Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 23, 2026

by | Aug 23, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 23, 2026

Why hasn’t Connor Hellebuyck been traded yet? Will we see more eight-year contract signings before the Sept. 15 deadline? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: The status of trade talks for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck topped Emily Sadler’s recent list of lingering offseason questions.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Sadler pointed out that a Hellebuyck trade seemed imminent two months ago. Since then, the chatter regarding the 33-year-old netminder has grown quiet. However, she noted that her colleague, Elliotte Friedman, recently suggested that it could pick up around training camp next month.

Hellebuyck’s teammate, defenseman Josh Morrissey, hopes that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner will stay put. “You can’t believe everything you might see or hear out there,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets captain Adam Lowry also hopes Hellebuyck stays. “Until something happens, he’s a Jet, he’s a good friend, and we’re excited to get him back”, Lowry said.

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton recently discussed why Hellebuyck hasn’t been traded yet.

Hutton doubted that there’s any “buyer beware” attached to Hellebuyck. He thinks the Jets should move him at some point because of his age, pointing out that he won’t have much value left if they wait two or three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets were reportedly working on a trade before the draft in late June that would’ve sent Hellebuyck to the Buffalo Sabres, but the deal fell through. There’s been no indication that the two sides have revisited those discussions, and nary a peep from the vacationing insiders (such as Friedman) that they’re having any trade talks with other clubs.

That doesn’t mean a trade won’t happen once the calendar flips to September when training camps approach. It seems like the Jets prefer to hang onto Hellebucyk, hoping he’ll backstop them to a bounce-back performance following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, but that could change if a rival club steps up with an acceptable offer, whatever that might be.

TSN: With the maximum term for re-signing players to eight-year contracts dropping to seven years for deals signed after Sept. 15, some observers wonder if we’ll see any further eight-year deals signed before then.

The last eight-year contract signed was Ville Koivunen’s recent deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins for an average annual value of $4 million. It could be the last one ever signed. 

Cutter Gauthier of the Anaheim Ducks is the top player still unsigned among this summer’s restricted free agents. Others include Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings, and Alexander Nikishin of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Gauthier and Fantilli could be considered the most worthy of inking eight-year contracts, but they could follow the recent trend of short-term deals for higher average annual salaries.

Next summer’s unrestricted free-agent class includes defensemen Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild. Both are in their late-twenties and prime candidates for eight-year contract extensions before Sept 15. While Makar may be open to that deal, Hughes reportedly prefers a three-year extension.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the top forward in that UFA class, but at 33, he’s unlikely to get an eight-year extension offer.

Others include Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson, Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha, and Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat’s status remains in limbo until the Wings find a new general manager, who might not be hired until sometime in September. Batherson reportedly wants an eight-year deal, but the Senators seem cool to that possibility. The Bruins are believed to be interested in re-signing Zacha, but nothing suggests the two sides are close.

Robertson recently signed a one-year contract. Given how contentious those negotiations were, which included his rejection of a trade to the Seattle Kraken because he wouldn’t sign an eight-year deal with them, it’s unlikely he’ll be inking an eight-year contract with the Stars before Sept. 15.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2026

by | Aug 22, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: suggested destinations for Oilers captain Connor McDavid as the offseason silliness continues, and a look at the Red Wings’ cap space.

BLEED OIL BLUE: NHL Network’s E.J. Hradek recently discussed hypothetical destinations for Connor McDavid if he were to leave the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid, 28, is entering the first season of his two-year contract extension with the Oilers. That has generated speculation about what the superstar center might do if the club fails to return to Stanley Cup contender status after last season’s disappointing performance.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

Hradek said he doesn’t have a close relationship with McDavid. However, speaking with “a couple of different sources,” he said that if McDavid were to leave Edmonton, perhaps the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings were locations that he might be amenable to.

The New York Rangers come up “because the Rangers are gonna have a lot of cap space, and it is New York, after all.” Hradek suggested that seeing the outpouring of love for the New York Knicks after winning the NBA championship could influence someone to join the Rangers.

Hradek ultimately believes that if McDavid leaves, it’ll be to join a club where he can win the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With all due respect to Hradek and his sources, the Flyers, Red Wings, and Rangers won’t give McDavid the best chances to win hockey’s holy grail.

The Flyers are a promising team, and they definitely need a first-line center. They exceeded expectations last season by reaching the playoffs and advancing to the second round. However, even the most die-hard Flyers fan knows that their team is still several years away from Cup contention.

Meanwhile, in Detroit, the Red Wings have become a soap opera. A decade-long playoff drought prompted team captain Dylan Larkin to request a trade, forcing ownership to relieve franchise icon Steve Yzerman of his duties as general manager and sparking speculation about his eventual replacement. Of the teams Hradek mentioned, the Wings are the furthest from Cup contention.

As for the Rangers, GM Chris Drury has been attempting to retool his roster on the fly over the past two years. While this season’s edition is bound to be better than last season’s, they are no closer to regaining their Cup contention status from two years ago.

I realize I’m noting where these teams are now and that a lot can change by the time McDavid’s contract expires in 2028, assuming he departs as a free agent and doesn’t push for a trade beforehand.

Nevertheless, I don’t see those three clubs improving over that period to become certain Cup contenders, which I believe is what it would take to entice McDavid.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen recently reported that whoever becomes the next general manager of the Red Wings will be swimming in salary-cap space this season.

According to PuckPedia, the Red Wings have a league-leading $19,572,084 of cap space for 2026-27. That will go down once restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson is re-signed. Assuming he gets an average annual value of $9 million, it would still leave the Wings with over $10 million to work with. They could also gain another $8.7 million, depending on what they gain if they trade Dylan Larkin.

Allen noted that the Red Wings could have over $40 million in projected cap space for 2027-28. Next summer’s free-agent pool could be deep. Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild are among the stars who could be available. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having lots of salary-cap space won’t matter if the top players in next summer’s UFA market aren’t willing to sign with your club. The Red Wings’ current status suggests they could have a difficult time wooing the best free-agent talent.

They could put that cap space to better use in the trade market, provided they target players lacking no-trade protection or those who would be willing to waive their clauses to come to Detroit.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 21, 2026

by | Aug 21, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – August 21, 2026

Sidney Crosby to the Canadiens? Cutter Gauthier back to the Flyers? We’ve truly hit the silliest part of the offseason dog days, folks. Check it out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE SID SEIXEIRO SHOW: On Wednesday, Seixeiro dismissed the notion of Sidney Crosby signing a contract extension for one or two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins before the start of the season. “I’ll believe that when I see it,” he said.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Despite Crosby’s loyalty to the Penguins, Seixeiro believes the day will come when the future Hall of Famer will lose faith in general manager Kyle Dubas’ roster building. He suggested that the Montreal Canadiens should make a pitch for Crosby. Addressing Canadiens fans, Seixeiro asked if they would swap prospect Michael Hage and a first-round pick for Crosby.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported earlier this week that contract extension talks between Crosby and the Penguins will start when the summer ends. He believes it’ll likely be a one- or two-year deal. Yohe hasn’t been wrong in any of his reports about Crosby’s contract intentions yet.

The “Crosby-to-Montreal” talk began among several pundits (some based in Toronto) two years ago when the Penguins captain was approaching the final season of his previous contract. It was merely suggestions or wishful thinking rather than anything based in fact.

Seixeiro loves to stir the pot, and since there’s been a dire dearth of real hockey news to talk about, he’s just resurrecting the Crosby-to-Montreal speculation for his own amusement and that of his listeners.

TSN 690: During a recent appearance on the Campbell vs Gallo show, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff was asked if the Philadelphia Flyers might hit the Anaheim Ducks with another offer sheet, this time by targeting winger Cutter Gauthier.

The Flyers signed Ducks center Leo Carlsson last month to a five-year offer sheet worth an average annual value of $18 million, which the Ducks subsequently matched. Gauthier was a Flyers prospect who was traded to the Ducks in January 2024 after refusing to sign an entry-level contract.

Gauthier is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights. Di Marco doubted that the 21-year-old winger would be interested in signing with the Flyers. If there were another RFA they might take a shot at signing, it would be Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Di Marco’s sources said it’s something the Flyers aren’t willing to do.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier is ineligible to sign an offer sheet because he hasn’t played the mandatory number of games to qualify. Even if he were eligible, Di Marco is right that he won’t sign with the Flyers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio wondered if the St. Louis Blues might be forced to explore a trade for Pavel Buchnevich.

The 31-year-old winger has struggled over the past two seasons. He’s entering the second season of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8 million, and he carries a full no-trade clause.

Gaudio doesn’t believe Buchnevich’s situation has reached the “must-trade” stage. However, Blues GM Alex Steen may have to consider his options if the winger’s performance doesn’t improve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We finish with some conjecture that isn’t silly. Nevertheless, another subpar performance will make Buchnevich difficult to move given his cap hit and no-trade protection. They could be stuck with him for a while.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 20, 2026

by | Aug 20, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – August 20, 2026

Potential trade candidates for the Flames, how the Panthers might replace sidelined winger Brad Marchand, and the latest on the Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson expects the rebuilding Flames will be outside the playoff picture again by the March trade deadline. He looked at several players who could be moved out by then.

Morgan Frost is one candidate. The 27-year-old center can become an unrestricted free agent next July. A strong performance by Frost this season could make him an attractive trade target for clubs seeking depth at center.

Zach Whitecloud could be the Flames’ most valuable trade chip. The 29-year-old defenseman has two years remaining on his contract with an affordable average annual value of $2.75 million. Wilson believes the Flames will retain him for this season to mentor their younger defensemen, but he could be moved this season if Simon Nemec and Zayne Parekh make major strides.

Calgary Flames center Morgan Frost (NHL Images)

Like Frost, Ryan Strome is a center who is UFA-eligible next July. However, the 33-year-old must have a better effort than his disappointing 21-point effort last season to garner much interest in the trade market.

Winger Joel Farabee and young defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz could also become trade candidates. However, the Flames could re-sign Farabee while Brzustewicz could be stashed in the minors for another season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frost and Whitecloud have the most value as trade chips, with the latter likely to draw the most attention if he becomes available. It would be worthwhile to monitor their performances this season if the Flames are sellers again at the trade deadline.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Lambert recently examined ways the Florida Panthers could replace sidelined winger Brad Marchand until the 37-year-old returns from surgery later this season.

One option is to work the waiver wire in the hope a reasonable short-term solution becomes available. Lambert also recommended signing free-agent forward Michael Bunting, or simply gutting it out until Marchand returns, with the latter perhaps the most likely outcome.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lambert observed the Panthers don’t have much salary-cap space, plus Marchand might return by the end of October at the latest. Given those factors and the overall improvement in their roster’s health entering this season, they’ll likely wait for Marchand to return.

THE ATHLETIC: In his latest mailbag segment, Arpon Basu reported Montreal Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom has appeared in trade rumors.

Engstrom, 22, is among the Canadiens’ top prospects. He made his NHL debut last season, appearing in 15 games.

According to Basu, teams have asked about Engstrom in trade discussions, and the Canadiens are open to moving him. However, they haven’t moved him yet because they see him as having considerable value.

Basu also noted that Engstrom is among several mobile puck-moving defensemen on the Canadiens blueline who aren’t overly imposing physically. He feels that could elevate the importance of Arber Xhekaj and/or Jayden Struble to the Habs’ defense corps.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basu pointed out the Canadiens have Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson and Alex Carrier, who play a style similar to Engstrom’s. David Reinbacher is another, but Basu pointed out that he has a bit of a physical edge to his game when he reaches his peak comfort zone.

Xhekaj and Struble have been mentioned as trade candidates this summer, especially Xhekaj. However, they could stick around to maintain some physicality within their defense corps if the Canadiens are open to including Engstrom in a deal that addresses their need for a second-line forward, preferably a center.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2026

by | Aug 19, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2026

Check out the latest on Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports Sidney Crosby is entering the final season of his two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 39-year-old center will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Yohe acknowledged that the longer Crosby goes unsigned, the more speculation will grow about his future in Pittsburgh, just like what happened before he signed his current deal.

However, Yohe believes Crosby will sign another extension with the Penguins. He indicated that Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, said there is an understanding that his camp will discuss a new contract before the summer is over.

Yohe speculated that Crosby’s next contract will likely be a one- or two-year deal. He’s never been one to push for as much money as he could get. Whatever the term and price, the Penguins will likely accept it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has long maintained that he doesn’t want to play anywhere else. Nevertheless, some pundits seemed to delight in musing over potential trade destinations for the future Hall of Famer, even insisting that the Penguins owed it to Crosby and the rest of the league to trade him to a playoff contender.

Crosby isn’t going anywhere. He’ll finish his career with the Penguins. Hopefully, the two sides will get a deal done quickly and spare us another season of silly Crosby trade speculation.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Lambert cited a recent report by NHL Network Radio contributor Paul Shaheen, who recently claimed that Cutter Gauthier rejected a four-year contract proposal from the Anaheim Ducks that would’ve paid him an average annual value of $13 million.

Lambert noted that the validity of Shaheen’s reporting remains unclear, but noted that the longer Gauthier remains unsigned, the more questions will be raised. He noted how Leo Carlsson’s new contract left the Ducks with just over $9 million in cap space, meaning they’ll likely have to shed salary to re-sign the talented young winger.

According to Lambert, general manager Pat Verbeek is to blame for creating this situation. His reputation for playing hardball with young players coming off entry-level contracts left the club vulnerable to Carlsson becoming an offer-sheet candidate, resulting in them matching an offer from the Philadelphia Flyers despite it being worth far more than they had originally anticipated signing him for going into this offseason.

Lambert noted that the only leverage Gauthier has is to withhold his services. However, the Ducks have to realize they cannot continue playing hardball like this, especially if doing so costs Gauthier some games or adversely affects his performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There hasn’t been much real news about Gauthier’s negotiations with the Ducks. That’s generated plenty of rumors, including one claiming he wouldn’t accept a penny less than the $18 million AAV that Carlsson got on his new contract.

It remains to be seen how much Gauthier gets on his next contract, but it certainly won’t be less than $9 million. If Shaheen’s report is correct, my guess is he won’t accept anything less than $14 million annually.

As with Crosby, the longer Gauthier remains unsigned, the more conjecture will arise about what his new deal could look like, and which players will be trade candidates to ensure the Ducks become cap-compliant for the coming season.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 18, 2026

by | Aug 18, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – August 18, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we take a look at the salary cap decisions facing the Ducks, Canadiens, Stars, Avalanche, and Sharks.

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler recently looked at five teams that face intriguing salary-cap decisions.

The Anaheim Ducks have $9 million in cap space after matching the Philadelphia Flyers’ five-year offer sheet ($18 million average annual value) to Leo Carlsson last month. However, they must also re-sign restricted free agent winger Cutter Gauthier, who led the Ducks last season with 41 goals and 69 points.

Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Sadler noted that the Ducks will get cap relief next summer when Chris Kreider and Alex Killorn become unrestricted free agents. However, she wonders what they’ll do in the meantime. Sadler also noted that Gauthier’s new contract could affect winger Beckett Sennecke’s contract extension talks next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely the Ducks will get Gauthier signed to anything under $9 million. That means they’ll have to shed some salary to become cap-compliant when the regular season opens next month.

The Ducks can get some short-term cap relief by placing sidelined winger Troy Terry on long-term injury reserve to start the season. However, a cost-cutting trade or two will be necessary once Terry is ready to return to action, possibly involving Kreider or Killorn.

The Montreal Canadiens have young core players Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson signed to affordable long-term contracts under $9 million AAV, and recently signed Ivan Demidov to an eight-year extension worth $9.15 million annually.

Sadler pointed out that the Canadiens will have considerable salary-cap flexibility for the next several years. She wonders if general manager Kent Hughes has a big swing in store after a quiet offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wasn’t for lack of trying on Hughes’ part. The Canadiens were linked to Toronto Maple Leafs power forward Matthew Knies at the March trade deadline and to Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko during this summer.

The Canadiens are pursuing a top-six forward, preferably a second-line center to skate alongside Demidov. Hughes is being patient in his quest for the right return, but at some point this season, he’ll likely pull the trigger on a major trade.

The Dallas Stars re-signed Jason Robertson to a one-year, $12 million contract, but it did little to quiet the trade rumors swirling around the 26-year-old winger, who is UFA-eligible next summer.

Sadler noted that the Stars remain above the $104 million salary cap. She also thinks how this season plays out will have “massive implications” for the Stars and Robertson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson reportedly wants to stay in Dallas, and the Stars want to keep him. His one-year contract buys management time to re-sign him next summer when they’ll have more cap space, while giving him another season to prove his worth as a first-line winger.

PuckPedia indicates the Stars are above the cap by $1.36 million. Adam Proteau of The Hockey News suggested trading or demoting defenseman Kyle Capobianco and winger Colin Blackwell to free up the necessary space.

Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar is slated to become a UFA next summer. Sadler wondered what moves they could make to ensure the 27-year-old defenseman remains in Colorado.

The Avalanche have four other contracts set to come off their books next summer, with Brent Burns, Nicolas Roy, Artturi Lehkonen, and Scott Wedgewood also UFA-eligible. While that frees up around $10 million, it creates other roster gaps to be addressed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have over $32 million in projected salary-cap space for 2027-28, with 17 active roster players under contract. However, $20 million of it could go toward re-signing Makar. With salaries on the rise, the remaining $12 million might not be enough to replace their other UFAs adequately.

Sadler noted the expensive extension that Macklin Celebrini recently signed with the San Jose Sharks. His league-leading $18.8 million AAV has set the market for the next wave of young talent. She wondered how much Sharks teammates Will Smith and Michael Misa could command on their next contracts?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smith had 45 points in 74 games as a rookie and 59 points in 69 games as a sophomore. He’ll be in line for a substantial raise if he continues to improve, likely over $12 million annually. A strong sophomore campaign for Misa could also put him within that range.