NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2026

by | Jul 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2026

Zach Werenski rejects a trade to the Stars, the latest UFA speculation, and updates on Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexander Nikishin in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ZACH WERENSKI REJECTS A TRADE TO THE STARS

TSN: Chris Johnston and Darren Dreger reported that Zach Werenski was presented with an opportunity to be traded to the Dallas Stars. However, the 28-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman was unwilling to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate the deal.

Earlier in the day, Pierre LeBrun speculated that the Stars could be among the teams interested in Werenski. He speculated that defenseman Thomas Harley could be heading to Columbus in the deal.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)

According to Dreger, Werenski would prefer to be traded to an Eastern Conference club. LeBrun had previously mentioned the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs as potential destinations. However, he wasn’t sure if those clubs could meet the Blue Jackets’ asking price.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who said the Stars and Blue Jackets had a verbal agreement in place that would’ve seen Harley go to the Blue Jackets as the centerpiece of a return that might’ve included other players and draft picks.

The deal was reached on Monday night, but the Stars had no idea that Werenski would veto the move hours before it was to be finalized on Wednesday morning.

Werenski has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of over $9.5 million.

This is the second trade within a week involving the Stars to be vetoed by a player. Their attempt to send winger Jason Robertson to the Seattle Kraken was nixed because the 26-year-old winger wouldn’t agree to sign a contract extension with the Kraken.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston and Aaron Portzline report Werenski hasn’t formally requested a trade, but he’s had multiple discussions with management since April about his uncertain future beyond the expiration of his contract.

The Blue Jackets seek a return built around a player or players who can help them immediately.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports a rumor making the rounds is that the Werenski camp is so upset over recent developments that all trade possibilities will be rejected. He believes that’s what happened with the Stars. However, Friedman thinks that might be “short-term hot-headiness, as opposed to realistic long-term outcome.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars’ offer of Harley in a package deal would’ve helped to address Werenski’s absence from the Blue Jackets’ defense corps. However, that deal won’t be revisited if the Norris Trophy winner prefers to remain in the East.

Werenski’s rumored unhappiness over what’s transpired could be the result of someone telling the press about his reluctance to sign an extension. If it came from the Blue Jackets’ side, it could irreparably damage his relationship with management and grease the skids for his departure.

The Maple Leafs could offer up Matthew Knies as part of a package offer for Werenski. He won’t fill that gaping hole on Columbus’ blueline, but he would replace Kirill Marchenko if his rumored unwillingness to sign an extension forces the Blue Jackets to part with him. In that scenario, Marchenko could be used as trade bait for a top-four defenseman.

LeBrun also mentioned that the Philadelphia Flyers were among the teams that badly wanted to get into the bidding for Werenski. However, they would probably be more interested in offering up draft picks and prospects, which wouldn’t address the Blue Jackets’ immediate need.

LATEST UFA SPECULATION BEFORE THE FREE AGENT MARKET OPENS

TSN: Chris Johnston believes the Maple Leafs could be among the suitors for Sergei Bobrovsky when the free-agent market opens today at noon EDT. The 37-year-old goaltender was unable to agree to a contract extension with the Florida Panthers, who acquired Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun shared Johnston’s belief that the Maple Leafs could attempt to sign Bobrovsky. We’ll find out soon enough if they’ll take the risk.

Johnston also believes the Vegas Golden Knights are on track to re-sign defenseman Rasmus Andersson after some recent cost-cutting moves. Since Friday, they’ve traded away Pavel Dorofeyev, Akira Schmid and Kaeden Korczek, freeing up cap room to retain the 28-year-old Andersson.

Regarding John Carlson, Johnston believed negotiations with the Carolina Hurricanes were trending toward re-signing him. He’d like a chance to win the Stanley Cup again, and the newly crowned Cup champions can give him that opportunity.

Johnston believes Jacob Trouba shouldn’t have much trouble finding a new club when the market opens today. The 32-year-old right-shot defenseman could be enticing to clubs that were hoping to sign Carlson, such as the Tampa Bay Lightning, Flyers, and Boston Bruins.

As for Patrick Kane, Johnston noted that he was interested in returning with the Detroit Red Wings. However, he wondered if the 38-year-old winger might take a look to see if other clubs might be interested, such as his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres.

UPDATE ON CONNOR HELLEBUYCK

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Massimo De Luca-Taronno reports the Buffalo Sabres remain in the running to acquire Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets.

The two clubs were working on a deal that would’ve sent the 33-year-old goaltender to Buffalo, but it fell through hours before the opening day of the draft on Friday.

Interest in the three-time Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic gold medalist from the Carolina Hurricanes has reportedly cooled down. Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers are out of the sweepstakes following their acquisitions of Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid earlier this week. The New Jersey Devils need a starter after trading Markstrom to Florida.

If Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff intends to trade Hellebuyck, it must be for a return that helps them get faster and younger. If he keeps Hellebuyck, he must make moves to address the club’s need for a second-line center, a bottom-six winger, and a suitable defense partner for Josh Morrissey.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman doesn’t buy into the “Hellebuyck to New Jersey” hype. He believes that’s not a contract that fits the profile of Devils GM Sunny Mehta. Meanwhile, Friedman said Hellebuyck would waive his no-movement clause to go to Buffalo, but a couple of sources said a trade to the Sabres last week wasn’t as close as originally believed, with some of the rumored returns from the Sabres having no-trade protection.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff was trying to find a suitable trade partner for Hellebucyk with that attempted move to Buffalo. While a lot of clubs would love to land the Jets’ starter, finding a return that meets Cheveldayoff’s asking price won’t be easy, especially if players won’t waive their no-trade clauses.

THE LATEST ON DYLAN LARKIN AND VINCENT TROCHECK

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin has been unwilling to expand his three-team trade list, which puts the Wings in a bind. They know they must move on from the 29-year-old center and can’t afford to take a backward step.

Dreger thinks that Larkin’s limited trade list has some teams revisiting their interest in New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, whose 12-team no-trade list became a 10-team NTC as of July 1.

RANGERS ATTEMPTING TO ACQUIRE ALEXANDER NIKISHIN

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that he’d heard that the New York Rangers offered up draft picks, including a first-rounder, for Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.

Friedman indicated that the Hurricanes want a player in return. He thinks the Rangers will try again.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2026

by | Jul 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2026

Reaction to the Devils’ trading Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers, the latest notable free-agent signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The New Jersey Devils traded goaltender Jacob Markstrom and winger Angus Crookshank to the Florida Panthers for winger Evan Rodrigues, center Jesper Boqvist, and prospect Ben Steeves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom and Rodrigues are the main pieces of this trade.

New Jersey Devils trade goaltender Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers (NHL Images).

The Panthers’ acquisition of Markstrom spells the end of Sergei Bobrovsky’s seven-year tenure as their starting goaltender. The 37-year-old netminder is departing as an unrestricted free agent after he and the Panthers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Some have suggested Bobrovsky might still return if he doesn’t find any suitable offers via free agency. That’s unlikely to happen, considering the Panthers also acquired backup goalie Akira Schmid earlier this week from the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 36-year-old Markstrom is in the first season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. He is returning to the club where he began his NHL career in 2010-11, spending four seasons with the Panthers before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks.

Markstrom has had his ups and downs in recent years and is four years removed from being a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2022. Nevertheless, the Panthers appear confident that he’ll regain his form with their solid defensive system in front of him.

The Devils were seeking more depth to their forward lines. The 33-year-old Rodrigues should be a good addition to their middle-six lines. He has a year left on his deal with a cap hit of $3.075 million. Rodrigues steps up in postseason play, tallying 15 points in each of the Panthers’ Stanley Cup runs in 2024 and 2025.

Speaking of the Devils, they re-signed winger Arseny Gritsyuk to a three-year, $9.75 million contract. The average annual value is $3.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gritsyuk, 25, had a promising NHL debut last season with 31 points in 66 games.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Kaedan Korczak to the Pittsburgh Penguins for blueliner Parker Wotherspoon. The Penguins are retaining 50 percent of the 28-year-old Wotherspoon’s $1 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move is primarily a salary-cap dump by the Golden Knights, shedding Korczak’s $3.25 million AAV through 2029-30. The Penguins were willing to part with Wotherspoon for the 25-year-old Korczak because the latter is younger and plays a more physical style of defense.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights re-signed defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to a six-year extension worth an AAV of $4 million. They also hired former Colorado Eagles head coach Mark Letestu as an assistant coach.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed forward A.J. Greer to a four-year, $17 million contract. The AAV is $4.25 million. Greer, 29, was acquired from the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenseman Radko Gudas on Monday.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Claude Giroux has informed the Senators that he will test the free-agent market today after their contract talks fell through.

Giroux, 38, has spent the past four seasons with the Senators. He’s left the door open to returning to Ottawa. Meanwhile, the Panthers and Montreal Canadiens could show some interest in him.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Senators re-signed forward Nick Cousins to a two-year, $3.175 million contract extension.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alexander Steen has officially taken over from Doug Armstrong as the general manager of the St. Louis Blues. Armstrong remains with the Blues as president of hockey operations.

Meanwhile, the Blues bought out the final season of winger Jonathan Drouin’s contract, making him UFA-eligible on July 1.

TSN: The Utah Mammoth signed goaltender Sebastian Cossa to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2 million. Cossa, 23, was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on June 26.

The Minnesota Wild re-signed winger Bobby Brink to a one-year, $2.75 million contract.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres hired former NHL winger Milan Lucic as a pro scout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The immediate reaction to this on social media was, “What does former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller think about this?” Lucic ran over Miller during a game between the Sabres and Boston Bruins in November 2011.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2026

by | Jun 30, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2026

Check out the latest trade speculation about Zach Werenski, Connor Hellebuyck, and Darnell Nurse in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE STARS OR SHARKS BE TRADE DESTINATIONS FOR ZACH WERENSKI?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Zach Werenski would prefer to be traded to an Eastern Conference team, but the 28-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman is open to joining a Western Conference club.

According to Dreger, the Dallas Stars are very interested in Werenski, who won the Norris Trophy as this season’s top NHL defenseman. He believes the Stars could potentially offer Thomas Harley to the Blue Jackets.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)

If so, Dreger doubted the Toronto Maple Leafs would be willing or able to match that level of an offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Stars are offering up Harley for Werenski, and if the latter is willing to go to Dallas, the Blue Jackets should jump on that proposal right away. Granted, the 24-year-old Harley isn’t on the same level as Werenski, but he’s still a big, skilled two-way defenseman who could fill the big gap left by Werenski’s departure. His contract is more expensive ($10.587 million), but he’s under contract through 2033-34. The Blue Jackets have the cap space to take on a skilled cost-controlled asset such as Harley.

And no, the Maple Leafs could not beat an offer of Thomas Harley for Werenski.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who dismissed the notion of the Sharks as a trade destination for Werenski.

Friedman believes Werenski wants to go to a club where he can win a Stanley Cup. However, he didn’t rule out the Sharks as a destination for the Norris winner when his contract expires in 2028.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks aren’t Cup contenders yet, but they could be within the next two or three years if all their young talent blossoms as expected.

JETS REPORTEDLY REJECTED SABRES’ OFFER FOR CONNOR HELLEBUYCK

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jake Tye reports multiple sources claiming the Buffalo Sabres made a significant offer to the Winnipeg Jets for Connor Hellebuyck before the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft last Friday.

The offer was reportedly the No. 4 pick in the 2026 draft, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a player believed to be winger Jack Quinn, and at least one additional asset.

However, Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff rejected the offer. Tye believes Cheveldayoff wasn’t comfortable replacing the three-time Vezina Trophy-winning Hellebuyck with the volatile Luukkonen, who didn’t earn the bulk of the starts with the Sabres this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that Cheveldayoff doesn’t have to rush into moving Hellebucyk, whose contract expires at the end of the 2030-31 season. There’s also no indication that the goaltender has requested a trade.

This report suggests that Cheveldayoff wants a reliable starting goaltender as part of the return for Hellebuyck. If so, it could take a while until someone makes a pitch to Cheveldayoff’s liking.

THE LATEST ON DARNELL NURSE

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Cited NHL insider Frank Seravalli telling Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer that the San Jose Sharks have “made a play” for Darnell Nurse. The 31-year-old Oilers defenseman requested a trade earlier this month.

However, the Sharks aren’t believed to be on Nurse’s list of trade destinations. “And to this point in time, that hasn’t changed”.

THE BOSTON GLOBE’s Kevin Paul Dupont reports there were “murmurings” during the draft weekend that the Oilers would be willing to send Nurse to the Boston Bruins for Mason Lohrei, with the Oilers willing to “share” the difference in average annual values between the two players.

Nurse earns an AAV of $9.5 million, while Lohrei’s is $3.2 million. Dupont could see this move happening if the Oilers retain $3 million of Nurse’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers might have to retain some salary or take back additional salary in a deal to move Nurse. Unfortunately for them, the current CBA forbids three-team trades where each team picks up a piece of the playoffs AAV.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2026

by | Jun 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2026

The Canucks acquire Brendan Gallagher and trade Nils Hoglander, Radko Gudas returns to the Panthers, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE/THE PROVINCE: The Montreal Canadiens traded Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations. The Canadiens also retained 50 percent of the 34-year-old winger’s $6.5 million cap hit for 2026-27.

Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After 14 seasons, Gallagher no longer fit into the Canadiens’ system. The club did right by him by trading him to a team he wanted to join. He’ll bring grit, experience, and leadership to the rebuilding Canucks. Gallagher also has a connection with Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra, as the two were teammates with the Canadiens during the latter’s final season as a player in 2014-15.

THE PROVINCE/THE TENNESSEAN: Speaking of the Canucks, they traded winger Nils Hoglander to the Nashville Predators for a third-round pick in 2029.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoglander, 25, tallied a career-high 24 goals in 2023-24, but he struggled to regain that form in 2024-25 and missed most of last season with a lower-body injury. The winger has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $3 million.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW/THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Florida Panthers acquired Radko Gudas from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the contract rights of pending free-agent forward A.J. Greer.

Gudas played three seasons with the Panthers from 2020-21 to 2022-23 before departing for the Ducks as a free agent in 2023. Over the past two seasons, he served as the Ducks’ captain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers appear to be adding more grit and snarl to a lineup that already has plenty of it. However, the 36-year-old Gudas’ performance isn’t at the same level it was during his previous tenure in Florida. His knee-on-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews ended the latter’s season, earning him a five-game suspension and condemnation from NHL fans.

Greer could replace some of Gudas’ physicality if the Ducks can sign him before the free-agent market opens on Wednesday. He’s completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $850,000.

TSN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Panthers also acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun believes the Panthers are bringing in Schmid to replace pending UFA backup goalie Daniil Tarasov. They are still believed to be in contract talks with starter Sergei Bobrovsky.

Schmid was third on the Golden Knights’ depth chart, behind Carter Hart and Adin Hill. Some pundits had suggested that Hill might become a trade candidate, but his struggles last season, his 10-team trade list, and his $6.25 million AAV through 2030-31 make him difficult to move.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t expected to sign forwards Corey Perry and Oliver Bjorkstrand to new contracts, making them eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

TORONTO SUN/TSN: The Maple Leafs opted not to qualify the rights of winger Matias Maccelli, making him UFA-eligible on July 1. They signed defenseman Troy Stecher to a two-year, $2.7 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs acquired Maccelli last summer to fill the gap at right wing following the departure of Mitch Marner. He had a disappointing performance this season, with 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 71 games. Qualifying the 25-year-old’s rights would’ve cost $4.11 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS/DAILY FACEOFF/PUCKPEDIA: The Utah Mammoth signed winger Kailer Yamamoto to a two-year, $1.75 million contract extension and inked defenseman Nick DeSimone to a two-year, $2 million deal. 

Meanwhile, Barrett Hayton becomes the first player this summer to file for salary arbitration. By doing so, the 25-year-old center is ineligible to receive an offer sheet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia has corrected this. It’s the Mammoth taking Hayton to arbitration, not the other way around. Because it’s a club-elected arbitration, he’s still eligible to receive an offer sheet. 

THE WINNIPEG SUN/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Winnipeg Jets traded forward David Gustafsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Jack St. Ivany.

THE ATHLETIC: The Minnesota Wild did not qualify the rights of Bobby Brink. However, they’re working to re-sign the 24-year-old winger before his UFA eligibility on July 1. He’s coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild acquired Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers at the March trade deadline. He had arbitration rights, which the Wild want to avoid.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have not qualified the rights of winger Arthur Kaliyev, making him UFA-eligible on July 1.

DAILY FACEOFF: Other notable players whose rights weren’t qualified include Samuel Ersson of the Ottawa Senators, Joe Veleno of the Montreal Canadiens, Paul Cotter of the New Jersey Devils, Jordan Harris of the Boston Bruins, Philip Tomasino of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philipp Kurashev of the San Jose Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are believed to be negotiating a new contract with Ersson.

MAYOR’S MANOR: The Los Angeles Kings added Phil Housley, Chris Hajt, and Ray Whitney to their coaching staff.










NHL Rumor Roundup – June 29, 2026

by | Jun 29, 2026

NHL Rumor Roundup – June 29, 2026

Check out the latest on Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Islanders blueliner Alexander Romanov, Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN’s Chris Johnston reports there is some frustration among NHL general managers who haven’t been able to get the Columbus Blue Jackets to engage in trade talks for defenseman Zach Werenski.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 28-year-old Norris Trophy winner reportedly doesn’t intend to extend his contract next summer. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2028.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)

According to Johnston, there doesn’t seem to be any urgency from the Blue Jackets to move the Werenski situation along.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To be fair to the Blue Jackets, they reportedly recently learned about Werenski’s intentions and were said to be gauging the trade market last week to determine his value.

Given the two years remaining on Werenski’s contract, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell is in no rush to move him. The Jackets GM is also likely trying to plot a path forward for his club after learning of Werenski’s intentions. He’s also probably still dealing with learning on Friday that winger Kirill Marchenko doesn’t intend to sign an extension this summer. The 25-year-old winger is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.

The best scenario for the Jackets would be to move those two players this summer for the best possible returns, thus avoiding speculation over their futures becoming an unnecessary distraction. However, doing so will also be a major setback for this club’s hopes of getting over the playoff hump after narrowly missing the last two postseasons.

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ Stefen Rosner observed there were some trade rumors regarding New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

Rosner considers the Romanov speculation to be similar to the chatter swirling around Islanders forward Mathew Barzal. Teams are calling, but that doesn’t mean the Isles are selling.

Romanov’s no-trade clause doesn’t kick in until next July. Rosner’s believes the blueliner’s injury-shortened season has some general managers looking to buy low on a quality defenseman under a long-term contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Romanov, 26, completed the first season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. It’s doubtful that the Isles will move him at this stage of his career.

HOCKEY 24/7’s Frank Seravalli reports he’s not expecting the Carolina Hurricanes to buy out the remainder of Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s contract, even though this would be their last chance to do so at 1/3 the remaining value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Players who are 25 or younger can be bought out at one-third the remaining value of their contract over twice the remaining term. For those 26 and older, it’s two-thirds at twice the remaining term.

According to Seravalli, the Hurricanes are actively seeking to trade Kotkaniemi. With the salary cap rising, his $4.8 million AAV will be considered the norm for a third-line center. He’s seen as a player with trade value given how few centers there are in the market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A once-promising Montreal Canadiens forward, Kotkaniemi signed a one-year offer sheet with the Hurricanes in the summer of 2021. He signed an eight-year extension the following season.

Kotkaniemi seemed poised for a breakout season after tallying 18 goals and 43 points in 82 games during the 2022-23 campaign. However, he struggled over the next two seasons. His inconsistency this season made him a frequent healthy scratch, and he never played a single game during the Hurricanes’ recent Stanley Cup run.

The limited number of quality centers in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets could make Kotkaniemi a reclamation project, depending on the Hurricanes’ asking price.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Danny Webster recently reported that the Golden Knights are expected to have over $13 million in salary-cap space once sidelined defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is placed on season-ending long-term injury reserve on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was some talk that Pietrangelo might attempt to return to action in 2026-27 after missing all of this season recovering from hip surgeries. It appears that’s not in the cards for the 36-year-old blueliner, who has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $8.8 million.

Webster expects that between $8 million and $9 million of that cap space will be put toward signing defenseman Rasmus Andersson to a new contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights acquired Andersson from the Calgary Flames in January. Some observers wondered what was taking them so long to sign the 28-year-old blueliner to an extension. In March, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported the Golden Knights had to wait until July 1 to do so, as that’s when they would be cap-compliant.

Teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10 percent during the offseason. However, they can only do that starting on July 1, when the new season officially begins. They must be cap-compliant when their regular-season schedule begins in October.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 29, 2026

by | Jun 29, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 29, 2026

The latest contract signings and news in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Philadelphia Flyers were closing in on a new contract for goaltender Dan Vladar.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (NHL Images).

Vladar, 28, has completed the first season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.35 million. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

According to LeBrun, Vladar’s new contract will be a five-year, $27.5 million extension worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar spent five seasons as a backup with the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames before signing with the Flyers last summer. He thrived as their starting goalie, posting a 29-14-7 record in 52 games with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage as he backstopped the Flyers into their first postseason since 2020. Vladar also had a solid playoff performance, finishing with a 2.18 GAA, a .922 SP, and two shutouts.

LeBrun also reported that pending unrestricted free agent Vladimir Tarasenko is heading to market on July 1. The 34-year-old winger played for the Minnesota Wild last season, finishing with 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points in 75 games. He also had five points in 11 postseason contests.

Tarasenko recently changed agents and is now represented by Dan Milstein. LeBrun stated that Milstein had permission to speak directly to teams before the free-agent market opens on Wednesday.

However, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported that the Wild had not permitted Milstein to speak with other clubs. Russo also said the league recently warned all teams that they cannot give blanket permission for UFAs to do this. The sole exception is when the player’s contract rights have been traded to another team, which would allow the acquiring team to speak with the player.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed center Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract, with an AAV of $4.5 million.

Drury, 26, was acquired last week from the Colorado Avalanche. He was coming off a three-year contract with an AAV of $1.75 million and was due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drury is expected to center the Predators’ third line next season. His new AAV will likely set the standard for comparable players around the league.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed defenseman Michael Kesselring to a three-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million.

Kesselring, 26, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on June 17. He’s completed a two-year contract with a $1.4 million AAV and was due to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kesselring is coming off an injury-shortened season in which his playing time was reduced. He’ll get an opportunity to earn second-pairing minutes with the rebuilding Sharks.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are reportedly finalizing a new contract for Beck Malenstyn. The 28-year-old winger will sign a six-year deal worth an AAV of $3 million.

Malenstyn is completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.35 million. A physical, swift-skating checking-line forward, he is slated to become a UFA on July 1.