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.
I agree with the Reilly statement, with the cap going up, 7.5 is not a crazy cap hit. Play him where he is stronger, work with him, adding anything isn’t worth it really.
For Fantilli, I’ve never really watched him, I watched Carlsson in the playoffs, he sort of reminds me of Draisaitl with the size and passing ability.
Are you going to want a second pairing defenseman on your roster, making $7.5M a year for the next four years with a NMC?
I disagree about Reilly. I saw him as a negative contributor last season. It seemed that more often than not, bad things happened when he was on the ice.
That being said, I would not want to see Toronto add to trade him. I’d be happy with trading him for “Future Considerations”, otherwise, I’m okay with seeing if a new coaching staff can fix his confidence issues (which I believe is his problem) and reduce his roll and minutes. Some positive video, remind him of his potential, change his roll, all this could re-centre him so he can contribute positively again.
Futures is about all you would get for him. He’s overpaid for the 2nd pairing he’s become, which may impact future payments on your top pair. It just seems to work that way.
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.
If I was Boston. I would take a chance on him. Lorhei or Joki
Essiymont. Middlestadt Potrius
At 10 mil max salary
Even with salary retention I don’t see petterson getting 2 firsts.
Might be interesting for the Penguins if they can trade for Robertson and also trade for Pettersson with money retained.
Would be tough cap space wise though.
I could see the Pens taking a chance on Pettersson. Never been a team built highly on size to start, but this team has tons of character built into the organization. Hall of fame players in the front office. On the ice. I also think the pressure would be way low with the media. As far as cap space, I think any deal would have to have Graves going back the other way (4.5 M for 3 more years) as a way to free up a little in the short run. Malkin, crosby, karlsson, Letang are all reaching the end so thats all coming off the books in the next 2 seasons. They COULD handle his full deal. As far as value…I’d see if Graves goes, a 1st, and a prospect maybe McGroarty or Koivunen. Obviously he’d have to agree to it with his NMC…but I feel it isn’t as bad a move as it seems. Worse comes to worse he stinks up the joint, the Pens tank, and we all know how that has worked out for them over the years!
I wouldn’t give up a first for him.
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.
On Pettersson I would do a deep analytical dive on the who, how’s and why’s of …his best five seasons. He either was or was nearly a 30 goal guy in all of them.
Was it who he played with? Minutes? Coaching?
if you could figure out the secret sauce you might be able to fix him
He has the benefit of playing behind JT Miller and usually getting the easier match ups defensively. Less pressure as Miller took the heat for the teams performance. EP did win the hardest shot comp once or twice. Guy has an absolute rocket.
Well Reilly is 31, it’s not really aging out that badly when you look at the rise in the salary cap. People are upset he’s not a number one but he’s also not being paid like a number one at this point in time.
I’m Canadian cities there is also a scapegoat, Edmonton was Nurse and Skinner, Toronto is Reilly and was Marner.
Petterssons a bigger issue, we don’t know the behind the scenes of it. Have coaches been asking him to play differently than he was before the contract? Does he need someone to hold him accountable? Does he need the team to hand hold him through training in the off season? Who knows.
“Leafs not desparate to move him”.
Translation: Leafs unable to find a sucker.
Bang on Ronny! 🙄
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
Daryl, like I said months ago, it wouldn’t surprise me if they don’t trade him because they over value him… when a player turns out to be one of the best, if not the best player in his draft year, and keep in mind how much GMs over value former 1st rounder players, the value might be shared among peers but not with anyone outside that field…ie fans and talking heads.
I’m personally not a fan of him but I also agree with what Silverseven said regarding deployment as well as coaching (who didn’t guess Burbe wouldn’t negatively affect played like him).
Trading him away for nothing but cap space or picks won’t help the Leafs at all with this team. Him straight up for anything seems unlikely but packaging him up with another player, take your pick since there is now redundancy in the line up, seems likely as well as the possibility of it not happening later in the season.
I don’t know if they would get much of anything back for Reilly. So the idea of getting a serviceable asset back for him probably will not happen.
The reason for getting rid of Reilly is the he is a negative contributor on this team. It’s widely believed to be caused by a lack of confidence, and not being used properly. He’s a good candidate for a reclamation with a change of scenery, and is not likely to turn things around if he stays.
He’s a great guy from all accounts, and well liked. Even Leafs fans who want him gone, like him.
Because of his negative production, the Leafs would be lucky to get any return for Reilly, but they should be able to find a team to take him for nothing. I personally think the Canucks are a good fit, if he’ll agree to double-waive his NTC/NMC because he’s a BC boy, he should be comfortable there, hopeful return to his potential, then Vancouver could flip him to a contender for a good return. That would benefit all four parties, Leafs, Reilly, Vancouver, and the contender. The risk would only be cap space for Vancouver.
Re: Rielly
Kinda what I meant. Getting anything other than cap space would be a bonus.
Using the cap space on another player they could use (UFA) would almost be the same as trading that player for Rielly.
Say the trade Rielly to one of his chosen teams for a 2nd, no retention and use the cap money Rielly made ($7.5M) and spend it on Mantha and Logan Stanley and it’s like they traded Rielly for those assets
Just because Rielly is a “BC boy” doesn’t mean that he is eager to go back there.
By accepting a trade to Vancouver, he would be accepting that he will never win a Cup on his current contract. Heck, he would be lucky if the Canucks make the playoffs in those 4 years.
If you had control over where you go, would you accept that? He already has the contract, so its not like he is getting paid any differently there.
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.
Frank I don’t t know about a top 5 defensemen. I would take Sanderson over him and his concussion history still lingers.
Really Frank? A superstar?
I like the player, but $12.5M is the biggest overpay in a long time. Chicago had no choice but to cave to whatever his agent put on the table. Just traded 4th overall and another good D man for him.
Plays with pace and spirit, but is a second tier guy at his best. Defensively deficient. He’ll never have a better environment for putting up points than the run and gun, brain dead system in Buffalo.
Again, I love the passion in his game and he is a good all round D man, but agree that he is not at same level as Sanderson or many of the other young D men. He is what he is going to be. Has been around long enough and Chicago has him locked up for his prime years. Want him on my team all day long, but IMO not a superstar.
Sabres will miss Byrum, he’s a good guy and an excellent teammate. Sabres had no choice, since their previous GM didn’t sign him long term like he could have last summer.
Getting Zellwiger will reduce some of the sting of losing Byrum.
If I am the Canucks I do not retain on Pettersson at this point.
Right now despite not coming close to the breakthrough season he had he still clocks in just under a ppg.
If he at least holds there, every passing summer his contract is less and less appalling to rival gms seeking a center as the cap and salaries climb.
Until he is blocking a young star in the lineup id be patient for the right deal based on who and what the Canucks are today. And should he happen to improve…gravy
Wise.
Lyle,
Regarding our back and forth yesterday about cap space, Anaheim, keeping Carlsson and signing Gauthier. I don’t disagree with anything you said, I was just looking at the same facts from a different perspective.
With that being said what do you think of Habs pitching Anaheim for Granlund?
He’s 34y/o 1 year left till UFA $7M
Anaheim gets cap space they need for a draft pick of some sort.
Habs get a 2C for a year, grace period for internal growth, Hage,
He’s not the sexy guy for the role but a cheap, asset-wise, stop-gap who can fill the role well.
They just lost a center and might lose another. Doubt Ana moves yet another center.
What Chrisms said…💯
Granlund has 2 years left counting this season. I can see him going to Detroit
The Habs would probably have to trade Kapanen for Granlund. Works for both teams; Habs get a good, experienced stop-gap 2C until Hage is ready and the Ducks get a young 2-3C with potential who scored 22g, 15a, 37 pts last year at a much lower cap hit. If not Kapanen, Newhook. Or Beck (is he NHL ready?!?), and/or Zharovsky?!? Thoughts?
HF30
Granlund is a very good choice for 2C for Montreal.
He’s a very smart player and can step up offensively when the need, and pressure, arises. He’s come up big for Finland in international play.
He’d probably be a great mentor to fellow Finn, Kapanen.
Anaheim matched and signed Carlsson.
Or are you referring to McTavish?
I was referring to both. Leo hasn’t been matched yet when I posted. But still don’t think Ana guts their center depth after losing McTavish
Larkin expanded his list to include Dallas.
Stevie asked for Wyatt Johnston in return. You will have a bit to add to Larkin to get Johnston!!!! 😆
Anaheim Ducks Match Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet
Got the “Little ball of Hate” over a barrel!!!
With Larkin’s new team to go to, here is an interesting proposal:
Detroit gets Petey ($2.6M retained)
Van gets Wyatt Johnson
Dallas gets Larkin ($2M retained), Van’s 2028 1st (top 10 protected)
In no world am I giving up Wyatt Johnson for Larkin
They still need cap space to sign Robo.
Pens may get Robo, which would alleviate some of the mess……
In the same world that Detroit trades Larkin and only gets Pettersson.
bang on
Ducks have $9.0 m in cap space. I am sure Gauthier wants all of it and more
Kreider Killorn Vatrano and Granlund could all be gone. McQueen needs to be ready at entry level
Their blue line is shallow
No depth anywhere really after the moves they have to make and of course injuries. I predict they take a step back and do not make the playoffs next year.