NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2025

by | Nov 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2025

The Canadiens remain linked to Bruins center Pavel Zacha, the Penguins need a left-shot defenseman, and the latest on the Oilers. Get the details in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANADIENS INTERESTED IN ZACHA

TVA SPORTS: According to Nicolas Clouthier, one of the worst-kept secrets in the league is that Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes “adores” Pavel Zacha. He pointed out that Hughes was the Boston Bruins center’s former agent.

Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (NHL Images).

Cloutier cited “trustworthy sources” within the Canadiens claiming the club is not on Zacha’s list of teams he doesn’t want to be traded to.

The Canadiens need an experienced second-line center. Discussions took place over the summer, including one about Zacha. Cloutier believes follow-up talks are planned when teams decide to sell.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cloutier acknowledged the rarity of trades between the Bruins and Canadiens. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be ruled out.

Zacha would tick a lot of boxes for the Canadiens, but there is no certainty that the Bruins will move him. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun recently reported that they see him as an important part of their plans, adding that it wouldn’t be surprising if he signs a contract extension next summer.

Still, a lot can happen over the course of a season. The Bruins could consider trading Zacha if he shows little interest in an extension.

PENGUINS SEEK A DEFENSEMAN

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reported last week that the Penguins require a left-shot defenseman. They’ve lost Caleb Jones to a lower-body injury for eight weeks and need a suitable replacement.

Kingerski said sources claimed that general manager Kyle Dubas is “kicking tires” on spare left-shot blueliners. One of them is Erik Gustafsson of the Detroit Red Wings, who is currently with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited NHL insider Frank Seravalli telling Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer that the Oilers are considering multiple player movements. That includes possible trades involving defensemen Troy Stecher and Ty Emberson, and forward Mattias Janmark.

This news comes with Janmark, winger Zach Hyman, and blueliner Alec Regula poised to return from injuries. There is “zero chance” that the Oilers will place Regula on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you’re wondering, Stecher, Emberson, and Regula are right-hand shots. They won’t be of interest to the Penguins.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 19, 2025

by | Oct 19, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 19, 2025

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: an update on Shane Pinto’s contract talks with the Senators, and the latest on the Oilers.

SENATORS OFFER PINTO AN EIGHT-YEAR EXTENSION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Ottawa Senators have made an eight-year contract extension offer to Shane Pinto.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (NHL Images).

The 24-year-old center will become a restricted free agent next July with arbitration rights. He’s in the second year of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million.

Friedman said a deal isn’t imminent, and it’s unknown how much money the Senators are offering Pinto.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Pinto’s performance this season could raise the cost of re-signing him. He became the first player in franchise history to score six goals in the first five games of a season.

Senators general manager Steve Staios said he had positive discussions with the Pinto camp during the offseason. However, Garrioch observed that they weren’t positive enough to get a deal done. Staios indicated that Pinto’s agent, Lewis Gross, wanted to let the season start without any distractions.

Garrioch claimed the talk in league circles is that the discussions were shelved because of a large gap between what the Senators were offering and what the Pinto camp considers fair market value. A league executive told Garrioch that the young center’s next contract could come in between $7.1 million and $8.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pinto’s situation will be worth watching. He leads the league in goals right now, and it’s going to strengthen his hand in negotiations. If this ends up going to arbitration next summer, it could hasten his departure from Ottawa.

Pinto would provide the Senators with long-term depth at center with Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens. As Garrioch observed, he must decide if he wants to be part of the Senators over the long term.

Garrioch wondered if Pinto would accept a four-year deal to 2029-30. That would be when the contracts of Stutzle and Cozens will expire.

LATEST OILERS SPECULATION

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited NHL insider Frank Seravalli reporting that the Oilers have a “pecking order” of players who could be moved via demotion or trade to make room for sidelined players such as Jake Walman, Zach Hyman, Mattias Janmark, and Alec Regula.

Seravalli believes Isaac Howard will be the first to be demoted because he’s waiver-exempt. Next would be forward Curtis Lazar. He thinks the Oilers want to avoid putting center Noah Philp on waivers because a rival club would claim him.

Defenseman Ty Emberson could become the odd man out, leading Seravalli to ponder whether the Oilers will make a trade and move Emberson. He also thinks they would trade Janmark if an opportunity presented itself.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 20, 2025

by | Apr 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 20, 2025

The Jets and Avalanche take the opening games of their respective series, the Rangers and Ducks fire their head coaches, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Kyle Connor scored the winning goal with 1:36 remaining in the third period as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-3, taking a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven opening round series.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

Connor and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and two assists as the Jets scored three unanswered third-period goals to overcome a 3-2 deficit. Robert Thomas, Oskar Sundqvist and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues. Game 2 is Monday, Apr. 21, in Winnipeg starting at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Game 1 was anything to go by, this should be a fast-paced, entertaining series. The Blues set a physical tone, outhitting Winnieg 53-33. However, the Jets adapted and took control of the game in the final period.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his club to a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round series. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots for the win in his first-ever NHL playoff game.

Roope Hintz tallied for the Stars to make it 2-1 in the third period before the Avalanche pulled away with three goals. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon was outstanding as usual, but Blackwood was the real star of this one for the Avs, coming up with several big saves to frustrate the Stars.

Avalanche forward Ross Colton left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury. An update on his status is expected Sunday. Meanwhile, sidelined Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen attended Saturday’s morning skate and has been upgraded to day-to-day. He’s been out since undergoing knee surgery in late January.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers fired head coach Peter Laviolette on Friday. Hired in 2023, Laviolatte guided the Blueshirts to the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy, but the club struggled this season and missed the playoffs. They are seeking their fourth head coach since 2021.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks relieved Greg Cronin of his duties as head coach after two seasons. The rebuilding Ducks improved by 21 points over last season but missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Laviolette firing was expected, given his inability to cope with the turmoil within the team as management attempted to remake the roster during this season. However, the Cronin firing was a surprise because of the Ducks’ notable improvement this season.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk was a full participant in practice on Saturday as his club prepares for Game 1 of their first-round series with archrival Tampa Bay Lightning. The power forward has been sidelined with a groin injury since the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning-Panthers series begins on Tuesday. Barring a setback, expect Tkachuk to return to action in Game 1.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Lightning, winger Oliver Bjorkstrand will miss that series with the Panthers because of a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe were back in their usual spots on the blueline during Saturday’s practice. Both rearguards had been sidelined with injuries heading into the postseason.

DAILY FACEOFF: Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson revealed he played the final 12 games of the regular season with a broken fibula after blocking a shot during a March 25 game against the Seattle Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson kept playing because he was trying to help his club stay in the playoff race. While those efforts were unsuccessful, his toughness and will to win are among the reasons why management hopes to sign him to a contract extension this summer.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Mathew Barzal and goaltender Semyon Varlamov are expected to be ready for training camp in September. Knee surgeries sidelined both players and their absence was partly responsible for the Isles missing the playoffs.

THE SCORE: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to miss the start of next season after undergoing arm surgery. His last game of this season was March. 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen’s improved performance before his injury was among the few bright spots for the Flyers this season.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres defenseman Owen Power won’t require surgery on his injured left knee. He’s been told to stay off the ice for two months, which shouldn’t interfere with his offseason training.

Meanwhile, Sabres forward Josh Norris revealed a torn oblique muscle limited him to just three games with the club following his March 7 trade from the Ottawa Senators.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault was critical of head coach Andrew Brunette’s offensive system. “Clearly, it didn’t work,” he said, adding that there had to be adjustments before next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators were among this season’s worst offensive teams despite the additions last summer of scoring forwards Marchessault and Steven Stamkos. That inability to score occasionally sparked speculation over Brunette’s job security.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Ty Emberson to a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2024

by | Aug 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2024

The fallout from the Canadiens acquiring Patrik Laine from the Blue Jackets, the Oilers decline to match the Blues’ offer sheets for Broberg and Holloway, Predators goalie Yaroslav Askarov requests a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes the Canadiens acquisition of Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets is a low-risk move that could be a big reward. The Jackets sent the 26-year-old winger and a 2026 second-round pick to the Canadiens on Monday in return for defenseman Jordan Harris.

The Canadiens needed more scoring to become a playoff team. Laine is a former 44-goal scorer with two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8.7 million. However, he’s struggled with consistency and injuries in recent years.

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said he spoke with Laine before making the trade. He believes the winger is mentally in a good place and is energized and excited about playing in Montreal. He also spoke with people who knew Laine from his days with the Winnipeg Jets.

Laine’s cap hit makes him the Canadiens’ highest-paid player. However, the fact that he only has two years left on his deal factored into their decision to acquire him.

Montreal Canadiens acquired winger Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 19. (NHL Images).

Hughes believes Laine’s potential success in Montreal lies not with how many goals he scores but by his ability to contribute and help the team. He also hopes that he’ll help their younger players.

The Canadiens felt they could afford to part with the 24-year-old Harris. They have considerable depth in young left-shot defensemen. Harris was a healthy scratch from eight games last season.

SPORTSNET: Laine said he’s been cleared to skate after having an operation to address a shoulder injury suffered last season. He claims his shot is as powerful as ever. He declined to explain why he wanted to leave the Blue Jackets but said he’s excited about a fresh start in Montreal, adding he’s “always enjoyed the spotlight.”

Laine indicated he wasn’t enjoying himself off the ice, which affected his on-ice performance. Since seeking help for his mental health earlier this year through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, he’s now happier than ever away from the rink and working hard to prepare for the coming season.

TVA SPORTS: Laine said he wasn’t just content to be a 30-goal scorer again. “I want to be a 40 or 50-goal scorer again. I’ve done it before. It wasn’t by accident,” he said.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Canadiens took on the full value of Laine’s cap hit, putting them above the $88 million salary cap by $1.85 million.

They can get cap relief by placing permanently sidelined goalie Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve. However, they’re not doing it immediately because they’re allowed to be above the cap by 10 percent in the offseason. By placing Price on LTIR after the start of the season, they’ll leverage the full benefit of the cap relief.

D’Amico noted the Canadiens could make a trade to shed salary. Another player could suffer an injury that delays the inevitable, or they could play musical chairs with their roster to start the season. He cited sources suggesting the third option is currently their best choice.

Under that scenario, they could place sidelined forward Raphael Harvey-Pinard ($1.1 million) on LTIR and demote youngsters like Jayden Struble and Joshua Roy to their AHL affiliate in Laval. That would make them cap-compliant to start the season with a 20-man roster. They could then place Price on LTIR and recall the necessary reinforcements to fill out their roster to 23 men.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell released a statement on the Laine trade.

“We want players that want to be Blue Jackets and Patrik made it clear that he thought a change of scenery was best for him,” said Waddell. “We were able to acquire a good young player in Jordan Harris while maintaining financial flexibility in this deal, which was very important to us. We wish Patrik all the best.”

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports it was only last weekend when the Canadiens’ talks with the Blue Jackets about Laine took hold, but they quickly turned serious. The Habs were the only team that didn’t ask the Blue Jackets to retain part of Laine’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my take on the trade here.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers declined to match the offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues for defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway. 

The Oilers received a second-round pick from the Blues as compensation for Broberg and a third-rounder for Holloway. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was assumed the Oilers acquiring Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks and shipping out defenseman Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks for blueliner Ty Emberson was setting the stage to clear cap room to match one or both offers. TSN’s Ryan Ryshaug reports they would’ve boxed themselves in quite badly with the salary cap had they matched both offers. They want to keep some salary cap flexibility for new contracts for Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Clay Brewer cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reporting Predators top prospect goaltender Yaroslav Askarov informed the club he will not report to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. The 22-year-old also requested a trade.

The move comes nearly two months after the Predators signed Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension. That makes the starter’s job unlikely for Askarov in the near future. That’s a role he and his agent believe he should have sooner rather than later.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports that Predators GM Barry Trotz is aware of Weekes’ report but expects Askarov to report to training camp next month. The goaltender’s agent declined to comment.

If Askarov is demanding a trade, Trotz should consider acting on it. With Saros locked in on his long-term deal, getting the most out of Askarov as a trade asset would be ideal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed Trotz was getting trade inquiries about Askarov during the draft weekend in June. Those calls could start up again soon if they haven’t already. If Askarov isn’t traded before training camp opens next month he could refuse to report and stage a holdout until moved.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins made nine new front-office moves yesterday. Among them was assistant general manager Jason Spezza’s promotion to GM of their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Special assistant Amanda Kessel was named manager of minor hockey operations and assistant GM of their AHL affiliate. She’ll also oversee their ECHL affiliate in Wheeling.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Cody Ceci said he’s excited to join the rebuilding Sharks. On Sunday, he was traded by the Edmonton Oilers in a cost-cutting move. He believes he can play a leadership role for promising youngsters like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. 

PUCKPEDIA: Ty Emberson was part of the return to the Oilers in the Ceci trade. If he plays 50 games this season, he’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. If he plays less than that, he becomes a Group 6 UFA.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 19, 2024

by | Aug 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 19, 2024

Taylor Hall hopes to be a difference-maker for the Blackhawks, the Oilers trade Cody Ceci to the Sharks and acquire Vasily Podkolzin from the Canucks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Taylor Hall hopes to be a difference-maker this season for the Blackhawks after missing most of last season recovering from ACL surgery on his right knee.

The Blackhawks acquired Hall last summer from the Boston Bruins to ease the offensive burden for rookie center Connor Bedard. However, the 33-year-old winger was in only 10 games before undergoing surgery in November.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall (NHL Images).

Now recovered, Hall is confident he can be “a solid contributor” to the Blackhawks, citing his offseason preparations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall is also in the final year of his contract. A solid bounce-back effort could make him a valuable trade chip for the Blackhawks at the trade deadline, and bolster his stock in next summer’s free-agent market.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers traded defenseman Cody Ceci and a 2025 third-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Ty Emberson.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks traded winger Vasily Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ceci, 30 is in the final season of his contract with a cap hit of $3.25 million. The 24-year-old Emberson is on a one-year, $950K contract.

Podkolzin is signed through 2025-26 with an annual cap hit of $1 million. Chosen 10th overall by the Canucks in the 2019 NHL Draft, Podkolzin had a promising NHL debut with 14 goals and 26 points in 79 games during the 2021-22 season. However, he struggled in the next two seasons, in part because the Canucks went through three head coaches during that time.

These moves created a stir among Oilers followers. Their club has until Tuesday to match the offers sheets signed by defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway with the St. Louis Blues.

Puckpedia indicates these moves mean the Oilers can match both offer sheets if Evander Kane undergoes surgery and is placed on long-term injury reserve. However, they’ll have to make a trade once Kane comes off LTIR to become cap-compliant. If they match Broberg but not Holloway, they won’t have to make another trade once Kane comes off LTIR.

Ceci’s departure and the acquisition of Podkolzin suggest they’re retaining Broberg and parting ways with Holloway. We’ll find out for sure by no later than Tuesday.

THE SCORE: San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky looks forward to seeing competition among top prospects Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith as they attempt to land full-time roster spots in training camp next month.

Celebrini, 18, was the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Smith, 19, was selected fourth overall in the 2023 draft. Both centers are expected to play significant roles for the rebuilding Sharks.

Sharks general manager Mike Grier said his plan is for Celebrini and Smith to play their natural center position rather than move them to the wing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini and Smith could become contenders for the Calder Memorial Trophy if things pan out as hoped for the Sharks this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins won’t be playing for his native Latvia in their upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament for personal reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Merzlikins could be focused on preparing for the upcoming NHL season. He’s coming off a tumultuous campaign with the Blue Jackets, at one point asking to be traded before withdrawing the request. The 30-year-old netminder will be trying to establish himself as the Blue Jackets starting goaltender.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski examines the Sabres’ blueline depth to determine who their defense pairings could be this season.

He expects new head coach Lindy Ruff to pair top blueliner Rasmus Dahlin with Mattias Samuelsson. Bowen Byram and Owen Power could be their second pairing, leaving Henri Jokiharju, Connor Clifton, Jacob Bryson and Dennis Gilbert jockeying for the third pairing.