NHL Rumor Mill – September 4, 2025

by | Sep 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – September 4, 2025

Check out the latest on Ducks center Mason McTavish and Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RG.ORG: James Murphy wondered if the NHL trade market for a second-line center would pick up with all general managers and coaches gathered in Detroit for meetings this week.

An NHL executive told Murphy he’s not sure, but he indicated that talks are picking up again. “I just think there are more buyers than sellers still,” he said.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish? (NHL Images)

The biggest name remains center Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks. A restricted free agent, McTavish remains unsigned with training camp two weeks away. However, an NHL executive told Murphy that there is no indication of an impasse between the 22-year-old center and Ducks management.

According to Murphy’s sources, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has not yet signaled to his peers that he’s shopping McTavish.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Verbeek and the McTavish camp have kept their contract talks out of the media for the most part. Nevertheless, Ducks beat writer Eric Stephens of The Athletic reported last month that the club wants to sign McTavish, claiming the two sides had exchanged several different contract proposals.

Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild (who recently signed a three-year contract), Jared McCann of the Seattle Kraken, Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames, and Boston Bruins forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha have been mentioned as possible trade candidates. However, the executive told Murphy that he wondered which ones were really available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild didn’t sign Rossi with the intention of trading him. McCann has spent most of his tenure with the Kraken as a winger. Kadri has a full no-movement clause and hasn’t requested a trade, nor are the Flames interested in moving him.

Mittelstadt and/or Zacha could be available later this season if the Bruins fail to rebound from their disappointing 2024-25 campaign. For now, it’s unlikely either one will be moved.

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said his club wasn’t that far off from getting winger Kirill Kaprizov signed to a contract extension.

The 28-year-old superstar is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. His average annual value on his current contract is $9 million.

Contract extension talks have been ongoing during the summer, but the lack of a deal thus far has raised some speculation about his future with the Wild.

“I kind of think we’re there,” Leipold said. “I like to believe when Kirill comes over and gets a sense again for the excitement and the love of the city, I think we’ll be moving in a good direction”.

Leipold is prepared to open the vault for Kaprizov. “This will be a huge deal, likely the biggest in the NHL ever,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bleacher Report’s Frank Seravalli believes the AAV for Kaprizov’s next contract will be in the $15 million range. Smith’s colleague, Michael Russo, said he’s heard it could go as high as $16 million. The only question is whether he’ll want the maximum deal or a shorter term.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2025

by | Aug 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2025

Matthew Tkachuk undergoes surgery, William Nylander talks about former teammate Mitch Marner, Marco Rossi’s contract standoff is over, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RDS.CA: cited David Pagnotta of the NHL Network reporting Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk underwent surgery several weeks ago.

Tkachuk, 27, was injured during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February. He sat out the remainder of the regular season before returning for the playoffs.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Pagnotta claimed Tkachuk will be sidelined until January, making it likely that he’ll be able to play for Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy in February.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup in June, Tkachuk admitted he might have to undergo surgery after suffering a torn adductor and a sports hernia.

The Panthers currently sit above the $95.5 million salary cap by $4.5 million. Teams are allowed to be above the cap by 10 percent but must be cap-compliant when they begin the regular season.

Tkachuk earns an average annual value of $9.5 million. The Panthers will likely place him on long-term injury reserve at the start of their regular-season schedule. However, they’ll have to shed salary to get under the cap when Tkachuk returns to action in January.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander said former teammate Mitch Marner had no premeditated plans to leave the club as a free agent at the end of last season.

“Not sure where that stuff comes from, but I don’t think he was ever thinking of leaving ahead of time,” said Nylander. “I actually asked him during the season, and he said he was concentrating on Toronto. I didn’t want to press him on that and let him be because it was obviously on his mind, but his play was focused on helping us.”

Nylander said he asked Marner again after the season, and he said he wasn’t sure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander addressed this because there was some media chatter suggesting Marner had made up his mind to leave the Leafs and head to the Vegas Golden Knights months in advance.

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE: The contract standoff between the Minnesota Wild and Marco Rossi ended on Friday with the 23-year-old center signing a three-year, $15 million deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The average annual value (AAV) is $5 million, but Rossi will receive $4 million in actual salary this season, $5 million next season, and $6 million in 2027-28. He lacks no-trade protection because he’s ineligible at this stage of his career to have it included in this contract.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports sources claim Rossi rejected a five-year, $25 million contract, countering with a three-year proposal worth more than the $5 million AAV that the two sides ultimately agreed to. He was coming off his entry-level contract, had little leverage in negotiations, and didn’t want to miss training camp or the start of the season.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin told Russo that the Rossi camp re-engaged with them about a month ago. The young center said he’s happy to have a deal done and is looking forward to the coming season.

The Wild got Rossi at their price, but it could cost them considerably more to re-sign him if his performance improves over the next three years.

RDS.CA: A year after being traded to the Washington Capitals, Pierre-Luc Dubois said the entire organization made him feel welcome and comfortable from the start. He responded with a career-best 66-point performance last season.

Dubois said the opportunities he received with the Capitals weren’t the same as those with his previous teams. He claimed that they made him feel like they wanted him to succeed, would give him the chance to do so, and told him to be himself.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois’ performance last season played a substantial role in the Capitals exceeding expectations by finishing first in the Eastern Conference.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Florida Panthers signed forward Luke Kunin to a one-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates Kunin will earn $775K for 2025-26. That contract is also easy to bury in the minors as a cost-cutting measure to make room for Matthew Tkachuk’s return to the lineup in January if necessary.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on “X” that it appears the NHL will move ahead with preparations for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without the International Ice Hockey Federation. “The league has informed the IIHF it intends on working directly with each Hockey Federation in planning the 2028 event.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could clear the way for Russia to participate in the NHL-sanctioned World Cup. That nation is banned from IIHF-sanctioned events because it invaded Ukraine.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2025

by | Aug 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Marco Rossi and Mason McTavish in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: cited a report by Michael Russo of The Athletic claiming there’s been “significant progress” toward a potential new contract for Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

Russo speculates an agreement between Rossi and the Wild could be announced in the coming days. He believes it will be a bridge contract.

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited two NHL sources claiming the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken recently revisited their interest in Rossi to see where things stand in his contract talks with the Wild.

Neither source provided specifics as to the Wild’s asking price for Rossi. Both suggested one target could be Kraken winger Jared McCann, who is entering the fourth year of a five-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s been the subject of trade speculation since last season. It was reported that his camp sought a long-term deal between $6 million and $7 million annually, while the Wild reportedly weren’t willing to go much higher than $5 million on a short-term deal.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin never ruled out trading Rossi, but he consistently stated his preference is to sign the young center. Based on Russo’s report, the latter is more likely to happen.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports the Anaheim Ducks want to re-sign Mason McTavish. Like Rossi, the 22-year-old center is a restricted free agent coming off his ELC and has been the subject of growing trade speculation this summer.

Stephens claims the Ducks intend to keep McTavish, seeing him as an important part of their lineup. He indicated the two sides have gone back and forth on short and long-term proposals. The Ducks may not wish to go to the maximum eight-year deal, but they’re not just looking at a bridge deal.

There’s been lots of speculation about which teams need a second-line center and possible trade destinations for McTavish. Stephens believes teams have asked Ducks GM Verbeek about him.

“You know who else needs a second-line center? Anaheim,” replied Stephens. “And it has one that’s 22 and on the rise with a strong finishing kick to last season.” He believes Verbeek sees McTavish as a core player more than he did former Ducks Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first report I’ve seen this summer from a Ducks beat writer on the status of McTavish’s contract negotiations. All the trade speculation about the young center has come from pundits in other NHL cities.

Stephens pointed out that Verbeek has a reputation as a tough negotiator, which would explain why this situation hasn’t been resolved yet. He also noted that there is still plenty of time for the two sides to get a deal done before training camp opens in mid-September.

We haven’t heard anything from the McTavish camp yet, but that could be because they’d prefer not to discuss those negotiations with the media.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2025

by | Aug 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2025

How Jeremy Swayman’s contract dispute last summer may be affecting this summer’s RFAs, and the Oilers might be interested in a Bruins winger. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RG.ORG: James Murphy recently reported that an NHL executive believes Jeremy Swayman’s contract dispute with the Boston Bruins last summer might be affecting current restricted free agents as the market remains quiet.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

The 26-year-old goaltender missed all of training camp and the preseason before signing a new contract in October. He struggled throughout the 2024-25 campaign, which contributed to the Bruins missing the playoffs.

This summer’s notable unsigned RFAs include Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary, and Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista.

McTavish and Rossi have become the focus of trade rumors, with recent speculation suggesting Rossi could follow Swayman’s example and sit out training camp until the Wild meet his contract demands or compromise more.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A contract standoff that carries over into training camp and preseason rarely ends well. Once an agreement is reached, the player tends to struggle after missing the opportunity to prepare for the coming season with his teammates in practice and in game situations. Depending on that player’s importance, it can adversely affect the club’s performance.

For now, there’s no indication that Rossi, McTavish, Hughes, Zary or Evangelista will end up going that route. Training camps open in mid-September, leaving plenty of time for them to be signed to new deals.

Some of them could receive offer sheets, except for Hughes, as he’s ineligible. However, the Ducks, Wild, Flames, and Predators have sufficient cap space to match, making such an attempt pointless.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited a rumor suggesting “the Boston Bruins and Edmonton may be cooking up a deal” that would send winger Fabian Lysell to the Oilers.

Staples noted that Lysell, whom the Bruins chose 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, has struggled to crack their roster. He dismissed the possibility that the Oilers would part with promising Matt Savoie or winger Vasily Podkolzin to get him. Staples doesn’t see Lysell as a fit with the Oilers unless he’s a ferocious backchecker and forechecker like Savoie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only way this makes sense for the Oilers is if the cap-strapped club is trying to shed salary by moving out Podkolzin’s $1 million cap hit. However, acquiring Lysell and his $863K cap hit isn’t much of a savings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 16, 2025

by | Aug 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 16, 2025

Here’s a look back at the notable news during my vacation in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said he remains undecided over whether he’ll undergo surgery for a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia before the 2025-26 season. However, he acknowledged he could miss the first two to three months of the schedule if he goes under the knife.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Based on Tkachuk’s offseason workouts, he’ll know for certain if he needs surgery. We’ll know by mid-September when the Panthers’ training camp begins.

TSN: Keith Tkachuk shot down any trade speculation about his son, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. He said Brady loves it in Ottawa and has cemented himself within the community. Keith believes the Senators are a team on the rise, and Brady wants to be a part of it.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keith believes Matthew’s departure from Calgary three years ago has fans wondering if Brady will also do so. However, there was also speculation out of New York last season claiming the Rangers had made the Senators’ captain a trade target, prompting Senators ownership to suggest the Blueshirts were engaged in “soft tampering” regarding Tkachuk.

During his end-of-season press conference, Brady dismissed the rumors as lies. It hasn’t fully put to rest the speculation, given that his father had to recently dispel it. They’ll likely continue to surface whenever the Senators are struggling, and the chatter will likely go into overdrive when he enters the final season of his contract in 2027-28.

RG.ORG: Winger Brad Marchand said the club’s re-signings of center Sam Bennett and defenseman Aaron Ekblad were key reasons behind his decision to ink a six-year contract with Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is in the tail end of his long career and wants to remain with a Stanley Cup contender. Now 37, it’s unlikely he’ll play out the entirety of his contract, but neither he nor the Panthers is concerned about the long term. Winning three Cups in a row and becoming the first true NHL dynasty since the early 1980s New York Islanders is what matters.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson is fully fit a month before training camp and is seeking “revenge” after his abysmal 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old Pettersson said he’s learned from last season and will be a more mature player in 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s disappointing performance last season was a key factor in the Canucks missing the 2025 playoffs. A return to form this season is a must if they’re to be postseason contenders.

RG.ORG: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t surprised that superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov and promising center Marco Rossi remain unsigned. He said the talks have been “pretty consistent, and I’ve been happy with them”. Guerin also said reports claiming Rossi can’t be signed until Kaprizov is under contract are false.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The dearth of real hockey news through the first half of August has fueled speculation over the status of the Wild’s contract negotiations with Kaprizov and Rossi. Kaprizov is in the final season of his contract and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next July, while Rossi is a restricted free agent awaiting a new contract.

Guerin has plenty of time to get both players signed before the start of training camp. However, the speculation will persist if the current drought of notable NHL news continues throughout the remainder of this month.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks made the case for J.T. Miller to be named the new captain of the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll know by October whether the Rangers will have a captain for this season, and who it’ll be. Do you agree with Brooks that it should be Miller? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.

NESN.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm has been cleared for training camp in September. He appeared in 17 games last season until sidelined by a fractured kneecap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm’s absence contributed to the Bruins missing the playoffs last season. He’ll be a key factor in their attempt to rebound in 2025-26.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Flyers in a grievance filed by the NHL Players’ Association following the termination of forward Ryan Johansen’s contract in August 2024.

Johansen was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on March 6, 2024, and immediately placed on waivers. He was assigned to the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in LeHigh Valley, but didn’t play for the remainder of the season due to a hip injury.

The Flyers placed Johansen on unconditional waivers last August and terminated his contract, citing a “material breach”. He missed all of last season recovering from hip surgery and remains a UFA.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen played every game of the 2023-24 season with the Avalanche, but informed the Flyers that he couldn’t report to the AHL or play due to his hip injury. At the time, he had a year remaining on his contract. The Flyers would’ve been on the hook for that final season had the ruling gone against them.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC) reached an agreement in which the club will purchase 11 acres of land for a new arena at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa. It’s believed the Senators will pay over $30 million for the land, which is 10 minutes from downtown Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates the Senators still have several hurdles to clear before the deal becomes a reality. Nevertheless, this is a significant step toward realizing the dream of a new arena near the heart of Ottawa.

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE: The Wild signed defenseman Jack Johnson to a professional tryout contract (PTO).

TSN: The Detroit Red Wings signed UFA defenseman Travis Hamonic to a one-year, $1 million contract.

USHL.COM: Former NHL forward Pat Maroon joined the coaching staff of the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Maroon won three straight Stanley Cups (2019 to 2021) with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former NHL defenseman Josh Gorges was hired by the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets as an assistant coach. Gorges spent eight of his 13 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.

TSN: Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford announced his retirement as a player and is joining the club’s front office in a player development role. Clifford spent 13 seasons in the NHL (2010-11 to 2022-23) with the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and the Maple Leafs, winning two Stanley Cups (2012, 2014) with the Kings. In 753 NHL games, Clifford had 66 goals and 78 assists for 144 points, and 16 points in 65 playoff games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel retired after 13 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers. In 369 regular-season games from 2012-13 to 2024-25, he had 13 goals and 37 assists for 50 points. He also appeared in 25 playoff contests, winning the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016-17.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings will go with their “Hockeytown” center ice logo for their 2025-26 centennial season. The logo was introduced in 1996-97. It was removed in 2018 following the move from Joe Louis Arena to Little Caesars Arena.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 6, 2025

by | Aug 6, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 6, 2025

Check out the latest on the notable unsigned restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: From Aug.7 to 15, I’m taking a much-needed vacation while the site undergoes maintenance for several days. Barring the unforeseen, I’ll return with regular updates on Aug. 16.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently looked at the recent scuttlebutt surrounding several noteworthy unsigned RFA players.

Starting with Luke Hughes, Fox observed that New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said his top priority is signing the 21-year-old defenseman to a team-friendly deal.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (NHL Images).

Fox suggested Brock Faber as a comparable, citing the eight-year contract ($8.5 million average annual value) he signed with the Minnesota Wild. However, that would elevate his annual salary over his brother Jack’s $8 million AAV.

Signing Luke to a bridge contract of $5.5 million annually would save money in the short term, but it would result in a massive raise when Hughes is UFA eligible and the salary cap is much higher.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now also wondered if Jack’s contract could be affecting Luke’s current negotiations. He pointed out that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared that opinion.

Friedman doesn’t think there will be any issue getting Luke signed, but believes finding the sweet spot for player and team is the current issue.

The most recent news on Marco Rossi is that his camp hasn’t had any contract discussions with the Wild since early June. Fox indicates the next pressure point will be the start of training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Missing camp over a contract dispute never ends well for the player or the team. It’ll be interesting to see which side blinks first, unless a rival club swoops in with an offer sheet.

Wild GM Bill Guerin repeatedly said his club isn’t interested in trading Rossi. He also has the cap space to match an offer sheet.

Nothing new to report on negotiations between Mason McTavish and the Anaheim Ducks. Fox suggested Toronto’s Matthew Knies ($7.75 million AAV), Utah’s JJ Peterka ($7.7 million), and Los Angeles’ Quinton Byfield ($6.25 million) as comparables.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are probably looking at something closer to Byfield’s number than Knies and Peterka. So far, there is nothing but silence from Ducks management and the McTavish camp, sparking speculation over his willingness to remain in Anaheim.

Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy indicated last week that contract talks were continuing with Connor Zary, although progress has been slow.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Training camp starts in five weeks, so there’s plenty of time for the two sides to hammer out an agreement. The same applies to Hughes, Rossi, McTavish, and the other RFAs on Fox’s list.