NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2026

by | Jun 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2026

Are the Islanders shopping Mathew Barzal? What’s the latest on Vincent Trocheck? Could the Maple Leafs trade a goalie? Which young RFA defensemen would be good trade options for the Penguins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ISLANDERS SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Russell Macias weighed in on a recent report claiming the Ottawa Senators were testing the trade market on forward Mathew Barzal

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (NHL Images).

According to Macias’ colleague Stefen Rosner, the Islanders aren’t actively shopping Barzal. He noted that teams have made inquiries, and it’s general manager Mathieu Darche’s job to listen, but the 29-year-old forward is not on the trade block.

Macias also noted that Barzal has four years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $9.15 million and a 22-team no-trade list.

According to Macias and Rosner, Darche would like to free up some salary-cap space this summer. They currently have over $10.6 million. He would like to re-sign his UFA-eligible captain Anders Lee, but needs to clear some cap room first.

Anthony Duclair tops the list of Islanders’ trade candidates. They attempted to move the 30-year-old winger, but he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause. However, it drops from a full no-trade to a 16-team list on July 1. He has two years remaining on his deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.

The Islanders could also attempt to move Pierre Engvall ($3 million AAV through 2029-30, 16-team NTC) and Ondrej Palat ($6 million for next season, 10-team trade list).

Defenseman Adam Pelech has also been mentioned as a trade option. He has three years left on his deal with an AAV of $5.75 million and a 16-team no-trade list. Macias suggested the San Jose Sharks as a trade partner given their need for defensemen. He also wondered if Ryan Pulock (four years, $6.15 million AAV) or Scott Mayfield (four years, $3.5 million AAV) might be moved, though both hold full no-trade clauses until next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair’s injury history and inconsistent play could make him difficult to move in the trade market. The same applies to Engvall. Palat is past his prime, making him a potentially tough sell.

Pelech and/or Pulock could draw more serious interest. Macias considered Pelech the better trade candidate, believing his value is high right now. A team in desperate need of blueline depth that isn’t on his no-trade list could have serious interest in him, depending on the asking price.

MAPLE LEAFS INTERESTED IN VINCENT TROCHECK

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have reached out to the Rangers about Vincent Trocheck. This comes after the Maple Leafs learned Max Domi is out indefinitely due to complications from his recent back surgery.

Domi’s absence puts the Maple Leafs in the market for a second-line center. Walker believes Trocheck could be a fit, depending on whether the Maple Leafs are on his no-trade list and the Pittsburgh native is willing to go to Canada.

As for what the Maple Leafs might offer in return, Walker suggested winger Nick Robertson could be a trade option. The Rangers could also target defense prospect Ben Danford. Matthew Knies could be on the Blueshirts’ radar, but it’s unclear if the Leafs would part with the 23-year-old power forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the high number of teams seeking a second-line center, the Maple Leafs could have difficulty outbidding other clubs for Trocheck’s services even if he was willing to play for them. Offering up Knies could tip it in their favor, but it’s doubtful the Leafs would do that.

Walker noted the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings were interested in Trocheck before the March trade deadline. A report out of Ottawa earlier this week claimed the Montreal Canadiens had spoken to the Rangers about the 33-year-old center. However, Walker indicated that a league source said there was no communication at all between those two teams.

COULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TRADE A GOALTENDER?

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox speculated the Toronto Maple Leafs could attempt to trade a goalie during this offseason.

Fox pointed out that Joseph Woll, Anthony Stolarz, and Dennis Hildeby are on one-way contracts for next season, with each of them having to clear waivers before being sent to their AHL affiliate. Promising Artur Akhtyamov will be joining them in 2027-28.

However, Fox believes the Leafs could find it challenging to move one of them. A few teams are willing to discuss a goalie trade, but names such as Jordan Binnington, Filip Gustavsson, Jesper Wallstedt, Devon Levi, and Adin Hill could garner more attention in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There could be more interest in the Leafs goalies if those other netminders are out of the market for one reason or another.

The St. Louis Blues could retain Binnington for next season. Gustavsson won’t be going anywhere until he has fully recovered from his recent hip surgery, which means Wallstedt won’t be available until his fellow Minnesota Wild goalie is healthy. Levi is the odd man out in Buffalo and the most likely to be moved among the Sabres’ netminders. The Vegas Golden Knights could move Hill in a cost-cutting deal.

FOUR POTENTIAL DEFENSE TRADE TARGETS FOR THE PENGUINS

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski recently listed four restricted free agent defensemen who could be suitable trade targets for the Penguins.

They include Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger of the Anaheim Ducks, and Michael Kesselring of the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kingerski noted their respective pros and cons, but each of them could be a fit for the Penguins as they continue to retool by adding young NHL-ready talent.

The Penguins aren’t the only clubs that could be keeping an eye on those four blueliners. How much it would cost to acquire and sign them will be the determining factor. Clubs with plenty of cap space and draft picks could also try the offer-sheet route.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2026

by | Jun 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2026

The Golden Knights take Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Zach Werenski wins the Norris Trophy, Chris MacFarland leaves the Avalanche for the Predators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Tomas Hertl broke a 4-4 tie late in the third period to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

Defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb each collected three points, and Brett Howden tallied his playoff-leading 11th goal for the Golden Knights, who overcame an early 2-0 deficit for the win.

Nikolaj Ehlers opened the scoring with two early goals, and Jordan Staal and Shayne Gostisbehere also scored as the Hurricanes battled back from 3-2 and 4-3 deficits.

Game 2 is Thursday evening in Raleigh.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Game 1 is any indication, this could be an entertaining series. It was a see-saw tilt between these two clubs as they faced each other for the first time since their two-game season series in October.

The Hurricanes dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens, but rallied back to crush the Habs in the next four games with their relentless forechecking and stifling defense. However, the Golden Knights are a more experienced opponent who play a similar style, putting pressure on their opponents and forcing turnovers.

SPORTSNET: Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as this season’s top NHL defenseman. It’s the first time the 28-year-old Werenski has won this award, and he’s the first Blue Jackets rearguard to do so.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski was the favorite to win the Norris for most of this season. It’s a well-deserved honor for the long-time Blue Jackets defenseman, who is the franchise’s all-time assists leader (330) and is second in points with 465.

Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche was second in the voting, with Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres third.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators named Chris MacFarland as their new president of hockey operations and general manager. He spent the past 11 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, working as their GM since 2022-23.

MacFarland is a finalist for this season’s Jim Gregory NHL General Manager of the Year Award. He will replace Barry Trotz, who announced he would step down as the Predators GM once a suitable replacement was found.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Rumors emerged two weeks ago claiming MacFarland could be leaving the Avalanche for a larger role with the Predators.

The Avalanche announced team president Joe Sakic will resume the GM duties for the foreseeable future. MacFarland’s departure could mean the Avalanche won’t be replacing head coach Jared Bednar for the time being.

NHL.COM: League commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL continues to experience record revenue growth year-over-year during his annual “State of the League” press conference ahead of the Stanley Cup Final.

Bettman said revenue for this season was between $7.5 billion and $8 billion. That growth is a result of the league having over 75 sponsors, record broadcasting ratings, and gate receipts that were over 96 percent in the regular season and 100 percent in the playoffs.

Other notable points from Bettman’s presser:

The league and the NHL Players Association expressed concern regarding the NCAA’s plans to give athletes five years of eligibility from their high school or their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.

Hockey is different from other sports because players are often older after first spending time at the junior level or at a prep school. Other hockey organizations across North America joined the NHL in expressing concern, including the three Canadian junior leagues, the USHL, USA Hockey, and the college coaches association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated that NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly spoke with NCAA president Charlie Baker, who has some ideas that might address the issue. It’ll be interesting to see what those ideas will be, and whether they’ll be acceptable to those with concerns.

The 2027 NHL All-Star Weekend will include a round-robin, three-on-three tournament featuring international teams that include Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, and a World team of players from other nations, including Russian players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL followed the IIHF’s lead of banning Russian players from previous tournaments since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, the IIHF is reconsidering its stance, and the NHL has yet to decide whether Russia will be part of the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.

Bettman, 74, also acknowledged recent reports that he’s had discussions regarding succession plans with the league’s executive committee over the past two years. He downplayed the reports, but admitted that his career will wind down eventually.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Dallas Stars have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to build a new arena with the Dallas suburb of Plano. They are awaiting a vote by the Plano City Council. If approved, the new arena would be constructed before the Stars’ lease with American Airlines Arena expires in 2031.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues hired former NHL star Mikko Koivu as their new European development consultant.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Billionaire Melinda French Gates has become a minority investor in the Kraken.

R.ORG: Marco D’Amico profiled Kamloops Blazers winger JP Hurlbert. The Texas native opted to leave the USNTDP to play in the WHL during his draft year, finishing fourth in league scoring with 97 points.

The 18-year-old Hurlbert has committed to the University of Michigan for next season. He could become a sleeper pick in the latter half of the first round in this year’s draft.










2026 Stanley Cup Final Prediction

by | Jun 2, 2026

2026 Stanley Cup Final Prediction

​And then, there were two.

My colleagues and I at Bleacher Report recently made our predictions for the Stanley Cup Final. The following is my selection as this year’s champion. You can see the full staff list by following this link, and feel free to make your prediction in the comments section below.

The Hurricanes finished first in the Eastern Conference. Under head coach Rod Brind’Amour, their vigorous forechecking and suffocating defensive play have them entering this series with just one loss in 13 playoff games.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights were in danger of missing the playoffs until they hired John Tortorella as coach on March 30. His aggressive, physical, defense-first style carried them to a stunning sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

The Hurricanes’ second line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake gives them much-needed scoring punch that they were missing in previous years. They’ve also received solid goaltending from Frederik Andersen, who has a postseason-leading GAA of 1.41.

What the Golden Knights have that the Hurricanes lack is Stanley Cup experience, with most of their roster having been part of their 2023 Cup run. Mitch Marner leads the postseason with 21 points, Jack Eichel leads in assists (16), and Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden each have 10 goals.

Those factors could give the Golden Knights the edge. They’ve proven they can pull off an upset, while the Hurricanes have not yet faced a team as experienced and deep as Vegas.

Prediction: Vegas in 6










NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2026

by | Jun 2, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, there’s more speculation about the Canadiens’ offseason plans, and a rumor claiming the Islanders could be shopping Mathew Barzal.

THE LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan examined possible offseason moves for the Canadiens.

General manager Kent Hughes intends to be busy working the phones this summer searching for players to improve his roster. However, he said it’s “unlikely” that he’ll trade for short-term fixes at the expense of the future. Hughes hopes to continue adding players that can help them now and in the future.

Hughes and Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens president of hockey operations, understand that their roster must be better defensively and be more physical. They also took from their series with the Carolina Hurricanes just how hard it is to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Cowan noted that forwards Brendan Gallagher, Patrik Laine, and goaltender Sam Montembeault won’t be back next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Gallagher and Montembeault each have a year left on their contracts.

Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher (NHL Images)

Gallagher carries an average annual value of $6.5 million ($4 million in actual salary) and a six-team no-trade list for next season, while Montembeault’s AAV is $3.1 million. They will be traded or bought out this summer. Gallagher indicated that he’d like to play for his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks. Montembeault could draw some interest from clubs seeking goaltending depth.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels reports the Canadiens must add an established second-line center and “a seasoned, high-quality, right-handed defense partner” for Lane Hutson. They also need “two more big, tenacious, intimidating depth wingers”.

The Canadiens have nearly $11 million in salary-cap space for 2026-27, and could free up another $6.5 million if Gallagher is traded.

Engels noted that Gorton and Hughes hope to add more to the Canadiens’ core. They will try to address as many of their roster issues as possible, even if it means blocking or trading a prospect who could eventually fill a void but won’t be able to in short order.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have plenty of trade capital, especially in promising young players. It could mean peddling someone such as center Michael Hage and winger Alexander Zharovsky to accomplish those goals.

TVA SPORTS: Hughes also mentioned that he could revisit the significant deal that he was working on at the trade deadline. “It depends on the other team,” Hughes said. “That doesn’t stop us from making the appeal and revisiting it.” However, he also said that what was available in March might not be available in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation at that time linked the Canadiens to Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies and St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas.

The Leafs are under new management, which could ensure Knies stays in Toronto. The Blues set a high asking price for Thomas, who has a no-trade clause and insists he wants to stay in St. Louis.

Nicolas Cloutier believes it could be easier for the Canadiens to trade Gallagher than some people think. He suggested a rebuilding club, such as the Canucks, could take on Gallagher’s contract to stay above next season’s salary cap floor, which $76.9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cloutier pointed out that the Canucks could drop below the cap floor by trading one of their expensive veterans. He noted that Gallagher’s actual salary for next season is lower than his cap hit, which could be appealing to some teams.

Renaud Lavoie shot down a rumor linking the Canadiens to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid.

The speculation claimed McDavid was in Montreal during the Formula 1 Grand Prix looking at houses in the area. However, Lavoie reports the Oilers superstar wasn’t in Montreal at the time and wasn’t house shopping. McDavid’s wife was in Montreal at the time, attending an event to which she had been invited.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last year, it was “Sidney Crosby to Montreal.” Now, it’s McDavid. Next summer, it’ll be McDavid, or Auston Matthews, or Brady Tkachuk.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports it’s rumored that the Canadiens were in talks with the New York Rangers regarding Vincent Trocheck at the March trade deadline.

Garrioch believes Trocheck would be a “perfect fit” to fill the Canadiens’ second-line center role. He’s also signed through 2028-29 with an AAV of $5.625 million. However, he’s not sure if Trocheck was the player at the center of the deal that fell through.

Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere was also linked to the Canadiens. He has a big cap hit at $7.145 million through 2031-32, but Garrioch suggested the Habs should “swing for the fences.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trocheck’s age (33) would be a concern as his production will inevitably decline over the remainder of his contract. There’s also his desire to remain on the East Coast as close to New York as possible. He also might not be keen to join a Canadian team.

As for Lafreniere, he doesn’t address the Canadiens’ priorities. He’s neither a center nor a right-shot, top-four defenseman.

ARE THE ISLANDERS SHOPPING MATHEW BARZAL?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports a league executive informed him that the New York Islanders are exploring the trade market for Mathew Barzal.

The Islanders want to clear some salary cap space. Barzal carries an AAV of $9.15 million through 2030-31.

Garrioch claimed the Utah Mammoth “kicked tires” on Barzal last summer, but opted not to make the move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch included the Barzal tidbit among possible trade targets for the Senators, who are reportedly seeking a top-six forward. He believes Barzal’s cap hit would be difficult to swallow when they’re going to talk contract extension with winger Drake Batherson, who could seek between $9 million and $10 million annually.

Moving Barzal won’t help the offensively anemic Islanders, who must boost their scoring punch if they hope to be a playoff contender next season. He also has a 22-team no-trade list.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2026

by | Jun 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2026

The latest on the Stanley Cup Finalists, the Canucks name their new head coach, the Canadiens head into the offseason, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights begins Tuesday at 8 pm ET in Raleigh.

ESPN.COM: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel believes teammate Mitch Marner was treated unfairly during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“As a teammate and a friend of his, and somebody who cares about him and his family, of course I do,” Eichel said. “I think the world of Mitch. Anybody that has negative or bad things to say about him, obviously I disgree with, because I think highly of him.”

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Marner leads all postseason scorers with 21 points entering the Stanley Cup Final, with Eichel second with 18 points. That’s in contrast to his playoff performances during his nine seasons with the Maple Leafs, where he was often criticized for failing to produce in crucial games.

Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon believes the Golden Knights have given Marner a chance to thrive.

“I think our team is deeper and a better team than what he had played on in Toronto,” McCrimmon said. “Not that Toronto didn’t have real good teams. But you have to have that depth throughout your roster, because everyone’s going to take their turn.” He added that Marner is playing “with tremendous confidence” and is “savouring the moment.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner is the front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP heading into this series. That’s led to the inevitable comparison to his postseason play with the Maple Leafs, much to the consternation of Leafs fans, who believe their team and the city of Toronto are getting a bad reputation for putting too much pressure on their players.

Marner faced considerable pressure during his time with the Maple Leafs. As a Toronto native, he probably put a lot of stress on himself to meet expectations. Some players can rise to the occasion playing for their hometown club while others wilt.

Playing in a market where the spotlight isn’t as harsh has been just as important to Marner’s performance in this postseason as playing for a deeper roster.

TORONTO SUN: Marner isn’t the only former Maple Leaf in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen has played a big role in his club’s run to this year’s Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner spoke highly of Andersen during Monday’s media availability. He said the netminder was among the first players on the Leafs to make him feel welcome when he joined the club in 2016, calling him “a fun character” and “a joy to be around.”

Andersen returned the compliment, noting how Marner has grown from the young rookie he first met to a family man today.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall could make history by tying the longest gap between being selected first overall in the NHL Draft and winning the Stanley Cup. The record is 16 years, held by Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and former NHL defenseman Erik Johnson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skating on the Hurricanes’ second line with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, Hall sits third among this postseason’s leading scorers with 16 points.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks named Manny Malhotra as their new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This hiring doesn’t surprise me, especially when the rebuilding Canucks recently promoted assistant GM Ryan Johnson to general manager. As GM of the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, Johnson hired Malhotra as their head coach in 2024, and he led that club to the Calder Cup last season.

TSN: The Montreal Canadiens hope to sign rookie forward Ivan Demidov to a long-term contract extension this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demidov also hopes to ink a long-term deal with the Canadiens. Both sides will likely try to get this done before Sept. 15, when the maximum term for re-signing players drops from eight years to seven.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: A tearful Brendan Gallagher told reporters that he’s played his final game with the Canadiens. The 34-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract, and could be traded or bought out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallagher spent 14 seasons with the Canadiens, but the decline in his performance led to a drop in his playing time over the past two years. The gritty veteran winger carries a cap hit of $6.25 million for next season, but will be paid $4 million in actual salary.

Gallagher has a six-team no-trade list. He indicated that he’d like to play for his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks. Whether the two clubs can work out a trade remains to be seen.

TSN: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine is looking forward to landing with another NHL club. The 27-year-old winger played only five games this season before being sidelined by core muscle surgery. He was cleared to return to the Canadiens lineup in December and practiced with his teammates, but didn’t draw back into the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens kept Laine on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Management said it was because he fell behind the pace of his teammates, and since they were in a must-win situation, there wasn’t enough time to integrate him into the lineup.

However, the move raised some eyebrows. Being on IR for the remainder of the season makes Laine eligible to receive a bonus-laden UFA contract with a low base salary. Patrick Johnston of The Province believes the Canadiens skirted the rules regarding injured reserve and called on the league and the NHLPA to look into it.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Toronto Maple Leafs hired Judd Brackett as their new assistant general manager overseeing player development. Brackett spent the past six years as head of amateur scouting for the Minnesota Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zeev Buium, Charlie Stramel, Liam Ohgren, Danila Yurov, and Jesper Wallstedt were among the notable players chosen by the Wild during Brackett’s tenure.

SPORTSNET: The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired prospect Jack Pridham from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2027. The 20-year-old Kitchener Rangers winger helped his club win the 2026 Memorial Cup, leading the tournament with five goals and nine points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks traded Pridham’s rights because he wasn’t expected to sign an entry-level contract with them by the 5 pm deadline on June 1. He’s expected to join the University of Denver for next season, which means the Lightning will have two years to sign him to an ELC.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 1, 2026

by | Jun 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 1, 2026

A look ahead at the Canadiens’ potential offseason plans and the latest on Ducks forward Mason McTavish in today’s NHL Rumor Mill. 

FINDING A SECOND-LINE CENTER WILL BE THE CANADIENS’ PRIORITY THIS SUMMER

TVA SPORTS: Jonathan Bernier examined what could be a busy summer for Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes.

Finding a second-line center tops the list. It’s rumored the Canadiens are monitoring Nico Hischier’s contract extension negotiations with the New Jersey Devils. If those talks break down, the Devils could trade him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils could trade him, but I doubt that they will. Sunny Mehta, their new general manager, doesn’t seem like he’s interested in tearing down and rebuilding the Devils roster.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier (NHL Images).

Bernier noted that Hughes has said he’d be willing to overpay for a player when the time is right. Whether it’s Hischier or another top player, the cost could mean parting ways with top prospect Michael Hage. If the Canadiens still consider Jacob Fowler their goalie of the future, they could offer up Jakub Dobes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hage will almost certainly be part of the asking price for Hischier if the Devils center becomes available in this summer’s trade market. The same goes for Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues, though I have my doubts that the Blues seriously intend to part with him.

Dobes would draw plenty of attention in the trade market given his strong play in this year’s playoffs. However, I believe the Canadiens intend to go into next season with Dobes and Fowler as their goalie tandem and will either trade or buy out Sam Montembeault.

Bernier also believes the Canadiens must bolster their depth on the right side of their blueline, add more grit to their checking lines, part ways with Montembeault and Brendan Gallagher to free up salary-cap space, cut ties with struggling RFA-eligible forward Kirby Dach, and sign Ivan Demidov to a long-term contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of these items will be easier to address than finding a quality second-line center. There aren’t many players of that caliber available, and acquiring one will be expensive.

Speaking of Demidov, the Canadiens and other teams will have until Sept. 15 to re-sign players to the maximum eight-year contract. After that date, the maximum is reduced to seven years. The maximum for unrestricted free agent signings will also drop on that date from seven years to six.

THE LATEST ON DUCKS FORWARD MASON MCTAVISH

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators have Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish on their radar.

A league executive told Garrioch that Staios is in the market for a top-six forward to play alongside Senators center Tim Stutzle.

McTavish, 23, is a center who can also skate on the wing. Signed to a six-year contract last September worth an average annual value of $7 million, McTavish’s production declined as he slipped down the lineup. He was a healthy scratch for two regular-season games in March and was scratched from two postseason contests.

Garrioch believes the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens could also be interested in McTavish. The asking price could be a first-round pick and a player who can help the Ducks immediately.

McTavish has a previous connection with Staios. During his tenure as GM of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, he acquired the young forward in a trade with the Peterborough Petes in 2022. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams in the market for a second-line center will be interested in McTavish because they’ll believe a change of scenery could help him regain his form. He also missed training camp and postseason play last September due to his contract talks, which contributed to his inconsistent play.

The asking price for McTavish won’t be as high as it would for Hischier or Thomas. However, a bidding war between multiple teams could drive up his value.

Other forwards who could interest the Senators include Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues and Jared McCann of the Seattle Kraken. The asking price for Kyrou is said to be a first-round pick, a top prospect, and a high-end player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou also has a full no-trade clause, giving him complete control over potential trade destinations. McCann has a 10-team no-trade list.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss included McTavish in his list of seven players that would be good fits with the Bruins.

The others included Robert Thomas of the Blues, Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque of the Dallas Stars, Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken, Olen Zellweger of the Ducks, and Simon Nemec of the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins would have an easier time pursuing Bourque, Wright, and Zellweger if they became available. Thomas and Robertson are likely staying put, while Nemec could seek $9 million annually on a long-term contract.

CALGARY SUN: McTavish also turned up on Kent Wilson’s list of potential trade targets for the rebuilding Flames. Shane Wright of the Kraken and Kent Johnson of the Columbus Blue Jackets were the others.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken are willing to part with Wright if he helps them land a scoring forward. Johnson’s production declined from his career-best of 24 goals and 57 points in 68 games last season to 22 points in 76 games in a third-line role. The versatile 23-year-old Blue Jackets forward might benefit from playing for a club where he isn’t bouncing around the lineup.