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.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 25, 2025

by | Aug 25, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 25, 2025

The latest speculation about Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco was asked by a reader which UFA-eligible players might test the market next summer.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Di Marco replied that he doesn’t think it’s a slam dunk that Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov will re-sign with their respective teams.

Having paid big bucks to land Mitch Marner this summer, Di Marco wonders if they can afford another high-salaried forward. The rising salary cap for next season could see the average annual value on Eichel’s next contract soar above $12.6 million.

Kaprizov is poised to become the league’s highest-paid winger next season, but Di Marco wonders if Wild general manager Bill Guerin is willing to make him that. Guerin played hardball this summer with Marco Rossi before signing the 23-year-old restricted free-agent center to a three-year contract.

Di Marco believes Kaprizov has the opportunity to change the market for NHL wingers in the largest way since Artemi Panarin signed with the New York Rangers in 2019. He might not want to turn that down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule out the possibility of Eichel and Kaprizov testing next summer’s UFA market. Nevertheless, both are likely to remain with their current teams beyond this season.

Eichel’s role as a first-line center makes him invaluable to the Golden Knights. They also have a projected $20.3 million in cap space for 2026-27, and we can add another $8.8 million to that with Alex Pietrangelo on permanent long-term injury reserve. They shouldn’t have much difficulty hanging onto him.

Meanwhile, Wild owner Craig Leipold stated last October that re-signing Kaprizov was their focus. “We plan to re-sign him,” said Leipold. “I will tell you nobody will offer more money than us, or longer years, so all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.”.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2025

by | Aug 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2025

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Stars center Roope Hintz, Canadiens winger Patrik Laine, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: Matthew Knies is keen to find out who will be joining him and center Auston Matthews at right wing on the Maple Leafs’ top line. That role was filled by Mitch Marner, who has since departed for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

“It’ll be a bit different without Mitch, but the acquisitions we’ve made have been looking good,” Knies said, referring to forwards Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua. “I don’t know what we’ll put together at the start of the season, but we have a lot of great players on our team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whoever replaces Marner won’t replace his offence, but the hope is that the winger will be able to offset enough that the position doesn’t become a weakness. They’ll have to establish chemistry with Knies and Matthews starting in training camp next month.

The Leafs could move William Nylander into the first-line right wing position, but that could affect their second-line production.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz said he’s fully healthy with training camp approaching next month. The 28-year-old Hintz suffered a broken foot during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he didn’t require surgery.

“I’m feeling good. My foot is fine, and I’ve been able to train normally this summer,” Hintz said. “So everything is good.”

Hintz suffered the injury when Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse slashed him in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. He missed Game 3, but returned for the final two games of the series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated the problem was a bleeding issue that forced him to miss one game following the injury. Hintz said they found a solution that made him feel like normal, enabling him to return to action for the rest of the Conference Final.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine and his wife joined several Montreal athletes and their partners in the “From Us To You” fashion show last week. From Us To You is the foundation founded by the Laines to promote mental health initiatives.

“I didn’t see myself walking down the runway, but here we are,” Laine said. “I think it’s cool to combine fashion and sports and mental health.”

Laine also stated that his reputation as one of the NHL’s more fashionable players came about by accident. He said he wore something different before a game a few years ago, creating an expectation for him to dress up. “I don’t mind it. I hadn’t been super into fashion until a few years ago. It’s pretty fun. You show off your personality”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL players tend to dress conservatively before games. That might change now that the pre-game dress code will be abolished under the new collective bargaining agreement, which takes effect in 2026-27.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders’ 2025-26 season will depend on the performances of forward Mathew Barzal and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

Barzal is coming off an injury-hampered season, limiting him to 20 points in 30 games. Meanwhile, Sorokin’s workload increased over the past two seasons, especially in 2024-25 as backup Semyon Varlamov was sidelined by injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barzal’s absence and an overworked Sorokin contributed to the Islanders missing the playoffs last season. A healthy season for the former and a reduction of the latter’s workload could help the club rebound in 2025-26.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: This season will be Logan Mailloux’s opportunity to earn meaningful NHL minutes. The 22-year-old defenseman was traded to the Blues by the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for winger Zack Bolduc.

Mailloux had difficulty cracking the rebuilding Canadiens’ defense corps last season and was limited to just seven games. The 22-year-old could start the season on the Blues’ third defense pairing alongside Tyler Tucker, and could challenge for a spot on one of their power-play units.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mailloux could have a better opportunity in St. Louis to earn more NHL playing time than he had in Montreal. It’ll be interesting to see how the move to the Blues affects his trajectory.