NHL Rumor Mill – June 5, 2025

by | Jun 5, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 5, 2025

The Avalanche need to shed salary after signing Brock Nelson, plus the latest on Rasmus Andersson, Marco Rossi, Nicolas Hague and Jake Allen in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RE-SIGNING NELSON COULD FORCE THE AVALANCHE TO SHED SALARY

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discussed the Colorado Avalanche’s salary-cap crunch after signing Brock Nelson to a contract extension on Wednesday.

Nelson, 33, agreed to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $7.5 million. That leaves the Avalanche with $1.2 million in cap space with 12 forwards, five defensemen and two goaltenders under contract for 2025-26.

Yaremchuk believes the Avalanche must make a cost-cutting move or two to free up cap room. Seravalli suggested defenseman Samuel Girard and forwards Charlie Coyle and Martin Necas as trade candidates.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Girard is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5 million and a nine-team no-list. Coyle was a trade-deadline acquisition from the Boston Bruins. He has a year left with a $5.25 million cap hit, a no-movement clause and a three-team no-trade list.

Necas was part of the return from the Carolina Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen trade in January. He has a year left at $6.5 million and lacks no-trade protection.

Forwards Ross Colton and Miles Wood surfaced in the rumor mill before the Nelson signing. Colton is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $4 million and a modified no-trade clause. Wood has four years left on his contract with a $2.5 million AAV and a six-team no-trade list.

UPDATE ON RASMUS ANDERSSON

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin reports Rasmus Andersson will remain the biggest storyline for the Flames until he’s re-signed, traded, or signs with another club as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

A trade is possible during the draft weekend (June 27-28) as that’s a period when deals get done. There are a few teams with top-10 draft picks who could be in the market for an experienced right-shot defenseman. The Flames aren’t in any rush to move him, but general manager Craig Conroy has a reputation for moving players around this time.

An extension for Andersson remains possible after July 1, which is the earliest the Flames can sign him.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon listed the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens as possible trade destinations for Andersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres and Canadiens have the depth in draft picks and prospects to make a tempting offer to the Flames. However, the Habs’ biggest need is a second-line center, so they’ll likely put those assets toward addressing that need. The Sabres are in the market for a right-shot blueliner to pair with Owen Power.

The Stars are expected to shake things up after falling short in the Western Conference Final for the third straight year. They need depth on the right side behind Miro Heiskanen, but must first shed some salary if they intend to pursue someone like Andersson.

Most of the talk about the Hurricanes suggests they’ll pursue big fish via free agency to address their need for an impact player to carry them to the Stanley Cup Final. If there’s enough cap space after landing that player, maybe they’ll look at Andersson.

The Leafs need a puck-moving right-shot defenseman on their top pairing. GM Brad Treliving knows Andersson from his days in the Flames’ front office.

THE LATEST ON MARCO ROSSI

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith and Michael Russo report league sources claim there was another call between Wild GM Bill Guerin and agent Ian Pulver, who represents Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old center becomes a restricted free agent without arbitration rights on July 1.

Earlier this season, the Rossi camp rejected a five-year, $25 million contract proposal. A shorter bridge deal was pitched last week, but Pulver told Guerin that the recent offer no longer makes sense after he was buried on the fourth line during the playoffs.

The Wild aren’t willing to offer Rossi a deal comparable to teammate Matt Boldy’s seven-year, $49 million contract. It feels like his time with the Wild could be coming to an end.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s future in Minnesota has been the subject of frequent speculation for weeks. His asking price could make him difficult to move, but rumors persist that teams continue to inquire about his availability.

FLYERS INTERESTED IN NICOLAS HAGUE

SPORTSNET 590: Elliotte Friedman reports the Philadelphia Flyers are believed to have contacted the Vegas Golden Knights about Nicolas Hague. The 26-year-old left-shot defenseman completed a three-year contract with an AAV of $2.294 million and is an RFA with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas Hockey Now’s Hannah Kirkell recently observed that the Golden Knights already have Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden McNabb under contract for next season. She suggested that it could make Hague the odd man out.

The Golden Knights could go shopping for a big-ticket UFA this summer. They have $9.6 million in cap space and might be willing to part with Hague in a trade if they have no plans to re-sign him.

JAKE ALLEN HOPES TO REMAIN WITH THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited an NHL.com report indicating Jake Allen hopes to stay in New Jersey. The 34-year-old Devils goaltender is UFA-eligible on July 1.

GM Tom Fitzgerald said they’re trying to figure out what type of salary Allen prefers and whether they can make it work.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2025

by | May 7, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2025

What’s in store for the Blues and Avalanche in the offseason? What’s the latest on the Islanders’ search for a new general manager? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BLUES?

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford wondered if Jordan Kyrou fits into the long-term plans of the St. Louis Blues. The 26-year-old winger had his best all-around season, but only scored three goals in seven playoff games and was on the ice for three five-on-five goals for and five against.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou (NHL Images).

If the Blues intend to move Kyrou, they’ll have to do it quickly because his full no-trade clause kicks in on July 1. His performance during this regular season might improve his value in this summer’s trade market.

Rutherford mused over whether the Blues will re-engage with center Brayden Schenn about the possibility of accepting a trade. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators were interested in the Blues captain at the trade deadline, but he made it clear he wanted to stay in St. Louis.

Schenn will be 34 at the start of next season and has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. His no-movement clause becomes a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Management believed the speedy Kyrou had a higher ceiling but he’s yet to reach it. Nevertheless, he would draw plenty of interest in this summer’s trade market. Shipping him out would rob the Blues of a reliable 30-goal scorer. Depending on what they’d want in return, moving Kyrou’s $8.125 million AAV through 2030-31 would provide cap relief for the Blues.

Attempting to move Schenn is understandable given his age and contract. However, the projections for a rising salary cap over the next three seasons could alleviate some of that payroll burden. Playoff contenders seeking experienced two-way depth at center will come calling if the Blues peddle him after July 1.

UPDATE ON THE AVALANCHE

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak wondered who would fill the second-line center role for the Colorado Avalanche.

Trade-deadline acquisition Brock Nelson is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Avs have the cap space to re-sign him and could move another player to create additional room if necessary. Free-agent options could include Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers and John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

They could also move Charlie Coyle into that No. 2 center position and go shopping for a center at next year’s trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche must ensure they have sufficient long-term cap room to re-sign Cale Makar, whose contract expires in 2027. That could complicate efforts to retain Nelson or find a suitable replacement.

Masisak suggested Miles Wood or Ross Colton as cost-cutting trade candidates if necessary. However, Wood’s difficult season could make it difficult to move him, while Colton has a no-trade clause.

The Avalanche could peddle Martin Necas if they wish to really shake up their roster. He has a year remaining on his contract and will seek a significant raise after scoring 27 goals and 83 points this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Masisak believes Necas likely has the highest trade value of any player that isn’t among the Avs’ untouchables. Still, shipping him out after he was part of the return in the Mikko Rantanen trade wouldn’t be a good look for management, especially if they don’t get a decent return.

THE LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS’ SEARCH FOR A NEW GM

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports the New York Islanders’ search for a new general manager has been ongoing for a couple of weeks and could wrap up sooner rather than later.

Whoever gets the job has several issues to address. The Isles have a stagnant roster with several immovable contracts. They must decide if head coach Patrick Roy fits into their plans, and they should consider expanding their front office.

Staple took to social media, indicating former Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland is considered the top candidate. The Isles sought permission from the Montreal Canadiens to speak with Jeff Gorton, the Habs’ executive VP of hockey operations.

Marc Bergevin, the senior advisor to former Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake, is in the mix for the Kings and Isles’ GM jobs.

Staple said he hasn’t heard much about former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen or former Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple’s colleague, Pierre LeBrun, reports the Canadiens have informed the Isles that Gorton is “here to stay”. He also reported the Isles intend to interview Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears wondered if the Islanders might reach out to Rob Blake following his departure from the Kings on Monday. It’s unclear if Blake is seeking another front office job immediately. Sears observed that Blake and Roy were teammates with the Colorado Avalanche.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias believes Bergevin and Kekalainen make sense as the leading candidates for the Isles’ GM position.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Darche might be the best option for the Islanders if he’s looking to move on. LeBrun indicates he’s been a hot candidate in recent years. He also said the Isles are hoping to speak to potential candidates currently among teams still active in the postseason.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

by | Jan 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

The Avalanche and Hurricanes play their first games since the blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, the Senators reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held scoreless in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes as they dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the New York Islanders. Brock Nelson tallied the winning goal as the Isles overcame a 2-0 deficit. Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. The Islanders (49 points) have won four straight and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Rantanan and Hall were traded to the Hurricanes on Friday evening in a three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks. Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury while teammate Ryan Pulock (upper body) departed in the first period.

Meanwhile, former Hurricanes Martin Necas and Jack Drury didn’t fare any better in their debuts with the Colorado Avalanche as they fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Morgan Geekie scored two goals while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Artturi Lekhonen replied for the Avalanche (58 points) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas and Drury were shipped from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche in the Rantanen trade. Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged the move was a tough business decision. He wanted to re-sign Rantanen and improve his roster depth but couldn’t do both, so he chose the latter.

Rantanen’s departure saddened Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So yeah, it just sucks,” he said, calling Rantanen a great friend and teammate. “I’m gonna miss him”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots as the Oilers took over first place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored in overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored to extend his home points streak to 19 games as his club holds the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Kevin Fiala had two assists and Quinton Byfield scored the tying goal for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan will miss an additional six to eight weeks as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist injury.

The Seattle Kraken got a 28-save performance from goaltender Joey Daccord in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists as the Kraken got their third win in their last four contests. Sidney Crosby tallied for the Penguins, who’ve lost three of their last four and sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Matt Nieto left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update on their conditions.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made 29 saves against his former club. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 40 shots while Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (53 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Devils (62 points) moved within two points of the second-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Devils as captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period after receiving an unpenalized cross-check to the mid-section from Suzuki in the previous period.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Shane Pinto broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period while Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win, moving the Senators (54 points) within one point of the final Eastern wild card position. Bobby McMann scored for the Leafs (62 points), who’ve dropped two in a row but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Leafs placed forward Connor Dewar (upper body) on injured reserve and called up Nikita Grebenkin. They placed sidelined netminder Anthony Stolarz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to clear cap space for Grebenkin.

Meanwhile, Senators forward Nick Cousins is expected to miss some time after a knee-on-knee collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan in the first period. His teammate, Nick Jensen, missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his 33rd career shutout in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen were the goal scorers as the Red Wings (51 points) are four points out of the final Eastern wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots for the Lightning (55 points), who’ve lost three of their last four and dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Blue Jackets are tied in points but the Bolts have more wins (26 to 24) and hold two games in hand over the Jackets.

The Dallas Stars got a 33-save shutout from Casey DeSmith to blank the St. Louis Blues 2-0. Evgenii Dadonov and Esa Lindell scored as the Stars picked up their third win in their last four games and sit second in the Central Division with 63 points. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 17 saves as his club sits five points out of the final Western wild card with 50 points.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, handing the latter their fifth defeat in their last six contests. The Flames hold the final Western wild card with 55 points. Marco Rossi had three assists for the Wild as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game after being boarded by Wild forward Jakub Lauko. There was no postgame update on his status.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 win over the league-leading Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the Canucks (52 points) for their third win in their last 11 games (3-6-2) as they sit three points behind the Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the Capitals as their 12-game points streak ended (9-0-3).

The Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Mason McTavish scored twice while Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly tallied for the Predators as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from injury as his club cruised to a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Panthers (61 points) sit one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs. Cody Ceci and Will Smith tallied for the Sharks, who’ve lost six straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks placed forward Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, and goaltender Craig Anderson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Marian Hossa, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips, and goaltender Patrick Lalime.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Will Borgen to a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Borgen, 28, was acquired from the Seattle Kraken last month in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.1 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2025

by | Jan 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, how the three-team trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes went down, the Islanders unveiled their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Cole Perfetti powered the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists as the Jets (69 points) moved within three points of the league-leading Washington Capitals. Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton scored for Utah with team captain Clayton Keller picking up two assists.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a milestone game for Ehlers, becoming the first Dane in NHL history to reach the 500-point plateau.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored in overtime and collected two assists in regulation play to down the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel scored two unanswered goals as the Lightning overcame a 3-1 deficit. Frank Nazar and Louis Crevier each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Kucherov’s 100th career multi-point game. The win moved the Lightning into third place in the Atlantic Division with 55 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene and Evgenii Dadonov each collected two assists for the Stars, who moved ahead of the Minnesota Wild into second place in the Central Division with 61 points. Jack Eichel scored two goals for the Golden Knights, who’ve lost five of their last six games and cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 64 points.

The New York Islanders picked up their third straight win by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1. Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist while Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders (47 points), who sit six points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (50 points), who remain three points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders announced yesterday the signing of Tony DeAngelo to a one-year contract for the remainder of this season. This move suggests Isles blueliner Noah Dobson will be sidelined for the rest of the season. DeAngelo must first clear waivers before he can join the Islanders.

HEADLINES

The NHL world is still buzzing over Friday night’s blockbuster trade that saw the Colorado Avalanche ship Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal involving the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for trade details and my reaction. The Hurricanes also acquired prospect forward Nils Juntrop from the Blackhawks in the deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports the Hurricanes may have been the only suitor for Rantanen given the Avalanche’s asking price. He revealed Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky was involved in trade talks with the Vancouver Canucks involving Elias Pettersson earlier this month and J.T. Miller earlier this week before shifting to Rantanen.

According to Johnston, the origins of this trade go back to last June when the Hurricanes were at an impasse in contract talks with Martin Necas. The Avalanche raised the issue at the time but a deal didn’t take place. The discussions resumed two months ago and eventually grew more serious.

League sources told Johnston that there were no advanced discussions with the Rantanen camp about a contract extension before the deal went down. The 28-year-old forward is UFA-eligible on July 1. Johnston claims Rantanen was blindsided by this move by the Avalanche.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Blackhawks brokered this deal between the Avalanche and Hurricanes. If Rantanen hits the open market on July 1, Friedman wouldn’t be surprised if the Blackhawks pursued him.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak believes the Avalanche replaced Rantanen in the short term with a very good player in Necas. However, he noted that the 26-year-old lacks Rantanen’s track record of success, especially in the postseason.

Masisak also observed the move gave the Avalanche some salary-cap wiggle room for the rest of the regular season and possibly much more in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rantanen deal was the biggest in-season NHL trade in the salary-cap era since the Boston Bruins shipped Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks 20 years ago. It could open the floodgates to more creative moves involving big-name talent before the March 7 trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

NHL.COM: The New York Islanders revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Friday.

The First Team comprises forwards Brock Nelson, John Tavares and Josh Bailey, defensemen Nick Leddy and Adam Pelech, and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

The Second Team features forwards Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Frans Nielsen, defensemen Kenny Jonsson and Ryan Pulock, and goalie Semyon Varlamov.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Derek O’Brien cites reports from several Swedish media sources indicating Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson was defrauded by a Swedish real estate broker who is now in prison.

Pettersson lost the deposit on a luxury villa north of Stockholm that was revealed to have many flaws that required repairs. He successfully sued the broker to have the mortgage contract cancelled but it’s unlikely he’ll ever get the deposit back.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carolina Hurricanes winger William Carrier underwent surgery to repair a lower-body injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Carrier is out for the season the Hurricanes could place him on long-term injury reserve and use the salary-cap savings to add another player before the trade deadline. He’s in the first season of a six-year contract with an AAV of $2 million.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Avalanche. He missed the Bruins’ 2-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday with a minor upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist was fined $2,000.00 for embellishment by the department of player safety.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Matt Murray and returned Dennis Hildeby to their AHL affiliate.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames assigned little-used defenseman Tyson Barrie to their AHL affiliate for conditioning. He’s appeared in nine games this season, the last being on Nov. 12.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres center Ryan McLeod is expected back in the lineup when his club faces the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He missed the last three games with a nagging injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks signed center Colin White for the remainder of the season on a two-way contract. He began this season on a minor-league deal with their AHL affiliate.










Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen To The Hurricanes In Three-Team Deal

by | Jan 24, 2025

Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen To The Hurricanes In Three-Team Deal

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the Colorado Avalanche have traded forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal involving the Chicago Blackhawks.

According to Seravalli, the Blackhawks are sending Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes. Other reports suggest Martin Necas will be heading to the Avalanche.

Colorado Avalanche trade Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL Images).

Details to follow…

**UPDATE**

The trade is as follows:

Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes.

Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche.

A third-round pick going to the Blackhawks, who retain half of Rantanen’s $9.25 million cap hit. They retained no portion of Hall’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll take a lot to top this blockbuster as the biggest trade of 2024-25, perhaps even of the entire calendar year of 2025, and we’re only just over three weeks into the new year.

This move signals the Hurricanes are going for it this season. Rantanen is one of the league’s elite scorers, on pace for his third straight 100-point campaign with 64 points in 49 games. He was also a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche in 2022 and his experience should prove helpful.

Hall is a former winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy (2018). His best seasons are behind him but he’s still a well-respected playmaking winger. He’s going from one of the league’s worst clubs to one of the better ones as his presence also bolsters the Hurricanes’ offense.

It’s been reported that Rantanen informed Avalanche management of his intention to test the free-agent market in July. Rather than stick with him as an own rental for one last playoff run, the Avs opted to ship him out for Necas and Drury. It remains to be seen if the Hurricanes will attempt to re-sign him before July 1.

Necas is a scoring forward who can play center or wing. The 26-year-old’s production cooled a bit following a hot start but he’s 12th among this season’s leading scorers with 55 points in 49 games, putting the 26-year-old on pace to exceed his career-high 71 points in 2022-23. He’s in the first season of a two-year deal with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

Drury, 24, saw checking-line duty with the Hurricanes. He missed 10 games with an injury hand and has nine points in 39 games after reaching 27 points in 74 games last season.

How Necas and Drury fit in with their new club will be interesting. The deal also freed up cap space for the Avalanche, creating speculation they’re not done making moves.

The Blackhawks used their cap space to facilitate this deal and move Hall to a playoff contender. In return, they received the 2025 third-round they traded to the Hurricanes last year.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 23, 2024

by | Dec 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 23, 2024

The holiday roster freeze remains in effect until Dec. 27 but that hasn’t stopped the trade and free-agent speculation. Check out the latest on the Canucks, Sabres and Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MILLER DENIES RIFT WITH PETTERSSON

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller denies any rift with teammate Elias Pettersson, blaming the media for the speculation.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

“You guys in a sense of that outer world have created this thing,” said Miller. “This isn’t a thing. So, am I bothered? No. But you guys are just wasting your time. I don’t care. You can ask me all you want.”

Miller volunteered to bring in Pettersson so they could do the interview together if it would please the media. He said his focus was on improving his game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This story picked up last week, reaching the point where the media is questioning both players, their teammates and head coach Rick Tocchet.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the front office hopes the two players can resolve their differences but suggested the clock was ticking. Some observers suggest Miller or Pettersson could be traded if this continues.

The gossip about a rift between the Canucks’ top two centers coincides with the club struggling to meet expectations raised by last season’s 109-point performance. Instead of building on that, they’re clinging to a wild-card spot in the Western Conference, with Miller and Pettersson playing well below their respective pay grades.

Improvement by the two players in question and the Canucks as a whole would bring the gossip to an end. Otherwise, it’ll continue to be an unnecessary distraction that could have consequences for the club’s playoff hopes and the futures of Miller or Pettersson in Vancouver.

THE LATEST ON THE SABRES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington noted recent reports claiming Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams unsuccessfully pursued Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas in last summer’s trade market.

An NHL source told Harrington that Necas “never had a deal to ponder with Buffalo,” adding that his most likely destinations out of Carolina would’ve been Columbus or Winnipeg. The 25-year-old forward instead signed a two-year contract with the Hurricanes.

Harrington wondered if Adams attempted to acquire Andrew Mangiapane before the Calgary Flames traded him to the Washington Capitals or Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers. He also indicated that his sources said the Sabres may have pursued Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers and Mangiapane are eligible to become unrestricted free agents in July. Whether they’d want to sign with the struggling Sabres is another matter.

Sharangovich’s 31-goal, 59-point performance last season earned him a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.75 million starting this season. However, he has only six goals this season. The Flames might be open to offers but his new contract makes him a risky trade option for any club.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sam Carchidi suggests the Philadelphia Flyers should aggressively pursue Sabres center Dylan Cozens.

Despite the 25-year-old forward’s struggles this season, Carchidi believes he can regain his scoring touch if he played at his natural position at center rather than the wing where he’s spent much of this season. He thinks Cozens could become a high-scoring center, something the Flyers lack.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cozens has been a fixture in the rumor mill as the Sabres continue to flounder in the standings. Mired in a 13-game winless skid (0-10-3), some sort of shakeup has to be coming for this team despite their owner’s assurances of patience.

Cozens could be part of that change but they’ll want a good young player in return.

SHARKS OPEN CONTRACT TALKS WITH ZETTERLUND

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng recently reported Fabian Zetterlund wants to remain with the Sharks and the team is interested in keeping him. The two sides have reportedly started contract discussions.

Zetterlund will become a restricted free agent next July. The 25-year-old winger has emerged among the rebuilding Sharks’ best players. He’s in the final season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.45 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zetterlund led the Sharks last season with 24 goals and was third in points with 44. He’s tied for second in goals this season (11) with Mikael Granlund and Macklin Celebrini and is fifth with 23 points.