NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2025
Check out the latest on the Flames, Senators, and Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SPORTSNET: Eric Francis recently reported that Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Don Maloney pushed back on the idea that his club should trade Nazem Kadri. The 35-year-old center has been at the top of most pundits’ lists of veterans that the Flames could trade to accelerate a rebuild.
“I think we need more Kadris, not less,” Maloney said. “We need more of that winning.”
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
Maloney also said that the Flames aren’t giving up on his playoff dreams. He also rejected the idea of tanking the season to secure a top-three pick in next year’s draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill since the summer of 2024. The Flames’ struggles this season added fuel to the media speculation, with pundits suggesting trade destinations for the veteran center.
Earlier this month, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Flames ownership wasn’t interested in trading Kadri. Maloney is the first member of the club’s front office to speak against the notion of moving the veteran center.
Maloney’s remarks should put a damper on the Kadri trade rumors for now. If the Flames remain at the bottom of the standings heading into the new year, don’t be surprised if the Kadri rumors rekindle, especially by the March 6 trade deadline.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau examined possible trade partners for the Ottawa Senators as they look to take a big swing in the trade market.
Proteau observed that the Senators need help on the blueline, sitting among this season’s 10 worst defensive clubs. He speculated that the Flames, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues could become sellers. More clubs will join them as the trade deadline approaches.
The Senators have around $1.4 million in current cap space, but that will rise to over $5 million in accrued space by the March 6 trade deadline. They don’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but they do possess their first-rounders in 2027 and 2028 to draw on for trade bait.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given their limitations in terms of cap space and trade capital, the Senators could have a difficult time winning any bidding wars by the deadline.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski suggested the Penguins draw upon their goaltending depth for trade bait to land some scoring help.
The Penguins will soon have three healthy goaltenders, including promising Sergei Murashov. He pointed out that there are five NHL teams with save percentages below .885, six if you include the Maple Leafs’ .886.
With Murashov playing well in tandem with Arturs Silovs, and veteran Tristan Jarry due to return soon from an injury, the Penguins could have two expendable goalies in Silovs and Jarry.
Kingerski believes Jarry’s desirability is dubious, especially after coming off another lower-body injury. He believes Silovs could fetch a better return like a second-round pick, which could be flipped to acquire a middle-six forward.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The most likely scenario is the Penguins will return the waiver-exempt Murashov to their AHL affiliate, then gauge the performances of Jarry and Silovs before deciding if they’ll peddle the latter.
Maloney’s comments have angered many long time Flames fans as he seems out of touch with who the Flames and what many of the Flames fans want and that is hope and that hope comes by drafting a few players with star potential.
The Flames have the two best trade chips in the league with Kadri and Andersson.
Connie will get a fine haul whenever it’s time to do so.
I’d take Ras on the Bruins right now and lock him up with the rest of the fellas.
Kadri, Andersson and Weegar should be peddled at the TDL. The futures they receive, and the draft status will be a giant jump in their rebuild!
Oh, and definitely add Coleman to the trade list!
Agree Mr Ginther, seems pretty obvious that the Flames don’t have a contender. I get not giving up on the season right now, not a great message to the team/players. And trades to contenders are very difficult at this point in the season. But he has to know what reality is.
Anderson has to be traded by the TDL, Coleman, sure. Kadri is tougher due to his age and term. How good is that market?
No thanks on Anderson SOP. Not that he isn’t a solid player, he is, but we need to continue to get younger and acquire young assets and picks, IMO.
Ottawa needs a top 6 forward far more than a defense.
Defense is a team effort. If the team had more offensive threats and a greater ability to sustain an offensive attack the puck would be in the opposition’s end far greater than it is now. Increased offensive puck possession would reduce the goals against on it’s own. Teams can’t score of they don’t have the puck. Less time with the puck = limited opportunities to score = fewer goals.
Giroux is playing great. Faceoff king. But he isn’t getting younger. I feel Zetterberg issues is his speed he isn’t provided consistent secondary scoring. Brady injury would make another injury to a top 6 forward devastating.
The Sens have guys Kelvin learning and improving and Yachemchuk developing.
To me improvement in the top 6 to better round it out and make consistent scoring threats is what should be done.
Having said that. Sure the D can be improved. I actually think trading Chabot for a more steady stay at home and cheaper D would be a good idea. Assuming there would be takers.
Tough spot with Chabbot and Jensen. Jensen suddenly looks his age, and putting Chabbot with Spence turns your 8million smooth skating offensive guy into the defense first guy. That’s not what they pay Thomas to be.
The ending of that game against San Jose was really a clinic on why face offs are so important. “win face off, ice the puck, waste 10 seconds, repeat” I think they did it five times. Game over.
Weegar is from Ottawa and Sens do like to bring back local guys. But he’ll be expensive and doesn’t really change anything.
I know Green won’t do this but I wish when Brady comes back he puts him on the fourth line for say….2 full games. Just watch teams try and match up against all the lines when you put another killer on the fourth.
I get your critisim of the particular D. I still of the belief if you are able to sustain more offense the issue those D experience will lesson
He called Zayne Shane and said rebiggle instead of rebuild while stating fans don’t understand was such a bad look for a dude of his position.
I don’t agree with Jensen looking his age. It’s taken him a bit of time to recover, but I’ve really liked his game as of late.
I don’t think the Sens need to make a huge trade like others say. The team is deep already and their defensive numbers are more of a symptom of a really leaky bad D early on. Lately they have been really stingy.
I’d stand pat right now if I was Staois and hang on to our limited trade assets and see how things are at the trade deadline.
I agree Owen.
For me the early-season hiatus is over when it comes to avoiding the posting of comments on the opening stretch. Annually, this period leads to a mixture of both misplaced angst and optimism – very similar in that regard to April-May baseball – with so many factors contributing to both extremes. No better example than that of Toronto which, if you listen to some, is destined to miss the playoffs as they sit last in the Eastern Conference.
However, look at it closely and you see they have 21 points in 22gp – 4 back of a playoff spot. And this without the offense of Marner, but also with Matthews, Knies, Tanev, Stolarz, Roy, McCabe and Carlo out with injuries, and the unavailability of Woll for the first dozen games or so.
Relax. Let’s see where things stand come the Christmas break.
Where Ottawa is concerned, factoring in the loss of Tkachuk almost from the beginning along with Chabot for several games, and overall they’re not doing too bad when it comes to offense, all things considered. In goals scored per game, and even with the eye-opening production in Colorado (4 gpg), and Anaheim and Carolina (both 3.6 gpg), they are right there among the top echelon in that regard (3.4gpg for each of Toronto and Montreal, 3.3 for each of Ottawa & Dallas, 3.2 for each of Washington and Buffalo, and 3.1 for each of Boston, Edmonton, Vancouver and NYI).
In goals allowed per game, they do need to shore things up, but their current status has to factor in some shaky, inconsistent goaltending out of the gate by both Ullmark and Merilainen, who both have been much steadier over their past 10 where they’ve gone 6-1-3 for 15 points out of 20 (a .750 pace). The top teams in this category are Colorado (2.3 gapg), followed by Seattle and NYR at 2.7, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington and Chicago at 2.8, Vegas, Tampa and L.A. at 2.9, and NJ at 3.1.
Ottawa currently sits at 3.3., but over their past 10 that has dropped to 2.5 gapg. On the offensive side over that same stretch, however, their goals scored per game has dropped to 2.9 – but with Tkachuk due back on this road trip – likely in St. Louis – that too should pick up.
At this point, I don’t see them needing to mortgage the farm to add another costly top 6 F.
George:
I had hoped you were off on a retreat to rid your soul of unhealthy hockey disloyalty to return as a Habs fan again. Apparently not.
But welcome back just the same.
Heh. Thanks LJ. No, not quite. But there’s still a spark there for the bleu-blanc-rouge .. when they’re not playing Ottawa … and even then I’d be happier with a 3-point game. 🙂
I’m also getting accustomed to Lenux and a new MinisForum PC (about 4 inches square and an inch-and-a-half high and 4 times the ram). MicroSoft and Windows can take the proverbial hike. Lol.
With Ridley Grieg a recent healthy scratch in Ottawa could this potentially point towards an impending trade or simply starting a fire under a player?
Ottawa really needsa legit 2nd line RW as Batherson is the only one in our top 6. Problem we have next to nothing to offer up in trades.
Would Grieg and Zetterlund with a 2nd get us what we need? Doubtful
I agree George,
With Brady and Greig back, Sens are pretty deep. That would force a really good player to the fourth line which could make the lines look like:
Stutzle, Brady, Bath
Cozens, Zetterlund, Greig
Pinto, Amadio, G
Ellers, Cousins, Perron
You could sub Perron with Greig or Z, it doesn’t matter who, but that fourth line will be a hard match up for any NHL team.
GeorgeO, good to have you back!
😁
LOL…. he was probably on a retreat in Uganda. I agree on the leafs. And would preach George’s lesson on the Habs too….everybody needs to take a breath and see where it all shakes out AFTER the Olympics. The Canadians and American’s will pound each other. Lets hope few injuries. (if that Olympic rink is even built on time)
I propose sending Drury to Calgary for Maloney.