NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2026

by | Apr 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2026

A milestone game for Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, the Islanders are eliminated from the playoff race, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby face each other for the 100th time, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored and collected an assist to surpass 100 points in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc also each had a goal and an assist, Lane Hutson had two assists, and Jacob Fowler made 30 saves for the 48-23-10 Canadiens, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 106 points. Casey Cizikas replied for the 43-33-5 Islanders.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suzuki is the fifth player in Canadiens history to reach the 100-point plateau, and the first to do so since Mats Naslund in 1985-86. Meanwhile, Hutson tied Larry Robinson for the most assists in a season (66) by a Canadiens defenseman.

The Habs called up defenseman David Reinbacher to replace blueliner Noah Dobson, who is out for at least two weeks with an upper-body (thumb) injury. Reinbacher collected an assist on Newhook’s goal for his first NHL point.

The Washington Capitals blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 in the 100th head-to-head game between Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Ovechkin collected an assist, Connor McMichael scored twice and picked up an assist, and Logan Thompson had a 24-save shutout for the 42-30-9 Capitals (93 points), who are one point behind the 41-27-12 Philadelphia Flyers (94 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Stuart Skinner stopped 23 of 25 shots for the 41-24-16 Penguins (98 points), who have already clinched second place in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is in the final season of his contract. Capitals fans chanted “one more year”, but the 40-year-old winger still hasn’t decided if he’ll return. Nevertheless, this game felt like it was the final matchup between Ovechkin and Crosby.

The Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive, but they must win their final game, while the Flyers must lose their last two games in regulation.

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ playoff hopes suffered a blow as they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Boston Bruins. Mark Kastelic snapped a 2-2 tie, Sean Kuraly had a goal and two assists, and Joonas Korpisalo stopped 33 shots for the 44-27-10 Bruins (98 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Ottawa Senators for the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Mason Marchment and Adam Fantilli replied for the Blue Jackets (40-29-12), who sit two points behind the Flyers, who hold a game in hand over the Blue Jackets and Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins top prospect James Hagens made his NHL debut and collected an assist. The Bruins also scratched veterans Charlie McAvoy, Pavol Zacha, Victor Arvidsson, and Hampus Lindholm from this game.

The Blue Jackets will be eliminated if the Flyers pick up one point in their final two games.

Speaking of the Senators, they fell to the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on an overtime goal by Nico Hischier, who finished with two goals and an assist. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the Devils. Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto, and Fabian Zetterlund scored for the Senators (43-27-11), who hold the second Eastern wild card with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins and Senators have already punched their tickets to the postseason. Both clubs are now jockeying to determine who their first-round opponents will be. Both clubs have one game left.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk missed this game with an undisclosed ailment, believed to be an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s 3-0 win over the Islanders. He will likely sit out their regular-season finale against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, but is expected to be ready for the upcoming playoffs.

An overtime goal by Marco Rossi lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 upset of the Anaheim Ducks. Rossi, Brock Boeser, and Jake DeBrusk each finished with a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Cutter Gauthier scored twice to reach the 40-goal plateau for the 42-32-6 Ducks, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier is the first Duck to score 40 goals in a season since Corey Perry in 2013-14. The Ducks can clinch a playoff berth if the Nashville Predators lose in any fashion to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. The Predators are four points behind the Ducks, with both clubs having two games left.

The Calgary Flames upset the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Brayden Pachal had a goal and two assists while Dustin Wolf kicked out 28 shots for the Flames. Lawson Crouse replied for the 42-32-6 Mammoth (90 points), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth clinched a playoff berth last week. This was defenseman MacKenzie Weegar’s first game in Calgary since he was dealt to the Mammoth before last month’s trade deadline. He received a warm standing ovation from Flames fans following a video tribute.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will miss the next two games after suffering facial fractures and a corneal abrasion from being struck by a puck during Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres hope to have Noah Ostlund back for the playoffs. The 22-year-old rookie forward missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Scott Oake signed off for the last time on Saturday. The long-time host of the program’s “After Hours” interview show began his broadcasting career in the 1970s and has worked with Hockey Night in Canada since the 1980s.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oake will devote his time running The Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, named in honor of his son, who died in 2011 after struggling with addiction, and the Anne Oake Recovery Centre, which is under construction and will offer 75 beds for women in recovery.

Best wishes to Oake and his family in his new endeavors.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2026

by | Apr 4, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2026

A list of RFA players ineligible for offer sheets, an update on the Predators’ search for a new general manager, and the latest on the Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LIST OF RFAS NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE OFFER SHEETS THIS SUMMER.

PUCKPEDIA: recently released their list of Group 2 restricted free agents classified as 10.2(C) players, making them ineligible for offer sheets or arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The article linked above explains the criteria players must meet to avoid becoming 10.2(C) RFAs.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier (NHL Images).

The notable players this year include Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin, San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf, and Philadelphia Flyers winger Nikita Grebenkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m linking to this because a few readers have mentioned Gauthier, Nikishin, and Graf as potential offer sheet targets.

There are two ways these players change teams this summer. One is if their respective teams don’t qualify their rights, and they become unrestricted free agents. The other is trading them. I don’t foresee either situation occurring for Gauthier, Nikishin, Graf, and Grebenkin.

PREDATORS

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty recently reported on the Nashville Predators’ search for a new general manager to replace Barry Trotz, who intends to step down as soon as his replacement is found.

The Predators sought permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs to speak with assistant general manager Brandon Pridham. Former Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli has also been linked to the Predators.

Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson and Oilers assistant GM Bill Scott are believed to be on the Predators’ search list. Former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has also been mentioned as a candidate.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said the Predators could be about to begin in-person interviews with the candidates. He believes that Peterson and Scott are among them, along with Dallas Stars assistant general manager Scott White and possibly former Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka.

Friedman believes Predators current assistant GM Jeff Kealty could be in the mix. He also thinks they reached out to player agent Matt Kater. Friedman brought up Tom Fitzgerald, given the uncertainty about the New Jersey Devils general manager this season.

CANUCKS

TSN: Darren Dreger addressed recent rumors suggesting the Vancouver Canucks could make a management shakeup, saying that Patrik Allvin has no intention of leaving as general manager. Dreger said Allvin remains “highly regarded” as GM of the team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2026

by | Apr 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2026

No April fooling here, as the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin reaches another scoring milestone, the Sabres reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference, the Stars re-sign general manager Jim Nill, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied twice to reach the 30-goal plateau for the 20th time in a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Tom Wilson also scored two goals, Pierre-Luc Dubois collected four assists, and Jakob Chychrun had a goal and two assists for the 38-28-9 Capitals (85 points), who are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Travis Sanheim and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (37-25-12), who are two points out of that Eastern wild-card spot.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin tied Gordie Howe and Teemu Selanne for the third-most goals (31) by a player age 40 or older. He’s behind Howe (44 goals) and Johnny Bucyk (36) for the most goals by a player in that age category.

The Buffalo Sabres reclaimed first place in the Eastern Conference by holding off the New York Islanders by a score of 4-3. Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (46-21-8), who reached the 100-point plateau for the first time since 2009-10. Bo Horvat picked up three assists, and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the 42-29-5 Islanders, who cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Carrick left this game with an injured left arm after a fight with Islanders captain Anders Lee in the third period. The Islanders played without forward Simon Holmstrom, who suffered an upper-body injury during Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield netted his 47th goal of the season and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Juraj Slafkovsky and Mike Matheson each had a goal and an assist while Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots for the 43-21-10 Canadiens, who picked up their sixth straight victory and remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Jake Guentzel replied for the Lightning (46-22-6), who are two points up on the Canadiens in the Atlantic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield sits two goals behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer. Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier missed this game as he’s out two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

A four-goal third period by the Boston Bruins lifted them to a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Viktor Arvidsson had a hat trick while David Pastrnak had three assists for the Bruins (43-24-8), who got their fourth straight win to sit two points behind the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each had two points for the 44-19-12 Stars, who have dropped six of their last seven games but continue to hold second place in the Western Conference with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Stars announced the signing of general manager Jim Nill to a two-year contract extension. He’s held the job since April 2013 and is the reigning holder of the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award, which he’s won three consecutive times as the Stars reached the Western Conference Final in each of those seasons.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Egor Chinakhov had a goal and an assist while Anthony Mantha reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time for the 38-21-16 Penguins, who sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. Dylan Larkin replied for the struggling Red Wings (39-27-8), who remain two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evgeni Malkin collected an assist as he returned to action since being sidelined on March 22 with an injured hand. Before the game, the Red Wings announced that prospect goaltender Trey Augustine had signed a three-year entry-level contract and reported to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids for the remainder of the season.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers scored the game-winning goal and picked up two assists in a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are 1-4-1 in their last six games. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (47-21-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 100 points. Kirill Marchenko had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (38-25-12), who cling to the final Eastern wild card with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Sabres are tied in points, but the former holds first place in the conference based on a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are struggling to regain the winning form that propelled them from last place in the conference in mid-January into second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25.

The Florida Panthers scored five straight goals in the first period to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and three assists while Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and collected an assist for the 35-32-3 Panthers. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark was pulled in the first period after giving up those five goals as his club remains two points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Noah Gregor set a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal as he found the back of the net in the first eight seconds. Gregor also received a match penalty in the third period for knocking Senators rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk out of the game with a high hit.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram made 27 saves to shut out the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Max Jones, Kasper Kapanen, and Connor McDavid scored for the 38-28-9 Oilers, who sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 85 points. Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 of 23 shots for the Kraken (32-30-11), who are two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken center Shane Wright missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets moved one point behind the Nashville Predators (77 points) for the final Western wild card by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kyle Connor. Mark Scheifele collected three assists for the Jets (32-30-12). Tyler Bertuzzi scored two goals for the 27-34-14 Blackhawks, who overcame a 3-1 deficit to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced that defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Matt Grzelcyk have been sidelined by injuries for the remainder of the season.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. J.T. Miller scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 31-35-9 Rangers. Connor Brown replied for the 38-34-2 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The main highlight of this contest was a third-period fight between Shesterkin and Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom, which Shesterkin won handily.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR/TORONTO SUN: Keith Pelley, the President and COO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, met with the media yesterday to outline his plans to find a new general manager for the Maple Leafs, and the club’s plans going forward.

Among the notable points from Pelley’s word salad of a press conference is the intention to build a new hockey department in time for the NHL Draft combine in early June. He expects the next GM will be required to make data-driven decisions.

Meanwhile, Pelley expects the club to build around foundational players Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basically, the roles of team president and general manager will not be held by one person; they’re focusing more on analytics, and they will be retooling around their foundation rather than tearing everything down and rebuilding.

I’ll have more about the potential candidates for the role of Maple Leafs general manager in today’s Rumor Mill.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar’s injury isn’t considered serious. However, he’ll likely miss a few games over the remainder of this season to ensure he’s ready for the upcoming playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Forward Jansen Harkins underwent surgery on his hand and is expected to be out for four weeks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 31, 2026

by | Mar 31, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 31, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s action, the Maple Leafs fire general manager Brad Treliving, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini became the sixth teenager in NHL history to record a 100-point season in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. Celebrini had two goals and an assist, and Adam Gaudette scored the winning goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third period for the 34-31-7 Sharks (75 points), who moved within two points of the Nashville Predators for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Jake Neighbours picked up two assists for the Blues (31-31-11), who are four points out of that wild-card spot.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini joined Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Jimmy Carson, Mario Lemieux, Dale Hawerchuk, and Wayne Gretzky among the teenage 100-point players, with Crosby the only one to do it twice. Celebrini is also the third player in Sharks history to reach the 100-point plateau, joining Joe Thornton and Erik Karlsson.

An eight-goal second period between the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins resulted in the latter overcoming a 3-1 deficit for an 8-3 victory. Anthony Mantha scored twice and collected an assist, Rickard Rakell tallied two goals, and Justin Brazeau picked up three assists for the 37-21-16 Penguins, who vaulted over the Islanders into second place in the Metropolitan Division. Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Isles (42-28-5), who sit one point behind the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby picked up two assists in his return to action after missing a game with a lower-body injury. It was his 1,100th career regular-season assist, joining Hall of Famer Raymond Bourque as the only players to reach that milestone with one team.

A five-goal first period carried the Colorado Avalanche to a 9-2 drubbing of the Calgary Flames. Colorado center Nazem Kadri scored twice against his former club while Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and Parker Kelly each collected three points for the Avalanche (49-14-10), who lead the league with 108 points. Brennan Othmann and Ryan Strome replied for the 31-35-8 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury. An update on his condition is expected on Tuesday.

The Vegas Golden Knights doubled up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2, giving interim coach John Tortorella his first win with his new club. Shea Theodore and Rielly Smith scored 1:17 minutes apart in the second period to give the 33-26-16 Golden Knights the win. With 82 points, they hold third place in the Pacific Division. Evander Kane scored in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game as the 21-44-8 Canucks sit last in the overall standings.

An overtime goal by John Tavares lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Tavares finished with two goals and an assist, and William Nylander had a goal and three assists for the Maple Leafs (32-30-13). Leo Carlsson tallied twice for the 41-28-5 Ducks, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Max Domi got a measure of revenge for sidelined captain Auston Matthews by beating Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in a first-period fight. Gudas injured Matthews earlier this month with a knee-on-knee hit. The Ducks blueliner seemed resigned to his fate, not bothering to throw any punches while Domi landed 12. Maple Leafs forward Michael Pezzetta was handed a game misconduct in the second period for shoving a linesman.

Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier left this game midway through the first period with an upper-body injury. He will be reevaluated on Tuesday. Gauthier leads the Ducks with 38 goals and 65 points this season.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Before last night’s game, the Maple Leafs announced that they relieved Brad Treliving of his duties as general manager.

Treliving had been in the role since May 2023. He had a record of 139-92-27, and a 10-10 postseason record.

The fate of head coach Craig Berube is unknown, but it’s expected that Treliving’s replacement will want to hire their own bench boss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving was in the final season of his contract. Given the club’s disappointing downturn this season, it’s not surprising that he was given his walking papers.

The Maple Leafs’ decline this season was mostly Treliving’s fault. He failed to re-sign Mitch Marner, resulting in the winger’s departure last summer, and didn’t find any suitable replacement. He also didn’t improve the Maple Leafs’ defensive depth, especially on the right side of their blueline. 

Treliving made a pair of short-sighted moves at last year’s trade deadline that will hamper the Leafs’ efforts to restock their prospect pipeline. He shipped top prospect Fraser Minten and the Leafs’ 2026 first-round pick to Boston for struggling defenseman Brandon Carlo at last year’s trade deadline. He gave up the Leafs’ 2027 first-rounder to Philadelphia as part of the return for Scott Laughton, who now plays for the Los Angeles Kings.

It’s rumored that the Maple Leafs could attempt to woo Doug Armstrong away from the St. Louis Blues. He’s indicated that he intends to hand over the management role to Alexander Steen and remain with the Blues as team president.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha, and Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson are the league’s three stars for the week ending March. 29, 2026.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 29, 2026

by | Mar 29, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 29, 2026

What could new contracts for some of this summer’s top restricted free agents look like? Could the Kraken re-sign Bobby McMann? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

NEW CONTRACTS FOR YOUNG PENDING RFA STARS COULD AFFECT THE MARKET

TSN: Chris Johnston recently said that Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks, Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks, and Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets could reset the market when they sign their new contracts later this year.

Bedard, Carlsson, and Fantilli are restricted free agents coming off their entry-level contracts and lack arbitration rights. They’re also the top-line centers on their respective teams.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

Johnston believes the reason Bedard, Carlsson, and Fantilli remain unsigned is that they’re holding off due to shifting market dynamics. He also thinks those three wouldn’t mind if a younger player, such as Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, signed an extension beforehand to establish the market.

Those players could get eight-year contracts before the maximum limit is reduced to seven years on Sept. 26.

DAILY FACEOFF: Felix Sicard of the Crash the Pond Podcast projected that Carlsson and teammate Cutter Gauthier could each land contracts of eight years with average annual values between $9 million and $10 million.

Sicard anticipates that Carlsson’s AAV will be over $10 million, given his role as the Ducks’ first-line center. Gauthier could get close to $10 million as he’s poised to reach 40 goals this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sharp rise in the salary cap is the main reason behind what Johnston called shifting market dynamics. We saw it earlier this season when all the biggest stars eligible to unrestricted free agency this July were signed to expensive long-term extensions.

Celebrini has established himself as a superstar during his sophomore season, sitting fourth overall in league scoring with 98 points. Barring injury or a late-season slump, he’ll likely finish with at least 105 points, more than the single-season best numbers of Bedard, Carlsson, Fantilli, and Gauthier.

The Sharks will be keen to lock up their franchise player for as long as possible, preferably the current maximum of eight years. Celebrini could earn an average annual value of around $15 million.

Bedard, Carlsson, and Fantilli probably won’t get as much as that, but they would be assured of long-term deals worth over $10 million annually. Gauthier will get around $10 million, especially if he exceeds 40 goals this season.

The Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, and Ducks have the cap space to re-sign those players. However, it could cost the Ducks over $20 million to ink Carlsson and Gauthier, which could limit their efforts to re-sign or replace pending UFAs Jacob Trouba, John Carlsson, Radko Gudas, and to re-sign RFAs Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek is a tough negotiator with players coming off entry-level contracts, as current Ducks center Mason McTavish and former Ducks forward Trevor Zegras can attest. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles this summer’s contract talks with Carlsson and Gauthier.

KRAKEN HOPE TO RE-SIGN BOBBY MCMANN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Seattle Kraken have shown an interest in retaining Bobby McMann, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1.

The 29-year-old McMann has seven goals and four assists in eight games since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the March 6 trade deadline. Friedman said the two sides haven’t gone too far down the road with this yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored that one reason why the Maple Leafs parted with McMann was that his camp sought a multi-year extension worth around $5 million per season. Maybe the goal-starved Kraken would be willing to meet that price.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2026

by | Mar 28, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding this summer’s notable NHL restricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The limited talent in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market has some observers suggesting some teams could attempt to poach away a top restricted free agent with an offer sheet. Some of the players on this list could also become trade targets if their contract negotiations stall.

Fox also pointed out that eight-year contract extensions will be nonexistent starting on July 1, which could provide an incentive to get these players under contract before then.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He’ll also be a year away from UFA eligibility if he and the Stars settle on a one-year contract.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

Fox indicated that Stars general manager Jim Nill reportedly explored Robertson’s value in last summer’s trade market, but he prefers to retain the 26-year-old winger. Nill also claimed the trade rumors were overblown. Robertson leads the Stars in scoring this season, which ensures his value will rise. A maximum eight-year extension could match teammate Mikko Rantanen’s average annual value of $12 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s situation will draw the most attention among this summer’s RFA class. The Stars have a projected $14.9 million in salary-cap space for 2026-27 with 18 active roster players under contract.

A $12 million extension would leave little room for Nill to fill out the remainder of his roster for next season. If he intends to re-sign Robertson to that much, he’ll have to shed salary to free up more cap room.

It will be interesting to see how Leo Carlsson’s contract talks progress this summer. The 21-year-old center has played a pivotal role in the Anaheim Ducks’ improvement this season, with 61 points in 60 games. He could be poised to become the Ducks’ highest-paid player, but he’s also coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

Carlsson’s teammate, Cutter Gauthier, is in the same boat. The 22-year-old winger is the Ducks’ leading scorer with 36 goals and 63 points in 71 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks GM Pat Verbeek usually plays hardball with players completing their ELCs, as Mason McTavish found out last summer, and former Duck Trevor Zegras in 2023. If Verbeek does the same with Carlsson and Gauthier, their negotiations could carry over into training camp before they’re resolved, which could also tempt some rival clubs to check their availability via trade or offer sheet.

Salary-cap constraints could affect the Vegas Golden Knights’ efforts to re-sign Pavel Dorofeyev. The versatile 25-year-old winger has arbitration rights this summer. Fox speculates he could get a two-year extension, taking him up to UFA eligibility at $5.6 million AAV, while an eight-year deal could cost around $8 million annually.

However, the Golden Knights already have five forwards earning between $5 million and $13.5 million. They must also re-sign UFA-eligible defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights usually find some creative way to retain their best player whilst staying within the boundaries of the CBA. They could get $8.8 million in cap relief if Alex Pietrangelo remains on long-term injury reserve, which could create sufficient wiggle room to retain Dorofeyev or Andersson. However, they must free up more room to keep both.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec surfaced in the rumor mill before the March 6 trade deadline. Fox believes he’ll either be traded for a nice return or sign a nice bridge deal. He noted that the Devils were rumored to have turned down an offer of winger William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks at the deadline.

After the trade deadline, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald hinted that he might draw from his blueline depth to bring in some help for his forward lines, like a top-six winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils could try to trade veteran Dougie Hamilton, but his inconsistent play, hefty salary, and 10-team trade list have made him difficult to move. Nemec seems the more likely trade candidate. Some have suggested sending him to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a package deal for power forward Matthew Knies.

Other notable players among this summer’s RFA class include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli and goaltender Jet Greaves, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale, and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I didn’t bother breaking down their individual situations because I don’t expect their teams to have any difficulty re-signing them. It’s unlikely those players will sign offer sheets, and if they did, their teams have the cap space to match such offers.