NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025
Connor McDavid talks about his future with the Oilers, the Stars re-sign Matt Duchene and trade Mason Marchment to the Kraken, the Senators re-sign Fabian Zetterlund, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
MCDAVID DISCUSSES HIS FUTURE IN EDMONTON
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski reports Oilers captain Connor McDavid left just a little doubt over whether he’ll remain in Edmonton after next season. The 28-year-old superstar center has a year left on his contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.
McDavid talked about the hard work the organization has done to build toward being a Stanley Cup contender. He indicated that he would take some time to regroup, talk to his agent and family, adding there was no rush to sign a contract extension on July 1.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
However, McDavid made a remark that left just enough room for doubt.
“With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. That’s how you have to take care of, first. But of course there is unfinished business here.”
McDavid was asked what would influence his decision.
“Winning would be at the top of the list, it’s the most important thing. If I feel there is a good window to win here, then signing is no problem.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton pundits, including Tychowski and Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, believe the odds favor the Oilers re-signing McDavid. They felt his comments were meant as a direct message to management that he’ll be closely watching their roster decisions over the next two weeks.
Nevertheless, a few observers around the league speculated about the possibility of McDavid becoming available in the trade market or via free agency next summer.
If McDavid becomes a trade candidate, several factors will determine potential destinations.
An interested team needs sufficient trade capital on its roster, which could include its most promising young player and a top-six veteran forward. They must be prepared to part with at least one first-round pick and at least one top prospect. Finally, and most importantly, they need sufficient cap space to sign McDavid to a long-term extension and still be able to ice a contending roster.
It would be cheaper to wait for free agency, but it could still cost up to 20 percent of a team’s cap payroll for 2026-27 to sign McDavid. If the cap reached $104 million as projected, the maximum contract is $20.8 million.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports McDavid and Leon Draisaitl voiced their full support of Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old defenseman faced criticism from Oilers followers regarding his defensive play, but McDavid and Draisaitl defended Bouchard’s play and consider him to be an important part of their roster.
Bouchard is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He said he loves playing for the Oilers and believes they’re close to becoming a champion. Matheson speculates Bouchard could get an average annual value in the $10 million range on his next contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s critics will be apoplectic if the Oilers re-sign him for that much. However, the puck-moving defenseman’s contract situation is likely one of the factors that McDavid will be watching. Re-signing Bouchard could help to ensure that the Oilers captain remains in Edmonton beyond next season.
McDavid revealed that teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins suffered a broken hand in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final but still played the rest of the series.
TSN: Corey Perry said he’d love to return with the Oilers next season. The 40-year-old winger played a key role in their march to the Stanley Cup Final this season. He’s coming off a one-year, $1.4 million contract.
STARS RE-SIGN DUCHENE, TRADE MARCHMENT TO THE KRAKEN
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed Matt Duchene to a four-year, $18-million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. He also has a full no-movement clause for the first two years of the deal.
The Stars traded forward Mason Marchment to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A cost-cutting trade was inevitable after signing Duchene. Shipping Marchment to Seattle freed up $4.5 million, giving the Stars just under $5 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 16 active roster players under contract.
Duchene, 34, had a solid regular-season performance in 2024-25 with 30 goals and 82 points, but he managed only six points in 18 playoff games. The cap hit is reasonable, but given his age, this deal seems about a year too long.
The Seattle Times’ Kate Shefte believes the Kraken got Marchment at a bargain. The 30-year-old winger is a big, physical, energetic forward with a decent scoring touch, coming off back-to-back 22-goal seasons.
Kraken GM Jason Botterill cited Marchment’s combination of size, skill, and netfront presence. He should be a welcome addition to the Kraken, but he’s also UFA-eligible next summer. Botterill could attempt to re-sign the big winger this summer or wait to see how this season pans out.
TSN: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year, $12.825-million contract extension with an AAV of $4.275 million. He was slated to become an RFA on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks before the March trade deadline. He had a career-best 24 goals and 44 points with the Sharks in 2023-24, and finished with 19 goals and 40 points in 2024-25. The 25-year-old is slated to play at right wing on the Senators’ second line.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals have granted defenseman Ethan Bear permission to speak with other teams. He appeared in 24 games with the Capitals this season and will become a UFA on July 1.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers are reportedly adding Todd Reirden to their coaching staff. He was an associate coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24.
Perry is shooting for Gordies age record……..and just 1 more cup…….at least.
Shoreorrpark,his track record in Stanley Cup Finals isn t very good.
In a seasonal “report card” on Edmonton’s roster, Kurt Leavins said this about Bouchard (stats are playoff production):
“Evan Bouchard. A-. 7-16-23 in 22 GP (576 minutes TOI). Seventy shots. You may not be sold on his defense. And there were those moments. But he also led the team with eighteen takeaways. And there simply has not been a more productive defenseman in the playoffs the last three years than Bouchard. XGF 22.39 (second).
Re the Dallas trade of Marchment … as I posted recently, there has to be some movement of term players if they want to flesh out a competitive roster. This is just the first of at least two more such trades because what Marchment freed up in terms of cap space simply isn’t enough to sign 7 more players.
Re McDavid and his ultimate decisions … and the growing certainty among some that what he REALLY wants is to play for the Leafs … I remind you that, in his time alone in Edmonton, they have been infinitely closer to the cup than the Leafs have been in 58 years.
The point I’m trying to make with that last paragraph above is that McDavid has to realize that his mere presence on a team is no guarantee that that team will ultimately win the cup.
He was also dominant in his Major Junior stint but was never on a Memorial Cup winner either. The closest he came there – while with the Erie Otters of the OHL – were the 2015 league finals when the Oshawa Generals completely neutralized him before going on to win the championship.
George, as a Sens fan, how concerned are you that Brady could want out of Ottawa if team takes a step backwards?
Not at all concerned, Slick62.
If he’s that narrow-minded, don’t let the door his your ass on the way out.
But I just don’t think he’s that type and realizes that, in a 32-team league, the vast majority can go for years and years without taking home the big prize, and that trying to pick out one team where your presence alone is a guarantee of ultimate continuing success is nothing short of a Fool’s Errand.
…. complete with a liberal dose of hubris.
Mason Marchment…would’ve made a great fit for the Bruins at a nice price per … Hey Sweeney wake-up .. get the feeling no matter what he does he’s always late .. 25 4th & a 26 3rd ..
That could be said of 30 other GM`s
Mason Marchment…would’ve made a great fit for the Bruins at a nice price per … Hey Sweeney wake-up .. get the feeling no matter what he does he’s always late .. 25 4th & a 26 3rd ..
Oilers are one of my 2 most disliked teams. I am not a fan of McDavid. I appreciate how good he is. Just not a fan. It always gets me when the superstars need to maximize their salary but still want the team to have really good players around them. Even $9M a year for 8 years is just stupid money. Being a “superstar” means tons of commercial opportunities. Do a few jock-itch commercials and leave room for another winger that can play.
I’ve never been a Pittsburgh or Crosby fan, but he always did his contracts right. He got paid well, but could easily have demanded more. He never maxed out his contracts and always left some $ on the table so that the roster could be filled out.
If McDavid also wants $14M+ like Leon, and if Bouchard gets $9-$10M, this team will be hard pressed to add any help to the wing or goaltending, and they’ll be in the same boat again next year without the depth needed to compete against teams like Florida.
Bouchard and Nurse are defensive liabilities.
Both need to be traded, NMC’s and all.
Obviously someone did not watch Nurse and Bouchard when they were paired with each other.
20 million for both of them. Flat NO.
Alan, that is, IMO, flat out wrong. Nurse is over paid but is not a defensive liability. Folks don’t like his cap hit, fair enough, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t a good player. He had a rotating cast of partners in the playoffs; Bouchard (not for long), Klingberg, Stetcher and Kulak (the most minutes) playing his off side and still had a productive & solid playoffs.
Every D-man that played with Bouchard had better metrics (SCF vs SCA, high danger as well) than playing with anyone else. Nurse was better with Bouchard than Ekholm was. It was Ekholm that struggled the most against Florida, which was surprising. But, he also came back in the last game against Dallas after missing considerable time.
They might try to move Nurse, or Ekholm, or Walman, or Kulak as they are all LD’s and are all good players. They need a RD to play in their top 4 that can defend with some size/length, and move the puck. Way easier said than done.
You need production from the back end, every team that advanced to conference finals had that and were the top 4 in that category in the playoffs. The 2 best made it to the SCF. Again. And they need to defend. So ya, both, hence they played for a cup.
Bouchard, Nurse and Kulak played the most minutes on a team that went to the Stanley Cup finals, again. To suggest they suck defensively is demonstrably false.
And they could use a tender, Skinner makes back up money any way. At least a 1B is needed.
The Oil will have some holes again, but might be able to improve.
Ray, I would love to see McDavid win a Cup, and in Edmonton. You and I had an exchange yesterday regarding the wisdom of signing Bouchard while keeping Nurse. I would like to agree with your view that they can both be kept and that the Oil can improve their depth, but I just don’t see it.
Moving Arvidsson and another role player isn’t going to help much if Bouchard eats a significant amount of the 12 million in cap space the Oil have this year, with McDavid up for renewal next year. Indeed, moving any of the 11 currently signed forwards means someone cheaper and thus less effective is brought in and that makes things worse.
LJ, here is what I think they will try and do, or at least what I would try and do as a total guess example.
Move:
Kane – $5.125M (minimal if any return) pure dump.
Arvidsson – $4M (guessing 4th rd pick) Dump.
Walman – $3.4M – 1st rd pick.
If successful $24M in space.
Bouchard – $9M of that is gone.
$15M left:
Tender – for Vladar $2.5M. Or Allen $3.5M
RD – Ceci $3.5 or Perbix ($2.5).
$9M ish left for wingers.
Keep Perry, Brown, Kapanen – $5M total.
Add an Olofsson, Nyquist or Dadonov for scoring and other $4M. Or just keep Arvidsson if they prefer.
Bring up Savoie if he keeps producing and improving in AHL to add some scoring punch in case of injury or at end of year.
IMO the RD and tender make them better. The RD is the hardest part. Might have to use the 1st in a trade along with something else for a better RD.
I guess what I’m saying is there is a way to do it as the Oil can attract UFA’s, and keep existing pending UFA’s, because they are a really good team.
I haven’t watched Bouchard enough but….his age and what he brings. He seems like a Sanderson to me. And you can teach defense. You can’t teach offense. Get him a steady safety net partner. Get him a season with Jacques Martin – have him commit to the defensive side of his game. And sign him.
I’m gonna 8787 this post
Dubas. All that draft capital and you couldn’t beat that offer for Marchment? Rare time im legit disappointed in you.
You took the friggin’ 8787 words right outa my mouth
Bang on Chrisms
3rd and 4th for 6’5” , 215 lb forward that was an 82 game pace for 29 goals this year; cap only $4.5 M
Steal Steal Steal!!
By guess who…. You remember a guy named Jason Botteril? Yep
Better still , at TDL next year Marchment would only be owed $650 K; retaining 50% and sending a 4th to a third team ($162 K); definitely nets them a 2nd
You get a big productive forward with full seasin 30 goal potential for 60 games AND convert a 3rd and two 4ths into a 2nd!
OR you re-sign him!
Dubas has 8 (eight) 3rd round picks over next 3 years
Two of those 3rds is better than a 3rd and a 4th!!!!!
Dubas; add an “m” and another “s”
Mason Marchment – Leafs were not interested in
I thought he would be part of the DNA change that Treliving is going on about
Affordable pickup , unless his salary demands were high?
Rumours galore out there
Read or heard an interesting Oiler idea yesterday. Think it was just podcast spit balling ideas but it was intriguing.
What if the Oilers target Joel Hofer with an offer sheet with a max of 4.5 and change for a 2nd pick.
Hofer/Skinner duo is an upgrade.
The money can work with a couple of good moves and the infusion of a prospect or two on the roster.
Hofer looked to the heir to Binnington but Jordan had a bit of a resurgence.
And it puts pressure on the Blues which is an added bonus after last summer.
Luv that idea 1Oilerfan. Do they have their own picks to do it though? They don have their own 1, 2, or 3rd RD picks this draft?
Or would it be next years draft?
Ray Bark – if I understand it correctly.. it would be the 2026 draft so yeah, I think their 1st belongs to SJ but the own the others…still.
2026 being a deep draft may work in their favor to pull it off as well.
It’s worth a shot
Oilers are a good team but did not lose due to poor goaltending.
A better goalie might stop a few more goals but they still had to get past the smothering forechecks and grit of Panthers just to try and pot ones behind Bobrovsky
Other changes afoot
But goal move likely
I suspect that a certain Oiler’s GM will be closely watching the tube on July 24th; and will make an offer on July 25th for a “free” (asset-wise) local goalie if acquittals are handed down.
I disagree. Playing in front of goalies lacking consistency in their game can make players tentative to a fault. Lord knows I’ve witnessed it enough here in Ottawa in recent seasons.
Florida can come at you in 4 line waves because they know their goalie is not about to let in too many “soft” goals. And if he odd one is given up, they double-down to bail him out.
Consciously or sub-consciously it’s called “trust.”
Trade Bouchard for Dobson + Duclair + A Good Prospect, (not the Islanders top 3)
Why would the Oilers take Duclair in that deal? Dobson and a prospect, OK, I can see that, but Duclair is baggage they don’t need.
Why would the Islanders do that?
Because Dobson seems to be someone that will be even more difficult to sign than Boosh.
Nonsense. The Dobson camp seems to be waiting for Bouchard to set the market. Anyway, it’s a moot point. It’s unlikely the Oilers trade Bouchard.
I don’t think Bouchard has stated publicly that he wanted $11M x 8. I have heard a touch over $10M AAV. Bouchard has better stat than Dobson, not all of that can be attributed to better teammates, but is a very big factor. Dobson’s ask seems way out of line. I think his camp is playing hard sell to get a trade to someone that could and would pay him more! Like Utah.
Johnny: Dobson hasn’t publicly said anything about what he’s seeking. That’s Frank Seravalli making that claim. Bouchard is the guy who will set the market, and the Dobson camp will following accordingly.
Oh……….😣…..and Frank Seravalli cannot possibly be a mind reader, unlike Freidman 😉
Maybe the solution is sending Dobson to Utah for #4 OA and Kesselring, then the Isles can draft Hagens!
In regards to all of you that thought Marchment would have been a great addition to your team. I’ve never been a big fan. He has his moments, no question. but what you don’t see is his stupid penalties, at the wrong time. Plus, I can’t think of any player that dives more than he does. Even if he gets slightly pushed, he dives, then looks at the ref for a good 5 seconds and takes himself out of the play.
Like, I said, he had his moments, but if the Stars were going to get rid of him or Robertson, I’m glad it wasn’t Robertson….although I guess that could still happen to save money
Starsfan, following that trade and the Duchene re-signing, Nill now has $4,955,084 in cap reserve but still with 7 roster spots to fill. That … and considerably more …. will be needed just to re-up RFAs Bourque and Lundqvist and once they’re signed he’ll still need to fill 5 spots and will find himself over the cap.
And while there may be no intention of bringing back any of UFAs Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund, Colin Blackwell, Evgeni Dadonov, Brendan Smith and Cody Ceci, the loss of their combined production of 69g 133a 202pts will have to have a profound detrimental effect on the team’s performance if it can’t be replaced.
I know I’ve been harping on this for a while now but to me anyway, how Dallas gets itself out of this cap mess is going to be THE most interesting watch this summer.
Those committed to for next season are forwards Rantanen ($12,000,000), Seguin ($9,850,000), Hintz ($8,450,000), Johnston ($8,400,000), Robertson ($7,750,000), Duchene ($4,500,000), Steel ($2,100,000), Back ($825,000) defensemen 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 goalies Oettinger ($8,250,000) and DeSmith ($1,000,000).
Even dealing only someone like Robertson would free up around $7 mil with which to sign 5 (after Bourque and Lundqvist are settled), and 5 ate an average of $1.4 mil per isn’t going to replace that lost production.
As a prime Dallas fan, how do you see all this unfolding?
Jim Nill didn’t win GM two years in a row for nothing. What most likely will happen is that Dumba and Lybushkin will get traded or bought out. Benn will sign for minimum, Bourque will get bridged, and they depth in the AHL for 4th line.
Sounds like a plan … and getting someone to take Dumba at $3,750,000 for one season as a pure salary dump shouldn’t be an obstacle.
Nill just got RD Nils Lundqvist for one more year at the same cap hit
heh, darksidecowboy, I’m beginning to understand what you mean about Nill. The guy’s a wizard. Now he got Bourque to put off his RFA stuff until next season by agreeing to 1 year at $950,000.
I understand all the points Bouchard puts up but how much of that is related to playing on the power play with 97 & 29? I think they could easily replace his point production and not miss him, another $10mill contract will ensure this team is stuck where they are,
I wouldn’t be shocked if McDavid decided not to sign and move on, the Oilers are going to need an overhaul and could be 3-4 years away from making it back to the final,
It looks like 97 and 28 are hell-bent on influencing Bowman to sign Boosh-bomb to a long and lucrative contract. And McDavid’s contract on top of that would put the Oil in a cap hell worse than what Dallas is facing now!
To answer your question regarding PP Points for Bouchard:
Playoffs 23 pts. 6 were on the PP.
Reg Season – 67 pts. 26 on the PP.
For comparison Calder winning Hutson’s split was almost identical. All the high scoring D get a bunch of pts on the PP.
Being good on the PP is a good thing, no?
And if he goes to a contending team, his arrival there with his new cap hit will automatically make them “top heavy.”
He sure as Hell isn’t going to sign with a re-building team.
What guarantee is there that a new location will result in a different ending?
I think he’s smart enough to recognize that. Nor is he a quitter.