NHL Rumor Mill – July 4, 2026
A look at the remaining notable UFA players, plus the latest on Alexander Nikishin and Shane Wright in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST ON THE NOTABLE REMAINING UFA PLAYERS
SPORTSNET: On Friday, Luke Fox looked at the top players still available in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.
Anthony Mantha topped the list. The 31-year-old winger had a career-best performance (31 goals, 33 assists, 64 points) last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he has a history of injuries and inconsistency.
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
According to Fox, the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets are still in the market for wingers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent reports out of Montreal claim the Canadiens prefer to address their roster needs through the trade market. The Jets made a noteworthy foray into the UFA market this week, signing defenseman Mario Ferraro.
The Detroit Red Wings would welcome back Patrick Kane, but the 38-year-old winger appears headed to his fourth NHL team. Fox claimed Kane is reportedly working on a contract with his hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres.
Logan Stanley, 28, is still weighing his options. The big defenseman is reportedly seeking a four- or five-year contract worth $25 million.
Winger Eeli Tolvanen, 27, was believed to be weighing offers of four or five years.
The Ottawa Senators are leaving the door open for Claude Giroux. However, the 38-year-old winger reportedly received interest from the Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, and Philadelphia Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said there’s no confirmation yet that Giroux was about to return to the Flyers. That’s probably because they’ve been busy signing Leo Carlsson to an expensive offer sheet worth $18 million annually. If they succeed, they might not have enough cap space to bring Giroux back to Philadelphia.
Friedman also weighed in on Vladimir Tarasenko, wondering if the Edmonton Oilers might take a look at the 34-year-old winger.
Fox also heard that the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild were reportedly considering taking on winger Patrik Laine as a project.
UPDATES ON NIKISHIN AND WRIGHT
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the St. Louis Blues are taking a long look at Alexander Nikishin.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Carolina Hurricanes indicated two weeks ago that they were open to moving Nikishin. The 24-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He is ineligible to receive an offer sheet.
The New York Rangers were reportedly keen on acquiring him. However, that may have changed following their recent additions of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.
Friedman also indicated that Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright is a player to watch. According to his agent, Kurt Overhardt, the Kraken have agreed to move the 22-year-old Wright this summer to a team seeking a top young center.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright surfaced in the rumor mill before the March trade deadline, but nothing came of it. The fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft, he’s struggled to establish himself as the “top young center” that his agent considers him to be.
The Kraken reportedly seeks a fair price and won’t be rushed into moving Wright. Still, he could be an affordable gamble for a club looking for promising depth at center.
Shane Wright, “top young center”.
Good one, lol
teams still need a third line center but thats what… tops a 2nd round pick
I agree, less than .5 pts/gm and less than 40% in the FO’s. What’s a fair price for this kind of performance. A third?
We figure a perfect fit is maybe Zary & a 3rd for Wright as both players need a change of scenery.
Wonder if Verbeek goes the easy route and matches offer for Carlson or maybe take the 4 draft picks add a decent prospect and try to get Larkin from Detroit?
I think he matches but with Verbeek you never know.
considering Verbeek hired Quenneville last offseason, to get advance the franchise, I can’t see how Verbeek lets Carlsson go. After trading MacTavish the team (and Zegras last offseason) they don’t have a lot of depth at center (beyond the aging Granlund). But keeping JC is going to raise the price to keep Cutter Gauthier. And will probably force the team to trade Pavel Mintyukov, weakening their defense depth after already trading Zellweger.
I think the odds are very low since he traded away McTavish. If had had McTavish he might have gone for the 4 firsts. They only way he takes the 4 firsts is if he is to stubborn to realize the situation is his own fault
Not a fan of Overhardt. Wright is not a star but he will demand top money like he is . Good luck
Not passing the eye test for me and likely another top prospect that did not pan out as hoped
Remember a “One” is never “Done” and he will still end up with a NHL career .
Calgary needs any centres and will look at him but should have no interest in Laine.
Hey Silver Zary & a 3rd is all I would offer for Wright. Both players get a change of scenery.
I’m surprised Henrique’s name hasn’t been mentioned much. I know his production dropped significantly last year but that was largely due to injury.
He could bring value to a team looking to add experience and versatility for cheap.
Another team that might consider dickering with Claude Giroux are the Oilers
https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/edmonton-oilers-claude-giroux-ottawa-senators
If it was me I let Mr 18m walk and take the picks to get Larkin. Anaheim could us a better leader and who doesn’t like sunny CA over. DETROIT? Get Larking save some money, sign the other guys and build long term. Philly will be hamstrung with a horrible contract they can’t move for a guy that isn’t even close to a point a game ( with all that talent around him)
AZ clearly not watching Anaheim if you are disregarding his talent so aggressively. Anyone with eyes can see what he is. A monster in the making. Cornerstone player.
100% agree.
This guy is grossly underrated. Grossly.
Yes, Carlsson and Gauthier are huge talents in the making…you’re not watching west coast hockey teams if you haven’t seen the incredible talent the Ducks have in many young players now.
Shane Wright, I’d take a chance on him.
As for his value, he wouldn’t get an offer sheet as Barrett Hayton did if he was RFA this year, and that costs a 2nd round pick to match.
That’s the most Seattle could hope for.
My comparison for Shane Wright is Jack Roslovic. If he follows his career path,Don t buy a house,you won t be there long!
Heh … yeah … simply can’t see the ongoing fascination with this Happy Wanderer Bachelor – now on his 6th team since coming into the league more-or-less full-time with Winnipeg 9 seasons ago!
Habsfan30 – 100% percent on Wright.
He has had 3 coaches already in Seattle, had a very strong first full season under bylsma with 44 pts and was poised to break out but under lambert was deployed differently it seems often in the bottom 6 role where….on a team like Kraken…points would not easy to come by. But notable to me, on a team with a negative goal differential he still has a positive plus minus.
Maybe the ducks take a gander if they walk back from Leo? Idk.
Wouldn’t it be the ultimate in irony if he was dealt to Montreal?
If a 2nd round pick was all it takes to get Wright, he would be gone in an instant. My guess is Seattle would want a pick and decent young NHL player in trade.
Centres are hard to come by. Wright, while not a star, is a capable NHL centre. He’s still only 22 years old. He’s averaging just under a half point per game and Seattle has been known as a low scoring team.
He still has room to improve.
“Maybe the ducks take a gander” … well played!
Daryl.
What they “want” isn’t necessarily what they can “get”.
Barrett Hayton is a comparable though and that’s why I mentioned the 2nd round pick as that is the compensation Utah will get if they let him go by way of the offer sheet from NJD, which he signed.
What a story if Wright’s career took off in Montreal lol.
Gored1970 , thanks – I have a moment of brilliance now and again haha
Can’t see Ducks letting Carlsson walk. Would be a huge step back after getting in playoffs. Picks don’t help now, unless as mentioned they use in trades for players. Even then, teams like Detroit are going to want roster players for Larkin.
NYr should have sent that offer sheet. Instead we traded 3 1st for others
HF30
Apparently the offer sheet to Hayton from NJ was payback from a trade Utah pulled out of at the draft.
If Utah matches, they can’t trade Hayton for a year which walks him to UFA.
The Wright situation is much different.
Montreal does have some prospects that are a couple years away from full time NHL duty and with Wright still being only 22 is young enough to take a gamble on.
Perhaps Seattle would accept a package of Owen Beck and Jake Evans. The reason I ne ruin Evans is Seattle is having trouble luring players to sign there and Evans is signed for 3 more seasons
Wright would be a good gamble on a team looking for a young C with upside
The only way they get Wright is for suzuki or Saflowski
Daryl,
I wouldn’t trade Owen Beck straight up for Shane Wright never mind Jake Evans.
I’ve read that draft day story and I don’t buy it for the simple reason that a GM getting a reputation like that becomes a trading partner to keep at distance.
Holy Smoke. Suzuki or Slavosky is the only way Montreal would get Wright??
Not a chance.
If Seattle wants more than a 2nd for Wright, then he’s there until they finally see the light. And by then, a 2nd might seem like a haul.
NO team in their right mind would give up a top quality player for a chance that a former 1st round pick 4th overall starts performing like one. And, on a team that’s been starving for a top offensive player since they entered the league, you have to think that, if there had been the slightest indication that he could get there with increased playing time, including pp time, it would have transpired by now.
Instead, what they have is a 3rd or 4th line performance of 82-game averages of 18g 20a 38pts in 169gp.
Someone should Offer Sheet Zegras now for $9.25m x 5. If Philly gets Carlsson they would have to move salary to match.
Move Zehra’s plus to DET for Larkin
Wonder why the Kane contract is taking so long?
Boston should see if they can aquire Wright. Im sure it’ll cost more than a 2nd rd pick though.
Get after It, Sweeney .
I think it will take more than a 2nd to get Wright.
HF30
Right…you wouldn’t trade a prospect that’s never skated an NHL shift for a 22 year old C that has scored at a .46ppg clip.
However, Seattle is going to trade that C for a pick in the #33-64 spot that has a less than 50% chance to have a decent NHL career
You also thought Montreal could trade Gallagher and get a prospect back without retaining salary.
St.Pats
Unless you’re Montreal…they can get anyone for their spare parts.
Daryl,
I’m a fan not a GM and my opinions are my own based on what I see.
I have never professed to be more knowledgeable than others here.
Shane Wright is a bottom 6 player in Seattle, not exactly a powerhouse, so that is what his value is.
In my opinion Owen Beck is a Nick Suzuki lite, I know I’m on an island but I see him as a 2C, ahead of Kapanen who was there all year.
If not for the Barrett Hayton offer sheet Wright wouldn’t even be a consideration.
I don’t … and if they demand more than that, they’ve got him for the duration.
Why,they need Hagens and Minten to play and let them grow. With Lindholm,Zacha and Kuraly, they have no room for him,
Wright for Dach they both need a change
Both have disappointed based on their draft spot.
Brian Murphy
Dach needs bubble wrap, not change of scenery.
HF30
I understand that none of us are GM’s, just fans.
As a Habs fan, you seem to overvalue every Canadiens prospect while devaluing every other team’s players or prospects.
I’m not a Canadiens fan so I looked up Beck’s stats. I didn’t realize he’s played a few games in the NHL
Owen Beck has played 28 NHL games with 2 total points. He is the same age and size as Shane Wright, who has played 169 G with 79 Points
If Botterill called Hughes and offered Wright for Beck, Hughes would buy Beck’s plane ticket.
If Beck was “Suzuki lite” as you say, why hasn’t he played a regular shift in the NHL by now?
A decent trade for Wright may be to Vancouver for Jake DeBrusk? Vancouver gets a #2/3 C for a winger that’s signed for several more seasons and not interested in a rebuild.
Daryl,
You’ve obviously never seen Beck play or his progression and know nothing about him other than a stat line you just read.
I see him as a soon to be 2C on account of his 200 ft game, his great face off stats, his over the top hockey IQ.
His shot is faster and harder than Wright’s, his skating is faster and better than Wright’s.
He’s being brought along slowly because the Habs can afford to take their time. It was 50/50 between him and Kapanen to make the roster.
If you ever watched him play you’d know.
Bottom line is that Wright is a bottom six player and that is how his trade value is gauged, not his draft position.
Beck is just one of a number of players in Laval that I wouldn’t trade for Wright.
Daryl, I’ve seen Beck play a few times on RDS and a lot of him on YouTube hi-lites when Laval played Belleville. I’d take him in Ottawa in a New York Minute whereas I wouldn’t want any part of Wright.
Every time I’ve watched Seattle on TV he has shown nothing resembling his over-hyped Major Junior performances where his tricky little moves worked against players 90% of whom will likely never see a pro game. I saw him there, too, when he played with Kingston against the 67s and almost choked when some had him ranked as the 1st overall pick in 2022.
In here I predicted he would not go 1st and would fall well down the 1st … and was surprised when Seattle took him 4th. Cutter Gauthier went right after him to Philadelphia.
IMO he is too easily knocked off the puck, shows zilch evidence of having any dynamic offensive upside, needs to improve on his skating as well as his face-off “technique” where he shows low winning percentages.
Worth a 2nd round pick by a team needing a bottom 6 C and who believe they can get him to change his approach?? Sure. But that’s it.
So 18 is a lot, but would you rather have Nurse+Trouba?
I’d trade a late 1st round pick and Matt Poitras to get Shane Wright for my Bruins.
Anaheim matched, now signing Cutter & Mintyukov will be interesting plus they need a top 4 RD.
I was wondering if maybe this is payback for Cutter going to Anaheim?
when Anaheim didn’t resign any of there RD then traded away zelleweger & Mctavish this made them a prime target for an offer sheet.
Where did you see they matched?
Dubas should take a shot at getting Wright, Novak, Pickering and a third rounder.
Let Muse develop that kid into a 2nd or 3rd line center, Crosby can mentor him