NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2025
Check out the latest on Erik Karlsson, Ilya Sorokin and Jordan Kyrou, plus five teams that could make moves this summer, in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
RG.ORG: James Murphy reports multiple teams are interested in Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson.
According to a league source, the Toronto Maple Leafs are among them. They’re in the market for an offensive defenseman and have also been linked to Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils. The Penguins would have to retain part of their share ($10 million) of his average annual value.
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images)
The source also dismissed the notion of bad blood between Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas and his former team. It’s also believed the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth and Dallas Stars were involved.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have $4.9 million in cap space, meaning the Penguins must retain up to half of their share of Karlsson’s cap hit. Even then, the Leafs would have to shed more salary to make it work.
Karlsson is reportedly willing to waive his no-movement clause to join a contender. That rules out the Red Wings, Ducks and Mammoth.
The Stars meet the contender criteria, but they’re over the cap by nearly $1.8 million. It’s unlikely they could make the dollars fit.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner is skeptical of a recent report suggesting the New York Islanders were considering trading goaltender Ilya Sorokin during the 2025 NHL Draft.
The report claimed Islanders GM Mathieu Darche might’ve dangled Sorokin in an attempt to move up in the first-round draft order to select Long Island native James Hagens. However, Rosner pointed out that Darche indicated teams weren’t willing to trade their first-rounders.
Rosner also doesn’t see the Islanders trading their franchise goaltender when backup Semyon Varlamov is coming off lower-body surgery. He also noted that Sorokin is in the second season of an eight-year contract with a full no-movement clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only reason Darche would trade Sorokin is if he were staging a full roster rebuild. As Rosner noted, the Islanders aren’t moving their core players if they remain committed to being competitive.
STLTODAY.COM: Lynn Worthy doesn’t put much stock into recent trade rumors surrounding Blues winger Jordan Kyrou.
He acknowledged the 27-year-old’s scoring ability is what would make him a great trade chip. However, it’s also a big reason why the Blues should retain him, especially since they were 13th last season in goals scored.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the Kyrou speculation occurred before his no-trade clause kicked in on July 1. Unless he’s keen to move on (and he’s publicly expressed no such sentiment), he’ll be in their lineup when the regular season begins in October.
SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva listed the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche as five teams that could make moves in this summer’s trade market.
It’s believed the Oilers considered moving out a key player like Adam Henrique or Darnell Nurse to continue reshaping their roster, but they declined to waive their no-trade clauses.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sachdeva suggested the Oilers take a swing at adding Minnesota’s Marco Rossi or Florida’s Evan Rodrigues, or a depth forward like New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer or Colorado’s Ross Colton. Their biggest need, however, remains between the pipes. However, the limited goaltending options available mean they could be waiting for a while to find a suitable trade target.
The Maple Leafs could use a couple of scoring forwards. Sachdeva proposed Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins as trade targets. Moving out forwards Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf would free up $4.5 million to create additional cap space to facilitate a trade.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could get Rakell or Rust but not both. However, they lack the tradeable assets to interest the Penguins, like a first-round pick or a good, young NHL player.
The Jets have the cap space ($19.8 million) to work with if they wish to continue adding to their forward lines. One option could be Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz, who has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.85 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth hopes to push for a playoff berth this season, so it’s unlikely Schmaltz is available. It might be a different story if they’re outside the postseason picture by the March trade deadline.
Sachdeva noted the Kings made some additions via free agency (forwards Corey Perry and Joel Armia, defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin), but they need more if they hope to take the next step this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sachdeva mentioned acquiring Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars, but even he considers that to be a remote possibility.
The Avalanche could be a landing spot for Schmaltz or one of the Penguins’ wingers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: See my previous comments on Rust, Rakell and Schmaltz.
Surely the Stars can move out Laboosh and Dumba as part of a plan to acquire Karlsson?
if only!!!! Dumba is really, no longer, an NHL player. He’s barely serviceable, as evident with playing no games in the playoffs this past year. So I’m not sure who would trade for him.
Lybuskin is fine as a stay at home 6 D man. although he’s getting paid too much for that.
With Heiskanen-Lindell, Harley-Bischell and Lundqvist-Lybuskin, I think our D is fairly solid… still have hope that Lundqvist has a break out season this year, and because Lybuskin is more of a stay at home guy, he’s good to have along side of Lundqvist, who’s upside is his offense ability.
Well, if nothing else, Dumba does speak such good English!
Sorry … given the news today, I couldn’t resist. LOL
Demba is a Penguin!
Demba, Dumba still not a good player
Yep, and a 2028 2nd-round draft pick for D Vladislav Kolyachonok
But just watch, redmonsters, according to a couple of posters here he’ll be elevated to the status of a Bobby Orr!
Dumba! The next booby Orr!
Agreed, in Pitts he is Bobby Orr!
Do you think Dallas is done? They look short a quality RD to me…unless they want to chance a youngster, granted a touted one.
Nah … I wasn’t alluding to you Chrisms … but I think you know who I mean
redmonsters, they went from close to a couple of mil over the cap to a reserve of $1,955,084 with 21 committed to,
At RD on the main roster they have Lyubushkin, Lundqvist and Petrovic, while in the minors they have Christian Kyrou, Luke Krys and Gavin White. Perhaps the Dallas fans in here can shed some light on those prospects.
That close to $2 mil in cap reserve could also come into play in another deal. Trust in Nil.
Well… dumba is two s’s away from the dude you were referring to. 😁😉
Ian….. I think Erik Karlsson can help a couple teams and Dallas is one of them.
He is still a dynamic offensive defenseman he needs a good system, a good coach, and a good partner and the Stars have all that.
He and Heiskanen we be good together..
Also think Carolina, Toronto and Ottawa could be fits.
When it’s assumed a player wants to go to a contender, how do we define that? Capitals had a good off season last year and improved by 20 points in standings. Was runner up for Presidents trophy. Toronto seems to have interest in every player rumored. Utah is loaded with young talent and has made some bold moves…Sergachev last year and Peterka this year. Added some depth pieces. 7 points out of playoffs last season, could make a jump. Gave up a RD in trade, could add Karlsson. Have cap space. Same with Ducks.
You mean the media don’t you. Toronto’s interest in Karlsson left town the same time Dubas did, thank gawd. Haven’t seen or heard anything from Tre that would show that’s changed, thank gawd
It’s funny no matter who or the costs, sports media like to throw in Toronto like, because why not, right? Mention the Leafs, gain extra page views…too bad eh? Really serves no one but the writer.
It becomes annoying Ron, every yokel jumps on for that very reason. Then the rest like lemmings join in like it’s actually true
Yogi and Ron … the trick then becomes to try and delineate between the click-baiters and those with some reliable credibility.
That’s very true George
Something stinks in Florida.
Samoskevich just re-signed for $775k (1 yr). This after coming off a great rookie season and a contract paying him $925k annually.
How does he take a paycut? He easily should have gotten $1.25 – $1.5M, even more if he was offer-sheet eligible.
This totally smells like there backchannel promises on his next deal. Not sure how the league or NHLPA isn’t poking around this contract a bit more.
The NHLPA shouldn’t be happy with this at all. If I was the player and my agent supported this i would fire him. If I was the agent for the player and the player took this deal I would let the player walk.
Just bad business for all but the team here. Backroom promises are nice but aninjury, regression, mngt change could all make it backfire quickly.
Really if I am being honest…even shady for the team to table such a contract. It reeks of taking advantage of a more naive youngster imo. At least match his former contract.
I don’t like it at all and I like i am opened minded and try to view both sides. I cannot see anything pro for the player.
1-year @ $775,000 for a young RW who potted 15g 16a 31 pts after some sites speculated a 2-year bridge at $3 mil??
Something stinks is an understatement – he must really love being on a 2-time Cup winner to leave that much on the table (if the speculation was accurate).
Too bad someone didn’t give him an offer-sheet at around $1.8 mil.
@ George, he wasn’t offer sheet eligible this year (based on some playing time/age clauses).
But I read after this 1 year deal he will be RFA again and would be offer sheet eligible next year.
Given Florida’s cap constraints, a bunch of teams surely would have floated him an offer-sheet Florida couldn’t have matched if he were eligible.
foleyd7 – yeah, my wording screw-up … should have said “Too bad someone couldn’t give him an offer-sheet ….”
Including the possibility of a career ending, or career affecting, injury. Big risk by the player.
$775,000 for 1 year for a young RW who just potted 15g 16a 31pts, and who was speculated at, perhaps, $3 mil per on a bridge deal of some sort. Something’s definitely rotten in Denmark.
He must REALLY love being on a 2-time Cup champion to sign for that idiotic amount.
And the Panthers, now with 23 committed to, must be confident Tkachuk will get his surgery – probably a week before camp opens – to cover the over-the-cap $3,725,000.
And Bettman docked Ottawa a 1st round pick for a clerical gaffe in the Dadonov deal!! Jay-zus.
As you noted, George, the Panthers are strapped for cap space. Zito probably got Samoskevich to accept this pay cut with the promising of a significant raise in 2026-27 when they’ll have over $23 million in cap space. This type of signing doesn’t occur often but I do believe it’s happened before.
I don’t see the comparison here with the league docking the Senators a first-round pick in the Dadonov deal. This isn’t the same thing. The Panthers and Samoskevich, from what I can see, did nothing wrong here.
GeorgeO just a thought,was he eligible for any playoff money if he didn t dress for a game?Samoskecich,that is.
Unless the kid suffers some crippling injury while playing for peanuts. That doesn’t even constitute a increase of any sort. Why not give him at least $1,000,000 for 1 year?
It isn’t his fault they’re strapped for cap space.
But I agree – there is no comparison between the Ottawa situation and their cap issues. Just that this stinks of player manipulation while the other was a clerical error. A 1st round pick smacks of over-reaction to the voiding of a trade that would have brought John Moore and Ryan Kessler to Vegas – neither of whom would ever play again in the NHL.
That was related to Vegas cap issues following the acquisition of Eichel and although Dadonov then went on to finish strong in Vegas, they eventually got their cap relief by dealing him to Montreal for the Shea Weber contract.
Meanwhile, Bettman clamps down on Ottawa.
He did dress for 4 playoff games, Sr, with 1 assist.
Re the exchange with Lyle above, another possibility is that Samoskevich experiences the effects of a sophomore jinx and has a downer of a season. Does he still get the promised “big raise?”
The thing is, there’s nothing in the CBA that prevents a player from accepting a lesser contract. He signed off on the deal, so unless he and his agent complain that they were somehow illegally strongarmed into accepting it, there’s nothing wrong with it.
Hey, I raised an eyebrow (actually both, because I can’t raise just one eyebrow) when I saw what he was getting, but like I said earlier, everything about it appears to be above board and within the rules of the CBA.
He’d get the playoff bonus for the first 2 rounds because he played, but not for the last 2 rounds he didn’t dress for any of the games. Nor would he get his name on the cup. Florida can apply to have his name added to the cup
Reminds me of LeBanc taking that 1 year deal with SJ. They ended up paying him the following year with a deal he wasn’t worth.
League should keep an eye on what happens with Tkachuk.
has there been any news of Tkachuk having surgery for either injury?
he would have to miss 20 something games to cover the 3million
Like I posted elsewhere ds, he’ll have the surgery a week before training camp opens to make sure.
Yeah with the Oil pretty sure Stu will be no worse than 1a when camp opens.
They may opt to look for an option to upgrade Pickard (who has done well here and a great story) but i don’t think that will be anyone on the UFA list.
You have to imagine the Canucks trade Silovs before the season and while that may be to the Oilers it may knock another goalie of interest loose for Edm. And then of course there is that goalie that shall not be named whose name comes and goes as to being of interest and then not being of interest to the team every other week it seems.
As a fan, running it back with Skinner and Pickard is an outcome that has been expected. Happy to see if a new goalie coach impacts anything. Do not understand the goalie coaches impact to an nhl player enough. But it feels like the longer a goalie stayed in edm the worse they become. Pickard may be the outlier.
Idk.
And the boys absolutely love Pickard. A modern day Jamie McLennan
Lot of chatter in Ottawa about the possibility of Mason MacTavish to the Sens. Beyond the fact there is no reason for the Ducks to make the move, where does he slot on the Sens? 3 C? 1 RW? Would cost one of Batherson or Pinto min.
I doubt Anaheim trades him. He’s their most reliable center. He’s def a 2C with upside for 1C as he ages. He’s paced for 24 goals a season the last 2 years and is just 22 years old. He’s not playing 3C for Ottawa, and I’d think he would cost at least Batherson plus Pinto.
Well, certainly a lot of wishful-thinking chatter from the various blogs …
I agree with Sonny of sportsnet that one of those penguins could land on the Avalanche; however, I believe it is more likely a guy like schmaltz would land there . A guy like him could solidify that 3rd line but he is in our division ? So, don’t know if the mammoth 🦣 would do that? As the central gets increasingly more difficult to emerge from, the Avalanche better figure out how to get past Dallas! Utah, Minnesota and St. Louis will just continue to get better….
Colton to the Oil, I wouldn’t do it. Why give them more? What would we get back? Although, to me Colton is not the same guy as he was in TB but he is hurt I guess? If he is going to stay on the Avalanche, he needs to be more productive and in the lineup consistently!!!
tommy boy,
What would it take to get Jack Drury in a trade?
Do the Habs have a legit offer to make for him?
habfan30
I am trying to think who on your roster the Avalanche would want for Drury but the Avalanche like Drury. So, I am not sure he would be available? The Avalanche always talk or people that cover the team talk about Anderson, matheson, Evans and armia but he was on the move, I think in f/a? To answer your question, IDK. You guy’s want Drury to fill out your forward group. You guys have some good players. The young ones, I am sure they probably don’t want to part with?
I see Jack Drury as a role player who would fit the bottom 6.
Draft pick and a prospect is what I have in mind, the question is which.
My opinion is unpopular among Hab fans.
Habs have shown a willingness to move young guys to fit a need.
Habfan30,when you made the trade for Dobson do you think you should have expanded it to include Pageau?
Sr,
Pageau would make for a good stopgap, expensive for what he is, but he only has one year left.
He’s a high faceoff % guy but right shot.
Strong defensively, strong pk and that’s why I asked tommy boy about Drury.
I was hoping for a realistic answer from him not a FOA 1st line winger for a 3rd-4th line center.
At least you gave realistic trade options for Zacha.
So, does Dumba trade to Pitt add to Karlsson speculation?
I doubt even Dubas sees the wisdom of playing the season with two defensive drawbacks.
And I STILL can’t escape this feeling that Staios would like to see the “homecoming” of Karlsson, and if that were to happen I would bet Zub goes the other way.
Dubas still has $12,066,904 in the kitty, so he could both withhold a portion of Karlsson’s cap hit AND take on Zub’s $4.6 which, added to the current Ottawa cap reserve of $4,294,286, could allow Staios to absorb an equally good portion of Karlsson’s deal.
I don’t necessarily want to see that … but with the deathly quiet on anything Senators around here in the past week and a bit, I get the sense something is brewing.
@ George…Karlsson is willing to accept a trade and will move his NMC to a couple playoff teams.
Dubas will absorb term and Karlsson would fit with Carolina, Toronto, and Detroit…all expressing interest… we shall see ?
A team, with a good coach, a good system, a good team and a good d pair partner.
Like Carolina and Slavin
Like Toronto and Tanev
these dmen could shelter Karlsson?
Yes Karlsson is gone it is a matter of time now that Dumba is in the fold….
Penguins have Letang, Dumba, Clifton, this 19 year old kid who has been pushing hard and ultra close Harrison Brunicke and Jack St. Ivany all RHD.
Best fits for Karlsson
Carolina Toronto Ottawa Detroit Tampa all which he would waive his NMC?
“Karlsson would be willing to waive his no movement clause to join a contender”. Well I guess the Leafs are out, no way he wants to be traded to Toronto.
Rumor – Karlsson will accept trade to Maple Leafs.
You bet he’d go to Toronto . but with Tanev, Carlo and Ekmann-Larson currently on the right side, who would he replace?
Yes Yes and Yes !
habfan30
I agree. But if you said hab fans would be willing to move a young guy, I would ask for slavosky. I’m sure that would get it done. But why did the Avalanche trade for him if they were going to just move him? He was an important piece in Rantanen deal. I wouldn’t trade him, he is a good player . The Avalanche need those kind of guys. I don’t see that but who knows?