Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 24, 2026
Check out the latest on the Golden Knights, Stars, Canucks, and Kings in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
CAP SPACE AN OFFSEASON ISSUE FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND STARS
THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal listed seven teams that could face a salary-cap crunch in 2026-27. Two of the more interesting were the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars.
The Golden Knights have a projected $12.5 million in salary-cap space if sidelined defenseman Alex Pietrangelo remains on LTIR for next season. That won’t leave much to re-sign restricted free agent winger Pavel Dorofeyev and pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).
Dayal speculated that forward Tomas Hertl could become a salary-cap casualty. The Golden Knights are carrying $6.75 million of his $8.137 million average annual value (with this former club, the San Jose Sharks, carrying the rest) through 2029-30.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev’s RFA status would make him an enticing offer-sheet candidate if he’s willing to consider that option. Because he has arbitration rights, interested teams will have from the start of free agency on July 1 until the July 5 arbitration filing deadline to make their pitch, assuming he doesn’t file between those dates. If he goes to arbitration, he’s ineligible to sign an offer sheet.
The Golden Knights acquired Andersson from the Calgary Flames in January. Some observers wondered why they haven’t re-signed him yet. It’s believed they’re waiting until July 1 to do so. On that date, they’ll be allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10 percent during the offseason. It will also give them time to determine if Pietrangelo will remain on LTIR for next season.
Hertl has a modified no-trade clause, but there are no details as to how limiting it might be. Dayal suggested that the high demands for centers could create plenty of opportunities for the Golden Knights to move him.
The Stars’ limited cap space has created speculation over how they’ll free up room to re-sign RFA winger Jason Robertson. Dayal also mentioned that it could make center Mavrik Bourque a tempting offer-sheet target. He suggested that the Stars could have difficulty matching a $4.775 million offer sheet for Bourque, and it would only cost a second-round pick in compensation.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s situation has been well-documented. However, the Bourque offer sheet scenario could be intriguing.
Bourque is completing a one-year deal with an AAV of $950,000 and, like Robertson, has arbitration rights. The versatile 24-year-old can play center or wing, lacks no-trade protection, and had a career-best 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points this season.
As with Hertl, the demand for centers could tempt a rival club to try to sign Bourque to an offer sheet, assuming he’s interested in doing so. Signing him to between $4.776 million and $7.163 million would cost a first and a third-round pick, so it’s understandable why Dayal suggested the $4.775 million AAV offer.
THE LATEST ON THE CANUCKS
THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma suggested the Vancouver Canucks should be buoyed by the Montreal Canadiens’ swift rise to ensure long-term competitiveness. As the Canucks embark on a rebuild, they can draw lessons from the Canadiens’ efforts, which turned them from a last-overall team to an Eastern Conference finalist within four years.
Kuzma observed that one of the ways the Canadiens rebuilt quickly was by identifying roster players with market value to acquire assets, while targeting players who hadn’t yet hit their stride with other clubs.
Winger Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Filip Hronek could be marketable players for the Canucks.
DeBrusk, 29, wants to win now. His goal production and his affordable $5.5 million AAV for the next five seasons could be attractive in the trade market.
The 28-year-old Hronek is a big-minute, lead-by-example defenseman who finished second in scoring on the Canucks this season. He has a full no-movement clause, but Kuzma speculated he could fetch a first-round pick, a prime prospect, and perhaps more.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk has indicated he’s not keen about a rebuild, which makes him the more likely of the two to be traded this summer. He also has a full no-movement clause, but will be open to waiving it to join a playoff club.
Management will have to determine whether Hronek wants to be part of the rebuild. If he does, he can provide leadership and skilled experience to their young defense corps. Otherwise, they’ll find out where he wants to be traded and go from there.
UPDATE ON THE KINGS
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently listed who stays and who goes from the Los Angeles Kings this summer.
Stephens included Darcy Kuemper among those he believes are “staying put, almost certainly”. He noted that the 35-year-old goaltender’s struggles this season cost him his job as the team’s starting goalie.
Kuemper has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.25 million. Stephens believes he could be a comeback candidate or put on the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuemper also has a 10-team no-trade list. Despite that and his struggles this season, the limited market for goaltenders could make him a trade target for clubs desperate for help between the pipes.
Stephens thinks Trevor Moore could stay put, but he noted that the 31-year-old forward has been up-and-down in recent years. He also observed that he has two years left on his contract without trade protection.
They could face a tough decision with pending UFA Scott Laughton. His departure would leave them thin at center if they can’t find a suitable replacement. He will draw interest in the free-agent market. Forwards Mathieu Joseph and Andrei Kuzmenko are UFA-eligible and unlikely to be back.
Hertl has a 3 team approved trade list in year 4-6 of his contract. He is NOW in year 4, and in July he will be in year 5.
Vancouver gave out extensions last year. Don’t see them as a full blow up. Petersson needs a bounce back. If Stenberg falls to 3, that’ll give him a talented Swede on his wing. If not, they could draft a bonafide top pair dman. They also have picks 24,33, and 41. A healthy Demko and Chytil, along with players that got in trades, and not a bad team on paper.
Trading Harley and his $10+ AAV contract for a 3-4 RD-man with a lesser cap hit and high pick and a good prospect would allow the Stars to sign Robo and possibly Bourque. Harley has no trade protection.
Example:
Harley for Orlov, #20 OA and Zack Ostapchuk
Orlov may be too long in the tooth but this frees up well over $4M and Dallas is able to sign Robo at 8x$13M AAV and Bourque to a 2 x $3M AAV
If I remeber correctly Orlov is trending downhill. How about sending hi, to Chicago for Rinzel and their 2nd rounder and something else. Or to Winnipeg for their first and Salomonsson. They do have a hard time getting players and Harley has no protection. The point is to find a team that has cap space and are either one the verge of getting good like Chicago or are trying to get the best out of what they have and need D
VAN should tear it down, and Boeser should be at the top of the list, along with Hronek, Debrusk, and Pettersson (if any team is really that desperate to take on that contract)
Hronek and #24OA for #2OA
If the Canucks are going to emerge from the basement they need to do a much better job of drafting. Since 2015 they have drafted 3 players of any real impact: Hughes, Boser and Pettersson. Hughes of course wanted out of the Jerry Springer show, and Pettersson may not be in Vancouver for much longer.
Vancouver is a mess….first start by naming a captain worth of the title and job…also not a captain who wants out and is a bystander to the mess with Miller, Petterson and others,
We talk about the room make sure your captain has the qualities of a leader
again as I have said all along you don’t build a team around Petersson and Hughes
For the experts on LITR, how would the salary cap work for Vegas if Stone could no longer play with a 9.5 million salary and Pietrangelo remained out with an 8.8 million salary? Each player would be entering the final year of their contracts.
Dave, I’m no expert but, as near as I can determine under new LTIR rules… and someone please correct me if I’m wrong – IF Stone ($9.5M) and Pietrangelo ($8.8M) are both certified as hors de combat for the entire regular season AND possible playoffs, Vegas would receive full relief with their combined salaries of $18.3 mil subtracted from their active cap obligations, allowing them to exceed the upper salary limit by that amount or call up or acquire replacements.
If, on the other hand, either or both are expected to return during the season OR the playoffs, instead of receiving full relief it would be limited to the prior season’s average NHL salary, which is something below $4 mil. That would result in the necessity for some some deft manipulation by McCrimmon since, to activate either, they’d have to be cap-compliant at the exact moment of activation, thereby forcing him to somehow shed anywhere from $8 to $18 mil.
Bourque is a btoberg max 2nd comp candidate.
Vegas can trade Hertl,Karlsson, and hill to make space.
I like the article that was posted the other day, about trading for 25ish players that have fallen out of favor with their current teams.
What a great way of getting young affordable players who just need a restart.
Example – Josh Doan
Toronto, sure, a good theory but of course the key is “just needs a fresh start.”
How does one tell the difference between a player who has peaked below expectations and one who needs a change of scenery and coaching?
If all one had to do was look at analytics, now all the rage, the first thing a team with such a player would do would be to try and work with the player, not trade him.
Two examples:
the Habs traded for Danault in 2016, and he blossomed in Montreal.
The Habs trade for Dach and he continues to tease with a hot game followed by long stretches of mediocrity seasoned with frustration. He seems to be a classic peaked below expectations player.
Maybe the system that they are currently in just doesn’t fit the player. The talent is there, but the coach and the system are not.
Dominik Hasek is another great example. He was left unprotected twice, then got his chance. The rest is history.
Not all and more often than not, these guys that “all they need a change of scenery or a fresh start” unfortunately rarely work out but no doubt, excellent when it does as rare as it does.
True … definitely one of those situations where you just don’t know until you give it a try.
But over the years there have been enough described that way at some point along the way who did, in fact, shine after moving on, that keep the attempts alive – e.g. William Karlsson, Larry Murphy, Brent Burns, Ryan Strome, Phil Kessel, Jonathan Marchessault, Martin St. Louis.
No doubt George, the phase Burke used is quite adequate…a found wallet. Some it will have a surprising amount of cash, sometimes some, and often nothing. 😃
Josh Doan didn’t fall out of favor in Utah. He was the unfortunate (for Utah) casualty in the trade for JJ Peterka.
He was a secondary part of the Petreka trade. Kesselring was the guy Buffalo really wanted to play with Power.
Perhaps, but he certainly wasn’t out of favor.
To comment in Dayal article….
Sabres are another team with a tight cap space.
How can they do it.
Puckpedia has 12/6/4 with about $12M in space with Helenius replacing Kulich, and Levi or roster.
Sign Kesselring for 2.425M
Bury Danforth for 0.575 penalty
Resign Krebs or Malenstyn for 2.5M. They trade Krebs if unsigned
Benson for 7 on a long term contract
Trade Lyon
That makes them 13/7/3 with $1M left in space
If they want to resign Tuch….
Benson instead takes a short bridge at $4M freeing up $3M
Trade Zucker freeing up $4.75M
This gives them $8.75M in space
They trade Greenway with retained and keep Danforth on roster frees up an additional 1.25M for 10M
I think Tuch is gone. Maybe trade his rights and get something.
Or maybe move Power?
If they move a D its Byram, he only has one year left
Thank you George O The reason I asked is because I thought under the new rules they had to be cap compliant at the start of the season including the LTIR salaries.
Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Tage Thompson, Jonathan Marchessault, Aliaksei Protas, William Karlsson are just a few of the big breakout guys who found their mojo after being traded at around 25 y/o.
Many coaches break down players to fit certain roles on the team and many others take a players strengths and use it to the team’s advantage.
We tend to forget that all of the players getting a cup of coffee in the NHL are really good players with varying flaws, the team has major responsibility with regard to development and coaching.
On my island, Kotkaniemi (25y/o) was mishandled in Montreal and grossly underserved by his agent. He never lived up to his potential as a result, despite showing flashes. He’ll have earned $50 million by the end of his contract in 2030 during a mediocre career.
I don’t buy that KK was mishandled, HF30.
He was 21 when the ‘Canes acquired him. He was young enough to still develop, and by the time he was 25 it was clear the change of scenery didn’t work. That’s two places he didn’t perform. He’s a bust, irrespective of the money he got paid in the hope that he would blossom.
It’s easy to find success stories of diamonds in the rust because they get recognized, and everyone loves a redemption story. Much more difficult to remember players who never filled their potential. And they’re way more of them.
habsfan30
Do not forget the 40 goal scorers the Leafs gave up on too early…Brad Boyes and Carter Verhaege
Imagine one of the purest goal scorers history of the NHL, Mike Bosdy, being available in the amateur draft and passed on by his hometown team, Montreal Canadiens, and passed on twice by their biggest rival Toronto Maple Leafs…
Daryl,
My list wasn’t exhaustive by any means and it just listed a few guys who are playing now.
I didn’t mention John LeClair either, traded by the Habs when he was 25y/o and started a run of 50 goal years with the Flyers at 26y/o.
HF30
I wasn’t suggesting you missed anyone.
Just pointing out a couple of the many blunders the Leafs have made.
John Leclair is a big one for the Habs. Shall I raise you a Doug Wickenheiser over Denis Savard?
I’d love to see a list of the biggest blunders by team…guaranteed there would be several Leafs in the top 20
Daryl you need to understand that other fans can recall of the ones that got away and that list won’t be any longer than the Leafs. Something Leafs fans feel, another situation that is a Leafs issue when in fact, no fan base can escape their team’s misery in mismanagement….the difference is other fan bases don’t harp on it as much as the one you previously mention.
Daryl,
As RM posted, all fan bases have their lists.
Here’s a related one for you since you mentioned Wickenheiser, the Habs lost even more when they traded FOR Savard and gave up Chelios.
NYI had a few doozies- Chara, 1st rd pick (Spezza),Muckalt for Yashin.
They also did Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
Chicago fans rue the day they sent Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield to the Boston Bruins for Pit Martin, Gilles Marotte, and Jack Norris.
They want to forget Hasek to Buffalo for Stephane Beauregard and a 1993 4th-round pick
Boston fans have their complaints, Ken Dryden rights traded to Montreal, Tyler Seguin trade to Dallas, Thornton trade to San Jose.
Detroit traded away a 23y/o Marcel Dionne to LA, they traded away Adam Oates to St. Louis.
They traded a 2012 1st-round pick and Sebastian Piche to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Kyle Quincey. The pick became Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Going back in time Detroit sent stars Ted Lindsay and Glenn Hall to the Black Hawks for Hank Bassen, Forbes Kennedy, Bill Preston, and Johnny Wilson
Don’t forget:
Filip Forsberg from the Capitals to Predators in 2013 for Martin Erat …. (enough said);
Tuukka Rask from the Leafs to the Bruins in 2006 for Andrew Raycroft … (and a Bruins cu p later… );
Patrick Roy from the Habs to Colorado (2 cups later …);
Ryan O’Reilly from Buffalo to St. Louis in 2018 for a package involving Tage Thompson … (a Cup and the Conn Smythe later ….);
Chris Chelios AND a 2nd rounder from the Habs to Chicago in 1990 for an aging and essentially past it Denis Savard … (20 years, 2 Norris awards and 3 Cups later);
Mason Marchment from the Leafs to Florida for Denis Malgin??? … (enough said again);
Markus Naslund from the Penguins to the Canucks at the 1996 trade deadline for Alek Stojanov, who wound up playing all of 45 NHL games for Pittsburgh … (3-time 1st team all- star, a Lester B Pearson Award and legendary Canucks captain later ….);
Shea Weber from Nashville to Montreal in 2017 …. (rapid Subban decline and a highly-effective Habs captain and Cup appearance later ….);
George you forgot the mighty Panthers trading Hyman to the Leafs for Mckegg…great name but holy what a steal. Ottawa also has cut ties too soon on too many good players.
I bet most fans can make a great team outta all the players they traded away too soon or let walk.
Hertz’s new nickname should be Turtle.
Big body and smart and old . Not getting you much and you may have to add to move him
Debrusk and Pettersson you are either part of the solution or part of the problem .
The curse of the Presidents trophy winner continues ?