NHL Rumor Mill – October 13, 2026
Will the struggling Flyers make a coaching change or a trade? Will Connor Hellebuyck be traded to the Rangers or return to the Jets? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST ON THE FLYERS
THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz looked at the free-falling Philadelphia Flyers’ options to reverse their fortunes.
Some Flyers fans want head coach Rick Tocchet fired, but Kurz doesn’t think it’s likely to happen; at least, not yet. He’s also barely into the second season of a five-year, $26.25 million contract.
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet (NHL Images).
Kurz acknowledged that could change if the Flyers remain dreadful deep into November. In the meantime, he suggested it might be time to consider shaking up the assistant coaches.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also isn’t convinced they’ll fire Tocchet. He believes Flyers general manager Daniel Briere will remain patient as he tries to find another way to improve the club’s overall performance.
Kurz noted that Briere won’t make a trade for the sake of doing so and won’t be rushed into a panic deal that hurts the club down the road. Nevertheless, he thinks the Flyers GM will have to make a move at some point with a hockey trade or two.
Players like Trevor Zegras, Cam York, Noah Cates, Jamie Drysdale, Tyson Foerster, Matvei Michkov, and Denver Barkey are on long- and short-term contracts that lack no-trade protection. Kurz doesn’t believe the Flyers would be in the mix for a star player, but speculated that Briere might consider swapping one of his young players for another young player like Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers making the playoffs and reaching the second round last spring heightened expectations for a club that is still rebuilding. Their followers might be more forgiving if they were more competitive, which could’ve resulted in at least a win or two by now.
Shaking up the assistant coaching or swapping a promising youngster or two for someone like Edvinsson could improve the situation. Whether those moves are possible remains to be seen. Briere could have no choice but to replace Tocchet if they’re still terrible a month from now, especially when a proven winner like Bruce Cassidy is available.
LATEST ON CONNOR HELLEBUYCK
SPORTSNET: On Monday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reiterated his doubt of the New York Rangers trading for Connor Hellebuyck to replace starting goalie Igor Shesterkin, who suffered a season-ending leg injury on Friday.
Friedman said he’d been told that move isn’t going to happen. He admitted he’d loved to see it, but unless it’s a three-way trade, he doesn’t see a path toward a deal. Most of the Rangers’ best players have no-trade protection. They’re unlikely to move Alexis Lafreniere given his strong start to this season. Meanwhile, promising Gabe Perreault is garnering more playing time.
Friedman also mentioned there was talk of Hellebuyck returning to the Jets. However, he doesn’t believe anybody wants that: not Hellebuyck, not the Jets’ organization, not the players, and not the Winnipeg fans. However, if this drags on, Hellebuyck could have no choice.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is hockey’s version of Gob Bluth from “Arrested Development” when he realizes he’s made a huge mistake.
In Hellebuyck’s case, it was going public with his trade request and then not reporting to the team when training camp opened last month. He’s been suspended without pay by the team for his actions. Meanwhile, the Jets have been okay so far with Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson as their goalie tandem.
Look, I understand the 33-year-old Hellebuyck’s desire to play for a contender while he’s still in his prime. Backstopping Team USA to Olympic gold in February gave him a taste of winning he hasn’t had in his 11-season NHL career, and he no longer believes he can do it with the Jets. But how he’s gone about it has made it difficult for the Jets to trade him, and it risks wasting a season that he can’t afford to waste at this stage of his career.
The Flyers problems run deep starting with ownership. Once Ed Snyder passed, the Flyers were passed on to terrible corporate ownership by Comcast – which evidently isn’t interested in winning hockey. This – coupled with bad leadership from Hilferty, Jones, and Briere – has resulted in a talentless group and a position where no self-respecting hockey player would want to play in Philly. It’s bad for such a passionate fan base.
DZD, to say both Philadelphia’s offense and defense have been anemic would be putting it mildly.
In their season opener they lost 3-2 in OT to New Jersey, managing 25 shots on Allen … but giving up 44 on Woll. Then, on Oct 3 in another 3-2 OT loss, this time to to Carolina, Woll had to face 40 shots while all the offense could contribute at the other end amounted to just 18 on Kotchetkov. In their next game (Oct 5) against Tampa, a 4-1 loss, the offense did even worse, with just 15 sog, while Vladar faced 35.
On Oct 8 in Ottawa, the team appeared to be finally prepared to put in a solid two-way effort, out-shooting the Senators 29-26 and only losing 2-1 due to Ullmark.
Then, on Oct 10 and Oct 11 – and having to face the Cup champions (and Kotchetkov) again – they lost 4-1 after mounting just 19 sog while Woll faced 30, and the next night lost 5-1 to the Bruins after managing 15 sog to Boston’s 32.
Having lost one of their better Fs (Konecny) hasn’t helped, of course, but if they can’t somehow improve both aspects of their game …. and soon … (they average 20 sog and relinquish 35 per game over their first 6), they join Calgary on the fast track to a high draft pick next June.
Bit of a reversal from yesterday where there was no
chance in h*ll he would be traded to the Rangers.
I will come at it from another direction. Who else is out there goalie wise? Most have been dismissed
for one reason or another. Now what can the Rangers do to entice him to come on board? Only the media knows who is or isn’t on his no trade list.
Gibby with retained salary for a 2nd.
Detroit has Postava tearing it up in the AHL so far. He could be a tandem with Tarasov.
I have been thinking the Wings should trade Gibby for a while.
Fred, after being given all the reasons why Hellebuyck won’t be traded to the NYR, what makes you think coming at the possibility of it happening from a different angle is going to change any of those reasons? At this point, only a masochist or a dreaming NYR fan could think that there’s a speck of a chance that Helly is going to be traded to the NYR. Which are you?
Yesterday it was completely impossible to now
a speck of a chance. Improvement.
I have a question back for you. What other starting goaltender is available to the NYR with
the pedigree that Helly has NOW. Today this
instant. Not tomorrow. Now.
FRED020: I’m still waiting for you to answer the question I asked you yesterday: “What would you offer up to the Jets for Hellebuyck if you were the Rangers GM?”
Draft picks and players. That is a cop out on what
I think you are asking, but it is an answer.
Most trades of this nature involve both.
Now that I am GM of the NYR can I get tickets
to Madison Square gardens?
Lyle. That’s the main reason. As a long time Ranger fan I can assure Fred adding Hellebuyck is not something I dream of. I do disagree with the narrative of wanting to go to a contender. Winnepeg has been in playoffs nearly every year since Helly became starter. Currently have 2nd best winning percentage in WC. It’s early but they’re off to a good start without him. This is more of where he wants to live. There’s really no chance NY gives up a ton for what’s basically a rental. I honestly think return on any trade won’t be as big as most think. No matter where he ends up. Jets need to take what they can and move on.
That is a whole lot less of a cop out than an admission that the Rangers could not possibly get Hellebuyck without diminishing their roster to a significant extent … as many have repeatedly noted in here. Why not just admit that you advocated Hellebuyck to NY without giving it any thought?
Yeah well, Chevy is asking way too much for Helly.
Just like Chris Illich is asking too much for Larkin. They are content to punish those that wish to escape the gulag.
You mean the gulag they signed a long term contract and are paid handsomely to be in?
These guys aren’t 12 and they aren’t victims. Oh yeah, and they have agents.
Johnny Z: So you believe the Red Wings should just accept pennies on the dollar for Larkin? That the Jets should accept the same type of return? Why shouldn’t those clubs set high prices for those players? They’re not doing it out of spite; they’re doing it because those players are valuable to their teams and will be difficult to replace. They want to get the best return possible.
everyones sick of this situation. I dont really know how he can come back. the fans in Winnipeg hate him, the management & owners reportedly dont want him back, plus with his ego i cant see him coming back.
he picked the wrong gm to make a power play against, because no one is as patient as Cheveldayoff is in making moves.
I still say buffalo makes the most sense. they need to refresh their starting goalie & Hellebuyck would fit in there. UPL need a fresh start cause its not working great for him in buffalo. Not saying thats where Hellebuyck ends up but it makes the most sense.
The most difficult job in the NHL may just be Philadelphia GM after Briere screwed up the salary scale for players coming off their ELC by offering Carlsson that ridiculous offer sheet.
From the Sens.
Jonas Johanson
From the Rangers.
Urho Vaakanainen
Chrisms:
From later yesterday, you misread my comment to you and took off on a tangent. I have little time to devote to this site today, but to refocus you, here is what I said:
“IF I DIDN’T KNOW YOU BETTER I’d consider you trolling.” Sorry about the caps, but necessary, I think.
Clearer? Better?
With leafs D falling apart I think it is time for the leafs to upgrade and try and get one of the two young defensemen available.
I really like Cowan but if you could get nikinshin or edvinnson for him I think the team would be better now and going forward. Cap is the issue maybe through in a 2nd rounder for them to take Domi.
Or even crazier keep Cowan and trade Marchenko for one of them plus another piece.
Nikinshin and Blake for Marchenko and coloarado’s 1st rounder
I would be very surprised if Helle went back to Winnipeg. Too much has been made of his desire to move on. You get to a point of no return and that’s where he is with the Jets.
It’s just like when Hasek wanted to leave the Sabres to play for a winner. Sabres’ fans understood and wished him well, then he won it all in Detroit.
Management accommodated his wishes – Jets’ management doesn’t seem to have the same feeling.