NHL Rumor Mill – May 13, 2025

by | May 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 13, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest Avalanche speculation and an update on the Islanders’ search for a new general manager.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: In his latest mailbag segment, Aarif Deen looked at what offseason moves could be in store for the Avalanche.

If the Avalanche fail to re-sign Brock Nelson, they might get into the bidding for Sam Bennett if the Florida Panthers center becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Speaking of Nelson, Deen isn’t against the Avalanche signing him, but suggests they should look at better options if they’re available.

Deen also wondered if the Avs might move one or two players to free up cap space for other additions. He suggested a forward like Ross Colton or Miles Wood as a trade candidate. He also pondered whether they could shake up the second defense pairing of Josh Manson and Samuel Girard, perhaps to make room for a UFA blueliner like Ivan Provorov.

Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

Martin Necas’ future with the Avalanche could get interesting if contract extension talks don’t go well this summer. He has a year remaining on his current deal with a cap hit of $6.5 million.

Deen doesn’t see the Avs going into next season without an extension for Necas. He raised the possibility of them trading the 26-year-old forward if contract talks should stall.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be an interesting summer for the Avalanche.

They must do something about the second-line center position by re-signing Nelson or finding another option through a trade or a free-agent signing. Promoting Charlie Coyle into that position is not going to address that issue.

Colton and Wood have been mentioned before as trade candidates. Wood had three seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million and a six-team no-trade list. Colton has two more years with an AAV of $4 million and a full no-trade clause until July 1, when it reverts to a modified no-trade.

Girard surfaced occasionally as a trade candidate over the past two years. He’s got two years left with an AAV of $5 million and a nine-team no-trade list. Manson has a year left with an AAV of $4.5 million and a 12-team no-trade list.

It seems unlikely that the Avalanche would trade Necas after acquiring him from the Carolina Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen deal in January. Then again, few folks foresaw the Hurricanes shipping Rantanen to the Dallas Stars at the March trade deadline, so we can’t dismiss the possibility of Necas getting dealt if he and the Avs fail to agree to an extension.

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman cited a report by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicating the New York Islanders plan to interview Jarmo Kekalainen, Marc Bergevin and Mathieu Darche for their vacant general manager position.

Kekalainen is the former general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Bergevin is the former GM of the Montreal Canadiens. Darche is the assistant GM and director of hockey operations with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Islanders fired Lou Lamoriello as GM and team president last month. However, he’s reportedly expected to remain in the organization in some capacity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen and Bergevin have GM experience, but Darche might be the better option for the Isles. He’s been with the Lightning since 2019 and helped them win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

by | May 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

Check out the most recent Canadiens and Oilers speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey looked at ways the Canadiens can address their need for a second-line center during the offseason.

He suggested finding a 30-something center who can hold the fort for a few years until promising players like Owen, Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. That list included pending unrestricted free agents like Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, or John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three would be ideal, and all three aren’t likely to suit up for the Canadiens next summer. They’ll be expensive and likely prefer signing with Cup contenders at this stage of their long careers.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

Hickey suggested Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers as an ideal option if Canadiens management isn’t sold on those young centers as long-term solutions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will probably re-sign Bennett, who’ll be more affordable to retain than Sam Reinhart was last summer. He would be the perfect choice to center the Canadiens’ second line, but they’ll face stiff competition from other clubs for his services.

If the Canadiens wish to go the offer-sheet route, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks would be a suitable target. The 22-year-old center has good size, wins faceoffs, and might relish an opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hickey’s not the only pundit or blogger to muse about McTavish’s availability. I recall one speculating that he could become expendable if the Ducks decide to move Cutter Gauthier to center their second line. That’s probably wishful thinking, but he would be worth pursuing if available.

Like Bennett, McTavish would draw interest from a lot of teams. The Ducks also have the cap space to match any offer, so a trade might be the only way to get him.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins generally agrees with the criticism of the defensive play of Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old reargaurd will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

However, Leavins also pointed out that Bouchard has proven he’s a big enough player with a long enough reach to defend capably in the playoffs. He’s also an elite point getter and they don’t grow on trees.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks scoff when I’ve suggested Bouchard could get over $10 million annually on a long-term deal from the Oilers. His timely offense, especially in the playoffs, ensures he’ll get a substantial raise on his next contract.

Bouchard’s an invaluable part of the Oilers’ core. They’ll be fortunate if his camp accepts less than $10 million annually.

Leavins also weighed in on Oilers fans who howled for the club to acquire a true starting goaltender at the trade deadline. He believes the offseason was always going to be the better time to find one of those.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pickings were slim for goalies before the trade deadline and they’re not much better this summer. Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils is the best of the bunch in the UFA market, followed by Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators, Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames and David Rittich of the Los Angeles Kings. They’re solid backups, but none of them are reliable starters.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 11, 2025

by | May 11, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 11, 2025

Could the Canucks bring back Brock Boeser? Who should the Islanders hire as their new general manager? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the Vancouver Canucks haven’t given up on the possibility of bringing back Brock Boeser, provided the 28-year-old winger wants to return.

Boeser is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Canucks management believes he’s earned the right to test the market.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

General manager Patrik Allvin told Canucks’ season-ticket holders that they’re going to see if there’s a chance Boeser would return. However, Johnston considers that option unlikely, pointing to the frustration from the winger’s camp over how Allvin framed Boeser’s value at the trade deadline.

Boeser has stated how much he’s enjoyed living and playing in Vancouver, but won’t pass up his best opportunity for a big payday. Johnston also noted this season was one of upheaval for the Canucks. He speculated Boeser might prefer heading to his hometown Minnesota Wild, or a team that previously expressed interest in him, like the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported that contract term was the sticking point between Boeser and Canucks management. He wanted a long-term deal, while they prefer something less than five years.

Never say never, but it’ll be surprising if Boeser returns with the Canucks. He shouldn’t have much difficulty landing a deal to his liking on the open market.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the New York Islanders need to take “a massive swing” hiring their next general manager.

Brooks hasn’t been impressed with what he called “a parade of recyclables vying for the job.” He doesn’t consider options like Marc Bergevin to be inspiring.

Instead, he’s beating the drum for the Islanders to pursue Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper to take over as their GM and team president. He cited his recent report claiming a “well-connected fellow” claimed we shouldn’t be surprised if Cooper stepped down as the Bolts’ bench boss to take over the operation in Utah for his friend and Mammoth owner Ryan Smyth.

Cooper has instead committed to returning to the Lightning next season. However, Brooks wondered if he might change his mind if allowed to build the Islanders in his image.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks thinks there’s no harm in the Isles seeking permission to speak with Cooper. However, we don’t know if they’ve even considered the Lightning coach as a viable candidate in the first place. Probably not, if the list of prospective candidates is anything to go by.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2025

by | May 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov could become the league’s highest-paid player, teammate Marco Rossi could be a Penguins trade target, and the latest on the newly christened Utah Mammoth.

A BIG PAYDAY AHEAD FOR KIRILL KAPRIZOV

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler cited colleague Elliotte Friedman’s recent speculation suggesting Kirill Kaprizov could become the NHL’s highest-paid player.

Kaprizov, 28, has a year remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $9 million. He will become eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1, 2026. The earliest the Wild can sign him to a contract extension is July 1, 2025.

Friedman said there are people in the league who believe Kaprizov will be the highest-paid player. “That in this next wave of contracts, with the cap going up…Kaprizov is going to end up No. 1 on the list.”

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

Sadler pointed out that Wild owner Craig Leipold said last fall that his club intends to sign Kaprizov. “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.”

Wild general manager Bill Guerin recently said extending Kaprizov was his top priority. “I’d like to get it done as soon as possible,” he said.

Sadler noted that Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl’s new contract beginning in 2025-26 will make him the highest-paid player with an AAV of $14 million. She speculates Kaprizov’s could come in between $15.25 million and $16.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov didn’t sound concerned when asked about his next contract during the Wild’s locker cleanout day. If Leipold and Guerin are as determined to re-sign him as they claim, his next contract will likely fall within Sadler’s predicted parameters.

COULD MARCO ROSSI BE A FIT WITH THE PENGUINS?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski noted reports out of Minnesota suggested Marco Rossi could become a trade candidate. The 23-year-old center is completing his entry-level contract, and there’s speculation over whether he fits into the Wild’s long-term plans.

Kingerski believes Rossi would be a good fit with the retooling Penguins. Long-time star Evgeni Malkin could retire after next season, leaving a big hole at center.

GM Kyle Dubas prefers trades for younger players who can provide help now and over the long term. He’d also like to acquire RFAs through trades instead of offer sheets. Kingerski believes the asking price could be the Penguins’ 2026 first-rounder (top-10 protected) or one of their top-line veteran wingers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The veteran winger would be Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell. Rust’s no-movement clause ends on June 30, leaving him without no-trade protection for the remainder of his contract. Rakell, meanwhile, has an eight-team no-trade list throughout the remaining three years of his contract.

Rossi could be a good fit with the Penguins, but they’ll have competition for his services if the Wild puts him on the trade block. They could include the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche (if they don’t re-sign Brock Nelson), Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.

IS A MAMMOTH SUMMER AHEAD FOR UTAH?

DAILY FACEOFF: Scott Maxwell cited Frank Seravalli predicting the newly christened Utah Mammoth will be aggressive buyers during the offseason.

Seravalli pointed out that they moved up to fourth overall in the first round during the recent draft lottery, calling it “an absolute bonus.” He also observed they have “a ton of other draft picks” and a prospect pipeline that’s so full they’ll literally have to trade some of them because they can’t sign all of them within the 50-player roster limit.

According to Seravalli, the Mammoth could pursue a defenseman and a top-six forward this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong could be open to moving the fourth-overall pick if he gets a return that suits his immediate roster needs. He has all seven picks in this year’s draft to draw on for trade bait. He also has 11 picks in 2026 (including three in the second round, two in the third, and two in the fifth round) and nine in 2027 (including two fourth-round picks and two fifth-rounders).

Armstrong could also peddle 23-year-old winger Matias Maccelli, who struggled this season after reaching a career-high 57 points in 2023-24.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2025

by | May 9, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: changes are coming for the Devils, the latest on former Canucks coach Rick Tocchet, and the Flyers could be heading to arbitration with Noah Cates.

CHANGES ARE COMING FOR THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald isn’t happy with his club’s performance this season. He explains there will be changes coming for next season.

Fitzgerald indicated there are decisions to be made about certain players, saying the Devils won’t be back with the same group for next season. He acknowledged the injuries to key players like Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton adversely affected the club’s play, but felt several players did not play up to expectations.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer (NHL Images).

The Devils’ offense suffered this season, dropping from a goals-per-game of 3.22 last season to 2.98 in 2024-25. Depth scoring was an issue, as off-season acquisitions Stefan Noesen and Paul Cotter cooled off after strong starts to this season.

Nichols also pointed out Dawson Mercer’s struggles this season. Expected to have a breakout performance, the 23-year-old center managed only 19 goals. Nichols suggested the Devils need a top-six winger and a few bottom-six forwards who can score.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of the changes Fitzgerald could be referring to are the Devils’ pending unrestricted free agents. They include forwards Tomas Tatar, Daniel Sprong, Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian.

Fitzgerald proved last summer that he’s willing to make big off-season moves to improve his club, acquiring goaltender Jacob Markstrom and signing defensemen Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon. He has over $12 million in projected cap space with 19 active roster players under contract, but a big chunk of it will go toward re-signing defenseman Luke Hughes.

The Devils GM alluded to the possibility of making trades this summer. He could gauge Mercer’s value in the trade market. The young center’s name surfaced occasionally in this season’s rumor mill.

THE BRUINS ARE INTERESTED IN RICK TOCCHET

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports former Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has emerged as the top targets for the Boston Bruins to fill their vacant coaching position.

An NHL source told Murphy the Bruins are trying to secure an interview with Tocchet. CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal also believes they’re a club worth watching as a possible destination for the former Canucks bench boss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winner of the Jack Adams Award last season, Tocchet is the hottest coaching commodity available this summer. The Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Seattle Kraken are among the clubs he’s been linked to.

FLYERS COULD HEAD TO ARBITRATION WITH NOAH CATES

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco believes the Philadelphia Flyers are likely to go to arbitration with Noah Cates.

The 26-year-old center is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. He’s completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.625 million. Cates had 16 goals and 37 points in 82 games this season.

Di Marco writes that it was assumed Cates would be in line for a long-term extension, but it doesn’t appear that’s in the works, suggesting arbitration is the most likely destination.

A Flyers source said Cates isn’t interested in a long-term deal and is willing to bet on himself on a one-year contract. The team views his value in the range of $3.5 million annually on a four to six-year contract.

Di Marco believes Cates would be willing to commit to the Flyers long term. However, it would be at a price the club considers too high.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A trade is possible if the Flyers don’t see Cates as a part of their long-term future. Doing so would hurt their depth at center unless they can swing a deal that brings in a suitable replacement.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2025

by | May 8, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2025

Could the Canadiens attempt to trade Carey Price’s contract? Which centers could they target in this summer’s trade market? Could the Rangers shop Alexis Lafreniere? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

PUCKPEDIA: Marco D’Amico believes the Montreal Canadiens could attempt to trade Carey Price’s contract to free up cap space for next season.

A knee injury ended Price’s playing career in 2022. Since then, the Canadiens placed him on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to garner salary-cap relief. However, it could complicate things next season with promising youngsters like Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov carrying performance bonuses in their contracts. If those players hit those bonuses, the Habs will be tagged with an overage.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has been sidelined since 2022 (NHL Images).

Price’s contract has one year left with a $10.5 million cap hit, but he’ll earn an actual salary of $7.5 million, of which $5.5 million will be paid out as a signing bonus on July 1. The Canadiens could peddle it to a team trying to reach the salary-cap minimum next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens did the same thing with Shea Weber’s contract in 2022, trading it to the Vegas Golden Knights for winger Evgenii Dadonov. The Golden Knights flipped it to the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Mammoth) in 2023. Utah sent that contract to the Chicago Blackhawks at this year’s trade deadline.

Price carries a full no-movement clause but he won’t block the Habs from moving his contract. The $2 million base salary would make it quite affordable for teams hoping to keep their payrolls near the league minimum.

TVA SPORTS: Vincent Duquette listed 10 possible trade targets for the Canadiens to address their need for a second-line center, examining the pros and cons of each player.

Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders top his list, followed by Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly, Minnesota’s Marco Rossi and Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras.

Boston’s Pavel Zacha, Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin, Seattle’s Matty Beniers, Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers, and Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque round out the list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles aren’t trading Horvat or Barzal unless one of them wants out, and even then, the Canadiens might not be on their lists of preferred destinations. O’Reilly lacks a no-trade clause, but the Predators treat him like he has one.

Rossi has resurfaced in the rumor mill. He’s a restricted free agent coming off an entry-level contract and finished second among Stars scorers with 60 points. However, the Canadiens could prefer a more physically imposing center.

Injuries have hampered Zegras over the past two seasons. He’s been primarily employed as a winger.

The Bruins are unlikely to move Zacha because they’re already thin at center and hope to bounce back from this season’s disappointing performance. Malkin intends to retire as a Penguin. The Kraken won’t part with Beniers unless the Canadiens are willing to overpay.

Zibanejad’s decline over the past two seasons screams “Buyer Beware!” Bourque is a promising player. but hasn’t established himself as a second-line center.

Looking at the list, the Canadiens’ best option might be Rossi, but it means adding another small forward to their roster.

COULD THE RANGERS TRADE ALEXIS LAFRENIERE?

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker took note of a reader’s point suggesting Alexis Lafreniere didn’t come up as much for poor play compared to some of his teammates this season. She believes it’s because the 23-year-old is still considered in their younger players category.

Walker noted that Lafreniere caught his share of flak after signing a seven-year contract extension last October. She doesn’t think it would be off-board for the Rangers to trade him, pointing out he’s underperformed during his five-year career.

Lafreniere lacks no-trade protection until 2026-27. Walker suggested that might prompt general manager Chris Drury to do something sooner rather than later if that’s the route he wishes to go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Veteran winger Chris Kreider remains the player most likely to be moved in a cost-cutting trade this summer. Drury could hang on to Lafreniere, hoping he improves next season. Nevertheless, we can’t dismiss the possibility that he moves the young winger if he fetches a better return than Kreider.