NHL Rumor Mill – January 3, 2026
Check out the latest on the Flyers and Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz was asked what a contract extension for Trevor Zegras would look like.
The 24-year-old forward is in the final season of a three-year deal with a salary-cap hit of $5.75 million. Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks last summer, he leads the Flyers with 39 points.
Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).
Kurz speculated that Zegras could get a five-year, $45 million contract, with an average annual value of $9 million. It would make him the highest-paid player on the rebuilding Flyers, and enable him to sign another potentially monstrous deal when he turns 30.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see if Zegras’ negotiations with the Flyers are smoother than those with the Ducks. The discussions for his current contract weren’t settled until Oct. 2, 2023. By that point, he missed training camp and the preseason, which adversely affected his play and contributed to a lower-body injury that cost him 20 games in 2023-24.
Zegras has arbitration rights this time, giving him more leverage with the Flyers than he had with the Ducks. If he maintains his point-per-game pace, he could seek more than $9 million annually.
Kurz doesn’t see the Flyers making big moves at the March trade deadline. He indicated they have no obvious candidates to sell that wouldn’t hurt their overall roster depth, and they aren’t in a position to trade high-end futures for rental players.
If the Flyers make a move, Kurz speculated that they might acquire a depth piece or two.
UPDATE ON THE PENGUINS
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski pointed out that winger Anthony Mantha’s improved play this season is helping the Penguins and improving his trade value if they become sellers by the March trade deadline. They could also opt to re-sign him or keep him as an “own rental” for the playoffs and let him depart via free agency in July.
Recently-acquired defenseman Brett Kulak has played significantly better since joining the Penguins and being paired with Kris Letang, which has also improved the latter’s performance. That could increase Kulak’s trade value if the Penguins become deadline sellers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As always, much will depend on where the Penguins are in the standings when the calendar flips to March. If they’re still in contention by then, they won’t jeopardize their chances of reaching the playoffs by shipping out Mantha and Kulak. Not when the hockey world keeps clamoring for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to get one more shot at the postseason before their careers end.
Some elements among “the hockey world” might be “clamoring for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to get one more shot at the postseason before their careers end” … but not this little corner of the world.
They’ve had their day.
I am, however, glad to se them up on the Red Wings this afternoon and if they can hold on and win, their 47 pts will put them in a 3-way tie at 47 pts with Philadelphia and Washington in the 6-7-8 positions, just ahead of Buffalo.
George….lets fix in 2026!! lets you and I have some good hockey debates cool….Olive branch extended here.
The Penguins have pulled in to a wild card spot and were only 1 point behind second in the metro until Islanders won last night.. we have a game in hand !!
Dubas continues to stock pile draft picks more than any team, has made the Ahl team strong, and the NHL team is getting younger daily. They are in on Byram from Buffalo 23 year old Sabres d man….fits the time line
Youngsters
Mc Groarty
Chinakov
Kindel
Brunicke is on team USA
Pickering close
Murashov is going to be a great goalie
Horcoff tearing up NCAA @ Michigan.
This team can easily make the playoffs and maybe I say maybe win a round…..and next year they have $53 million in cap space to bring in help for Crosby who is well doing it again. 23 goals 21 assists. 43 points 40 games.
Malkin will be gone next year and we can get a strong second line center.
I take it your not a Red Wings fan ? lol
Why not east is wide open…
Hey your thoughts on the Olympic teams?
Canada id loaded as is Team USA and Sweden.
surprised Canada took Horvat over Sam Bennett and the left of Schaefer?
And that includes a goal from the recently acquired Chinakhov (his 4th on the season).
Penguins win 4-1. That draws Detroit back closer to the pack, with teams right below them having anywhere from 1 to 4 games in hand on them.
GeorgeO just watched the Detroit, Pittsburgh game. I can t believe how uninspired Detroit looked as a first place team.That team needs a shot of adrenaline like a trade to get them going!
I watched most of it too, Sr. As I posted the other day, Detroit is among the 6 teams in the East sporting a minus in goals differential (now -7 putting them 3rd worst b/o Columbus (-13 and in last place) and New Jersey (-11 and 13th). A team with a minus in that category doesn’t last in 1st.
OK, so 2 of the goals were empty-netters in the final minute and a bit, but mustering 12 shots for the entire game on Skinner isn’t going to do it. Gibson, meanwhile, held them in for the most part.
wow…….Penguins win 5th in a row. 49 points tied for third in metro, 1 point out of second in the metro, 2 points from top spot in the metro…mmhhhh
Now in top wild card spot 49 points tied with flyers for third in metro with 49 points they have a game in hand on Pittsburgh
Hurricanes 51 points
Islanders 50 points
Flyers 49 points
Penguins 49 points
Capitals 48 points
East metro wild open… playoff spot this year very