Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 6, 2025
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 6, 2025
What are the Rangers’ plans for Artemi Panarin? Could the Blues acquire Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram? What’s the latest on the Red Wings? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
WHAT ARE THE RANGERS PLANS FOR PANARIN?
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wondered what the New York Rangers intend to do with Artemi Panarin following the 2025-26 season. The 33-year-old left winger has a year left on his contract and is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.
Brooks considers Panarin to be the greatest free-agent signing in Rangers history. Since joining the Blueshirts in 2019, he’s fourth among all NHL scorers with 550 points since 2019-20. He has also led the Rangers in scoring in each of his six seasons with the club.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).
According to Brooks, the Rangers haven’t opened contract extension talks yet with Panarin. That raises the possibility of his departure next summer. Despite his age, Panarin has turned in his best seasons in his 30s.
Brooks suggests a four-year extension could do the trick. He believes the Rangers can’t afford to lose Panarin, suggesting having him on the roster beyond next season could help them entice other free-agent talent next summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation over Panarin’s future is bound to surface in the rumor mill at some point in this offseason. The longer he goes without a contract extension, the more questions will be raised about where he’ll be playing after this season.
The Rangers have over $29 million in cap space for 2026-27 with 17 active roster players under contract. Braden Schneider is the only key player besides Panarin to be re-signed. They’ll have the cap room to re-sign the high-scoring winger, perhaps even to a slight pay cut from his current $11.6 million AAV.
Whether Panarin wants to stay is another matter. That decision could depend on the club’s performance this season. If he feels the Rangers aren’t in Cup contention, he could move on to a team that would allow him to win that elusive championship.
COULD THE BLUES ACQUIRE BOWEN BYRAM?
THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford and Matthew Fairburn examined recent speculation suggesting the St. Louis Blues were attempting to acquire Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram.
The Blues are trying to revamp their defense corps. Rutherford and Fairburn believe he’d slot in as their second-pairing right-side blueliner if they could include Justin Faulk in the deal. They also speculate the Blues might have to part with a good young NHL player (like Jake Neighbours) as part of the return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The last two major trades made by the Sabres were player-for-player swaps. That included the deal that sent Byram to the Sabres in 2024, with Casey Mittelstadt going to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Sabres already have plenty of draft picks and prospects. They want a player who can help them immediately, starting this season.
Faulk isn’t that player. He’s 33 years old with two years left on his contract at an AAV of $6.5 million. He also has a 15-team no-trade list, and there’s a good chance that the Sabres are on that list.
THE RED WINGS ARE STILL TRYING TO ADD TO THEIR ROSTER
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff recently reported that Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman isn’t giving up trying to add to his roster this summer. He intends to explore the trade market to try and make the necessary upgrades to his team.
Yzerman addressed his goaltending depth by acquiring John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. However, the Wings still need a top-six forward and a top-four defenseman.
THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman noted that Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram are the big-name forwards believed to be available in this summer’s trade market. That’s assuming the Dallas Stars don’t put winger Jason Robertson on the trade block.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We already know that the Sabres want a good young NHL player as part of the return for Byram. The rebuilding Penguins would likely want a similar return for Rust or Rakell. As for Robertson, there’s no indication that the Stars are shopping him, though there are probably clubs that could be interested in acquiring him.
Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson and center Marco Kasper could be the players the Sabres or Penguins would want as part of the return. However, it’s unlikely Yzerman would give up either of those promising youngsters.