NHL Rumor Mill – June 21, 2025

Check out the latest on Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, Rasmus Andersson, JJ Peterka, Bowen Byram, Noah Dobson and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT COULD CONNOR MCDAVID’S NEXT CONTRACT LOOK LIKE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman speculated on what Connor McDavid’s next contract will look like. The 28-year-old Edmonton Oilers superstar is a year away from unrestricted free-agent (UFA) eligibility, with an average annual value (AAV) of $12.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Friedman doesn’t believe McDavid intends to leave Edmonton, but he thinks the Oilers captain might pursue a two-year contract instead of the maximum eight years. That would ensure the Oilers remain sharpest in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup. He also thinks the AAV could be between $15 million and $17 million, but not as high as it could be.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman stressed that this is only his opinion as to what McDavid might do. I agree with him that McDavid is unlikely to leave the Oilers, but could opt for a short-term deal to give himself some wiggle room in case the club falls out of contention over the next several years.

COULD RASMUS ANDERSON LEAVE THE FLAMES?

Friedman reports that the feeling around the league is that Rasmus Andersson is ready for something new. The 28-year-old Calgary Flames defenseman is a year away from UFA status. The Flames are willing to move him, but only at the right price.

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin reports Flames general manager Craig Conroy said he’s had talks with Andersson’s agent. He indicated they have some clarity on where things are headed, but didn’t elaborate about the direction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames could still re-sign Andersson. If not, they could hang onto him for the coming season and perhaps shop him at the trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention by then. They could trade him this summer and avoid the unnecessary distraction of speculation about his future hanging over him and the club next season.

NO SHORT-TERM DEAL FOR MITCH MARNER?

Friedman said he received pushback on his suggestion that Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner could opt for a four-year contract via free agency. However, he said a few teams had heard about it.

The Marner camp is expected to meet with teams (probably virtually unless they come to Toronto) on July 1, and then he could meet with a team or two before reaching a decision. However, that plan could backfire if he takes too long, as interested clubs could become impatient and make other plans.

Friedman thinks the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights will be among Marner’s suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are better-positioned cap-wise than the Golden Knights to make a lucrative offer. Vegas will have to shed considerable salary to make it happen, and that could hurt their overall depth.

Friedman again mentioned the possibility of Alex Pietrangelo starting the season on long-term injury reserve (LTIR), which would free up the cap room to pursue Marner. However, the Golden Knights already have an elite playmaker (Jack Eichel). What they need is a sniper, something Marner isn’t.

THE LATEST ON THE PANTHERS

Friedman reports the brakes are being pumped on the Sam Bennett extension talk. The 29-year-old Conn Smythe Trophy winner raised eyebrows by telling partygoers on Thursday that he wasn’t leaving the Florida Panthers. Friedman thinks Bennett wouldn’t have made that public declaration without knowing where the talks are going, but there hasn’t been an agreement yet.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards cited Panthers GM Bill Zito saying he’d like to bring everybody back, referring to his UFAs like Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Nate Schmidt.

Bennett is the priority, with Richards speculating his next contract could be in the range of $7.5 million and $8 million annually. He might get more on the open market, but he wants to remain with the Panthers.

The Panthers have $19 million in cap space for 2025-26. Richards considers it unlikely that Zito can pull it off without making some cost-cutting moves.

SPORTSNET: Brad Marchand is open to re-signing with the Panthers. “Give me a contract,” he said with a laugh when talking to reporters.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett will be re-signed. Ekblad could be if he agrees to a pay cut. Schmidt should also be an affordable re-signing.

Marchand reportedly wants a raise on a short-term deal, which is understandable because he was underpaid throughout his current contract. Unless he has a change of mind or Zito makes a cost-cutting trade, he’ll hit the open market on July 1

UPDATE ON THE SABRES

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn reported that trade rumors are getting louder regarding JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this week that the 23-year-old winger isn’t happy in Buffalo and the Sabres are fielding calls from other clubs.

Peterka is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights. Fairburn said the Sabres aren’t keen on trading him. However, given the interest and demand, they need to hear what’s out there. Any return for Peterka must include pieces that can help the Sabres end their playoff drought next season.

Fairburn and colleague Shayna Goldman pondered the possibility of the Sabres trading Bowen Byram. They acquired the 24-year-old defenseman before the 2024 trade deadline. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights seeking a raise over his current AAV of $3.85 million.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli claiming the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks were interested in Peterka.

CANUCKS ARMY: Tyler Kuehl cited Seravalli also saying the Canucks had some interest in Byram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s also speculation Peterka and/or Byram could become offer-sheet targets if the Sabres fail to sign one or both before July 1. However, the Sabres have over $23 million in cap space, giving them plenty of room to match any offers.

The Sabres could trade one of them, but it won’t be for picks and prospects. As with the deal that brought Byram to Buffalo last year, it could be a player-for-player swap.

ISLANDERS LISTENING TO OFFERS FOR NOAH DOBSON

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias cited Elliotte Friedman, saying that the Islanders are quietly testing the trade market for Noah Dobson during his Friday podcast. The 25-year-old defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights.

This comes in the wake of Frank Seravalli claiming the Dobson camp sought a long-term deal with an $11 million AAV. Friedman indicated nothing’s set in stone, suggesting three options. They could sign him long term and perhaps trade him later if it doesn’t work out, risk a potentially contentious arbitration process, or trade him now.

Macias believes the Islanders will want a significant return. He noted Seravalli linked them to Buffalo’s JJ Peterka.

Friedman also mentioned the trade rumors about Isles blueliner Alexander Romanov, but he thinks they’ve set a high asking price for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Dobson camp is seeking far more than what their client is worth. He deserves a raise over the $4 million AAV he earned this season, and has a promising 70-point season in 2023-24 on his resume. However, the decline in his production this season to 39 points makes it difficult to justify $11 million annually. A raise to between $8 million and $9 million would be reasonable.

This situation is an interesting early test for new GM Mathieu Darche. How he handles it will be a significant indicator of which direction he intends to take the Islanders in the coming years.