NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2024

by | May 2, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2024

Are changes in store for the Kings following another first-round playoff exit? Would Leon Draisaitl be interested in joining the Bruins? What’s the latest on the Penguins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE KINGS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looks at what might be in store for the Los Angeles Kings following another first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

Clark pointed out the Kings had this season’s second-best penalty-killing stats but that turned into a weakness against the Oilers’ offense.

There could be a big turnover in goal this summer. Cam Talbot, David Rittich and Pheonix Copley are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Trevor Lewis and defensemen Matt Roy are also UFA-eligible this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored the Kings attempted to acquire Linus Ullmark before the trade deadline but the Boston Bruins goalie used his no-trade clause to nix the deal. General manager Rob Blake could attempt to add a starter such as Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom or Nashville’s Juuse Saros this summer with Rittich retained as their backup.

Arvidsson’s injury history could lead to his departure via free agency. The 37-year-old Lewis probably won’t be back. Roy could be let go if Jordan Spence replaces him on the second-pairing and if Brandt Clarke is ready for full-time NHL duty next season.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens is critical of Blake’s management, pointing to his acquisition and signing of underachieving center Pierre-Luc Dubois. That move was among several questionable deals that left the Kings with insufficient salary-cap space to improve their roster at the March trade deadline.

Los Angeles Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images)

With the Kings facing continued mediocrity, Stephens suggests a shift in course with someone other than Blake as general manager. He pointed to Blake’s inability to address his club’s goaltending after Cal Petersen failed to seize the starter’s job in 2021-22, leaving the Kings scrambling to find a suitable replacement.

Dubois hasn’t come close to unseating Anze Kopitar or Phillip Danault among their top two centers. He has seven more seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million.

Buying out Dubois would count against the Kings’ salary cap for the next 14 years. A trade would mean retaining half of his AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stephens cited the positive things Blake had done (drafting and developing young talent like Quinton Byfield and acquiring Kevin Fiala) but the goaltending and the Dubois contract are the major blunders he believes have hamstrung the Kings. It remains to be seen if the Kings ownership shares his belief that a management change is necessary.

COULD DRAISAITL SIGN WITH THE BRUINS NEXT SUMMER?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited Georges Laraque telling a Montreal sports radio show that Leon Draisaitl is interested in joining the Boston Bruins if he doesn’t re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers.

Draisaitl is slated to become a UFA next July. Laraque cited someone “well-placed within the Oilers organization” claiming the high-scoring forward could leave the club next summer if they don’t go deep in the playoffs, adding “he’d prefer to be a first-line center in Boston.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl will become a hot topic in the rumor mill if he doesn’t sign a contract extension before next season. Nevertheless, he could be keen to stick around with Connor McDavid beyond next season. His future in Edmonton could come down to how much of a raise he’s seeking over his current $8.5 million AAV.

Assuming Draisaitl is interested in playing for the Bruins, they’d have to wait until next summer to get him as a free agent. They reportedly lacked sufficient depth in tradeable assets to acquire Elias Lindholm or Noah Hanifin before the trade deadline. They won’t have enough to get one of the NHL’s high-scoring superstars this summer or next season.

The Bruins have nearly $45 million invested in seven players for 2025-26. The salary cap could rise to over $92 million for that season. There would be plenty of room to sign Draisaitl for a long-term deal worth $15 million annually.

Oh, you thought it would be much less than that? Think again. Draisaitl has been underpaid for years. He will seek a new contract befitting one of the NHL’s leading superstars.

Still, that looks like plenty of cap space to accommodate Draisaitl, right? Wrong.

Team captain Brad Marchand will need a contract extension. They must sign goaltender Jeremy Swayman to a new contract (probably between $6 million and $7 million annually given his arbitration status), re-sign or replace Jake DeBrusk, and fill out the rest of the roster. Rumor has it they could pursue a center who can play on their top-two lines plus a top-four defenseman via free agency in July. They won’t come cheap.

Even if the Bruins could do all that with some cap room to spare, they won’t have enough for Draisaitl without shedding sufficient space to ensure they can win a bidding war for his services.

I’m not saying the Bruins can’t sign Draisaitl if he wants to come to Boston. However, it’ll take a hell of a lot of work to free up the cap space to make it happen without significantly weakening their roster depth in the process.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Jason Mackey suggested how Penguins GM Kyle Dubas can improve his club for next season and beyond.

One option is exploring the possibility of trading Erik Karlsson to the Ottawa Senators if they’re interested in reacquiring their former captain. Karlsson denied rumors of returning to Ottawa in March but Mackey didn’t believe him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Karlsson would agree to return to the Senators but I don’t believe their new ownership and management want to bring him back. Even if Dubas agreed to retain half of the $10 million of his $11.5 million AAV that the Penguins currently carry, the Senators are likely looking at younger, more affordable right-shot options for their blueline.

Mackey also suggested Dubas attempt to find a trade partner to take goaltender Tristan Jarry and his $5.375 million cap hit for the next four years off his hands. Another option is shopping a winger such as Reilly Smith or Rickard Rakell.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas seems intent on sticking with Jarry and call up promising Joel Blomqvist as his understudy next season. Trading Smith or Rakell seems a more likely option.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes Ryan Graves’ contract would be a major sticking point in any attempt to trade the 28-year-old defenseman this summer. He’s signed for five more years with an annual cap hit of $4.5 million.

Graves’ struggles in his first season with the Penguins damaged his trade value. Their best bet is to hope he regains his former next season.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2024

by | Apr 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Penguins and Sabres? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE PENGUINS?

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel listed nine pressing issues the Penguins must face after missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

Vensel doesn’t see head coach Mike Sullivan losing his job, especially as his most recent contract extension doesn’t begin until next season. However, his staff could undergo some changes, especially given the club’s struggles on the power play this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: ESPN.com’s Kristen Shilton believes the Penguins could consider a coaching change. Just because a coach has a contract extension doesn’t mean he can’t be replaced. Just ask Don Granato, the former bench boss of the Buffalo Sabres. 

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Team captain Sidney Crosby is expected to sign a contract extension, perhaps a two-year, team-friendly deal. Core players such as Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust aren’t going anywhere. Neither is Erik Karlsson, whose contract could prove unmovable even if management wanted to move him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has repeatedly said he wants to finish his career with the Penguins. It’s expected he’ll sign a two or three-year extension with an average annual value of $10 million.

Malkin, Letang, Rust and Karlsson have full no-trade protection. There were some idle musings among some pundits suggesting Karlsson might welcome a return to the Ottawa Senators but he quickly slapped down that notion last month.

Vensel doesn’t rule out Jake Guentzel returning to the Penguins as a free agent this summer. However, his smashing success with the Carolina Hurricanes could see him approach the UFA market with an open mind. The Penguins would have to shed some salary to bring him back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas wanted to keep Guentzel he would’ve re-signed him instead of shipping him to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline. He’s not coming back.

Trade candidates include wingers Reilly Smith, Rickard Rakell, Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. Vensel doesn’t see anyone touching Ryan Graves’ contract this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smith will draw the most interest in this summer’s trade market. It’s doubtful they’ll find many suitors for Rakell. His stats tumbled this season and he has four years left on his contract with an AAV of $5 million.

Vensel also wondered about goaltender Tristan Jarry’s future in Pittsburgh after Sullivan turned to backup Alex Nedeljkovic down the stretch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another Penguin who had an inconsistent performance with lots of years remaining on a contract with a cap hit over $5 million. Good luck moving him.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE SABRES?

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Jason Moser reports Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams will seek an experienced NHL coach to replace Don Granato, who was fired as their head coach on Tuesday.

Moser noted there are plenty of candidates available. They include Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Jay Woodcroft, Dean Evason, D.J. Smith, Lane Lambert, Bruce Boudreau, Gerard Gallant and former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube could be the most sought-after coach, having guided the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup in 2019.

WGR 550: Howard Simon believes the Sabres also need to bolster their offense after their production declined this season as more emphasis was placed on improving their defensive play. They traded away center Casey Mittelstadt in March and brought in defenseman Bowen Byram.

Simon doesn’t see that offensive help coming via this summer’s free-agent market. He believes Adams must draw on his deep pool of young talent on his current roster and in his farm system along with draft picks to find more NHL scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur with Simon. The Sabres defense is better and deeper now and their goaltending stabilized as this season went on. Adding an experienced scorer with leadership abilities could provide the boost they were missing this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 21, 2024

by | Mar 21, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 21, 2024

The latest on Erik Karlsson, Johnny Gaudreau and the Senators’ goaltending situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON ERIK KARLSSON

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe and Ian Mendes examined whether a trade involving Erik Karlsson would make sense for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently mused about whether the Senators might contemplate a reunion with Karlsson, who spent his first nine NHL seasons in Ottawa. The 33-year-old Penguins defenseman dismissed the idea when asked about it last week.

Yohe believes the Penguins would consider moving Karlsson as they’ve got too many players over 30 with expensive contracts. Mendes cites Karlsson’s ongoing ties to Ottawa and the Senators need for a right shot among their top-four defensemen. Acquiring the three-time Norris Trophy winner would mean trading Thomas Chabot or Jakob Chychrun.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

The Penguins would want a return that helps them get younger quickly. However, the Senators would want them to retain part of Karlsson’s contract, which would raise the Penguins’ asking price.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve summarized a detailed examination of a Karlsson-to-Ottawa trade scenario by Yohe and Mendes. Both agree it would be a complicated affair requiring flexibility to ensure a fair deal for both clubs.

I don’t see Karlsson getting traded to the Senators. They’re a different club than the one he was traded from seven years ago. His contract is far too expensive and the Senators likely want a more affordable, defensive-minded blueliner.

COULD THE BLUE JACKETS ATTEMPT TO TRADE JOHNNY GAUDREAU?

BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont recently noted the ongoing decline in the offensive production of Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau.

Heading into last weekend, the 30-year-old Gaudreau had just 10 goals and 47 points. He has five seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $9.75 million.

Dupont doesn’t rule out the next Blue Jackets general manager trying to move Gaudreau to a team of the winger’s liking, “albeit with the Jackets retaining, say, one-third of his salary.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve learned never to say never when moving high-salaried, under-performing players. The projected $4.4 million increase in the salary cap for 2024-25 could increase the odds of the Jackets finding a suitable trade partner for Gaudreau if they made him available in this summer’s trade market.

However, trading Gaudreau would still be a daunting challenge. His declining production hurts his trade value, he carries a full no-movement clause, and an interested club would likely want the Jackets to retain more than one-third of his annual cap hit or include a couple of sweeteners like a draft pick and a quality prospect.

WILL THE SENATORS PURSUE A GOALTENDER?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch believes the Senators’ goaltending must improve next season or nothing will. As of March 18, they had the worst combined save percentage (.887) and sat 28th with an average goals-against per game of 3.53.

Garrioch believes Senators general manager Steve Staios may have “kicked some tires” on goaltenders before the March 8 trade deadline. He indicated there was speculation one of them was Boston’s Linus Ullmark. The Bruins have to decide on whether to trade Ullmark this summer.

The Senators have starting goalie Joonas Korpisalo under contract for four more years. Garrioch dismissed the notion of a contract buyout. “The hope is that he can come back next season better prepared to play with more consistency.” The Senators could attempt instead to move Anton Forsberg and replace him with a more reliable backup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark, 30, also carries an average annual value of $5 million next season and is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. He also carries a 16-team no-trade clause that becomes a 15-team NTC on July 1.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 15, 2024

by | Mar 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 15, 2024

Check out the latest on Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Jacob Markstrom, Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, Filip Hronek and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman doesn’t see Sidney Crosby walking away from the Pittsburgh Penguins next summer without giving management a chance to turn things around. His guess is the Pens will offer Crosby a two or three-year contract extension this summer worth around $10.5 million annually.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers wonder if Crosby might demand a trade to a contender this summer or sign with one next summer as an unrestricted free agent. The Athletic’s Penguins beat writer Rob Rossi maintains that Crosby intends to retire as a Penguin and will sign an extension this summer.

I’m with Rossi on this one. I don’t believe Crosby will demand a trade or sign elsewhere. He’ll finish his NHL career with the Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Shelly Anderson reports Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson dismissed rumors suggesting he might make his way back to the Ottawa Senators.

“Yeah, that’s Canada for you,” chuckled Karlsson. “I played there for a long time so I kind of know how that game works. They’ve got a lot of things to talk about every day to fill a lot of air time, but they only have a few things to actually discuss.”

Karlsson added, “They like to make up these what-if scenarios. That’s just the way it is, and it’s not something that I really look into or worry about too much.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Karlsson isn’t heading back to Ottawa for a reunion with the Senators. Moving on…

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes this summer’s goalie market will be interesting. He noted the Calgary Flames pulled Jacob Markstrom from the market leading up to last week’s trade deadline as did the Nashville Predators with Juuse Saros. The Boston Bruins looked into moving Linus Ullmark but punted that decision to the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom, 34, has two years left on his contract with an annual average value of $6 million and a full no-movement clause. The 30-year-old Ullmark has one year remaining with an AAV of $5 million and a 16-team no-trade list that drops to a 15-team list on July 1. Saros, 28, also has a year left on his contract with a $5 million cap hit but he lacks no-trade protection.

All three clubs could be willing to listen to offers but they will set high asking prices. Ullmark seems the most likely to move as the Bruins will want to free up some cap space this summer.

The Bruins reportedly rejected “at least one ask about Jeremy Swayman.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman is expected to take over as the Bruins’ full-time starter after this season. He’s on a one-year deal worth $3.475 million and has arbitration rights this summer. It’s believed they’ll try to move Ullmark to free up cap room for Swayman’s new long-term contract.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were “incredibly disappointed” that they failed to acquire Noah Hanifin from the Flames. Friedman wouldn’t be surprised if he signed a contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. He also believes the Dallas Stars will attempt to re-sign Hanifin’s old teammate Chris Tanev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Golden Knights have 15 roster players under contract for 2024-25 with less than $10 million in cap space. They’ll garner another $5 million if Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve. It could cost them half of that cap space to re-sign Hanifin.

Meanwhile, the Stars have a projected $18.3 million in cap space with 12 active roster players under contract. Joe Pavelski and Matt Duchene will be due for new contracts as well as Tanev.

There are “debates” over Filip Hronek’s contract discussions with the Vancouver Canucks. Friedman doesn’t expect those talks to be anywhere near as complicated as Elias Pettersson’s recent negotiations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “debates” are over whether Hronek will be paid more than Quinn Hughes. He is pulling in an AAV of $7.85 million through 2026-27. Hronek, 26, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights earning an AAV of $4.4 million. He’s enjoyed a career-best performance with 45 points in 67 games.

The Canucks have already tabled a contract extension to the Hronek camp. Some observers believe he could seek an AAV of over $8 million. Maybe the Canucks try to tempt him with an eight-year deal worth just under Hughes’ annual cap hit in the hope that he’ll prefer the long-term security.

The Edmonton Oilers showed interest in signing recently acquired forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to contract extensions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have $14.2 million in projected cap space with 13 players under contract. As Friedman said, we’ll see how things shake out during the postseason.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 12, 2024

by | Mar 12, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 12, 2024

Could Erik Karlsson return to Ottawa this summer? What could the future hold for Jakob Chychrun and Nazem Kadri? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD THE PENGUINS ATTEMPT TO TRADE KARLSSON BACK TO OTTAWA?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Alan Saunders cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting a reunion between the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators during the offseason.

During Monday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Friedman wondered whether it was possible to trade the 33-year-old defenseman back to where his NHL career began. He acknowledged it wouldn’t be easy but thinks the Senators might consider it, pointing out that former Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson is now one of their assistant coaches.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the trade deadline, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas suggested his roster could undergo significant changes this summer. Dubas wants to transition away from some of his veterans to make room for younger players.

The Senators could help the Penguins address that issue. They’re trying to bring in some veterans to help their young core players.

I’ve learned to never say never in this business. However, I don’t see Karlsson returning to the Senators. He could agree to waive his no-movement clause to return to Ottawa, but they’re unlikely to take on his hefty cap hit. The Penguins carry $10 million of his $11.5 million annual average value through 2026-27.

Besides, Senators management must decide the future of one of their key defensemen.

JAKOB CHYCHRUN REMAINS UNHAPPY ABOUT RECENT TRADE RUMORS

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes reports Jakob Chychrun expects he’ll remain the subject of trade speculation during the offseason. The 25-year-old Ottawa Senators defenseman was a fixture in the rumor mill leading up to the recent trade deadline.

Chychrun acknowledged his contract is why he’s appeared in trade rumors. He has a year remaining on his current deal and is eligible next summer to become an unrestricted free agent. He said he was trying to focus on what he could control but it wasn’t easy. Senators general manager Steve Staios believes the trade conjecture distracted Chychrun.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun repeatedly indicated he wants to stay with the Senators. Staios has said he wasn’t shopping the blueliner and wanted to his agent about a contract extension.

Nevertheless, Staios seemed to be listening to offers from other clubs. He could do so again this summer if his contract discussions don’t go smoothly with the Chychrun camp.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR NAZEM KADRI?

SPORTSNET: Following the trade deadline, Eric Francis reported questions over Nazem Kadri’s future with the Calgary Flames were starting to arise.

Kadri signed a seven-year contract with the Flames two years ago. The club has struggled on the ice since then, leading to coaching and management changes and the recent trades of Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev.

With five years remaining on his contract, Kadri intends to meet with Flames general manager Craig Conroy at the end of this season to discuss his role with the club and its direction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the trade deadline, Conroy hoped his veterans would want to be part of the roster retooling process. It’ll be up to him to sell players like Kadri on his plan.

The uncertainty over goaltender Jacob Markstrom’s future in the Stampede City will be a factor. If he’s traded, selling the other veterans on Conroy’s plan could be difficult. That will lead to guys like Kadri popping up more often in the rumor mill.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 22, 2024

by | Feb 22, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – February 22, 2024

Check out the latest on the Penguins, Panthers and Avalanche plus updates on Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Juuse Saros, Pavel Buchnevich and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said his club’s performance over the next couple of weeks would determine his plans for the March 8 trade deadline.

Dubas made it sound as though Jake Guentzel might not be with the Penguins for much longer. The 29-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, sparking speculation he could be moved at the trade deadline if the Penguins remain out of playoff contention.

The Penguins GM said he understands how valuable Guentzel is as a teammate and to the community. However, he also pointed out that the Penguins need to get younger, noting they have several players over 30 on long-term contracts.

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman reports there are teams that believe the Penguins will take another run at re-signing Guentzel, suggesting perhaps team captain Sidney Crosby might use his influence in this situation.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

Friedman also noted that there are teams interested in Guentzel who want to know if they can talk to him about a contract extension before agreeing to a trade. That would hurt a team like the Edmonton Oilers, who’ve been linked to Guentzel but have limited salary-cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Guentzel situation remains the same: Dubas could retain him for the rest of the season if they’re in a playoff spot by the trade deadline but could move him if they’re not. Looking at where the Penguins are now in the standings, it’s getting to the point where Guentzel could be moved by March 8 if a club makes a solid offer.

As for attempting to re-sign Guentzel, Kingerski noted that the Penguins GM didn’t mention contract extension talks during his press conference yesterday.

Kingerski and Friedman also noted that Dubas said he attempted to shake up his roster with a trade several weeks ago. However, the opportunities to do so weren’t there. He also indicated that he didn’t want to move his draft capital to bolster the roster, though he would consider doing so if it brought in young NHL-ready players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN yesterday reported Dubas was willing to entertain offers for anyone except Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Kingerski pointed out that the Penguins have 13 players carrying no-movement or no-trade clauses. Those clauses likely hampered Dubas’ efforts to make a trade to shake up his roster.

Friedman also mused about whether the Ottawa Senators might consider bringing back Erik Karlsson from the Penguins and reuniting him with former teammate turned assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman indicated that isn’t based on anything he’s heard but is something he’s just musing over. I don’t see it happening. Karlsson loved Ottawa and still maintains a residence there but I think the new ownership and management have plans that don’t include the former Senators defenseman.

Friedman also wondered about Penguins winger Reilly Smith returning to the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smith spent two seasons with the Panthers before joining the Vegas Golden Knights. Panthers GM Bill Zito would like to add a top-nine forward but he noted that they don’t come cheap.

The Panthers lack a first-round pick in the 2024 and 2025 drafts and they don’t have a second-rounder in this year’s draft. Unless Zito is willing to part with some prospects, Smith probably won’t be returning to Florida.

MORE “32 THOUGHTS” RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman indicated that there’s no official confirmation yet that Calgary Flames defenseman Hanifin is going to the free-agent market but that’s where it’s headed.

He doubted the Tampa Bay Lightning could put together a suitable package to entice the Flames into parting with Hanifin. He also noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs made a pitch and would like to know if they can sign him but he appears headed to an American club on a long-term contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would also be hard-pressed to put together an enticing offer for Hanifin. They could pitch their 2024 first-round pick but if they’re not willing to part with a top prospect they’re unlikely to outbid other clubs.

Speaking of Hanifin, Friedman recently speculated the Panthers could be among the suitors. Based on Zito’s comments regarding the expense of landing a top-nine forward, I don’t like their chances of getting the Flames defenseman.

The Dallas Stars, Oilers, Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche have an interest or have had an interest in Flames blueliner Chris Tanev. The Flames seek a first-rounder or something comparable.

Some folks believe there’s a 50-50 chance that Juuse Saros stays with the Nashville Predators. Speaking of the Predators, center Tommy Novak is a UFA this summer and he could draw interest if they can’t re-sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros is signed through next season so there’s no rush to move him by the trade deadline, especially when the Predators are jockeying for a wild-card berth. A summer move seems more likely if they can’t work out a contract extension.

The St. Louis Blues have set an asking price of “two firsts or something like it” for winger Pavel Buchnevich, who has a year remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Predators with Saros, the Blues could be reluctant to move Buchnevich while they’re still battling for a wild-card spot.

Canadiens defenseman David Savard doesn’t wish to leave Montreal. Meanwhile, teams have asked Buffalo about Alex Tuch but the Sabres value him.

The Colorado Avalanche’s search for a center could have them eyeing Arizona Coyotes’ Nick Bjugstad, former Av Alex Kerfoot or Michael Carcone.