NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2026
What’s the latest on the Bruins and Panthers? Would Vladimir Tarasenko be a good fit with the Flyers? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
BOSTON HERALD: Steve Conroy recently mused over when and how the Bruins will deal with center Pavel Zacha’s contract status.
Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (NHL Images).
Zacha, 29, is in the final season of his contract and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. His durability and reliability make him worthwhile to retain, but he could also fetch valuable pieces in a trade.
The Bruins have promising centers on the team (Fraser Minten) or in their system (James Hagens, Dean Letourneau) who could be blocked if Zacha is re-signed.
If the Bruins are out of playoff contention by the trade deadline, moving him could be easy if he remains unsigned by then. However, it’s unlikely he’ll be traded if they’re in the thick of the postseason race.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Bruins want to re-sign Zacha, but they’ve also been open to trade inquiries. Much will depend on what he’s seeking on his next contract, and where the Bruins are in the standings as the March 1 trade deadline approaches. For now, expect Zacha to be in the Bruins’ lineup when they open their season next month.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards believes the Panthers could give Patrik Laine a look if winger Brad Marchand is sidelined long term.
Laine, 28, is among the notable players still available in this summer’s UFA market. Meanwhile, the 38-year-old Marchand recently underwent surgery and is expected to miss training camp and the start of the regular season.
Richards noted that Laine has some links to the Panthers. He played under head coach Paul Maurice during their tenures with the Winnipeg Jets, and played with Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov during their youth hockey days.
Laine could be an affordable option on a one-year, “prove-it” contract. Richards suggested signing him to a professional tryout offer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know what the Panthers’ plans are to replace Marchand, let alone if Laine would be part of them. He certainly wouldn’t replace Marchand’s energetic, gritty style of play. Still, as Richards pointed out, there is little downside with giving Laine a shot.
NHL NETWORK: Mike Rupp recently suggested that Vladimir Tarasenko could be a good fit with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 34-year-old winger is coming off a bounce-back performance with the Minnesota Wild last season, scoring 23 goals and 47 points in 75 games.
Rupp believes Tarasenko could help the Flyers improve their power play, which hasn’t been good for some time. He felt they need more finishers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rupp makes a good point about the Flyers needing help with the man advantage. Their power-play percentage last season (15.7) was dead last in the league.
Like Patrik Laine, Tarasenko is among the few notable players still available in this summer’s UFA market. Whether the Flyers share Rupp’s view that the veteran winger could help them remains to be seen. Rookie winger Porter Martone and a better performance from third-year winger Matvei Michkov could boost those stats significantly.
RW Drake Batherson, who turns 29 next April. has career 82-game averages of 26g 38a 64 pts, which ranks among a group of RW sitting below the elite at that position – Kucherov ($9.5 mil), Pastrnak ($11.25 mil), Marner $12 mil), Nylander ($11.5 mil), Rantanen ($12 mil), Keller ($7.15 mil), DeBrincat ($7.875 mil) and Caufield ($7.85 mil). And unlike those players, Batherson has consistently finished his seasons with a minus in his defensive play, sporting a career -87 there.
So, suggestions in today’s Garrioch column that he and his agent somehow believe he is justified in seeking an 8-year $80 mil commitment ($10 mil AAV) from Ottawa, taking him to age 37 in the final year (which must be signed by Sept 15), not to mention becoming the highest-paid on the team, borders on the ludicrous. I could care less that that idiot in L.A. gave that type of deal to Kempe, thereby setting the so-called bar. If they remain rigid on that score, trade his ass out of town right now.
In today’s market, all those players you listed are on value contracts now. Many of them would be $15M+ contracts if free agents today.
Batherson at $10M is not out of line considering that Tuch just got $10.5M from Washington through 2034.
Also, Chinakov and McMichael just got contracts in the mid $6M too, and he’s been way more productive than them.
Agents aren’t using comps of players that are in the middle/back-end of existing long term deals. They are using comps of players signed NOW under these new market circumstances.
I’d trade Zacha and Lohrei right now if the bruins could get Larkin I think that would be a significant improvement, plus you’ve got a number one centre more speed and Dylan’s already under contract til the year 2031 get him to change his trade list ..a mere formality.
Minten Hagen and salary dump lindholm Elias for Larkin and copp??