NHL Rumor Mill – April 3, 2026

by | Apr 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 3, 2026

Could the Penguins pursue Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews? What moves could the Leafs make to bounce back next season? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Josh Yohe was asked if he thought the Pittsburgh Penguins would pursue Auston Matthews if the Toronto Maple Leafs captain became available this summer.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Given the previous relationship between Matthews and Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, Yohe would be surprised if the latter didn’t look into it. He noted that the Penguins have the salary-cap space and trade pieces to make a deal.

Yohe believes the Maple Leafs would want promising Penguins forward Ben Kindel as part of the return, and he doesn’t know if Dubas would want to trade him. He also doesn’t know how keen the Maple Leafs would be to trade Matthews to the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs downturn this season has fueled speculation over Matthews’ future in Toronto. He has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $13.25 million and a full no-movement clause.

Yohe pointed out that he doesn’t know what’s going to happen with the Maple Leafs, or what Matthews might be thinking. That’s currently the consensus among most NHL pundits. For all we know, Matthews will be patient and see how things shake out next season under new management.

If so, the earliest Matthews would hit the trade block is next summer if he informs Maple Leafs management that he intends to go to market in July 2028. The last thing they’ll want is a repeat of the Mitch Marner saga, where uncertainty over his future hung over the club throughout last season.

Matthews would have complete control over the situation. If he becomes available, Dubas will likely look into it, but there’s no guarantee he’d want to go to Pittsburgh.

SPORTSNET: Justin Bourne proposed several ways for the Maple Leafs to improve next season.

One way would be to add a reliable right wing alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the Maple Leafs’ first line. Bourne believes they don’t need to pursue a superstar to fill that role, suggesting they find a playmaker who is good defensively. He proposed going the free-agent route this summer by signing Viktor Arvidsson of the Boston Bruins or Jaden Schwartz of the Seattle Kraken.

Bourne also believes the Maple Leafs must add another meaningful defenseman. A possible UFA option could be Darren Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also thinks they should bring in a capable middle-six center such as Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs lack tradeable assets this summer. However, they possess over $23 million in projected salary-cap space next season with 19 active roster players under contract, including all their core players. They can afford to add this summer. 

This summer’s UFA market is thin on talent, which could send more teams into the trade market. That could leave the market open for the Maple Leafs to bring in some decent short-term options to help them stage a turnaround next season.

The downside is that players like Arvidsson, Schwartz, Coyle, and Raddysh might not be available. If they are, the Maple Leafs could end up overpaying to bring them to Toronto. There’s also no certainty that they’ll fit in with the roster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

by | Apr 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

Mitch Marner, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt each have five-point games, the Hurricanes and Wild clinch playoff berths, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane becomes the highest-scoring American player, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mitch Marner tallied a hat trick and collected two assists to lead the Vegas Golden Knights over the Calgary Flames 6-3. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and two assists for Vegas (34-26-16), who picked up their second straight win under interim coach John Tortorella. With 84 points, the Golden Knights are third in the Pacific Division. Blake Coleman scored twice for the 31-36-8 Flames.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart stopped 19 saves in his return to action after being sidelined by a leg injury since Jan. 8.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had five points in a 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Hughes had two goals and three assists while Bratt had a goal and four assists for the Devils (39-34-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist for the 38-29-9 Capitals (85 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Devils announced that rookie forward Arseny Gritsyuk will undergo season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth with a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Logan Stankoven scored two goals while Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho each had two assists for the 48-21-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 102 points. Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets (38-26-12), who are 0-4-1 in their last five games. They sit outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal played in his 1,400th NHL regular-season game.

The Minnesota Wild punched their ticket to the postseason by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Matt Boldy scored two goals, including his 40th of the season, and collected an assist while Ryan Hartman also tallied twice for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Tom Wallinder and Jake DeBrusk replied for the 22-45-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game between the two clubs since the Canucks traded Quinn Hughes to the Wild in December. Hughes collected an assist against his former club. This loss ensured the Canucks will finish last in the overall standings, improving their odds of winning the draft lottery next month.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex DeBrincat had two goals for the 40-27-8 Red Wings, who sit out of the Eastern wild-card spot with 88 points. Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers (37-26-12), who are two points behind the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 1,393 regular-season points, Kane surpassed Hall of Famer Brett Hull (1,391 points) to become the league’s all-time leading American scorer. Earlier this season, he overtook Mike Modano (1,374 points) to become the highest-scoring American-born scorer.

Foerster was playing in his first game after missing 49 games recovering from arm surgery.

The Ottawa Senators reclaimed the final Eastern wild card by beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Lars Eller scored the winning goal, Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots for the Senators (39-26-10), who have 88 points and hold the wild card over the Red Wings with 33 regulation wins. Mattias Samuelsson scored for the 46-22-8 Sabres, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years. They’ll get another chance to do so when they face the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Sabres forward Sam Carrick didn’t play as he’s week-to-week with an injured left arm. Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was absent from this game with an upper-body injury.

A hat trick by Anthony Cirelli carried the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists for the 47-22-6 Lightning, who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Egor Chinahkov scored twice for the Penguins (38-22-16), who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning placed defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t played since March 19.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winning goal, as his club nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Nick Suzuki collected two assists while Jacob Fowler made 22 saves for the Canadiens (44-21-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic with 98 points. Adam Fox and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (31-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield has 49 goals, sitting one back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy.

The Florida Panthers got a 28-save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky (including 15 in the third period) in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers (37-35-3). Fraser Minten had the only goal for the 43-25-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 94 points.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Matt Duchene, Arttu Hyry, and Adam Erne were the goal scorers for the 45-19-12 Stars, who hold second place in the Western Conference with 102 points. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 21 shots for the 32-31-12 Jets (75 points), who are three points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Elias Salomonsson left this game midway through the second period after a high hit from Stars winger Jason Robertson.

Speaking of the Sharks, they regained the final Western wild card with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Collin Graf scored his 20th goal of the season while William Eklund and Zack Ostapchuk each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (36-31-7), who’ve won four straight games and now have 79 points. John Tavares scored for the 32-31-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the loss, the Maple Leafs have been officially eliminated from the postseason race for the first time in 10 years. Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista scored in the eighth round of the shootout to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. The Predators (35-31-9) had a 4-1 lead, but the Kings (30-26-19) stormed back to tie the game. Both clubs sit behind the Sharks with 79 points each.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have more wins than the Predators and Kings, and they also have a game in hand over both clubs.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Adam Henrique, Matt Savoie, and Vasily Podkolzin scored for the 39-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-35-14 Blackhawks, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are tied with the Anaheim Ducks, but the latter holds first place with two more wins and a game in hand.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth (39-30-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 84 points. Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann replied for the 32-31-11 Kraken, who have dropped seven of their last eight games to sit four points behind the Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2026

by | Apr 2, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, William Nylander talks about his future, plus some potential candidates for the Maple Leafs’ vacant GM position.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston report William Nylander wants to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs through a roster retool, but not if they’re going to stage a complete rebuild.

“Unless it was a full rebuild and we were going to get rid of everybody, then it’s a different story,” Nylander said. “But just to do a retool or whatever, I don’t even know, but I mean, I still want to be here, yeah.”

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images)

Nylander said he spoke with former Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving before the trade deadline about the club’s direction. He indicated that Treliving wanted to retool. “That sounded fine to me,” Nylander said.

The Maple Leafs fired Treliving on Monday, but Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment president Keith Pelley said the team was inclined to retool in part because of foundational players like Nylander.

Questions have been raised about team captain Auston Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs. Nylander said he’s not ready yet to say whether Matthews’ decision would affect his own.

Nylander is signed through 2031-32 with an average annual value of $11.5 million and a full no-movement clause. He believes the Maple Leafs can bounce back, as the Boston Bruins did this season, after finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Matthews forces a trade this summer or next summer, or departs as a free agent in 2028, Nylander could be eyeing the exit. Retooling the Maple Leafs isn’t possible without their franchise player. But if the Leafs don’t bounce back next season, Matthews could decide his future no longer rests in Toronto. If he goes, Nylander could follow.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau listed five potential candidates to fill the vacant Maple Leafs’ general manager role.

If the Maple Leafs decide to retool the roster, Proteau suggested Chris Pronger and Brandon Pridham, the Leafs’ assistant GM. If they opt to rebuild, he proposed Mark Hunter of the OHL’s London Knights, Steve Yzerman if the Detroit Red Wings fire him as their GM, and Leafs assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka could be a candidate. Demidov revealed that Chayka interviewed with the Maple Leafs in February.

Chayka was the Coyotes GM from 2016 until 2020, when he abruptly resigned. The league suspended him through 2021 for “conduct detrimental to the league.” He was found to have pursued other opportunities while still under contract and to have been involved in an illegal pre-draft scouting combine.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other candidates proposed by pundits include St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, former Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, and former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis.

Chayka and Gillis have been mentioned because Pelley indicated that he seeks a “data-driven” person for the job. Both were forward-thinking during their time as general managers with their use of analytics.

Speculation about who the Maple Leafs would hire as their next general manager was going to dominate headlines because of who they are and the market they’re in. Pelley’s deadline of the end of May to have a new GM in place will ensure this story continues to percolate in the rumor mill.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2026

by | Apr 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2026

Who are the potential candidates to become the next GM of the Maple Leafs? Are management changes coming for the Devils and Canucks? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS’ GM SEARCH

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes that Keith Pelley, the head of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, tipped his hand when he said that he favors retooling the Maple Leafs roster over a rebuild. He expects it will be a cue card for the potential candidates for the job.

Darren Dreger reports former Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving was at least working on retooling the roster before he was fired. Treliving was hoping to use some of the draft picks that he acquired before last month’s trade deadline as trade collateral to acquire a good young defenseman. The Leafs also need a center to take some of the load off John Tavares.

Chris Johnston indicated that Pelley is seeking a data-minded person for the GM job. The Leafs will hire a search firm to help them find some potential candidates.

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (NHL.com).

LeBrun mentioned that St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong has been linked to the Maple Leafs. Armstrong is stepping down from his current role at the end of this season, but he’s under contract as the Blues’ president of hockey operations. It would be up to Blues owner Tom Stillman whether he’ll permit clubs to speak with Armstrong.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues beat writer Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic doesn’t expect Stillman to grant permission for the Leafs to talk to Armstrong about their vacant management position. The Blues owner would prefer that Armstrong stick around to help the incoming GM, Alexander Steen.

Johnston mentioned that Pelley has reached out to sidelined Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. It’s expected there will be more discussions between the two regarding the club’s direction. Matthews has two years remaining on his contract.

In his column for The Athletic, LeBrun mentioned former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis as a potential candidate. He also believes the Maple Leafs could be looking at multiple hires, with a veteran hand paired with an up-and-comer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “veteran hand” would likely end up in the hockey operations role, while the “up-and-comer” gets the general manager’s chair.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes there will be plenty of interest in the Leafs GM job. He wondered if former Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi would be a candidate for the Leafs job. Lombardi currently works with the Philadelphia Flyers. Other possibilities could be Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza and Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta.

COULD THE DEVILS AND CANUCKS SHAKE UP THEIR MANAGEMENT?

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos observed that Tom Fitzgerald holds the president of hockey operations and general manager titles. However, some are wondering if they might break up those roles.

Kypreos speculated they could hire a new hockey ops president, keep Fitzgerald around for one more season, and evaluate from there. It’s believed he’s preparing for the worst because he’s been on the hot seat this season.

FULL PRESS MEDIA: Jim Biringer wondered if the Maple Leafs firing of Brad Treliving might lead to a management change for the Devils.

It’s been rumored that Devils ownership might be contemplating some sort of change in the front office. However, Fitzgerald has maintained that he’s been in sync with ownership and the coaching staff.

If the Devils make a management change, Biringer believes it won’t come from within.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seems a safer choice to hire a new president and give Fitzgerald one more season to redeem himself. However, the Devils ownership could have an eye on whoever applies for the Leafs’ job and perhaps interview those who didn’t get that role.

Kypreos also noted that changes are coming for the Vancouver Canucks, but it remains unclear to what extent they will take. He’s heard that GM Patrik Allvin doesn’t expect to survive the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allvin is the right-hand man of Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations. It would be an interesting move by Rutherford to hand Allvin his walking papers.

Canucks beat writer Thomas Drance of The Athletic isn’t sure just how far they are willing to go as they attempt to move on from this disastrous season. He thinks the organization should face some measure of accountability, but it remains to be seen what that could be.










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 Rumor Mill – March 31, 2026

by | Mar 31, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 31, 2026

A list of several proposed trade destinations for Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, and the latest on the Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BETWEEN THE POSTS: Former Toronto sports pundit Howard Berger reports a “good source” told him that Auston Matthews won’t be back with the Maple Leafs.

Berger’s source claimed the 28-year-old center and team captain would be traded this summer to one of three teams: the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, or the Utah Mammoth. Because Matthews grew up in the southwestern United States, those clubs would apparently top Matthews’ list of preferred trade destinations.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings would probably love to land Matthews as a replacement for the retiring Anze Kopitar. However, they might not have sufficient trade capital to win the bidding for his services, unless the Kings are the only team he’d want to be traded to.

BLEACHER REPORT: Based on Berger’s report, Hannah Stuart compiled what the trade packages might look like for the Ducks and Mammoth to acquire Matthews, but she included the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks as destinations.

Stuart admits she is working within the framework of “pie in the sky trade that could still possibly happen”, but that’s because “Leafs fans deserve some nice things sometimes.”

From the Ducks, Stuart proposed a return of center Mason McTavish, defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, and a second-round pick, with the Maple Leafs retaining 50 percent of Matthews’ $13.25 million average annual value through 2027-28.

Stuart pitched an offer of prospect Tij Iginla, winger JJ Peterka, and a second-round pick from the Mammoth, with the Maple Leafs retaining 50 percent of Matthew’s cap hit. From the Flyers, Porter Martone, Rasmus Ristolainen, and a second-rounder, with the Maple Leafs retaining 25 percent.

From the Sharks, Stuart proposed an offer of William Eklund, Sam Dickinson, and a third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that there has been nothing to suggest Matthews and the Maple Leafs will part ways this summer. There has been only some media speculation based on the club’s poor performance this season and the Leafs’ lack of reaction when Radko Gudas of the Ducks ended Matthews’ season with a knee-on-knee hit two weeks ago.

Matthews has two years left on his contract. He could remain patient and see whether the moves Leafs management makes this summer help the club rebound next season.

If Matthews tells management he wants to be traded, most observers will likely scoff at Stuart’s proposed offers. However, his full no-movement clause means he’ll only agree to be traded to a handful of teams.

As we’ve seen in recent years with the trades of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, those clubs will have the leverage, especially when Matthews reaches the final season of his contract. In that case, Stuart’s proposed trade offers could be better than what the Leafs might actually get.

Anyway, feel free to weigh in with your reaction to those pitches, and let us know what type of return you think Matthews might fetch in the trade market.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh recently evaluated the recent trades of New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury as he attempts to retool the roster.

Baugh observed that younger players traded away by Drury (Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller) have improved with their new clubs. He believes the Rangers must examine what went wrong with their handling of Kakko and Miller before bringing in more young talent.

If the Rangers are headed toward a full rebuild, the addition of aging center J.T. Miller looks ill-advised, making the club older while costing them a first-round pick in the process.

Baugh is concerned about how Drury intends to retool after moving on from Artemi Panarin. He noted that this summer’s free-agent class is weak, and the Rangers don’t have as many trade chips as other clubs closer to contention. While the Blueshirts will have salary-cap space to add to their roster, Baugh believes it works only if there are players to use it on.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Center Vincent Trocheck remains a significant trade chip for the Rangers. That lack of quality talent in this summer’s free-agent pool could force teams to turn to the trade market. Those who were reluctant to meet Drury’s asking price for Trocheck at the trade deadline could be more willing to do so in the offseason.

Nevertheless, Baugh makes some good points about the Rangers’ development system and how they might not be as enticing a destination for top talent hoping to join a playoff contender. It will take some significant salesmanship by Drury to pull it off.

What say you, Rangers fans? Let us know in the comments below.