NHL Rumor Mill – September 26, 2025
Check out the latest on Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, and Bruins center Pavel Zacha in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
TSN: Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold is remaining patient as his club attempts to sign Kirill Kaprizov to a contract extension, expressing full confidence in general manager Bill Guerin and his staff.
“Billy’s the guy. He’s the one that does the negotiating, no matter who it is, and that’s his responsibility and role,” Leipold said. “We’ve got a great relationship.”
At his annual preseason media address last year, Leipold confidently said that no other team could offer Kaprizov a longer or richer contract than the Wild. At the start of the offseason, Guein also expressed confidence in getting a deal done. However, that hasn’t happened yet, as the Kaprizov camp reportedly rejected an eight-year deal worth an average annual value of $16 million.
Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).
Leipold noted that hockey is a team sport, but some players are special and tend to stand out. “So we’d love to have a player of his caliber on our team.” He also indicated that the rising salary cap is a factor. “So, it changes things, but we have to change with it.”
THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith believe negotiations are currently at a standstill. The Wild aren’t inclined to negotiate against themselves and keep offering more money.
It’s uncertain if Kaprizov’s agent is trying to squeeze the Wild for more money, if the winger is waiting to see what notable UFA-eligible players might get, or if he wants out of Minnesota.
For his part, Kaprizov said he considers Minnesota his second home. He believes there’s plenty of time to get a deal done.
THE FAN HOCKEY SHOW: Earlier this week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman offered up his opinion of the Kaprizov situation.
“I do believe there’s been tampering slash whispering going on. I’ll never be able to prove it, but I believe it,” Friedman said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leipold’s comments about no team offering more years or dollars than the Wild have spurred Kaprizov’s agent into testing that theory.
Let this be a lesson for other NHL team owners. When asked about re-signing a star player, simply say you’re confident that your general manager can get a deal done, and leave it at that. Being outspoken makes good copy for reporters, but those remarks can haunt you when those contract talks begin.
Friedman seems to suggest that another team has quietly told Kaprizov’s agent that they’ll offer up more than the Wild. It’s easy to make that suggestion, but difficult to prove it. Besides, there’s no need for tampering from a rival team to prompt the Kaprizov camp to take this stance. They know their superstar client could get more on the open market than what the Wild is currently offering.
The Wild already made a monster bid for Kaprizov. You can’t blame his agent for wanting to see how much higher they’re willing to go. And for those of you calling the Kaprizov camp greedy, this is how a free market works. You offer your services to the highest bidder. Blame the game, not the player.
NJ.COM: Ryan Novozinsky reports New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton has heard the trade rumors swirling around him recently, even as he tries to ignore them.
The Devils are deep on defense and have other roster issues to address. They’re also trying to re-sign restricted free agent blueliner Luke Hughes, but are pressed for cap space.
Hamilton, 32, said he’s not concerned about the speculation. He acknowledged that it’s a business, and trades sometimes happen. However, he wants to remain with the Devils because he believes he can win a Stanley Cup with them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamilton’s contract wouldn’t be easy to move. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $9 million and a 10-team trade list, as well as a no-movement clause that prevents demotion to the minors.
THE ATHLETIC’s Vince Z. Mercogliano cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s report claiming the New York Rangers approached Artemi Panarin about a short-term, team-friendly contract extension. However, the 33-year-old winger didn’t bite.
Mercogliano stated that this jibes with what he recently wrote about the Rangers wanting to maintain salary-cap flexibility and not wanting to rush into a big commitment. Their priority is to wait and see what happens with next year’s UFA class.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, if Kirill Kaprizov becomes available, the Rangers want to ensure they have sufficient cap room to make the highest bid.
BOSTON HERALD: Steve Conroy doesn’t understand why Bruins center Pavel Zacha is being bandied about in trade rumors right now.
Conroy cited Zacha’s solid all-around play and reasonable cap hit ($4.75 million) through next season as good reasons for the Bruins to hang onto him. He admits the 28-year-old forward would have good value in the trade market, but also thinks he’d be worthwhile to keep around even if the Bruins continue to rebuild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zacha might force the issue if he feels his chances of playing for a contender are better elsewhere.
So Friedman reports Panarin turned down an offer. And he believes there’s tampering/whispers concerning Kaprizov. Could it have something to do with both players having same agent?
Assuming Hamilton’s trade list is to contending teams only, does anyone see any that would make a move to acquire him in a way that helps NJ and their cap situation especially so when he has had back to back injury heavy seasons.
I dont see it happening now. Maybe next off season idk.
1Oilerfan, contending teams with less than $5 mil in cap space: Vegas $7,638,571 OVER the cap with Pietrangelo’s $8.8 mil barely covering and still with RFA Holtz to re-up; Florida $4.5 mil OVER – temporarily covered by Tkachuk’s $9.5 mil on LTIR; Edmonton – $225,834 in cap reserve with possibly Hyman’s $5.5 mil providing temporary relief; Dallas – $405,084; Colorado $1,325,964; Toronto $1,919,721; Winnipeg $3,963,810; Washington $4,125,000.
Barring a close to $$ for $$ deal, New Jersey would need to withhold a healthy chunk of Hamilton’s $9 mil per – which has 3 years to run.
Carolina, among the so-called “contending teams,” is probably in the best place to get involved with $10,644,184 in cap reserve and 23 under contract (14F 7D 2G), meaning New Jersey would need to withhold far less than with any of the others even without something close to a $$ for $$ deal.
On the subject of unsigned RFAs, it’s beginning to look like there will be 3 valuable (to their teams’ fortunes this season) unsigned RFAs dragging on into the regular season.
Leading the way is C Mason McTavish in Anaheim. Given Verbeek’s preferred hardball negotiating tactics, that shouldn’t come as a surprise, even considering that he’s sitting on a cap reserve of $20.5 mil and just one contract shy of the max 23 (12F 7D 3G). Whatever McTavish gets in terms of an AAV deal, Verbeek will still be sitting on a huge chunk of cash.
Almost as hard to understand is the Trotz position in Nashville, an aging team that fell with a resounding THUD last season despite a clutch of UFA signings, with few pundits (if any!) seeing a rebound this year. He also has 22 under contract (12F 8D 2G) and only promising RW Luke Evangelista to re-up with 9,341,039 in cap reserve with which to do it! As promising as Evangelista is, I doubt either he or his agent are seeking anything in terms of $$ that would put much of a dent in that. So what is Trotz trying to prove, other than the established fact that he’s out of his depth as a GM?
The New Jersey situation is a lot easier to understand. The $5,206,667 in cap space won’t be nearly enough to cover what LD Luke Hughes is likely seeking, and while that could be covered at the outset by placing Kovacevik and his $4 mil per cap hit on LTIR, at some point he will be ready to return and without some other major roster move, they won’t be cap compliant.
Wouldn’t Columbus make sense? They have cap space, and needs some veteran on defense on a young team
From that perspective, yes. But since 1Oilerfan’s post started “Assuming Hamilton’s trade list is to contending teams only ….” that would leave out Columbus.
They will be in the mix for a WC slot again, but they’re not at any serious stage of contending.
Steve Conroy is spot on here. There’s literally no Bruins insiders who actually have inside information. The Bruins organization are tight lipped and not afraid to publicly call out the media on false information. Zacha is happy here plays with his good friend and countryman Pasta. He’s not going anywhere. He’s the 4th best offensive player on the team and plays any forward position and is solid in all 3 zones. It’s becoming a Czech landing spot. I believe there’s 7 Czech players in the organization after this draft and FA. I expect more to come
Paul he s the 4th best forward on a team that is amongst the worse forward group in hockey.That s no claim to fame. This team needs to play it s young players like Minten,Poitras,and Middlestadt and find out if they a play.who are these 7 Czech players? Are they top 6 forwards or top 4 defensemen?Let Past worry about himself.This team is ready for a rebuild,not a retool!
Sorry it’s 5 players Pasta Zacha Blumel Zajicek and Blanar. Take Zacha away and the team isn’t better at all. He’d get what a prospect and a pick? Besides not one of those rumors are from other teams not Boston. And no you need to keep Pasta happy during this down time. Like it or not it’s a fact. Zacha isn’t on the block and he’s not going anywhere. It would be dumb at this point. Trade away a solid 3 zone player for nothing that helps you know. And no they aren’t gonna tank
I’m not sure if I’m blaming Kaprizov of something, but being offered the league’s richest contract over maximum length by the team that drafted him, and gave him top dollar on the last deal (9 mil per in 2021), has a look.
If he turns down the league’s richest contract offer, his teammates will have to feel that.
And at the end of the day, you will have a 28 year old winger who has already made 45 million dollars with the team turning down 128 million dollars because maybe he can get… how much more?
A 7 year term would have to offer him 18.5 million a year to be more than the 128 offered by Minnesota’s ownership.
4.5 million more pre year than the superior Draisatl is receiving.
Yeah, that’s the thing. Even with a rising cap, that $18.5 nut would be hard for any team to swallow and still build a competitive team. Slick brought up an interesting fact that I was unaware of, that Panarin and Kaprizov have the same agent. Nothing to prove, but I love a good conspiricy story.
I doubt Dougie goes anywhere. Hopefully he has a healthy year.
Have to agree there redmonsters – even with the cap rising to $104,000,000 in 2026-27, absorbing an $18.5 mil cap hit is likely going to place a team somewhere in a group that, heading into this season, sees 7 teams in the 60% to 65% range when it comes to cap spent on their 3 highest-cost F and D and 2-goalie tandem – 8 out of a 23-man roster – meaning they have less to flesh out the other 15 positions than those in the 50% to 59%, 40% to 49% and below 40% ranges – far, far less than the lower %s:
65% *NYR F Panarin-Zibanejad-Miller $28,142,857 – D Fox-Gavrikov-Borgen $20,600,000 – G Shesterkin-Quick $13,050,000 TOTAL $61,792,857;
64% EDMONTON F Draisaitl-McDavid-Hyman $32,000,000 – D Bouchard-Nurse-Ekholm $25,750,000 – G Skinner-Pickard $3,600,000 TOTAL $61,350,000;
62% TAMPA F Kucherov-Point-Guentzel $28,000,000 – D Hedman-McDonough-Cernak $19,950.000 – G Vasilevsky-Johansson $10,750,000 TOTAL 58,700,000;
61% FLORIDA F Barkov-Tkachuk-Reinhart $28,125,000 – D Jones-Ekblad-Forsling $18,850,000 – G Bobrovsky-Tarasov $11,050,000 TOTAL $58,025,000;
60%
DALLAS F Rantanen-Seguin-Hintz $30,300,000 – D Heiskanen-Lindell-Harley $17,700,000 – G Oettinger-DeSmith $9,250,000 TOTAL $57,250,000;
VEGAS F Marner-Eichel-Stone $31,500,000 – D Theodore-Hanifin-McNabb $18,425,000 – G Hill-Schmid $7,125,000 TOTAL 57,050,000;
*BOSTON F Pastrnak-Elias Lindholm-Mittelstadt $24,750,000 – D McAvoy-Hampus Lindholm-Zadorov $21,000,000 – G Swayman-Korpisalo $11,250,000 TOTAL $57,000,000.
Those marked * didn’t make the playoffs last season
Who does Florida add now? Tkachuk out and now Barkiv getting knee surgery.
Regardless of their renowned depth, that’s a huge gouge out of the offense of a team that finished an 82-game schedule 1 point in front of the 1st WC slot.
In doing so, Florida had just a 9-goal edge in goals scored (252 to 243) and were almost as identical in goals against (223 for Florida – 234 for Ottawa).
Roslovic or Kuzzy to be part of FLA now???
Sign either one to a 1 year deal to be a 3C with Benett and Lundell moving up.
They still need to be cap compliant for the playoffs and are sitting around 3.5 mill over the cap. They wont be adding much
Actually, they’re $4.5 over Paul … according to Puckpedia
I think we will see more trade activity earlier in the season and only minor tooling at the TD
New Accrual rules state no prorated contacts .A 4 million contract in Oct is. $4m contract in March in respect to the cap hit.
If Barkov surgery is a MCL he could return for the playoffs . Ouch. Not sure what Florida can do now but rely on their organizational depth. I am sure no one feels sorry for them.
Could certainly be out for the season according to this
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/panthers-captain-aleksander-barkov-has-knee-surgery-could-miss-season/
Not sure who they add but its a great opportunity for Lundell (or baby Barkov as he sometimes referred to).
He is a player. That is going to be interesting thing to see him with a more offensive role
He might make up a good portion of Barkov’s offense by moving up … but who replaces his offensive loss on the bottom lines?