NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 20, 2026

by | Sep 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 20, 2026

Recapping Saturday’s preseason action plus the latest on Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, Rangers winger Pavel Dorofeyev, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in split-squad action in their preseason openers on Saturday.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (NHL Images).

Cole Caufield scored in overtime and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists to nip the Maple Leafs 4-3 in Montreal, while Phillip Danault tallied twice for a 4-1 victory in Toronto. In the latter contest, Darren Raddysh scored in his preseason debut with the Maple Leafs, while Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna was held scoreless in his first NHL preseason contest.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist to down the Winnipeg Jets 5-2. Evan Bouchard collected four assists for the Oilers.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on an overtime goal by Tyler Pitlick.

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jackson Hallum scored twice to double up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2.

The Seattle Kraken beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Prospect center Jake O’Brien scored and added an assist for the Kraken.

The Dallas Stars defeated the St. Louis Blues 2-1 on a goal by minor-league center Jack Becker.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark is refreshed, confident, and looking forward to his season after enduring a difficult 2025-26 campaign.

Ullmark struggled through the first half of last season and took a leave of absence for mental health reasons. He returned to backstop the Senators into the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Inconsistent goaltending nearly derailed the Senators last season until Ullmark returned to form in the second half. A more consistent effort on his part could push the Senators higher in the standings this season.

NEW YORK POST: Pavel Dorofeyev is looking forward to starting this season with the Rangers. They acquired the 25-year-old scoring winger from the Vegas Golden Knights last June and signed a seven-year, $77-million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev is coming off two seasons with 35 or more goals. He’s expected to play a significant role on their first line and on the power play. How he adjusts to playing for an Original Six club in one of hockey’s biggest markets will be a factor in determining whether the Rangers will be a playoff contender.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Anaheim Ducks signed center Tim Washe to a four-year contract extension that comes with an average annual value of $2.25 million.

Washe, 25, had two goals and five points in 39 games with the Ducks last season. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Ozzy and Oasiz Wiesblatt took sibling rivalry to another level when the two Nashville Predators youngsters got into a tussle during an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday. Neither brother was injured during the scrap.

Both are battling for jobs with the Predators. Ozzy has 45 NHL games on his resume while Oasiz spent last season with the Preds’ AHL affiliate in Milwaukee.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks winger Adam Gaudette is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

NESN: The Boston Bruins announced team executive Alex Gimenez’s death on Friday.

Gimenez spent more than a decade with MLB’s Boston Red Sox. He recently joined the Bruins as Director of Hockey Operations, Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was a newly created position within the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Gimenez’s family, friends, and the Bruins’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2026

by | Aug 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2026

Notable questions facing the Rangers, regular-season games to be played in Germany in 2027-28, the latest on Sergei Bobrovsky, Jaccob Slavin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers entered 2026-27 facing the prospect of how to replace Vincent Trocheck and who centers offseason addition Pavel Dorofeyev among their notable questions to be addressed.

The Rangers traded Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth on July 1, leaving them without a reliable second-line center and key contributor to their power play. Alexis Lafreniere could replace Trocheck on their first PP unit. J.T. Miller could take over as a primary center at even strength.

The New York Rangers acquired Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 26. (NHL Images).

Dorofeyev was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 26, signing a seven-year, $77 million contract. The 25-year-old winger could be on the Rangers’ top PP unit with Miller and Mika Zibanejad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season could be a critical one for the Rangers as their retooling process enters its third year. Failure to qualify for the playoffs could lead to more changes, perhaps starting in their front office.

NHL.COM: The NHL and NHLPA announced that Munich and Cologne will host NHL regular-season games during the 2027-28 campaign as part of the league’s annual Global Series. It’s the first time regular-season games will be played in Germany.

The Boston Bruins will play two games in JJ Peterka’s home city of Munich, while the Edmonton Oilers will play two games in Leon Draisaitl’s native city of Cologne.

The league is also partnering with FC Bayern for a first-of-its-kind multiyear partnership to accelerate the growth of hockey in Germany and the development of FC Bayern in North America.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL continues to make strides in its efforts to promote its brand into European markets. It could be setting the stage for a potential expansion into Europe, though that appears to be years away. For now, it will continue to grow the game there, ensuring a steady stream of the best European talent makes its way to the NHL.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL goaltender Glenn Healy downplayed concerns among Maple Leafs followers about whether Sergei Bobrovsky’s best years are behind him. He believes the 37-year-old netminder can still be an effective starter for the Leafs, whose experience could be an inspiration for the retooling club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky’s struggles last season with the injury-ravaged Florida Panthers raised concerns that he’s past his prime. A bounce-back performance on his part will be crucial to the Maple Leafs’ hopes of regaining playoff contention this season following their own disappointing performance.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin will use his day with the Stanley Cup this weekend to help raise funds, in part, to support the Grayson Murray Foundation.

Murray, a Raleigh native, was a two-time winner on the PGA Tour who died by suicide two years ago. The nonprofit foundation, which has support from the PGA, raises greater awareness and support for mental health and addiction challenges while advancing and funding innovative research and services.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Scott Morrow to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level. Morrow, 23, played 29 games with the Rangers last season.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Bill Hoppe recently reported Radim Mrtka was praised by his WHL coach over how the Sabres prospect defenseman handled rumors linking him to the St. Louis Blues before the March trade deadline.

Mrtka was reportedly part of the return to the Blues if defenseman Colton Parayko waived his no-movement clause. The deal died when Parayko refused to do so.

According to Seattle Thunderbirds coach Matt O’Dette, Mrtka handled the speculation well, calling him unflappable. “He just kind of goes about his business and kind of shrugged off that distraction a little bit,” O’Dette said.

Mrtka finished what was likely his final season with the Thunderbirds before joining the Sabres’ AHL affiliate in Rochester.

AZ HOCKEY INSIDER: Craig Morgan reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told him that the league continues to have an interest in having a franchise return to Phoenix.

The Coyotes played in the Phoenix area from 1996-97 to 2023-24, relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah, in April 2024.

Daly indicated that there is interest among “a number of people in Arizona to bring an NHL franchise back to the Phoenix area.” He indicated that the league has been open and honest that, given the right circumstances, they continue to believe it would be a good market for a successful NHL franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the league considering another expansion attempt into Atlanta, it shouldn’t be surprising that they would maintain an interest in Phoenix. Part of the “right circumstances” would be stable, deep-pocketed ownership and the construction of a new NHL-worthy arena in Phoenix. Without either one, there won’t be a return to Phoenix anytime soon.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks radio broadcasts will reportedly be moving to Rogers-owned Kiss Radio. The news comes six weeks after the demise of Sportsnet 650.










NHL Trade Tracker – June 26, 2026

by | Jun 26, 2026

NHL Trade Tracker – June 26, 2026

The Utah Mammoth traded the 23rd overall pick to the Detroit Red Wings for goaltender Sebastian Cossa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth needed a backup for Karel Vejmelka, who could one day become a starter. Cossa will have an opportunity to take over that role in Utah. 

The Anaheim Ducks trade Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the No. 15 and 29 picks in this draft (as per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet).

Anaheim Ducks trade center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish was a fixture in the rumor mill for months. He’ll likely slot into their second-line center position with promising Dalibor Dvorsky centering their third line. He can also skate on the left wing. McTavish, 23, is a cost-controlled young player with an AAV of $7 million through 2030-31.

The New York Rangers acquire winger Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the No. 26 pick in this draft, a third-rounder in this draft, and a conditional 2028 first-round pick (top-10 protected). 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev is a restricted free agent, meaning the cap-strapped Golden Knights might not have been able to match an offer sheet for him. The 25-year-old winger is a two-time 30-plus goal scorer who should be a solid fit among the Rangers’ top-six forwards. It’s also a significant loss for the Golden Knights’ offense. 

**UPDATE**  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Rangers will sign Dorofeyev to a seven-year contract worth an AAV of $11 million. 

The Boston Bruins have acquired winger JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and the 2028 first-round pick (originally from the Florida Panthers, top-10 protected).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A year ago, the Mammoth acquired Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring, signing him to a five-year deal worth an average annual value of $7.7 million. After tallying 68 points with the Sabres in 2024-25, he had 47 points in 82 games with the Mammoth, and no points in six playoff games.

The Chicago Blackhawks trade winger Andre Burakovsky to the Ottawa Senators for a 2027 sixth-round pick (as per Frank Seravalli).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Straightforward salary dump by the Blackhawks. Burakovsky has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.5 million. His best season was in 2021-22 with the Avalanche, netting 61 points. He hasn’t come close to those numbers since.

The Anaheim Ducks trade defenseman Olen Zellweger to the Buffalo Sabres for prospect center Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick (45th overall) in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s your replacement for Bowen Byram, Sabres fans.

Ottawa Senators acquire goaltender Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs acquired Ersson from the Philadelphia Flyers in a multiplayer trade on June 16.

The Montreal Canadiens acquire forward Brett Berard from the New York Rangers for defenseman William Trudeau.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2026

by | Jun 15, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2026

What’s next for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights? Could Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck request a trade? What’s the latest on the Flyers? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE 2026 STANLEY CUP FINALISTS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton and Ryan S. Clark examined the keys to the offseason for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights.

Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. They have Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov under contract for next season, so unless the Canes are comfortable carrying three goalies, Andersen could be the odd man out.

The Hurricanes must also negotiate with restricted free agent defenseman Alexander Nikishin, but after that, they’ll likely fill in around the edges rather than make a big move as they did last summer when they signed Nikolaj Ehlers. They could extend defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield or look for third-pairing help elsewhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Justin Pelletier of The News & Observer pointed out that the Hurricanes’ championship window remains wide open.

The Hurricanes have $11.9 million in cap space for 2026-27 to re-sign or replace their UFAs and to re-sign Nikishin. Thirteen of their 14 roster forwards, five of their seven defensemen, and two of their three goalies are under contract next season.

Pelletier pointed out the Hurricanes have 20 players signed through next season, and 15 signed beyond that. They won’t have any need to rebuild anytime soon.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have salary-cap issues to address. They must decide if they’ll re-sign pending UFA defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and they have to re-sign restricted free-agent winger Pavel Dorofeyev.

Goaltender Adin Hill backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup three years ago, but didn’t play in this postseason. He’s got five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million, and is a trade candidate this summer. They could also look at moving other players to free up salary cap room.

Alex Pietrangelo’s status is another factor. He missed this season recovering from hip surgery, but indicated he’ll try to come back next season. Pietrangelo has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $8.8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have $4.625 million in cap space for 2026-27. They’ll get $8.8 million in cap relief if Pietrangelo remains on long-term injury reserve next season. They can exceed the $104 million cap by 10 percent starting on July 1, but must be cap-compliant when their regular season begins in October.

If Pietrangelo stays on LTIR and they take the 10 percent offseason overage, the Golden Knights could still lack sufficient cap room to re-sign Andersson and Dorofeyev. That means losing the former to free agency and potentially the latter to an offer sheet unless they make one or two cost-cutting moves.

COULD JETS GOALIE CONNOR HELLEBUYCK REQUEST A TRADE?

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: A reader asked Ken Wiebe if goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would follow the example of Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin by requesting a trade.

Wiebe noted that Hellebuyck expressed displeasure with the Jets’ direction during his end-of-season media availability in April. However, there hasn’t been any real fallout yet.

Hellebuyck could be waiting to see what general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff does during the offseason to improve the roster during the upcoming draft weekend, free agency, and the summer trade market.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau suggested the New Jersey Devils could chase Hellebuyck if they manage to trade away starter Jacob Markstrom. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes recently reported the Devils are gauging Markstrom’s value in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers have taken Hellebuyck’s comments to suggest that he wants out. However, what he actually said was the Jets had to improve to win the Stanley Cup. However, he could seek a trade in a year or two if they fail to make any meaningful improvement this summer.

THE LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER’s Jackie Spiegel recently reported hearing there is mutual interest between the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who requested a trade last week.

Spiegel indicated that Nurse is the nephew of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. She wondered what he might cost to acquire, whether the Oilers would retain part of his $9.25 million AAV, and if there was another move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers could have a bigger need for a right-shot defenseman with Rasmus Ristolainen having a year left on his contract. Nurse is also in his early thirties and earns the salary of a first-pairing defenseman, but his play is that of a second-pairing blueliner.

Unless the Oilers will retain a hefty chunk of Nurse’s salary, he might not be a fit for the Flyers.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports sources claimed the Flyers are close to a contract extension with goaltender Dan Vladar. According to Weekes, it’s a five-year extension with an AAV that could be in the mid-$5 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar’s goaltending played a significant role in the Flyers exceeding expectations this season by qualifying for the playoffs and advancing to the second round. The 28-year-old is completing the first season of a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.35 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 9, 2026

by | Jun 9, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 9, 2026

The latest on Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, a list of potential offer-sheet candidates, the Canucks could be interested in Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DYLAN LARKIN SUBMITS A THREE-TEAM TRADE LIST

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James reported Monday that Dylan Larkin submitted a three-team trade list to Red Wings management. The Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers are his preferred destinations.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Minnesota is better-positioned to land Larkin than Vegas and Florida. The Wild has sufficient salary cap space (though they’ll have to move out some salary just the same) to acquire him. While they traded away their best prospects for Quinn Hughes in December, they have enough left to put into an enticing trade package, depending on which roster player or players they’re willing to part with.

The Golden Knights lack the cap room to take on Larkin’s $8.7 million average annual value through 2030-31. And no, the Wings won’t retain salary. They don’t have a suitable center to include in the deal.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards looked at what it would cost the Panthers to land Larkin. He believes the Panthers would have to give up center Anton Lundell as part of the return.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would probably jump at the chance to add Lundell, but it’s unlikely the Panthers will part with him. He’s the eventual replacement for Aleksander Barkov when the Panthers captain retires.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker looks at how Larkin’s addition to the trade market might affect the Rangers’ efforts to move Vincent Trocheck this summer.

Trocheck is no longer the top center in the market. However, he could still prove enticing to clubs seeking a center who are not on Larkin’s trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin may be the best center in this trade market, but Trocheck is more affordable and more available. He has a 12-team no-trade list that drops to a 10-team list on July 1. Unless Larkin expands his trade list, it really won’t hurt Trocheck’s trade value.

POTENTIAL OFFER SHEET CANDIDATES

SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen recently did up an offer sheet primer, including a list of players who might get one this summer.

The list includes Buffalo Sabres winger Zach Benson, Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev, Florida Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury, Anaheim Ducks defensemen Olen Zellweger or Pavel Mintyukov, and Montreal Canadiens winger Zack Bolduc.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev and Bourque could be the most likely offer-sheet candidates, assuming they’re willing to sign. The Golden Knights are squeezed for cap space, while the Stars will have to shed salary to re-sign winger Jason Robertson.

CANUCKS REPORTEDLY INTERESTED IN GALLAGHER

TVA SPORTS: Gerry Johansson, agent of Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher, told the Donnie & Dhali podcast that the Vancouver Canucks are interested in his client.

Gallagher, 34, told reporters last week that he would be moving on from the Canadiens. He has a year left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a six-team no-trade list.

A Vancouver native, Gallagher expressed an interest in playing for the Canucks. The Canadiens have permitted Johansson to speak with other teams about a trade.

“Vancouver initially expressed interest, but there are many variables. It’s on their desk; they are interested,” Johansson said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One variable could be what the Canadiens would want in return. The Canucks could also want the Canadiens to retain part of Gallagher’s salary. 

THE BLACKHAWKS ARE SHOPPING FOR A DEFENSEMAN

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope recently reported Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson is interested in making trades this summer to add more established talent into his young roster.

One target is a veteran left-shot defenseman. The Blackhawks’ young defense corps struggled after shipping out Connor Murphy at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The most notable veteran left-shot blueliners include Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers. However, they’re unlikely to waive their no-movement clauses to join a rebuilding team.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 24, 2026

by | May 24, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 24, 2026

Check out the latest on the Golden Knights, Stars, Canucks, and Kings in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CAP SPACE AN OFFSEASON ISSUE FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND STARS

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal listed seven teams that could face a salary-cap crunch in 2026-27. Two of the more interesting were the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars.

The Golden Knights have a projected $12.5 million in salary-cap space if sidelined defenseman Alex Pietrangelo remains on LTIR for next season. That won’t leave much to re-sign restricted free agent winger Pavel Dorofeyev and pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

Dayal speculated that forward Tomas Hertl could become a salary-cap casualty. The Golden Knights are carrying $6.75 million of his $8.137 million average annual value (with this former club, the San Jose Sharks, carrying the rest) through 2029-30.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev’s RFA status would make him an enticing offer-sheet candidate if he’s willing to consider that option. Because he has arbitration rights, interested teams will have from the start of free agency on July 1 until the July 5 arbitration filing deadline to make their pitch, assuming he doesn’t file between those dates. If he goes to arbitration, he’s ineligible to sign an offer sheet.

The Golden Knights acquired Andersson from the Calgary Flames in January. Some observers wondered why they haven’t re-signed him yet. It’s believed they’re waiting until July 1 to do so. On that date, they’ll be allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10 percent during the offseason. It will also give them time to determine if Pietrangelo will remain on LTIR for next season.

Hertl has a modified no-trade clause, but there are no details as to how limiting it might be. Dayal suggested that the high demands for centers could create plenty of opportunities for the Golden Knights to move him.

The Stars’ limited cap space has created speculation over how they’ll free up room to re-sign RFA winger Jason Robertson. Dayal also mentioned that it could make center Mavrik Bourque a tempting offer-sheet target. He suggested that the Stars could have difficulty matching a $4.775 million offer sheet for Bourque, and it would only cost a second-round pick in compensation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s situation has been well-documented. However, the Bourque offer sheet scenario could be intriguing.

Bourque is completing a one-year deal with an AAV of $950,000 and, like Robertson, has arbitration rights. The versatile 24-year-old can play center or wing, lacks no-trade protection, and had a career-best 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points this season.

As with Hertl, the demand for centers could tempt a rival club to try to sign Bourque to an offer sheet, assuming he’s interested in doing so. Signing him to between $4.776 million and $7.163 million would cost a first and a third-round pick, so it’s understandable why Dayal suggested the $4.775 million AAV offer.

THE LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma suggested the Vancouver Canucks should be buoyed by the Montreal Canadiens’ swift rise to ensure long-term competitiveness. As the Canucks embark on a rebuild, they can draw lessons from the Canadiens’ efforts, which turned them from a last-overall team to an Eastern Conference finalist within four years.

Kuzma observed that one of the ways the Canadiens rebuilt quickly was by identifying roster players with market value to acquire assets, while targeting players who hadn’t yet hit their stride with other clubs.

Winger Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Filip Hronek could be marketable players for the Canucks.

DeBrusk, 29, wants to win now. His goal production and his affordable $5.5 million AAV for the next five seasons could be attractive in the trade market.

The 28-year-old Hronek is a big-minute, lead-by-example defenseman who finished second in scoring on the Canucks this season. He has a full no-movement clause, but Kuzma speculated he could fetch a first-round pick, a prime prospect, and perhaps more.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk has indicated he’s not keen about a rebuild, which makes him the more likely of the two to be traded this summer. He also has a full no-movement clause, but will be open to waiving it to join a playoff club.

Management will have to determine whether Hronek wants to be part of the rebuild. If he does, he can provide leadership and skilled experience to their young defense corps. Otherwise, they’ll find out where he wants to be traded and go from there.

UPDATE ON THE KINGS

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently listed who stays and who goes from the Los Angeles Kings this summer.

Stephens included Darcy Kuemper among those he believes are “staying put, almost certainly”. He noted that the 35-year-old goaltender’s struggles this season cost him his job as the team’s starting goalie.

Kuemper has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.25 million. Stephens believes he could be a comeback candidate or put on the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuemper also has a 10-team no-trade list. Despite that and his struggles this season, the limited market for goaltenders could make him a trade target for clubs desperate for help between the pipes.

Stephens thinks Trevor Moore could stay put, but he noted that the 31-year-old forward has been up-and-down in recent years. He also observed that he has two years left on his contract without trade protection.

They could face a tough decision with pending UFA Scott Laughton. His departure would leave them thin at center if they can’t find a suitable replacement. He will draw interest in the free-agent market. Forwards Mathieu Joseph and Andrei Kuzmenko are UFA-eligible and unlikely to be back.