NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2025
The Flyers are monitoring the trade market, an update on Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov, and the latest on the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
FLYERS SHOPPING FOR A DEFENSEMAN
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James cited a report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicating that the Philadelphia Flyers are monitoring the trade market for a defenseman.
The Flyers are short two top-four defensemen with Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen on injured reserve to open the season. James also pointed out that their third pairing is a serious weak spot.
James noted that the Flyers have $6.6 million in salary-cap flexibility after trading permanently sidelined blueliner Ryan Ellis to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week.
DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco also believes that the Flyers intend to use their newfound cap space to bolster their blueline. He cited sources who felt they would use it to improve their top-four defense positions.
Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).
The Flyers had an interest in Bowen Byram before he signed a two-year contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres. He wondered if they might revisit their interest in Byram by dangling forward Owen Tippett and young defenseman Emil Andrae. Di Marco also mused about the possibility of pursuing Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, citing Hughes’ good relationship with Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
Di Marco stated that he was merely spitballing with those suggested trade targets, adding that the Flyers have nothing imminent in the works to address their defense issues. However, if or when they do, it’ll be for an impact player.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers might not get Byram or Hughes during this season. They might become available at the trade deadline at the earliest if their respective clubs are out of playoff contention by March 6. However, by that point, other options may become available that prove more realistic.
CHINAKHOV A HEALTH SCRATCH FOR THE BLUE JACKETS
THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Yegor Chinakhov is expected to be a healthy scratch when the Columbus Blue Jackets open their season in Nashville on Thursday.
Chinakhov, 24, requested a trade in July, citing a lack of opportunity under head coach Dean Evason. The two sides seemed to have smoothed things over after having a meeting at the start of training camp.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chinakhov recently changed agents, but he hasn’t rescinded his trade request. His situation will continue to be worth monitoring as the season progresses.
OILERS TALKING CONTRACT WITH KULAK
TSN: Ryan Rishaug reports the Edmonton Oilers have had some contract extension talks with defenseman Brett Kulak, but nothing is imminent.
Kulak, 31, is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July. He’s in the final season of a four-year, $11 million contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since signing superstar Connor McDavid to a short-term extension at a considerable bargain, the Oilers have wasted little time re-upping other key players, such as defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Jake Walman. They also inked UFA forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year deal.
Union leaders and agents are surely pissed at McD for such a discount. Those greedy mfs never get it, ever.
I doubt that. Maybe if he does it again in 2 years, but not now. There are maybe 3 guys in the league that are close to comparable and one is already signed by Edmonton.
I don’t know, players still look to be getting paid. $13.5 million Eichel deal doesn’t look like a discount at all. IMO It’s a bit of an overpay.
Edmonton (last I looked) is $2.815m over the salary cap, so I can’t imagine the union cares; if a team spends to the cap, why would it matter how they choose to distribute those funds amongst the team?
Is EDM spending the ‘saved’ McDavid $’s on other players?
The answer seems to be ‘yes’.
Therefore the union has no gripe whatsoever.
The other top-end players and their agents, maybe; but that’s not a union issue.
Fans need to understand players need to do what’s best for them, to help them achieve their ultimate goals. Also if you were to put yourself in any one of their shoes you’d do the same, in McDavid’s case, he wants a cup and is willing to put HIS money where his mouth is. What’s not to like about that? Maybe if you’re a fan or management being in McDavid’s case, you’ve been put on notice, you have 2yrs before possibility losing the best player in the world.
Heh – unions are perpetually pissed. It’s in their nature. Witness Canada Post.
Hell, France experienced large strikes while in the midst of WW I, while both the U.K. and U.S. had them during WW 2! “Solidarity” over survival, I guess.
Why should the NHL player’s “union” be any different in attitude? Even though they are decidedly un-union-like in that the “workers” negotiate their own salaries individually.
Blue Jays win Bruins win Swayman and Pasta outstanding it was a very good day very good day.
Only 81 more to go for the Bruins, Obe.
For the Jays, quite a bit less. No one, it seems, can silence all of their bats all of the time. Always a new hero stepping up.
Love to see a Dodgers-Blue Jays WS.
George. Last night it was more a case of Jays silencing Yankees bats.
Ya Slick, the bullpen game worked. Was out of necessity, but hey, we’ll take it. Seems to work a lot, or am I cherry picking? No Yankee faced the same pitcher twice.
Jays did good on the bats IMO considering Schlittler was pitching for the Yanks. That kid fires bullets. But Jays hit fastballs as good as any team in baseball. Got the lead runner on in 6 of 9 innings and eventually got a few more across home plate.
One error killed NY, led to 2 huge runs. The opposite of the night before when 2 errors sunk the Jays and the Yankees made them pay in a huge comeback win.
Entertaining & stressful playoff baseball.
Rosolovic for only $1.5 and for one year . What happened to all the $3.2m and up chatter
Conceivably MCD will gain more after the two years and will be in line for 19-20 million dollars on his next deal. Oilers will win the cup at least once over the next 3 years.
He got half only plays at half speed
The Oilers are once again in a poor state with subpar goaltending. Time for a change and I believe that is what McDavid was hesitant about.
It’s wild that McDavid took a discount to keep cap flexibility and the first thing Edm does is sign (overpay) Walman to a $7M/year deal.
That’s not the opportunity I was imagining to put Edm over the top.
Jake Walman Last year playoffs As per Natrual Stat Trickat 5on5.
CF% 53.07%, FF% 56.23%, xGF%55.59, HDCF% 56.6%, HDGF% 61.9%
Those are pretty good numbers for a middle d-pairing d-man at $7 million a year who is only 29 years old.
For comparison sakes. Noah Hanifin who is in year two of a seven year $7.35 million AAV and is 28 years old. Last year in the playoffs as per Natural Stat Trick.
CF% 53.49%, FF% 52.88%, xGF% 44.23% HDCF% 43.59%, HDGF% 33.33%
I don’t hate the player, but when I think Walman, I don’t think 7x$7M, which is more than double his current contract.
According to a quick online search, there are 33 D making $7M+ this season across 32 teams.
Edm already has 2 of those guys (Bouchard, Nurse) and now adds a 3rd starting next year.
Also, next season when McDavid’s new contract kicks in the Oilers have 9 forwards (all of their tops 6) and all of their top 6 d-men signed for next season. Not including their goalies. That gives the Oilers $17.7 million to sign three bottom 3 forwards and improve their goaltending.
I don’t think Walman is an overpay either KevJam. When you watch him play he reminds me of Pionk, who I was praising yesterday, except a bit bigger. Solid stocky guys (Walman list at 218) who can skate, move the puck, chip in offense and are really aggressive in battles. Not elite, but good at every part of the job.
Concern is he seems to get hurt most years though, not season ending stuff, but consistently banged up it seems. He is now too.
Kevjam, just going by Puckpedia’s projection for next season, the Oilers are committed to 10F (Draisaitl, McDavid, Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins, Frederick, Mangiapane, Janmark, Podkorzin, Howard, Savoie) and 6 D (Bouchard, Nurse, Ekholm, Walman, Emberson, Regula) at a collective cap hit of $83, 636,666.
With the cap at $104,000,000 that gives them $20,363,334 with which to sign 7, two of which will be goalies as both Skinner (expiring $2,6000,000) and Pickard (expiring $1,000,000) will either be re-signed (at what cost each?) or replaced (again, at what cost?). If Ingram shows he’s back, he’s among their UFAs at an expiring cap hit of $1,150,000).
One way or another, if they wish to be competitive in goal with the other top teams, whatever they wind up doing will cost them closer to $7,000,000 for their 2-G tandem.
That would put them at around $13.3 mil with which to sign 5. They have no RFAs to re-up, but 5 of the other 8 UFAs would need to be either re-signed or replaced with players as good or better:
Henrique – exp. $3,000,o00; Roslovic exp. $1,500,000; Kapanen – exp. $1,300,000; Tomasek exp. $1,200,000; Lazar exp. $775,000; Philp $775,000; Kulak exp. $2,730,000; Stecher exp. $787,5000;
Depending upon which they go – and, of course, also depending upon what kind of seasons are put in by the foregoing , th at $13 mil could disappear quite rapidly.
And Skinner makes a blunder again, I wonder how long until they get a goalie
Briere seems to be very good at making trades and drafting, but horrible at signing free agents. Juulsen and Gilbert are both completely useless. They have never played a full NHL season between the 2 of them. He should have sign Grzelcyk.
I just want to jump in here and let the Habs fans know that they will regret the Dobson trade by the end of the season.
I’ve seen every game that Noah has played in the NHL (Isles STH). Dobson is a big body that plays small. His defense never improved and his one big year was really the work of Barzal setting him up for easy points.
Dobson is a decent player. But Montreal will regret overpaying for him.
He certainly got a lukewarm assessment for his play in the pre-season by some Montreal scribes, and from the games against Ottawa – he looked continually behind the pace.
I guess it won’t take long to find out if it’s anything more than simple adjustment to his new D partner and goalie communication.
I wouldn’t write him off yet … but he does need to be more involved to justify that cap hit.
Can’t say it’s a good look especially being first game of the season on the Habs vs the hated Leafs with that “hustle” back to stop Matthews scoring the empty netter.
That’s where you lose fans like me.