NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2024

by | May 22, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2024

Could the Blackhawks or Predators pursue Mitch Marner? Which two teams could be interested in the Hurricanes’ Martin Necas or the Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers? Read on to find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST MITCH MARNER SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers was recently asked by a reader who would say no to a trade that saw the Chicago Blackhawks send defenseman Seth Jones to the Toronto Maple Leafs for winger Mitch Marner.

Powers believes Jones isn’t untouchable but trading him would leave a big hole on the Blackhawks blueline that would be difficult to fill. In time, they hope their defense prospects will emerge and replace Jones. His contract also helps them reach the cap floor in the short term.

Assuming Marner waives his no-movement clause, he would help the Blackhawks as an ideal winger alongside young center Connor Bedard. However, he’s got a year left on his contract with an annual cap hit of $10.9 million and will seek a raise on his next contract. Powers doesn’t see the Blackhawks investing in a $10 million player right now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This trade scenario has floated around the rumor mill since the Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs earlier this month. It’s not happening.

Powers was also asked if the Blackhawks would be interested in Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark if they’re not on his no-trade list. He doesn’t see that happening, partly because doing so would cost the Blackhawks draft capital to acquire, something he doesn’t see them doing for a short-term addition.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reported speculation the Nashville Predators might try to acquire Marner after trading defenseman Ryan McDonagh and his $6.75 million cap hit back to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Predators general manager Barry Trotz was asked directly about acquiring Marner but dismissed that notion. “I don’t think Mitch is a free agent,” said Trotz. “I read the same stuff as you. Just rumors.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Evan Doerfler cited TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reporting the Leafs haven’t spoken yet to another club about Marner. Their recent focus was on hiring a new coach. LeBrun speculated teams could start expressing interest in the Leafs winger closer to the draft next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks noted Trotz didn’t flat-out deny any interest in Marner. Like every other NHL GM, he’s not allowed to talk about another team’s player in that way as it could violate the league’s anti-tampering rules.

Trotz might call Leafs GM Brad Treliving to inquire into Marner’s availability and the asking price. Then again, he could invest his windfall in other players via free agency or the trade market.

COULD THE CANADIENS OR ISLANDERS PURSUE NECAS OR EHLERS?

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico suggested Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas and Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers could become prime trade targets for the Canadiens.

It’s expected the Canadiens will attempt to add a scoring forward via this summer’s trade market. They have a glut of young defensemen, a solid bank of draft picks, and the necessary cap space to address that need.

D’Amico cited a source close to the Canadiens confirming they’ve checked into Necas’ availability. He’ll be high on their shortlist of trade targets. The 25-year-old winger is a restricted free agent this summer, setting up a possible “sign-and-trade” scenario.

Ehlers, 28, has a year remaining on his contract and could be traded this summer if he and the Jets fail to agree to a new deal. The Jets are in the market for blueline depth and more draft capital. The two clubs also have a recent trade history with the Canadiens shipping Sean Monahan to the Jets in February.

The Canadiens could prefer signing Ehlers to a contract extension before agreeing to a trade.

D’Amico believes any deal involving Necas or Ehlers must make sense within the Canadiens’ fiscal structure, especially with Juraj Slafkovsky and Kaiden Guhle due for next contracts next summer.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russell Macias suggested Ehlers could be a good fit as a top-six winger with the New York Islanders. He suggested offering Ryan Pulock straight up as he would help the Jets address their need for a top-four defenseman.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner believes the Islanders should keep an eye on the Carolina Hurricanes’ contract chaos. He suggested pending free agents such as forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen and defenseman Brady Skjei would be good fits with the Isles.

Necas would also be a strong fit. However, Rosner believes the Hurricanes’ asking price will be too high for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas is three years younger than Ehlers and his next contract could be more affordable. Given the timing of the Canadiens’ rebuild process, he’d be a better fit for them. Whether either guy ends up with the Habs remains to be seen. They could have other options in mind.

Ehlers would be a solid fit with the Islanders. However, it would cost more than Pulock to get him. The Isles depleted prospect pipeline doesn’t leave much to draw on for trade bait.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2024

by | May 21, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2024

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Bruins, Hurricanes and Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE CANUCKS

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what the offseason could hold for the Vancouver Canucks following their elimination from the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

They’ll have to focus on rebuilding their blueline as defensemen Tyler Myers and Nikita Zadorov are among two of their four pending unrestricted free agents. Filip Hronek will be seeking a raise as a restricted free agent.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

Forwards Elias Lindholm and Dakota Joshua are also slated to become UFAs. Whatever the Canucks do with their forwards will also be with an eye on new contracts for Brock Boeser and Nils Hoglander next year.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance believes the Canucks pending UFAs, including forwards Teddy Blueger and Sam Lafferty and defenseman Ian Cole, set themselves up as in-demand players entering this summer’s free-agent market. That means it’ll cost more for the Canucks to retain them.

The Canucks’ to-do list includes maintaining or replacing the size advantage that Zadorov, Myers and Joshua bring to their roster and Lindholm’s two-way skills. Contract negotiations with Hronek could be tricky given his arbitration status, inconsistent playoff performance and what they gave up to acquire him from Detroit last season. They must also add more offense.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After years in the wilderness, the Canucks emerged this season among the NHL’s top teams. It won’t be easy to maintain and build on that.

The Canucks have a projected cap space of $24.7 million for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. They can’t afford to sign all their pending UFAs while Hronek’s contract situation gets complicated because of his erratic postseason play. Lindholm will likely prove too expensive to retain. So could Zadorov. Joshua should be an affordable re-signing but could be tempted by free agency.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes trading Linus Ullmark should be an offseason priority for the Boston Bruins. The 30-year-old goaltender has a year left on his contract a cap hit of $5 million. Trading him would clear the way for a Jeremy Swayman-Brandon Bussi goalie tandem and clear cap room for re-signing Swayman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We covered this in yesterday’s NHL Rumor Mill.

Shinzawa also believes the Bruins must acquire an impact center, a scoring right winger and a left-shot defenseman.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss believes the Bruins desperately need to find another elite scoring forward to take some of the burden off David Pastrnak. If they trade Ullmark, they’ll have over $26 million in salary-cap space to address that issue.

Goss suggested Vancouver’s Elias Lindholm as the free agent that makes the most sense. The Bruins were linked to the 29-year-old center before the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins could revisit their interest in Lindholm this summer if he isn’t re-signed by the Canucks.

They could also look at other UFA options but they’re unlikely to chase an expensive big fish like Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos, Florida’s Sam Reinhart or Carolina’s Jake Guentzel. Signing one of them would leave the Bruins having to make do with cost-effective lesser talent to address other problem areas.

As for adding a defenseman, Shinzawa suggested Carolina’s Brady Skjei as a worthwhile free-agent option.

WHAT ARE THE HURRICANES’ OFFSEASON PRIORITIES?

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Chip Alexander reports Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell mentioned the issues he hopes to address during the offseason now that head coach Rod Brind’Amour has signed a new contract.

They include deciding which of their unrestricted free agents to re-sign, working out a deal with the KHL to bring over promising defenseman Alexander Nikishin, and finding a right-shot center. Their UFAs include forwards Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel, Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen; defensemen Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Jalen Chatfield and Tony DeAngelo; and goaltender Antti Raanta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce is speculated to be heading to market but they could re-sign Skjei. DeAngelo and Raanta won’t be back. It’s expected they’ll push hard to re-sign Guentzel. It’s uncertain whether Teravainen, Martinook, Noesen and Chatfield will be back. I’d love to hear what Hurricanes fans have to say about this topic.

Alexander didn’t mention Martin Necas in his report. It’s believed the 25-year-old restricted free-agent forward could be shopped this summer.

UPDATE ON THE FLYERS

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited a report from Russia’s Sport-Express indicating Matvei Michkov could terminate his contract with KHL team SKA St. Petersburg. That would clear the path for the 19-year-old winger to join the Philadelphia Flyers next season. The Flyers selected Michkov with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Bailey indicated the Flyers are aware of the report but unable to confirm it at the time. He subsequently reported that SKA St. Peterburg CEO and VP Roman Rotenberg said there has been dialogue with the Flyers.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2024

by | May 20, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2024

Check out the latest on the Bruins and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

NHL.COM: Amalie Benjamin reports goaltender Linus Ullmark faces an uncertain future in Boston after being supplanted by Swayman as the Bruins’ starter during the playoffs.

Ullmark has a year left on his contract with an average annual value of $5 million. He’d like to spend it with the Bruins but they could go in a different direction, something they reportedly look into before the March trade deadline.

“I have my (no-trade) list and my list is there. We’ve worked very hard for it,” Ullmark said. He indicated there’s a reason why certain teams are on it, including what he called “personal things”.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark had reservations about being moved at the March trade deadline as it would’ve meant uprooting his family. Whether he feels the same now is another matter.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images).

If Ullmark is willing to work with Bruins management on an offseason trade it would help both parties. He’d be a better option for clubs seeking a starting goalie than those available in this summer’s free-agent market. It would allow the Bruins to clear the way for Jeremy Swayman to take over as their full-time starter with promising Brandon Bussi as his backup.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reported the Bruins had a deal in place for Ullmark by the deadline but the 30-year-old goalie rejected it. While speculation suggested it was the Los Angeles Kings, Murphy is standing by his report that it was the Colorado Avalanche. He believes it might take a lot for Ullmark to accept a trade to a club on his no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom could be peddled this summer. Juuse Saros is another possibility but less of a certainty. Ullmark will draw lots of attention from clubs that lose out on Markstrom or Saros.

The Bruins have a projected $20.9 million of cap space for 2024-25 with 17 active roster players under contract. They’ll have the dollars to make a splash or two in this summer’s free-agent market. Moving Ullmark would give them even more wiggle room.

Ullmark has a 16-team no-trade list, which drops to 15 clubs on July 1. Some speculated that his list was made up entirely of Western Conference clubs. Regardless of which teams are on it, his NTC will hamper efforts to move him.

THE ATHLETIC: Winger Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk top Shinzawa’s list of players who won’t return with the Boston Bruins next season. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

DeBrusk wants to remain with the Bruins. However, general manager Don Sweeney has a number in mind and won’t exceed it. Unless the two sides compromise, the 27-year-old winger will hit the open market.

Shinzawa considers the chance of Grzelcyk returning to be very low. The same goes for defensemen Derek Forbort, Kevin Shattenkirk and forward James van Riemsdyk. However, he’s not ruling out Patrick Maroon and Danton Heinen returning with the Bruins.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch recently updated us on everything on the offseason plate of Senators GM Steve Staios.

League sources told Garrioch that Staios attempted to deal Joonas Korpisalo before the March trade deadline. However, he doesn’t expect much of a market for the 30-year-old goaltender unless the Senators retain some of his $5 million AAV and include a sweetener. They could instead attempt to ship out backup Anton Forsberg and his more affordable $2.75 million cap hit.

Garrioch claimed the Senators “kicked tires” on Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark before the deadline. They could revisit that interest this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators could be on Ullmark’s no-trade list, which might explain why they didn’t get past the “tire-kicking” phase.

Staios took calls on Jakob Chychrun before the trade deadline. Garrioch believes that the talk could become action this summer, likely before the NHL Draft on Jun 28-29.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios indicated after the trade deadline that he’d held discussions with some teams that could continue in the offseason. Chychrun has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $4.6 million and will be eligible for UFA status next summer. He could be moved for a right-shot defenseman or to clear cap space to add one via free agency.

Artem Zub could draw attention in this summer’s trade market. Moving the 28-year-old defenseman could be an option for Staios if he wants to shake up the blueline. The Senators could attempt to trade rearguard Erik Brannstrom or pass on tendering him a qualifying offer.

Garrioch suggested the Senators could use a veteran forward like Tyler Toffoli to help take some pressure off Claude Giroux. He also indicated Staios had been in contract talks with Shane Pinto’s representatives. The 23-year-old center seeks a five or six-year contract with an annual cap hit of around $5 million.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 19, 2024

by | May 19, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 19, 2024

Could Martin Necas be a fit with the Devils or Flames? What are the Canadiens’ best trade assets? What are possible destinations for the Golden Knights’ notable UFAs? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD MARTIN NECAS BE A FIT WITH THE DEVILS OR FLAMES?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating that the Carolina Hurricanes could attempt to move Martin Necas. The 25-year-old winger is slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Friedman doubts the Hurricanes will offer him a new contract and could trade him this summer.

The Devils have a hole among their top-six forwards after trading Tyler Toffoli to Winnipeg before the trade deadline. Necas could help them address that problem. However, he could also prove costly to sign and the Hurricanes could seek an expensive return.

Nichols examined the pros and cons of acquiring Necas. He thinks the Devils should be interested if he becomes available, but only at the right price.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquiring or signing a starting goaltender will be the priority for Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, followed by a defenseman. With $18 million in projected cap space and 15 active roster players under contract, there won’t be enough to add a top-six forward.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Trevor Neufeld thinks Necas could be a good addition to the Flames’ forward lines but ultimately they should pass on him.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

Neufeld believes Necas’ next contract could cost over $7 million annually, taking a big chunk out of the Flames’ $19 million in cap room. He also believes the Hurricanes’ asking price would be expensive.

Necas doesn’t play a hardnosed style. It could also be the wrong time for the Flames to add an established forward if management is rebuilding the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to determine what Flames GM Craig Conroy has in store for his roster.

Trading away Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin and attempting to move Jacob Markstrom screams “rebuild”. Nevertheless, they have veterans Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri on long-term contracts plus several good young players on their roster and others in their pipeline, suggesting a retooling could be in order.

Adding Necas could fit into a roster retool for the Flames. However, Neufeld is likely correct that he wouldn’t fit into Conroy’s plans

WHAT ARE THE CANADIENS’ BEST TRADE ASSETS?

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico recently looked at the Canadiens’ best assets to use as trade bait heading into the NHL Draft next month in Las Vegas.

The first-round pick acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in the Sean Monahan trade could be bundled with one or two assets to bring in a scoring forward. They could also part with one of the two first-round picks they hold in the 2025 draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pick from the Jets is one of their best trade chips. It’ll be surprising if the Canadiens part with their own first-rounder (fifth overall) in this year’s draft. That will likely be used to select a promising young scoring forward.

They could draw on their plethora of promising young defensemen. D’Amico mentioned Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble, and potentially Adam Enstrom or Logan Mailloux.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of those young defensemen could be packaged with the Jets pick to bring in a scorer.

Trade partners could ask for Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson or David Reinbacher but they’re unlikely to be on the table. Guhle is well-established among their top four. Hutson and Reinbacher are their most talented prospects and could be in the lineup as early as next season.

D’Amico also suggested a veteran defenseman like David Savard or Mike Matheson could be dangled. They could also draw on prospects such as Filip Mesar, Owen Beck or Joshua Roy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Savard is entering the final season of his contract. He will likely be shopped at next season’s trade deadline if the Canadiens are out of playoff contention by then.

Some Habs fans are begging Hughes to trade Matheson while his value is high. However, he’s a local boy with two years left on his contract and an invaluable part of their defense corps. Matheson’s skills and experience should ensure his place with the Canadiens.

DESTINATIONS FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS’ TOP UFAS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio recently looked at possible destinations for the Vegas Golden Knights’ notable unrestricted free agents if they aren’t signed to new contracts by July 1.

Jonathan Marchessault could interest the Detroit Red Wings. Alec Martinez could see a reunion with the Los Angeles Kings or land with the Devils or Edmonton Oilers.

The San Jose Sharks or Utah could use a skilled shooter like Anthony Mantha. William Carrier could be an affordable addition to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames could target Michael Amadio.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights could keep one or two of these players depending on the cost. If they re-sign Marchessault, the others won’t be back because they won’t be able to afford them.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 18, 2024

by | May 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 18, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Avalanche and Bruins? What’s the latest on the Hurricanes? Who could become candidates for the Blue Jackets’ GM position? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND BRUINS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what the offseason might hold for the Colorado Avalanche following their elimination from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Supplementing their roster core is once again a priority. They must re-sign restricted free-agent center Casey Mittelstadt. The Avs must also re-sign or replace pending unrestricted free agents like Jonathan Drouin, Jack Johnson, Sean Walker and Andrew Cogliano. They must also replace retiring winger Zach Parise.

Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Core winger Mikko Rantanen has one year remaining on his contract. His continued presence is important if the Avalanche intend to remain among the Western Conference’s top contenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have $15.9 million in projected cap space next season with 12 active roster players under contract. They get an additional $7 million in wiggle room if sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog remains on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t given up attempting to resume his career after being sidelined by knee surgeries for the past two years.

Rantanen carries a cap hit of $9.25 million on his current contract. Given his consecutive 100-plus point seasons, he’ll likely seek over $12 million annually.

The Avalanche will also have to decide what to do with Valeri Nichushkin once he exits Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in November.

Kristen Shilton looked at what could be in store for the Boston Bruins this summer.

They face some significant personnel decisions. Several notable players, including Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, are slated to become UFAs on July 1. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman is an RFA coming off a one-year contract and the Bruins must ensure they have sufficient cap space to pay him his worth as a starter.

Shilton expects the Bruins will be active in the free-agent market if they hope to keep their playoff window open, especially on the defensive side.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss observed the Bruins have around $21 million in projected cap space for next season to put toward offseason roster upgrades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were frequently linked to Elias Lindholm this season before and after his trade to the Vancouver Canucks. They could revisit that rumored interest or consider other options to add a center for one of their scoring lines.

Rumors also tied the Bruins to Noah Hanifin before his trade and contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. Free-agent options could include Carolina’s Brett Pesce or Brady Skjei or Florida’s Brandon Montour, regardless of his recent interaction with Bruins captain Brad Marchand. Money talks and time heals all wounds.

LATEST HURRICANES SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he didn’t expect Brett Pesce to return with the Carolina Hurricanes. He indicated the Hurricanes’ offer to the Pesce camp last summer was a five-year deal worth $5 million annually.

Friedman believes Martin Necas could be traded this summer. The 25-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He thinks the Hurricanes will prioritize re-signing Jake Guentzel.

Winger Seth Jarvis has surpassed Necas on the Hurricanes’ depth chart, making him more of a priority contract-wise. Jarvis is coming off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce was the subject of trade speculation last summer, which was an early indication of how poorly those contract negotiations were going. The Hurricanes retained him for this season. His absence due to injury contributed to their elimination from the second round by the New York Rangers. He missed 12 games in the regular season but the decline in his stats likely won’t hurt his free-agent value.

Necas could draw plenty of interest from teams seeking additional scoring depth. He’s been mentioned as a possible trade option for the rebuilding Montreal Canadiens. Necas is completing a two-year, $6 million contract and will likely attempt to more than double his money on his next deal.

HOLLAND, BERGEVIN AMONG RUMORED CANDIDATES FOR BLUE JACKETS’ JOB

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland’s report of rumors linking Oilers general manager Ken Holland to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Holland is in the final season of his contract with the Oilers. The Blue Jackets are in the market for a new general manager after firing Jarmo Kekalainen in February.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont reports speculation the Blue Jackets could consider former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin to fill their vacant GM position. Bergevin is currently working in the Los Angeles Kings’ front office.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 17, 2024

by | May 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 17, 2024

Offseason changes could be coming for the Hurricanes plus the latest Golden Knights speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE HURRICANES?

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock believes changes are coming for the Carolina Hurricanes following another disappointing postseason. He pointed out that they have several pending unrestricted free agents and head coach Rod Brind’Amour remains unsigned for next season.

“It’s the end of this group, the one that was on the ice Thursday night,” wrote DeCock. “Change is coming. The Hurricanes will almost certainly still be contenders, but not these contenders. That’s over.”

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus predicts a stormy future for the Hurricanes. He anticipates “a roster reckoning” could be coming with or without Brind’Amour behind the bench.

Unrestricted free agents include forwards Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen and defensemen Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Tony DeAngelo and Jalen Chatfield. Goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov remain under contract for next season.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour (NHL Images).

Lazerus believes Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell will have sufficient salary-cap space, trade bait and roster flexibility to pursue a No. 1 goaltender, re-sign Guentzel, and/or pursue another top forward if he chooses.

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton believes the Hurricanes’ priority should be re-signing Guentzel. He had 25 points in 17 games for them following his trade from Pittsburgh and was a point-per-game performer in the playoffs. She also believes they should invest in a starting goaltender.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby believes teams that need a new coach will want to know Brind’Amour’s plans. He thinks the Toronto Maple Leafs are among them.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Glenn Dreyfuss thinks the Seattle Kraken would be among Brind’Amour’s suitors if he doesn’t re-sign with the Hurricanes.

BLEACHER REPORT: The Leafs and Kraken are on Lyle Fitzsimmons’ list of landing spots for Brind’Amour. He also sees him staying in Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour’s future was a hot topic of speculation earlier this month following a report claiming the Hurricanes had pulled their recent contract offer. All sides downplayed the matter, insisting negotiations were ongoing and a deal was close.

Following another disappointing postseason, Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon could feel the need for a change behind the bench. GM Don Waddell could share that view. We’ll find out soon enough.

One of those pending UFAs may have played his last for the Hurricanes. Shortly after last night’s game, Pesce’s father shared a now-deleted post on “X” thanking Hurricanes’ fans for their support over the years.

LATEST GOLDEN KNIGHTS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger recently looked at who stays and who goes among the Vegas Golden Knights this summer.

Jonathan Marchessault is slated to become a UFA on July 1. He and GM Kelly McCrimmon were publicly optimistic that an agreement on a new contract could be reached. However, there is limited cap space for him and the remainder of the roster.

A cap-clearing trade will be necessary if Marchessault is re-signed.

Granger speculated Zach Whitecloud could be a trade candidate if McCrimmon needs to make a minor subtraction. The 27-year-old defenseman has four years left on his contract with an average annual value of $2.75 million.

Shea Theodore could be shopped if McCrimmon needs to make a bigger change. He’s signed through next season with an AAV of $5.2 million and will be eligible for UFA status next summer. Recently acquired Noah Hanifin plays a similar style to Theodore and carries a $7.35 million cap hit on his new contract.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen believes freeing up cap space will be a priority for McCrimmon if he intends to re-sign Marchessault and other UFAs. Theodore or goaltender Adin Hill ($4.9 million AAV) could become trade options. He could also try to move a couple of lower-salaried players like Brayden McNabb ($2.85 million) or Nicolas Hague ($2.29 million million

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I was initially dismissive of the Golden Knights using Theodore as a cost-cutting candidate. Giving it more thought, however, it seems the best course of action given his UFA status next summer and the addition of Hanifin.

Theodore would draw considerable interest if McCrimmon put him on the trade block. The puck-moving blueliner has a five-team no-trade list but he should still attract a lot of suitors. He could fetch an affordable return that would help to replenish the Golden Knights’ prospect pipeline or add a promising youngster to their lineup.

McCrimmon could have other plans to clear cap space for Marchessault that don’t involve moving Theodore. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.