NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2026
Check out the latest on the Sabres, Wild, Blackhawks, and Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE SABRES?
ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what’s in store for the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason following their elimination from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The first task for general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is to nail down a contract extension for Alex Tuch. The 29-year-old power forward is completing a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $4.75 million and is in line for a significant raise.
Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (NHL Images)
Given the limited depth in this summer’s UFA market, Tuch will be highly coveted by other clubs if he becomes available on July 1.
Meanwhile, forwards Peyton Krebs and Zach Benson are restricted free agents. Krebs has arbitration rights, while Benson is coming off his entry-level contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored earlier this season that the Tuch camp could seek a deal comparable to the eight-year contract ($10.625 million AAV) that Adrian Kempe signed with the Los Angeles Kings last fall. The Sabres could prefer signing him for between $8.5 million and $9.5 million. It’ll be interesting to see if they can meet in the middle.
Shilton believes Kekalainen must find “suitable scoring depth, a little extra physicality, and some defensive help.” She noted that there could be some “intriguing names” in this summer’s free-agent market that could help them, such as Rasmus Andersson of the Vegas Golden Knights, Anthony Mantha of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Viktor Arvidsson of the Boston Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s rumored that the Golden Knights have an agreement with Andersson on a new contract, but they must wait until July 1 to make it official once they place sidelined defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on offseason LTIR.
THE LATEST ON THE WILD
THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith report that Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin believes his club is in a window now where they could win the Stanley Cup. “If there’s a chance for us to get better, we will,” Guerin said.
Russo and Smith believe Guerin’s objective is to find a No. 1 center. Given how weak this year’s free-agent class is, the Wild GM must find that player in the trade market.
Doing so will mean giving up more of their future after parting with three young assets and a first-round pick last December for superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes. Speaking of Hughes, Guerin said signing the 26-year-old blueliner to an extension is his top priority.
The Wild have about $15 million in cap space, and that doesn’t include re-signing some of their pending UFAs and re-signing restricted free agents such as Bobby Brink and Daemon Hunt.
TWINCITIES.COM: Dane Mizutani believes Guerin must find that first-line center regardless of the cost. He recommends packaging young goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in a trade package, depending on the outcome of Filip Gustavsson’s offseason hip surgery.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s well known that Guerin attempted to acquire a center before the March trade deadline. Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers was thought to be the target, but the 33-year-old center prefers to remain on the East Coast or as close as possible.
A recent report claimed Guerin made a trade offer to the St. Louis Blues for center Robert Thomas, but the Blues rejected it. Thomas joins Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils as potential trade targets for the Wild. However, those players carry various forms of no-trade protection, and their teams could be unwilling to move them.
Wallstedt was floated as a trade candidate before the deadline, so it’s unsurprising that he’s come up again. If Gustavsson makes a full recovery and is good to go for the start of next season, Wallstedt could get packaged with draft picks and prospects for a first-line center at some point.
WILL THE BLACKHAWKS BE AGGRESSIVE IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET?
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope believes Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson must be more aggressive in this summer’s trade market to acquire high-end players who will accelerate his rebuilding plans.
Pope noted this summer’s shallow free-agent pool could result in a busy summer trade market. He wondered if notables such as winger Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, forward Thomas and Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues, or goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would be available this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have the cap space and the trade assets in draft picks and prospects to use as trade bait if any of those players become available. Thomas, Kyrou, and Hellebuyck all have full no-trade or no-move protection. Robertson doesn’t, but Davidson would have to ensure that he’s willing to sign an extension before pursuing him.
DAILY FACEOFF: cited a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicating the Blackhawks are willing to trade the signing rights for pending UFA forward Ilya Mikheyev. He’s in the final season of a four-year contract with an AAV of $4.75 million
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks offered Mikheyev a contract extension before the March trade deadline, but he rejected it. His signing rights won’t fetch much of a return, but Davidson could bundle him into a trade package in his pursuit of a high-end player.
COULD THE JETS GO THE OFFER SHEET ROUTE?
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates suggested the Winnipeg Jets should target players with offer sheets this summer. He believes it will be difficult to upgrade their roster this summer through free agency, trades, or with the eighth-overall pick in this year’s draft.
Ates observed that some exciting young players will be restricted free agents this summer. He proposed that the Jets should target teams facing a salary-cap crunch this summer. Pavel Dorofeyev of the Vegas Golden Knights would be the best target.
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Mike McIntyre suggested the Jets consider bringing back Patrik Laine on an affordable short-term contract. The 28-year-old winger is UFA-eligible this summer and won’t be re-signed by the Montreal Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both scenarios seem unlikely, but the Jets targeting Dorofeyev with an offer sheet is more plausible than bringing back Laine.
Faber and Hartman for Nemec and Hischier signed to a 7 year contract. (after July 1)
Let Tuch walk and get his $10M+ elsewhere.
Sign Anders Lee, Marchmant or McMann
The Sabres will not let Tuch walk. They’ve finally broken through and can ill afford a step backward now. They’ll find a way to sign him. He’ll likely want max term and at least $9m. AAV.
I agree Johnny that he’s not worth it. He turned 30 last week. He has only one season of more than 67 points. He’s a good but not great player. The back half of his next contract will not be good. But as I said the Sabres have no choice.
Depending if they can trade for a goalie and need cap space Tuch could walk.
Helenius and Ostlund both rookies and look very promising same as Kulich.
The question is, what do they have to replace him with? Do they have any young wingers is the system and a 2nd/3rd liner that can improve and replace him? Can Quinn be better with more icetime, can they afford to trade a D or a C for a winger?Then walk away, if not I can see 9-9,5 but not more. Know when to walk away, he isnt Kempe in LA who has “much” better numbers at 10,6ish
Don’t see how you pay him after his playoff performance Howard. Absolutely invisible, and regardless of where he goes he cost himself some money with that effort.
Can’t let emotion enter into the decision. I’ve loved his game, but predicated on speed which is the first thing to go. Classic decision trap we’ve seen GMs fall into so many times. Time for ruthless decision making is at hand. Have to let him walk. Not going to sign with bottom feeding team out west, and I don’t see many top teams awash in cap space, and willingness to take the risk that he is the guy to get them over the top.
Sabres have the leverage. Get him at the terms they want (money and duration) or let him walk. In a position to fill from young talent coming up. Their young guys were best players in the playoffs.