Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 26, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 26, 2025

The ongoing fallout from Friday’s blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, plus the latest on Mitch Marner, Elias Pettersson and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

FALLOUT FROM THE RANTANEN TRADE CONTINUES

THE DENVER POST: Sam Keeler wonders if the Colorado Avalanche have other moves in store after trading away Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday for Martin Necas, Jack Drury and two draft picks. Otherwise, the move was a salary dump that waves the white flag on this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking to reporters following the Rantanen trade, Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland didn’t sound like he’s planning a major acquisition before the March 7 trade deadline.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

MacFarland acknowledged trading Rantanen was a tough decision but felt it was important to get “two cost-controlled assets” like Necas and Drury, who are signed beyond this season. He also spoke of trying to replace Rantanen’s offense “in the aggregate,” pointing out that 50-goal scorers “don’t grow on trees, you have to usually draft and develop them”.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky is hopeful of signing Rantanen to a contract extension before his UFA eligibility on July 1. “As things stand right now, we have about $35 million or $40 million of space next year, depending on where the cap goes,” he said.

LeBrun noted that the Hurricanes are the only team that can offer Rantanen an eight-year contract, as he’ll only get a seven-year deal on the open market. Tulsky indicated he’d love to work out a long-term deal with the 28-year-old winger. A potential ace in the hole is Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho, who is good friends with Rantanen and could convince him to stay in Carolina.

Tulsky also didn’t rule out adding to his roster before the March 7 trade deadline. “There’s always room to keep improving,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s current cap hit is $9.25 million. His camp reportedly sought a contract extension comparable to Leon Draisaitl’s, with the Edmonton Oilers paying him $14 million annually starting in July. The Hurricanes will have the cap space to meet that asking price if that’s what Rantanen wants.

The Hurricanes are currently pressed against this season’s $88 million cap. Similar to the Rantanen deal, Tulsky will need to be more creative to make another significant addition by March 7.

LATEST TRADE RUMOR TIDBITS FROM SATURDAY’S “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman dismissed speculation suggesting the Avalanche have room now to acquire Sidney Crosby from the Pittsburgh Penguins and unite him with fellow Cole Harbour, NS native Nathan MacKinnon. “I don’t think so,” he said. “I know everybody would love that, but I don’t think that’s in the cards.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins fans probably wouldn’t love that. Pundits seem to want to see that more than anyone else. Sure, it’s a dream pairing of “The Cole Harbour Boys”, but we’ll see it in next month’s 4 Nations Face-Off when they skate for Team Canada.

Asked if the Rantanen trade might affect Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Friedman said their situations aren’t comparable. He pointed out that Marner has a full no-movement clause whereas Rantanen’s was a partial no-trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner is finishing this season with the Leafs. Whether he’s still with them on July 1 is another matter.

Friedman noted the Chicago Blackhawks have a ton of cap room for next season and he expects they’ll be aggressive. As for why they accepted a low return of a third-round pick in the Rantanen trade, they got a higher pick for Taylor Hall than they would’ve received had it been straight up (“about 25 to 30 picks higher”). Meanwhile, they saved around a half-million dollars when one looks at what they would’ve had to pay Hall for the remainder of the season compared to what they’re paying to take on half of Rantanen’s remaining cap hit.

Turning elsewhere, Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are interested in Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson. Other teams are also involved but Friedman said the Sabres are “definitely in there”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman didn’t resurrect his pitch of Pettersson to Buffalo for Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram from earlier this season. Meanwhile, recent reports suggest the Canucks intend to retain Pettersson and trade J.T. Miller.

Friedman believes the salary cap will reach $100 million in two years. Some teams aren’t comfortable with that. He indicated some observers believe there will be clubs with no problem spending to the cap ceiling but others could stick with a lower internal cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s the same thing we’ve seen around the league since the imposition of the cap 20 years ago. However, fewer teams could be willing to spend to the cap over time while more clubs crouch closer to the cap floor. It could create a two-tier league where the big-market clubs spend much more than their smaller-market peers like they did in the pre-cap era.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2025

Check out the latest on Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Miller, Simon Nemec, Jonathan Toews and much more in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE & FREE-AGENT RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman believes the Colorado Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen need a deadline for a new contract. He wondered if Avalanche management considers the March 7 trade deadline to be that date or if they’ll take their chances if Rantanen remains unsigned by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Contract talks between the two sides have stalled but it was recently reported they’ll revisit those discussions following next month’s 4 Nations Face-Off. It’s also believed the Avs have no intention of peddling Rantanen if he hasn’t signed by then.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Friedman considers the Carolina Hurricanes a team to watch in the trade market. “They are active, ready to pounce.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could be trying to pounce on J.T. Miller. Reports earlier this week linked them to the 31-year-old Vancouver Canucks center.

The Hurricanes and New York Rangers are two of the teams permitted to speak with Miller. Friedman believes the Rangers’ offer was Filip Chytil, a first-rounder and a prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other reports claimed it was Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, a first-rounder and perhaps a couple of minor-leaguers. Either way, the Rangers would’ve made out like bandits in the deal if it hadn’t fallen through.

Friedman isn’t sure about the rumored interest in Miller from the New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun he sought a center to bring some “extra oomph” to his lineup. Miller would certainly fit the bill but he could be too expensive. The Stars could afford Miller’s $8 million cap hit once they put Tyler Seguin and his $9.8 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve but they could be concerned about the long-term hit to their salary cap.

Devils defenseman Simon Nemec raised some eyebrows recently when he told a Slovak news outlet about his disappointment in playing for their farm team in Utica. They’ve told anyone who’s asked that they have no interest in trading the promising blueliner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nemec isn’t happy in the AHL but he’s not making waves by demanding a trade. Friedman believes his injury during last August’s Olympic qualifier hurt his chances of making the Devils this season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are interested in some of the Buffalo Sabres’ younger, NHL-ready prospects.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some mixed messages lately regarding the Penguins’ intentions. Some believe they want young players already in the NHL. Regardless, it’s clear that GM Kyle Dubas intends to move some of his aging veterans in exchange for younger talent.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have little interest in moving their UFA-eligible players for mid-round draft picks at the trade deadline. Their focus is on making the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell won’t be a seller unless his club collapses in the standings between now and the trade deadline. He’ll keep this roster intact if they’re still in the chase. After everything they’ve endured over the past year, this postseason race brings a measure of hope to the players and the fans.

PENGUINS GM DENIES FIRE SALE RUMORS

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports Penguins GM Kyle Dubas denied recent rumors claiming the club was preparing for a fire sale of several veteran players.

Dubas acknowledged his ongoing goal is to add younger players to his roster and restock his prospect pipeline. However, he said he’s not telling teams that everything must go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent rumors suggest the Penguins have few untouchables, with long-time stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin topping the list. There’s been some speculation about defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson but their ages and contracts make them unlikely trade candidates. Some pundits claim the Penguins could listen to offers for Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell but it would take a lot to pry either player out of Pittsburgh.

UNDER-THE-RADAR TRADE CANDIDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and Chris Johnston looked at several under-the-radar trade candidates. They include Edmonton Oilers winger Jeff Skinner, New York Rangers defensemen K’Andre Miller and Ryan Lindgren, and Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those players have been recently overshadowed by the trade drama involving Canucks forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson but most of them have frequently surfaced in the media rumor mill. Their struggles this season have prompted suggestions they might benefit from a change of scenery.

JETS INTERESTED IN JONATHAN TOEWS

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said his club would be interested in Jonathan Toews if the former Chicago Blackhawks captain stages a comeback. The 36-year-old center last played in 2022-23. His career was derailed by the effects of COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome.

Cheveldayoff said he’s had some conversations with Toews and his representatives. “I think he’s going to have to push himself to get his body to respond and see how it responds,” said the Jets GM. “I think there’s a lot of layers yet from that standpoint.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no certainty Toews will make a comeback this season. It could take until training camp in September before he’s ready to attempt to resume his career. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt the Jets to check in and let him know they’re interested in giving him a shot at a comeback.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2025

The Predators stage the first four-goal comeback win in franchise history, the Canucks reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: The Nashville Predators scored six unanswered goals to overcome a 5-1 deficit and defeat the San Jose Sharks 7-5, marking their first four-goal comeback win in franchise history.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

Jonathan Marchessault led the way with a goal and three assists while Filip Forsberg collected three points, extending his goal streak to six games as the Predators picked up their fourth straight victory. Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to surpass Patrick Marleau for the most points by an 18-year-old in franchise history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators removed forward Cole Smith off injured reserve for this game. He’d missed the last 11 contests with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens center Jakes Evans scored with 2:15 remaining in the third period to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Sam Montembeault stopped 33 shots for the win while Patrik Laine collected two assists for the Canadiens (52 points) as they moved into the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, one point behind the Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov extended his goal streak to 10 games with his 22nd of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Shayne Gostisbehere for the longest assist streak by a rookie defenseman (nine games) in NHL history. The 20-year-old blueliner leads all freshmen this season with 39 points in 47 games.

The Canadiens have the same number of points as the Boston Bruins but the Habs have one more win (24) and a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Lightning have lost seven of their eight road games.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves in a 5-0 shutout of the Ottawa Senators. Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist as the Rangers extended their points streak to nine games (6-0-3). The Rangers (50 points) sit two points behind the Canadiens while the Senators cling to the first Eastern wild-card spot (52 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin also got into the middle of a scrum with Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk following a collision in his crease. Senators center Josh Norris left this game in the first period for precautionary reasons after falling and hitting his chin on the ice. Before this game, the Senators announced forward Zack MacEwen was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons from their minor-league affiliate in Belleville.

The Philadelphia Flyers (50 points) are two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth following a 2-1 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Rasmus Ristolainen scored the winning goal while Samuel Ersson turned aside 27 shots as the Flyers extended their point streak to six games (5-0-1). Ben Chiarot replied for the Red Wings as they’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist to beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Tom Wilson netted his 20th of the season as the Capitals stretched their points streak to 11 games (8-0-3), opening a four-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 69 points. Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 34th goal of the season as the Oilers dropped their second straight game, sitting second in the Pacific Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without captain Connor McDavid as he’s serving a three-game suspension. They announced they won’t appeal the decision. The club also stated that it would be at least a week before newly signed defenseman John Klingberg plays his first game.

The Florida Panthers got a goal and an assist from Carter Verhaeghe in a 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, handing the latter their seventh loss in their last eight games. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots as the Panthers picked up their third win in their last four contests, sitting second in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim forward Trevor Zegras returned to action after missing 22 games with a knee injury. The Ducks announced forward Brock McGinn underwent season-ending knee surgery last week while forward Isac Lundestrom is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi tallied twice to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1, giving his club their third straight win. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 22 shots and Martin Necas collected two assists for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points. Thomas Harley replied for the Stars, who’ve dropped three of their last four games and remain in third place in the Central Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres got a goal and two assists from Jiri Kulich in a 3-2 comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 31 shots as the Sabres ended a two-game losing skid. Phillip Di Giuseppe and Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (50 points), who have one win in their last four games and remain one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Canucks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

The First Team comprises forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Markus Naslund, defensemen Quinn Hughes and Alexander Edler, and goaltender Roberto Luongo.

The Second Team features forwards J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Ryan Kesler, defensemen Kevin Bieksa and Mattias Ohlund, and goaltender Thatcher Demko.

RG.ORG: Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov is settling in Boston and becoming more comfortable in his role as a more defensive-oriented blueliner. He admits he enjoyed his short stint with the Canucks last season, calling it “the coolest six months of my career”, praising the team and its fans.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets are staying mum on the status of captain Adam Lowry. The 31-year-old forward suffered an undisclosed injury during Monday’s loss to the Utah Hockey Club.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights winger Cole Schwindt is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Utah Hockey Club reportedly had several trademark applications denied as they continue to search for a permanent name. The name “Utah Yetis” was rejected to avoid confusion with the cooler brand Yeti. The names “Utah Blizzard” and “Utah Venom” were denied for similar reasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Canadiens unveil their Quarter-Century Team, Connor McDavid faces an in-person hearing for cross-checking Conor Garland, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Patrik Laine lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-4 victory over the New York Rangers. Canadiens rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his fifth win in as many starts while Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist. Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick made 33 saves while Adam Fox picked up two assists.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal (50 points) sits one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson tied Barry Beck for the second-longest assist streak for rookie defensemen (eight games). The Habs called up forward Owen Beck for this game.

This loss left the Rangers two points behind the Canadiens.

The Ottawa Senators got a 25-save performance (16 in the first period) from Anton Forsberg to nip the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Senators rookie Zack Ostapchuk scored his first goal of the season and Artem Zub tallied the game-winner. Tomas Tatar replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win vaulted the Senators (51 points) over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card spot, extending their points streak to six games (5-0-1). The Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division (58 points) but are winless in their last four contests (0-2-2).

First-period goals by Matej Blumel, Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque gave the Dallas Stars a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Robertson extended his goals streak to five games while Jake Oettinger kicked out 33 shots for the Stars. Marco Kasper scored for the Red Wings (46 points), who sit five points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars (59 points) snapped a two-game losing skid and sit second in the Central Division. The Red Wings have dropped three of their last four contests.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens unveiled its Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

The First Team consisted of goaltender Carey Price, defensemen Shea Weber and Andrei Markov, and forwards Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev.

The Second Team featured goalie Jose Theodore, defensemen P.K. Subban and Sheldon Souray, and forwards Nick Suzuki, Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers face in-person hearings for cross-checking incidents that earned them match penalties on Saturday. The hearings are scheduled for Monday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Oilers, they placed center Derek Ryan on waivers and loaned defenseman Josh Brown to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres called up goaltender Devon Levi to replace sidelined netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. They also placed forward Ryan McLeod on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2025

Connor McDavid moves up among the Oilers’ all-time scoring leaders, the Sabres accomplish a unique feat, Leafs center John Tavares is injured during practice, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry goes on waivers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid moved into second place among his club’s all-time leading scorers as his club defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-3. McDavid scored twice and collected an assist to move past Jari Kurri with 1,044 points while the Oilers picked up their seventh win in their last eight games. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild as they’ve lost three of their last four games.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wayne Gretzky is the franchise leader with 1,669 points.

McDavid angered the Wild by going unpenalized for elbowing Marcus Johansson in the jaw during the second period. Johansson left the game with an upper-body injury.

Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. He has 15 points in 40 games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Ryan McLeod collected his first NHL hat trick in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots and Jason Zucker collected two assists as the Sabres picked up their third win in their last four contests. Jacob Slavin and Martin Necas replied for the Hurricanes

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres accomplished a unique feat by scoring a goal without registering a shot during a full 20-minute period. The goal occurred in the final minute of the third period with the Sabres hanging onto a 3-2 lead.

As per Daily Faceoff, McLeod attempted a shot on the empty Hurricanes net but his stick snapped and didn’t make contact with the puck. Meanwhile, Carolina defenseman Brent Burns’ attempt to get the puck out of the slot caused him to trip McLeod. That resulted in what would’ve been a penalty shot, but with the net empty, became an automatic goal, giving McLeod a hat trick and the Sabres the win.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Wednesday.

The First Team consists of forwards Daniel Briere, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek, defensemen Brian Campbell and Rasmus Dahlin, and goaltender Ryan Miller.

The Second Team is comprised of forwards Chris Drury, Derek Roy and Jack Eichel, defensemen Jay McKee and Tyler Myers, and goaltender Dominik Hasek.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center John Tavares left practice on Wednesday favoring his right leg after getting tangled up with defenseman Chris Tanev. Head coach Craig Berube said Tavares was still being evaluated and he’s hoping he’ll be okay. Meanwhile, defenseman Jake McCabe took part in his first full practice after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers and plan on assigning him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. They have called up netminder Joel Blomqvist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely that a rival club will pluck Jarry off waivers. He has a record of 8-8-4 with a 3.31 goals-against average and a save percentage of .886. Jarry also carries an average annual value of $5.375 million through 2027-28.

NESN: Boston Bruins president Cam Neely said his club is looking at two approaches leading up to the March 7 trade deadline. They could be buyers or they could be “retooling a little bit” depending on where they are in the standings by the deadline. They’re holding one of the two wild-card berths in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ll likely be retooling if their play throughout the first half is anything to go by. Their lack of a reliable first-line center is a significant factor in their struggles this season. However, they might have to wait until the offseason to address that need.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings winger Alex Laferriere has been sidelined by an upper-body ailment. A further update on his status is expected later this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 23-year-old Laferriere has had a solid sophomore season with 13 goals and 26 points in 41 games.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic was fined $1,996.53 by the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk.

Utah Hockey Club center Jack McBain was fined $4,166.67 for high-sticking Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher.

RG.ORG: The upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off is forcing NHL general managers to move up their timelines to prepare for the March 7 trade deadline. The tournament takes place from Feb. 12-20, with 28 of the 32 NHL teams being off from Feb. 9-22, leaving the general managers less than two weeks to prepare for the trade deadline.

Teams are moving up their pro scouting meetings to narrow down their trade boards.

TSN: The Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks made a minor trade on Wednesday, with the Jets acquiring defenseman Isaak Phillips from the Blackhawks for defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 12, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 12, 2025

Check out the latest on Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Dylan Cozens, Ryan O’Reilly, Josh Norris and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE LATEST ON ELIAS PETTERSSON AND J.T. MILLER

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks aren’t shutting off Western Conference teams interested in centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller. Western clubs that have reached out haven’t been told that the Canucks aren’t interested in dealing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It makes sense for the Canucks to consider all options when listening to offers for Pettersson and Miller. This could also mean the offers they’re not getting suitable offers from Eastern Conference clubs. It’ll likely take a substantial offer to tempt the Canucks into moving one of those players.

UPDATE ON DYLAN COZENS

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Friedman said the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings were scouting each other heavily before the holidays. It got out that the Red Wings were looking at Dylan Cozens.

Friedman indicated he didn’t know where things stand or where it will go. However, he said a couple of sources told him they thought a deal had been close.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski cited Friedman reporting the Red Wings interest in Cozens. However, he cites a source close to the Sabres saying they’re not shopping the 23-year-old center but his name is circulating because they’re getting so many calls about him from rival clubs.

Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens (NHL Images).

Cozens’ struggles this season prompted Lysowski to suggest it wouldn’t be wise for the Sabres to sell low, pointing out their depth at center suffered a hit when they traded Casey Mittlestadt to Colorado last season. He doubts the Sabres would get equal value for Cozens right now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been said for months that the Sabres want to add to their roster instead of subtracting. They’re also under no pressure to move Cozens because he’s under contract for five more years whereas Mittlestadt was a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights last year.

Cozens could be moved if the Sabres get a good young NHL player in return who can provide immediate help to their roster. Otherwise, he’s probably not going anywhere this season.

COULD THE PREDATORS SHOP RYAN O’REILLY?

Friedman pointed out Ryan O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection in his contract with the Nashville Predators. Teams are calling the Predators about the availability of the 33-year-old two-way center.

According to Friedman, the Predators are treating O’Reilly as if he has a no-movement clause. They want to keep the former Conn Smythe Trophy winner, seeing him as a leader on and off the ice.

However, the Predators would consider moving O’Reilly under two conditions: the trade offer has to be something that excites them, and it has to be something O’Reilly would accept. The veteran center has not indicated he wants to move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule out the possibility of O’Reilly getting traded by the March 7 deadline or during the offseason. However, the conditions mentioned by Friedman suggest it’s a remote possibility.

SENATORS SHOPPING NORRIS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports league executives say the Senators want to get center Josh Norris and his $7.95 million cap hit through 2029-30 off their books. However, not many teams can afford his contract without giving something back to the Senators in return.

Garrioch also indicated general manager Steve Staios has been working the phones trying to find help for his struggling club, especially on defense. He hasn’t been able to find a suitable deal thus far.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap for next season is expected to rise by at least $4.5 million to $92.5 million, though some have estimated it could reach $95 million. That would make it easier for interested clubs to take on Norris’ contract but it would likely be an offseason trade instead of a trade-deadline deal.

SOMETHING BREWING WITH THE KRAKEN?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke traveled to Buffalo to watch his team defeat the Sabres 6-2 yesterday. It was an unusual move by Leiweke and came after his club lost nine of its last 11 games. His presence at that game raises questions over the reason for his attendance.