NHL Rumor Mill – July 7, 2026
A look at how Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet could affect the Ducks’ efforts to re-sign Cutter Gauthier, plus the latest on the Sharks, Red Wings, Hurricanes, Bruins, and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST ON THE DUCKS
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports the Anaheim Ducks will have less than $10 million in salary-cap space if they match Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. That will affect their efforts to re-sign restricted free-agent winger Cutter Gauther.
The 22-year-old Gauthier tallied 41 goals in the final season of his entry-level contract. Stephens doubts the Ducks will be able to re-sign him to an average annual value of under $10 million.
Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier (NHL Images).
Gauthier lacks arbitration rights and is ineligible to receive an offer sheet. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek could use that leverage to play hardball with the young winger. However, Stephens pointed out that it didn’t work well with now-former Ducks Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras, and Mason McTavish. Gauthier was also the pure finisher that Verbeek wanted to pair with Carlsson when he acquired the winger from the Flyers two years ago.
If the Ducks match Carlsson’s offer sheet and re-sign Gauthier, they’ll have to shed salary to become salary cap-compliant before the start of their regular season in October.
Winger Frank Vatrano seems the obvious choice, but moving his $4.57 million AAV through 2026-27 (and its deferred money) won’t be easy. It seems unlikely they’ll move Chris Kreider or Alex Killorn, both of whom have 15-team no-trade lists.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vatrano would have to be packaged with a draft pick or prospect to facilitate a trade. Even then, clubs might balk at taking on his contract. Kreider or Killorn would draw more interest, possibly from teams not on their no-trade lists.
If the Ducks don’t match Carlsson’s offer sheet, they’ll have to find a suitable replacement. Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings could be an option if he agrees to accept a trade to Anaheim, but at 29, he’s already hit his ceiling. Another possibility could be Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barzal has a 22-team no-trade list, which could complicate things. So would the Islanders’ asking price, as they’ll likely want a good young player in return. So would the Red Wings with Larkin.
NOTABLE RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” PODCAST
SPORTSNET: In his final “32 Thoughts: The Podcast” for 2025-26, Elliotte Friedman wondered how much it will cost the San Jose Sharks to sign superstar center Macklin Celebrini to a contract extension.
Celebrini, 20, has a year left on his entry-level contract. He’ll be an RFA without arbitration rights next summer and eligible to sign an offer sheet.
The Sharks will want to avoid Celebrini becoming an offer-sheet target. Friedman mused whether they would try to convince him to accept less than the league maximum on his next cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The maximum cap hit is 20 percent of the salary cap for the first season in which the contract is signed. For 2027-28, it’s $22.6 million.
Given that Leo Carlsson’s new contract has set the benchmark with his league-leading $18 million average annual value, the Sharks will likely try to keep their offer to Celebrini to between $18 million and $19 million. However, his representatives could push for over $20 million.
Friedman said the Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to use an offer sheet to make a big splash this summer. He wondered if they could be eyeing Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings.
The Hurricanes will need a defenseman because they’re reportedly shopping Alexander Nikishin, who is an RFA this summer. Friedman said they’re also trying to include forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the deal, which would free up $4.25 million in cap space.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now reports the Red Wings have set aside $12 million in cap space in case Edvinsson signs an offer sheet. Even if the Hurricanes can move out Kotkaniemi, they won’t have enough to make an unmatchable offer for the Wings blueliner.
Friedman also said the Hurricanes were considering signing a player to an offer sheet and then trading him if the signing was successful. If a team matches an offer sheet, they cannot trade the player for one year. However, there are no restrictions for a team that successfully signs away a player with an offer sheet.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In that scenario, the Hurricanes would sign a player they don’t need, and then flip him to another team to address a more pressing roster issue.
Pavel Zacha’s contract extension talks with the Boston Bruins caught Friedman’s attention. He thinks they’ve spoken with other clubs about him. He assumed one of them was the Montreal Canadiens, but two sources denied it.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins probably prefer to retain Zacha, but it doesn’t hurt to gauge the trade market just in case.
Speaking of the Canadiens, Friedman said they’re still searching for a top-six forward. He indicated that they’ve made numerous calls to the Columbus Blue Jackets about Kirill Marchenko, but the Jackets aren’t willing to move him right now.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nick Lariviere of The Sick Podcast suggested Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken as a trade option for the Canadiens. The Kraken are reportedly shopping the 22-year-old center.
The Canadiens passed over Wright in the 2022 draft in favor of winger Juraj Slafkovsky. He’s struggled to establish himself as a top-six center with the Kraken. He still has time to achieve that goal and would be an affordable acquisition in terms of salary and return.
However, the Canadiens have been reportedly pursuing more established young talent, such as Marchenko and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies. Wright doesn’t fit that profile.
If Verbeek takes a hard line with Gauthier, given what’s happened till now, he should be fired on the spot. I expect he’ll reach a deal fairly soon. And will then have to trade Vatrano, Killorn or Kreider with a massive sweetener.
Well even if Anaheim trades KILLORN and or KRIEDER. Anaheim already lost Truba., Carlson, and Gudas that’s all of their right side defense they already have to bring up kids from the farm to fill those holes now theyre gonna make more holes with those two forwards so they may be able to sign all those kids, but they won’t have much of a team to play this year. It will mostly be Anaheim farm club because there’s no money left.
Makes you wonder if he trades Gauthier for Edvinsson straight up?
McQueen signed ELC. High pick that could step into lineup. John Carlson was a rental. Ducks signed Nick Jensen to a 2.2m deal. There’s other affordable vets out there. Perhaps with teams still needing center help, the Ducks should consider trading Granlund.
Just wondering how much is Verbeek and how much is Ducks ownership. Does he have open books to do what he wants or is limited?
All three of those players still have some value. Doubt the sweetener is massive.
Howard: don’t step over the direction Verbeek takes direction from the team owners. The Ducks haven’t typically spent to the cap (thought that may now change LOL), so Verbeek is certain to be in compliance with his brief from the Samueli’s.
Shane Wright could be a nice low risk, high reward acquisition for Kent Hughes. Worst case scenario, he’s a decent stop gap until Hage is ready to step in. Maybe a package of Dach and a prospect and/or pick gets it done
Craig
Dach is injured too often to have any trade value.
All Canadiens prospects are better than every other NHL team’s prospects. How dare you suggest to sully the Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge with such a suggestion. 😁
I wouldn’t touch Wright with a 51 foot pole 😉
Lafrenniere part deux
You can say that but he isn’t paid 7.45 a year so it doesn’t really match.
He hasn’t lived up to the hype but doesn’t mean he can’t be a good 3rd line centre in the future or a solid 2 way winger for a team willing to work with him.
A good example could be Podkolzin for the Oilers after Vancouver gave up on him.
Lafrenniere will finally put up 70 points this season. Wright be get his 40.
70 still not great for a 1st overall i know
Why? Not taking into account his and his agents contract ideas…if the price of acquisition and contract is right…why the disdain?
He was used primarily as bottom 6 last season on a team that doesnt score.
The year before under a diff coach 19 goals…44pts which was his first full season played in the NHL. In his career he is a plus player…which is not saying nothing…being a young forward on a team that had negative goal differential.
Now if you are acquiring him in hopes of a number 1 center….probably not the right guy. But I think his bottom may be a solid 2 way 3c and still has some potential to develope into a 2c.
1Oilerfan: As I explained earlier, the Canadiens are after more established young talent such as Knies and Marchenko. They don’t need a bottom-six forward, they need a top-six forward for the Demidov line.
Vatrano is signed through 27/28. Kreider and Killorn are pending ufa’s after this season. Terry still listed on IR. Don’t know his status. Verbeek was forced into this position. Did anyone see Carlsson getting 18m AAV? Gauthier had a breakout year by doubling his goals output. Good timing. I think Verbeek will make it work with both players staying in Anaheim
Detroit needs a center whether they move Larkin or not. They recently signed Arvidsson who played with Granlund in Nashville. Would Wings give up Sandin-Pelikka or Bernard-Docket? 2 young RD stuck behind Seider and Faulk
I wonder how much of the Flyer’s decision to extend the offer sheet to Carlson was motivated by revenge from the Gautier situation a few years ago. Is this the Flyers way of saying to other teams and players “don’t mess with our franchise or we will target you”?
I have heard nothing to suggest that the Ducks did anything wrong but Flyers could be rubbing a glove in the face of Gautier who snubbed them. They are taking away his world class centerman.
not sure but Philly fleeced Ducks with Zegras trade
but the Cutter for Zegras was in Ducks favor.
drysdal sorry
If ducks match they do not make the playoffs next year. How does Philly sign Zegras and drysdale with Carlsson at $18M.
Not sure how players think this is a good thing. It just screws the middle and bottom end players. The leafs tried this for 10 years and they won one playoff round.
Listening to a podcast last night and they mentioned best thing is for Anaheim to pay the $39M and trade him next July. What would a team like Seattle or Columbus give to get Carlsson. Interesting option.
The thing is that the cap is supposed to go up another 10 million next year. So the cap hit drops to 15.8%. If a team is expecting to build around Carlsson and he’s not just another piece, in 2 years that cap hit could be 14.5% and it keeps dropping.
It’s definitely an overpay and if I’m the Ducks, I think long and hard about those 4 picks and who I could attempt to trade for with them, even though I look around the league and wonder who really is available to trade for that could fill that position.
Even looking at top 50 prospects not in the NHL, ones that could be a fit probably wouldn’t be traded.
Barzal would be the best choice trade wise, maybe you offer sheet or trade for Connor Mcmichael.
It’s a tough choice because The Flyers also aren’t planning on being a bottom team in the league either so they won’t be super high draft picks.