Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 17, 2025
Catching up on the recent speculation regarding Jets center Kyle Connor and Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, plus the latest Bruins conjecture in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
BLEACHER REPORT: Frank Servalli recently speculated over where Kyle Connor might go if he doesn’t re-sign with the Winnipeg Jets. The 28-year-old winger is in the final season of his contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).
Seravalli wondered if the Detroit Red Wings might be a fit for Connor. He thinks it would make a lot of sense for the Wings, as they could use the additional scoring punch that the Michigan native would provide.
However, Seravalli doesn’t discount the Jets re-signing Connor. Despite their early playoff exit last spring, they’ve got a good thing going, and he’d be part of the solution to their championship puzzle.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets were unable to re-sign Nikolaj Ehlers, who headed to the Carolina Hurricanes as a UFA last month. However, they confounded the experts by re-signing goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele two years ago, so we can’t discount Connor signing an extension before next July.
EXPRESSEN: On August 8, Rasmus Andersson denied reports claiming he told the Calgary Flames he would only accept a trade to the Vegas Golden Knights.
A report from TSN’s Darren Dreger earlier this summer claimed the Flames received a significant offer from the Los Angeles Kings for Andersson. The 28-year-old defenseman said he knew what the proposal was, but wouldn’t say if it was from the Kings or another team. He rejected the trade because he didn’t want to move his family during his contract year.
Andersson also said that contract talks with the Flames have paused, adding they haven’t spoken in a month and a half.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The team in question was likely on Andersson’s six-team no-trade list. No word as to which clubs are on that list.
Reports out of Calgary earlier this summer indicated contract talks had stalled, sparking speculation that Andersson could be traded. However, Flames general manager Craig Conroy recently indicated that he had no problem with the blueliner being on the roster when the regular season opens in October.
It’s expected that Andersson will start the season with the Flames and could be shopped by the March trade deadline.
RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo have been fixtures in the rumor mill since the 2025 NHL Draft in late June. However, an NHL executive told Murphy that he heard Casey Mittelstadt could be on the move again.
Mittelstadt, 26, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche along with prospect winger William Zellers before the 2025 March trade deadline. However, the common feeling among observers is that Zellers was the real target for the Bruins, who were restocking their prospect pool, leaving some to wonder if they intend to flip Mittelstadt to another club at some point.
Meanwhile, Korpisalo’s agent last month denied rumors claiming his client wanted a trade. Zacha’s agent dismissed the chatter about his client as “just rumors”.
SEKERES & PRICE: Matt Sekeres noted the trade rumors circulating in Boston about Zacha and Mittelstadt. Cam Robinson believes either player would be an upgrade at center for the Vancouver Canucks, particularly Mittelstadt.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Zacha or Mittelstadt makes sense if the Bruins were rebuilding. However, that isn’t the case as management is retooling for a bounce-back season. We’ll see what unfolds leading up to the start of the regular season.
Mittelstadt and the 2026 Leaf’s 1st for Rossi
Wild sell their tough negotiator and settle for a true 3rd line C
Boston pays Rossi 7 x 7
It’s amazing how Casey has been moved or possibly might be moved so many times the past two seasons. The Avs thought he was the answer for their second line center position.
Johnny’s my concern over Rossi is that Hagens maybe a exact copy of him,then if Poitras develops you have 3 undersized centers
Yeah but Rossi is more talented than Midi. And the Wild clearly do not value Rossi.
A trade of Zacha or Middlestadt could happen during the season. As Lyle points out, the Bruins think they could bounce back from a poor season. However if they get off to a bad start, management might come to the conclusion that a rebuild is necessary and they’d be ready to deal.
Howard
You nailed it. If bruins are slow out the gate they will sell what they can and hope for a lotto win as they say I still think bruins will be better than what most people think. Swayman needs to bounce back if he does. They will be in wc hunt IMHO
Good points about the Bruins but even if they are better defensively and Swayman bounces back,who other than Pasta and Geekie is going to score for them?I would hold on to all my draft picks unless they get an opportunity for a top 6 forward.I hope I am wrong but I get the feeling they will play just well enough to lose.Maybe they should just wait for the trade deadline when teams fighting for the playoffs overpay for players.
It was pretty clear to outsiders that the Bruins weren’t going to be a playoff team last year.
Nothing has been done in the off-season to make them an improved team other than praying for Swayman to earn his pay as opposed to another excellent platoon goalie.
In theory they’ll be selling but to who?
Middlestadt is an overpaid 3C.
Zacha ? He has some value but when a team isn’t performing that value just drops.
I think the Bruins braintrust badly miscalculated trying to squeeze out another year instead of taking a step back and building on their kids.
I think it’s a combination of things. Long term injures to H blindfold and Mcavoy making the d much weaker. Swayman off his game. They had to think they would get more out of
E Lindholm. At the end of the season Pasta Geekie and E Lindholm seemed to get it together. The d look as if they are healthy. So if some of the kids can pick it up they could a playoff contender. By that I mean 1st round fodder at best. Not much else. So I agree with many if you fall flat in October/ November get a jump on next year.
Ehlers and Connor are very different. Connor has thrived in his role and was given 1st line opportunity, which he embraced. Ehlers might have been under-utilized early in his career and could never shake his limitations early on. I like Ehlers and he’s very talented however, Carolina might see why Winnipeg was reluctant to go that high in salary to re-sign him. In the end, Ehlers would always seem more attractive to other teams because they see his speed and skill, not his limitations. Connor is viewed differently by the JETS and I think Connor doesn’t have the questions about whether he can reach his best self in Winnipeg. Ehlers did, and maybe rightly so.
The scuttle-but in Wpg is Ehlers wanted a change of scenery and it Wasn’t money or term
Bruin gga will be better with a full defensive group including Lindholm . In turn Swayman will be better
It wasn’t scuttlebutt, Ehlers confirmed it after he signed with the Hurricanes. He also stressed that he loved Winnipeg and thanked the fans for being so good to him during his tenure with the Jets, but he felt he needed to move on and challenge himself elsewhere.
You wonder if Connor will also opt for a change of location. You certainly are not under the spotlight in the Peg, not like he’d be in Toronto, New York or other big city locations. He has to measure what he might gain my moving on, vs the medica blitz and pressure he might face in a big market.
All that said, he medium location like Carolina might be a perfect location for a guy like Ehlers.
I doubt Casey M. is being dangled. Why would they (B’s) trade assets for him at deadline, they move him months later? Makes mgmt. look like they have no “plan’ whatsoever.