NHL Rumor Mill – July 9, 2026
Could the Penguins pursue Jason Robertson or Elias Pettersson? Could the Flyers pursue Adam Fantilli if their offer sheet to Leo Carlsson falls through? What’s the latest with Morgan Rielly? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports the Pittsburgh Penguins are “very much open” to acquiring Jason Robertson. They see the Dallas Stars winger as a building block for general manager Kyle Dubas.
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).
Yohe believes there’s a real chance that Robertson would agree to play for the Penguins. Acquiring his brother, Nick, from the Toronto Maple Leafs doesn’t hurt.
Sources say the Stars still hope to sign the 26-year-old Robertson to a long-term contract. Yohe believes the Penguins wanted to have trade talks with Stars GM Jim Nill, but those discussions never got serious. “Not yet, anyway,” Yohe said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson filed for salary arbitration on July 5. His hearing will be scheduled for sometime between July 20 and Aug. 1. The schedule will be released shortly.
It’s believed Robertson wants to stay in Dallas, but he’s reportedly seeking a long-term deal worth $14 million, while the Stars are reportedly offering $12 million.
If this goes to arbitration, Robertson will get a one-year contract that takes him to unrestricted free-agent eligibility next July. That could grease the skids for his departure, making a trade to Pittsburgh (or another club of his choosing) before next summer seem more likely.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski took note of Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting that Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson could be a good fit with the Penguins.
Kingerski indicated that Friedman was merely offering his opinion, but he disagreed that Pettersson would be a good addition to the Penguins. He cited the decline in the 27-year-old center’s performance and his hefty contract, which runs through 2031-32 with an average annual value of $11.6 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “Pettersson-to-Pittsburgh” speculation seems more like wishful thinking than anything based in reality. Granted, anything can happen, but his contract is so unwieldy and his struggles so well documented that it’s difficult to envision Dubas taking that chance.
COULD ADAM FANTILLI BECOME THE FLYERS’ OFFER SHEET “PLAN B”?
DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco was asked if the Philadelphia Flyers would attempt to sign Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli if the Anaheim Ducks match their offer sheet for Leo Carlsson.
According to Di Marco, his sources say that’s not in the cards. One reason is that the Flyers don’t view Fantilli as worth the same money and risk as Carlsson. If they attempted to sign the 21-year-old center to a lesser offer, the Blue Jackets would likely match it.
Di Marco also noted that Cam Briere, the son of Flyers GM Daniel Briere, is a video coach with the Blue Jackets. He believes that it could also play a factor.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlsson projects to have a higher ceiling than Fantilli. Both are excellent centers, but Carlsson has superstar potential, which explains why the Flyers are willing to take the risk in making him the highest-paid player in the league.
The Flyers might not pursue Fantilli with an offer sheet, but another club could. The Blue Jackets must closely monitor his situation to avoid being blindsided like the Ducks were with Carlsson. Even if they match an expensive offer, it could mess up their salary cap plans.
UPDATE ON MORGAN RIELLY
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andre Leal cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who recently reported the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t willing to add a big sweetener in their efforts to trade Morgan Rielly.
Friedman said he’d heard the Maple Leafs weren’t going to pay a high price to move Rielly. The 32-year-old defenseman is coming off two difficult seasons. He carries an AAV of $7.5 million for the next four seasons, along with a full no-movement clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly isn’t keen to leave the Maple Leafs, but he submitted a list of acceptable trade destinations to management. It was assumed the San Jose Sharks would be interested, but they instead acquired Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers.
The Leafs are gauging the trade market for Rielly, but it doesn’t seem like they’re desperate to move him this summer. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’s still on their blueline when the regular season opens in October.
Just give Reilly reduced minutes , evan strength and offensive zone face offs . He is not terrible but Leafs fans want Borje Salming . He is not
Fantilli is pretty good and you are splitting hairs in a sense . MacKinnon Mcdavid; Draisaitl Kucherov,; tomato tamotto
Not splitting hairs at all. As I said, Carlsson has the higher projected ceiling, which is why the Flyers signed him to that expensive offer sheet. Fantilli is a terrific center in his own right. Any team would love to have him, but if Di Marco is to be believed, even the Flyers aren’t willing to pay him $18 million per season.
On Pettersson, I dont think he waives his NMC to go to Pittsburgh. However why wouldnt teams be interested in him? Sure 11,6 is to much, but say you got him at 9-9,5 and a 2nd line C that is defensively responsible and gets 60 points minimum and who with a better surrounding/wingers and a change of scenery could have 70-80 points? I would take that chance if I thought I had the team that could make him better. Lets say Anaheim took the 4 first rounders, sent 2 picks to Vancouver and got him at 9,5, then sign Gauthier and have money for a defender or 2. Or Canes sending KK the other way, or Montreal for that matter.
If the Canucks are willing to retain salary, then yes, there will be teams that might take a chance on him. However, the ongoing concerns about the decline in his production, combined with those about his attitude (everyone pointing to the Sedins recently calling him out), also hurt his trade value. In short, he’s an expensive, risky gamble right now.
I cannot picture Pettersson being moved, he is not the player he was before his contract years. He is not somebody you want on your team as JT Miller has said numerous times and it’s going around the NHL about his lazy work ethic. It’s visibly noticeable when you look at his performance this past year. He has taken the money and run.
Even with salary retention I don’t see petterson getting 2 firsts.
What is the reason for the fall off in play of Rielly and Pettersson? Is it because of just wear and tear on there bodies? Vancouver and Toronto’s fall in the standings? Coaching? Bad team building around them? The players are well paid and given long term contracts. Have these contracts just aged out so poorly in just a short amount of time? Tough decisions to make by the Leafs and Canucks as well as prospective buyers of these players.
“Leafs not desparate to move him”.
Translation: Leafs unable to find a sucker.
Regarding Rielly…what are the Leafs trying to accomplish by trading him?
If they are simply trying to relieve themselves of his cap space why not just accept a young player or prospect and use the newfound cap space to sign a player that fits a need and consider the newly signed player as the “trade return”?
Or, as SilverSeven suggests, play him to his strengths. I-Zone usage and PP time setting up Raddysh
With all the chatter about the Carlsson offer sheet resetting the market for high-end centers, I have to wonder what Bo Byram getting $12.5/per does for the defensemen. I think Simon Edvinsson’s ask probably went up by a few million.
Byram is going to be a superstar.
Have you watched this kid play.?
Hes going to be a Top 5 Defenceman in the league.
I’m excited to see him tear it up in Chicago.