NHL Rumor Roundup – June 29, 2026
Check out the latest on Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Islanders blueliner Alexander Romanov, Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
TSN’s Chris Johnston reports there is some frustration among NHL general managers who haven’t been able to get the Columbus Blue Jackets to engage in trade talks for defenseman Zach Werenski.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 28-year-old Norris Trophy winner reportedly doesn’t intend to extend his contract next summer. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2028.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)
According to Johnston, there doesn’t seem to be any urgency from the Blue Jackets to move the Werenski situation along.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: To be fair to the Blue Jackets, they reportedly recently learned about Werenski’s intentions and were said to be gauging the trade market last week to determine his value.
Given the two years remaining on Werenski’s contract, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell is in no rush to move him. The Jackets GM is also likely trying to plot a path forward for his club after learning of Werenski’s intentions. He’s also probably still dealing with learning on Friday that winger Kirill Marchenko doesn’t intend to sign an extension this summer. The 25-year-old winger is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.
The best scenario for the Jackets would be to move those two players this summer for the best possible returns, thus avoiding speculation over their futures becoming an unnecessary distraction. However, doing so will also be a major setback for this club’s hopes of getting over the playoff hump after narrowly missing the last two postseasons.
THE HOCKEY NEWS’ Stefen Rosner observed there were some trade rumors regarding New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.
Rosner considers the Romanov speculation to be similar to the chatter swirling around Islanders forward Mathew Barzal. Teams are calling, but that doesn’t mean the Isles are selling.
Romanov’s no-trade clause doesn’t kick in until next July. Rosner’s believes the blueliner’s injury-shortened season has some general managers looking to buy low on a quality defenseman under a long-term contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Romanov, 26, completed the first season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. It’s doubtful that the Isles will move him at this stage of his career.
HOCKEY 24/7’s Frank Seravalli reports he’s not expecting the Carolina Hurricanes to buy out the remainder of Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s contract, even though this would be their last chance to do so at 1/3 the remaining value.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Players who are 25 or younger can be bought out at one-third the remaining value of their contract over twice the remaining term. For those 26 and older, it’s two-thirds at twice the remaining term.
According to Seravalli, the Hurricanes are actively seeking to trade Kotkaniemi. With the salary cap rising, his $4.8 million AAV will be considered the norm for a third-line center. He’s seen as a player with trade value given how few centers there are in the market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A once-promising Montreal Canadiens forward, Kotkaniemi signed a one-year offer sheet with the Hurricanes in the summer of 2021. He signed an eight-year extension the following season.
Kotkaniemi seemed poised for a breakout season after tallying 18 goals and 43 points in 82 games during the 2022-23 campaign. However, he struggled over the next two seasons. His inconsistency this season made him a frequent healthy scratch, and he never played a single game during the Hurricanes’ recent Stanley Cup run.
The limited number of quality centers in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets could make Kotkaniemi a reclamation project, depending on the Hurricanes’ asking price.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Danny Webster recently reported that the Golden Knights are expected to have over $13 million in salary-cap space once sidelined defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is placed on season-ending long-term injury reserve on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was some talk that Pietrangelo might attempt to return to action in 2026-27 after missing all of this season recovering from hip surgeries. It appears that’s not in the cards for the 36-year-old blueliner, who has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $8.8 million.
Webster expects that between $8 million and $9 million of that cap space will be put toward signing defenseman Rasmus Andersson to a new contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights acquired Andersson from the Calgary Flames in January. Some observers wondered what was taking them so long to sign the 28-year-old blueliner to an extension. In March, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported the Golden Knights had to wait until July 1 to do so, as that’s when they would be cap-compliant.
Teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10 percent during the offseason. However, they can only do that starting on July 1, when the new season officially begins. They must be cap-compliant when their regular-season schedule begins in October.
IF only Robertson would do a Goodreau and sign in Columbus……..
Werenski and Marchenko for Robertson and Harley
of course there is urgency regardless what he says. CBJ fans dont want to watch players that are inevitably gone. sounds good in theory but realistically it is isnt. You want to go into camp with all the new players – not adapting later to new additions. Alongh with all the distractions
Not all Jackets fans feel that way, Sam. Though we’re a minority, there are those of us who want Waddell to hold on and get bidding wars started so the Jackets get a substantial return. We are talking about the current Norris Trophy winner and a 25 year old scoring winger with a huge upside. These are players you rush out the door. Ideally, yes, they are traded before training camp, but it’s not a disaster if they don’t go until just before Xmas.
I mentioned before would like Werenski on the bruins but now I’m beginning to wonder? Columbus is in the drivers seat on this one, Waddell going to asking a lot and I have feeling only a few select teams with the talent to match can afford him. Rather see the bruins throw a complete effort into getting Anderson.
Yesterday I suggested Werenski going to Detroit and Larkin staying put. Maybe Larkin should join his pal in Columbus.
Still teams under cap floor. Could Vegas trade Pietrangelo to a team with space. He’s 1 of 3 players I can think of with big cap hits for 1 more year that aren’t expected to play again.
Assuming Pietro goes on season ending LTIR again, then his full $8.8M comes off Vegas cap, so not really any benefit for Vegas trading him (other than getting relief of his actual salary).
Per Puckpedia though, it is all salary this year (no signing bonus) so I think whatever team he’s on will still need to pay him the $8.8M cash over the course of the season.
If Pietro is LITR
13.4 is available
but only 9 forwards are signed
and only 4 defenseman are signed
they need 4 forwards
and 3 defenseman
Schmid is a RFA too
this looks tough to fill out
Foley. Does t salary get covered by insurance? And doesn’t putting player on ltir limit the amour of deadline space you can accumulate? Lyle probably knows.
Not sure how the insurance component works, but for LTIR there are 2 types now. Season LTIR (includng playoffs) eliminates a player from returning at any time that season. I pulled this off PuckPedia:
Beginning in the 2025-26 season, the NHL introduced a new designation for Long-Term Injured Reserve. If a player placed on LTIR is ruled out for the remainder of both the regular season and playoffs, the club may designate them as being on Season Ending Long Term Injured Reserve (SELTIR). A player on SELTIR allows the team to receive LTIR relief up to the player’s full cap hit.
If a player is expected to return later in the season or during the playoffs, LTIR benefit is limited to the previous season’s average league salary. The league average in 2025-26 was $3,973,228, so LTIR relief/benefit for any player with a higher cap hit is limited to that amount in the 2025-26 season.
A player initially placed on LTIR can be reclassified as Season Ending LTIR later in the season. However, once a player is designated SELTIR, the designation cannot be reverted until the next season.
Teams do not accrue cap space while operating in LTIR. Any unused portion of the LTIR Pool cannot be accrued or carried forward later in the season. If a team has a player on LTIR, but makes roster moves and is below the salary cap, they do accrue cap space. While a team is using LTIR, the cap space they have available in LTIR is shown as Current Cap Space.
ds
Look for VGK to trade Adin Hill now that Hart took over the #1 spot. That will give them some additional cap space.
I thought the Malenstyn contract was a bit rich for a 4th liner. Wonder what that puts Krebs at for his new contract? 30 points for a guy that averaged 10 min/game is tidy production.
It’s time the NHL and the NHLPA sit down and go over No trade clause: if a player sings then wants out the team can request at list of 16 teams. The team has spent money planned around the player only to have them say I want out. Sure you can leave but we need a list
Gallagher to nuks. 50% retained. For the big future consideration
Not that the Toronto rumor mill needs any help but I heard the other day Toronto is in the mix for Werenski. Best pals with AM. If Reilly is on the move they have cap space.
Knies + would be the ask
maybe Knies and Morgan Reilly package balance out the numbers
That’s if Werenski, who has a full NMC, would agree to go to a Canada-based team. Like Tkachuk, he probably has a U.S. destination in mind.