NHL Rumor Mill – August 21, 2025
NHL Rumor Mill – August 21, 2025
Suggested trade destinations for Ducks center Mason McTavish, and an update on free-agent forward Jack Roslovic in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently suggested six trade destinations for Mason McTavish. The 22-year-old center is a restricted free agent and a frequent subject of trade speculation.
Dixon noted that McTavish’s contract negotiations with the Ducks could drag into October before an agreement is reached on a new deal. The same thing happened to Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale in 2023, but both players were later traded.
Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish? (NHL Images)
The Ducks’ depth at center has also stoked the McTavish trade conjecture. It could make them the rare club that would consider moving a promising young center for the right return.
Dixon listed the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers as potential landing spots for McTavish.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has a long friendship and work relationship with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman going back to their playing days. Wings defense prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka might interest Verbeek if Yzerman is willing to part with him.
The Hurricanes still have around $10 million in cap space and a willingness to make bold moves. However, they could find it difficult to scrape together a suitable trade package.
McTavish could address the Canucks’ need for a reliable, healthy second-line center. They have pieces they could ship out, but cap space would be an issue.
Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson might be enticing for the Ducks, provided they’re not on his six-team no-trade list, and he is willing to sign an extension.
Dixon wondered if the Canadiens would part with a projected top-four defenseman like David Reinbacher to bring in McTavish to address their second-line center issue. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Flyers have a recent trade history with the Ducks, having acquired Drysdale and Zegras from Anaheim.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The silence from the Ducks and the McTavish camp regarding the status of their contract talks is fueling trade rumors at a time when there’s little real hockey news. Some observers interpret their silence as a sign that those negotiations are contentious, but it could also be that they’re unwilling to negotiate through the media.
Whatever the reason, the McTavish speculation isn’t going away.
As for the teams on Dixon’s list, the Canadiens, Red Wings, and Flyers could have a better chance at acquiring McTavish, but that depends on their willingness to part with one of their top prospects. The Canadiens are reportedly unwilling to move Reinbacher or young center Michael Hage, which would take them out of the running unless Verbeek lowers his asking price.
The Ducks are hoping to become a playoff contender this season. Verbeek may be reluctant to accept a return of draft picks and prospects unless a promising NHL player is included in the deal.
THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance reports the Vancouver Canucks might be cooling off on their rumored pursuit of free-agent forward Jack Roslovic.
Drance noted the Canucks were considering their options on what remained in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market, but they didn’t view those players as the answer to their significant needs at center.
The Canucks believe a healthy Filip Chytil and the late-season emergence of Aatu Raty could give them enough at center to maintain control of the situation in the short term without turning to what’s left in free agency.
Drance claims the Canucks are still in the market for a center, but the trade market is the more likely route to address that need.
