Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 15, 2025
A look at several offer-sheet candidates and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup
DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently listed five restricted free agents who could receive offer sheets this summer.
Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs tops Seravalli’s list. He projected that the 23-year-old power forward could receive a five-year offer worth an average annual value of $11.7 million. That AAV would be at the high end of the second-highest compensation level ($9,360 million to $11,700,192), requiring four draft picks (two firsts, a second, and a third) as compensation for a successful signing.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli listed 15 teams that would meet the compensation pick requirement. Three of them (Edmonton, New Jersey and Vegas) can’t afford that contract. Montreal (with Carey Price on LTIR), Nashville, Philadelphia and Seattle have the cap room, but it would leave them little space to fill out the rest of the rosters.
Seravalli acknowledged that Knies stated last month that he prefers playing for Toronto, shooting down the notion of an offer sheet. His proposal of $11.7 million to Knies is based on a scenario where a club makes an offer too expensive for the Leafs to match. However, it’s doubtful a rival club is going to go that high.
The expectation among observers is that teams will target promising talent, like the St. Louis Blues did last summer when they signed Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the Edmonton Oilers.
Buffalo Sabres winger JJ Peterka, New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle, St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer, and Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque were also on Seravalli’s list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those four are the type of promising players most likely to become offer-sheet candidates.
Seravalli projected a two-year offer for Peterka with an AAV of $9,360,152, requiring compensation of a first, a second, and a third-round pick. The Sabres have the cap space to match, but the threat of that offer sheet is why Peterka is among Seravalli’s list of summer trade candidates.
This list was published before the Rangers shipped Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks, freeing up $6.5 million in cap space. Seravalli projected Cuylle getting a five-year offer sheet with an AAV of $7,020,113, requiring a first and second-round pick as compensation. However, the Rangers could easily afford to match that now.
Seravalli projected a two-year offer sheet with an AAV of $4,680,076 for Hofer, requiring a second-rounder in compensation. Bourque is projected to get a two-year deal at $2,340,037, requiring a third-rounder as compensation. Given the cap constraints of the Blues and Stars, those two have a good possibility of happening if Hofer and Bourque are willing to entertain offer sheets.
SPORTSNET: Cuylle, Hofer and Bourque also featured on Ryan Dixon’s list of offer-sheet candidates.
His list includes Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov, Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn, and Utah Mammoth forward Jack McBain.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hague will likely be traded before becoming eligible for an offer sheet, but they could re-sign him if Alex Pietrangelo ends up on long-term injury reserve. There’s recent speculation suggesting he could start next season on LTIR, with some saying his playing days could be over.
The Blue Jackets have over $40 million in cap space for 2025-26. It’s unlikely any club will target Voronkov since it’ll be easily matched. No one’s going to overpay to get him.
Dixon suggested Quinn and McBain could be targeted later in the offseason if the Sabres and Mammoth use up their cap space re-signing other players and adding to their rosters. That’s a possibility worth watching, but it’ll also depend on the players’ willingness to sign an offer sheet.
Over $4,680,076 to $7,020,113 = First- and third-round picks
For the proposed for someone to offer sheet the Rangers Cuyle at $7,020,113
I’ll say one thing for Seravalli, he can take spitballing to a whole new level of absurdity.
Agreed George. Knies looks like he’ll certainly be a solid player in the NHL but at this point, nobody’s giving him anywhere near $11m. a year.
Are you not entertained?
Nope. There has to be a thread of credibility to catch interest.
I’m way more “entertained” by the seldom accurate information I get on the Comedy Net … err Weather Channel
Here here
Also. Happy Father’s Day gents to whom it applies.
Seravelli may have some names right, but I really doubt many of those guys will get serious offers. More likely the unhappy ones get traded than other teams offer up the kind of money he suggests.
With the cap jumping over the next 3 seasons, I wager that we see a lot of 1 or 2 year extensions rather than 7 or 8 year deals.
That includes the top tier of UFAs too.
Over the past year, I have found Frank’s speculation to be much more sensational than in past years. I suspect, like many podcasters, he is trying to boost views.
….like. Dude. Is it that slow up at the lake? Nothing makes news like Leaf-News. This “take” will surely give O-Dog and Noodles something to muse over for 45 minutes while they do a radio show that is being recorded live for people who want to watch them…talk….on the radio. (smh…how did we get here?)
Meanwhile. Lassi Thompson. I like the signing. I was always on Lassi’s side when he got DJ Smith’d in Ottawa. People kept pointing out he just never adapted to the NHL game. Never adapted? He got brutal minutes, with brutal partners when the team were a bunch of losers. He was a badly managed prospect. We’ll see if round 2 goes any better.
Yup. These numbers are insane. I see more trades than offer sheets. Perception. Lafreniere 45 points. He had a horrible year.
Cuylle. 45 points. Will get a 7m offer sheet? Sorry. I think Rangers sign him for less than that. Only way he gets close to 7m is on a 8 year deal.
Also. Laf 1 year older than Knies. Had 28 goals and 57 points previous year. Signed for 7.4m per. Does Knies 1 point better actually get 11m offer? Doubtful. Would Toronto match an 8m offer? Could someone like Chicago go higher?
Slick62, in addition to Chicago you also have San Jose, Columbus, and Anaheim each with an even bigger boatload of cap reserve, along with Carolina and Calgary with about the same amount of cap space as Chicago – each of whom COULD go higher on an offer sheet.
However, aside from perhaps Carolina, the others are also in various stages of a re-build and have key RFAs to re-up and other spots to fill from vacating UFAs. So I doubt any would be prepared to relinquish so many top picks in this case.
If not matched, anything from $7,020,113 to $9,360,153 would result in a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd round pick. From $9,360,153 to $11,700,192 2 1sts a 2nd and a 3rd and over the latter 4 1st round picks.
Any offer sheet at those levels and their compensation would have Treleving thinking long and hard before matching.
It may also be, too, that some of the teams mentioned don’t have their own qualifying picks.
Looking at some of the teams that could be interested. Utah would be a fit. A lot of young talent. They have over 20m in cap space, but unlike a lot of teams, they have a 21 man roster and no expensive contracts to fill.McBain an rfa but I don’t see him getting big bucks. Knies college teammate Logan Cooley there and is rfa next year. He’s originally from Phoenix. Could be willing to sign offer.
Would add that Utah has their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks next year. Along with 2 extra 2nds and an extra 3rd. Prime position to offer sheets someone.
Sounds very plausible
Can anyone see Bennett salivating to play with NYLANDER ?