NHL Rumor Mill – June 12, 2025

by | Jun 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 12, 2025

Could Alex Pietrangelo’s injury concerns spark big changes for the Golden Knights? What’s the latest on Kris Letang, Marco Rossi, and Rasmus Andersson? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS ALEX PIETRANGELO HEADED TO LTIR?

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s recent remarks implying Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo might not be healthy enough to start the 2025-26 season.

If Pietrangelo is put on long-term injury reserve, it’s rumored the Golden Knights could use the salary cap space to pursue a big-name player like Mitch Marner via free agency.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

However, Kirkell suggests pumping the brakes on that speculation. She points out they’re already stretched thin on their blueline as they’re shopping restricted free agent defenseman Nicolas Hague. Even if they keep Hague, he’s a left-shot blueliner, and finding a suitable replacement for the right-shot Pietrangelo won’t be easy.

Assuming they place Pietrangelo on LTIR and use the $8.8 million in savings to sign Marner, they’ll have to free up cap room if the blueliner returns to action during next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only way this works for the Golden Knights is if Pietrangelo is sidelined throughout the 2025-26 regular season. However, there is no word from the defenseman or the Golden Knights that he will be going on LTIR.

If Pietrangelo is out for the season, the Golden Knights could use the savings to add a top-line forward like Marner. However, they would be left with a depleted defense corps, especially if Hague is traded, and that could prove fatal to their Stanley Cup hopes for next season.

COULD THE PENGUINS ATTEMPT TO TRADE KRIS LETANG?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe cited sources on the Pittsburgh Penguins claiming Kris Letang’s play last season was a source of frustration for former head coach Mike Sullivan. The 38-year-old defenseman’s performance deteriorated during the second half of last season.

Yohe examined the possibility of trading Letang, but it won’t be easy. He has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million and carries a full no-trade clause. He hasn’t expressed an unwillingness to waive it, but team sources say he’s “unmovable” even if they wanted to trade him.

Letang’s health, salary, contract length, and declining performance are the reasons why no NHL club has expressed interest in him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yohe acknowledged previous rumors suggesting Letang might welcome a trade to his hometown of Montreal or Southern California, where he and his wife have a home. However, he pointed out those teams aren’t interested.

UPDATE ON MARCO ROSSI

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames are among the teams interested in Marco Rossi.

The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center is an RFA lacking arbitration rights coming off his entry-level contract.

LeBrun believes the Canucks have the most interest in Rossi. He thinks the Flames have mild interest, but that they would prefer a center with more size.

The Montreal Canadiens are another Canadian team in the market for a second-line center. However, LeBrun believes they don’t have much interest in Rossi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli believed Rossi could be a good fit in Calgary. However, Flames GM Craig Conroy has said he’s looking for a right-shot center with size. Rossi is a left-handed shot.

Some Canadiens fans could be upset over their club’s apparent lack of interest in Rossi. During their end-of-season press conference, management honchos Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes indicated that they wanted a physical center with size.

Rossi’s rumored contract demands could also be behind the lukewarm interest from the Flames and Canadiens. He reportedly wants a deal comparable to Wild teammate Matt Boldy (seven years, $49 million, $7 million AAV).

COULD THE FLAMES TRADE RASMUS ANDERSSON BEFORE THE DRAFT?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli considers it possible that the Calgary Flames trade Rasmus Andersson by the 2025 NHL Draft (June 27-28). He thinks the 28-year-old defenseman will be “too expensive and too long-term for their liking”.

Anderson is UFA-eligible next July. The Flames can sign him to a contract extension on July 1. He has a cap hit of $4.55 million on his current contract with a six-team no-trade list.

Seravalli also suggested the possibility of hanging onto Andersson for next season and peddling him at the trade deadline when his value could be higher. He also reported that the two sides are expected to commence contract extension talks this week, but believes the Flames have no problem hanging onto him for next season if negotiations stall.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The problem with trading Andersson at the trade deadline is that it puts the Flames in the same situation they were in two years ago with Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Their uncertain status was an unwelcome distraction for the team.

If the Flames are in the middle of the playoff race next season, trading Andersson at the deadline could be devastating to their blueline depth and team morale. There’s also the risk of a season-ending injury taking him out of the trade market.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 11, 2025

by | Jun 11, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 11, 2025

Check out the latest on Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand and Claude Giroux, plus an update on the Blues in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS OR BLUE JACKETS PURSUE MITCH MARNER?

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the Vegas Golden Knights will be the landing spot for Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs winger goes to free agency on July 1.

Simmons noted that the Golden Knights have been watching Marner closely for years and have a history of making major acquisitions. He acknowledged their lack of salary-cap space, but claimed there are some around the league who think defenseman Alex Pietrangelo could end up on permanent long-term injury reserve. That would free up his $8.8 million annual average value through 2026-27 to put toward signing Marner.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo skipped the 4 Nations Face Off in February, reportedly using that time to heal up for the playoffs. That raised questions about his availability for Canada’s 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey team, but this is the first speculation suggesting Pietrangelo’s playing days could be over.

If Pietrangelo ends up on LTIR for next season, it will provide the Golden Knights with over $18 million in cap room. That’s enough to sign Marner, but it won’t replace Pietrangelo’s absence on the Golden Knights’ blueline.

It’s been suggested the Golden Knights could trade center William Karlsson and his $5.9 million AAV through 2026-27 to free up cap room to pursue Marner. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said what he’s heard around the league is that Karlsson isn’t available.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reported the Columbus Blue Jackets considered signing Marner to an offer sheet in 2019. It’s uncertain how far those discussions with Jackets then-general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and Marner’s agent went before the latter re-signed with the Leafs.

Portzline wondered if current Jackets GM Don Waddell might pursue Marner in this summer’s UFA market. Columbus would provide a less harsh spotlight, proximity to his Toronto family, and the chance to play for a rising young team. They also have the cap space ($40.4 million) to sign him to a lucrative long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be entertaining to see where Marner goes on the open market. My guess is the Carolina Hurricanes, who are an established contender with cap space that had a prior interest in acquiring him.

COULD BRAD MARCHAND SIGN WITH THE MAPLE LEAFS?

YARDBARKER: cited TSN’s Chris Johnston speculating that the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a destination for Brad Marchand if the Florida Panthers winger wants to maximize his earnings on his next contract.

Marchand, 37, is slated to become a UFA on July 1. Johnston acknowledged that endorsement money could factor into where he goes, which could make Toronto part of the Leafs’ sales pitch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This wouldn’t be the first time endorsement money could be used as a selling point by the Leafs. It’s rumored that it was part of their pitch to Steven Stamkos in 2016 before he decided to re-sign with the Lightning. They might have better luck with Marchand if he ends up hitting the open market on July 1.

SENATORS CONTINUE CONTRACT TALKS WITH GIROUX

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators have resumed contract extension talks with Claude Giroux. The versatile 37-year-old forward is UFA-eligible on July 1. He’s completing a three-year contract with an AAV of $6.5 million.

Garrioch believes the Senators want to sign Giroux to a one-year, “plus-35” contract. The veteran forward is willing to accept a pay reduction, but the main issues are how much of a pay cut he’ll take and the structure of the contract.

The two sides had cordial discussions last week, but there remains a gap to bridge to keep him from testing the market.

BLUES COULD PURSUE A CENTER THIS SUMMER

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford reported the St. Louis Blues are looking for a “200-foot offensive player” this summer. He acknowledged big names like Toronto’s Mitch Marner and Florida’s Sam Bennett could be available in the UFA market, but he doubted GM Doug Armstrong would get into the bidding for either one.

Rutherford indicated depth at center is the Blues’ biggest need. If they can land a top-six center via trade or free agency, they could shift team captain Brayden Schenn down to the third line. If they can land a top-nine center, they could move Oskar Sundqvist out of the third-line center role.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac believes Bennett could address that issue for the Blues. However, he doesn’t think they should overpay to do so. He recommended a seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million AAV) with a no-trade clause as a sweetener.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s a growing sense around the league that Bennett will re-sign with the Panthers. If he doesn’t, he could command over $8.5 million annually on a long-term deal.

Schenn frequently surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to the March trade deadline. However, they’re unlikely to part with him if their concern is bolstering their depth at the center position.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2025

by | Jun 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2025

Check out the latest on Mitch Marner, Max Pacioretty, Sam Bennett and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: James Mirtle of The Athletic cited sources claiming the Toronto Maple Leafs discussed a three-team deal to send Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights at the March trade deadline.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The deal would’ve involved the Carolina Hurricanes, who would’ve sent winger Mikko Rantanen to the Leafs. Mirtle said it was unclear how far the negotiations went and whether Marner was asked to waive his no-movement clause, but it’s believed it fell through because the Hurricanes couldn’t reach terms on compensation from the Golden Knights.

Following the trade deadline, it was reported that the Leafs and Hurricanes talked about a swap of Marner for Rantanen, but the Leafs winger declined to waive his NMC.

Mirtle noted the Golden Knights lack the cap space to pursue Marner if he becomes a free agent on July 1. However, he suggested they could free up room by peddling center William Karlsson, who carries an average annual value of $5.9 million for two more seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mirtle also noted that the Golden Knights have been after Marner since last summer. They could attempt to sign the 28-year-old winger on July 1, but they’ll have to do more than move out Karlsson to achieve sufficient cap flexibility.

The Golden Knights currently have a projected cap space of $9.6 million with 18 active roster players under contract for 2025-26. Moving Karlsson to a club not on his 10-team no-trade list would give them $15.5 million. Assuming they sign Marner to a deal with an AAV of $14 million, that would leave them with $1.5 million to fill out the rest of their roster.

Marner may have rejected a move to Carolina at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean he won’t sign with the Hurricanes as a free agent. They have considerably more cap space than Vegas to make a competitive bid. Given their overall roster depth, they appear in a better position as a potential Cup contender than the Golden Knights.

THE SCORE: Speaking of the Leafs, Mirtle reports a source said Max Pacioretty is leaning toward returning to the club next season. The 36-year-old completed a one-year, $873K contract this season. Leafs management indicated their interest in bringing back Pacioretty following his productive postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll likely be another low-cost one-year contract.

THE ATHLETIC: Mirtle indicated that most of the people he’s spoken with around the NHL believe Sam Bennett won’t be available this summer. The versatile, agitating 28-year-old Florida Panthers center is due to become a UFA on July 1.

Bennett wants to stay with the Panthers and the feeling is mutual. Mirtle speculates it could cost an AAV of $8 million to keep him in the fold.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett is among the favorites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as this year’s playoff MVP. It’s doubtful the Panthers will let him walk, and unlikely that he will price himself out of their market.

Mirtle also reported that collective bargaining between the league and the NHL Players’ Association has been going well. It sounds to him like an announcement could come as soon as the Stanley Cup Final wraps up.

The new CBA could run to 2030. Mirtle expects no major changes apart from salary-cap accounting during the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what the league and the PA come up with to address that thorny issue.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 6, 2025

by | Jun 6, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 6, 2025

Check out the latest on the Avalanche, Canucks and Blackhawks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE AVALANCHE BE FORCED TO MOVE MARTIN NECAS?

THE DENVER POST: Troy Renck believes the Colorado Avalanche signing Brock Nelson to a three-year contract extension puts general manager Chris MacFarland and head coach Jared Bednar on notice.

Renck understood the need to retain Nelson to address their long-standing need for a second-line center. However, he believes the cost ($7.5 million annually) has boxed MacFarland into a salary-cap corner, likely forcing him to buy out Miles Wood and trade Ross Colton when his full no-trade clause becomes a limited one on July 1.

Martin Necas is eligible for a contract extension this summer and could ask for $10 million-plus if he reaches 100 points playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon next season. There’s speculation that the Avs could trade Necas, as the 26-year-old winger is reportedly unhappy in Colorado.

Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas (NHL Images).

Necas was the centerpiece of the Mikko Rantanen trade. Moving him would mean trying to get the same haul all over again, which could leave MacFarland with egg on his face.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Aarif Deen cited Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos claimed that “there’s a sense” that Necas wasn’t “overly thrilled” in Colorado and could seek other options.

Deen questioned this, citing Necas’ performance with the Avalanche and how well he fit in with his new teammates. However, he’s concerned that the winger is a year away from UFA status and could seek a substantial raise over his current average annual value of $6.5 million. They can’t afford to lose him for nothing next year, and they can’t let this situation linger like they did with Rantanen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas’ asking price will be the deciding factor in his future with the Avalanche. If he seeks $10 million annually, that will be $2 million less than what Rantanen got with the Dallas Stars, and likely won’t sit well with Avs followers, who would’ve preferred hanging onto Rantanen.

COULD THE CANUCKS PEDDLE THATCHER DEMKO?

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma noted that the plethora of injuries suffered by Thatcher Demko creates a dilemma for Vancouver Canucks management.

The 29-year-old goaltender is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. He can be signed to an extension as early as July 1. When healthy, he’s among the league’s best netminders, but the concerns about his durability will affect their plans for re-signing him.

Kuzma reports Demko wants to remain a Canuck and has put up numbers that warrant an extension. The salary is negotiable, but contract length will be an issue. Demko will seek long-term security, but Canucks management could prefer caution.

Patrick Johnston reports plenty of people have noticed that Demko and center Elias Pettersson don’t appear in the Canucks’ latest marketing imagery.

He suggested Pettersson’s absence could be because he’s on the trade block, or perhaps his image has too much negative connotations for Canucks fans right now. However, Demko’s absence makes Johnston wonder if the goalie is quietly being shopped.

Johnston cited a league source suggesting Demko would be a solid trade chip that would fetch a return that addresses their need for a second-line center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s poor performance in 2024-25, his drama with former teammate J.T. Miller, and hefty $11.6 million AAV through 2031-32 makes him very difficult to move this summer.

Demko, on the other hand, would be easier to peddle in the trade market. Despite his injury history, there’s no question he’s a talented goaltender. The lack of quality netminders available in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets would draw plenty of interest from teams looking to upgrade between the pipes next season.

The Canucks’ goaltending is in decent shape if they wish to move on from Demkov. They signed Kevin Lankinen earlier this season to a four-year contract extension, and they have promising Arturs Silovs in the minors.

WILL THE BLACKHAWKS MAKE A MAJOR OFFSEASON MOVE?

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers reports there’s an assumption around the league that the Chicago Blackhawks are poised to make a major offseason move. They have plenty of cap space and draft capital, and could be aggressive in the trade and free-agent markets following their recent finishes in the league standings.

GM Kyle Davidson remains determined to continue building through the draft. They could inquire about Mitch Marner if the 28-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs winger goes to market on July 1, but they won’t overpay for him, nor do they consider him or any other player in this year’s UFA market as an essential piece to add.

Powers considers it unlikely they’ll target another club’s restricted free-agent talent with offer sheets. Instead, they could focus on the trade market. Someone like JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres could intrigue them, and they have the trade capital to make such a move.

Turning to their UFAs, Powers indicated the Blackhawks have had contract talks with Ryan Donato. They haven’t reached an agreement yet, and time is getting short, but there’s still a chance he could sign an extension.

Powers also interviewed Davidson, who remains open to trading draft capital for an NHL roster player. The Blackhawks GM is willing to explore every option to help his team, but it has to be the right fit. He also pointed out that acquiring good talent remains difficult because of the competition for the few available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Davidson brought in veterans over the past two years to help his rebuilding team. The problem was that most of them were past their prime, with several ending up traded to other clubs.

His challenge is finding those in the prime, preferably in their mid-to-late twenties, who will fit well with the Blackhawks’ young core. Marner fits that category, but he’d be too expensive, and he could be unwilling to join a rebuilding club.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2025

by | Jun 2, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2025

The latest on Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Marco Rossi in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS INTERESTED IN MITCH MARNER

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons reports the Vegas Golden Knights are among the teams eyeing Mitch Marner. The 28-year-old Maple Leafs winger is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1.

The Golden Knights have around $10 million in cap space this summer. Simmons believes they’ll need much more than that to sign Marner. Nevertheless, he doesn’t dismiss the possibility, pointing out they found a way to get Alex Pietrangelo and Jack Eichel.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell listed winger Ivan Barbashev, defenseman Zach Whitecloud, and forward Nicolas Roy as potential cost-cutting trade candidates for the Golden Knights.

Barbashev made $5 million annually for the next three seasons. Whitecloud had three years left and $2.75 million annually, while Roy has two years left with an average annual value of $3 million.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have projected cap space of $9.6 million with 18 active roster players under contract next season. Shedding one or two players would free up room to sign Marner if he’s interested in coming to Vegas. However, it won’t leave enough to complete their 23-man roster sufficiently.

THE LATEST ON THE PANTHERS

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons claims the word out of Florida is that pending UFA center Sam Bennett would like to remain with the Panthers, and they’d like to keep him if they can make the dollars fit. He also indicated that they don’t have a lot of interest in re-signing UFA-eligible defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

If Bennett’s available, Simmons believes the Maple Leafs will be among his suitors, but they won’t have any interest in Ekblad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A year ago, Simmons claimed the Panthers wanted to trade Ekblad and use the savings to re-sign Brandon Montour, who went on to join the Seattle Kraken. It’s believed he wants to stay and could accept a pay cut, but the extent of the cut remains to be seen.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos wrote last week that the feeling is the Panthers want to re-sign Bennett and Ekblad. They would let Brad Marchand depart via free agency as he’ll be too expensive to retain.

THE WILD AND MARCO ROSSI ARE AT AN IMPASSE IN CONTRACT TALKS

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo reports teams are calling the Minnesota Wild about Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old center is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

Contract negotiations are currently at an impasse, but Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t in a hurry to trade Rossi. Sources claim the Wild offered up a five-year, $25 million contract last winter and a shorter-term deal last week. Rossi’s camp rejected the five-year deal but reportedly hasn’t made a counteroffer to the latest proposal.

Guerin is downplaying the situation, saying sometimes it takes a little longer for negotiations to work their way through. He dismissed the notion that the Wild don’t like Rossi and want to move him, and denied a Daily Faceoff report claiming he asked the Philadelphia Flyers for Tyson Foerster or one of the Flyers’ late first-round picks for Rossi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Russo’s colleague, Joe Smith, recently pointed out that trading Rossi would leave a big hole at center that the goal-starved Wild would have to fill. That would be difficult in this year’s trade market, where several teams are seeking second-line centers but few to go around.

Rossi’s lack of arbitration rights gives Guerin leverage in these negotiations. An offer sheet from another club is a possibility, but the Wild have sufficient cap space ($16.5 million) to match.

Guerin must ensure he has sufficient long-term cap space to sign superstar Kirill Kaprizov to a lucrative extension. That would explain why he’s trying to keep Rossi’s AAV at around $5 million.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 1, 2025

by | Jun 1, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 1, 2025

Questions about Connor McDavid’s future, the latest on Mitch Marner, the Blues’ salary-cap situation, trade targets for the Canucks, and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD CONNOR MCDAVID BECOME A RANGER OR LEAF NEXT SUMMER?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wondered if Connor McDavid would be “more or less incentivized” to leave the Edmonton Oilers next summer as a free agent, “and follow the (Mark) Messier Route to Broadway with or without a championship.” He also speculated that McDavid could instead sign an extension with the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers of today aren’t facing the same constraints as they did when Messier left town in 1991. They’re a contender with stable ownership and a state-of-the-art arena, playing in an expanded league with a three-tier salary cap system and revenue sharing. This version of the Oilers can afford to keep McDavid in Edmonton, and there’s nothing to suggest that he won’t stay.

TORONTO STAR: Bruce Arthur reports the dream of McDavid coming home to play for the Maple Leafs hasn’t died for some of the club’s followers.

Arthur suggests the only way that happens is if McDavid wins the Cup this year and decides he needs a bigger challenge by helping the Leafs end their long championship drought. However, that’s at best a long shot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid will most likely sign an eight-year extension with the Oilers this summer, making him the NHL’s highest-paid player starting in 2026-27.

THE LATEST ON MITCH MARNER

TORONTO STAR: Damien Cox believes the Leafs must re-sign Mitch Marner. Despite the playoff disappointment, the 28-year-old two-way winger is irreplaceable. While they can use the cap dollars they would’ve invested in Marner on other players, their immense offensive and special teams capability will be lost.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

If Marner stays, the Leafs will retain the key components that saw them finish first in the Atlantic Division. Cox suggested following the example of the Vegas Golden Knights and keep on trading futures that can help them win the Stanley Cup next season or the season after that.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights’ efforts built a better-balanced team, one with the offensive and defensive depth necessary to be a contender and, in 2023, a champion. However, there is no certainty that the Leafs can successfully follow that strategy given the way they’re currently built.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Golden Knights, Hannah Kirkell cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claimed they and the Leafs discussed a deal last summer that would’ve sent Marner to Vegas.

Friedman thinks it fell through for two reasons. First, the Leafs wanted defenseman Shea Theodore as part of the return. Second, there was no guarantee that Marner would agree to anything at that time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman was likely referring to Marner’s no-movement clause. The Golden Knights are rumored to be among the clubs that might pursue the Leafs winger if he goes to market on July 1, but they’ll have to free up a lot of cap space to make it happen.

THE LATEST ON THE BLUES

STLTODAY.COM: Matthew DeFranks reports the Blues won’t have much cap space to work with for next season, indicating they’ll have $5.912 available.

They could garner some cap flexibility by placing defenseman Torey Krug ($6.5 million AAV) on long-term injury reserve. However, if they do so during the offseason, it would leave them no cap space to start the season. If they put him on LTIR during the season, they won’t be able to use it this summer to make additions to their roster.

One option could be trading Krug’s contract, shedding his entire cap hit and allowing them to operate without the constraints of LTIR. They could also trade or buy out Alexandre Texier. They can attempt to move Nick Leddy ($4 million, 16-team no-trade list) or Mathieu Joseph ($2.95 million). Trade protections for Justin Faulk and Brayden Schenn ($6.5 million each) are lowered this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues GM Doug Armstrong will likely attempt to shed some salary to give himself more cap space for next season. Putting Krug on LTIR or trading his contract seems the most likely option, followed by moving Texier or Joseph.

SUGGESTED OFFSEASON TARGETS FOR THE CANUCKS

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance recently looked at some free-agent targets to improve their defense, and some trade targets to bolster their forward lines.

All the UFA targets are affordable options, with the most notable being Columbus’ Dante Fabbro and Tampa Bay’s Nick Perbix. The trade targets include Alexis Lafreniere of the New York Rangers, Mason Marchment of the Dallas Stars, Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators and Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks probably have better odds of signing Fabbro or Perbix than they have of acquiring Lafreniere, Marchment, Marchessault and Zegras. Most of those trade targets would be expensive to obtain (Lafreniere), too old (Marchessault) or too risky (Zegras).

Marchment would be an interesting option. The Stars are cap-strapped and face some cost-cutting measures this summer. The 31-year-old is a versatile forward who can skate on the wing or at center and plays with an edge. However, he’s a year away from UFA eligiblity, and the Canucks might want assurances of an extension before agreeing to a deal.