NHL Rumor Mill – September 13, 2025
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: how Flames goalie Dustin Wolf’s new contract could affect the Oilers’ Stuart Skinner’s next deal, the latest on netminder Carter Hart, and winger Lukas Reichel’s uncertain future with the Blackhawks.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes Dustin Wolf’s new contract with the Calgary Flames could affect the next contract of Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner.
Wolf, 24, signed a seven-year deal earlier this week with an average annual value of $7.5 million, making him the 10th highest-salaried goalie in the league. Skinner, 26, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (NHL Images).
Skinner has played 50 playoff games over the past three seasons, backstopping the Oilers to two straight Stanley Cup Finals. He’s played three times more NHL games (including playoffs) than Wolf. His current AAV is a bargain-basement $2.6 million.
Matheson believes a strong season from Skinner in 2025-26 will determine what his next contract looks like.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matheson pointed out that Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the only goalies among the 10 highest-paid that have Stanley Cup rings.
Skinner is also UFA-eligible at the same time as teammate Connor McDavid. How much the Oilers pony up to keep McDavid in the fold could determine if they have enough to retain their starting goaltender.
THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston cited NHL sources claiming Carter Hart is expected to reach terms on a new two or three-year contract on Oct. 1, though it can’t be officially registered with the league until Oct. 15.
Hart was among the five former Hockey Canada players recently acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from a 2018 incident in London, Ontario. Johnston indicated the 27-year-old goalie is seeking a job where he can get a meaningful number of starts with a team that can win.
Johnston reports Hart seeks a fresh start, which rules out returning to his former NHL club, the Philadelphia Flyers. Sources believe he’s almost certain to sign with an American team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hart was the most notable of those five players, having spent several seasons as a starter with the Flyers. He could be the only one who finds an NHL club to sign with, as teams could shy away from the lesser-talented.
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope recently reported that Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel thought at one point during this offseason that he was going to be traded to the Edmonton Oilers.
“I heard from guys in Germany that I didn’t know knew hockey,” Reichel said. “They came up to me and said, ‘You’re going to go to Edmonton.’ I can’t do anything about it.”
Reichel, 23, acknowledged he had an inconsistent performance last season. Chosen 17th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, he’s struggled to establish himself as a top-six forward.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said Reichel’s name remains “out there” in the rumor mill. He thinks it’s understood that the Blackhawks could move the young forward if they find a suitable trade partner. Friedman also thinks Reichel understands it might be time for a change.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A suitable trade partner would be one willing to meet the Blackhawks’ asking price. Whatever that might be for a struggling first-rounder who has yet to meet expectations remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely to be very high.
The best scenario could be moving Reichel for another struggling young forward and hoping the change of scenery works out for both players.
Reichel for a defensive forward like Kampf would help the Hawks defensively on 5 on 5 and the PK.
And would help the Leafs with their cap.
BTW, I am not a fan of either team
While I agree that Hart will be the first of the London 5 to land an NHL deal, I also believe that two others will attract interest simply by virtue of their positions – among the most sought-after.
One is Dillon Dubé, a left-shot 5′ 11″ 185lbs C who twice has potted 18 goals in a season, and the other is 6′ 3″ 225lbs RD Cal Foote who has 145 NHL gp under his belt with Tampa, Nashville and New Jersey.
Where LW Formenton is concerned much will depend upon his performance in the Swiss League, and if he does well enough to attract the interest of more than 1 team, and since he would need to clear waivers before returning to Ottawa, look for Staios to deal his rights to one of those teams sitting lower in the waiver pecking order in a minor transaction.
McLeod might have to seek out a contract somewhere in Europe.
The fact that these 5 players , despite being acquitted, are still allowed to come back as if all is good just sends the wrong message to kids. If a regular person did this , they’d have a really hard time finding a good job. I applaud Bill Daly’s stance.
They may have been acquitted but they are far from innocent. These 5 individuals treated a woman like an object. Some will say she was a willing participant, but look at the text messages sent and the way they thought of her.
Just despicable, this tells kids that you can do anything you want to another person and you can still keep playing in the NHL and other pro leagues too.
Horrible individuals.
I’m certainly not disagreeing with anything you say Alex. But there will be a few teams prepared to risk what I have deemed to be sure PR nightmares by taking them on.
And for the predictable “what about Craig McTavish ,,, Stan Bowman ” retort … unlike them, these are players who will have to skate out in front of what could be hostile, verbal crowds night after night which might not sit well with their teammates.
So, the question for any team will be, is their potential worth the aggravation? And do any of the 5 possess the character to deal with the unwanted attention that will dog them around the league?
I’m betting none will have multiple teams trying to entice them to sign … but a few will.
“Just despicable, this tells kids that you can do anything you want to another person and you can still keep playing in the NHL and other pro leagues too.
Horrible individuals.”
Alex, I posted something similar a few days ago and was criticized for living on some moral high ground or something (paraphrasing), but I’ll say it again. I couldn’t care less if any of them ever skate another minute in the NHL again.
I don’t think there will be hostile crowds, George.
There will certainly be the usual internet media mob. Including those who actually want the defence lawyers and the judge in the case investigated for professional misconduct as a result of the verdict. No, not making that up. Zealotry on steroids. Kissing cousins to the Srs and the Alex’s of the world.
But how many are real fans of these teams? How many real fans would stop supporting their teams if one were signed? Few. And with no effect on team revenue or the play of the team that signs them.
I remember the sanctimony of some fans who screamed when Mailloux was drafted by the Habs; one was Justin Trudeau, the same one who as a 25 year old teacher groped a reporter and when exposed got away with an “I’m sorry.”
This wasn’t an election issue and he was subsequently re-elected Prime Minister. And then there is Trump, so if people focus on other issues for their political leadership are they going to care if a RHD is signed by their team?
I do agree that any of the 5 who are signed will go to American teams, given the pushback on woke-ism there.
What will determine who of the 5 gets signed is whether they can help a team.
Was Hart inconsistent because of how those Flyer teams were doing and or because of what was hanging over his head? Can a goalie handle the pressure he will still get from the heckling he is sure to receive on road trips?
Goalies can be mental cases
Dube might be listed as C but most of the time, if not all, that I have seen him play he has been playing wing. But agree, there could be takers. Foote, I’m not so sure since he hasn’t really been a full time starter, more like a 6/7, so questionable if anyone will risk the heat for that
Very true, Kent. He did play mostly at LW, although he was certainly capable of filling in at C – a position he played mostly – which he did off and on. In Kelowna, however, it was the other way around as he played mostly at C. It was that flexibility that attracted him to the Flames at the draft.
“Michael McLeod was in his 3rd straight season over 57% on faceoffs.
Mcleod was on pace for about 18 goals and 16 assists with 200 hits and 175 hits. I’ll take that any day.”
Another hockey fan wrote.
Reichel for Bostons Fabian Lysell or George Merkulov might work. Change of scenery for once high draft picks is in order.
Lysell has too much offensive upside to trade for another unknown. Someday he will learn to also play defense. Still young enough to learn.
New goalie contract: Spencer Knight 3 years @ 5.83m per
Barry how long can you wait for something to happen? People who have watched him in Providence think hehas been the same player.With all the spare parts that the Bruins need to evaluate is he going to get a legitimate chance to makethe team.That unknown has played more NHL games than Lysell.
great
NYR should be interested in McLeod. Currently have a very underwhelming collection of bottom 6 centers.
Those that kept playing will have a shot. Dube and Macleod. I don’t believe Hart was anywhere I could find. But goalies are different. My bet is Forementon and Foote are done.
What’s the over under on Landeskog and 50 points