NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2025
NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2025
Check out the latest on Rangers winger Chris Kreider, Wild center Marco Rossi, Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT WILL THE RANGERS DO WITH CHRIS KREIDER?
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh was recently asked what the New York Rangers intend to do with Chris Kreider. The 33-year-old winger was the frequent topic of trade speculation during the regular season.
The Rangers are facing a salary-cap crunch next season. Trading Kreider and his $6.5 million average annual value through 2026-27 is one route to creating cap space.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).
Kreider carries a 15-team no-trade list. He could make it difficult for the Rangers to move him by eliminating teams with the cap space to take on his salary. That would force the Blueshirts to retain him, put him on waivers, retain salary in a trade or buy him out. The last option would leave a cap hit of $3 million for 2025-26, $4 million in 2026-27, and $1.5 million in each of the following two seasons.
Baugh doesn’t expect the Rangers to bring in any big-name replacements for Kreider. They might have enough room to add a depth player or two. Doing more would require another cost-cutting trade.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Baugh believes the Rangers and Kreider could work together to find a suitable trade partner if the winger is open to a change. His injuries this season likely prevented the Rangers from finding a suitable deal, but he still managed to reach the 20-goal plateau for the 10th time in his NHL career. A contender seeking an experienced scoring winger could take a chance on a healthy Kreider reaching 30 goals again.
WHAT KIND OF RETURN WOULD MARCO ROSSI FETCH THE WILD?
THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith were recently asked what a realistic trade for Marco Rossi would look like. The 23-year-old center finished second this season among Minnesota Wild scorers. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1, but faces an uncertain future in Minnesota.
Smith believes there should be a good market for Rossi despite his 5’9”, 192-pound frame. He thinks the Wild could look at what the young center would fetch in compensation if he signed an offer sheet between $4.6 million and $7.02 million AAV (a first and a third-round pick). However, that would feel like an underwhelming return. Smith speculates that Rossi could be part of a larger deal to bring in a larger winger or center.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s been mentioned as a trade target for several clubs, including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks. It’ll be interesting to see if the Wild attempt to move him during next month’s draft weekend (June 27-28) in Los Angeles.
SABRES GAUGING BOWEN BYRAM’S MARKET VALUE
SPORTSNET/THE SCORE: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are gauging Bowen Byram’s value in the trade market. He said there is “no doubt” that the 23-year-old defenseman’s name is out there, adding “there is definitely noise around the Byram names and the Buffalo Sabres.
Byram is due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He’s coming off a career-best 38-point performance in 82 games. The Sabres have over $21 million in cap space for 2025-26 but must also re-sign RFA forwards JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn. They’re also expected to spend on outside help after missing the playoffs for the 14th straight year.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports out of Buffalo earlier this month suggested the Sabres would prioritize re-signing Peterka, Quinn, Alex Tuch and Ryan McLeod. They also believed Byram could be used as trade bait to bolster their depth elsewhere, perhaps to acquire a veteran right-shot defenseman to pair with left-shot blueliner Owen Power.
Byram has an injury history but he’s a terrific all-around defenseman when healthy. He should have plenty of value in this summer’s trade market.
SENATORS TO SEEK A RIGHT-SHOT DEFENSEMAN
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Steve Staios will likely pursue another right-shot defenseman after veteran Nick Jensen underwent surgery on Monday for a lower-body injury.
There is no timetable for Jensen’s recovery. It’s believed he had the procedure on a hip or a knee.
Garrioch claimed the Senators were among the teams that looked into acquiring Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old Calgary Flames blueliner has a year remaining on his contract and his future is to be determined. It’s assumed he’ll get an AAV of around $8 million on his next contract, which is why the Flames could move him this summer to get something in return.
The Senators would need assurances that Anderson would agree to an extension before acquiring him, and that could mean the return would have to be high.
Another option could be Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Toronto Maple Leafs tried to acquire him at the trade deadline but were rebuffed. Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers could be available in this summer’s UFA market, but would be an expensive signing.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames GM Craig Conroy said he’s hoping to meet with Andersson and his agent in the coming weeks to discuss a contract extension. Nevertheless, the blueliner could be traded if he and Conroy can’t agree on a new deal. The Flames GM probably doesn’t want to repeat what he went through with Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin two years ago.
Ristolainen underwent surgery on March 26 to repair a ruptured triceps tendon. He will reportedly be sidelined for six months and will miss training camp.
COULD MAXIME COMTOIS RETURN WITH THE RED WINGS?
RG.ORG: Daria Tuboltseva cited sources claiming Maxime Comtois could make his return to the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings. The 26-year-old forward spent this season with KHL club Dynamo Moscow, collecting 50 points in 62 games and leading them in playoff scoring with 13 points.
“I’ve always said I wanted to return to the NHL, and this season I did everything possible to make that happen,” said Comtois. He also reportedly has a contract offer from the Boston Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Comtois was a once-promising forward with the Anaheim Ducks from 2018-19 to 2022-23, but he never reached expectations. He could become an affordable reclamation project for the Wings, Bruins or another NHL club.