NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2026

by | Apr 24, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2026

The Red Wings could go shopping for help this summer, plus the latest on the Blues in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RED WINGS TO ATTEMPT MAJOR OFFSEASON ROSTER MOVES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff reports Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman was asked what his club needed to get over the hump and end their decade-long postseason drought.

“Well, the most obvious answer would be we need better players,” Yzerman said. He added that it was “incumbent upon me and my staff to improve the team.”

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (NHL.com).

Yzerman made those remarks during his first end-of-season media availability since his club was eliminated from postseason contention last week. Head coach Todd McLellan was seated alongside Yzerman during the presser.

The Red Wings GM indicated that no one on his roster was untouchable, be it a player or a prospect, when it came to trade talks. However, he stressed that he’s not going to get rid of everyone.

Yzerman said the club’s ownership is disappointed with the outcome of this season. However, he said he intends to do his job to the best of his ability and to see this thing through.

Improving the Wings won’t be easy. Duff pointed out that this summer’s free-agent market is thin on the type of talent they need. He speculated that Yzerman could revisit trade talks with the New York Rangers for center Vincent Trocheck, and wondered if the Wings GM would roll the dice on Vancouver Canucks mercurial center Elias Pettersson.

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan also noted that Yzerman is prepared to make a major move to improve his club in the offseason, but he wondered if such a move is available.

Khan noted that players such as Trocheck and Pettersson, as well as Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues, were the subject of trade rumors this season. He speculated that Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs could become the biggest name in this summer’s rumor mill.

Goalscoring is the Red Wings’ biggest need, especially at even strength. Khan believes Yzerman will seek a top-six forward, preferably a center. They must also improve their bottom-six forwards.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yzerman and McLellan won’t be replaced, but they will be feeling the pressure to bring the Red Wings’ long playoff drought to an end next season.

Most of that pressure will fall on Yzerman, as the past seven years of that 10-year drought occurred on his watch. He could be in real danger of losing his job if the Red Wings fall short next season.

As Duff and Khan observed, finding suitable players to address their roster weaknesses won’t be easy this summer. There’s little available in free agency, and a lot of teams flush with salary-cap space will turn to the trade market, and perhaps even try the offer-sheet route.

Still, Yzerman does have a couple of factors that could work in his favor. The Red Wings have over $32 million in cap space for 2026-27, with 15 active roster players under contract.

Simon Edvinsson is completing his entry-level contract and will get a significant raise. Patrick Kane is the only one of their unrestricted free agents expected to be re-signed. They’ll have plenty of space to add a scorer or two.

Yzerman can also draw on a deep pool of prospects for trade bait. He was reluctant in the past to dangle those players, but his comments on Thursday suggest he understands he must consider that option to address his roster’s pressing needs.

UPDATE ON THE BLUES.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford believes the St. Louis Blues would be open to moving forwards Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, and Jonathan Drouin this summer.

Buchnevich is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8 million. He thinks they’re likely regretting that contract because of the 31-year-old winger’s declining production. As a result, it’s hard to imagine there will be much trade interest in him around the league.

Kyrou’s name wasn’t mentioned as much in trade rumors as other Blues, such as Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko, and Jordan Binnington. However, that doesn’t mean they weren’t shopping the 27-year-old winger. There could be more trade talks involving Kyrou this summer. He’s also signed through 2030-31 with an AAV of $8.125 million.

Drouin was acquired as part of the return in the Brayden Schenn deal with the New York Islanders. He has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $4 million and was a healthy scratch in eight of the last 13 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou’s recent minor knee procedure explained why his production was down this season. There could be clubs seeking offense willing to bet that he’ll bounce back.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2026

by | Apr 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2026

The Flyers take a commanding series lead over the Penguins, the Stars win in double overtime over the Wild, the Ducks tie their series with the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers are on the verge of sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins following their 5-2 victory in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Trevor Zegras and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist while Dan Vladar stopped 28 shots for the Flyers, who can wrap up this series in Game 4 on Saturday, starting at 8 pm ET. Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson scored for the Penguins.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers drew on the energy from their fans, who were enjoying the first playoff game in Philadelphia since 2018. The Flyers were in the 2020 playoffs, which were held in a COVID bubble in Toronto.

A second-period scrum involving all five skaters from both clubs resulted in Zegras scoring his first NHL playoff goal on the ensuing power play, tying the game 1-1. The Flyers took over the game after that, putting them in a position to eliminate their archrival on Saturday.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist on Malkin’s game-opening goal to become the fifth-highest-scoring player in NHL playoff history with 202 points.

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston scored in double overtime to give his club a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild, and a 2-1 lead in their opening-round series. Stars forwards Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene each had a goal and two assists, and Jake Oettinger made 28 saves. Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Michael McCarron replied for the Wild. Game 4 will be in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday at 5:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marcus Foligno claimed the Stars couldn’t hang with his club at 5-on-5. He has a point, as the Stars tallied three of their four goals (including Johnston’s game-winner) on the power play, but that’s also an indictment of the Wild’s penalty killing. Of the Stars’ nine goals in this series, six have come with the man advantage.

Wild forwards Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin missed this game due to injuries. Zuccarello’s been sidelined by an upper-body injury after playing in Game 1, while Trenin left Game 2 with an upper-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-4 to knot their first-round series at one game apiece. Cutter Gauthier snapped a 4-4 tie and finished the game with two goals and an assist, Alex Killorn had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Poehling tallied twice for the Ducks. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, but teammate Connor McDavid was held off the scoreboard for the second straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid briefly left this game with an ankle injury. He downplayed it after the game, claiming it was fine. What isn’t fine is Edmonton’s power play, which has been held scoreless in six opportunities thus far. Oilers forward Jason Dickinson missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 33 goals for his first NHL postseason victory. Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

This series moves to Anaheim for the next two games, with Game 3 on Friday at 10 pm ET.

HEADLINES

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman and head coach Todd McLellan will address the media today.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will dispel speculation about whether both men might lose their jobs after the Red Wings extended their playoff drought to 10 years.

TSN: Hall of Famer Chris Pronger said he has not spoken with the Toronto Maple Leafs about the role of general manager.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken general manager Jason Botterill and team CEO Tod Leiweke said they’ll leave “no stone unturned” in their efforts to improve the franchise. Botterill said that head coach Lane Lambert will be retained.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That dispels conjecture about the futures of Botterill and Lambert after the Kraken missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

TSN: Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin underwent surgery on an ACL tear in his right knee on Tuesday. He will be sidelined between six to nine months.

ROTOWIRE: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous travelled with the team to Montreal. D’Astous was sidelined with an undisclosed injury after he was hit by Canadiens winger Josh Anderson in Game 1.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven could return to the lineup for Game 3 of their first-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been sidelined with a broken jaw since Apr. 2.

TSN: Former NHL forward Trevor Lewis announced his retirement.

Lewis spent 17 seasons in the NHL, 14 of those with the Los Angeles Kings, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships. He also spent two seasons with the Calgary Flames and one season with the Winnipeg Jets. From 2006-07 to 2024-25, he had 104 goals and 133 assists for 237 points in 1,034 games, and 28 points in 106 playoff contests.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 22, 2026

by | Apr 22, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 22, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at several suggested free-agent targets for the Maple Leafs and the latest on the Red Wings.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan observed that the next Maple Leafs general manager will have a projected $22.2 million in salary-cap space to work with for 2026-27. That will give them enough room to pursue a player or two via free agency.

Koshan acknowledged that this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market is thin on talent, but he singled out six pending UFAs who might help the Maple Leafs.

Topping the list is Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darryn Raddysh, who had a career-best performance this season with 22 goals and 48 assists for 70 points. However, there is a concern that he’d be a one-hit wonder, especially for any team that pays him more than $7 million annually.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raddysh could either succeed beyond the Maple Leafs’ wildest dreams or become a very expensive bust.

Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres is a complete power forward, scoring at least 33 goals in three of the last four seasons. He’d slot in nicely on the Maple Leafs’ first line, but his asking price of between $10 million and $11 million is a concern.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tuch would be a great fit on the Maple Leafs, but it seems more likely that he’ll re-sign with the Sabres.

Former Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving attempted to acquire defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames before he was shipped to the Vegas Golden Knights. Adding Andersson or Raddysh might be more palatable if the Maple Leafs could move Morgan Rielly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson has a better body of work than Raddysh, making him a better fit on the Leafs’ blueline. However, it’s believed the Golden Knights will re-sign him once they become cap compliant for next season.

Edmonton Oilers winger Jack Roslovic, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba, and Oilers blueliner Connor Murphy round out Koshan’s list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roslovic’s inconsistent play explains why he’s bounced around the league so much in recent years. Trouba isn’t likely to return north of the border. The 33-year-old Murphy could quickly become an expensive depth defenseman.

Meanwhile, Koshan’s colleague Lance Hornby listed the top-five general manager candidates to watch as the Maple Leafs’ search for a new GM appears to be nearing its end.

Former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis tops this list, followed by New York Rangers assistant GM Ryan Martin and former Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka. Dallas Stars director of hockey operations Scott White and Boston Bruins assistant GM Evan Gold round out his list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What say you, Leafs fans? Who would you prefer to see as your next general manager? Let us know in the comments below.

WHAT WILL THE RED WINGS DO TO IMPROVE THEIR ROSTER?

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman recently looked at what the Detroit Red Wings must accomplish this summer.

Finding a top-line left wing is among their priorities. It’s been an issue plaguing them since last season. Rookie Emmitt Finnie filled that role for most of this season, but they must find a more proven option or a player with the potential to become one.

The options in the free-agent market are weak. Bultman suggested finding a solution in the trade market, perhaps a player who might thrive with a change of scenery.

Bultman also believes the Red Wings must reshape their bottom-six forwards. “They need more offense, more physicality, just more to make the lineup deeper and more balanced.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Improving the bottom six could be an easier task than finding a first-line left winger. Their need for a reliable second-line center could be a greater priority.

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan believes the Red Wings’ need to bolster their roster this summer through trades and free agency means they won’t have much room to retain their unrestricted free agents.

They include right wing Patrick Kane, left wing James van Riemsdyk, left wing David Perron, defenseman Travis Hamonic, and goaltender Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now expects the Wings will re-sign Kane and part ways with the rest.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 19, 2026

by | Apr 19, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 19, 2026

Check out the latest on the Flames, Blackhawks, Red Wings, Sharks, Blues, and Jets in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton recently reported that the rebuilding Calgary Flames face major decisions with veterans Blake Coleman, Morgan Frost, and Ryan Strome, who have one year left on their contracts. They could move one or all of them for draft picks or prospects.

Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun believes Coleman’s future will be among the Flames’ big decisions this summer. A contract extension is possible, but not a certainty.

The 34-year-old two-way forward has shown no sign of slowing down and could become a valuable trade chip for the Flames. Austin speculated they could peddle him during the summer or wait until next year’s trade deadline.

The Chicago Blackhawks’ priority is re-signing center Connor Bedard. They could also attempt to add some veteran depth to their blueline or elect to let their young defense corps grow.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scott Powers of The Athletic wondered if Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson will attempt to add a veteran or two to their forward lines and blueline via trade or free agency.

If Davidson attempts those moves, he should land players who are in their mid-to-late twenties who are approaching or in their playing prime. Not easy to do, but the Blackhawks have the salary cap space and the tradeable assets. Finding a suitable target is the challenge.

The Detroit Red Wings must improve their five-on-five scoring. Seeking such depth through trades and free agency is something that GM Steve Yzerman hasn’t done enough of, and that continues to hurt the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Max Bultman of The Athletic stated that their biggest need is their long-term plan at the No. 1 center position. With team captain Dylan Larkin turning 30 this summer and their lack of a reliable second-line center, they could be running out of time to address that issue.

Bolstering the defense should be a priority for the San Jose Sharks. Four veteran blueliners (Nick Leddy, John Klingberg, Mario Ferraro, and Vincent Desharnais) are eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1, while Shakir Mukhamadullin is a restricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports Ferraro would like a long-term contract, but if it’s a two, three or five-year contract, he just wants to play and is excited about the Sharks’ future. Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest reports Sharks GM Mike Grier thinks Ferraro will test the UFA market, but hasn’t closed the door on his return.

Clark and Shilton wondered how much of the St. Louis Blues’ core will remain in place. Center Robert Thomas was the subject of trade rumors. Defenseman Colton Parayko seemed headed to the Buffalo Sabres before the trade deadline until he used his no-trade clause to nix the deal. There are also questions about goaltender Jordan Binnington’s future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports Blues outgoing GM Doug Armstrong downplayed the trade talk swirling around Thomas, calling some of the rumors “a bit of a fabrication.” He also said the cost of acquiring Thomas is very high because he values the 26-year-old center highly. It will be up to the incoming GM, Alexander Steen, to decide Thomas’ future.

As for Binnington, keeping him could be part of the Blues’ plan for next season. He has one year left on his contract, but Armstrong pointed out the need for teams to carry two good goaltenders.

Winger Jordan Kyrou has also surfaced in trade rumors. However, he told the press that he wants to stay in St. Louis. Like Thomas and Parayko, he has a full no-trade clause.

Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff must find some complementary players to take some of the scoring burden off the club’s top stars. They must also decide what sort of term they’ll give pending RFA forward Cole Perfetti.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murat Ates of The Athletic believes Jets center Jonathan Toews could retire after this season. He also thinks Ville Heinola, Gustav Nyquist, and Jacob Bryson will be moving on.

Ates believes Perfetti and fellow Jets youngsters Dylan Samberg, Elias Salomonsson, Brad Lambert, and Isak Rosen must step up next season. Veterans Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov must also step up or move on.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2026

by | Apr 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2026

On the eve of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, check out the latest on Connor Hellebuyck, Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck, Thatcher Demko, Dylan Larkin, and more from players that didn’t make the postseason in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

WINNIPEG SUN: Gordon Anderson reports Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck expressed his unhappiness over his club’s tumble from winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season to missing the 2026 postseason.

Hellebuyck owned up to his share of blame for the Jets’ demise this season and didn’t put himself above criticism for his performance. He still believes they have “a very good team,” but he believes things have to change if they’re going to challenge for the Stanley Cup.

Hellebuyck said he’s made Winnipeg his home, and he likes it there, but his ultimate goal remains winning the Stanley Cup. He acknowledged the difficulty that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff faces bringing in talent through trades and free agency because of the club’s location and its reputation as a city that players don’t want to go to.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anderson noted that Hellebuyck is in a re-evaluating frame of mind, but he believes that doesn’t mean the three-time Vezina Trophy winner could be eyeing the exit. However, not everyone shares that opinion. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill.

Jonathan Toews appears to be at a crossroads after this season. The 37-year-old Jet center staged a comeback after three years away recovering from health issues, but admitted that he struggled to keep up with the pace of the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews was on a one-year contract with the Jets. It remains to be seen if they’ll bring him back for another season, which could leave him facing retirement.

Mark Scheifele has been selected to play for Team Canada in next month’s IIHF World Championship. The 33-year-old Jets center enjoyed a career-high 103-point performance, setting the franchise single-season points record. Teammate Dylan DeMelo has also accepted an invitation to play for Canada.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center John Tavares will also be playing for Canada in the World Championship.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas and Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly will join Tavares and Scheifele on Team Canada at the Worlds.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, the club is interviewing former captain and Hall of Famer Mats Sundin for a position in their hockey department.

TSN: Aleksander Barkov will play for Finland in the IIHF World Championship. The Florida Panthers captain missed the entire 2025-26 regular season and the 2026 Winter Olympics recovering from knee surgery.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck revealed his 14-game absence at the start of this season was due to a bacterial infection in one of his lungs. He underwent surgery and spent a week in a hospital, hooked up to chest tubes.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

“It was very scary,” Trocheck said. “I thought I was dying.”

Trocheck recovered and played the remainder of this season. The 32-year-old center was the subject of frequent trade speculation as management continues to retool its roster. He said he’s not sure what’s going to happen in the offseason.

THE ATHLETIC: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox raised some eyebrows earlier this season when he appeared noncommittal about his future with the club. However, he’s now encouraged by the “encouraging signs” that he saw from the club during the season’s final weeks, including his own improved performance during that stretch.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko believes his season-ending hip surgery will improve his performance going forward. He was upbeat during his exit interview with the press, expressing his belief that the club has addressed the issues that derailed its season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko’s new three-year contract (with an average annual value of $8.5 million) begins on July 1. His performance over that period will be crucial to the Canucks’ rebuilding plans.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said he knew last year that Quinn Hughes wouldn’t sign a contract extension. That is what pushed him to trade the 26-year-old superstar defenseman to the Minnesota Wild last December.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford first dropped that hint at his end-of-season media availability last year. That’s what prompted the trade rumors that dogged Hughes and the Canucks until he was shipped to the Wild in December.

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin remains committed to getting the club into the playoffs despite missing its decade-long postseason drought.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Red Wings, they and Patrick Kane have a mutual interest in bringing him back next season. The 37-year-old winger and future Hall of Famer is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jared McCann underwent a medical procedure on Thursday related to the lower-body injury that hampered him during the second half of last season and throughout this season. He anticipated that it would take 8-10 weeks to recover.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Golden Knights center William Karlsson continues to rehab a lower-body injury and will miss the club’s upcoming first-round series against the Utah Mammoth. Karlsson has been sidelined since Nov. 8.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed defenseman Nils Lundkvist to a two-year contract extension worth an AAV of $1.75 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues announced assistant coaches Claude Julien and Mike Weber will not be brought back. Their contract will expire at the end of June.

NHL.COM: The league announced it has set a total attendance record for the fourth straight year. The new record is 23,158,522, which is 97.3 percent capacity. The per-game average was 17,651.

DAILY FACEOFF: Eight NHL teams will have salary-cap overages for 2026-27. Those expenditures are mostly related to performance bonuses.

The New York Islanders have the largest bonus overage carryover ($3.5 million), all from rookie Matthew Schaefer reaching the maximum possible bonuses for a player on an entry-level contract.

NHL.COM: Winger Ivar Stenberg of Swedish Hockey League club Frolunda sits at No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of the top International skaters. Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is ranked as the top North American skater.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2026

by | Apr 17, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2026

Check out the latest on Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly, Canucks center Elias Pettersson, and Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

KNIES AND RIELLY HOPE TO REMAIN MAPLE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva reports Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly reiterated their desire to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Rielly has a full no-movement clause in his contract. When asked about waiving it, the 32-year-old defenseman acknowledged that it’s something he must be prepared for, but said he loves being a Maple Leaf and wants to stay.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, Knies admitted he’s not pleased that his name surfaced in trade rumors this season, and could continue to pop up in offseason trade speculation. However, he said that those things are out of his control, that he’s not bothered by the rumors, and maintained he wants to stick around.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly and Knies said that any decision to move them rests with whoever becomes the next Leafs general manager. However, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley recently said the club was not rebuilding. Moving Rielly and Knies would be considered part of a rebuilding process.

Ultimately, the futures of Rielly and Knies in Toronto will depend on how much autonomy Pelley is willing to give the Maple Leafs new general manager.

CANUCKS CENTER ELIAS PETTERSSON

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes the future of Elias Pettersson is the first order of business facing the Vancouver Canucks as they chart the direction the franchise will take with the expensive center.

Pettersson’s offensive production remains down, netting 51 points this season. However, his defensive play has improved as he led all NHL forwards this season with 108 blocked shots. He has six more seasons remaining on his contract with an expensive average annual value of $11.6 million.

The 27-year-old Pettersson told Kuzma that he remains committed to the Canucks and is invested in their future. However, trade rumors have swirled, with some suggesting the club might be willing to retain salary.

If the Canucks were to trade Pettersson, Kuzma suggested the Detroit Red Wings might be a good fit. However, he has a full no-movement clause and didn’t sound to Kuzma like he wanted a change of scenery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s contract gives him full control over his situation. If he doesn’t want to go, the Canucks will have to find a way to get more out of him offensively if they want this rebuild to succeed with him as part of it.

THE LATEST ON DOUGIE HAMILTON

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nicholls observed that Dougie Hamilton politely declined to speak with the media during the Devils’ locker cleanout day earlier this week. He believes the 32-year-old defenseman’s silence speaks volumes about his future with the club.

Hamilton frequently surfaced in trade rumors going back to last summer, with one report claiming he used his no-trade clause to block a move to the San Jose Sharks. Following last month’s trade deadline, now-former GM Tom Fitzgerald claimed he wasn’t shopping the puck-moving blueliner.

New general manager Sunny Mehta might be able to mend fences with Hamilton, but Nicholls considers it unlikely. He believes the veteran blueliner’s tenure in New Jersey could be drawing to a close.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamilton has a 10-team trade list, but Nicholls pointed out that he might be willing to expand that list to facilitate a deal. We can expect the Hamilton trade rumors to continue following the postseason.