NHL Rumor Mill – April 18, 2026

by | Apr 18, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 18, 2026

Check out the latest on the Jets, Blues, and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Mike McIntyre believes Connor Hellebuyck sounded like someone who might not be with the Jets for long during his end-of-season media availability on Friday.

McIntyre suspected that Hellebucyk had emerged from a “fiery” face-to-face meeting with the coaching staff and management to face the press. The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner called his club’s performance this season “unacceptable,” wondering where the club would go from here, prompting McIntyre to suggest that the answer might involve moving on from their long-time starting goaltender.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

When asked by McIntyre if his candid comments might mean some difficult conversations with management about his future, Hellebuyck took several seconds to respond. The 32-year-old goalie said he didn’t want to leave any speculation, adding that he loves Winnipeg and loves playing there.

McIntyre noted that speculation about Hellebuyck’s future began after he backstopped Team USA to Olympic gold in February, drawing some criticism for celebrating at the White House when there are tensions between the United States and Canada.

Hellebuyck has five more years on his contract at a reasonable average annual value of $8.5 million. McIntyre believes plenty of teams would engage in a bidding war for his services if he became available in the trade market. Moving Hellebuyck would be a “seismic shift” in the club’s direction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McIntyre acknowledged that Hellebuyck’s comments may have been a case of the superstar goaltender blowing off steam following a disappointing season.

It must be remembered that there was speculation over Mark Scheifele’s future in Winnipeg in 2022 after he expressed unhappiness over the Jets’ performance. He and Hellebuyck wound up signing long-term contract extensions.

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will likely downplay the notion that Hellebuyck’s unhappiness might lead to his departure when he meets with the media next week. Nevertheless, it will put pressure on Cheveldayoff to address the issues that led to the club’s downfall a year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

TSN: On Thursday, Darren Dreger said he expected this offseason to be a busy one for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

He’ll have to sort out whether Jonathan Toews might do with his playing future and whether it’ll be in Winnipeg. Winger Cole Perfetti is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a two-year deal with an AAV of $3.25 million.

Dreger believes the Jets would like to add a second-line center and a top-six winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of those would be in any asking price for Hellebuyck, but I don’t expect Cheveldayoff to have any intention of moving his star goaltender unless he asks to be traded. That’s something else I don’t believe Hellebuyck wants, despite his frustration with how this season turned out.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford wondered if the St. Louis Blues intend to trade Robert Thomas. The 26-year-old first-line center surfaced in the rumor mill before last month’s trade deadline, but his strong performance after returning from injury is more evidence that leads to keeping him.

Rutherford believes the Blues must find a trade fit for winger Jordan Kyrou, whose performance declined this season. He thinks a change of scenery might be good for both sides, but his $8.13 million AAV over the next five seasons could be difficult to move. He also has a full no-trade clause.

Management should also explore moving winger Pavel Buchnevich, who has six years left on his contract with an AAV of $8 million. However, his contract and declining production could require adding a sweetener in the deal.

The Blues should also revisit efforts to move Colton Parayko, who used his no-movement clause to block a trade to the Buffalo Sabres before the March deadline. They should also chat with goaltender Jordan Binnington, who has a year left on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless the Blues intend to tear down their roster and rebuild, it’s doubtful they’ll part with Thomas. Outgoing general manager Doug Armstrong set a high asking price, and it’s unlikely that incoming GM Alexander Steen will lower it.

Kyrou and Buchnevich are more likely trade candidates. The 27-year-old Kyrou would likely be easier to move than the 31-year-old Buchnevich, as the latter’s production has steadily declined since his career-high 76-point performance in 2021-22.

Steen could revisit Armstrong’s efforts to move Parayko, but his NMC gives him full control over his situation. Binnington seems a more likely trade candidate because several teams that struggled with their goaltending this season will be seeking upgrades this summer.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger looked at what’s in store for Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell during the offseason.

Forwards Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, and Mason Marchment, and defenseman Erik Gudbranson can become unrestricted free agents on July 1. It’s unlikely all four will be re-signed. Meanwhile, center Adam Fantilli, goaltender Jet Greaves, and forward Cole Sillinger are among their restricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jenner has spent his entire 13-season NHL career with the Blue Jackets, but Hedger wondered if they’ll re-sign the 32-year-old forward. Fantilli and Greaves will be in line for expensive raises given their value to the Blue Jackets.

The rising salary cap will leave the vast majority of NHL teams, including the Blue Jackets, flush with salary-cap space,. Hedger believes it’ll be difficult to find impact talent in this summer’s UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Newly re-signed head coach Rick Bowness vowed he would change the Blue Jackets’ culture after blasting his players for what he felt was how comfortable they were with losing.

Finding character players who can also address the Jackets’ roster needs could be top of mind for Waddell this summer. This summer’s shallow free-agent pool could send him into the trade market, where he could indeed find himself having to outbid many rivals with as much cap space as he has.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2026

by | Apr 17, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2026

Check out the latest on Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly, Canucks center Elias Pettersson, and Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

KNIES AND RIELLY HOPE TO REMAIN MAPLE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva reports Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly reiterated their desire to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Rielly has a full no-movement clause in his contract. When asked about waiving it, the 32-year-old defenseman acknowledged that it’s something he must be prepared for, but said he loves being a Maple Leaf and wants to stay.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, Knies admitted he’s not pleased that his name surfaced in trade rumors this season, and could continue to pop up in offseason trade speculation. However, he said that those things are out of his control, that he’s not bothered by the rumors, and maintained he wants to stick around.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly and Knies said that any decision to move them rests with whoever becomes the next Leafs general manager. However, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley recently said the club was not rebuilding. Moving Rielly and Knies would be considered part of a rebuilding process.

Ultimately, the futures of Rielly and Knies in Toronto will depend on how much autonomy Pelley is willing to give the Maple Leafs new general manager.

CANUCKS CENTER ELIAS PETTERSSON

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes the future of Elias Pettersson is the first order of business facing the Vancouver Canucks as they chart the direction the franchise will take with the expensive center.

Pettersson’s offensive production remains down, netting 51 points this season. However, his defensive play has improved as he led all NHL forwards this season with 108 blocked shots. He has six more seasons remaining on his contract with an expensive average annual value of $11.6 million.

The 27-year-old Pettersson told Kuzma that he remains committed to the Canucks and is invested in their future. However, trade rumors have swirled, with some suggesting the club might be willing to retain salary.

If the Canucks were to trade Pettersson, Kuzma suggested the Detroit Red Wings might be a good fit. However, he has a full no-movement clause and didn’t sound to Kuzma like he wanted a change of scenery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s contract gives him full control over his situation. If he doesn’t want to go, the Canucks will have to find a way to get more out of him offensively if they want this rebuild to succeed with him as part of it.

THE LATEST ON DOUGIE HAMILTON

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nicholls observed that Dougie Hamilton politely declined to speak with the media during the Devils’ locker cleanout day earlier this week. He believes the 32-year-old defenseman’s silence speaks volumes about his future with the club.

Hamilton frequently surfaced in trade rumors going back to last summer, with one report claiming he used his no-trade clause to block a move to the San Jose Sharks. Following last month’s trade deadline, now-former GM Tom Fitzgerald claimed he wasn’t shopping the puck-moving blueliner.

New general manager Sunny Mehta might be able to mend fences with Hamilton, but Nicholls considers it unlikely. He believes the veteran blueliner’s tenure in New Jersey could be drawing to a close.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamilton has a 10-team trade list, but Nicholls pointed out that he might be willing to expand that list to facilitate a deal. We can expect the Hamilton trade rumors to continue following the postseason.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 16, 2026

by | Apr 16, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 16, 2026

Check out the latest on Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Predators forward Steven Stamkos, and Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST MATTHEW KNIES SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel, Chris Johnston, and James Mirtle recently examined the fall of the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.

Part of their examination was on the Maple Leafs’ efforts to make moves before last month’s trade deadline. Among them were conversations that management reportedly had with the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres involving Leafs winger Matthew Knies.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies (NHL Images).

Those discussions continued up to the deadline, “with marquee Canadiens and Sabres prospects in play.” They noted that Keith Pelley, the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, “later lauded the young talent of both rivals, and in doing so named several young trade targets”.

Those players were Michael Hage, Adam Engstrom, Jacob Fowler, and David Reinbacher of the Canadiens, and Konsta Helenius and Radim Mrtka of the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the deadline, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said he was involved in talks for a potential blockbuster that didn’t get done in time for the deadline. He didn’t say who the player and the team were, but he didn’t rule out revisiting those discussions in the offseason.

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos was the first to report that Knies was believed to be the Maple Leaf that the Canadiens were interested in. Subsequent reports claimed those discussions were brief and didn’t go anywhere, while others disputed the rumors that Hughes was indeed pursuing Knies.

This latest report isn’t stating that the Canadiens and Sabres were pitching those players for Knies. They could be the ones that the Leafs were interested in, not the ones being offered up.

We also don’t know if Knies will be available once the Maple Leafs hire their new general manager, if he was even available at all. Kypreos’ colleague, Elliotte Friedman, said before the deadline that the Leafs may have floated his name to gauge what return he might fetch.

Pelley insisted that the Maple Leafs will be retooling instead of rebuilding. If so, Knies would be a valuable part of their roster moving forward.

STEVEN STAMKOS FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE IN NASHVILLE

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports Steven Stamkos is disappointed that the Nashville Predators didn’t qualify for the postseason.

Despite the club’s improvement this season, including his reaching the 40-goal plateau, the 36-year-old forward believes this season was a failure because they didn’t make the playoffs.

Stamkos could be facing an uncertain future after this season. The Predators are searching for a replacement for outgoing general manager Barry Trotz. Stamkos felt his future in Nashville would depend on the new GM’s intentions, whether they want to rebuild and move out the older players or retain them and retool the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos return to 40-goal form this season made him a frequent subject of media chatter leading up to last month’s trade deadline. He squealched most of it by repeatedly saying he had no intention of waiving his no-movement clause.

Stamkos has two more seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $8 million. His NMC is for the duration of his contract. However, he might be willing to waive it this summer if the incoming GM intends to rebuild.

WHAT WILL IVAN DEMIDOV’S NEXT CONTRACT LOOK LIKE?

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: In a recent mailbag segment, Stu Cowan was asked what Ivan Demidov’s next contract would look like with the Canadiens’ current internal salary-cap hierarchy.

Demidov has one more season remaining on his entry-level contract. The 20-year-old winger can sign an extension starting on July 1.

Noah Dobson is the highest-paid Canadien with an average annual value of $9.5 million. Lane Hutson will be the next highest starting next season at $8.85 million. Cowan thinks Demidov’s next contract will come in somewhere between those two, possibly around $9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ front office has done a brilliant job of getting their promising young stars under reasonable long-term contracts, locking them up for most of their best years. With the salary cap rising substantially, they will have sufficient cap room moving forward to make additions as required through trades and free agency.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2026

by | Apr 15, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2026

The latest on the Canucks and the Kraken, plus updates on Islanders captain Anders Lee and Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance recently looked at which players will stay with the Vancouver Canucks and which ones could be gone.

Drance believes the rebuilding Canucks are at least open to moving center Elias Pettersson and wingers Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk. The trio is under long-term contracts with full no-movement clauses.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Pending free agents Evander Kane and Pierre-Olivier Joseph are not expected to be re-signed.

THE PROVINCE: Paul Chapman cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who recently said that he expected the Canucks would have a lengthy meeting with Pettersson about where the team is going and what the options are. That would include moving him to teams he’d want to go to.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Even if Pettersson provides a list of preferred destinations, there’s no certainty that those clubs will be interested. His expensive contract and the concerning decline in his performance over the past two years will hurt his trade value.

Teams that might be willing to take that chance could insist on Vancouver retaining part of his $11.6 million annual salary-cap hit. Even then, the Canucks aren’t going to get a significant return.

KRAKEN COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY ATTRACTING PLAYERS

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos reports the Seattle Kraken face two issues that will make it difficult to improve their roster. One is the lack of depth in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market. The other is convincing players to join them.

Kraken general manager Jason Botterill was interested in St. Louis Blues forwards Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas at the March trade deadline. However, he couldn’t get them to waive their no-trade clauses.

The Kraken also had permission from the New York Rangers to make a contract extension offer to Artemi Panarin with an average annual value higher than $14 million. However, he wasn’t interested in going to Seattle and was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

A league executive claimed the Kraken thought they had a deal with the Nashville Predators for Erik Haula by giving up a second and a third-round pick. However, there was no trade call, and no indication of why the deal didn’t happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The lack of depth in this summer’s UFA market will make it tough for the Kraken to draw talent to Seattle. Botterill will have to get creative and target players lacking no-trade clauses in the trade market, which is easier said than done when he’s trying to add an offensive star.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ANDERS LEE AND MARIO FERRARO?

NEW YORK POST/THE MERCURY NEWS: Ethan Sears of the Post and Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News looked at the uncertain futures facing New York Islanders captain Anders Lee and San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

Both players are eligible to become unrestricted free agents this summer. They’d like to remain with the only NHL teams they’ve ever played for, but it remains to be seen if they’ll receive contract offers that will convince them to stay.

The Islanders’ late-season collapse could force GM Mathieu Darche to reexamine his roster. The Isles also have limited cap space this summer, meaning the 35-year-old Lee would have to accept a discount.

Sharks GM Mike Grier said teams expressed an interest in Ferraro before the March trade deadline. However, Grier opted to retain the 27-year-old defenseman, adding that he’s open to re-signing some of his UFA players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ferraro’s youth and the Sharks’ $42.5 million in projected cap space for next season make him more likely to stay with his current club.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2026

by | Apr 14, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2026

Check out the latest on the Red Wings, Islanders, and Kraken in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan looked at what led to the latest collapse by the Detroit Red Wings, and how they can remedy it.

Topping the list is the Red Wings’ need for an elite scoring forward. Khan believes they should be aggressive in this summer’s trade market. He suggested pursuing a center such as Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues or Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.

Should the Detroit Red Wings pursue St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas? (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have over $30 million in projected salary-cap space for 2026-27 with 18 active roster players under contract. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson is their only core player in need of a contract. He’s a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

The Wings have sufficient cap space to re-sign Edvinsson, add a scoring forward, and still have enough to fill out the roster.

Thomas and Pettersson were linked to the Red Wings in the rumor mill before last month’s trade deadline. Of the two, Thomas would be the more desirable. He’s been a more reliable point producer over the past three seasons and carries a more affordable contract than Pettersson. However, Pettersson might be more willing to accept a trade given his struggles in Vancouver.

Khan believes they must upgrade their bottom-six forwards. He also recommends finding a reliable second-line center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquiring a first-line center such as Thomas could resolve that need for a second-line center. They could drop team captain Dylan Larkin into that role.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff believes the Red Wings must move away from signing free agent veterans as they’ve done in recent years. He feels they should give more playing time to their promising youngsters.

Duff believes goaltender Sebastian Cossa, defenseman William Wallinder, and forward Amadeus Lombardi are locks to start next season with the Red Wings because they are no longer exempt from waivers after this season. He would also like to see youngsters such as Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Nate Danielson, and Curtis Mazur given more opportunities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those decisions rest with Red Wings management. Whether it’ll be Steve Yzerman or someone else remains to be seen. 

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau offered up his post-mortem of the New York Islanders following their recent elimination from playoff contention.

Proteau singled out their popgun offense as the main factor that prevented them from clinching a postseason berth. They have the eighth-fewest goals-per-game average (2.81), with only three players (Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer) having more than 42 points.

The Islanders have $14.3 million in projected cap space for next season. If GM Mathieu Darche re-signs captain Anders Lee, they won’t have enough to be major players in the free-agent market. Proteau believes Darche will have to make trades to improve their scoring punch for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Proteau pointed out that the Islanders have promising young talent in their system, and they have their own first-round picks in each of the next three drafts. While that bodes well for their long-term future, Darche might have to use some of those picks and prospects as trade chips to address his club’s more immediate needs.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Matt Calkins believes the Kraken have little choice but to stage a rebuild. Five years after their inaugural season, they reached the playoffs in their second season, but have struggled to return to the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Kraken are being overshadowed by the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the improving Seattle Mariners, and the possibility of a returning NBA franchise. The Kraken lack a star player, and they’re among the NHL’s lowest-scoring teams, which forces them to play a less-exciting defensive style.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calkins noted that Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke has called for an organization-wide audit while Ron Francis recently stepped down as team president.

General manager Jason Botterill has only been in his job for a year, but he was Francis’ right-hand man from 2021 until last year. He was also the Buffalo Sabres GM from 2017 to 2020, so he has plenty of experience. It remains to be seen if Leiweke will entrust Botterill with a rebuild.

The Kraken aren’t a horrible team. In fact, their defensive style kept them in the playoff hunt for most of this season before fading down the stretch. Like the Islanders, their lack of scoring punch is their Achilles heel.

With over $28.7 million in projected cap space for 2026-27 and 21 active roster players signed, the Kraken have the room to add to their roster. They could re-sign recently-acquired winger Bobby McMann to a new contract, but they’ll still need to shop around to find more scoring.

The lack of depth in the free-agent market could see them turn to the trade market for an offensive star. They have the trade capital to get it done, with two first-round picks in the next two drafts and a prospect pipeline ranked seventh overall by The Athletic. There’s enough there to use some for trade chips without sacrificing most of their future.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 13, 2026

by | Apr 13, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 13, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at some big-name players who could be the focus of offseason trade chatter, the latest on the Capitals, and Andre Burakovsky’s uncertain future with the Blackhawks.

AUSTON MATTHEWS, BRADY TKACHUK COULD BE AMONG THE BIG NAMES IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET

DAILY FACEOFF: In a recent mailbag segment, Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco was asked about which big-name players fans could expect to see in trade rumors during the coming off-season.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Di Marco believes Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews and Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will be the biggest names in this summer’s rumor mill. He thinks Tkachuk is more likely to be moved, given the off-ice drama this season and his brother’s decision to depart the Calgary Flames four years ago. Matthews’ situation seems more uncertain and could depend on who becomes the next general manager of the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews and Tkachuk will definitely be part of this summer’s rumor buzz, but I don’t see either guy moving this summer. Both have full no-movement clauses and have not indicated that they want to be moved.

Next summer seems more likely for one or both to get traded, and that will depend on how well the Maple Leafs and Senators perform in 2026-27. If they miss the playoffs or become first-round roadkill, Matthews and Tkachuk could inform their respective GMs that they’re going to market in 2028, which would force their teams to trade them.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas could resurface in the rumor mill after being the focus of media chatter before last month’s trade deadline. Di Marco speculated that the groundwork may have been set for a summer trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thomas was linked to several teams, including the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Islanders. However, the Blues set a high asking price of at least three pieces that are comparable to first-round draft picks.

Thomas said that he was never approached about waiving his no-trade clause, nor did he want to be traded. Trading the 26-year-old playmaking center would adversely affect the production of linemates Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway.

Di Marco felt that Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram might want a new long-term destination in the long run despite the Sabres’ surge this season. He signed a two-year extension last summer and was rumored to want an opportunity to be a No. 1 defenseman. The Sabres are also overloaded with top-four, left-shot defensemen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byram is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next summer. However, he signed that contract under the previous management, and had a career-best season with 11 goals and 42 points in 2025-26. With the Sabres having finally turned the corner, he might prefer sticking around.

CAPITALS COULD BE BUSY AGAIN IN THE TRADE MARKET.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported last Thursday that the Washington Capitals could turn to the trade market this summer to address their more immediate roster needs.

The Capitals have been retooling on the fly under general manager Chris Patrick. Finding a scoring winger has been a priority for nearly a year. They attempted to sign Nikolaj Ehlers last summer, but lost out to the Carolina Hurricanes. They also attempted to get Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers before he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

Patrick acknowledged the asking prices for top talent in this summer’s trade market could be high. However, he believes he’s put his club in a position where they have the pieces to make a competitive bid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The limited depth in this summer’s free-agent market could push the Capitals into the trade market, but they won’t be the only team going that route. Having depth in tradeable assets could give them the edge.

If the Anaheim Ducks make the playoffs this year, the Capitals will own the Ducks’ first-round pick. That will likely be bundled into a trade package to bring in that scoring winger.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR BLACKHAWKS WINGER ANDRE BURAKOVSKY?

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers looked at what the future could hold for struggling Chicago Blackhawks winger Andre Burakovsky.

The Blackhawks acquired Burakovsky last year from the Seattle Kraken partly because they hoped he might regain his form, but also to use his $5.5 million average annual value to reach the salary-cap floor.

With Connor Bedard due to be an expensive re-signing, the addition of Andrew Mangiapane’s $3.6 million cap hit, and the possible re-signing of Ilya Mikheyev, they might not need Burakovsky’s contract as much as they thought.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 31-year-old Burakovsky has 11 goals and 32 points in 73 games this season. He has a year remaining on his contract. Trading him won’t be easy, but the Blackhawks have the cap space to buy out that final season. It would count as $3 million against their cap next season, dropping to $1.25 million in 2027-28.