NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2025

by | Dec 17, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2025

Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson is drawing more interest, the latest on the Maple Leafs, an update on Alex Tuch’s contract situation following the Sabres’ change in management, the Flyers seek a center, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

GROWING INTEREST IN FLAMES DEFENSEMAN RASMUS ANDERSSON

CALGARY SUN: In the wake of the Vancouver Canucks trading defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last Friday, Kent Wilson recently examined the implications of that deal for the Flames.

With Hughes off the trade block, the Flames’ Rasmus Andersson becomes the best defenseman available. He’s not on the same skill level as Hughes and won’t fetch a comparable return. The Wild shipped three promising young players (Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, and Liam Ohgren) and a 2026 first-round pick to Vancouver.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (NHL Images).

The Hughes trade could also raise interest in Flames forwards Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman. Potential suitors include the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Calgary Flames received an increase in calls about Andersson after the Quinn Hughes trade.

Andersson, 29, is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July. LeBrun wonders if the Flames will move him as a rental player or attempt a sign-and-trade scenario in order to get a better return.

The Toronto Maple Leafs attempted to acquire Andersson at last season’s trade deadline. LeBrun said they’ve circled back on him. They are believed to be among the teams that Andersson would consider with, if a trade can be worked out between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson’s rumored willingness to sign with Toronto is likely tied to his relationship with Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, who was GM of the Flames for most of Andersson’s tenure in Calgary.

LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving would like to add one or two top-six forwards. However, the Leafs’ lack of depth in their prospect pool could hamper those efforts.

Dreger later said that the Maple Leafs have continued interest in Rasmus Andersson or another top-four defenseman in the trade market. He also mentioned that they could use a top-line winger to skate alongside center Auston Matthews.

NESN: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Boston Bruins attempted to acquire Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth last summer before he was traded to the Maple Leafs.

Maccelli hasn’t been a fit with the Maple Leafs, who would be open to moving him. Friedman isn’t sure if the Bruins would still be interested in the struggling winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with Andersson, any attempt by the Leafs to land one of the bigger names in the trade market will be hindered by their limited number of tradable assets on their roster and within their prospect pipeline.

Treliving will wait and see if the asking prices go down or if more players become available as more teams drop out of the playoff race. However, that might not come soon enough to bring in the help the Leafs need.

UPDATE ON ALEX TUCH’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE SABRES

TSN: Contract extension discussions with Alex Tuch’s representatives are among the issues facing Jarmo Kekalainen, who replaced Kevyn Adams on Monday as the Buffalo Sabres new general manager.

Kekalainen told reporters on Tuesday that he intends to take charge of the situation. He said the teams appreciate and like Tuch, and want to get him signed. The 29-year-old winger is UFA-eligible next summer. He’s completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

Pierre LeBrun reports Kekalainen had a pretty good feel for what his predecessor discussed with the Tuch camp. According to LeBrun, the previous negotiations fizzled because the Sabres weren’t willing to go double digits on the AAV (over $10 million annually).

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek believes the Dallas Stars could be a good destination for Alex Tuch. He thinks the Stars are going for it again this season and believes Tuch would fit in well with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tuch will depart via free agency next July unless Kekalainen can somehow talk him down from $10 million annually. If so, expect the veteran winger to become available leading up to the March 6 trade deadline.

FLYERS SEEK A CENTER

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports the Philadelphia Flyers are seeking another center, specifically for their fourth line. It might also make sense for them to add a middle-six center, given Noah Cates’ struggles in the faceoff circle.

If UFA-eligible centre Christian Dvorak opts to head to market next summer, Kurz wondered if the Flyers might get more aggressive and pursue a higher-end option like Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues or Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators.

Kurz doesn’t see the Flyers dangling their high-end young players or top prospects as trade bait. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to part with some of their future assets for a player who could help them make a playoff push.

KINGS CENTER PHILLIP DANAULT REPORTEDLY REQUESTS A TRADE

RG.ORG’s Marco D’Amico reports sources indicating that center Phillip Danault has requested a trade. His camp hopes to secure a deal sooner rather than later, perhaps before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze (Dec. 20-27).

D’Amico said the Kings are willing to wait it out because they seek a player-for-player trade. The Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Carolina Hurricanes are among the teams reportedly interested in Danault.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Over the weekend, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Kings aren’t inclined to move Danault without a good reason because good centers are hard to come by in this season’s trade market. A trade request could be the inclination they need.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2025

by | Dec 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2025

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl reaches 1,000 points, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon continues his high-scoring ways, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini moves up in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl collected four assists to surpass 1,000 career NHL regular-season points as his Edmonton Oilers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4. Connor McDavid scored two goals and set up two others for the 16-12-6 Oilers. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the 14-9-9 Penguins, who are winless in their last six games (0-2-4).

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are the only team in NHL history to have five players reach the 1,000-point plateau as Draisaitl joined McDavid, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri. Meanwhile, McDavid continues his surge in this season’s scoring race, sitting second with 56 points.

This was the first game between the two clubs since they swapped starting goaltenders last Friday. The Oilers’ Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for the win, while the Penguins’ Stuart Skinner turned aside 17 shots.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied twice and collected an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Cale Makar, Martin Necas, and Valeri Nichushkin each had two assists, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 34 saves as the league-leading Avalanche (24-2-7) picked up their third straight win. Shane Wright, Jordan Eberle, and Chandler Stephenson replied for the Kraken (12-13-6) as they’ve dropped nine of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 28 goals and 58 points. He’s on pace to reach 70 goals. The last players to reach that milestone were Hall of Famers Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny, who each had 76 goals in 1992-93.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had two goals and two assists to lead his club over the Calgary Flames by a score of 6-3. Barclay Goodrow scored twice and had an assist, and winger Tyler Toffoli the 300th regular-season NHL goal for the 17-14-3 Sharks, who’ve won three straight contests. Blake Coleman, Ryan Lomberg, and Nazem Kadri scored for the 13-17-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is third in this season’s scoring race with 51 points. Earlier in the day, the Sharks deemed forward Philipp Kurashev as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The Minnesota Wild got a 25-save performance from Filip Gustavsson to shut out the Washington Capitals 5-0. Vladimir Tarasenko and Danila Yurov each had three points, and Quinn Hughes collected an assist in his second game with the Wild, who picked up their fifth straight win and improved to 20-9-5. Charlie Lindgren stopped 27 of 32 shots for the 18-11-4 Capitals, who drop to 1-3-2 in their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marcus Foligno returned to action after being sidelined since Nov. 26 with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie scored twice in a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. David Pastrnak had two assists for the 20-14-0 Bruins, who’ve won five of their last six games. Barrett Hayton replied for the Mammoth, who dropped to 16-16-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie sits second among league scorers this season with 24 goals. Before this game, the Bruins placed defenseman Jonathan Aspirot (upper body) on injured reserve, and claimed blueliner Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers from the Dallas Stars.

The Philadelphia Flyers downed the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Trevor Zegras scored to extend his goal streak to four games, and Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist for the 17-9-6 Flyers, who extended their points streak to five games (2-3-0). Alexandre Texier scored for the Canadiens, who dropped to 17-12-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. They also sent goaltender Sam Montembeault to their AHL affiliate on a two-week conditioning stint. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen made his season debut after recovering from triceps surgery in March

Two goals in eight seconds by Auston Matthews and Dakota Joshua late in the third period rallied the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Matthews and William Nylander finished with two points each, and Joseph Woll stopped 23 shots for the 15-12-5 Maple Leafs. Wyatt Kaiser and Jason Dickinson scored for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost three straight games and slipped to 13-14-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov was scratched from this game after being late for practice on Monday.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat netted two goals in the third period as his club nipped the New York Islanders 3-2. Lucas Raymond collected three assists for the Red Wings (19-12-4). Emil Heineman and Scott Mayfield replied for the Islanders (19-12-3) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Red Wings regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 41 points.

An overtime goal by Adam Fantilli gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Zach Werenski had two goals and an assist as the 14-13-6 Blue Jackets snapped a five-game losing skid. Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling each had two points for the Ducks (20-12-2), who have dropped three of their last four games (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 42 points, the Ducks cling to first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the New York Rangers 3-0. Thatcher Demko kicked out 23 shots for the shutout while Evander Kane, Liam Ohgren, and Conor Garland scored for the 13-17-3 Canucks. The Rangers (16-15-4) have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings placed goaltender Darcy Kuemper on injured reserve and recalled netminder Pheonix Copley.

The St. Louis Blues claimed winger Jonatan Berggren off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings.

THE TENNESSEAN: Former US college football coach Nick Saban purchased a minority stake in the Nashville Predators.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL forward Paul Gagne passed away at age 63 after battling cancer. Gagne spent eight seasons 1980-81 to 1989-90) with the Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Islanders. He had 110 goals and 101 assists for 211 points in 390 games.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Veteran TSN broadcaster Michael Whalen passed away earlier this week at age 82. Whalen was TSN’s bureau reporter for Montreal and Quebec from 1986 to 2007.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the family and friends of Gagne and Whalen.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

The ongoing fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said it was around the time of the American Thanksgiving weekend last month that Quinn Hughes informed the Vancouver Canucks that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Friedman claimed that several teams were deterred or concerned that Hughes wouldn’t commit to a long-term extension at this time. However, the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils weren’t bothered by it.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

The Devils felt they were in a better position because Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, were on their roster. However, they couldn’t free up sufficient salary-cap space to make the deal happen.

Friedman believes the Wild’s offer (Center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick) was the best one, adding there was no way the Canucks would’ve received a better deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers were among six clubs confirmed to have made legitimate offers for Hughes. The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes also showed some interest.

The Philadelphia Flyers also considered Hughes, but didn’t want to part with the assets the Canucks were seeking. LeBrun also believes the Washington Capitals weren’t that involved because they didn’t want to move the kind of pieces it would’ve taken to get the deal done.

Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson, said he and his client weren’t able to guarantee to any of the interested clubs whether he would sign with them or not. At some point, Hughes will decide if he likes Minnesota enough to sign an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One thing that works to the Wild’s advantage is they’re the only club that can offer him an eight-year, front-loaded extension. However, Hughes will have to decide before Sept. 15, 2026. After that, the maximum term for re-signing players is reduced to seven years as per the updated collective bargaining agreement.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his players struggled to tune out the Quinn Hughes trade speculation swirling around their team.

Ever since Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last weekend that the Devils contacted the Canucks about Hughes, multiple names surfaced as trade candidates. Defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer were mentioned as potential trade chips that could have gone to Vancouver as part of a package offer.

Nichols believes those players can rest easy for now, but noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald continues to work the phones in search of a trade to help his struggling team.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the Devils’ biggest area of need is forward. He claimed Fitzgerald has inquired about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly. However, struggling clubs like the Predators are setting high asking prices. Fitzgerald faces overpaying to keep the team afloat, or try to ride this out and hope the prices drop.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-battered Devils will get some help as their sidelined players return to action. Whether they will get back in time to prevent the club from sliding further out of contention remains to be seen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reported the Canucks liked Washington prospect Cole Hutson when the two sides were discussing a potential trade package for Hughes. However, the Capitals didn’t want to part with their top defensive prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson, 19, is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson. Chosen in the second round (43rd overall) by the Capitals, he’s in his second season with Boston University.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders if the Quinn Hughes trade, and the goalie swap that saw the Edmonton Oilers ship Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry, will shake the trade market loose.

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly open for business, and the Canucks still intend to entertain offers for their UFA-eligible players. The Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Nashville Predators are also prepared to make moves.

Garrioch pointed out that the upcoming holiday roster freeze begins at 11:59 pm ET on Dec. 19 and will remain in place until 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2025

by | Dec 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2025

The latest on Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, plus updates on Kings center Phillip Danault, Ducks center Ryan Strome, Maple Leafs winger Matias Maccelli, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

QUINN HUGHES TRADE RUMORS HEATING UP

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports that trade talks involving Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes have started. The club has set a very high asking price for the 26-year-old superstar defenseman.

Friedman believes a “young, impactful center” is very important to the Canucks. He believes a deal isn’t impossible without one, “but it will require something special to offset that desire.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Multiple sources said that there was no truth to rumors that Hughes informed Canucks management last summer that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension. Friedman believes the Canucks could wait until the draft next June to move Hughes if they can’t find a suitable deal before the March trade deadline.

Hughes lacks no-trade protection, and the Canucks have indicated they would be prepared to move him to any team. It’s believed Hughes would prefer playing in the East, but they could ship him to a Western club for the right price. Friedman thinks the Capitals would be open to taking on Hughes for the remainder of his contract, depending on the price.

Friedman also pointed out that nothing’s stopping the Canucks from attempting to re-sign Hughes next July to an eight-year extension. He believes that would mean Hughes would be invested for a few more seasons, with the understanding that he could be traded if he doesn’t like what he sees from the Canucks by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talks being underway could mean teams are calling the Canucks about what it would cost to acquire Hughes, and the Canucks are obliging them by seeking what one executive told Friedman was an “outrageous” return. They may not be at the stage yet where they’re swapping offers. Nevertheless, there’s a growing sense that this season could be Hughes’ last in Vancouver.

Trading a big star during the season isn’t impossible. Winger Mikko Rantanen was moved by the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes within six weeks before last season’s deadline.

However, Hughes is a Norris Trophy defenseman in his prime. The Canucks want a much bigger return than what the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes received for Rantanen.

Draft picks and prospects will be part of the deal, but the Canucks will also want a good young NHL player or two. Some teams could risk weakening their roster depth to get Hughes. Others could be leery about gutting their prospect pools.

Salary cap space is another significant factor. Hughes’ $7.85 million cap hit through 2026-27 is a bargain for a player of his caliber, but it’s still not easy for some teams to absorb. If they plan on signing him to an extension, it could eat up at least $18 million annually.

Friedman believes the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Washington Capitals could be among the suitors. He doesn’t see a trade match with the New York Rangers. The Philadelphia Flyers lack a center, but Friedman wondered what else they might come up with. He claimed sources dismissed the notion of the Pittsburgh Penguins getting involved. The Utah Mammoth have plenty of draft picks and prospects to make a competitive offer. Friedman doesn’t rule out the Carolina Hurricanes looking into this.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman reported last Saturday that the Devils had asked the Canucks about Hughes. The Red Wings are being mentioned partly because Hughes played his formative hockey years in Michigan, plus they have the cap space and plentiful trade assets to pull this off if they want to.

Capitals beat writer Sammi Silber of The Hockey News doesn’t doubt the Capitals may have done due diligence, but she doesn’t think there’s a trade to be made here. Silber doesn’t see them parting with any of their top players for Hughes, especially for a short-term tenure. The asking price could cost them rookie forward Ryan Leonard and prospect defenseman Cole Hutson. Meanwhile, they made a long-term investment in Jakob Chychrun, who handles the left-side top-pairing role on their blueline.

As for the Flyers, winger Owen Tippett has come up in trade rumors this season, but he’s not going to offset the Canucks’ desire for a young, impactful center. The Hurricanes could try, but their big swings tend to be for scoring centers, and they’ve got Jaccob Slavin filling the first-pairing left-side defense role.

The Mammoth have the draft picks and prospects, and their recent struggles following their hot start could have them looking to shake things up. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely they’d want Hughes if he’s unwilling to commit beyond 2027.

Meanwhile, RG.Org’s James Murphy also reported the Penguins aren’t expected to be among the bidders for Hughes. He also ruled out the Boston Bruins as a suitor. According to Murphy, the Penguins are sticking to their rebuild timeline, while the Bruins’ focus is on adding a scoring forward.

OTHER RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Friedman said several sources claim the Los Angeles Kings aren’t interested in trading struggling center Phillip Danault without a very good reason, since centers are difficult to find.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL insider Frank Seravalli claimed the Montreal Canadiens were among the clubs sniffing around Danault. He believes the 32-year-old center could be moved before the Dec. 20 roster freeze. Despite Danault’s offensive difficulties this season, the Kings aren’t likely to move him while they’re still in the playoff chase.

Teams interested in a center are watching Ryan Strome of the Anaheim Ducks. He had a delayed start to the season and has been in and out of the lineup.

Other forwards struggling for playing time to watch include Maxim Tsyplakov of the New York Islanders and Matias Maccelli of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Several teams were interested in Mason Marchment last summer before he was traded to the Seattle Kraken. Friedman suggested they might want to keep an eye on him, though he doesn’t expect anything to happen until Jaden Schwartz returns from injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2025

by | Dec 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2025

Recapping Wednesday’s games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin talked about his future, injury updates, ongoing concerns about the slow construction of the 2026 Winter Olympics rinks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat scored twice and collected an assist as his club held off the Calgary Flames by a score of 4-3. John Gibson made 34 saves for the Red Wings (17-11-3), extending their win streak to three games as they moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 37 points. Nazem Kadri had two assists for the Flames (12-16-4) as their three-game win streak ended.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Down 4-0, the Flames got three unanswered goals in the third to make it interesting, but they ultimately came up short. Speaking of Kadri, he donated $50,000.00 to a food bank in his hometown of London, Ontario.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a 21-save shutout from goaltender Spencer Knight to blank the New York Rangers 3-0. Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who improved to 13-11-6. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots for the 15-13-4 Rangers, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers placed sidelined center Adam Edstrom (lower body) on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell scored with 52 seconds remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Sam Bennett had two goals and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 27 shots for the Panthers (15-12-2), who picked up their third consecutive win. Dylan Guenther tallied two goals as the Mammoth lost its third straight game, slipping to 14-15-3.

An overtime goal by Vince Dunn capped his three-point performance as the Seattle Kraken nipped the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Matty Beniers scored with 24 seconds left in the game to force overtime for the Kraken (12-10-6) as they snapped a six-game losing skid. Alex Laferriere and Kevin Fiala scored for the 14-8-8 Kings.

HEADLINES

RG.ORG: Alex Ovechkin discussed his future in a recent interview with Andrew Knoll.

The Washington Capitals captain is in the final season of his contract. He isn’t thinking beyond this season, but hasn’t ruled out bringing his career full circle by returning to the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow in a ceremonial or competitive role.

Having surpassed 900 NHL regular-season goals, Ovechkin has shifted from chasing scoring milestones to the Capitals’ resurgence as they jockey for first place in the Eastern Conference for the second straight season.

ESPN.COM: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed concern about the delays plaguing the construction of the hockey rinks for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He pointed out that constructions of rinks for previous Winter Games had never stretched on this long, calling the delays “disappointing.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Once the arenas are completed, the league will be sending its experts to determine that the ice surface is safe for its players. There are no alternate venues if the ice isn’t up to the standard expected by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated the players won’t participate if the ice surface isn’t suitable.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers’ blue line will soon get a boost when sidelined defensemen Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen return to action. Ristolainen has been recovering from surgery in March to repair a ruptured triceps tendon. York has missed the past five games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi is sidelined again with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans will miss Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins for personal reasons.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed defenseman Dakota Mermis (lower body) on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF/TSN: The St. Louis Blues announced that center Nick Bjugstad is out for at least five days with an upper-body injury. They also signed forward Robby Fabbri to a one-year, two-way contract, and signed forward Dillon Dube to an AHL professional tryout contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2025

by | Dec 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2025

Check out the latest Quinn Hughes speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos reports the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils have had contact regarding Quinn Hughes going back to last summer, but he wonders how far they are in actual trade talks.

Kypreos claimed New Jersey defenseman Simon Nemec is “out there”, along with center Dawson Mercer, and any of the Devils’ first-round draft picks over the next three years have to be in play.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

According to Kypreos, the Canucks believe there are teams open to the idea of acquiring Hughes without any assurances of signing him to a contract extension once his current deal expires in 2027. He wondered if the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks might get involved in the bidding.

The Canucks seek four or five pieces for Hughes, including roster players, prospects, and draft picks. They want the first-round picks to be unprotected.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek wondered if Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would attempt to make a major move by acquiring Hughes.

Marek noted that Yzerman has a reputation for being patient, but pointed out that they have lots of salary cap space and won’t have a franchise player to spend it on in next summer’s unrestricted free-agent market. He argued that it might be time for Yzerman to start drawing on some of his promising prospects as trade bait to add an impact player now.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols noted the Devils aren’t believed to be the only team to have called the Canucks about Hughes. He noted the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins have also been linked to the superstar defenseman.

Nichols considers the Red Wings as the only real threat to the Devils’ chances of landing Hughes. He noted that they have more assets to tempt the Canucks, including at center with Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson as players of potential interest.

However, Nichols questioned whether the Wings and other clubs would trade away assets if Hughes isn’t interested in signing an extension with them. He pointed out that the opportunity for Hughes to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, in New Jersey gives the Devils an edge.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Kypreos, some teams might not have an issue with trading away assets to get Hughes as a two-year playoff rental. Nevertheless, Nichols makes a good point that not everyone will want to give up a king’s ransom for a player they’ll lose to free agency in 2027.

The Red Wings have another advantage over the Devils, and that is in salary-cap space.

For this season, the Wings currently have over $17 million in available cap space, while the Devils are pressed for cap room. If the Devils intend to acquire Hughes this season, they must shed considerable salary to make room for his $7.85 million average annual value

For 2026-27, the final season of Hughes’ contract, the Red Wings have a projected $41.8 million, while the Devils have $10.35 million. Even if we factor in the cost of re-signing players, the Wings would still have a significant edge.

For the 2027-28 season, the Devils have over $47 million, but we can expect that number to drop significantly by next season as players are re-signed and new ones are added via trades and free agency. The same applies to the Red Wings and their projected $77.2 million, but even then, they still have the advantage.

Hughes could accept a trade to another club like the Wings, decline to sign an extension, and hit the UFA market in 2027. However, the Devils must still clear considerable cap space if they want to reunite Quinn with Jack and Luke.