Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 13, 2026
Check out the latest on Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin and Senators winger Drake Batherson in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
SPORTSNET: During Thursday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman said the Nashville Predators were “kicking around” Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (NHL Images).
Friedman noted the Predators traded winger Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils earlier this month for two draft picks. He believes they could have the tradeable assets necessary to make a pitch to the Hurricanes.
Nikishin is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract. The 24-year-old defenseman is ineligible to sign an offer sheet because he lacks the required number of games played to qualify. He had a promising rookie campaign, with 11 goals and 33 points in 82 games last season.
Friedman believes Zeev Buium’s new contract with the Vancouver Canucks could factor into Nikishin’s new deal. The 20-year-old Buium signed an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $9.38 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the Stanley Cup Final, it was reported that the Hurricanes were mulling over whether to sign or trade Nikishin. It’s been three months since then with no sign of a resolution to his situation.
That’s likely to change with training camp opening later this week. Nikishin reportedly sought an average annual value of $8 million before Buium signed his deal, which could reinforce his asking price or perhaps push it higher, which could ensure that he ends up playing elsewhere this season.
The Predators aren’t the only club linked to Nikishin. For weeks, it’s been rumored that the St. Louis Blues were interested. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently speculated that Nikishin would likely be part of the return to the Winnipeg Jets if the Hurricanes attempt to acquire goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reported Thursday that the Senators and Drake Batherson still have a gap to bridge before the Sept. 15 deadline for re-signing players to eight-year contracts. After that date, the maximum contract length for re-signings drops to seven years.
Batherson reportedly seeks an eight-year contract, adding that he wants to finish his career with the Senators. However, the two sides aren’t close to a deal yet, though general manager Steve Staios remains confident that a deal will get done.
Garrioch has reported that Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings and Alex Tuch of the Washington Capitals are comparables for Batherson’s next contract. Kempe is in the first season of an eight-year contract with a $10.625 million AAV, while Tuch’s is an eight-year deal with a $10.5 million AAV.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll know for certain how long Batherson’s next deal will be by 5 pm ET on Sept. 15.
Carolina should cash in on Helly while the time is right. Other than Montreal in the east and both TB and Fla. having aging rosters the time is ripe for them to cash in!
Jarvis for Helly
*can Jarvis be traded while recovering from surgery?Would he have to grant permission?
or: Nikishin (signed to a $9M x 7or 8) and a 1st
Heck no on Jarvis. You don’t trade a 1RW for an aging G. Especially when you don’t particularly need a G. Nothing against Helly but NO team should offer that kind of value for an expensive G.
Helly would be a luxury add-on in CAR, not a necessary piece. I’d like to have him, but no way would I offer anything close to somebody on the top 2 forward or D lines.
NIkishin, on the other hand, could be workable. I’d go Nikishin and a 2nd. I don’t see adding a first unless there’s a secondary piece coming back.
JohnnyZ I think the deal that looks like the perfect fit is Nikishin & Bussi for Hellybuck. Carolina’s window is open, Bussi was a waiver pickup for Carolina whose value couldnt be higher after he came in on the final series to win a Cup. No picks needed, Jets looking at Bussi & Skinner seem pretty good to go into the season & add a solid young D. Carolina get a Vezina caliber goalie to stop them for a repeat. Just my humble opinion.
Potlicker makes a probable trade that looks very good for both teams
Elliotte Friedman: Re Connor Hellebuyck trade request/Jets: I think there’s a recognition now that this has to happen and is going to happen – 32 Thoughts
Johnny Z, the problem – for Winnipeg – with that theory is that it will likely reduce what the Jets get offered in return. I mean, it’s not like there are a multitude of teams elbowing each other out of the way to acquire him.
In terms of pure # 1 needs, only Buffalo fits. They now sit among the favourites to be a major player in the run for the Cup – except for a lingering inconsistency in nets. With close to $7 mil in cap space, they could easily clear the way by including Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with another F asset.
Some might consider Carolina as another keen to solidify their goaltending, but I believe they are sold on young Bussi, who just backed them to a Cup against a tough, veteran-laden Vegas. Utah and New Jersey are longshots at best. And, really, that’s it.
I’d highly suggest there’s more interest than we know about, very rarely is there a top 5 goalie available.
In the past 10 seasons, CH has played the most amount of games (599, facing 29.93 shots per game), and is .001 behind Vasilevskiy (558, facing 29.62 shots per game) and Shesterkin (325, facing 29.33 shots per game) in save % (active goalies).
Comparing the stats
CH
Quality Start %- 59.7%
Really bad starts- 74 (12.35%)
GSAA- 166.8 (.278 per game)
Last season he was basically an average goaltender.
AV
QS%- 59.2%
Really bad starts- 72 (12.9%)
GSAA- 169.9 (.304 per game)
23-24 season had a worse season than CH last season.
IS
QS%- 62.8%
Really bad starts- 48 (14.76%)
GSAA- 128.2 (.394 per game)
It’s hard to argue anyone else outside of maybe Sorokin be included in this list, there are other top notch goalies but this is the top tier.
He’s a game changing goalie, writing him off would be like writing off Ovi when he only scored 30 goals as being done as a 50 goal scorer.
Winnipeg doesn’t have to trade him and can afford to wait until someone decides to offer a boatload because their goalies haven’t held up or someone gets injured.
We wait and see but I bet at least have the league has called about him to just test the waters.
Whalercane, I don’t think the return for a player that was the league MVP just over a year ago is a disgruntled 2nd year dman looking for a contract that is reportedly even higher than the $8.5 yearly that Helle has, and a 2nd rd pick. I do agree that he’d be a luxury that I don’t think the Canes require as their tandem is more than capable for a repeat run though. I still think he ends up in either Buff or Utah with an outside shot at NJ if Quinn Hughes signs long term with Minny before camp, freeing up salary room for the Devils and putting a fork in the pipe dream or uniting the Hughes bros.
Icejester: I’ll agree with you. I don’t think I would accept Nikishin and a 2nd for Hellebuyck if I were the Jets.
But as others have pointed out, I don’t know that there’s any team out there willing to pay much more.
He’s a tremendous G, but soon to be a declining one, on a fairly onerous contract (for a G). In a Cap world, can a team take on an $8m contract for ‘some’ improvement? It becomes a value question.
I think I stand by my offer, and I’ll understand if WPG declines. But in no way am I offering anything from the first two lines, and I can’t imagine any other team doing that either.
$10.2M x 6 or $9.5 x 8 for Batherson
I think it’s more realistic to see 8 @ 10m for bath.
Bium is 4 years younger than Nikishin. Doesn’t age factor into a comparable ?
A now trade
Nikishin, Nadeau and Kochetkov- NO first round pick
A futures trade
Buffalo: UPL, Mrta Kulich and an upper round pick that is maybe a first.
Hellebuyck is currently the best in the world at his position. However, decline is right around the corner and we may have seen the first of it last year.
It has been said many times on this site,” goalies are voodoo” and landing Hellebuyck guarantees nothing. I would be more concerned with the loss of Tuck and Byram.
Chevy is painful. Might get done by Xmas
I think the Rangers Schneider would be a better comparison for Nikishin. Both stuck on 3rd pair. Both can play off side but not really ideal. Both will still be rfa next summer. Nikishin has better chance of getting long term deal elsewhere. If I’m Carolina, either a 1 year deal or trade him now.
Hellebuyck to Detroit!
Cheveldyoff can wait and I hope he wait till he gets the trade return he want and Winnipeg needs…best tender in the world, great contract and termed due to his style he will age very well and be great for the next five years…must be the slow summer but getting tired of the age thing
IMO the team that makes the most sense is the Canes. And I would never give up a guy like Jarvis either.
Both BUF tenders had better numbers than Helley last year. UPL struggled in the playoffs, but check out Helley’s playoff performance. Not like he was stellar when they won the presidents cup. He was one of the main reasons they got punted early.
I think WPG fans will be disappointed with the return. There is a good reason tenders don’t a big return in trades. Too hard to predict future performance. It’s just a risky bet.
I agree with Don and Silver’s comments. Chevy will get a nice return for Helly in the end that will include NHL ready talent. He has to do that because the team is not in rebuild mode.
He is the best tender and has a team friendly contract for 5 years. I also imo think he will be effective for the length of his deal based on past stats.
Chevy has to show the rest of the squad that he calls the shots for the team
Chevy should’ve made the deal to switch picks at the draft, but like usual he pushed another player to request a trade out.
Seems like most of chevy’s top players leave or request out. another GM trying to get too much and it will cost in the end.
I find it a bit ridiculous for these offers for Hellebuyck to be so low. If I were Cheveldayoff I would also not accept them. You are talking about a guy who won the MVP just over a year ago.
Like Travis said above the other top goalies in the league are arguably Vasilevsky, Shesterkin and probably Sorokin and maybe toss in Oettinger and Swayman. Do you guys see Tampa, NYR, NYI, Dal or Bos accepting a package like UPL, Mrtka and a pick, or Nikishin and Bussi (a platoon goalie, not a clear starter). Not a d@mn chance, so why should Wpg?
Just because Hellebuyck has asked for a trade doesn’t mean Wpg has to accept peanuts. Quinn Hughes got the equivalent of 4 first round picks and Wpg won’t get that but it should be close (probably the equivalent of 3 firsts which must include a legit NHL starter in return).
If there were other issues at play here to impact the return then the price would change but there are no issues with Wpg for cap space (like CBJ or Ana needing space to sign a young star), there is no young goalie in Wpg pushing for the job (see Minnesota), etc.
Basically, there is no reason for Wpg not to hold out to get the return they want. Even if Hellebuyck holds out he impacts himself more than the team, just like Dubois did and Laine before him.