NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2025
The latest on the Flames, a couple of teams could be interested in Bruins goalie Michael DiPietro, and an update on Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson looked at the option facing general manager Craig Conroy to whittle down his roster to 23 players by Monday’s 3 pm ET deadline.
Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (NHL Images).
One option is to place sidelined winger Jonathan Huberdeau on injured reserve. He could send promising forward Matvei Gridin to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, or return defenseman Zayne Parekh to the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit.
The final option would be a trade, especially if Conroy gets a suitable offer to free up his logjam of wingers. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson has been in the rumor mill for months, but it seems certain that the 28-year-old veteran will remain with the Flames to open the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving Andersson seems the least likely of Conroy’s options. It’s expected the Flames will eventually move the pending UFA blueliner by the March 6 trade deadline.
RG.ORG: Speaking of the Flames, James Murphy reports they and the Toronto Maple Leafs could be targeting Boston Bruins goaltender Michael DiPietro. He cited a source claiming the Flames and Maple Leafs attempted to acquire DiPietro earlier this year via trade.
The Bruins placed DiPietro on waivers Sunday. A source told Murphy that it would be surprising if he clears, given that several NHL clubs are seeking goaltending depth.
Following a brilliant season with the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence, the 26-year-old Dipietro signed a two-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $812,500 in June. However, he’s become their third stringer behind Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murphy also reported that the Carolina Hurricanes were closely watching DiPietro’s situation. However, the Hurricanes subsequently claimed former Bruins goalie Brandon Bussi off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Sunday.
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline provided an update on forward Yegor Chinakhov, who requested a trade in July from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Chinakhov’s request seems to be on hold after the 24-year-old forward reported to training camp and met with head coach Dean Evason. He spent most of last week skating on their fourth line during practice, but was on their top line Saturday night against Washington.
Portzline reports that Chinakhov fired his long-time agent, replacing him with Rick Komarow, whose clients include Blue Jackets winger Dimitri Voronkov. It remains unclear how this situation will work out.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That depends on Chinakhov’s performance this season and his value in the trade market. An improved effort on his part will improve his trade stock, but could also boost his value to the Jackets’ lineup.
So is the deal with Chinakhov about a player who can potentially be a good player but right now isn’t yet in the eyes of management (probably with good cause) but the player believes he is better than he is?
I’m just wondering if this is more a media whirlwind than an actual issue. The fact that the player changed representation makes me feel a bit more unsure of what’s happening.
Likely the usual Ron … he was a 1st Round Pick – 21st overall – and over 174gp has 82-game averages of 16g 17a 33 pts – which isn’t bad for a bottom 6 F.
His former agent likely thought he should be getting top line duty, but the coach saw it differently. Now he has a new agent and maybe the coach will try him on the top 2 lines … but that will continue only if he provides a solid 2-way game. As it should be.
But looking at the history of those taken 21st in a draft dating from, 2012 to date, the odds aren’t his favour to become a top notch “star.”
Too early to pass judgement on those taken the past 4 drafts – Owen Pickering, Charlie Stramel, Michael Hage and Cameron Reid, but beyond that, dating back to about 2012, when Filip Chytil is the best of the lot, no one should expect anything great from Chinakhov:
Fabian Lysell 2021; (Chinakhov 2020), Samuel Poulin 2019, Ryan Merkley 2018, Filip Chytil 2017, Julien Gauthier 2016, Colin White 2015, Robby Fabbri 2014, Frederick Gauthier 2013, Mark Jankowski 2012.
McDavid extension to be very soon! There’s a potential for a deal to be in place before Edmonton opens its season at home against the Flames on Wednesday, a date that Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said earlier today should bring clarity on his future with the Oilers – whether that’s via an extension announcement or a lack thereof. There’s a “very real chance” a deal could be announced as soon as today, according to Ryan Rishaug of TSN. According to Friedman, that will indeed be happening.
Defenseman Jake Walman has agreed to terms on a long-term extension, according to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector. That deal will be a seven-year, $49MM contract with a $7MM cap hit, per Friedman.
4 years 16 million AAV
Puckpedia shows 2 year @ $12.5 per
It changed three times within a few minutes. It was crazy. LOL
Correction. 2 year $14 million AAV.
https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/rishaug-good-chance-oilers-mcdavid-reach-extension-today/
KevJam, I read 2 years at $12.5M, on the link you attached actually.
So to the naysayers on here saying he wasn’t being honest about his #1 priority being winning a cup, he just proved that it is didn’t he? That’s a lot of money he left on the table considering what Kaprisov got. Or Kaprisov’s salary is a bit of a joke. Perhaps somewhere in between.
He isn’t even the highest paid player on his team. No pressure Mr Bowman.
It’s mind boggling that people really think DiPietro is some high level top notch talent. He’s an above average AHL goalie with terrible numbers in preseason and regular season NHL. Please someone pick him up from waivers today
I thought the Flames would find some way to keep Andersson. Hard to find a midline defenseman of his talents in the prime of his career.
Has he been dealt?