Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 8, 2026

by | Nov 8, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 8, 2026

The latest on the Blackhawks, Penguins, and Canadiens, plus updates on Dylan Larkin and Jordan Binnington in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE LATEST ON THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AND PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Chicago Blackhawks have become “very active” in the trade market. They have the 2027 first-round picks that formerly belonged to the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, as well as their own first-rounder plus two second-round picks, and Friedman believes they’re in play.

The Blackhawks have also been asked about some of their prospects and some of their roster players who can play center. They’ve also got forwards Jordan Greenway and Teuvo Teravainen “out there” in the trade market.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope reports the pressure is mounting on Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson to do something to help his floundering team before the season slips away.

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson (NHL Images).

Head coach Jeff Blashill isn’t concerned about his job security, saying he believes there’s trust between himself and the players and between himself and management. However, he acknowledged the club’s upcoming four-day break needs to be significant, one way or the other.

Pope believes trades involving the roster “seem both necessary and likely, too.” Given the deep hole the team has dug itself into, he questioned whether it’s worthwhile to invest more assets into this season.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Jack Bushman reports the Philadelphia Flyers expressed interest in Blackhawks forwards Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore earlier this season. Both played center earlier in their careers.

As for potential trade targets, Bushman noted a recent report by Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli claiming they were in the market for a “shoot-first scoring winger with size.” Potential trade targets could include Philadelphia’s Owen Tippett, Washington’s Ivan Miroshnichenko, Columbus’ Dmitri Voronkov, Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell, and Vancouver’s Drew O’Connor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely Davidson will be fired because he signed an extension earlier this year. Blashill could lose his job, leaving the Blackhawks seeking their sixth coach since 2022.

Davidson is trying to find help in the trade market, but he’s dealing from a position of weakness right now. His rivals hope to poach some of his promising youngsters, and they’re not about to offer him the players he needs to right the ship.

Friedman reports the Pittsburgh Penguins want to get faster and younger. They have several players with no-trade protection, so they’re trying to determine who’s willing to do what. It’s known around the league that they’re interested in deals that will inject some youth into their lineup.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski listed the veterans he believes the Penguins are willing to move, which teams they could land with, and what they might fetch in return.

He considers it unlikely that Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang will be traded, and doesn’t expect they’d fetch much of a return because they’re at the end of their careers.

The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals could be landing spots for Erik Karlsson. However, moving his hefty $10 million cap hit won’t be easy.

Kingerski suggested the Seattle Kraken, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Buffalo Sabres as potential destinations for Rickard Rakell. He believes many teams could be interested in winger Bryan Rust, partly because of his lack of no-trade protection.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving Karlsson might have to wait until close to the March 1 trade deadline to allow interested clubs to accrue sufficient salary-cap space. Rakell and Rust are both at or just over $5 million AAV through next season, which could also help their trade value as cost-controlled assets.

NO CHANGE IN DYLAN LARKIN’S STATUS

NHL NETWORK: On Friday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said there’s a “staring contest” going on between Detroit Red Wings management and Dylan Larkin, who continues to sit out awaiting a trade.

Friedman last week said there was an expectation that Larkin might change his 10-team no-trade list, perhaps by removing some teams and adding others. Red Wings management was hoping he would add some teams because there are some clubs not on his list who would be interested in acquiring him. However, the 30-year-old center has dug in his heels, refusing to amend his list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This situation just keeps getting worse with no end in sight and no sign that either side is going to bend.

ARE THE BLUES WILLING TO MOVE JORDAN BINNINGTON?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said he’s starting to hear some noise about St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington in the trade market.

Binnington, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He carries a $6 million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade list. He lost the starter’s job to Joel Hofer this season and has appeared in only five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington regularly surfaced in the rumor mill over the past two years. Given his UFA eligibility and declining role with the Blues, this could be the season he gets traded. Where he could end up remains to be seen. Despite his inconsistency, he has a Stanley Cup on his resume and played well for Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. He could draw interest from contenders looking to shore up their goaltending by the March 1 deadline.

CANADIENS WAITING ON HAGE AND ZHAROVSKY

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports he’s heard the Montreal Canadiens are operating under the impression that top prospects Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky will be available to them by the end of the regular season.

Hage, 20, is a highly touted center playing for the NCAA’s Michigan Wolverines. The 19-year-old Zharovsky is a promising scoring winger with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL.

Canadiens fans are excited about those two youngsters. They’ve also been part of some of the Habs’ trade talks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zharovsky was rumored to have been part of the Canadiens’ failed attempts to acquire wingers Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko. It’s believed teams have been asking about Hage, but they’re believed to be reluctant to part with him.

Given the Canadiens’ recent performance, they’re not in a rush to make a significant move that would involve one or both prospects. They could be content to remain patient and see how those kids perform if they join the roster in time for the playoffs next spring.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 7, 2026

by | Nov 7, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 7, 2026

Check out the latest proposed destinations for Nikita Kucherov and the latest on the Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON NIKITA KUCHEROV

NHL NETWORK: Elliotte Friedman noted that we haven’t heard yet from Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois about Nikita Kucherov’s comments explaining his trade request and rejection of a new contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov told reporters Monday that it wasn’t about the money, saying a lack of communication and respect from BriseBois were the main factors. Two days later, agent Dan Milstein said negotiations with the Lightning GM went “horribly wrong,” and the relationship was likely “beyond repair”, adding it was probably time for his client to move on.

BriseBois stated on Oct. 30 that the Lightning had no intention to trade Kucherov, but he’s avoided responding to their remarks.

Friedman reiterated that this isn’t a negotiating ploy by the Kucherov camp. After speaking with people who know the 33-year-old Lightning winger well, they believe he’s serious about not returning to Tampa after this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois isn’t getting into a public pissing contest with Kucherov, especially if (as some believe) he thinks the superstar winger could change his mind over the course of the season. It’s better to maintain silence publicly while quietly maintaining communication with Kucherov’s camp.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski published his list of potential trade or free-agent destinations for Kucherov. They include the Montreal Canadiens, Utah Mammoth, the Vegas Golden Knights, the Dallas Stars, the New York Rangers, and the Chicago Blackhawks. However, he didn’t rule out a reconciliation between Kucherov and the Lightning.

SPORTSNET: Michael Amato considered the Carolina Hurricanes, Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, and Washington Capitals as the most interesting landing spots for Kucherov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one knows what teams are on Kucherov’s 10-team trade list. Some of them could be the ones on these lists. However, these proposed lists won’t matter if BriseBois maintains his position that he’s not peddling the high-scoring winger.

That could change if the Lightning are struggling before the March 1 trade deadline, or if a rival club makes an offer too good to refuse. For now, however, we can only go by what we know, which is BriseBois’ unwillingness to trade Kucherov.

PENGUINS WILLING TO SELL SOON

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski cited Elliotte Friedman’s recent report claiming the Penguins could be ready soon to become sellers in the trade market.

Appearing on Toronto’s Fan 590, Friedman said he believed trades could happen for the Penguins “pretty quickly.” He believes it depends on what they’ll do with players who have no-trade protection, and whether general manager Kyle Dubas gets a certain level of return.

Forwards Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell and defensemen Eric Karlsson and Kris Letang have some form of no-trade protection. The outlier is winger Bryan Rust.

It’s believed Dubas has set high asking prices on players like Rakell and Rust. Friedman claims he wants high draft picks or prospects ready to step into the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving those players usually takes time to pull off in the salary-cap era. However, the rise of the salary cap for this season has given teams more cap space to work with, resulting in a busier-than-usual opening month in the trade market.

Moving the salaries could be easier than before, but their respective no-trade clauses remain significant hurdles. The age and performance of the players will also affect their value. They’re all notable players, but some of them are past their prime.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 6, 2026

by | Nov 6, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 6, 2026

Could Penguins center Evgeni Malkin hit the trade block in January? What’s the latest on the Red Wings, Sharks, and Blackhawks? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE PENGUINS TRADE EVGENI MALKIN IN THE NEW YEAR?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Evgeni Malkin must submit a three-team trade list to Pittsburgh Penguins management in January. He wondered whether general manager Kyle Dubas might consider moving the 40-year-old center if the club is still struggling.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

Dreger said Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin is interested in his former teammate, “but only if the price is right and Malkin is ready to move by that point.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins are struggling, with just three wins in their last 14 games as they approach the 20-game mark. If this continues through their next 20 games, Dubas could accelerate the club’s transition to a younger roster.

A month ago, it was reported that Dubas was open to moving some of his veterans for younger talent. Malkin wasn’t mentioned as a trade candidate, but that could change by January.

Guerin’s interest in Malkin could be his Plan B if he can’t acquire Dylan Larkin from the Detroit Red Wings. Speaking of Larkin…

THE LATEST ON DYLAN LARKIN AND SIMON EDVINSSON

TSN: Chris Johnston reports that part of the reason it’s taking so long for the Detroit Red Wings to trade Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson is that interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is trying to hit a home run with these deals.

Johnston isn’t blaming Horcoff, pointing out that he’s only been in the role for a short time and he’s trying to address these difficult situations. He’s waiting for certain deals, but he’s not getting them from the 10 teams on Larkin’s trade list. Meanwhile, it’s probably going to take until the Dec. 1 deadline to sign Edvinsson before there’s any movement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horcoff has reportedly asked Larkin to expand his trade list again, but the center has so far refused. The Red Wings GM has a much better chance of moving Edvinsson, a restricted free agent lacking no-trade protection. However, he’s on the clock with the Dec. 1 deadline approaching.

SHARKS, BLACKHAWKS LOOKING FOR HELP

TSN: Chris Johnston reports the San Jose Sharks are “big-game hunting”, claiming they’re “very much in” on Simon Edvinsson. He said some teams think Edvinsson makes the most sense to end up with the Sharks.

Pierre LeBrun reports the Sharks’ recent struggles raised speculation about Ryan Warsofsky’s future as their head coach. However, he believes general manager Mike Grier isn’t contemplating a coaching change “at this stage” because they signed Warsofsky to a contract extension in September.

Meanwhile, Johnston said the struggling Chicago Blackhawks have been in the trade market to add some depth to their forward lines. The Blackhawks felt they would be contending for a playoff spot by now.

Johnston believes Grier and Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson can’t afford to be patient for much longer because they’re getting into the meat of the season now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks beat writer Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports that questions are being raised about Davidson’s job security and that of head coach Jeff Blashill and the players.

Lazerus noted that Davidson got a contract extension earlier this year, and they can’t fire the players. He said it’s usually the coach who bears the brunt in this situation, but Blashill would be the third coach he’s fired, and the next would be the third he’s hired, and the fifth, including interims.

If Davidson’s not going anywhere and he’s reluctant to fire another coach, trades would be the most logical option, but finding the right deals won’t be easy at this time of year for a club that’s already facing the prospect of another lost season.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2026

by | Nov 5, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2026

Should the Bruins pursue Dylan Larkin or Simon Edvinsson? Could the Mammoth pursue a big-ticket player? What’s the latest on Capitals winger Ivan Miroshnichenko? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss wondered if the Boston Bruins should make a major trade for Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin or defenseman Simon Edvinsson.

The Bruins aren’t on Larkin’s 10-team trade list, but it’s rumored he could alter his list to make a deal happen. Earlier this week, TSN’s Darren Dreger said Red Wings director of pro scouting Kris Draper scouted the Bruins’ recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (NHL Images).

Dreger believes the Bruins would love to make a deal for Edvinsson. The Red Wings reportedly want to re-sign the 23-year-old restricted free agent, but they’re also listening to trade calls for the skilled young defenseman.

Larkin would be a major offensive upgrade for the Bruins if he accepted a trade to Boston. The Red Wings’ asking price could be high, though Goss believes it wouldn’t make sense to include a young forward like Fraser Minten or James Hagens in the deal.

Acquiring Edvinsson would also be expensive. He could seek an average annual value of $9 million on his next contract. Dreger mentioned the Wings were interested in San Jose Sharks center Michael Misa, meaning the Bruins might have to part with Minten or Hagens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin has steadfastly refused to expand his trade list, meaning the Bruins stand a better chance of getting Edvinsson. They have the assets to make a competitive pitch. However, several other clubs (like the Sharks) are reportedly interested, which could create an expensive bidding war.

The clock is also ticking to get Edvinsson signed before the Dec. 1 deadline for restricted free-agent signings. Reports suggest the Red Wings will take this right up to that date, meaning whoever wants to acquire Edvinsson must have a new contract in place before that deadline, perhaps a sign-and-trade scenario.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun interviewed Utah Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong, who discussed his plans for his surging young team now that they’re becoming a preferred destination for NHL talent.

Armstrong has shown a willingness to make major moves in the trade market. Since taking over as Mammoth GM, he’s acquired Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, MacKenzie Weegar, and Vincent Trocheck. He also added and later traded winger JJ Peterka, and signed free-agent winger Anders Lee this summer.

League sources claim Armstrong inquired about Connor Hellebuyck before the Winnipeg Jets traded the goaltender to the New Jersey Devils. Dylan Larkin has the Mammoth on his trade list, and it’s believed Armstrong is waiting for the Wings’ asking price to drop.

LeBrun also thinks Armstrong will conduct due diligence on Nikita Kucherov, who has decided not to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning and has requested a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth could be among the front-runners for Larkin. They might also be enticing to Kucherov, though they lack the superstars he’s rumored to want to play with.

DAILY FACEOFF: Player agent Dan Milstein confirmed he’s been working closely with the Washington Capitals to find a trade for his client, Ivan Miroshnichenko.

Milstein said Miroshnichenko is a good young player “with superstar potential,” but the Capitals have too many players, making it hard for him to earn a full-time roster spot. He’s hoping that they can find his client a new team where he can play regular top-six minutes.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2026

by | Nov 4, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2026

Check out the latest on Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Red Wings center Dylan Larkin in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports teams are calling Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois about Nikita Kucherov. The 33-year-old superstar winger has indicated he won’t re-sign with the Lightning and has requested a trade, though he intends to keep playing with the club while this situation plays out.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

Dreger said BriseBois is standing firm and isn’t interested in trading Kucherov, “at least not just yet.” He wondered if the Lightning GM might change his mind if his team’s performance should decline between now and the March 1 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin listed his most intriguing trade fits (in alphabetical order) for Kucherov.

They include the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read Larkin’s reasons by following the link above. I’d go with Dallas (if they don’t re-sign Jason Robertson) and Utah. I’m not fully dismissing Vegas because they’re always in on everyone, but I doubt they can pull it off unless they’re giving up a significant player with an expensive contract.

Larkin acknowledged recent speculation that Kucherov might be open to a trade to the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs, but he didn’t include them on his list. He believes the Canadiens need a center, not a winger. He noted the Maple Leafs are also deep on the wing and desperately need blueline help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur on both counts.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng doesn’t consider Kucherov a sensible trade target for the Sharks, even if he wanted to come to San Jose. He’s not getting acquired for 50 cents on the dollar, and he won’t accept a discount on his next contract. Peng observed that the Sharks “aren’t a player or two away” from a championship, so he’s not worth cashing in future assets to acquire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Excellent point. Save the money and some of those assets to use for depth elsewhere, especially on the blueline.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel considered it unlikely that the Maple Leafs can acquire Kucherov. Nevertheless, he believes they should at least explore the possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The last thing the Maple Leafs need is an expensive, aging forward, even one as great as Kucherov. Their current roster could reach the playoffs, but they lack the depth for a deep playoff run, especially on the blueline, and acquiring Kucherov won’t fix that.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Detroit Red Wings have informed Dylan Larkin’s camp that they’ve exhausted every option with the 10 teams on the 30-year-old center’s trade list. There isn’t a trade to be found with those clubs that makes sense for the Wings.

The Red Wings would like to go deeper with six to eight clubs outside of Larkin’s list because they believe they can get a better deal with those teams. They include the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, and Montreal Canadiens, but Larkin remains inflexible with this list.

THE SICK PODCAST: James Murphy cited a source wondering if the Bruins could entice the Red Wings by dangling UFA-eligible center Pavel Zacha and perhaps defenseman Mason Lohrei or a first-round pick.

As for the Canadiens, the same sources believe they will not part with top prospect Michael Hage as part of a return for Larkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings could be on Zacha’s eight-team no-trade list. If not, he could be reluctant to sign with them.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Michael Augello cited Dreger’s appearance last week on the “Hockey Sense” podcast, when he told host Andy Strickland that the Sabres are a “no-go” for Larkin.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2026

by | Nov 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at the latest Nikita Kucherov speculation and some scoring winger trade targets for the Blackhawks.

THE LATEST ON NIKITA KUCHEROV

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports “at least 25 teams” have internally discussed the possibility of acquiring Nikita Kucherov if the Tampa Bay Lightning change their minds about not trading him.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

Kucherov, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after informing the team last week that he wouldn’t sign an extension and wanted a trade. He has a 10-team trade list for this season, which Kucherov submitted in May or June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I noted in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines, Kucherov told the press yesterday that a lack of communication and respect from Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois led to his decision not to re-sign and to request a trade. BriseBois released a statement on Friday indicating the team wasn’t trading Kucherov.

LeBrun believes Kucherov’s list could change given all that’s occurred since he submitted it earlier this year. As far as he knows, Kucherov doesn’t have a short list of teams yet.

Some teams believe the Lightning could change their minds and shop Kucherov before the March 1 trade deadline. In that case, the question is whether he would agree to sign an extension with his new team to maximize the Lightning’s trade return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun listed several teams and the reasons why they could pursue Kucherov if he becomes available in the trade market. All of them have been previously reported since the story broke about his trade request on Friday and duly noted here in previous posts.

As I’ve said before, it’s all a guessing game until we get definitive info on which teams are on Kucherov’s list. Even then, it won’t matter unless Lightning management reverses its stance against trading him.

TSN: Travis Yost listed several hurdles teams must clear if they hope to trade for Kucherov.

The superstar winger’s $9.5 million cap hit for this season is difficult for most contenders to absorb because they’re pressed against this season’s cap. Another issue is whether to pursue him as a rental player or a sign-and-trade target. The latter comes with risk because he reportedly wants a six-year contract with an average annual value of $20 million.

Yost pointed out that not a single contender can currently take on Kucherov’s contract without money going out or salary retention by the Lightning, though teams like the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and Utah Mammoth have more cap flexibility than others.

Other clubs must figure out their cap commitments for this season and beyond if they’re looking at a sign-and-trade scenario.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve also mentioned some of those points in my previous posts on this topic. Yes, Kucherov will draw plenty of attention if the Lightning peddle him this season, but making the dollars work (especially beyond this season if he agrees to an extension with his new team) will be difficult.

The Lightning’s asking price will be another big hurdle, especially for teams hoping to make an extension part of the deal. They won’t be interested in a package full of castoffs, and it’s doubtful they’ll want only draft picks and prospects. At least one good young player (likely a forward) must be part of the deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton wonder if Julien BriseBois’ handling of Kucherov’s contract negotiations could cost him his job as Lightning GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have a history of unhappy breakups with some of their greatest players since the late 2000s.

Kucherov’s situation is mirroring that of former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos through 2023-24. Stamkos never requested a trade, but he was obviously unhappy with the state of his negotiations with BriseBois during that season.

The treatment Stamkos and Kucherov have received suggests a trend by BriseBois that might not sit well with other Lightning players, especially those eligible for new contracts in the near future.

Nevertheless, BriseBois’ job is safe if he’s doing what ownership is instructing him to do.

WHICH SCORING WINGERS COULD THE BLACKHAWKS TARGET?

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope believes Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson could explore a trade to shake up his struggling roster. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Davidson seeks a “shoot-first scoring winger with size.”

Pope wondered if Davidson’s trade targets could include Ivan Miroshnichenko of the Washington Capitals, Dmitri Voronkov of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jake DeBrusk of the Vancouver Canucks, and Owen Tippett of the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that GM Don Waddell confirmed he’s received interest in Voronkov, but nobody’s made an offer yet. Portzline said the Jackets would want prospects and/or draft picks in return.

Miroshnichenko is available, but the youngster has yet to establish himself at the NHL level. DeBrusk has a full no-movement clause and could prefer joining a contender. Pope doubted the Flyers would part with Tippett.