Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 12, 2026
In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup, it’s Part Two of my answers to some of the lingering questions for every NHL team this summer.
SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen recently listed one lingering offseason question for each NHL team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, I provided my answers for the first 16 teams on Boylen’s list. Today, I look at the remaining 16 teams, starting with the New Jersey Devils.
Boylen wants to know how the New Jersey Devils’ goaltending will look in the fall.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not that great, considering it consists of three backup goalies. Jake Allen used to be a starter, but he hasn’t filled that role for a long time. Nico Daws has only 55 NHL games under his belt, and David Rittich hasn’t had a 40-game season since 2019-20. There was talk of the Devils pursuing Connor Hellebuyck, but Elliotte Friedman doesn’t see that happening.
The New York Islanders haven’t made any big splashes yet this summer, prompting questions over whether they intend to do so. Elliotte Friedman believes the Isles are in a position right now where they don’t want to block any of their promising young players.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If that’s the case, then they won’t be making any big additions this summer.
Boylen mused over whether Alexis Lafreniere gets caught up in the changes going on with the New York Rangers. The 24-year-old winger has come up in trade rumors, but with Artemi Panarin gone, that could give him a chance to play a role where he’ll be successful.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere finished strong last season, matching his career high of 57 points. He’ll likely see first-line minutes this season alongside Mika Zibanejad, which could see the 2020 first-overall pick finally break out as the scoring winger he was projected to become.
Are the Ottawa Senators “good enough as constructed to be competitive again in 2026-27?”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some fans point to the Senators’ improved performance when Brady Tkachuk missed 20 games last season as proof they can survive the departure of their former captain. Others cite their solid analytic numbers. However, it will come down to whether goaltender Linus Ullmark’s strong second-half performance from last season carries over throughout 2026-27.
Boylen wondered what effect the Philadelphia Flyers’ failed effort to prize Leo Carlsson from the Anaheim Ducks would have on their roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It still leaves them without a true first-line center. They reportedly won’t try to pursue Chicago’s Connor Bedard or Columbus’ Adam Fantilli with offer sheets, so it’s off to the trade market for help, where there aren’t many available options.
Dylan Larkin wants a trade from Detroit, but Philadelphia isn’t on his list of destinations. At least they now have enough cap space to re-sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, who filed for salary arbitration last Sunday.
Boylen wants to know if the Pittsburgh Penguins can add a center before next season. Elliotte Friedman recently mused over whether they should acquire Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks, suggesting that playing with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin might do him some good.
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Many teams are in the market for centers this summer. Pettersson is often mentioned as a trade candidate, but his $11.6 million AAV and declining performance aren’t likely to entice the Penguins or any other club.
Regarding the San Jose Sharks, Boylen asked, “What will Macklin Celebrini’s next deal look like?”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks signed a five-year contract worth a league-record AAV of $18 million, Celebrini could become the league’s first $20 million man.
Can the Seattle Kraken acquire a star who wants to be there, or how can they build themselves into a desirable destination?
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no easy solution for the Kraken. They could start by staging a complete rebuild with promising young prospects, as the Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, and San Jose Sharks did, but they don’t appear keen to go that route. For now, they’re going to try to build with what they have and what they can afford.
Boylen wondered if goaltender Jordan Binnington would be with the St. Louis Blues when training camp opens in September.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent word out of St. Louis suggests the Blues are fine starting the season with Binnington and Joel Hofer as their goalie tandem. That could change if they get a substantial offer from a club he’s willing to join, but for now, expect him to start the season with the Blues.
Boylen suggested that Nikita Kucherov’s contract situation with the Tampa Bay Lightning could be this season’s most fascinating. The 33-year-old is a three-time Art Ross Trophy winner and won his second Hart Trophy this season, but age will soon start to catch up with him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov earns an AAV of $9.5 million on his current deal. If he were a few years younger, he could command a much higher price, but his age will be an issue in his contract talks. It could come down to how much he wants to stay in Tampa, where there is no state tax.
Will the Toronto Maple Leafs trade Morgan Rielly? Elliotte Friedman believes there’s a chance they might keep him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The San Jose Sharks reportedly had the choice between Rielly and Darnell Nurse and picked the latter. While Rielly gave the Leafs a list of proposed trade destinations, he’s not really pushing to be moved, and there hasn’t been much trade buzz about him lately. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’s still with the Leafs when the regular season opens in October.
Boylen wonders if Utah Mammoth goalie Sebastian Cossa is ready to become an NHL backup. They acquired the 23-year-old netminder from the Detroit Red Wings last month.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth are counting on Cossa rising to the occasion after struggling to establish himself as a starter with the Wings’ AHL affiliate. This season is a critical one in the young netminder’s career. If he can’t get the job done, the Mammoth will have to go shopping for another option.
Can the Vancouver Canucks build a better culture, and what else needs to happen this summer to put them on that path?
SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ve already overhauled their front office and coaching staff, who are committed to continuing the roster rebuild begun by their predecessors last season. It will be up to general manager Ryan Johnston and head coach Manny Malhotra to improve the culture and to get the players to buy in.
Boylen wondered if the Vegas Golden Knights had a “Vegas-type” move in them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doubtful. They shipped their best trade chip (Pavel Dorofeyev) to the New York Rangers last month because they couldn’t afford to re-sign him. They have limited salary-cap space and insufficient trade assets to pull off a significant acquisition. If they were going to do so, it would’ve happened by now.
How will all the Washington Capitals’ new pieces come together?
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alex Ovechkin is returning for another season, but Capitals management is preparing for the post-Ovechkin era. They want to prove to their fans that they will be a contender after he’s gone, which explains their significant additions of forwards Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Boone Jenner. They’re also done making any more major moves this summer.
Boylen mused over whether the Winnipeg Jets will trade Connor Hellebuyck this summer. They were reportedly close to a deal with the Buffalo Sabres, but it fell through before the opening round of the NHL Draft last month. Signing free-agent goalie Stuart Skinner stoked the speculation.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed Hellebuyck was willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to Buffalo, but Elliotte Friedman reported the deal didn’t go through because some of the Sabres players involved wouldn’t waive their no-trade clauses. Some observers tied Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, butFriedman wasn’t buying that hype.
A Hellebuyck trade remains a possibility, but finding the right destination and return could make it difficult to pull off this summer.
Looks like things may have finally caught up to the Knights. No cap space, no viable trading assets and the loss of one of their better young forwards. One of the oldest by average age in the league and not getting any younger.
Don’t count the Golden Knights out yet…if any team can pull a rabbit out of a hat, it’s them.
I am not necessarily counting them out yet. But the roster is getting older, the trade options are getting fewer and fewer. Knights routinely trade prospects and draft picks for established players. It gets to a point that you have to be a magician to get any better in Vegas.
William Karlsson ,Thomas Hertl and a first round pick whenever for Larkin.
Sure, but they are still a good team that can compete for the next 2-3 years and the rising cap gives them options. As soon as next summer they have 35 million in cap space. Sure some of that will go to their UFAs but count on 15 minimum going for new players.
Kucherov may be less of a problem than many think. He is a craftsman who depends on neither speed nor power as his primary attribute; in fact he spends quite a lot of time on the ice quietly on the half-wall during the power play. He plays defence mostly with a clever stick but is responsible and knows where to be. It is likely to be a good bet to extend his high earning years to age 40, thus a good seven year contract seems possible, and something he and the Lightning are likely to agree on. He will have target for his passes in Point and Guentzel, also signed long term; with a next generation of Sam OReilly and Dom James beginning to show. In my book, likely to be one of those rare players that has a one team career.
Washington made some big moves and could be the team to beat in Metro. Unpopular opinion but, I think Ovechkin holds them back. Turns 41 before season starts and has looked old at end of season last couple years. There has definitely been an effort to pad his goal totals. Can still shoot puck but not sure he’s helping by commanding top 6 minutes. Putting up points but they need wins. I see a drastic fall off this season.
Not an unpopular opinion with me, Slick. I said last year Ovi plays a great half game. Still has a lethal one timer and uses his experience well to anticipate where the puck will be in the 0 zone, but he looked every bit of 40 last year.
Scoring is the hardest thing to do in the NHL and he has shown he can still do that. Just need to find the sweet spot for him. 4th line minutes and pp.
Guy can score 30 goals from a wheelchair. Agree on how bad he looks, but still bags 30-40 every year without being a defensive liability. Give Carbery credit. Uses him perfectly. Didn’t have a D zone start all year until last week of the season, and I have never seen anyone cover less ice on a shift in my life.
Ovie just wants to win and as Owen said, you can’t teach scoring and he can do it in spades. PP vital in playoffs and he always finds a way to score. Amazingly, still a real asset.
Now can the rest of the team step up and put them in a good position heading into playoffs. On paper it looks good, and I hate the Capitals. Carbery great.
I think that d zone stat is slightly misleading. No way he wasn’t on the ice for an icing call until the end of the season.
This is what, Lafreniere’s 7th possible breakout season? Sure he finished the season strong but the Rangers were out of the playoff race and there was no pressure.
My Ranger fan friends have given up on him being a star. They say he doesn’t work hard enough. He’ll likely be a 25-30g 55-60P winger but never what you’d expect from a #1 overall pick.
He’s not and never will be a star but a 25-30 goal 55-60 pt player is a solid 2nd line player.
His contract is reasonable for his production and is a player who’d be a great fit in Montreal now.
Lafreniere/Kapanen/Demidov make a solid 2nd line. I’d like Braden Schneider too.
AI suggestion
To Montreal
Lafreniere
Schneider
To NYR
2027 1st rd pick
2027 2nd rd pick
David Reinbacher
Joshua Roy (he’s gone so Owen Beck)
I think this is an example of AI being stupid.
I can’t imagine what a real trade could be but whatever the real package was offered for Knies, I’d do it for Lafreniere in a heartbeat.
Habsfan30
Don’t know what you mean
By A1 suggestion – or was this yours.
All I could say, glad you’re
Not the GM, keep the cap space, we are going to need more than we need Lafrenière
JerseyJohnny,
Not A1, but A I for Artificial Intelligence suggestion.
“Cossa rising to the occasion after struggling to establish himself as a starter with the Wings’ AHL affiliate. ”
Sorry Lyle but what? Cossa was the starter for 3 seasons with Grand Rapids and was an AHL all star the last 2 seasons. They went with the hot goalie in Postava for the playoffs this year and even when he melted down, for some stupid reason the coach didn’t go to Cossa and they got eliminated while outplaying the other team badly.
Just more stupid moves by Yzerman and the Wings to never give Cossa a shot no matter how well he played in the AHL. Instead they had a sub par old Talbot getting ice time even after they were eliminated from the playoffs knowing Talbot was done with the Wings. The only saving grace is the Wings probably have the best goalie prospect pipeline in the NHL with Postava, Augustine, Guimond, Pradel and Orsulak.
Kron
Best goalie depth in the NHL is in Boston bud
Sure, keep telling yourself that.
Yes. He’s silly. Best depth is Pittsburgh. Duh.
Since George isn’t around atm…according to AI:
The Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks are widely regarded to possess the best goaltending pipelines in the NHL, balancing top-tier prospect depth with established young talent [Los Angeles Kings](reddit.com, San Jose Sharks).
The pipeline rankings and prospect depth break down as follows:
Los Angeles Kings: The Kings possess perhaps the deepest pool of netminders in the league, led by standout prospects Erik Portillo, Carter George The Top 10 NHL Goalie Prospects, and Hampton Slukynsky Los Angeles Kings.
San Jose Sharks: Boasting the number one ranked goalie prospect in the NHL, Yaroslav Askarov, the Sharks have an elite ceiling Top 20 goalie prospects in the NHL.. They are also reinforced by highly touted youngsters such as Joshua Ravensbergen The Top 10 NHL Goalie Prospects.
Honorable Mentions: The Calgary Flames—boasting Dustin Wolf Top 20 goalie prospects in the NHL.—and the Montreal Canadiens—anchored by NCAA standout Jacob Fowler The Top 10 NHL Goalie Prospects—also maintain exceptionally strong, deep pipelines.
@Steve
That AI needs an update. Askarov, Fowler and Wolf aren’t prospects really. You might be able to make a case for Fowler but not the other two.
This is why people shouldn’t trust AI to do their homework or work for them. I’m talking about purely prospects not guys already in the NHL. All of the Wings prospects i named have 0 NHL games. This is why the Wings were comfortable trading Cossa (even though i think that was a mistake) but he might have quietly asked out after the dumb AHL coach benched him in the playoffs and Yzerman never gave him a start no matter how well he played in the AHL.
Did I misread, or did it say that Kucherov won the Art Ross this season? (McDavid beat him by 8 points).
It has to be a big blow for Leaf fans to hear that the Sharks chose Nurse over Rielly. It was probably the only team that was willing to take on one of those two contracts at face value. Everyone else is not willing to take on that contract (even for future considerations)
I am not sure if Hellybuck gets moved any time soon. The Jets have him under contract for the next 5 seasons at a decent cap hit. Unless Chevy gets fair trade value for a Hart Trophy winner, I wouldn’t hold my breath if I was Buffalo.