, but is a scoring winger who drives play.
Slick: on the basis of Panarin’s cap hit of 11.6 million alone, there is no way the Habs can fit him in.
1 year left at that price. I’d assume if Rangers wanted to move him they’d retain/ take back salary.
All good slick, I knew the “political” comment was a joke, which is why my comment was as well. At least how it was intended.
The reason I defend Brooks, and others in the hockey press (don’t like the general “media” term), guys who actually cover their local teams and talk to players, coaches and management media. Almost daily. Is because they are well sourced because of the close relationships with them.
And Lyle, has mentioned on here multiple times that Brooks is well sourced. Lyle would no more than I would, so I accept that he is.
It’s a valuable and difficult job. Throwing out trade scenarios just happens to be part of it these days. Doesn’t deserve to be called a hack or whatever IMO.
Ray Bark. Not sure how connected Brooksie is sometimes. He mostly does opinion pieces now. Don’t believe he’s that connected with Jersey. There’s a bunch of other reporters I like reading. Molly Walker. Vince Mercogliano. Dan Rosen.
Re the thought that Marner would “likely be out of the Senators’ price range”, I think Lyle hit on the actual truth, and that is not that the team wouldn’t – or couldn’t – meet his demands, but that their cap situation would be the road-block.
And given that they wish to bring Giroux back (as I posted yesterday, I bet he gets 2 years at $4.5 per), and do have several RFAs to re-up (they’ve already re-signed Matinpalo at a modest increase of $100,000 -to $875,000 for 2 years – and he’s likely to start the season in Belleville), and 2 UFAs they’ll likely re-sign (Cousins and Gaudette), thei couldn’t even bring in an Ehlers (expiring $6 mil) or a Boeser (expiring $6,650,000) without moving out a big contract of their own.
Nor would trading Batherson be a great idea since RW is where they are weakest (up front), and moving him would only emphasize that exponentially.
some quick thoughts….
First. As a closet NY Islanders fan I can assure you that the system is NOT rigged if the Isles won the first over all pick. Like. The the Isles are the NHL’s ugly little step sister. And somehow they’ll ruin it. Rather than take one of the big three. (schaeffer for me and it’s a no-brainer) They’ll figure out a way to screw it up and trade down for some guy who’s a NY native who played squirts on long island for half a season. Just watch. Off the board bone-headery incoming.
interesting Batherson’s name coming up. Of all the Sens who i thought had a weak play off….really only his name pops up. He also might have to testify so…..there’s that too.
Sens have some important signings to take care of as well.
They got Matinpalo done.
but Giroux, Merileinen, Klevin and Zetterlund need sorting.
then all the extra pieces……Forsberg, Highmore, Gilbert, Hamonic, Gaudette and Cousins.
as for who to target in the offseason….they need to find teams who are or will very shortly be in cap trouble. I think the offersheet option is now more open.
Marco Rossi
Brock Nelson
Gabe Villardi
would be high on my list. Why centers? Because Dylan Couzens should be on the wing.
Former Oilers and Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is the Islanders’ top choice to fill their GM vacancy, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports.
“Trades are hard” Holland (and apparently so is drafting) see Flip Zadina, Joe Veleno, M. Rasmussen, Denny Cholowski, He did hit on Larkin. 5 of the last 1st rounders he had with Detroit and only hit on 1
Gorton says they need to improve defensively, get more scoring, and must get bigger and more competitive and acknowledges the need for a second line center.
I doubt the Wild will let him go but “small Rossi” is described as follows:
a master of winning body positioning… Evasive and deceptive with a defender on his back… Often initiates contact and wins inside positioning four or five times [in a shift]… Leverages his physical skills to impact the game without touching the puck… He lifts sticks and rushes the net… He pins opponents, trapping their feet with his own… he punishes players who venture too close with reverse hits.
He plays a big game, competes, and racks up points like the Habs need in a 2C.
I wonder if NJ doesn’t try to trade the Hughes brothers to the Canucks for a boat load of draft picks & Tom Willander and then use those draft picks to add some size & skill to their roster, I seen a few articles on the fact that Jack hughes can’t stay healthy and couldn’t last a playoff run.
Bill
Wow. Now that would be the surprise of all surprises. And a perfect way for a gm and president to get canned
I might add Batherson is very reasonably priced. Did not look it up but around $4.5 m if I recall
Back to back firsts in his years draft for the Habs could garner some real interest.
Was hoping for the Bruins in the lottery.
Is Lou pulling the trigger or is he done?
I still think it is Schaefer regardless
The Habs would do that trade. Doubt the Sens would. But it doesn’t solve the Habs problem at center
What a joke article regarding the Sens and Batherson
Batherson earns – 4,975.000 per year
Stats
20-21 – 56 games 17 goals 17 assists 34 points
21-22 – 46 games 17 goals 27 assists 44 points
22-23 – 82 games 22 goals 40 assists 62 points
23-24 – 82 games 28 goals 38 assists 66 points
24-25 – 82 games 26 goals 42 assists 68 points
No way in a million years the Sens would get rid a player like this who hits, scores, sets up plays, forchecks and earsn a measily 4.9 Mill
Who writes these insane rumours, like seriously