NHL Rumor Mill – April 23, 2026
Check out the latest on Flyers winger Owen Tippett, plus updates on the Canucks and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jonathan Bailey noted that Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett was the subject of trade speculation since last summer. However, he believes his performance through 2025-26, including in Game 2 of their current first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, should silence those rumors once and for all.
Bailey admitted the 27-year-old Tippett’s offensive production never quite aligns with his overall skills and athleticism. Nevertheless, his two-way play has established him as a core player for the Flyers as he enters his playing prime.
Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tippett has tallied 20-plus goals and 43-or-more points in each of the last four seasons, including two seasons with 28 goals and 50-plus points. His offensive stats could improve as his younger teammates improve, but his all-around play has made him more valuable to the Flyers.
THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk is at a place in his career where it’s about winning and chasing the Stanley Cup.
Kuzma speculated that the 29-year-old could find a rebuild difficult to embrace and might welcome a change of scenery. He has five years remaining on his contract with an affordable average annual value of $5.5 million, which might attract several suitors.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk frequently surfaced in the rumor mill before last month’s trade deadline, and as the Canucks approached the end of this season. Whether he returns with the Canucks or is traded elsewhere depends on who is their general manager. Speaking of which…
The Canucks will interview former Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams as they seek a new GM. They’ve also sought permission to speak with Toronto Maple Leafs advisor Shane Doan.
Kuzma believes further changes to the front office could be coming if Jim Rutherford steps down as president of hockey operations. That explains why they’re casting a wide net for candidates, including Adams and Doan.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams’ name on the Canucks list of GM candidates raised eyebrows around the league because of the Sabres’ years of futility during his tenure in Buffalo. However, Kuzma pointed out that Adams’ fingerprints are all over the current Sabres roster.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Aaron Portzline believes a culture change is coming for the Blue Jackets with head coach Rick Bowness returning next season.
Portzline wondered if Boone Jenner would return as the Blue Jackets’ captain. The first hurdle is his contract situation. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and played fourth-line minutes under Bowness this season. At 33, he’s not the same player that he was a few years ago.
Forwards Charlie Coyle and Mason Marchment and defenseman Erik Gudbranson join Jenner among the Blue Jackets’ prominent UFAs. Portzline considers it unlikely that all of them will be re-signed.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Portzline considers Coyle to be the most valuable of the Blue Jackets’ pending UFAs, followed by Marchment, Jenner, and Gudbranson. Management likely shares that opinion and could make re-signing him a priority over the others.
Mason Marchment would be the player I would go after. You just can t find top 6 wingers that score and play with that kind of sandpaper.They really show up in the playoffs.
Marchment is indeed a key target for teams scouring the UFA pool this year IF he’s not re-upped by Columbus.
Same applies to the following 5, widely regarded as among the best potential UFA “steals”
RD Darren Raddysh – quite possibly THE best value this past season for a sub-$1 mil cap hit;
LW Anthony Mantha – a relatively cheap acquisition for Pittsburgh who experienced perhaps the best “be-back” performance;
LW Bobby McMann – size and speed alone will make him a prime target in spite of his tendency towards being “streaky” in his performance over a season;
RD Connor Murphy – at 33 likely isn’t going to get any long-term offers, but his size and pk ability will have several pursuers pitching offers;
C Jason Dickinson – the epitome of a “defensive” C skilled at neutralizing other team’s top C
“best bounce-back” …. “be-back”??? \WTF?
Mantha looks nothing like his regular season self these 3 games
Hope Dubas does not fall in the 5 yr offer trap for him or 5m trap either
He is streaky beyond
Well, looking at the series as a whole, so far, with the exception of Malkin, most of the Penguins roster look anything like their regular season selves, Ihatecrosby.
But it’s going to be hard for teams seeking increased production from the RW position to look past a season of 33g 31a 64pts in 81gp after having amassed previous 11-season 82-game averages of 23g 25a 48 pts – regardless of how it was compiled.
Debrusk and 1 mill retained to Detroit for pick and prospect
Right age for Redwings current grouping
If the young guys can’t take the job at 1 or 2 LW giving up a prospect and pick to get cost cornfield and age appropriate help is not a bad move with cap rising
Then come up with a package to offer TML for Matthews. At least make an offer regardless if they are selling. Show the locker room and fans you are trying to use the capital to build a winner with a bold move
Canucks would be fine with Adams as GM but he can’t be the only voice so what about former nj devils Gm Fitzgerald as President of hockey ops
They built two decent rosters
(Underperformed but on paper decent)
Then hire a real analytics guy to keep them in check
Then work to build the cupboards
That’s quite the roster of slower than molasses senior citizens Scooby Dubas has assembled in Pittsburgh.
G.M. of the year calibre.
Hayley Wickenheiser : Head of the Maple Leafs Player Developement Department.
Dubas gone, Treliving gone, Shanascam gone.
Leafs have one of the worst prospect pools in the league yet the good Dr is still employed. How? Why?
Why should Wickenheiser get canned Ron? Odd position to go after on the Leafs.
Minten, a 2nd rd pick, seemed to develop really well, she didn’t trade him.
Cowan? So far so good for a late first RD pick. We’re talking Cellibrini here.
Danford, late 1st, too early to tell.
Luc Koblar – late 2nd too early to tell.
She hasn’t had much else to work with as far as quality prospects go. Again, not her call on trading picks.
She obviously knows the game, understand the fitness, training and diet side of the development as a doctor, Olympic and world champion and all.
I would suggest see how she does when she actually has decent talent to develop. Not sure she is the problem in Toronto.
Ray, the Leafs are ranked dead last (32nd) by The Hockey Writers for good reason.
Beyond Cowan (are you really rating him in the Cellebrini category??), no longer a “prospect” now that he has probably established himself as a full-fledged roster player, the pickings are pretty slim, with those regarded as the best of the lot currently in the system largely regarded as no better than bottom-line Fs or 3rd-pairing D – IF they ever make it.
Ben Danford, a 2024 1st Round pick (31st overall) was team captain with Brantford of the OHL, so does possess leadership qualities and good skating ability. Although hard-hitting, his biggest drawback is his puck-handling, evident whenever he has possession in close-quarters.
The two “next-best” are both goalies – 6’7” Dennis Hildeby, who has already seen some considerable action at the NHL level, and Artur Akhtyamov, a 2020 pick, who has turned in some excellent performances with the Marlies the AHL.
LW/RW Nikita Grebyonkin, taken 135th overall 5th round in 2022 as an over-ager with some physical attributes;
C Tyler Hopkins, a 2025 3rd Round pick with a good 200-foot game who could become an arch-typical 3rd line C;
LD Victor Johansson, a 4th round 120th overall 2024 pick – seen as a “high-ceiling draft-and-develop” type D who, since his draft, has undergone significant physical and skill improvements;
Noah Chadwick, another LD taken in the 6th Round in 2023, who utilizes his big frame (6’ 4”) and possesses considerable poise and puck-handling/passing ability; y
Right-shot C Miroslav Holinka, taken 151st overall in the 5th Round in 2024 who has demonstrated high-scoring ability with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL;
Right-shot C Harry Nansi. Taken 153rd overall in the 5th Round in 2025 shows some modest offensive abilities with the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL.
Forgot the word “not” George. Oops.
Should have said – We are NOT talking Celibrini here. Head faster than my fingers I guess. Cowan has done well for a late first.
The whole point of my post is Wick started in the summer of 2022. She really has only had an opportunity to work with a few decent prospects, and the only 2 that you can measure her on are Minten and Cowan. Both are doing well so far considering the talent level, and when they were drafted.
If you want to can her go ahead, but her resume suggests she is well qualified for the position. Once we have some actual results, then evaluate her performance.
Great athlete (ball player as well), good family, obviously intelligent, should have the skills to do the job.
I’m not one calling for her dismissal, Ray. The point of my post was to illustrate that, regardless of who heads the Player Development Program, it’s hard to make silk purses out of a collection largely made up of sow’s ears.
As you say, use what they have in the way of picks this year …. perhaps augmented by picks obtained through some judicious deals before the draft, to start re-stocking the cupboard.
The problem in Toronto is they’re always in a hurry to sign guys like Domi who block the paths of draft picks trying to secure a roster spot.
Had they given Minten real opportunity in the NHL instead of a few minutes here and there playing on the 4th line they may not have made the mistake of including him in the Carlo trade.
Tell me honestly…would you rather have Minten and Steeves at a combined $1.9M or Domi and Jarnkrok at a combined $6M? That $4M difference could have been used on steadying the defence.
Add to the prospects the 3 (I think it was 3) FA’s they recently signed! Hockey Mecca is still attracting them!
Except that, if the word “mecca” is to be applied to one particular location in the NHL – based solely upon having the greatest number of ultimate championships, that would HAVE to be Montreal.
Calling Toronto the “mecca” would be based solely upon being – undeniably – the richest franchise in the league. And what has THAT achieved them in terms of the ultimate prize over the past 59 years?
Ron Jull,
I mentioned Émilie Castonguay as potentially the next Canucks GM as she is an assistant.
She was highly enough regarded in Montreal that she was on the short-list that ended up with Kent Hughes.
Any opinion on her in Vancouver or is she working in the background.
I looked her up, HF30. I found rumours and speculation that she was considered for the GM position with the Habs, but also found a comment that she was not interviewed by the Habs.
Habfan30, perhaps Ron is hearing something different locally, but according to Thomas Drance of the NY Times/The Athletic, neither she nor Cammi Granato are included among the potential candidates
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7206542/2026/04/18/vancouver-canucks-general-manager-candidates-search/
LJ,
Émilie Castonguay was identified as a candidate in the Montreal Canadiens’ search for a new General Manager in January 2022 following the firing of Marc Bergevin.
Here are the key details regarding her connection to the Canadiens’ GM position:
Interview Process: She was among approximately 10 candidates interviewed in the first round by Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens’ VP of Hockey Operations.
Background: Castonguay was a highly respected player agent (representing Momentum Hockey) and was notable for being the first female NHL-certified agent in Canada.
Habs Connection: She previously interned with the Montreal Canadiens, where she was mentored by former GM Pierre Gauthier.
George,
I was/am wondering about what locals think of her as I haven’t heard anything.
Columbus could be another landing spot for Trochek. Close to home for him. Tough call on Jenner, but Trochek imo would be upgrade over him and Coyle. They need to sign Fantilli and Sillinger. 40 mil in cap space. Could be an interesting summer for them.
Good for CLB to grab Trocheck and Boston to grab Coyle on an inflated salary. Hope they do it before Detroit does!!! Good players, but getting too old.
As Mark Messier pointed out in the US coverage of the Philly/Pitt series, part of what Tippett lacks is a center with whom he meshes. (Much the same could also be said for Michkov, but he is only 21 and more of a work in progress.) Philly’s eventual undoing, now and probably in the future, will be their weakness at the center position.