Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 10, 2026

by | May 10, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 10, 2026

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup, we look at what’s next for the Flyers, plus the latest on the Oilers and Maple Leafs.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE FLYERS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what the offseason could hold for the Philadelphia Flyers, who exceeded expectations by making the playoffs and advancing to the second round before being swept by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Shilton believes the rebuilding Flyers are in a good spot now. Among general manager Daniel Briere’s priorities will be signing forward Trevor Zegras, a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, who is coming off a career-best 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games. The fit between the player and the team is so strong that Shilton expects they’ll get a deal done.

Defenseman Jamie Drysdale and backup goaltender Samuel Ersson are also RFA-eligible with arbitration rights this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras, 25, was earning $5.75 million annually on his three-year contract. He could get a long-term deal worth over $8 million annually.

The 24-year-old Drysdale matched his career high for points (32) and is in line for a significant raise after earning an average annual value of $2.3 million. As for Ersson, he might end up as trade bait if Briere decides to add a more experienced backup for starter Dan Vladar.

Shilton observed that the Flyers have salary cap space to spare, which will allow Briere to determine the club’s direction. He’ll also need to figure out how to improve their woeful power play via a coaching or personnel change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers weren’t expected to make the playoffs this season. However, the additions of Zegras, Vladar, and Christian Dvorak last summer, and those of promising youngsters Porter Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey during the season played key roles in their improvement.

With $38.5 million in projected cap space for 2026-27 and 17 active roster players under contract, Briere has sufficient room to re-sign Zegras and Drysdale, and to sign or replace Ersson, and still have enough for a significant addition or two. They need experienced depth at center, especially on the first line, and on their blueline.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently noted the uncertainty over Auston Matthews’ future with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He wondered if the Flyers could afford the steep cost of acquiring the superstar center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Matthews becomes available, there’s no certainty he’ll want to go to the Flyers even if they’re ahead of schedule with their rebuild. He has a full no-movement clause, meaning his list of preferred trade destinations will be a small one.

If Matthews were willing to join the Flyers, the Leafs would probably want a promising center with first-line potential, or a young defenseman with first-pairing capability; two things that the Flyers themselves currently lack. They could also want Martone or Matvei Michkov (probably Martone) as part of the deal.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs…

THE LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel recently examined the priorities facing new Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka.

Topping the list is selling Auston Matthews on his vision for the Maple Leafs’ future. If successful, the Leafs will continue to retool their roster. If not, and Matthews decides to move on, they’ll go into a rebuild that will likely be centered around potential first-overall draft pick Gavin McKenna.

Siegel noted that Matthews isn’t expected to decide until he sees what the Maple Leafs do during the offseason. It might not be until sometime in July when they learn whether he’s on board with their plans.

Landing a second-line center could also be on Chayka’s “to-do” list. There’s not much available in this summer’s UFA market, with Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets the best short-term option.

Chayka could turn to the trade market to address that issue. Siegel noted there are several theoretical possibilities with a degree of risk, including Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Mike Zibanejad of the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both players carry full no-movement clauses and have not indicated that they want to move on. Vincent Trocheck of the Rangers is reportedly available, but he has a 12-team no-trade list and could prefer a destination closer to the Eastern seaboard.

Siegel also mused over making another attempt to bring back Ryan O’Reilly, but he wants to stay in Nashville, and the Predators are treating him as though he has a no-trade clause.

Julian Gaudio of The Hockey News included Coyle and his Blue Jackets teammate Boone Jenner as possibilities to address the Leafs’ need for depth at center. He also suggested trade options such as Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks, and Barrett Hayton of the Utah Mammoth. Of those three, Wright might be the most attainable because of his struggles this season under Kraken coach Lane Lambert.

Siegel also speculated that the Leafs could attempt to trade some defensemen, such as Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Brandon Carlo. That would require pursuing replacements, perhaps by using winger Matthew Knies as a trade chip.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chayka faces a daunting challenge trying to retool the Maple Leafs into a legitimate playoff contender in a way that would meet with Matthews’ approval. He’ll likely attempt to make a significant move or two, but it might not be enough.

UPDATE ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson wondered if Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse would waive his no-trade clause this summer.

If Nurse is willing to accept a trade, Matheson suggested shipping him to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Morgan Rielly. He pointed out that both players are signed through 2029-30, with Nurse carrying a $9.25 million AAV while Rielly’s is $7.5 million. Matheson also noted that Nurse is from Hamilton, and he and Leafs forward Max Domi grew up together.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swapping two struggling defensemen in their early thirties doesn’t seem like it would improve either club. The Oilers would come out ahead only because Rielly’s cap hit is less expensive.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell looked at some possible UFA targets for the Oilers this summer.

Topping the list is Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres. However, it’s unlikely that he’s going anywhere. If he becomes available, the Oilers would have to move out a big contract to free up the cap space to sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mitchell also included pending Oilers UFAs such as Connor Murphy, Kasperi Kapanen, and Jason Dickinson on his list. It’s more likely those three will be re-signed.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2026

by | May 8, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2026

Check out the latest on the Oilers, Senators, and Bruins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE BIG CHANGES COMING FOR THE OILERS?

SPORTSNET: NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes changes are coming for the Edmonton Oilers this summer. He doesn’t know if those changes will occur on the backs of listening to their superstars (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), but he felt that management “heard them loud and clear”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid and Draisaitl were publicly critical of the Oilers’ performance this season. McDavid felt the club was “average with high expectations”, and Draisaitl said they took significant steps backward this season.

Seravalli believes head coach Kris Knoblauch and his staff will be sent packing. He also felt there would be changes in the front office and wondered how the Oilers would go about rejigging their roster.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

He mused about whether they can find a team willing to take defenseman Darnell Nurse off their hands and what type of sweetener would have to be included in the deal. They must also find a goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse must agree to waive his no-movement clause. If he does, it’ll likely be for a limited number of teams, most of whom will want the Oilers to retain part of his $9.25 million annual salary-cap hit, or take back a toxic contract, or package Nurse with a high draft pick or a top prospect.

Finding a goaltender will also be a daunting challenge. There are netminders available in free agency, but they’re either starters who are past their prime or backup goalies. The Oilers need a reliable starter, which could send them into the trade market, but the pickings there will also be slim.

WILL THE SENATORS PURSUE A FORWARD THROUGH TRADE OR FREE AGENCY?

OTTAWA SUN: In a recent mailbag segment, Callum Fraser was asked what it would take for the Senators to add a top-six winger to center Tim Stutzle’s line.

Fraser doesn’t see the Senators dangling top prospect Carter Yakemchuk. Prospect defenseman Lance Hensler’s stock is lower than Ottawa would like right now, and they don’t have a high first-rounder to leverage, plus that pick isn’t movable until it becomes a prospect. That means they’ll have to move a roster player or two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That roster player could be Dylan Cozens, who lacks no-trade protection. However, he carries an AAV of $7.1 million. Rival clubs would love to land Shane Pinto. He’s starting a new long-term deal in July with an AAV of $7.5 million, but the Senators might be reluctant to part with him.

Fabian Zetterlund could be another trade candidate. He has a more affordable $4.275 million AAV, but he’s struggled to regain his 24-goal career-best performance of 2023-24.

The Senators could also turn to the free-agent market to add more depth among their forward lines. Potential UFA options could include A.J. Greer, Mason Marchment, Ilya Mikheyev, Erik Haula, and Jack Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchment would provide physicality, which would take part of the burden off team captain Brady Tkachuk. He’s put up decent offensive numbers over the past three seasons, but he also takes costly penalties. Roslovic is a three-time 20-plus goal scorer, but his production tends to be streaky.

COULD THE BRUINS MOVE A DEFENSEMAN?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports the Boston Bruins have all but two of their roster defensemen under contract for next season. Andrew Peeke is UFA-eligible on July 1, while Jordan Harris is a restricted free agent.

However, that doesn’t mean that all of those blueliners under contract will be back next season.

Shinzawa believes Mason Lohrei has an uncertain future in Boston. GM Don Sweeney praised the 25-year-old blueliner’s improvement alongside Hampus Lindholm. However, he finished the season as a healthy scratch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei might be packaged in a trade deal to bring in a player who can address other roster needs.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2026

by | May 7, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2026

Who could the Oilers pursue in this summer’s trade market? What could the Sharks do with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO COULD THE OILERS TARGET IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson wondered how the Oilers would resolve their goaltending situation.

Struggling starter Tristan Jarry has two more seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.385 million. Backup goalies Connor Ingram and Calvin Pickard are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Ingram could be an affordable re-signing for the Oilers.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (NHL Images).

Matheson believes it would be difficult for the Oilers to move Jarry unless they include a high draft pick in the deal or take a bad contract in return. If they do move on from Jarry, Matheson suggested Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild, or Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights as trade targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wouldn’t hurt to inquire into the availability of those goaltenders. However, it sounds like Binnington will be back with the Blues next season. Gustavsson has a full no-movement clause and could be unwilling to play for the Oilers. Hill has a 10-team no-trade list, but he also carries an AAV ($6.25 million) that would be too expensive for the Oilers to carry, especially if they’re looking at improving other areas of their roster.

Matheson’s colleague, David Staples, mentioned Oilers insider Bob Stauffer suggesting the Oilers could stick with Jarry but could also make a trade with an NHL team that has deep prospect goalie depth.

Stauffer mentioned an Eastern Conference team that has “four pretty good goaltenders in their system right now.” He declined to name the team, but Staples believes he was referring to the Detroit Red Wings, listing prospect netminders Sebastian Cossa, Trey Augustine, Michal Postava, and Carter Gylander.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Staple that Stauffer was likely referring to the Red Wings. They might not part with Cossa or Augustine, but Postava and Gylander could be available. I’d love to see the feedback from Red Wings fans on this. Feel free to weigh in on this in the comments section.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell suggested some potential trade targets for the Oilers this season. He suggested targeting Colorado Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, who has been outplayed this season by Scott Wedgewood.

Mitchell also suggested some options to improve the Oilers offense. He proposed looking into the availability of St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou and Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackwood would be an interesting alternative if Binnington, Gustavsson, or Hill were unavailable to the Oilers. He’s in the first season of a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.25 million and a six-team no-trade list. Blackwood might be easier to obtain, but his cap hit could still be a concern.

Kyrou and Tippett have frequently appeared in trade rumors this season. Of the two, Kyrou would be more expensive ($8.125 million AAV) and probably unobtainable given his full no-trade clause.

Tippett is more affordable (but still expensive) at $6.2 million annually, and perhaps easier to obtain as his 10-team no-trade clause doesn’t begin until July 1. However, the Flyers seem reluctant to part with him.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka examined the options facing the San Jose Sharks after they landed the second-overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs take winger Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick, the Sharks could select forward Ivar Stenberg, a high-end center such as Caleb Malhotra, or a defenseman like Chase Reid or Keaton Verhoeff.

With the Sharks hoping to challenge for a playoff berth next season, general manager Mike Grier could shop that pick for more immediate roster help. Grier is open to moving that pick, but Pashelka believes his asking price will be steep.

Pashelka suggested Grier could also retain the No. 1 pick, select a winger like Stenberg, and peddle winger William Eklund, who lacks no-trade protection in his contract.

Grier could hang onto the pick and get another high-end talent in the draft. It could be the last time for a while that they’ll be this high in the draft order again.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng reports it’s no secret that the Sharks must upgrade their defense corps this summer.

Veteran Dmitry Orlov and 19-year-old Sam Dickinson are the only Sharks blueliners under contract for next season. Restricted free agent Shakir Mukhamadullin could be back, as could a pending unrestricted free agent such as Mario Ferraro or Vincent Desharnais.

Peng suggested Grier could attempt to add a defenseman via this summer’s UFA market, since it wouldn’t cost any of his promising young players.

Options could include Darryn Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning, John Carlson and Jacob Trouba of the Anaheim Ducks, and Rasmus Andersson of the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson will likely be re-signing with the Golden Knights. It’s believed they’re waiting until July 1, when they will be cap-compliant, to announce the signing.

Grier could also test the trade market. Potential targets could include Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils, Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks, Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers, Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dougie Hamilton of the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Devils can move Hamilton, they’ll likely re-sign Nemec. Hamilton reportedly rejected a trade to the Sharks last summer, so it’s unlikely he’ll have changed his mind. The Canucks will likely hang onto Hronek.

Nurse and Rielly are veteran blueliners in decline. They might improve with a change of scenery, but that could be an expensive gamble not worth taking.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 3, 2026

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: big changes could be coming to the Oilers, the Stars must decide if they’ll re-sign Jason Robertson, and the latest on the Predators.

COULD SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BE COMING FOR THE OILERS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes Oilers owner Daryl Katz won’t be happy about his club’s early postseason exit. He believes Katz will be asking questions, evaluating, and perhaps assessing blame somewhere.

Matheson also thinks the Oilers are on the clock as team captain Connor McDavid’s two-year contract extension starts on July 1. He wondered whether general manager Stan Bowman would attempt to trade Darnell Nurse, who carries a $9.25 million annual salary-cap hit.

Bowman must also decide which of his six pending unrestricted free-agent forwards (Jason Dickinson, Kasperi Kapanen, Jack Roslovic, Adam Henrique, Curtis Lazar, and Max Jones) he’ll keep. He faces the same decision with defenseman Connor Murphy and goaltenders Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman told the media on Saturday that next season’s roster won’t be the same as this season’s. Making those changes, however, won’t be easy given their salary-cap restrictions and limited trade capital.

Matheson also wondered if head coach Kris Knoblauch’s job is safe. He starts a three-year contract next season, which he earned after coaching the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knoblauch didn’t become a bad coach this season. He had to make do with the lineup provided to him by Bowman, which included shaky goaltending, a weakened blueline, and limited support depth for the top forwards. Firing him won’t improve the roster.

Kurt Leavins dismissed any trade rumors about McDavid as baseless clickbait. “But until Connor says he is leaving, I will assume that he’s all in.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid made it clear that he wants to win and wants to do so in Edmonton. He declined to say whether he would finish his upcoming two-year contract extension with the Oilers, which is bound to keep the rumors flowing.

Like Auston Matthews with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brady Tkachuk with the Ottawa Senators, McDavid will be returning with the Oilers for next season. However, the Oilers’ performance in 2026-27 could determine his plans for the following season and beyond.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

Leavins believes the Oilers must find the right way to convince Darnell Nurse to waive his no-movement clause. “And this assessment needs to be equal parts management and player. Nurse needs to accept that the status quo is not on. And the fans need to be aware that you will not replace him for free.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Even if Nurse agrees to waive his no-movement clause, interested clubs will likely insist on the Oilers retaining part of his $9.25 million average annual value through 2029-30. Failing that, they might have to add a draft pick or prospect in the deal to convince the acquiring club to take on his full cap hit, or take back a bad contract in return.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell wondered what plans Bowman has in store to improve the Oilers during the offseason.

He wondered if Bowman might attempt to acquire goaltender Filip Gustavsson from the Minnesota Wild, or pursue a young netminder such as Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine of the Detroit Red Wings. They could also target clubs carrying two goalies worthy of starting roles.

Mitchell suggested Nurse could be used in a package deal for a goalie or to acquire a veteran goal scorer to replace Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson is in the final year of his current contract, which has a full no-movement clause. His six-year extension also contains an NMC. He might be willing to waive it if it appears he’s lost the starter’s job to Jesper Wallstedt, but there’s no certainty that he’d want to come to Edmonton.

Mitchell finished his piece with some hard truth for Oilers fans. “What’s sad about these Oilers is that they’ve grown old without winning a damn thing. That’s a hard pill to swallow, but that’s the truth.”

WHAT WILL THE STARS DO WITH JASON ROBERTSON?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos believes the biggest question facing the Stars this offseason is whether they’ll sign Jason Robertson to a contract extension.

The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He’s coming off a standout performance, tying Wyatt Johnston with a team-high 45 goals and sitting first among his teammates with 96 points. He was also their most consistent scorer during the Stars’ short series against the Minnesota Wild.

All signs point to the Stars re-signing Robertson. However, Assimakopoulos believes they might not get away with paying him less than the $12 million annually that they’re paying winger Mikko Rantanen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who believes the Stars have little choice but to re-sign Robertson to a lucrative long-term contract. Since his full rookie season in 2020-21, he’s been their leading scorer with 213 goals and 276 assists for 489 points in 453 regular-season games, along with a team-leading 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points in 62 playoff contests.

It’s going to be an expensive signing. He has a good case to make as much as Rantanen, and will easily get that amount with another NHL club if the Stars are dumb enough to trade him away or let him depart next summer as a UFA. And yes, it would be dumb to part with a scorer who produces at Robertson’s level. The Stars would have a difficult time replacing him.

The Stars only have around $11 million in cap space for next season. Re-signing Robertson, even for less than $12 million, means having to make a cost-cutting trade or two. It will also make it difficult to re-sign fellow RFA Mavrik Bourque, who also has arbitration rights.

THE LATEST PREDATORS SPECULATION

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty recently proposed three bold moves for whoever replaces Barry Trotz as GM of the Nashville Predators this summer.

One possibility is buying out the contract of unhappy winger Jonathan Marchessault. A trade would be ideal, but few teams will be interested in a 35-year-old winger with declining production carrying a $5.5 million AAV for the next three years. A buyout would save the Predators $1.2 million next season, $2.3 million in each of the following two seasons, followed by a manageable cap hit of $961K annually for the final three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buying out Marchessault seems more likely, assuming the Predators have their new GM in place before the buyout period in late June. They could still try to trade him, perhaps by retaining a portion of his cap hit.

Daugherty also suggested attempting to acquire Philadelphia Flyers sophomore winger Matvei Michkov and trying to sign Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson to an offer sheet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov struggled in his sophomore season, which was his first under head coach Rick Tocchet. That’s sparked speculation that the Flyers could trade him, but I don’t see them giving up on the promising Michkov because of one bad season.

Signing Robertson to an offer sheet would certainly be a bold move. However, he’d first have to want to sign one, and there’s no certainty that he’d be open to doing so. The Stars could also take him to arbitration, or he could file to do so, making him ineligible to receive an offer sheet.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

The Hurricanes defeat the Flyers in the opening game of their second-round series, the schedule for the second round is released, the latest on the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Logan Stankoven scored twice to lead his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round playoff series. Frederik Andersen had a 19-save shutout, and Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played better in the third period, but it was all Hurricanes in the first period and most of the second. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet admitted his team wasn’t mentally prepared for this contest. He believes they were still riding the emotional high of making the playoffs and winning their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven (NHL Images)

Carolina’s second line of Stankoven, Blake, and Taylor Hall remains a scoring force in this postseason.

Stankoven is tied with Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel for this postseason’s goal-scoring lead with six goals. He’s also set a franchise record with a five-game playoff goal-scoring streak. Four of his six goals were series-openers.

Carolina winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after a lower-body injury sidelined him from Game 4 of the Hurricanes’ first-round series with the Ottawa Senators. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin remained out of their roster as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Flyers forward Owen Tippett missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

NHL.COM: The schedule for the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was released.

Game 1 of the series between the Hurricanes and Flyers began Saturday. Game 2 will be on Monday, May 4, in Carolina.

The opening game of the series between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche will be on Sunday, May 3, in Colorado. Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for Game 1 of this series with a lower-body injury.

Game 1 of the series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights begins on Monday, May 4, in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres will face the Montreal Canadiens or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game 1 of that series begins on Wednesday, May 6, in Buffalo. The Canadiens and Lightning face off in Game 7 in Tampa Bay on Sunday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Leon Draisaitl was frank about his club’s performance and his concern about their future. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Draisaitl said he felt the Oilers “are not trending in the right direction,” adding that they’ve taken “big steps backward.” He warned that the Oilers must get a grip on this situation and return to the right direction.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid concurred with Draisaitl’s assessment of the club’s direction. Following their first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks, McDavid said he felt the Oilers were “an average team all year.” He said he still felt that way, adding that he and Draisaitl deserve their share of the blame, and that they can all be better and need to improve.

“There’s no doubt everybody knows what we’re trying to do here in Edmonton, and it’s no secret,” McDavid said, referring to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. “We’re pressing pretty hard, so the patience is obviously worn pretty thin.”

McDavid also shot down trade speculation that surfaced during and after the series against the Ducks. “I want to win, and I want to win here in Edmonton. That’s my focus.”

However, McDavid declined to comment on whether he’ll play out his upcoming two-year contract with the Oilers. “I’m not going to get into all that,” he said. “The only thing that matters is competing for the big trophy. That’s all that matters. And if I feel that’s here, then yeah.”

McDavid also confirmed that he played with an injury during the Ducks series, suffering a fractured bone in his left foot in Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers GM Stan Bowman acknowledged the club isn’t where they want to be while pointing to the positives from this season, such as the evolution of players Vasily Podkolzin, Matt Savoie, and Josh Samanski.

Nevertheless, the comments from McDavid and Draisaitl are a shot across Bowman’s bow. He’ll face a daunting task attempting to improve the Oilers. I’ll have more about that in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to hold a press conference on Monday to officially announce the hiring of former team captain Mats Sundin and former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka to join their front office.

It’s been previously reported that the Leafs were interested in hiring Sundin as vice president of hockey operations and Chayka as general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports of Sundin and Chayka being the frontrunners for those positions drew a nervous vibe from Leafs Nation. It will be interesting to see what those two have in store for the club during this offseason.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will have an in-person meeting with the league’s department of player safety for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

THE SPORTING NEWS: Speaking of the Bruins, forward James Hagens is reportedly joining Team USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Ridly Greig will have a virtual hearing with the department of player safety on Monday for his sucker punch to the head of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker during Game 4 of their first-round series.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers owner Vinnie Viola got his second Kentucky Derby win on Saturday. Viola is a co-owner of Golden Tempo, a 23-1 long shot that won the 152nd running of the Derby at Churchill Downs.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers promoted assistant director of player development Tanner Glass as their new director of player development.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2026

by | May 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2026

What’s next for the Oilers and Stars following their postseason eliminations? What’s the latest on the Red Wings? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE OILERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille and Chris Johnston looked at what’s next for the Edmonton Oilers after their first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks. They don’t have much time to rebuild back into perennial Stanley Cup contender status. Team captain Connor McDavid will be starting his new two-year contract next season.

League sources claim McDavid remains determined to bring the Oilers to the promised land despite this season’s setback. However, he’ll expect management to deliver on specific roster adjustments this summer.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

Finding a suitable starting goaltender remains a prime issue for the Oilers. Tristan Jarry has two years remaining on his contract, and didn’t imbue any confidence that he can handle the starter’s job. Connor Ingram is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The pickings are slim in this summer’s UFA market. Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues and Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights could be trade candidates, though it’s hard to imagine the latter helping out a division rival.

Forwards Adam Henrique, Jason Dickinson, Jack Roslovic, Kasperi Kapanen, Curtis Lazar, and defenseman Connor Murphy are also UFA-eligible.

The biggest decision could be what to do with Darnell Nurse. He has four years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $9.25 million and a full no-movement clause. If the Oilers can find a way to trade him, it would free up cap space to address other needs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers general manager Stan Bowman faces what could arguably be the biggest challenge of his management career this summer. This club is at a crossroads, and trying to rebuild around the core on the cheap likely won’t work any better than it did this season.

Puckpedia indicates the Oilers have over $16.4 million in projected cap space for 2026-27, with 15 active roster players under contract.

Finding a suitable goaltender will be difficult given the limited talent in the trade and free-agent markets. It’s easy to suggest trading for Binnington or Hill, but they both have 10-team no-trade lists, and there’s no certainty they’ll accept a trade to the Oilers.

Nurse’s contract makes moving him a daunting challenge. Even if he agreed to waive his clause, few teams will be willing to take on his full cap hit. The Oilers would have to retain some of it to facilitate a deal.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan O’Hara believes the Oilers’ collapse raises questions about McDavid’s future and head coach Kris Knoblauch’s job.

If the trade whispers about McDavid were to become reality, O’Hara believes the Los Angeles Kings would make sense.

While the Kings also made an early postseason exit, O’Hara believes their defensive structure and reliable goaltending are things that McDavid hasn’t had in Edmonton, and could make them an enticing destination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I put no stock into those “whispers” that McDavid wants out. Assuming he did, I don’t see the Kings as a destination.

Like the Oilers, the Kings are at a crossroads, with Anze Kopitar retiring and long-time defenseman Drew Doughty in the twilight of his career. Yes, they play better defense and have better goaltending, but that hasn’t been enough to get them past the first round over the past five years. They also lack the assets to meet what will be a significant asking price for McDavid.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark believes the only concern for the Oilers is how to build up a better roster around superstar Connor McDavid. He acknowledged there are other needs to be addressed, but improving the supporting cast around McDavid is the main concern.

The Oilers will have to accomplish that by finding help at team-friendly prices. One way they could resolve that is move one of their higher-paid players not named McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If they can’t move Nurse (and I doubt that they can without adding a significant sweetener to the deal), trading away any of their other high-salaried guys (Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) would do more harm than good. They could attempt to trade defenseman Jake Walman ($7 million AAV starting next season), but he has a full NMC.

The easier player to move that would free up considerable cap space is Evan Bouchard. He earns an AAV of $10.5 million, lacks no-trade protection, and he would fetch a better return than the aforementioned players. However, moving him would take away their top puck-moving defenseman, leaving them scrambling to find a suitable replacement. Trading Bouchard could also send the wrong signal to McDavid, making the prospect of his early departure more likely.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE STARS?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos reports that losing in the first round of the playoffs was never an acceptable outcome for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations like the Stars. They will start again and try to get back to the level they were a year ago.

The roster might have a slightly different look next season. They still have to re-sign winger Jason Robertson, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. They could also have a new team captain if Jamie Benn retires.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark believes the cost of re-signing Robertson will be expensive, pointing to the expensive deals signed by wingers Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild and Mitch Marner of the Vegas Golden Knights.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau wondered if Robertson’s play could price him out of Dallas. The 26-year-old winger had 45 goals and a team-leading 96 points this season, and was second among his teammates in this postseason with eight points in six games.

The Stars have $11.1 million in projected cap space next season. Robertson is coming off a four-year contract with an AAV of $7.75 million, and his next deal will exceed $10 million annually. That could force general manager Jim Nill to make a cost-cutting move or two to free up space to re-sign him.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus wondered if Nill will re-sign Robertson or dangle him in the trade market for a return that replenishes their depleted prospect and draft-pick pools.

Like Proteau, Lazerus believes Nill would have to make a salary-dumping deal to re-sign Robertson. He wondered if veteran center Matt Duchene or the oft-injured (but still highly respected) Roope Hintz would become a trade candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner is earning an AAV of $12 million on an eight-year contract, while Kapizov will earn $17 million annually when his new contract kicks in next season. Robertson won’t get Kaprizov money, but he could end up in the same neighborhood as Marner.

Hintz would be more valuable than Duchene in the trade market, but both players have full no-movement clauses. Thomas Harley ($10.5 million starting next season) and Wyatt Johnston ($8.4 million) would each fetch significant returns and lack no-trade protection, but Nill isn’t going to move those core players.

THE LATEST ON THE RED WINGS

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman looked at some potential offseason free agents and trade targets for the Detroit Red Wings to boost their chances of ending their long playoff drought.

Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres, Mason Marchment of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Anders Lee of the New York Islanders top his list of potential free-agent candidates.

Trade targets could include Buffalo Sabres forwards Josh Norris and Jack Quinn, and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson.

Bultman also looked at which players on the current Red Wings roster are likely to stay and which ones are likely to move. Players with term remaining on their contracts (J.T. Compher, Michael Rasmussen, and Mason Appleton) are potential trade candidates. Pending UFAs James van Riemsdyk, David Perron, and Cam Talbot could move on.