NHL Rumor Mill – July 2, 2026
Check out the latest on Jason Robertson, Connor Hellebuyck, Claude Giroux, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
PENGUINS INTERESTED IN JASON ROBERTSON
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports the Pittsburgh Penguins “still absolutely want to trade for Jason Robertson.” He believes they have the assets to acquire the 26-year-old Dallas Stars winger.
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).
The Stars still want to re-sign Robertson. However, the money that the winger is demanding makes it more likely that he will be traded.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins acquired Robertson’s brother, Nick, from the Toronto Maple Leafs yesterday. Maybe that’s an additional enticement for Jason to accept a trade to Pittsburgh.
The Penguins have the cap space ($25.4 million) to sign Robertson to a lucrative long-term deal (perhaps $15 million annually). Whether he’s willing to sign an extension with the Penguins if they make an offer remains to be seen. He had the chance to join the Seattle Kraken, but his unwillingness to accept their contract offer killed the deal.
THE HELLEBUYCK TRADE WATCH IS STILL ON
THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates believes the Winnipeg Jets’ signing of goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract leaves the questions about Connor Hellebuyck’s future unanswered.
The 33-year-old Hellebuyck has been the subject of recent trade speculation. It was reported that a deal that would’ve sent the three-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender to the Buffalo Sabres last Friday fell through before the opening day of the NHL Draft.
Ates pointed out that signing Skinner doesn’t transform the Jets’ defense or upgrade the second line. He thinks it means the Hellebuyck trade watch is still on, even if their trade options are limited.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner’s signing is insurance if they end up trading Hellebuyck. In the meantime, he’ll split the goalie duties with the Jets’ long-time starter as his understudy.
COULD CLAUDE GIROUX RETURN TO THE FLYERS?
THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie and Kevin Kurz report the Ottawa Senators have left the door open for Claude Giroux to return. However, the 38-year-old forward could reunite with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Giroux began his NHL career with the Flyers, spending 15 seasons with them before being traded to the Florida Panthers in 2022. He spent the past four seasons with the Senators.
Flyers GM Daniel Briere, a former teammate of Giroux’s, confirmed there have been ongoing contract talks with the veteran forward. It’s rumored he could sign a one-year contract with the Flyers as a right-shot center who could help them on the power play.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux is coming off a one-year, $2 million contract. He remains a versatile, well-respected two-way forward. However, his production has steadily declined, from 79 points in 2022-23 to 49 points last season.
ARE MORE MOVES COMING FOR THE BRUINS?
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes more moves could be coming for the Boston Bruins. He observed that they have $4.5 million in salary-cap space, leaving GM Don Sweeney with flexibility to continue exploring trade options, especially if he moves the salaries of Mason Lohrei ($3.2 million AAV) or Henri Jokiharju ($3 million).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins won’t have enough space or tradeable assets to make a big acquisition, but Sweeney might be able to add one or two affordable depth players.
That is Sweeney problem-spending money on “depth” pieces and then having no cap space to sign top players. He does this over and over. Because other teams in their division improved by signing top players (Carlson to Toronto today) they on paper are a last place team.
Tb improved. Leafs did not. Wings did not sens did not habs did not bruins did Washington a lot. Philly did not buff did not nj did nyr nope canes no. Nyi no.
Leafs improved drastically.!! The bottom 6 looks a lot better and that’s what we were striving for as well as the crease and with Bobrovskys work ethic and the way he takes serious care of his body I love the signing.!
How so? Bob is a coin flip. Who else “drastically” improved the leafs?
Tb improved. Leafs did not. Wings did not sens did not habs did not bruins did on paper Washington a lot. Philly did not buff did not nj did nyr nope canes no. Nyi no.
Sure Mrb, you can think all that but you know you’ll still be wrong about every single thing you said. Well done!
Barry, sometimes those players just aren’t available. Teams either don’t want to give up the few good players they have or teams will try to force you into a mistake, like overpay. That’s why so many teams seem to always be “this player” away or constantly have holes in the roster need of filling. The talent pool is shallow and there’s only so much teams can do…add that to the cap, NTCs, “taxes”, market, etc make finding the perfect fit impossible and why GMs ultimately do what they can do to make the team better.
As of this morning, Ottawa has $5,295,000 in cap space with the only player left to sign being Giroux. He isn’t going to get anywhere near that with Ottawa or any other team – including the Flyers – so from an Ottawa perspective, his signing is still doable.
They also have RFA goalie Leevi Merilainen to re-up, but that should be no problem since, whatever he gets will be on a 2-way deal as he is still completely waiver-exempt.
If they are outbid by the Flyers on Giroux, Staios will have that full cap reserve to facilitate a move later in the season, and in the meantime – again assuming they move Cozens to RW – their lines could look something like this to start the season:
Eklund – Stutzle – Cozens
Burakovsky – Pinto – Batherson
Foegele – Greig – Zetterlund
Cousins – Halliday – Amadio
McDermid
Sanderson – Zub
Chabot – Spence
Kleven – Matinpalo
Yakemchuk
Ullmark – Ersson