NHL Rumor Mill – August 28, 2025

by | Aug 28, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 28, 2025

Check out the latest on Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BLEACHER REPORT: Frank Seravalli believes the New York Rangers will stage a bounce-back performance this season, leading him to assume that they will attempt to sign winger Artemi Panarin to a contract extension.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Panarin, 33, is in the final season of his eight-year contract with an annual average value of $11.642 million. He will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July 1.

Seravalli admits that might be a hot-button issue for Rangers fans given their inability to win the Stanley Cup with Panarin thus far. He acknowledged the possibility that they could shop the winger if they’re out of playoff contention by the March trade deadline.

Nevertheless, Seravalli thinks there could be a deal on the table that makes sense for both sides, depending on how this season pans out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will be an interesting season for the Rangers. General manager Chris Drury has made a series of moves since last December to shake up the roster core and try to get them back on track after last season’s disappointing performance. The outcome will determine Panarin’s future in New York City.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo reports Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund believes the upcoming season will be the last for teammate Rasmus Andersson in the Stampede City. The 28-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his contract and UFA-eligible next July.

“Yeah, he’s getting traded. It’s obvious,” Backlund said during the NHL media tour in Europe. “But the team wants value. He wants a big contract. So he wants to play well. The team needs him to play well. So, just go out and play.”

Backlund indicated that he’s spoken to Andersson, saying the blueliner doesn’t want to be a distraction. He doesn’t think the two sides are close to an agreement on a new contract, but didn’t rule out the possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson’s been the subject of trade rumors since extension talks with the Flames broke down in June. He and Flames management have remained cordial, with both sides agreeing that there is no issue with him being in the Flames lineup for the upcoming season.

Andersson may be sincere about not wanting his contract status to become a distraction, but that won’t stop fans and pundits from speculating over where he might end up by the March trade deadline, especially if the Flames are out of playoff contention by then.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 28, 2025

by | Aug 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 28, 2025

Oilers captain Connor McDavid talks about his contract status, plus the latest on Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov, Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Connor McDavid was asked about his contract status with the Edmonton Oilers during the opening day of Canada’s Olympic Orientation Camp on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old center didn’t reveal any details of those discussions, but stated his desire to win the Stanley Cup with the Oilers.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

“I have every intention to win in Edmonton,” McDavid said. “That’s my only focus, next to winning the gold medal with Canada.” He added that he was taking his time going through the contract talks, discussing it with his family, agent, and everyone involved.

McDavid didn’t rule out starting the season without an extension in place. “All options are on the table. I don’t have a preference either way. I want the group to be as focused and dialed in, and ready to roll as possible. We don’t need any distractions.”

TSN: Before McDavid spoke with the media, Ryan Rishaug reported that there hasn’t been any back-and-forth on dollars and terms between the Oilers captain and the team’s management. After taking time to regroup following last season, the McDavid camp is working through its options and what they’ll be seeking.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes McDavid is sincere about wanting to win the Cup with the Oilers after coming close during the last two years. He thinks everything the Oilers have done in recent years is about winning. “But, until McDavid signs, there’s something imperfect in his eyes, whether effective youth or strong enough goaltending or something else,” Friedman wrote.

Friedman takes McDavid at face value that he wants to win in Edmonton, but expressed surprise that the Oilers superstar had considered not signing before the start of this season. He doesn’t think this will be a distraction for McDavid, who is “laser-focused” on winning the Stanley Cup and Olympic gold this season. However, it could become a growing distraction for his teammates and the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this week, Oilers CEO (and McDavid’s former agent) Jeff Jackson talked to Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek about how patiently the organization is handling this situation. “I think that when Connor is ready, we’ll have the discussion and we’ll get a deal done.”

Nevertheless, the fact that McDavid could start the upcoming season without an extension could make Oilers fans nervous. As much as he doesn’t want his contract status to be a distraction, it will stoke speculation among pundits and fans about his future.

RG.ORG: Montreal Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov spent this summer in Montreal training for his first full NHL season. The 19-year-old winger has been training twice a day, slimming down to between 86-87 kg (192 pounds), and has been bonding with teammate Lane Hutson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ hopes of building on last season’s surprise run to the playoffs will depend in part on Demidov’s performance. The youngster is considered the favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy after his brief but promising NHL debut last season. His training regimen while living in Montreal indicates that he wants to be prepared for the pressure he will face in the upcoming season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Veteran winger Viktor Arvidsson is looking forward to a fresh start with the Boston Bruins this season after being traded by the Oilers on July 1. While he and the club went to the Stanley Cup Final, the 32-year-old admitted his role with the club was not what he had in mind, nor was it what the Oilers envisioned when they signed him last summer.

Both sides agreed that a change was needed, leading to his trade to the Bruins. He believes their defensive style and reputation as a hardworking team will work to his advantage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Arvidsson underwent back surgery in 2023 while with the Los Angeles Kings, limiting him to 15 points in 18 games in 2023-24. He had 27 points in 67 regular-season games and seven points in 15 playoff contests with the Oilers last season. Arvidsson is in the final season of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $4 million.

TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes signed defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Givani Smith to professional tryout offers (PTO).

And now, for a bit of fun.

Hockey podcaster, blogger, and good friend Scotty Wazz has come up with an interesting version of a Mt. Rushmore for every NHL team called a “Meh Rushmore”, involving four players from each franchise who had less-than-memorable tenures with those clubs. Today, Scotty focused on the teams in the Pacific Division. Enjoy!










NHL Rumor Mill – August 27, 2025

by | Aug 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 27, 2025

Some speculation over Quinn Hughes’ future with the Canucks, and potential destinations for Carey Price’s contract in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: A reader recently asked James Mirtle if he saw the New Jersey Devils attempting to acquire Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to reunite him with his brothers, Jack and Luke Hughes.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes is signed through 2026-27. Mirtle thinks it would be only natural for the 25-year-old defenseman to wonder about his future in Vancouver if the Canucks can’t break through and win.

The Canucks could surprise with a bounce-back performance this season that convinces Hughes to stay, but Mirtle considers it unlikely. If they don’t, he thinks management will have to consider a blockbuster trade and what the return might look like.

As for the Devils, Mirtle speculated that they might consider making that commitment next summer if Hughes really wants to join his brothers. He observed that they have over $62 million in cap space for 2027-28 before accounting for Luke’s upcoming new contract, leaving plenty of room to sign Quinn to a massive extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season will be crucial in determining Quinn Hughes’ future with the Canucks. If they struggle this season, it will only stoke the trade rumors. Even if a deal isn’t possible with the Devils, there will be potential contenders with salary-cap space willing to acquire him and sign him to an expensive long-term extension next summer.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont looked at possible trade partners for the Canadiens to move the contract of Carey Price, who has been on permanent long-term injury reserve since 2022.

The Canadiens could retain Price’s contract and use LTIR to exceed the salary cap for the coming season, but they wouldn’t be able to accrue salary-cap space during the season. It would provide them with more cap flexibility if they could find a trade partner to take that contract off their books.

There is a year remaining on Price’s contract. The average annual value is $10.5 million, but he will make $7.5 million in actual salary for 2025-26, with $5.5 million paid as a signing bonus on Sept. 1. That would make his contract palatable for rebuilding teams to remain cap compliant without paying much in actual salary if they move pending UFA players by the March trade deadline.

Dumont suggests the Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, and Pittsburgh Penguins as three potential trade partners. The Canadiens would likely have to add “a mediocre draft pick” to the deal to sweeten the pot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The San Jose Sharks have also been mentioned as a trade partner.

Price has a full no-movement clause, but he won’t use it to block the Canadiens from trading his contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2025

by | Aug 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2025

Some updates on the new CBA, plus the latest on Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, Jets captain Adam Lowry, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: During an interview with Michael Russo, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly shed some light on some of the changes in the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the NHL Players’ Association.

Daly explained the rationale behind the reduction of maximum term contracts to six years for an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and seven when re-signing, saying both parties recognized that a player won’t be worth what the contract pays him during its out-years. “So, the most purely monetary benefits of longer-term contracts are kind of scaled back a little bit. That’s really the benefit.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The shorter term could also make it easier to move those contracts in a trade.

As for when the changes in the new CBA go into effect, Daly indicated they will be rolled out in different stages, rather than everything being implemented on Sept. 16, 2026.

“One bucket of items will go into effect as early as this year,” Daly said. “One bucket of items will go into effect as of July 1 of next year – so, the league year, the full league year (July 1 to June 30). And then there’s a list of items that don’t go into effect until Sept. 16 of next year.”

Russo noted that NHLPA assistant executive director Ron Hainsey has indicated that the changes in contract term limits go into effect on Sept. 16, 2026. That means players eligible for UFA status on July 1, 2026, will be eligible for contracts at the current maximum term of seven years if they go to market and eight years when re-signing with their current teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The notable UFA-eligible players next July include Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel. Those three could be among the last to sign new contracts under the current term limits.

Daly also said the league had a meeting with a group from Atlanta interested in an NHL expansion franchise. He claimed there are “multiple entities within multiple markets” talking to the league about expansion. They haven’t said no to anyone, but none have reached the level of a full proposal yet. “One of those could happen in the future,” he said. “I semi-expect it to happen in the future, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I predict there will be two new NHL franchises by the end of this decade in Atlanta and Houston. Those cities have the ownership groups most likely to be able to afford the $2 billion expansion franchise fee.

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane hopes to make the United States 2026 Men’s Olympic hockey team. The 36-year-old Detroit Red Wings forward is among the 44 players invited to their orientation camp.

“The one thing that’s kind of missing is a gold in best-on-best, right?”, Kane said. “It would be fun to have that opportunity.”

Kane won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks. He played for Team USA in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He won a silver medal in the 2010 Games.

CBS SPORTS: Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry was on the ice Tuesday for the first time since undergoing hip surgery on May 27. He was projected to be sidelined for five to six months. His presence on the ice nearly three months following the surgery is a positive sign.

RG.ORG: Colorado Avalanche prospect Mikhail Gulyayev hopes to make the jump to the NHL in 2026. The 20-year-old defenseman plays for KHL team Avangard Omsk.

The Avalanche chose Gulyayev in the 2023 NHL Draft (31st overall) but has yet to sign his entry-level contract. He’s recently taken some shifts as a forward to add new tools to his development as a blueliner. His KHL contract expires at the end of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche remain in contract with Gulyuyav, but Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now believes it’ll be harder for him to crack their lineup if Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard continue to make up half of their defense corps.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose city council voted unanimously to keep the Sharks in San Jose through 2051, and to approve funding for renovations at the SAP Center. They will also agree on a new arena site in 2027.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 26, 2025

by | Aug 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 26, 2025

The latest about Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s contract status and an update on the Canucks search for a second-line center in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: During last week’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman offered up his take on Connor McDavid’s contract negotiations with the Edmonton Oilers.

McDavid, 28, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. So far, there’s no indication that the two sides are close to getting a contract extension done.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Friedman believes McDavid and the Oilers will get to work on that after Team Canada’s Olympic orientation camp (Aug. 26-28) is completed. “I just think everybody wants to get it done. I would expect between the Olympic camp and training camp, they sit down and say, ‘How’s this all going to look?”

The Oilers’ training camp opens in mid-September.

OILERS NATION: Zach Laing cited Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson expressing confidence that McDavid’s contract negotiations shouldn’t take long to complete.

Appearing on “Daily Faceoff’s The Sheet”, Jackson told host Jeff Marek that he believes when McDavid is ready, they’ll have a discussion and get a deal done. He pointed out that the Oilers captain loves the city of Edmonton and the team, adding that he has confidence in general manager Stan Bowman. Jackson stated that Oilers owner Darryl Katz and his family have treated McDavid and his wife very well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This situation seems similar to Leon Draisaitl’s last summer. Weeks of speculation over his status with the Oilers ended when he signed an eight-year extension before training camp last September.

The same situation could unfold for McDavid over the next three weeks. Jackson has every reason to feel confident about getting McDavid under contract. Before he was the Oilers CEO, he was McDavid’s agent.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the Vancouver Canucks had hoped to add a second-line center during this offseason. So far, however, there’s little indication suggesting they’re close to reaching that goal.

It’s proven difficult to make trades this summer. Meanwhile, Canucks management has little appetite to sign one of the remaining players in the unrestricted free-agent market. That includes Jack Roslovic, who is no longer on their radar.

The only additions to the Canucks thus far are winger Evander Kane and defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. As things stand, their internal options for the second-line center position are the oft-injured Filip Chytil and the untested Aatu Raty.

Johnston believes the Canucks would be interested in Mason McTavish if the 22-year-old Anaheim Ducks center becomes available in the trade market. However, he’s also on everyone else’s radar.

Meanwhile, Johnston’s colleague Steve Ewen reported the Canucks were among the teams interested in Marco Rossi. However, the 23-year-old center is off the market after signing a three-year bridge contract with the Minnesota Wild.

Ewen believes the Canucks could head into training camp with their current group of top-six forwards. He also noted that McTavish has surfaced in the rumor mill, pointing out that other teams are also believed to be interested in him. Ewen indicated the Ducks remain keen to re-sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That list includes Elias Pettersson centering Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk on the first line, and Chytil centering Kane and Conor Garland on the second line. Raty would center their third line.

Barring any developments during training camp and preseason, the Canucks are likely to start the season with those six forwards on their top two lines. Management may have to wait until later in the season to find a trade for a suitable second-line center.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

by | Aug 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

The latest on Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm and Canadiens forward Kirby Dach, blueliner Tyson Barrie announced his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm believes his club must find what their culture will be under a new head coach and with the additions to the roster for the coming season.

Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (NHL Images)

Appearing last week on “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Lindholm said he likes the Bruins’ young prospects, and he also believes they still have some really good veterans who know how to win in the NHL.

“We just need to figure out how to build around that,” Lindholm said. “People are going to underestimate us, but I’m very optimistic. I think we’ve got some good things ahead.

Lindholm, 31, missed most of last season with a broken patella. He spent most of his recovery watching the Bruins implode, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. He will be ready when training camp opens next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins hope to rebound from last season’s disappointing performance with a healthier roster and a bounce-back effort from starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman. How quickly they adjust to new coach Marco Sturm’s system will determine the outcome.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens forward Kirby Dach was on the ice testing his surgically repaired knee at the club’s training facility in Brossard on Monday. The 24-year-old center has missed 129 games since being acquired by the Canadiens in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hope that Dach might be ready for the start of the season or within the opening weeks of the campaign. However, they won’t rush his return to the lineup.

Dach was acquired to fill the Canadiens’ second-line center position. However, injuries have hampered his development, leaving that position a nagging issue for the rebuilding club.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie announced his retirement on Monday.

The 34-year-old spent eight of his 14 NHL seasons with the Avalanche from 2011-12 to 2018-19. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Calgary Flames.

During his career, Barrie had 110 goals and 398 assists for 508 points in 822 regular-season games, and 21 points in 47 playoff contests. The puck-moving blueliner had seven seasons with 41 or more points, including four seasons with over 50 points.

RG.ORG: Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Sergei Gonchar revealed that family matters were behind his decision to depart the club earlier this year. He was invited to stay on as the Canucks’ defense coach following head coach Rick Tocchet’s departure, but couldn’t commit to a full-time position at the time.

“Right now, my projects are mostly family-related. I’ve spoken with one NHL team, but there’s nothing concrete yet,” Gonchar said. “The main issue is relocation – teams want you around full time, and at the moment that’s not possible.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Jan Rutta has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette HC in Switzerland.

The 35-year-old defenseman spent the past eight seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and San Jose Sharks. He helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.

Rutta has 23 goals and 75 assists for 98 points in 417 NHL regular-season games, and 11 points in 49 postseason games.