Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 8, 2025
In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest Bruins’ speculation, updates on Jason Robertson and Nikolaj Ehlers, and some potential free agent targets for the Rangers.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BRUINS AFTER HIRING A NEW HEAD COACH?
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney got the coach he wanted when he hired Marco Sturm last week as his new bench boss. Now, Sweeney must find suitable players to plug holes in his roster and fit within Sturm’s system.
Shinzawa doesn’t see Sweeney pursuing an expensive free agent like Mitch Marner. Instead, he expects the Bruins GM to fill those holes with second and third-line reinforcements.
NESN: Jay Pritchard believes Marco Rossi could make sense as a Bruins trade target. The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights this summer. His future with the Wild is murky amid a contract stalemate.
Pritchard believes Rossi isn’t yet a top-line center, but he’s coming off a 60-point season and would bring youth, skill and upside to the Bruins’ roster.
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pritchard noted that Rossi is seeking a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million. The Bruins have over $26 million in cap space and could afford that salary, but it would take up a significant chunk of their cap payroll when they have 14 active roster players under contract. Rossi’s asking price could be too expensive for Sweeney if he’s seeking the type of replacements mentioned by Shinzawa.
THE STARS AREN’T SHOPPING JASON ROBERTSON
TSN: cited a report by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, citing league executives claiming the Dallas Stars haven’t shown any interest in trading Jason Robertson. He added that there haven’t been any trade talks involving the 25-year-old winger.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars headed into the offseason with less than $5 million in cap space, needing to re-sign or replace pending UFAs like Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund. Some pundits suggested Robertson as a cost-cutting trade candidate.
The Stars may have other salary-reducing options in mind. They could peddle or buy out a defenseman like Matt Dumba ($3.75 million cap hit for 2025-26) or Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25 million AAV through 2026-27).
THE LATEST ON NIKOLAJ EHLERS
THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman and Murat Ates expect Nikolaj Ehlers will get a nice raise in the offseason with the Winnipeg Jets or another club via free agency. They cite Evolving Hockey projecting a seven-year deal worth $8.9 million annually on the open market, while their colleague Dom Luszczyszyn projected an AAV of $8.1 million.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Los Angeles Kings are among 11 clubs they believe could target Ehlers if he goes to market on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of those clubs, the Hurricanes are in the best salary-cap position to sign Ehlers. They have over $28 million in cap space, and GM Eric Tulsky said in March he’d have around $20 million in cap space if he re-signed all his free agents.
The Jets can also afford to pay Ehlers a big raise, sitting with over $26 million in cap room. Whether they want to or intend to sign a replacement remains to be seen. The Leafs ($25.7 million) and Kings ($21.7 million) also have sufficient room.
UPDATE ON THE RANGERS
NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker recently looked at six pending UFAs who could be on the Rangers’ offseason radar.
Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund topped her list, followed by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brian Dumoulin, Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato, Colorado Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin, Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic, and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov would be the best of the bunch. The 29-year-old left-shot defenseman was the Kings’ best blueliner last season. He’s completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $5.875 million.
Unsurprisingly, the Kings hope to retain him, and he wants to stay in Los Angeles. The Rangers would have to free up cap space for the $7 million AAV he’d seek on the open market.
Sweeney got the coach he wanted because he probably came cheap as he has no NHL coaching experience. I have no animosity to Marco Sturm, but I bet he was willing to retain assistant coaches who have contracts for next year.High priced coaches were not looking at Boston because of low salaries and knowing this might be the GM s last job as he is on a 2 year contract.
The strange thing here is that everybody whines because teams just recycle coaches. When a team gives a new guy a chance then it`s because they`re cheap. Of course a new guy like Sturm isn`t going to command big bucks or demand whose on his staff off the get go. But at least let him lose a game or two before you throw him under the bus. You never know
Have to consider the team the B’s have too. The high paid coaches with multiple options, have what they view as a better chance to win in the future.
Guessing Sweeney knows that too. Perfect time to give a guy like Sturm a chance. If he gets more out of this team than expected, great for both parties. If he doesn’t he gains HC experience at the NHL level.
Bruins now need to trade up to the #2 spot and get Misa.
So I’m guessing you’re on the hate management train. Of course an up and coming coach is going o take less to start. And as for the rest of the staff they are definitely going to retain certain guys like Goalie Bob. He’s literally the best goalie coach in the NHL and no one else is close. As for not picking a recycled NHL coach I’m glad they went with Marco. He was the guy who got LA’s power play clicking and tgey made the playoffs. He has done a good job with the Reign and what he’s done with the German national team is historic and made them relevant in today’s national hockey. Defense minded coach with a flair for offense and his players love him but respect his authority. I’d rather have a guy like that myself. Sweeney is a top GM in the league
Roslevic , Brazeau , Fabbro
Affordable effective signings for Leafs
1st go and get Marchand for 2 years
Bennett would be ideal , but I doubt he’s available
The million dollar question though is – Do you build around Auston Matthew’s
Fabro may be too rich for the Leafs. He’s a right shot that has found his game to a respectable level. Other teams will be eyeing him for a second pairing role.
Replace taveres and marner with Bennett ehlers and Fredric.
Maybe you wait see how the McDavid negotiations are going. I think he would odds increase if he delivers Edmonton the cup. I think bring a cup to the leafs would interest him. What more can her do in Edmonton. He has all the hardware you can possible achieve if he wins a cup.
Make trade for a D at the trade deadline depending on how the season is going.
Agree Bennett is probably not interested in leaving Florida.
Does every single available player want to play in Toronto, what with all of their recent playoff success and hyper-critical fan base?
Rangers cap space is about $8.4M.
But that’s excluding Cuylle, Rempe, Edstrom, Kaliyev. Cuylle might get a deal of $4-$5M+
On D they only have 5 under contract so they need to sign 2-3 more, and it doesn’t include Zac Jones or KAndre Miller who will get a raise and has a min qualifying offer of $4.7M.
There is now way they can add a big free agent and fill out their roster with their cap crunch, unless they can unload a big contract (Kreider, Zib, Panarin).
Despite the rise in the cap, a lot of teams will be in a crunch to improve their roster while re-signing their own guys this offseason. It could lead to a lot of opportunity for other teams to pounce on good players (as free agents or offer sheet).
Foleyd7
Of all those FA mentioned, I’d be interested in Frederic for NY. Read this morning Oilers are in discussions on extension though. Same for Gavrikov. LA will keep him. I don’t see Miller back in NY. Lafreniere could be shopped. I wouldn’t count out trying to get Panarin to waive nmc. I don’t think Kreider will get traded.
A few under the radar UFAs for the Habs to try to sign:
Nick Perbix RD 27 y/o
Tanner Jeannot LW 28 y/o
Low cost placeholder on defense as well as some truculence up front.
Sr,
Armia, Dvorak and Pezzetta are UFAs and need to be replaced.
Savard RD has retired and needs to be replaced.
I’ve named 2 to replace the 4
I’d like to see a trade for Zacha to be the Habs 2C.
Of course he can’t have #18(retired, Serge Savard) but on the bright side he could have his old #37.
Habfan30,A Zacha trade would be good for both sides.His old number was blocked in Boston by a player that was drafted 45 and you guys passed on him twice.I believe he is eligible for the HOF this year, which he will be a first ballot nominee.
Sr,
Hindsight in draft picks is always 20/20 but to be honest the “miss” on Bergeron is pretty minor in the big picture.
Sam Pollock , arguably the greatest GM in NHL history missed out on Mike Bossy and picked Mark Napier.
On the other he picked Bruins pocket when trading for present HOF Ken Dryden..
#37 is ready for Zacha in Bleu Blanc Rouge
Habfan30 great golf tournament up your way today. Love the rink hole.Enjoy our good nature banter. Hope to see a hole in one today. Yesterday announcers featured Toronto 34 and yep, Florida 63.
habfan30, I’m starting to wonder if you truly are a Habs fan. I am a Habs fan and I want the team to go nowhere near Zacha. He would be Dvorak 2.0. Zacha has never broken 60 pts, and the only two seasons in his whole career that he was a + player were the two seasons that Bos had a President’s trophy caliber team. Even having Pasta on his wing his numbers are still lacking. Same with Perbix and Jeannot, no thank you. These overpays (everyone overpays for UFAs) would not help the team and they have guys internally who would be better in Reinbacher/Mailloux/Engstrom on D or for some truculence either F Xhekaj or Davidson.
Frankly I’d rather the team give both Dach and Newhook more shots at 2C than give up something for Zacha which turns into an overpayment. If the team is out of the running for guys like Bennett, McTavish or Horvat then one guy that could fit would be William Karlsson out of Vegas. If Vegas are looking to move salary to make room to sign Marner then the price for a salary dump would be reasonable. Plus Karlsson is a L shot which they need, strong on faceoffs and can play PP and PK. He could be the perfect bridge for two seasons to see what we have in Kapanen, Beck, Hage or any other player we draft. But please no Zacha I’d even rather Jake Evans play 2C.
Drive for 25,
Zacha is 28 y/o shoots L, 2 more years at $4.75 million. Wins 54% of faceoffs and has more points than Newhook and Dvorak combined.
He doesn’t have more than 60 points but has 30+ assists which works perfectly for a 2C.
Karlsson is 32, signed for 2 more years at $5.9 million and his best days are behind him.
Neither Reinbacher or Engstrom are ready to play in the NHL next year and Mailloux might never make it considering his defensive limitations.
I like Davidson a lot for his grit and spark, he has a lot of Gallagher in him.
Florian Xhekaj mixes it up in the AHL but in the NHL he’s barely a cruiserweight and would be ineffectual.
Beck and Kapanen weren’t lights out in Laval and are in no way ready next year and Hage is still in college, he’s a few years away if at all.
Jeannot is a heavyweight.
Perbix is ready now not in two years.
Zacha is ready and in his prime.
Be realistic, the prospects aren’t ready
habfan30, the prospects aren’t ready that’s true but I wouldn’t want the team to tie themselves in to what might be an anchor of a contract with Jeannot or Perbix. Neither one would bring much help to the team anyway. As for F Xhekaj, he’s 6’4″ and over 200 lbs and he said he plans on putting on a bit more muscle this summer. Certainly in the heavyweight class.
So we agree that a short term deal for a 2C is the best way forward until we determine if the prospects are ready. However I would still prefer to pay a lesser price for a salary dump in Karlsson (maybe a mid-round pick and a prospect we are ready to move on from like Mesar). Even if we agreed that Zacha is a good option (which I will never agree on) the price to get him from Bos would probably be a 1st round pick which would be a terrible idea at this stage of the rebuild nevermind sending a 1st rounder to the archrival Bruins. No thanks.
Drive for 25
Right now Carrier is the only bonafide RD on the team so they need at least one if not two.
I agree that placeholders are fine as opposed to expensive UFA, it’s why I suggested Perbix. He’s young, never had more than 2 year contract and is coming off $1.125 million.
Florian Xhekaj at 6’4 195 isn’t in the same league as Tanner Jeannot 6’2 220, though I doubt the Kings won’t hang on to him.
I’m of the minority opinion that the Habs future 2C is Owen Beck who reminds me so much of Nick Suzuki at the same age, same trajectory.
At this point in the rebuild, 21 picks in the next 2 drafts , one of the top prospect pool rankings. the assets can and should be used as trade capital.
I don’t mind an overpay for Zacha who the Habs would be tied to for two years, enough time to replace or resign him.
Habfan30,Don t they already have enough of those players already in Armia,Dvorak and Pezzeta.
Those 3 are all UFAs with a combined cap hit of $8,662,500
Armia is 32 and in 81gp had 11g 18a 29 pts – Dvorak is 29 and in 82gp had 12g 21a 33 pts – Pezzetta played in 25 games with zeros across the board – the previous season he played 61 games with 3g 9a 12 pts.
Montreal can do better with that combined cap
“One other development on the Marner front is that the Leafs have “opened the door” to a potential sign-and-trade, whereby they’d sign him to an eight-year deal and then trade him to his desired location for some asset in return, allowing him to get an extra year that he couldn’t get on the open market, and the Leafs to get a little something back. ”
In that case:
Marner (8 x $13M) and OEL for Shea Theodore
That deal would leave Vegas with apx. 500K in cap space with 4 to sign, trading Barbashev and Hague would free up enough to sign a few they need. Of course if they lose Petro that would be unnecessary.
The hardest thing with finding Marner a new home, is finding a team that will accept his style of play.
I do not think Vegas is that kind of team. They like guys who can get into the corners and play in front of the net. They also do not need to make a big splash with the fanbase.
I would look more that Nashville or Utah, especially the latter.
Last summer strong rumor Maple Leafs and Golden Knights kicking tires about Marner trade. Maple Leafs wanted Shea Theodore. Golden Knights declined. Instead signed Theodore new 7 year deal. Johnny Z, while appears Golden Knights want Marner, doubt they’ll trade Theodore anytime soon. Suggesting Golden Knights have find another way sign Marner.
Toronto hasn`t said a word neither has Marner, so where did the Leafs opened the door to a sign and trade come from. Theodore has a full NTC and will be 37 when the last year kicks in. Plus Eichel`s contract is up next year. A reasonable guess is that he`s not taking a pay cut to stay. Vegas like every other team may want guys like Marner or McDavid, fitting them in may be next to impossible and why would Toronto even want to help Marner or Vegas
Agree again Yogi … in fact I asked that same question a few days ago when someone brought up the prospect of a sign and trade.
For Treleving to do that – just so Marner could get an 8th year out of his new contract – Vegas would have to come up with a significant return.
Dunno if Theodore’s NMC kicks in on July 1 or it kicked in when he signed his new contract? Do you?
There’s no “start date” shown at Puckpedia Johnny Z – simply that he has a “no trade clause” – so I would assume it began the same time as his new deal.
2024 – 2025 season Shea Theodore contract states M-NTC (modified no trade clause) meaning 5 teams no trade. Theodore new contract starting 2025 – 2026 season contract states NTC for several years.
2024 – 2025 NHL season ends June 30, 2025.
2025 – 2026 NHL season begins July 1, 2025.
Theodore has a NTC as of the time he signed his new deal, so Vegas isn`t going to go to him and ask him to waive it and yes teams can change that part of his old deal as part of his new contract. So, I doubt Theodore`s going anywhere
Yeah I remember you mentioning that George. It just shows you just how badly people want to start something from nothing
Duchene and Granlund are very productive, worth better deals but they probably will not get them in Dallas. Stars need to reverse their stance on Benn, let him walk. They just don’t have the luxury of keeping him, unless he plays for very little. Even then, he’s now a 4th liner.
Dante Fabbro is another UFA flying under the radar in this years rise in the need for RD.
He was steady last year with CBJ after being picked off waivers from Nashville.
He’s never had a big payday and is turning 27 so now would be the time for him.
Habfan30, Trotz should have stuck to being a coach. With that awful year they had last year they let Fabbro go for nothing.They traded the guy that was playing ahead to you guys.He missed on Stamkos,Skjel and Marchessault.Gave Saro s a huge deal and traded Askarov. He better hit on his draft picks!
Sr,
Trotz is the best example of how all of us here are just fans without any real knowledge.
We have what we think are good opinions but we know zero compared to Trotz and like you said boy did he get it wrong.
Fabbro and Murphy are the two guys teams will focus on for second pairing right shot defenseman.
Lyle, why do you think the Kings would need to free up cap space in order to retain Gavrikov? According to Puckpedia, they have $21,710,000 with 21 players committed to:
12F: Fiala, Kopitar, Byfield, Danault, Kempe, Moore, Foegele, Helenius, Thomas, Turcotte, Lee, Malott: 7D: Doughty, Anderson, Edmundson, Spence, Burroughs, Clarke, Moverare; 2G Kuemper, Portillo
Their only RFA is Alex Laferriere who played in 77 games with 19g 23a 42 pts and, coming off an ELC of $875,000, will get a decent contract, but nothing to put a huge dent in $21,710,000. Gavrikov, coming off an expiring $5,875,000 will, I agree, likely re-up there at around $7 mil, and if Laferriere gets a bridge deal at around $4.5 to $5, they’ll still have just over $9 mil, with 23 players signed.
Among their other UFAs I don’t see them re-upping Rittich, Trevor Lewis,Taylor Ward and probably not Kuzmenko who, coming off an expiring $5,500,000. really hasn’t done – or played – a lot since 2022/23 to warrant a new deal. So there should be more than enough to re-up Tanner Jeannot as well (coming off an expiring $2,665,000 deal.
Am I missing something?
Yes, you’re missing the part where I said it was the Rangers (not the Kings) that must free up cap space to sign Gavirkov…😉
Ahhhh crap … lol … thanks Lyle. Been a long day.
Mollie can forget about the Rangers getting him … as a UFA,
I’d rather pay Ehlers than look for a replacement to do the same thing. Jets should also add toughness in Frederic or Jeannot. Give Adam Lowry a break. Jets will also sign Jonathan Toews.
Buzz rumors galore Mitchy Marner wants play for Golden Knights and Golden Knights want to sign him. What are possibilities Golden Knights moving current players fit Marner under their cap and still have room for 23 players rooster?
Last week here rumor trading Barbashev, Roy, or Whitecloud. Barbashev cap hit is 5 million with M-NTC consisting of five teams no trade.
Karlsson next season with M+NTC – 10 teams no trade, leaves 21 possible other teams? His cap hit is 5.9 million.
Wild rumor – next season Pietrangelo could go on LTIR? His cap hit is 8.8 million. How credible is this wild rumor?
Considering this postseason how Oilers won in 5 games, Golden Knights may want make changes.
Hmmm🤔, Petro goes on LTIR, Vegas signs Marner at $13M x 7, and signs Fabro at $4.5M x 4. Trades Barby for picks for cap space and maybe Hague for a younger D to be 7th D and more cap space to fill the roster.
Petro comes back when cap space is not an issue, maybe as far as the playoffs??????