Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 30, 2023

by | Apr 30, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 30, 2023

A look ahead at the offseason for the Lightning and Kings plus more speculation about what the summer might hold for the Jets and Islanders in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE LIGHTNING AND KINGS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what could be a difficult offseason for the Tampa Bay Lightning following their first-round elimination by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Figuring out how to free up more salary-cap space should be a priority. Veterans like Alex Killorn, Corey Perry and Ian Cole are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. They also have limited trade capital with just three picks in this year’s draft.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois did a fine job managing his limited cap space to maintain a contender for the past three years. However, he now faces a different challenge in figuring out how to restore the depth around his core talent before their best seasons are behind them.

BriseBois could find it easier should the salary cap increase this summer by more than the projected $1 million. Otherwise, he could face another offseason shedding more roster depth and trying to find suitable replacements at cheaper prices.

Ryan S. Clark examined what could be in store this summer for the Los Angeles Kings following their second straight first-round elimination by the Edmonton Oilers.

The Kings will have to ensure they’ve got sufficient cap space to re-sign restricted free-agent forward Gabriel Vilardi. They’ll also have to decide what to do with pending unrestricted free agents Joona Korpisalo and Vladislav Gavrikov.

They’ll also have to decide what to do with goaltender Cal Petersen, who’s completing the first season of a three-year contract worth $5 million annually. The struggles of Petersen and now-former Kings goalie Jonathan Quick led the Kings to turn to Pheonix Copley for large stretches of the season before acquiring Korpisalo at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how general manager Rob Blake addresses this situation. Vilardi’s performance this season has him in line for a significant raise while Korpisalo and Gavrikov were solid additions who are worth retaining if there’s sufficient cap room to do so.

Trading Petersen could free up valuable cap space to re-sign Vilardi and retain Korpisalo and/or Gavrikov. Given his struggles over the past two seasons, however, it’s unlikely they’ll find any takers unless they retain a portion of his salary or take back a bad contract in return.

LATEST ON THE JETS

WINNIPEG SUN: Ted Wyman reports Jets winger Kyle Connor isn’t interested in being part of a roster rebuild at this stage in his career. “I don’t think anybody in that locker room wants to be part of a rebuild,” he said. Connor is among the few Jets stars with more than one year remaining on his contract.

Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck and restricted free agent Pierre-Luc Dubois are all a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. If any or all of them are moved this summer, Wyman believes that will at least constitute a retooling, if not a rebuild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much of the focus on a possible Jets rebuild is based on shipping out Scheifele, Wheeler, Hellebuyck and Dubois and using the returns to build around players like Connor, Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers who still have term on the contracts beyond next season. It hasn’t taken into account that those players might not want to be part of that process

Connor pointed out he has no say in what management does. Nevertheless, his comments could have some impact on their offseason decisions. Instead of trading those players for draft picks and prospects, perhaps they seek returns that provide a quicker turnaround in the Jets’ fortunes.

Speaking of Dubois, Wyman reported he was dismissive of the rumors about his future. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old center made no secret that he’d like to choose where he plays once he becomes a UFA.

“The right to choose is something that personally, it gives you power,” said Dubois. “You can make your decision and not just go where you’re told. So for me, that’s something that’s pretty important.”

Speculation has linked Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens since his agent last summer hinted that he might like to play for them one day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois playing coy over whether he’s interested in a long-term deal with the Jets. His comments will only stoke speculation that he could be traded to the Canadiens this summer.

Hellebuyck has no idea if he’ll be part of the Jets future beyond this season. “I don’t know what their plans are, and I don’t know if I’m in it, to be honest,” he said. “If they decide to move me, that’s their call. If they decide to try to talk, I haven’t really thought about that yet.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck also isn’t interested in a rebuild. “My main goal is to win a Stanley Cup and I’m running out of time,” said the 30-year-old goaltender.

Scott Billeck reported Scheifele was non-committal about his future. He learned his lesson from last year when season-ending remarks about doing what’s best for him and his career sparked weeks of trade speculation.

“I think it’s too early to talk about,” said Scheifele. He plans to take time in the coming days and weeks to think about it and figure things out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be very surprised if the Jets return next season with their current core intact. They’ve been in decline over the past five seasons. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has been patient to a fault but it’s apparent that this group isn’t getting any better. Changes are necessary and could be coming as early as June in the lead-up to the 2023 Draft in Nashville.

NHL WATCHER: cited Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek on the “32 Thoughts” podcast wondering if Blake Wheeler might be a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins given the questions about the futures of Flyers center Sean Couturier and Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron. Marek believes Wheeler fits the mold of those teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Chuck Fletcher were still the Flyers GM, then yes, Wheeler would fit their mold. Not anymore. The Flyers are rebuilding and Wheeler (who turns 37 in August) is too old to be a suitable part of that process. As for the Bruins, I think they’d be more interested in someone who’s younger as a possible replacement for Bergeron.

BIG DECISIONS FACING THE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the New York Islanders face many organizational questions heading into this offseason.

The first is whether general manager Lou Lamoriello will be back. It’s unknown if the 80-year-old has signed a contract extension to stay on as president and general manager of the Islanders for next season. His current deal is believed to expire at the end of this season.

Lamoriello or his replacement will have to decide if they’ll tinker with the current roster or make significant changes. Semyon Varlamov, Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield and Zach Parise are their notable UFAs. Veterans still under contract like Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin could be trade or contract buyout candidates.

With centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal under long-term contracts, Sears wondered if Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Brock Nelson might be traded for resources that could be deployed elsewhere in the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sears doesn’t expect the Islanders to engage in a roster teardown and neither do I. However, they must bolster their offense if they hope to be more than a marginal playoff contender in the Metropolitan Division. That could involve one or two cost-cutting moves to free up sufficient cap space to address that issue this summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2023

by | Apr 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2023

A look ahead at what might be in store in the offseason for the Islanders and Wild plus the latest on the Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE ISLANDERS AND WILD?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked ahead at the offseason for the New York Islanders now that they’ve been eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. She believes they must address the lack of consistent scoring that plagued them throughout this season.

The Islanders could also use a reliable backup for starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin if Semyon Varlamov departs via free agency on July 1. She also wondered if general manager Lou Lamoriello might consider replacing rookie head coach Lane Lambert with a veteran bench boss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello is renowned for his secrecy so we have no idea what he’s got planned for the Islanders this summer. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume that he’ll look at bolstering his popgun offense.

Lamoriello might have to go the trade route as Cap Friendly indicates the Isles have around $6.9 million available for 2023-24 with 18 roster regulars under contract. In other words, a dollar-in, dollar-out move.

Varlamov could return if he’s willing to accept a significant pay cut on a short-term contract. As for Lambert, your guess is as good as Lamoriello’s but it wouldn’t be shocking if he makes another change behind the bench.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark examined the offseason issues facing the Minnesota Wild following their first-round playoff elimination. He points out they’ll be hampered by the ongoing cost of buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter as it rises to a combined $14.7 million per season through 2024-25.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

They have eight players eligible for unrestricted free agent status including Matt Dumba, Marcus Johansson, John Klingberg and Ryan Reaves. Their restricted free agents include goaltending Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Calen Addison and forward Sam Steel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Wild have just $3.4 million in projected cap space next season with 22 roster players under contract. General manager Bill Guerin will have to shed salary to free up cap space to retain some of these players.

Most of those UFAs are goners except perhaps Johansson given his chemistry with young star Matt Boldy. Gustavsson has to be re-signed as aging Marc-Andre Fleury is no longer capable of handling the workload of a full-time starting goaltender.

LATEST JETS SPECULATION

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna discussed what the Winnipeg Jets should do in the offseason following their disappointing season.

McKenna believes they should trade center Mark Scheifele as he’s been there too long and they need to shake up the dressing room. He thinks Scheifele will have some trade value given his career-best 42-goal performance this season.

Servalli believes a new contract for Connor Hellebuyck is the priority facing the Jets. He’s eligible for UFA status after next season. Seravalli wondered if they’ll trade Hellebuyck if he’s not interested in a contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One or perhaps both of those players could be shopped this summer. The same goes for Blake Wheeler. Like Scheifele and Hellebucyk, Wheeler’s slated for UFA status next summer.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the possibility of the Canadiens acquiring Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois during their latest “32 Thoughts” podcast.

Marek said he’s led to believe there are other clubs also interested in Dubois despite the speculation suggesting the Canadiens are his preferred destination. Friedman mentioned Kirby Dach being the return for Dubois was suggested to him but he believes if it were that simple it would’ve been done by now.

Dumont dismissed the notion of the Canadiens parting with Dach. He also noted that Friedman pointed out the Jets will have little leverage given that Dubois is a restricted free agent this summer who’s a year away from UFA status.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any team interested in Dubois other than the Canadiens might be willing to acquire him for this season with the hope of signing him before his UFA eligibility next year. However, they’re not going to overpay to get him given the Jets’ lack of leverage.

The Canadiens will have considerable leverage to acquire Dubois, assuming they indeed want to acquire the 24-year-old center and sign him to a lucrative long-term contract. They have an extra first-round pick in this year’s draft belonging to the Florida Panthers which could be enticing for the Jets if it’s also bundled with a quality prospect or promising young NHL player.

I’ll be very surprised if the Canadiens agree to part with Dach for Dubois. They are very pleased with his performance this season despite being sidelined by injuries at times. He had terrific chemistry on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield and showed potential as a second-line center as well.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 28, 2023

by | Apr 28, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 28, 2023

Big changes could be coming for the Jets roster following this disappointing season. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark wondered where the Winnipeg Jets go from here following their five-game first-round elimination at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights.

“Do they choose to keep this team together and add a few players to address their problem areas? Or do they believe it’s in their best interest to start looking ahead to their future instead?”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have been in decline since reaching the 2018 Western Conference Final. They’ve only won one playoff round since then and missed the postseason last year. It’s time to look to the future.

WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen believes hard decisions face the Jets this summer.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, forwards Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Nino Niederreiter and defensemen Dylan DeMelo and Brenden Dillon are eligible next summer for unrestricted free-agent status.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

Center Pierre-Luc Dubois is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights who’s a year away from UFA eligibility. Meanwhile, winger Nikolaj Ehlers and blueliners Nate Schmidt and Neal Pionk have two years remaining on their contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has a reputation for being patient to a fault. However, he’s now in a situation where he may have little choice but to shake up this roster core. The results speak for themselves.

Cheveldayoff signed a three-year contract last year. However, if he’s unwilling to make the changes this roster needs, the club’s ownership should find someone who will.

If any of those pending UFAs aren’t interested in extensions this summer they should be shopped for the best available returns. It’s senseless to hang onto them for one more season and expect a better result. Keeping them around will be an unnecessary distraction next season as all the focus will be on their contract statuses and whether any of them will be shopped before the trade deadline.

Friesen’s colleague Ted Wyman examined why the Jets were the first club eliminated from this postseason.

While acknowledging Hellebuyck is the best goalie in franchise history, Wyman was critical of his postseason performances. He was scathing of Dubois’ effort in Game 5.

“You’d have been hard-pressed to believe that Dubois was trying his hardest in Game 5,” wrote Wyman.” Unless by that, you mean he was trying his hardest to get out of town, and the organization, as quickly as possible after this season.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been plenty of speculation going back to last summer linking Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens. If the Habs are interested in him, perhaps they’ll have second thoughts after watching his performance in Game 5 of this series.

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe noted Jets head coach Rick Bowness held nothing back in his brief post-game presser regarding his club’s performance in this series and during the season. “I’m so disappointed and disgusted right now,” he said, calling out his players’ lack of pushback and pride.

Wiebe acknowledged the Jets played with Ehlers sidelined for all but Game 5 and lost top defenseman Josh Morrissey in Game 3 and leading goal-scorer Scheifele in Game 4. Nevertheless, he thinks Bowness’ comments support the idea of shaking up the Jets’ core but he wondered how deep those changes will be.

If contract extensions for Hellebuyck, Scheifele, Dubois, Wheeler, DeMelo and Dillon aren’t possible, Wiebe speculated the Jets could decide to move most of them in what is expected to be an “on-the-fly retool.” Much will depend on the trade market and what kind of offers the Jets receive for those players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Cheveldayoff and the team’s ownership won’t listen to the pundits, perhaps they should consult Jets fans.

Friesen recently reported the club’s attendance has tumbled in recent years along with the quality of the on-ice product. This season’s average attendance (14, 045) is the lowest since they moved to Winnipeg, not counting the two COVID-plagued seasons when games were held in empty or near-empty arenas.

He also pointed out that Jets fans haven’t been happy with the players’ lackluster performances over the past two seasons. This comes at a time when the club’s ownership recently asked the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for more support from local businesses in the form of season-ticket purchases.

Winnipeg fans are happy to have an NHL team again but they expect it to be competitive. Given Bowness’ blistering remarks about the Jets’ performance this season, it’s time for the front office to avoid another patchwork effort for short-term gains and make real changes to improve this club over the long term.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2023

by | Apr 24, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2023

More Erik Karlsson speculation plus an update on Pierre-Luc Dubois in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MORE ERIK KARLSSON SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Corey Masisak examined what next season could look like for Erik Karlsson if the San Jose Sharks retain him or trade him.

Karlsson has indicated he wants to win and enjoys living and playing in San Jose. Sharks general manager Mike Grier enjoyed having the 32-year-old defenseman on the roster and will be happy to have him back next season. However, he’s also indicated he’s open to offers and if he gets a suitable one would take it to Karlsson, who has a full no-movement clause but would waive it for the right opportunity.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Keeping Karlsson would help the Sharks improve next season. It would also leave them a little shy of $15 million in cap space meaning they won’t be making expensive forays into the unrestricted free-agent market. They have several affordable restricted free agents to re-sign plus a need for a goalie to share the duties with Kaapo Kahkonen.

Grier could open more cap space by shopping Kevin Labanc or Radim Simek rather than buying out contracts. Both players are in the final year of their respective deals.

Trading Karlsson would leave a big hole in their blueline and leave them worse off than they were this season. Finding an eventual replacement will be a priority. They could look toward the 2023 NHL draft for a future potential No. 1 defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks will obviously be a better club with Karlsson in the lineup next season than without. However, it’s clear that they’re starting to rebuild under Grier. If he gets a suitable offer that Karlsson will accept, he won’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

Karlsson’s $11.5 million average annual value through 2026-27 remains as big an obstacle as his no-movement clause. Assuming the salary cap for next season rises higher than projected, it’s still going to be difficult for Grier to find a trade partner willing to take on that full cap hit. He’ll have to retain a significant chunk or take back a bad contract in return.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Karlsson is traded this summer. It will be interesting to see how Grier pulls it off.

DUBOIS EXPECTED AN OFFER SHEET FROM THE CANADIENS

TVA SPORTS: Appearing on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline said Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois always wanted to play for the Montreal Canadiens during his tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Portzline delved into the real reason behind Dubois’ departure from the Blue Jackets, pointing out that he was their top center and had bought a new apartment in Columbus. While the assumption was that Dubois was clashing with then-Jackets coach John Tortorella, Portzline believes that the center was expecting an offer sheet from the Canadiens.

He noted that Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen made two trades in the final hours before the free-agent market opened that year (“two defensemen out the door”) to ensure sufficient cap space to match any potential offer. Portzline thinks that’s what changed the relationship between Dubois and the Jackets’ management.

SPECTOR’ S NOTE: The two trades Portzline is referring to occurred on Oct. 8, the day before the 2020 NHL free-agent market opened.

Cap Friendly shows the Jackets sending Ryan Murray ($4.6 million) to the New Jersey Devils and Markus Nutivaara ($2.7 million) to the Florida Panthers. That move freed up a combined $7.3 million in cap space to match an offer sheet for Dubois by the Canadiens or another club.

Dubois signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Jackets on Dec. 31 before training camps opened for the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. Over three weeks later, on Jan. 23, 2021, he was traded to the Jets.

This revelation by Portzline will only stoke speculation that he could be traded to the Canadiens this summer. It’s been rumored since last year that Dubois hopes to join the Canadiens by next summer as an unrestricted free agent. There was conjecture that his appearance at last year’s draft in Montreal was in anticipation of a trade to the Canadiens, though he subsequently denied that was the case.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 23, 2023

by | Apr 23, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 23, 2023

Check out the latest on the Canadiens and Red Wings in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT WILL THE CANADIENS DO THIS SUMMER?

SPORTSNET: In his recent mailbag segment, Eric Engels was asked if he expected anyone on the Montreal Canadiens to be bought out or traded this summer.

He sees Mike Hoffman and Joel Armia as the only two buyout candidates but admits he doesn’t anticipate the Canadiens will exercise that option. Trading both players could prove difficult given their contracts. Hoffman has a year remaining with a $4.5 million cap hit while Armia has two years remaining with an average annual value of $3.5 million.

The Canadiens could package Hoffman with one of their three fourth-round picks as an incentive to get teams to take on his full cap hit. They could also retain $1.5 million of his cap hit.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).

Engels is confident that defenseman Joel Edmundson will be traded this summer. He acknowledged winger Josh Anderson’s wish to remain in Montreal but doesn’t rule out the Canadiens trading him if the right opportunity presents itself.

The Canadiens will look at every opportunity to improve their goaltending. Engels doesn’t rule out the possibility of moving Jake Allen and bringing in a replacement who fits into their long-term plans. He doesn’t believe Sam Montembeault will be moved.

Engels speculates the Canadiens might want to attempt to acquire Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois this summer rather than wait until next summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. He thinks there’s no guarantee Dubois will walk to them next July and a lot can change between now and then. However, if the cost of acquiring him proves too expensive, they could wait until free agency.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: In his recent mailbag, Marc Dumont would prefer the Canadiens retain as many assets as possible and rely on Dubois making his way to Montreal as a free agent rather than via trade. It’s risky but better than paying too high a price in a trade with Winnipeg.

Dumont doubts Hoffman will be traded this summer, suggesting the rebuilding Canadiens still need shooting talent. He felt Hoffman’s production was reasonable this season on the injury-ravaged Habs and it could improve on a hopefully healthier roster next season. He also hasn’t heard of much interest for the 33-year-old winger in the trade market.

As for other trade candidates, Dumont doesn’t think Edmundson will garner much interest given his struggles this season and nagging back injury. He believes Armia is headed toward a buyout. Center Christian Dvorak could have value if he returns to the form he displayed once Martin St. Louis took over as head coach but doubts a team will offer the Habs assets for him at the moment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A couple of interesting takes regarding what moves the Canadiens might make this summer.

Regarding Dubois, I’m in the camp of waiting to sign him as a UFA if he’s determined to join the Canadiens next summer rather than waste assets acquiring him in a trade. That being said, we don’t know whether the Habs brain trust of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes see Dubois as someone that fits into their rebuilding plans.

Everything tying Dubois to the Canadiens is speculation based on comments made by his agent last summer about his client wanting to play for Montreal one day. Gorton and Hughes wisely kept silent to avoid getting penalized by the league for tampering. Hughes has only made the generic statement that every GM makes about exploring every option to improve his team without mentioning any player on another club.

That doesn’t mean Hughes won’t make any significant moves this offseason given the deals he pulled off last summer. Maybe he’ll find a way to pry Dubois away from the Jets without giving up too much in return. Perhaps he’ll find takers for Edmundson, Hoffman and Armia. Maybe he’ll move Anderson or maybe he won’t. Your guess is as good as mine.

We won’t get a clearer picture of Hughes’ intentions until June. Even then, he’ll probably surprise us.

WHICH RED WINGS PLAYERS WILL BE MOVING ALONG THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman recently looked at which Detroit Red Wings will be staying or going during the offseason.

The Wings could face decisions on Filip Zadina, Pius Suter, Alex Chiasson, Gustav Lindstrom and Jordan Oesterle.

The sixth overall pick in 2018, Zadina has struggled to reach his potential as a scoring winger. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $1.825 million. Bultman cautioned against giving up on the 23-year-old winger, citing Buffalo’s Casey Mittelstadt’s breakout performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadina’s cap hit isn’t expensive and the Red Wings can easily afford to carry his contract for another season. Give him one more shot and if it doesn’t pan out they can peddle him at next season’s trade deadline.

Suter, Chiasson and Oesterle are unrestricted free agents this summer while Lindstrom is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. Some of them could be retained for the right price depending on whether the Wings see younger players in their system moving into the roster next season.

Bultman expects pending UFAs such as Alex Nedeljkovic, Robert Hagg, Adam Erne and Magnus Hellberg will be on their way out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nedeljkovic, 27, is the most notable of this group. Acquired two years ago from the Carolina Hurricanes, he never panned out as hoped as the Wings’ starting goaltender. He spent most of this season with their AHL affiliate.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2023

by | Apr 21, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2023

Could the Ducks’ John Gibson address the goaltending woes of the Penguins or Senators? Could this year’s playoffs be the last for several of the Jets’ key players? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD GIBSON INTEREST THE PENGUINS OR SENATORS?

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Joe Starkey suggests Pittsburgh native John Gibson could address the Penguins’ goaltending woes. The club has come to a crossroads with pending free agent Tristan Jarry. Starkey believes they should move on and pursue a trade for the Anaheim Ducks netminder even if it means shipping Jake Guentzel or Bryan Rust to the Ducks.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

Starkey would bring back Jarry only if Gibson proves unattainable. He’d only sign him for a year or two at $4 million annually and believes the Penguins would also need a reliable veteran with starter experience to pair with Jarry.

Gibson is a franchise goaltender. While his stats have declined, Starkey believes that’s due to playing for a team that’s fallen to the bottom of the league. He’s been a workhorse who’s averaged 50-60 games per season for the Ducks. Gibson is signed for four more seasons at $6.4 million annually which fits into the Penguins’ perceived window.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson also has a 10-team no-trade clause but the Penguins might not be on it. He could jump at the chance to play for his hometown team despite their missing the playoffs this season but I don’t know if the Penguins can make the type of offer that would intrigue the Ducks.

Guentzel or Rust are good fits on playoff contenders but not on a team in the early stages of a rebuild like the Ducks. I think they’ll want a promising young player, a first-round pick or a top prospect as part of the return. If there were willing to acquire Guentzel they’d need assurances he’ll agree to a contract extension and that’s something he might not do.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports goaltending was the Senators’ Achilles heel over the past four years, one they intend to address in the offseason. He included Gibson among their possible options this summer.

Garrioch noted the Ducks would like to shed Gibson’s contract. There’s talk he’d like to be moved to a contender. Garrioch believes the Senators are on the verge of something special.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson could be a great fit with the Senators. They have the depth in promising young players and prospects to make a competitive bid to the Ducks. However, we don’t know if he’d accept a trade to Ottawa or any of the other Canadian franchises.

If Gibson is willing to join the Senators, they’ll have to move some salary in the deal or ask the Ducks to retain part of his cap hit to ensure sufficient cap space to re-sign Alex DeBrincat. If DeBrincat’s not interested in a long-term extension, perhaps he could be offered up in return for Gibson provided he’s willing to sign with the Ducks.

If they can’t re-sign DeBrincat and the Ducks aren’t interested in him, the Senators can ship him somewhere else and perhaps use the savings to take on the remainder of Gibson’s contract in a separate deal.

THE LAST DANCE FOR SOME OF THE JETS CORE PLAYERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently suggested this year’s playoffs could be the last opportunity for some members of the Winnipeg Jets’ core talent to win a Stanley Cup together.

Since reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2018, the Jets have been in decline, missing the playoffs last season and barely qualifying this season.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and forwards Matt Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer. This postseason could be the last time some of those players could be in a Jets uniform.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets can open contract extension talks with any of those four on July 1. Whether they’ll do that depends on how they perform in the playoffs as well as their interest in sticking with the Jets beyond next season.