NHL Rumor Mill – July 17, 2026
What’s the latest on the Red Wings? Will Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli sign an offer sheet? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
MORE FALLOUT FROM THE RED WINGS’ MANAGEMENT CHANGE
TSN: What’s next for the Detroit Red Wings after Steve Yzerman moved out of the general manager role?
Questions persist over whether team captain Dylan Larkin will rescind his trade request. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild’s efforts to land the 29-year-old center have become more complicated.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I examined those issues in greater detail in the July 16 NHL Rumor Mill.
Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).
The uncertainty over who replaces Yzerman will also affect the futures of winger Alex DeBrincat and center Andrew Copp. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltender John Gibson, defenseman Justin Faulk, and forward Mason Appleton are also UFA-eligible next summer.
Those UFAs will become trade bait if the Red Wings are out of playoff contention by the March 2027 trade deadline.
DeBrincat will be the most valuable trade chip. He matched his career high of 41 goals last season and set a career high in points with 85. Even if those numbers dip in 2026-27, he will still draw plenty of interest from contenders seeking a scoring winger.
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan listed his potential candidates to become the Red Wings’ new general manager.
They include Boston Bruins senior advisor Kevyn Adams, Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Tyler Dellow, Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper, Bruins assistant GM Evan Gold, Red Wings assistant GM Shawn Horcoff, New York Rangers assistant GM Ryan Martin, and Dallas Stars assistant GM Scott White.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau included former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and former New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald among his five-man candidate list.
THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman included Buffalo Sabres associate GM Marc Bergevin, Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill, Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson, and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey ops consultant Brandon Pridham among his proposed list of candidates.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams and Pridham could be unavailable after being recently hired by their current clubs. Bultman admits Nill is a heavy long shot as he’s unlikely to leave his current job.
The Wings have indicated their search for Yzerman’s replacement will be conducted within and outside the organization. Draper and Horcoff could be suitable options if they can’t find better options from other teams, but they might not deviate very much from the “Yzerplan”.
Gold could be the best option if they prefer a fresh approach. He’s reportedly widely respected around the league. Peterson could be another good “new blood” choice. Still, the Panthers might be reluctant to part with him after letting Sunny Mehta depart to become the New Jersey Devils’ general manager.
THE LATEST ON BLUE JACKETS CENTER ADAM FANTILLI
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports the Leo Carlsson offer sheet has made the cost of re-signing Adam Fantilli more expensive for the Blue Jackets.
Hedger believes that getting Fantilli’s signature on a contract with an average annual value between $10 million and $12 million is no longer possible. “Now, it’s anyone’s guess how much it might take to keep him.”
The Blue Jackets have $23.2 million in cap space, but Fantilli’s next contract will take a significant chunk out of it.
Meanwhile, the scheduled salary arbitrations for goaltender Jet Greaves and center Cole Sillinger will complicate efforts to re-sign Fantilli. AFP Analytics projects it will cost the Blues Jackets $4.3 million to keep Greaves and $4.2 million to retain Sillinger on one-year deals.
That would leave $14.8 million to re-sign Fantilli, which could be difficult if his asking price exceeds that amount.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have indicated that they are prepared to match any offer for Fantilli, but a rival club with cap space and the need for a first-line center could test that theory, especially if he’s still unsigned after Greaves and Sillinger receive their new contracts.
It was assumed the Flyers would use Fantilli as their “Plan B” once the Ducks matched their offer sheet to Carlsson. However, reports emerged claiming they’re not going that route after failing to land Carlsson.
The threat of an offer sheet could be meaningless if Fantilli isn’t interested in signing one.
It might take more than 10 to sign Fantilli, but I dont see anyone making an OS in the 15-16m range either. However it could cost 12-13m, as Colubus I would also put a value in which team make the actual OS and what those 4 firsts might mean, if it happens
I hope Kevyn Adam’s stays with the Bruins. They need him after this off-season when the Bruins needed two things- a middle pair or top line defenseman and a top center and Sweeney got neither.
BRuins are better today than last season no doubt about that. They still have too many forwards and d men signed to nhl contracts so something will happen before start of season
MB4 explain to me how they are better. Ardvisson and Patera are a Wash offensively,with 14 back to backs we will see how Dipietro works out and Borgen and Clifton Don t change the D group especially with all the D men they have under contract. To top it off the Eastern Conference is the most competitive in hockey 1-8. Their hopes still ride on Swayman being lights out.
Barry,they might regret losing Gold in the big picture!
I have to agree with you SR love the bruins but I don’t see an improvement they have basically the same team as last year not worse but almost exactly the same. Different players same talent. I wish they would get a top D. By the way I think they gave up too much for JJ.
Does Debrincat get you Barzal?
If so make the trade
Then offer sheet Fantilli
IHC, the Isles do not have the cap space to OS Fantilli.
I think after the Briere debacle, and what has followed will stem the moronic sized offer sheets for a while.
Waddell can get in line after Verbeek to dick punch dumb dumb for blowing up the salary structure for every team with good young players. My guess is that line would be 30 deep.
What Briere did was stupid because the end result was totally predictable.
Fantilli had his best season last year with 59 points and $10-$12M won’t be enough? I get it good young player, but you should have to prove it first.
Briere is in way over his head.
Ray, good rant.
But does the dick punching not start with Wild owner Craig Leipold, whose brilliant negotiating strategy was to publicly say about Kaprizov:
“We plan to re-sign him … Nobody will offer more money than us, or (for) longer.”
And no, I don’t think that’s the same as saying we’ll match an offer sheet, which is a defensive posture. Leipold essentially said, here’s the value, back up a truck.
And, sadly, while players should have to earn it first, so many contracts are based on projections. Even Hughs, whom I have regard for, signed Demidov for 9+ based on 19 goals and 62 points.
See also:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/opinion/did-the-wilds-kirill-kaprizov-reset-the-market-for-nhl-salaries-his-owner-might-have/article_651d4f00-8bf8-4968-b0fa-a65a53245e60.html
And that should read: here’s the VAULT.
Is there anything more annoying than auto correct?
Aside from big mouth owners?
Ray: my 12:11 comment was a correction to a post that apparently is “under moderation.”
Still.
Ya, what Leopold did was hard to understand as well LJ, and yes cap is rising fast these days.
As far as potential goes, some of my caution or bias probably comes from living in Edmonton during the Decade of Darkness and the youngsters like Hall and Eberle were getting what was big money at the time before they proved their ability to play “winning hockey”.
But the stories about those boys living it up on the town were plenty. Which I get, young, rich and single. I can imagine doing the same thing at that age.
So did the big dough slow their progression and motivation? I dunno, varies by individual I guess. Carlsson may have his head on straight already as a 21 yr old.
Oh I meant redwings offer sheet fantilli
As a closet Islander fan I dont’ want either of them on my team.
Barzal is a weird player. Incredible speed. Puck on a string. No finish and really not much distribution awareness either. What are you? Never scored 30 goals. A few good “assist” seasons. Because he gets tons of top line minutes and pp because of his speed. Turns 30 next year on what might be considered a friendly contact but wont be in a few years.
Trade him now. And not for someone who only gets good points when he’s playing with Patrick Kane. Not a fan of DeBrincat. Small situationally dependent scorer. And when it’s not the ideal situation. He doesn’t score.
Knowing the Islanders, they’ll send him to Vancouver straight up for Petterson nothing retained.
Oh, you meant Detroit……In that case, the Wings need to take care of their own business first and sign Edvinsson before he receives an OS. That could be $10M AAV x 8!
Johnny Z
Keep
In mind that the max contract je gtg is now 7 years, not 8 years.
Also, I do believe that for offer sheet purposes the AAV is calculated by divibdibg the dollar amount by 5 years.
In your $10M scenario, I think it would be $70M / 5 years resulting in a $14M AAV for compensation purposes.
Compensation for that would be 4 – 1st round picks
8 year contracts can be signed until September 15 Daryl.
Daryl, I was implying that Detroit could sign him to an 8 x 10M contract (thanks to Briere) not that he is offered that on a OS.
I would think that he would be offered a 5 x $12M OS before Eddy would sign it.
It sounds like the Canes want him. Maybe a Nikishen + for Eddy swap could happen? I would rather the Wings sign Eddy, and soon!
Why would anyone even consider hiring Shanahan after his decade long “we can and we will” core 4 Shanascam fiasco?
Noooooo thank you.
If it’s possible to persuade Nill to come to the Wings then Mr I should offer him the moon.
If anyone could reach Larkin to stay it’s Jim Nill.that would stabilize the ship so that he could complete the rebuild with a couple of. Crafty moves.
They weren’t that far away at the end of last season.
Larkin can’t stay. Imo he’s what has been holding the Wings back the past few years, and this trade request makes him even more toxic on the ice and in the locker room. I don’t think fans will ever accept him back fully. He would have to wildly exceed his normal level of play to win people back. People will forever blame him for blowing up the rebuild, the departure of Yzerman, Kane and probably DeBrincat.
This team can’t win with Larkin. That’s already been established. He’s not a good leader on or off the ice (team USA locker room video was his video, and he still hasn’t owned up to how negatively that impacted Team USA). This trade requested exposed that he’s not team oriented. He didn’t request the trade because he wanted to win, otherwise his list would’ve included other top tier teams. He just wanted to play on a team with his boys club, which is why he gave that specific list.
I like Nill and he would be the best option for GM, but even Nill didn’t want him that badly in Dallas because he rejected several trade offers to aquire him.
Good to hear again from you, Ron. What’s your take on the Carlsson offer sheet?
By the way, I think Shanahan will be a serious candidate for the Detroit job.
If the Wings move out Larkin and Debrincat for futures even great return, the rebuild is automatically extended for several years.
Then how do they keep Seider and Raymond happy ? There is no end to this…
They must improve their club with a Larkin deal,not just improve the other teams chances of a STANLEY CUP run dramatically.
Unless Larkin increases his trade list Larkin has to remain a RW. if Larkin’s only disgust is with SY and not simply a RW sweater things can be resolved possibly. Even the fans feel the same way about the Yzerplan. The only workable Dallas deal is maybe Hintz and Harley. Otherwise wait for Larkin to increase his list.
Example: Pittsburgh with a return of Kindel
The RW MUST receive a center option back
SJ WITH A MISA RETURN.
trading a 8m Larkin for a 15m plus ROBO benefits only Dallas. Otherwise ,bring in new mgmt than can reconcile the Larkin situation.
THIS IS HUGE. THE RW ARE AT THE CROSSROADS. Simply trading Larkin because he is a distraction is not the answer. He may not be THE ANNOINTED leader anymore but he’s still a major cog in the wheel.
Trend for younger players seems to be signing shorter term deals that drive up the aav. 4/5/6 year deals. Betting on cap going up and looking to cash in again while still in prime. Fantilli could be shy of signing OS if he thinks Columbus will match and he’d be stuck there. Flyers still have plenty of space even after signing Zegras. Pens could make an offer that Columbus couldn’t match. Sid can’t play forever.
Where is George?
George pulished his Swan Song about a week ago.
Bon voyage!
That sucks.
I like George, crusty old bugger that he is!
👍👍 I am with ya, Ray!
Johnny: Out of an abundance of idle time and stubbornness I have gone back through the history of the comments section, and can only see George’s last comments July 05. Didn’t see any sign offs.
Can you or anyone else add clarification?
I found it too lj. It starts off as a rant about loyalty and costs. But Georgie has bounced before and came back. I’ll bet we ain’t seen the last of him. He was upset at the overall state of sports. But I hope he realizes this site is free and provides a nice distraction from a lot of the unfortunate reality he and the misses are dealing with.
Thanks Chrisms.
July 6 Morning was missing in my feed.
I answered his last comments as well as a couple others.
I wish him and his loved ones well.
OS is part of the game now. Cap keeps going up and soon common Joe will not be able to afford tickets.
The snowball effect is amazing. What makes it OK to put out an offer sheet for 90 million but if the Ducks had made this offer themselves everyone would be calling them nuts. I get it but I don’t have to like it.
OS are a tool in the CBA. I think what Briere did was brilliant, it’s a win-win situation for him, he either gets the player he wants or he screws up Anaheim’s salary structure, reports of Gauthier not wanting to sign for a penny less than Carlsson proves that point. I dont think Briere is concerned with the rest of the league as far as salary structures go, he only has his to worry about.
The one at fault here IMO is Verbeek for putting himself in a situation where one of his young stars could get an offer sheet. Known for playing hardball with bridge contracts, welcome to 2026 and karma Mr. Verbeek.
There’s too many teams for them to all have talent down the middle, good young centers are at a premium. IMO offer sheets will start getting used more often for that reason.
How is screwing up Anaheim’s salary structure beneficial to Briere?
Edgar:
How is it that Brier negotiates contracts in isolation from other teams’ contract settlements? He drinks out of the same communal pool he just peed in.
And how is it that hobbling Anaheim benefits the Flyers? It’s not a two team league.
Edgar, we definitely disagree on that.
Brilliant – “distinguished by unusual mental keenness or alertness”
Offer sheets have been around for a long time. Most GM’s don’t use them as they don’t work unless you overpay significantly for a player, or the other team simply matches. And they are obviously inflationary.
We have seen it before and we just watched it again. He isn’t brilliant he is just a slow learner.
So overpay by a lot, or other team matches and simply inflationary.
That is lose lose not win win.
The problem with what Briere did is every GM loses.
Verbeek kept enough space to match any offer, which he did, unlike the Oilers when they lost 2 guys. His mistake is he didn’t think any GM would be stupid enough to do it.
He was wrong about that.
Ray Bark – I’d argue that the market reset came when the ducks matched not by Briere’s outrageous offer. We all know why he was offered so much as you explained…it has to be crazy overpayment to even give a team pause.
If Leo goes to the flyers, the market is not impacted as greatly or at all as everyone see it for what it is. A poaching.
But when the ducks matched, and what they are saying whether they want to or not, is that Leo offer was justified. Was it pride, was it best for business and the team…idk. and sure it is a bit of semantics I guess, but this whole mess was cause by two teams…not one.
As an aside I have never understood the concept to take care of your budding stars last. Imo they should be front and center…not only does it protect you it builds that relationship and reinforces the message that they are key parts and you value them as such by taking care of them first.
How else does Briere go about getting that type of talent for his team ? Only one other way, he tanks and hopes to have luck in the lottery in a good draft year.
With 32 teams in the league now, there’s not enough talent to go around so they have to try to poach players from other teams and the way to do that is with offer sheets. If it works and he gets Carlsson, the Flyers take a leap forward in their rebuild. If Anaheim matches, I still think he gets a little satisfaction in messing up their salary structure because of what happened with Gauthier. It wasn’t the goal, but it’s a bonus.
True, every salary will go up, but they were going to go up anyway and if you’re one of 32 GMs in the best hockey league in the world, I doubt you go about your day being mindful of what other teams think. “Oh I can’t do that, what will the others GMs think?” This isn’t a 4th line player, he’s a guy who will be your first center for years to come.
I still think it was brilliant for a chance to get a player like Carlsson, that’s my opinion. It’s okay if not everyone agrees, that,s why we have these discussions.
I think Briere gains some satisfaction with making Cutter’s next contract a very, very difficult negotiation.
Ray, Don’t you think the offer sheets from St Louis last year were excellent management moves?
Not sure if there are equivalent players available this year but those were shrewd moves in my opinion.
Johnny Z, or others
With the various names being tossed about for GM in Detroit, I was thinking Doug Wilson could be the guy to make things work.
He was very successful in San Jose, built good teams for McLennan to coach.
While he left the GM role he has been back in Pittsburgh as Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations so he’s still very much connected.
Opinion?
Doug over-termed many of his contracts that his successors had to trade away and retain salary on that greatly affected the SJ rebuild.
Evan Gold is the name I am intrigued with. He has quietly accumulated a great reputation and garnered much respect for his work.
Is Wilson over his health issues? I thought he stepped down because of them.
Being an advisor might be more to his liking if still not 100%.
He went back to work…….somewhere in a lesser role.
Doug is now the Senior Advisor of Hockey Ops in Pittsburgh
JohnnyZ he was boxed out in Boston by the old boy network! Providence coach left to become an assistant in Vancouver. Surprised they didn t hire Donato to coach in Providence!
Mckenna and Cowan for fantili
Hmmm, McKenna could be better than Fantilli, but Fanny is a coveted C.