NHL Rumor Mill – July 17, 2025
Some recent speculation about Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SDPN: On Monday, TSN insider Chris Johnston was a guest on the Steve Dangle Podcast Network. Among the topics discussed was possible landing spots for Connor McDavid if he tests the open market next summer.
Johnston believes Connor McDavid will most likely re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers. Nevertheless, he thinks that there could be 10 teams in the running to sign the 28-year-old superstar if he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA).
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
“I’m sure it has occurred to the Kings, I’m sure it has occurred to the Rangers, you don’t think Julien BriseBois down in Tampa Bay is looking at his long-term roster?” said Johnston.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If McDavid goes to market next July, he will likely want to become the highest-paid player in the league.
The salary cap for 2026-27 will be $104 million. A team can invest no more than 20 percent of its salary-cap payroll on one player. McDavid could seek between $18 million and $20 million per season on his next contract.
PuckPedia indicates that the Rangers have a projected $29.6 million in cap space for 2026-27. The Kings have $37.8 million, and the Lightning $27.7 million. All have the cap space to sign McDavid.
However, the Rangers would be bidding farewell to Artemi Panarin as they can’t afford to retain him and still sign McDavid. The Kings could afford to retain aging captain Anze Kopitar on a cheaper contract, but could have a difficult time keeping a UFA-eligible Adrian Kempe and defenseman Brandt Clarke, who will be a restricted free agent (RFA).
The Lightning could be the most enticing. All their core players are under contract for 2026-27, with defenseman JJ Moser an RFA with arbitration rights and winger Oliver Bjorkstrand and defenseman Ryan McDonagh as their notable UFAs. However, signing McDavid to even a reduced rate of, say, $17 million (because the Lightning are in a no-tax state), could make it difficult to re-sign Moser and re-sign or replace Bjorkstrand and McDonagh.
McDavid also stressed that winning the Stanley Cup means the most to him. Given their recent records, those three clubs might not be the best options to answer that need.
Johnston also joined the pundits who believe Sidney Crosby probably won’t finish his playing career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He acknowledged that no one knows Crosby’s intentions, but claimed that the possibility of his availability is a topic of discussion around the league.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL analyst Pierre McGuire recently talked about the speculation linking Crosby to the Montreal Canadiens. He believes it would take a first-round pick, a top prospect, and an NHL player (“and a great one at that”) to land him. So, Habs fans, Suzuki for Crosby? Maybe Demidov? Lane Hutson? How bad do you want to see Sid in a Canadiens jersey?
A Crosby trade is possible. As the old saying goes, if Wayne Gretzky could be traded, anyone could be traded. Whenever I mention his two-year extension, some believe that it enhances his trade value because any playoff club acquiring him before the March 2026 trade deadline would have him for two postseason runs.
Nevertheless, I remain skeptical. There’s nothing to suggest Crosby wants out, and most of the trade talk thus far sounds like wishful thinking. Unless something changes, he seems intent on finishing his playing career with the Penguins.
Turning to the Minnesota Wild, Johnston wouldn’t be surprised if they re-sign Kirill Kaprizov this summer. He thinks the winger’s new AAV could be higher than that of Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets something like $15 million”.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild owner Craig Leipold last year indicated that his club intends to open the vault for Kaprizov. Draisaitl currently has the NHL’s highest annual average value at $14 million.
Johnston noted that Carey Price will receive $5.5 million of the $7.5 million in actual salary that he’s owed for this season as a signing bonus on September 1. Once that’s paid out, Johnston thinks there’s a high probability that the Canadiens will trade Price’s contract.
TVA SPORTS: explained why the Canadiens would do that. With Price permanently sidelined, the Canadiens could put him on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to become cap-compliant when the season begins. However, they won’t be able to accrue cap space throughout the season.
Trading Price’s contract ($10.5 million AAV) before the season begins makes them cap-compliant and allows them to accrue cap space. It would also allow a rebuilding team to remain above the salary-cap minimum if they shed salary leading up to the March trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: TVA Sports listed clubs like the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins as possible trade partners. Hey, maybe Price’s contract can be part of the return when the Canadiens acquire Sidney Crosby (insert wink here).
Wait, if Rangers signed McJesus, they wouldn’t be able to bring back Panarin when he’s 35? Pass. (Insert wink here)
Don’t buy any of this.
We are into the dog days of summer, so speculation on a year from now is pretty much the only way to get clicks.
A lot of mouths to feed over at SDPN.
I don’t see McDavid going anywhere and I certainly don’t see the Rangers having a third of their projected $104M cap space invested in 2 players (Shesterkin the other).
While it can’t be ruled out, I don’t see Crosby going anywhere either but speculation knows no bounds
It’s the hockey Dog Days Of Summer, Maddo, where speculation knows no bounds.
Since we haven’t seen 8787 in a couple of days wait untll you see the next 50-line trade scenario he’s probably working on which is sure to transform the Penguins overnight. If only Dubas would listen to him.
I wouldn’t want to see a Crosby trade even if it brought back Suzuki, lane, and demidov and a 1st. Seeing him finish as a pen is more important to me than even that ridiculous haul.
I felt that way with Bergeron, and I’m with you on your position with regards to playing an entire career with one club, but the return you listed would change my mind in a hurry.
Chrisms, Sid is still a great hockey player and a Habs’ fan wet dream (as he was a Habs fan as a child) but it would be clinical insanity to trade the players suggested this late in Sid’s career. That would gut the Habs roster and put Sid in the same position he is in Pittsburgh, trying to carry a weak line up.
For the Habs it would set them back a decade.
I suspect Sid wants to finish as a Pen as much as you want him to. As Steven below suggests, best to shrug off this off season filler for the nonsense it is.
I wasn’t suggesting that as an actual return. I was highlighting how much I want sid to stay.
Hockey, as in life, is about moving forward, always. Why doom yourself to mediocrity for a decade as opposed to fast-tracking a rebuild? It’s worthy of a conversation.
Note: the package wouldn’t be ALL those players regardless.
Agree on the package Pete, if it is all those guys they wouldn’t do it. I would guess Gorton and Hughes want to build a team that contends for years, not just a home run swing for the next 2.
I also wouldn’t assume the return would be crazy high, and not saying it because I don’t think Crosby is still an elite player, he is. Just not sure he gets traded to the team with the best package or return, I think he gets traded to the team he wants to be traded to. It’s his choice after all.
A quality prospect and a 1st?
I can see him wanting to chase another cup, and I can see him wanting to retire a Penguin for life. I have no idea but if forced to bet, I would take him staying.
Nobody will want to give up a great young player for 2-3 years of Crosby. It will be a middling desperate team. Detroit comes to mind.
Montreal would be nuts to relinquish a Hutson or Suzuki for Crosby. First of all, getting him would be no guarantee of a cup run especially if they lose Hutson or Suzuki in the process.
And they sure as Hell don’t need him to help sell tickets in a perpetually sold-out building.
\
And you can bet that, if such a trade ever did happen, there is no way he’d go into the Hall of Fame in anything but Pittsburgh colours. He has too much respect for the game and the organization to do anything like that.
Well by that logic, Crosby needs to be to Buffalo! For the good of the game by bringing the Sabers out of obscurity and into a Toronto-like frenzied atmosphere!😉😉
GeorgeO to play devils advocate,keeping Suzuki and Hutson doesn t guarantee you a cup either.
Of course not – even McDavid & Draisaitl in Edmonton, and Pastrnak in Boston canb’t guarantee that. But they’d be around in Montreal a Helluva lot longer than would Sid.
And since Sid wouldn’t be a guarantee of anything – and they don’t need his presence to fill the building – what would be the motive for trading for him?
Clearly there is very little to write about today.
“However, signing McDavid to even a reduced rate of, say, $17 million (because the Lightning are in a no-tax state) …”
I am not the one who keeps bringing this up. Were I of any importance at all, I would wonder if the hockey writers association were taunting me 🙂
Boston is the team you want to be on, if you want to be traded to win a cup! There past history delivered Raymond Bourque to Colorado to win a cup and most recently Brad Marchand to Florida.
Pierre McGuire was asked what he would want. He’s always exaggerates. Pittsburgh is tearing it down. At some point they will try and get something for him.
He’s playing at an elite level but is turning 38 next month. At that age, decline happens rapidly most of the time. Anyways hughes and Gordon have proved to be a great combo. So you never know.
just heard chinskov from jaclets wants to be traded. would u have any idea what kind of return they could get for him
norman d crum, for a 6′ 1″ 200lb RW taken 21st overall in 2020 and who, over 175gp with 34g 37a 71pts, has 82-game averages of 16g 17a 33pts with sporadic action, it would – I think – take more than the Leafs’ Robertson, as suggested elsewhere. On the surface, that is because by sporadic action, I mean
62gp in his rookie season of 2021-22 with 7g 7a 14pts
dropped to 30gp in 2022-23 with 4g 9a 13pts
back up to 53gp in 2023-24 with 16g 13a 29pts
back down to 30gp 2024-25 with 7g 8a 15pts.
In that same span he has only played 11 games in the AHL, so it would appear his slow progress is likely related to his injury history as detailed here
https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/yegor-chinakhov-player-injuries
That’s hardly the fault of the GM or coach, so what does he hope to gain by demanding a trade?
thank you. i would hope the bj fans would be happy with that
I know I’m a bit late, but Demidov for Crosby? Hutson for Crosby? Suzuki for Crosby? No! Hell No! And F—k No!
D’Amico and Shaun Starr of TSN Radio had a recent podcast on what the Habs may be willing to offer for Crosby. They figured maybe a first and a mid level prospect. But not a top prospect and certainly not a top player.
The reasoning is as follows. Everyone, myself included, felt before the Dobson trade was made that Reinbacher would be part of the package. He wasn’t. Then there was Kyrou. I believe we can deduce from the Mailloux trade that the Kyrou deal fell apart because the Blues wanted Reinbacher and/or Hage included and the Habs wouldn’t part with them.
If the Habs are unwilling to part with those two top prospects for a 25 year old top pairing Dman or a 27 year old scoring forward, why would they do so for one or two years of a 38-39 year old Crosby?
Forget Crosby,
Bill Guerin likes big centers not little ones, Habs have one.
Kirby Dach 24y/o 6’4 220 R shot center for Marco Rossi 23 y/o 5’9 185 L shot center.
LOL HF30 and once upon a time you accused me of being a dog with a bone! I do admire and respect your tenacity though.
Habman67,
Curiosity makes me ask, is it bad for the Habs or Wild?
Depends on contract demands
I am not Habsman, but I think Rossi is bad for the Habs, for two reasons:
1: The Habs’ stated objective is to get bigger. There is only so much substance to a 5’9″ player “playing bigger.” Reach and weight are real factors. The Panthers and the Oilers, the two best teams, all have multiple centers 6’0″ or bigger.
The second is cap hit: You can look at puckpedia and note while Laine, Dach and Matheson all come off the books, their replacements will have to be quality to avoid a backslide. Then how much do Hutson and Demidov cost in the near future.
You may be Ulysses to Rossi’s Siren, but he is asking for $7 million over a long term. I will be your Circe and urge you to sail past.
Chrisms,
Dach contract is $3,362,500 RFA at the end of the year.
Rossi is RFA in stalled negotiations with the Wild, unhappy with his usage.
No idea what he’d demand from the Habs, different management, different role on a younger team with a future.
LJ,
Rossi is 1 inch shorter than Granlund and more productive, much more physical.
I like players with skill who have dog in them and this kid has it, he’s no softie.
HF30. I think that move would be bad for the Habs. LJ summed it up perfectly. I know I’ll probably regret this but I’m willing to give Dach one last kick at the can.
When I watched him with the Ottawa 67s in the OHL, he backed down from no one – and that is a physical league. Offensively, he was dominant.
Habfan30. One player is big,but he plays small.The other player is small but he plays big. Played for a coach who had a famous saying It s not his fault he’s big!
Now that chinakov has officially requested a trade out of Columbus may leaf’s offer up Robertson
Robertson 156 GP 56 points soon to be 24 years old
Chinakov, 24 years old, 175 GP, 71 points.
Maybe they make that deal?
Detroit gives them Compher and Berggren for Chinakhov and Woods
Jeff, I don’t understand why Robertson is not a regular with the Leafs, but he isn’t. There has to be a continued hole in his game as the Leafs are perpetually looking for 3rd line help.
That so, I doubt Columbus would take him for Chinakov. But then, Waddell is saying Chinakov couldn’t handle being scratched. He isn’t good enough to be a prima donna so maybe his trade value is low.
Whatever happens, the loser in this is Columbus. They should have had some momentum coming off an improved season. First Laine wanted out, now Chinakov. Not good for the organization.
Yeah IMO Pitt is going t struggle again and after the Olympics, I think you see Dubas absolutely unload some of these aging vets.
Malkin, Sid, these guys want to play for another cup. Dumba, Novak, Letang, all these guys are going to be moved for picks, prospects, to continue their rebuild.
They will retain half of EK and get some assets for him as well.
I wonder how the fans in Pitt will react, if and when Sid’s days are over? Will the fan base shrink down again, as it did in the pre Sid days? Will the ownership group move the Team? Crazy to think the end of the Sid era may also be the end of the NHL in Pitt.
Brian if they want to play for another cup why did Sid sign off on the signing of Malkin and Letang and the trade of Karlsson. When they let his buddy Guentzel basically walk away he should have got out of town then!.
Pitt signed the core that Sid wanted, to try and chase another cup, it hasn’t happened.
Pitt was going to have a tough time resigning Guentzel, without a bunch of cap gymnastics, and no way where they going to sign hi for the 9 million per he got in Tampa.
Regardless, IMO once Malkin is done, Sid is done in Pitt, and IMO that is going to happen before the TDL next spring. The quality of prospects and Picks that Dubas should land is going to be legit.
The fan base shrunk as dramatically as it did because of the ownership group pre Crosby. Didn’t spend to cap and tried to sell ahl players as nhl stars. Pitt fans are smarter than that and are good enough fans to send ownership a message of empty seats. So long as Fenway doesn’t repeat that mistake Pitt will survive
Can’t see Pittsburgh packing it up.
Middle of the pack in franchise value at $1.75B.
23/24 revenue – $281M
EBITA – $42.3M (a healthy 19% of revenue)
Debt – 11% of valuation or $192.5M
Revenue will likely go down if/when they bottom out in a couple years, or whenever Sid leaves, which is what will likely happen IMO. But not to the point of leaving town. Not like Fenway didn’t see this coming when they bought the team.
i know its way to much to pay but id like to see chinakov severson and merzlikins traded to chicago for reichel. i know way to much but maybe cgicago could add a draft pick. jackets are going to move merzlikins anyway abd stevens cap othink just a bad ides r something to think about.
norm crum, I can understand the appeal of Reichel, but why would you think Chicago would want a $5.4 mil goalie like Merzlikins who is certainly no improvement over Spencer Knight, who they got from Florida in the Seth Jones deal, and back-up Laurent Brossoit, who they signed to a lucrative 2-year deal in July 2024 as a free agent?
Knight and Brossoit combined costs them $7.8 mil off the cap. Who would Merzlikins replace?
that was reason for adding stevenson to deal to get rid of merzlikins
how about leaving merz out of it chinakov and stevenson for reichel and a pick
my second idea would be chinakov and stevenson for rust and karlson with a draft pick thrown in by cbj
Trading an aged Crosby for a basically retired Price would still get present offseason hype obviously, but you imagine back in the day?? The panels of Sportsnet, TSN, and Spittin Chiclets would just be a bunch of on-air screaming and running around 😀
I hate the term “McJesus” He is nothing like Jesus at all. the name Mc Jesus is blasphemous! and if your stupid enough to use it…. Good luck when you meet the real Jesus!
And you have absolute proof of that? Wow. You are unique in the world.
Chill out.We don’t need Bible thumpers in here.