NHL Rumor Mill – May 5, 2026
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews and Stars winger Jason Robertson, and some suggested targets for the Jets.
THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston believes the Toronto Maple Leafs are on the clock with team captain Auston Matthews. The 28-year-old superstar center has two years left on his contract, but league sources say he still isn’t sure if he’ll be back in the fall.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
Matthews has reasonable concerns over the Maple Leafs’ direction under new general manager John Chayka. The two are expected to meet within the next two weeks. Chayka said he’s not putting a deadline on the Leafs captain regarding his own intentions.
Johnston believes Matthews wants to see a roster meaningfully upgraded by trades and free-agent signings. Keeping the high-scoring center in the fold will be critical to the club’s plans to retool the roster rather than a full-fledged rebuild.
As great a player as Matthews is, the Maple Leafs won’t get full value for him in a trade. Johnston believes the best-case scenario would be a return comparable to the package of future assets the Vancouver Canucks received from the Minnesota Wild for Quinn Hughes last December.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chayka faces a daunting task attempting to retool the Leafs this summer. Selling Matthews on his plans could be his biggest challenge.
If Chayka fails, he’ll have to peddle Matthews for the best return he can find, which won’t be easy given the latter’s no-movement clause.
Matthews will waive his clause if he wants out, but he will likely only have a handful of preferred destinations. The fewer he has, the harder it would be for Chayka to land a quality return.
Convincing Matthews to stay will be a far better option for Chayka than trying to move him for a return that won’t come close to being fair market value.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos reports Jason Robertson left a bit of uncertainty about his future with the Stars during his end-of-season media availability on Monday.
The 26-year-old left winger is due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.75 million. He’s also a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility unless he signs a long-term deal.
Robertson acknowledged that it’s a business on both sides, but he’s optimistic. “It’s a business,” Robertson said. “I learned that four years ago. It’s not my first time.”
Assimakopoulos believes Robertson is due for a significant pay raise. She speculated he could seek an extension similar to teammate Mikko Rantanen’s eight-year deal worth $12 million annually.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson lacked arbitration rights after completing his entry-level contract four years ago, giving Stars management the leverage in those negotiations. It’s a different story this time.
A lack of salary cap space further complicates things for the Stars, prompting speculation that they’ll shed salary to free up sufficient cap space to re-sign Robertson.
The Stars could peddle Robertson rather than making a cost-cutting trade or two that might weaken their roster depth. However, they would have difficulty replacing the offense he brings to their lineup.
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently looked at several types of players the Winnipeg Jets could target to upgrade their defense this summer.
One option could be free agency if they want to add a big, physical defenseman. Ates suggested e Carson Soucy, Andrew Peeke, and Connor Murphy as possible targets.
Another could be targeting a young RFA-eligible defenseman capable of more, such as Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils or Pavel Mintyukov of the Anaheim Ducks.
I dont know about Peeke and Murphy but Soucy is a 6/7 D at best at this time, And I have a hard time getting Nemec or Mintyukov out of their teams unless you pay with quality in return
How about Barzal even up for Matthews or Robertson. But either of the 2 would have to sign an extension. They get a good player with a reasonable contract in his prime. Isles get younger and would have to pay more to extend but they have cap room if Lee leaves and Palat is bought out which should happen.Is this afair deal for both teams?
Pete are you ok.? Barzal straight up for Matthews or Robertson.???? Add Schaefer lol just kidding or atleast NYI top prospect and Barzal and 2 first rounders along with 2 seconds for Matthews or Robertson.!!
You ok Frank?
I’m an Islander fan and Frank is closer to the offer that should “include” Barzal as a starting point.
The bet here is how much more Mathews has in the tank. What his mysterious injuries have been etc etc.
The problem with acquiring Mathews….who’s up there in McDavid, Draisaitl territory is who has the assets, who…once those assets are out the door–still has enough to entice the super start to come and can then surround him with the right pieces.
Smells like a Tampa or Vegas play to me. Maybe Florida…though the Panthers are tapped financially even with Bob coming off the books.
Long shot. Calgary…who have the picks assets and maybe just enough future “fun” to entice him to go there. They WON’T want him in the east if they can help it.
I believe both Matthews and McDavid want to win so don’t believe they go to a team that has to give up a boatload of players to get them. I see them going for draft picks probably take 3 firsts to get either one. If Toronto or Edmonton trade either one for picks then they might as well trade Leon and Nylander for more firsts. Imagine a team with 7 first round picks over the next three years wow. Anaheim picked 6 times in first round over last 4 years and they are built for next 8 years.
Agree Obe, or a mix of draft picks and prospects. If they end up having to move Matthews, it is rebuild time for sure isn’t it?
Carolina could do it, the question is would they do it. Does Matthews fit in their style of play?
They took a swing at Rantanen so maybe. They have Dallas first this year and 2028. Plus their own next year and 2028. Plus some “OK” prospects, nothing too high end.
Maybe a guy like Jarvis who doesn’t have any trade protection if the Leafs want a player instead.
Can’t wait to see how the Robertson contract lands.
Dallas has about $11.1M in cap space for next year and has to sign or replace these forwards:
Robertson (coming off $7.8M)
Bunting ($4.5M)
Benn ($1M)
Bourque ($1M)
Even assuming the resign/replace Bunting, Benn, and Bourque all for league min deals around $1M, that only leaves $8M for Robertson.
I cant see him seeking less than $12-$14M.
So either Robertson goes somewhere else, or Dallas has to trade another key, expensive piece to fit him in.
Would they ever peddle Harley or Heiskanen in a cost cutting move?
foleyd7, if Nil does make a move like that, given his managing history you can bet it will involve the player whose departure will have the least effect on the overall roster … in his expert view … and that part of the return will be someone who has a better-than-even chance of eventually and effectively replacing the dear-departed.
How many teams have been a consistently highly competitive elite team in their Conference for 7 straight seasons?
Lyubushkin and his $3.25M x 1 cap hit can be peddled with a 3rd round sweetener for FCs. Then they can sign Robertson $13M and maybe Bourque to a 2 x $2M. Bunting and Benn will have to go.
But then again, Robo gets 7 x $17M in July or 8 x $14-15M if traded in a sign and trade before July………
Oops, he is not a FA in July and I did not wish to imply he was, but he can only get 7 years in July or after.
Agreed. It sounds like Robertson is gone. Talking about it as a ‘business’ is quite the tell.
His numbers compare very favorably to Kaprizov’s and he’s 3 years younger. I could easily see an arbitrator awarding him $17M.
It’s up to Dallas, just like it is up to Buffalo to find a way to keep Tuch.
Even for Nil this will be a challenging summer. The question isn’t simply how does he keep the band together but rather how does he improve upon it.
This is more of a question as i don’t watch a lot of the leafs.
Looking outside in I wonder about Matthews and if he and or the team have a clear definition of who he needs to be and whether they have considered that in their support around him.
I look at Mcdavid…its clear who he is.
I look at Barkov, it’s clear.
But Matthews, are the leafs expecting him to be like Barkov and negate the other teams best…or score 60+ goals a year. I dont think it is reasonable to expect both. imo what ever direction you lean to would dictate the support that needs to be in place and the coaching deployment of him no?
And maybe this is all sorted idk
Good question 1Oilerfan, and I truly think – albeit purely from distant observation – that, to this stage of his career, Leafs management (and coaching) have never really come to any definitive conclusion themselves. When he was regularly potting anywhere from 40 to almost 70 goals per, aided and abetted by equally healthy production from Nylander, Marner and Tavares, that was as far as they wanted to look.
I have no way of knowing definitively, of course, but somehow I doubt that any of Babcock, Keefe or Berube ever really looked beyond his just focusing on offensive production to, say, striking a balance by becoming a 2-way C taking on a somewhat more defensive responsibility which would lead to the elite goal differentials that were the Hallmark of a Patrice Bergeron or Anze Kopitar, and are now the modus operandi of the likes of Barkov, Draisaitl, McDavid, MacKinnon, Hintz and, yes, Nick Suzuki.
I doubt he will ever return to the 50/60 goal+ days, so hopefully, for his sake and future, he can and will adapt his game accordingly.
Somehow, I see Matthews going to LA for Laferriere 2026 1st, 2026 CBJ and Buff 2nds, and a B prospect.
3 picks in this years’ draft could be very appealing to the Leafs.
All makes sense…how does this help them win? Your choice…LA or Toronto. If history hasn’t shown us anything, teams do better after trading their best players, right?
Always criticizing but never offering any solutions. But it will be up to AM.
Maybe Matthews wishes to stay on the sinking ship, after all he is the Captain.
“Pierre Dorion is a strong candidate to be named GM in Vancouver but he has not been hired,” while Gaffar noted the Canucks “have met with Pierre Dorion a few times as they have with other candidates but no decision has been made yet at all.”
Is Dorian in the lead?!?! Kinda appears so.
Dallas could trade Sequin and sweeteners to a team who then buys out his contract , sequin resigns with Dallas for 2 mill.
sequin makes more money and could sign a multi yr deal at 34 yrs of age instead of a 35 yr old contract. all depends on his health.