NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2025

The latest on the Canadiens and Senators, potential destinations for coach Rick Tocchet and the Canucks’ search for a new head coach in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT WOULD IT COST THE CANADIENS TO ACQUIRE SIDNEY CROSBY?

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels was asked what it would take for the Montreal Canadiens to acquire Sidney Crosby if the Pittsburgh Penguins captain became available in the trade market.

Engels prefaced his response by citing Crosby’s intent to retire as a Penguin, and no indication that this will change. The future Hall-of-Famer grew up a Canadiens fan, prompting a perception among some Habs fans that he might want to finish his career in Montreal.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

If Crosby became available, Engels believes the Canadiens would be better-positioned to meet the Penguins’ asking price than, say, the Colorado Avalanche or Los Angeles Kings. They have the cap space to take on his contract, plus depth in draft picks and prospects to make a competitive pitch.

Engels suggested packaging their two first-rounders (16th and 17th overall) as part of the return. They could also offer up one of those picks and their unprotected 2026 first-rounder, plus one of the two second-rounders they have in each of the next two drafts. They could also throw in “any combination of two prospects not named Demidov, Reinbacher, Fowler, or Hage” in the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Engels ended his piece by reminding everyone again that Crosby might never request a trade from the Penguins, adding it’s difficult to gauge what his value in the trade market would be and what it would take to get him to Montreal.

The Canadiens need a reliable second-line center. Finding one will be difficult because there aren’t that many available in the trade market. Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild could be available, as could Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils.

Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks is often mentioned, but he’s more of a winger now, and his stock has tumbled due to injuries and inconsistency. Teammate Mason McTavish has also been mentioned, but that seems like wishful thinking.

Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers, Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars are the top centers eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Bennett would be the ideal fit, but he’d draw the most interest around the league if he hits the open market. The rest are in their mid-thirties with their prime years behind them. It’s doubtful any of them will consider the rebuilding Canadiens a prime destination.

COULD THE SENATORS TRADE DRAKE BATHERSON?

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked about a recent rumor suggesting Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson might become a trade candidate.

McKenzie doesn’t see the logic in moving Batherson unless they’re getting a bona fide top defenseman or a young goal-scoring forward. He pointed out that the 27-year-old winger is in his playing prime with a team-friendly annual cap hit of $5 million through 2026-27.

Dealing away Batherson would only exacerbate the Senators’ need to add more scoring. If they do trade him, McKenzie believes it’ll mean they’re making a full-court press on somebody through trade, free agency or other means to supplement their scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Batherson rumor appeared in the Ottawa Sun last month after the Senators were eliminated from the playoffs. I concur with McKenzie’s take. Batherson isn’t going anywhere unless the Sens are clearing cap room to add a better scorer.

THREE POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS FOR TOCCHET

TSN: Darren Dreger reports of “strong indications” that Rick Tocchet will soon be hired by a new NHL team. The 2024 winner of the Jack Adams Award, Tocchet stepped down last month as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

Dreger claimed the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Seattle Kraken were among the leading contenders for Tocchet’s services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are seen as the favorite given Tocchet’s ties to the team during his playing career, spending 11 of his 18 NHL seasons in Philadelphia.

CANUCKS NARROW DOWN THEIR REPLACEMENTS FOR TOCCHET

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Vancouver Canucks are getting close to finding their replacement for Tocchet behind their bench.

He listed Manny Malhotra, Adam Foote and Marco Sturm as the leading candidates. Malhotra is seen as the front-runner, partly due to his success coaching the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malhotra took over as Abbotsford’s head coach last season, earning praise for guiding them to a franchise record 44-24-2-2, finishing second in the AHL’s Western Conference with 92 points. They’re in the division finals against the Colorado Eagles, starting on Friday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2024

The Rangers tie the Eastern Conference Final at a game apiece, Don Waddell steps down as Hurricanes GM, the Blackhawks and Islanders swap 2024 first-round picks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Barclay Goodrow gave the New York Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers, tying the Eastern Conference Final at a game apiece. Vincent Trocheck opened the scoring and finished with two points and Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots for the win. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 28 shots. The series shifts to Florida for the next two games with Game 3 on Sunday, May 26 at 3 pm EDT.

New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A better effort from the Rangers following their flat performance in Game 1. They were more engaged and physical with improved puck movement. The Panthers expected this, making for a well-balanced game that should be a harbinger of what’s to come in this series.

Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey left the game in the second period following a hard hit to the shoulder by Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg. There was no post-game update other than he suffered an upper-body injury.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers and Dallas Stars face big decisions about two sidelined players heading into Game 2 of the Western Conference Final on Saturday.

Oilers center Adam Henrique is close to returning from a lower-body injury. Stars center Roope Hintz has resumed skating after missing the last three games with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Don Waddell stepped down on Friday as president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes after six seasons. Assistant GM Eric Tulsky takes over from Waddell on an interim basis while a search is underway for a full-time replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This announcement followed reports that Waddell was permitted to speak with other teams, including the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Hurricanes are considered to be at a crossroads with nine players slated to become unrestricted free agents and six others due to become restricted free agents. This will be an interesting offseason in Carolina.

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders swapped draft picks on Friday. The Blackhawks receive a 2024 first-round pick (18th overall) and a 2024 second-rounder (50th overall) while the Islanders get a 2024 first-rounder (20th overall) and two 2024 second-round picks (#54 and #61).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This deal raised questions among fans of both clubs on social media.

The Athletic’s Arthur Staple and Scott Powers believe the Blackhawks saw the value of moving up two spots in the first round and four in the second.

As for the Islanders, they could package that extra second-rounder with a player they’d like to move to escape a burdensome contract like Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Anders Lee. It could also be used as draft capital to acquire a top-six forward.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets promoted Scott Arniel to replace the retired Rick Bowness as their new head coach. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach. 

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have brought back Manny Malhotra as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. Malhotra played three seasons with the Canucks during his 16-season playing career. He was also part of their coaching staff from 2016 until joining the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach in 2020.