NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

Check out the latest on the Leafs and the Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE LEAFS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin believes the Toronto Maple Leafs cannot return with the same core next season following another disappointing playoff meltdown.

Larkin doesn’t think Auston Matthews and William Nylander are going anywhere because they’ve just commenced their long-term extension. However, forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 and face uncertain futures.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby expects changes among the “Core Four” forwards. He doubts the Leafs will break the bank to keep Marner in Toronto. Meanwhile, Tavares will be 35 when next season starts, and his idea of a hometown discount could differ from management’s.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Hornby pointed out that winger Matthew Knies is coming off his entry-level contract, becoming a restricted free agent unless he signs an extension before July 1. The 22-year-old power forward could also receive a lucrative offer sheet from a rival club.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle doesn’t see the Leafs retaining team president Brendan Shanahan. After 11 years at the helm, his contract is up at the end of this season.

Mirtle doesn’t expect Marner will be back, pointing out his unwillingness to negotiate a contract during this season and the club’s attempt to move him at the trade deadline. They could retain Tavares at a deep discount, but that might not make sense given he had only three even-strength points in this postseason.

Chris Johnston believes the clock is ticking on Marner’s days with the Leafs. He could become the highest-profile player in this summer’s UFA market. Shouldering a disproportionate share of the blame for the Leafs’ playoff failures could make free agency more alluring to him.

Jonas Siegel sees this as the end of the “Shanaplan” and the “Core Four” era in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ve expected changes from Toronto since they blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the underdog Montreal Canadiens in 2021. This time, however, it feels like significant change is finally coming. They have to. The patience of Leafs Nation is finally tapped out.

Shanahan, Marner and Tavares are on expiring contracts. It’s time for a change in oversight, and it’s time for a shakeup among their core players.

Letting Marner and Tavares walk enables the Leafs to put the dollars they would’ve invested in those two into players who might better suit their needs.

They have a projected cap space of $26.8 million with 16 active roster players (including Matthews, Nylander, and Morgan Rielly) under contract for next season.

That’s enough to make a significant addition or two via trade or free agency and have enough to re-sign Knies to a long-term deal.

THE LATEST ON THE SENATORS

SPORTSNET: Alex Adams was asked about possible offseason targets for the Ottawa Senators.

He thinks pending UFA winger Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets would be a perfect fit alongside Tim Stutzle. Adding a right-shot defenseman like Florida’s Aaron Ekblad or Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames would be nice, but Adams wondered if they could make a move for a Nick Jensen-type player like Michael Kesselring of the Utah Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have $17.5 million available with 14 active roster players under contract, with UFA-eligible forward Claude Giroux and pending RFAs Fabian Zetterlund and Tyler Kleven to re-sign. They’ll also need a backup for Linus Ullmark if Anton Forsberg departs via free agency.

Assuming those players are affordable re-signings, the Senators won’t have much wiggle room to pursue guys like Ehlers and Ekblad. Andersson has a year left on his contract but could sign an extension with the Flames this summer. If he becomes available, the Flames will set a high asking price. Kesselring is also under contract for another year. Utah has no reason to move him.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked if the Senators might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

McKenzie is keeping his expectations low, pointing out the Senators are keeping their 2025 first-round pick, meaning they’ll forfeit their 2026 pick because of the Evgenii Dadonov trade debacle three years ago. He also pointed out they don’t have their 2026 second-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators only have the necessary offer-sheet compensations for deals worth an average annual value of between $1.544 million and $2.34 million. That will cost a 2026 third-rounder. Anything under $1.544 million has no compensation penalty.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2024

by | Jan 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon regains the lead in the scoring race, Jonathan Marchessault sets a Golden Knights record, Zach Parise signs with the Avalanche, Brendan Gallagher receives a five-game suspension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to regain the NHL scoring lead (84 points) in a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Logan O’Connor scored two goals and Alexandar Georgiev made 26 saves for the 32-14-3 Avalanche, who hold first place in the Central Division with 67 points and sit third in the overall standings. Kevin Fiala scored for the struggling Kings (22-15-9), who’ve won just twice in their last 15 games and cling to the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 53 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also extended his home points streak to 25 games, tying Bobby Orr for the second-longest home points streak to start a season. Wayne Gretzky holds the record with 40 games.

Speaking of the Avalanche, they signed free-agent winger Zach Parise to a one-year, prorated contract worth $825K with no performance bonuses. The 39-year-old Parise spent the last two seasons with the New York Islanders, tallying 21 goals in 2022-23. He’s considered an affordable short-term replacement for Tomas Tatar, who was traded last month to the Seattle Kraken after struggling offensively with the Avs.

Kings center Quinton Byfield missed the game due to an illness.

A hat-trick performance by Jonathan Marchessault powered the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Marchessault set a franchise record for most hat tricks with four. Adin Hill kicked out 36 shots for the 29-14-6 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 64 points. Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (29-16-3) as they remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a difficult day for the Rangers. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren left this game with an upper-body injury in the first period. Center Filip Chytil suffered a setback in his recovery from a concussion when he suffered an upper-body injury in practice. Forward Nick Bonino cleared waivers and is expected to be sent to their AHL affiliate in Hartford following the All-Star break.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Sam Reinhart, who also scored in regulation to push his points streak to 12 games. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 35 shots while Evan Rodrigues also scored for the 30-14-4 Panthers, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division standings. Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (21-17-7), who’ve won just three of their last 10 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart now has 36 goals on the season. He sits second in the league goal-scoring race, three behind Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews.

An overtime goal by Pavel Buchnevich completed a three-goal comeback by the St. Louis Blues in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Buchnevich finished the night with two goals and an assist while Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn each collected two points for the 25-20-2 Blues (52 points). They’ve won four straight and sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (28-18-10), who are three points out of that wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken forward Matty Beniers returned to action after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher received a five-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I like Gallagher’s gritty style of play but that hit on Pelech was such an egregious cheap shot that I was surprised he received a telephone hearing, which guaranteed that he’d receive no more than five games. That should’ve been at least 10 games. There’s been no update on Pelech, who was helped from the ice and didn’t return.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Corey Perry will make his debut with the Oilers tonight against the Nashville Predators. Earlier in the week, he signed a one-year, $775K prorated deal with the Oilers.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will miss tonight’s game with the Maple Leafs as he’s not ready yet to return to action from a lower-body injury.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed winger Owen Tippett to an eight-year, $49.6 million contract extension. They also signed forward Ryan Poehling to a two-year, $3.8 million extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Worthwhile signings by the Flyers. Tippett’s annual average value is $6.2 million while Poehling’s is $1.9 million. Both have fit in well on this rebuilding club that has exceeded expectations this season.

After struggling to earn a roster spot with the Florida Panthers earlier in his career, Tippett is reaching his potential as a top-six forward with the Flyers. The 24-year-old winger is second among the Flyers with 18 goals and tied for third with 30 points in 46 games. He has the potential to become a consistent 30-plus goal scorer.

Poehling, 25, has found a home in Philadelphia as a checking-line forward after failing to stick with the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes activated goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 11 after receiving a blow to the head against the Anaheim Ducks.

CBS SPORTS: Buffalo Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Bobby McCann (undisclosed) on injured reserve and are awaiting word on the status of forward Calle Jarnkrok, who injured his hand during practice on Friday.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Kesselring $2,408.85 for cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predator signed defenseman Kevin Gravel to a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $775K per season at the NHL level.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds hasn’t officially retired as an NHL player but is moving on with his life. “I had a great career. It was the best time I’ve ever had in my life,” said the 35-year-old Simmonds. “Right now, it’s family time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmonds played 15 seasons with the Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. In 1,037 games, he scored 263 goals and collected 263 assists for 526 points. He also had 22 points in 53 playoff contests.

A physical two-way winger, Simmonds’ best seasons were the eight he spent with the Flyers, scoring 20-plus goals six times (including two 30-plus goal campaigns) and exceeding 50 points four times.