NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2025

by | Jun 3, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2025

Could the Stars trade Jason Robertson? What kind of return could the Predators get for Jonathan Marchessault? What’s the latest on Marco Rossi? The answers to those questions, and an update on the Islanders, in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD JASON ROBERTSON BECOME A TRADE CANDIDATE?

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek wondered if the Dallas Stars would consider moving Jason Robertson and his $7.75 million cap hit to recoup some draft capital and free up salary-cap space to go “big-game hunting” this summer.

If the Stars were to move the 25-year-old Robertson, Marek suggested the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks as possible destinations. With Robertson’s cap hit off their books, they might get into the bidding for Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs winger becomes a free agent on July 1.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos examines the pros and cons of trading Robertson.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

One reason for moving Robertson is that his role has changed since the Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline. He’s also due to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights and will be UFA-eligible the following year unless he signs a long-term extension. Robertson will seek a significant raise on his next contract, and he doesn’t produce at the same rate in the playoffs as he does in the regular season.

Robertson’s offensive consistency in the regular season is one reason why they shouldn’t trade him. He has yet to reach his full potential, and he has matured and improved his defensive game. Trading away a proven scorer could be risky.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson lacks no-trade protection, giving Stars management plenty of potential trade partners if they go that route. Because of his free-agent status next summer, interested parties could prefer a sign-and-trade scenario.

Moving Robertson makes sense if the goal is salary-cap flexibility and restocking their prospect pool. Ditching him to clear cap room for a more expensive veteran like Marner creates a bigger cap headache while doing nothing to improve their prospect pipeline.

PREDATORS WON’T GET MUCH FOR TRADING JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty mentioned the trade rumors swirling around Jonathan Marchessault of late. The 34-year-old winger would reportedly welcome a trade only a year after signing a five-year contract with the Nashville Predators.

Daugherty believes trading Marchessault’s contract, age, and the decline in his production would make him difficult to move this summer. He carries an AAV of $5.5 million and has a full no-movement clause. If he were asked to be traded, he must provide a 15-team no-trade list.

If the Predators trade Marchessault, Daugherty doesn’t expect they’ll get much back. “A late draft pick or a low-end prospect is the most Nashville can expect in return.” He also thinks they might have to bundle Marchessault with a draft pick to sweeten the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators could accept that type of return if their intent is freeing up salary-cap space. However, they wouldn’t have much leverage, and interested clubs could even squeeze them to retain part of his cap hit to facilitate a trade.

LATEST ON MARCO ROSSI

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco reports that Marco Rossi’s demand for a lucrative long-term contract is a roadblock in trade talks with the Minnesota Wild.

It’s believed the Rossi camp seeks a deal comparable to teammate Matthew Boldy’s seven-year, $49 million contract. That’s too expensive for Wild GM Bill Guerin, who is at least taking calls about the 23-year-old center.

Di Marco believes the Philadelphia Flyers have had “lukewarm interest” in Rossi since last year. He clarified his report from last week, saying there’s no indication that the two teams have engaged in trade talks recently. He cited a source claiming Flyers forward Tyson Foerster was a player the Wild were interested in as a return for Rossi. Neither Foerster nor any of the Flyers’ late first-round picks are on the table.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Di Marco also acknowledged that Guerin is comfortable retaining Rossi, something he stated to The Athletic’s Michael Russo earlier this week.

An RFA coming off his entry-level contract, Rossi lacks arbitration rights. The only leverage he has is the threat of an offer sheet from another team or withholding his services next season until he gets a suitable deal.

The Rossi camp might be hoping for an offer sheet after July 1. However, there might not be many teams with enough cap space left by that point. Most will have used up their cap space well before then in the trade and the UFA markets. There could be even fewer by then willing to meet his rumored asking price.

UPDATE ON THE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears recently looked at the winners and losers from the early days of Mathieu Darche’s tenure as GM of the Islanders.

Sear thinks something has to give with aging blueliners Scott Mayfield, Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech. Mayfield has a full no-trade clause, Pulock has a full no-movement clause this season and Pelech has a 16-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been suggested Mayfield could be bought out of the remaining five years of his contract if a trade isn’t possible. It would free up $2.33 million in cap space for the next five years, but the buyout cap hit would be $1.166 million annually for the next 10 years.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau could be their most expendable player. He has a year left on his contract and will be a UFA next summer. Anders Lee is in a similar situation, but as their team captain, there are implications to trading Lee that don’t exist for Pageau.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 30, 2025

by | May 30, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 30, 2025

The latest on the Devils, plus updates on Bryan Rust, Marco Rossi and Rasmus Andersson in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE DEVILS

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald isn’t expected to move out any of his big-name players this summer. If he wants to shed some salary, he could explore deals for someone like middle-six forward Dawson Mercer, who carries an average annual value of $4 million.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports the Devils were close to signing Jonathan Marchessault before he opted to join the Nashville Predators. With the 34-year-old winger believed to be open to a trade, Nichols wondered if the Devils might revisit their interest.

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton believe Jake Allen will be among the most coveted unrestricted free agent goaltenders. The market is thin on quality goalies, putting the 34-year-old Devils netminder in a good position.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald wasn’t happy with his club’s offensive depth this season. It’s expected he’ll attempt to remedy that through a trade or a free-agent signing. Mercer could have value as a trade chip to address that issue.

Fitzgerald might revisit his interest in Marchessault, but he could insist the Predators retain part of his $5.5 million AAV in the deal.

BRYAN RUST DRAWING INTEREST IN THE TRADE MARKET

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports teams are calling the Pittsburgh Penguins about a potential trade for Bryan Rust. The 33-year-old winger’s no-movement clause expires on July 1.

Yohe would be surprised if the Penguins move Rust. He’s an alternate captain, Sidney Crosby’s favorite winger, and a terrific player on a very good contract. Rust also has a good reputation for working well with younger players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rust has three years left on his contract with an AAV of $5.125 million. He’s consistently exceeded 20 goals and 40 points in each season since 2019-20.

On the one hand, it would make sense for the rebuilding Penguins to move Rust while his value remains high. On the other hand, they’re still trying to be a competitive club by rebuilding on the fly. Unless they get a terrific offer, they’ll likely hang onto him for another season.

THE LATEST ON MARCO ROSSI

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports the Penguins are a potential suitor for Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center fits the young profile they want. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas doesn’t appear interested in adding players over 30.

Yohe believes the draft picks the Penguins have accumulated give them plenty of ammunition to pursue a trade for Rossi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild could prefer a player-for-player swap where they get another young forward in return. Then again, they could use whatever draft picks they acquire from the Penguins (or whoever they might send Rossi to) as trade bait to pry a forward away from another club.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco doesn’t think the Philadelphia Flyers would be a fit for Rossi. His sources claim the Wild would want forward Tyson Foerster or one of the Flyers’ late first-round picks in this year’s draft. The Flyers have no interest in either scenario.

Di Marco also reports that Rossi’s contract demands are said to be too expensive for both teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers re-signed the 23-year-old Foerster yesterday to a two-year bridge deal. It doesn’t appear to be a “sign-and-trade” situation, as they very much want to keep him.

Rossi reportedly rejected a contract offer from the Wild earlier this season. There’s no indication yet what type of deal he’s seeking. His situation will be worth monitoring as the calendar flips to June and activity in the trade market resumes.

SENATORS REPORTEDLY ON RASMUS ANDERSSON’S “NO-TRADE” LIST

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco cited a rumor linking the Ottawa Senators to Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson. However, a Flames source told Di Marco that the Senators are on the 28-year-old defenseman’s six-team “no-trade” list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Di Marco noted there was speculation suggesting the Flames were gauging the trade market for Andersson. However, he added that a source claimed they’re now considering keeping him.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2025

by | May 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Rangers winger Chris Kreider, Wild center Marco Rossi, Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT WILL THE RANGERS DO WITH CHRIS KREIDER?

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh was recently asked what the New York Rangers intend to do with Chris Kreider. The 33-year-old winger was the frequent topic of trade speculation during the regular season.

The Rangers are facing a salary-cap crunch next season. Trading Kreider and his $6.5 million average annual value through 2026-27 is one route to creating cap space.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Kreider carries a 15-team no-trade list. He could make it difficult for the Rangers to move him by eliminating teams with the cap space to take on his salary. That would force the Blueshirts to retain him, put him on waivers, retain salary in a trade or buy him out. The last option would leave a cap hit of $3 million for 2025-26, $4 million in 2026-27, and $1.5 million in each of the following two seasons.

Baugh doesn’t expect the Rangers to bring in any big-name replacements for Kreider. They might have enough room to add a depth player or two. Doing more would require another cost-cutting trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Baugh believes the Rangers and Kreider could work together to find a suitable trade partner if the winger is open to a change. His injuries this season likely prevented the Rangers from finding a suitable deal, but he still managed to reach the 20-goal plateau for the 10th time in his NHL career. A contender seeking an experienced scoring winger could take a chance on a healthy Kreider reaching 30 goals again.

WHAT KIND OF RETURN WOULD MARCO ROSSI FETCH THE WILD?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith were recently asked what a realistic trade for Marco Rossi would look like. The 23-year-old center finished second this season among Minnesota Wild scorers. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1, but faces an uncertain future in Minnesota.

Smith believes there should be a good market for Rossi despite his 5’9”, 192-pound frame. He thinks the Wild could look at what the young center would fetch in compensation if he signed an offer sheet between $4.6 million and $7.02 million AAV (a first and a third-round pick). However, that would feel like an underwhelming return. Smith speculates that Rossi could be part of a larger deal to bring in a larger winger or center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s been mentioned as a trade target for several clubs, including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks. It’ll be interesting to see if the Wild attempt to move him during next month’s draft weekend (June 27-28) in Los Angeles.

SABRES GAUGING BOWEN BYRAM’S MARKET VALUE

SPORTSNET/THE SCORE: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are gauging Bowen Byram’s value in the trade market. He said there is “no doubt” that the 23-year-old defenseman’s name is out there, adding “there is definitely noise around the Byram names and the Buffalo Sabres.

Byram is due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He’s coming off a career-best 38-point performance in 82 games. The Sabres have over $21 million in cap space for 2025-26 but must also re-sign RFA forwards JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn. They’re also expected to spend on outside help after missing the playoffs for the 14th straight year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports out of Buffalo earlier this month suggested the Sabres would prioritize re-signing Peterka, Quinn, Alex Tuch and Ryan McLeod. They also believed Byram could be used as trade bait to bolster their depth elsewhere, perhaps to acquire a veteran right-shot defenseman to pair with left-shot blueliner Owen Power.

Byram has an injury history but he’s a terrific all-around defenseman when healthy. He should have plenty of value in this summer’s trade market.

SENATORS TO SEEK A RIGHT-SHOT DEFENSEMAN

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Steve Staios will likely pursue another right-shot defenseman after veteran Nick Jensen underwent surgery on Monday for a lower-body injury.

There is no timetable for Jensen’s recovery. It’s believed he had the procedure on a hip or a knee.

Garrioch claimed the Senators were among the teams that looked into acquiring Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old Calgary Flames blueliner has a year remaining on his contract and his future is to be determined. It’s assumed he’ll get an AAV of around $8 million on his next contract, which is why the Flames could move him this summer to get something in return.

The Senators would need assurances that Anderson would agree to an extension before acquiring him, and that could mean the return would have to be high.

Another option could be Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Toronto Maple Leafs tried to acquire him at the trade deadline but were rebuffed. Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers could be available in this summer’s UFA market, but would be an expensive signing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames GM Craig Conroy said he’s hoping to meet with Andersson and his agent in the coming weeks to discuss a contract extension. Nevertheless, the blueliner could be traded if he and Conroy can’t agree on a new deal. The Flames GM probably doesn’t want to repeat what he went through with Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin two years ago.

Ristolainen underwent surgery on March 26 to repair a ruptured triceps tendon. He will reportedly be sidelined for six months and will miss training camp.

COULD MAXIME COMTOIS RETURN WITH THE RED WINGS?

RG.ORG: Daria Tuboltseva cited sources claiming Maxime Comtois could make his return to the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings. The 26-year-old forward spent this season with KHL club Dynamo Moscow, collecting 50 points in 62 games and leading them in playoff scoring with 13 points.

“I’ve always said I wanted to return to the NHL, and this season I did everything possible to make that happen,” said Comtois. He also reportedly has a contract offer from the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Comtois was a once-promising forward with the Anaheim Ducks from 2018-19 to 2022-23, but he never reached expectations. He could become an affordable reclamation project for the Wings, Bruins or another NHL club.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

Check out the latest on the Leafs and the Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE LEAFS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin believes the Toronto Maple Leafs cannot return with the same core next season following another disappointing playoff meltdown.

Larkin doesn’t think Auston Matthews and William Nylander are going anywhere because they’ve just commenced their long-term extension. However, forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 and face uncertain futures.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby expects changes among the “Core Four” forwards. He doubts the Leafs will break the bank to keep Marner in Toronto. Meanwhile, Tavares will be 35 when next season starts, and his idea of a hometown discount could differ from management’s.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Hornby pointed out that winger Matthew Knies is coming off his entry-level contract, becoming a restricted free agent unless he signs an extension before July 1. The 22-year-old power forward could also receive a lucrative offer sheet from a rival club.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle doesn’t see the Leafs retaining team president Brendan Shanahan. After 11 years at the helm, his contract is up at the end of this season.

Mirtle doesn’t expect Marner will be back, pointing out his unwillingness to negotiate a contract during this season and the club’s attempt to move him at the trade deadline. They could retain Tavares at a deep discount, but that might not make sense given he had only three even-strength points in this postseason.

Chris Johnston believes the clock is ticking on Marner’s days with the Leafs. He could become the highest-profile player in this summer’s UFA market. Shouldering a disproportionate share of the blame for the Leafs’ playoff failures could make free agency more alluring to him.

Jonas Siegel sees this as the end of the “Shanaplan” and the “Core Four” era in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ve expected changes from Toronto since they blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the underdog Montreal Canadiens in 2021. This time, however, it feels like significant change is finally coming. They have to. The patience of Leafs Nation is finally tapped out.

Shanahan, Marner and Tavares are on expiring contracts. It’s time for a change in oversight, and it’s time for a shakeup among their core players.

Letting Marner and Tavares walk enables the Leafs to put the dollars they would’ve invested in those two into players who might better suit their needs.

They have a projected cap space of $26.8 million with 16 active roster players (including Matthews, Nylander, and Morgan Rielly) under contract for next season.

That’s enough to make a significant addition or two via trade or free agency and have enough to re-sign Knies to a long-term deal.

THE LATEST ON THE SENATORS

SPORTSNET: Alex Adams was asked about possible offseason targets for the Ottawa Senators.

He thinks pending UFA winger Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets would be a perfect fit alongside Tim Stutzle. Adding a right-shot defenseman like Florida’s Aaron Ekblad or Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames would be nice, but Adams wondered if they could make a move for a Nick Jensen-type player like Michael Kesselring of the Utah Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have $17.5 million available with 14 active roster players under contract, with UFA-eligible forward Claude Giroux and pending RFAs Fabian Zetterlund and Tyler Kleven to re-sign. They’ll also need a backup for Linus Ullmark if Anton Forsberg departs via free agency.

Assuming those players are affordable re-signings, the Senators won’t have much wiggle room to pursue guys like Ehlers and Ekblad. Andersson has a year left on his contract but could sign an extension with the Flames this summer. If he becomes available, the Flames will set a high asking price. Kesselring is also under contract for another year. Utah has no reason to move him.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked if the Senators might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

McKenzie is keeping his expectations low, pointing out the Senators are keeping their 2025 first-round pick, meaning they’ll forfeit their 2026 pick because of the Evgenii Dadonov trade debacle three years ago. He also pointed out they don’t have their 2026 second-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators only have the necessary offer-sheet compensations for deals worth an average annual value of between $1.544 million and $2.34 million. That will cost a 2026 third-rounder. Anything under $1.544 million has no compensation penalty.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2025

by | May 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2025

The Oilers advance to the Western Conference Final, the Panthers push the Maple Leafs to the brink of elimination, the Flyers hire Rick Tocchet as their new coach, the Canucks promote Adam Foote as their new bench boss, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers are heading to the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 1-0 in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Edmonton Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen (NHL Images).

Kasperi Kapanen scored in overtime, and Stuart Skinner turned in 24 saves for his second straight shutout as the Oilers took the series four games to one. Adin Hill made 31 saves for the Golden Knights, who played without sidelined captain Mark Stone for the first time in a postseason game since he joined the team in 2019.

The Oilers await the winner of the Winnipeg Jets-Dallas Stars series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Kapanen’s second game in this postseason, but he scored the biggest goal of his career, becoming the seventh player in Oilers history to score a series-clinching overtime goal.

Kapanen is another example of the Oilers’ depth making the difference in this postseason. The bulk of their offense still comes from Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, but they’re also getting production from Connor Brown, Vasily Podkolzin, and veterans like Adam Henrique, Viktor Arvidsson, Corey Perry and a healthy Evander Kane.

Meanwhile, their defensive game continues to improve as the playoffs continue. They’ll get a boost with sidelined defenseman Mattias Ekholm and backup goalie Calvin Pickard expected to be ready for the Conference Final.

Skinner’s critics are quieter after his back-to-back shutout performance, joining Cam Talbot and Curtis Joseph among Oilers goalies to accomplish that feat in the postseason. He’s also the fifth in franchise history to post a series-clinching shutout, joining Joseph, Bill Ranford, Dwayne Roloson, and Mike Smith.

The Florida Panthers are on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the third straight year after crushing the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves, Dmitry Kulikov tallied the game-winning goal, and Aaron Ekblad and Jesper Boqvist each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who’ve taken a 3-2 series lead. Nick Robertson scored for the Leafs, who pulled starting goalie Joseph Woll after he gave up five goals on 25 shots.

Florida can wrap this series up on home ice in Game 6 on Friday, May 16, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers deserve full marks for their superb performance in this game, but the Maple Leafs made it easy for them with a lifeless effort that had the Toronto crowd booing them off the ice following the second period. Some of their fans tossed their Leafs jerseys on the ice in disgust during the final period.

Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Boqvist took his place.

This was the Leafs’ third straight loss after taking a 2-0 lead over the Panthers in this series. Another pathetic effort like that in Game 6 on Friday, and the Leafs will be booking tee-times on Saturday.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers will make Rick Tocchet their 25th coach in franchise history. He will reportedly receive a five-year, $25 million contract. Tocchet won the Jack Adams Trophy last season with the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here, Tocchet was considered the favorite for this job. He should work well with the younger players on the rebuilding Flyers.

Speaking of the young Flyers, Matvei Michkov was involved in a single-car accident while vacationing in Dubai. He rented the car but was not the driver. There were no injuries, and there was no alcohol or drugs involved.

Michkov and his friend had their passports illegally taken away by the car rental company and were reportedly extorted for $100K to avoid having details of the accident leaked to the media.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks promoted assistant coach Adam Foote as their new head coach, taking over from the departed Rick Tocchet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Manny Malhotra appeared to be the favorite because of his success with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford this season. However, Foote was praised by team captain Quinn Hughes earlier this season, which may have factored into his promotion.

The Canucks also signed prospect defenseman Tom Willander to an entry-level contract. Willander, 20, completed his sophomore season with Boston University. He was selected 11th overall by the Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars is poised to take the crown of the USA’s top goaltender away from the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck. While the former is poised to win his third Vezina Trophy, the latter has a better playoff record and is on the verge of eliminating Hellebuyck and his teammates from the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is one of the best regular-season goalies in the league, but he struggles mightily during the playoffs. He’ll need to have the best game of his career if the Jets hope to avoid elimination tonight by the Stars.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Hurricanes’ superior depth has made the difference in their second-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Meanwhile, the Capitals had Connor McMichael replacing Lars Eller centering their third line during practice on Wednesday. Eller is expected to be a healthy scratch from Game 5 on Thursday.

PUCKPEDIA: It doesn’t appear that the Ottawa Senators have forfeited their 2025 first-round pick. They had 24 hours following the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery to forfeit the pick as part of the punishment handed down by the league for their role in a trade being invalidated in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were given the choice of forfeiting their 2024, 2025 or 2026 pick.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2025

by | May 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2025

The latest on the Canadiens and Senators, potential destinations for coach Rick Tocchet and the Canucks’ search for a new head coach in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT WOULD IT COST THE CANADIENS TO ACQUIRE SIDNEY CROSBY?

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels was asked what it would take for the Montreal Canadiens to acquire Sidney Crosby if the Pittsburgh Penguins captain became available in the trade market.

Engels prefaced his response by citing Crosby’s intent to retire as a Penguin, and no indication that this will change. The future Hall-of-Famer grew up a Canadiens fan, prompting a perception among some Habs fans that he might want to finish his career in Montreal.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

If Crosby became available, Engels believes the Canadiens would be better-positioned to meet the Penguins’ asking price than, say, the Colorado Avalanche or Los Angeles Kings. They have the cap space to take on his contract, plus depth in draft picks and prospects to make a competitive pitch.

Engels suggested packaging their two first-rounders (16th and 17th overall) as part of the return. They could also offer up one of those picks and their unprotected 2026 first-rounder, plus one of the two second-rounders they have in each of the next two drafts. They could also throw in “any combination of two prospects not named Demidov, Reinbacher, Fowler, or Hage” in the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Engels ended his piece by reminding everyone again that Crosby might never request a trade from the Penguins, adding it’s difficult to gauge what his value in the trade market would be and what it would take to get him to Montreal.

The Canadiens need a reliable second-line center. Finding one will be difficult because there aren’t that many available in the trade market. Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild could be available, as could Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils.

Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks is often mentioned, but he’s more of a winger now, and his stock has tumbled due to injuries and inconsistency. Teammate Mason McTavish has also been mentioned, but that seems like wishful thinking.

Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers, Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars are the top centers eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Bennett would be the ideal fit, but he’d draw the most interest around the league if he hits the open market. The rest are in their mid-thirties with their prime years behind them. It’s doubtful any of them will consider the rebuilding Canadiens a prime destination.

COULD THE SENATORS TRADE DRAKE BATHERSON?

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked about a recent rumor suggesting Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson might become a trade candidate.

McKenzie doesn’t see the logic in moving Batherson unless they’re getting a bona fide top defenseman or a young goal-scoring forward. He pointed out that the 27-year-old winger is in his playing prime with a team-friendly annual cap hit of $5 million through 2026-27.

Dealing away Batherson would only exacerbate the Senators’ need to add more scoring. If they do trade him, McKenzie believes it’ll mean they’re making a full-court press on somebody through trade, free agency or other means to supplement their scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Batherson rumor appeared in the Ottawa Sun last month after the Senators were eliminated from the playoffs. I concur with McKenzie’s take. Batherson isn’t going anywhere unless the Sens are clearing cap room to add a better scorer.

THREE POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS FOR TOCCHET

TSN: Darren Dreger reports of “strong indications” that Rick Tocchet will soon be hired by a new NHL team. The 2024 winner of the Jack Adams Award, Tocchet stepped down last month as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

Dreger claimed the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Seattle Kraken were among the leading contenders for Tocchet’s services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are seen as the favorite given Tocchet’s ties to the team during his playing career, spending 11 of his 18 NHL seasons in Philadelphia.

CANUCKS NARROW DOWN THEIR REPLACEMENTS FOR TOCCHET

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Vancouver Canucks are getting close to finding their replacement for Tocchet behind their bench.

He listed Manny Malhotra, Adam Foote and Marco Sturm as the leading candidates. Malhotra is seen as the front-runner, partly due to his success coaching the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malhotra took over as Abbotsford’s head coach last season, earning praise for guiding them to a franchise record 44-24-2-2, finishing second in the AHL’s Western Conference with 92 points. They’re in the division finals against the Colorado Eagles, starting on Friday.