NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

by | Jul 31, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

A look at the remaining notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox and Rory Boylen updated their list of the notable remaining restricted free agents following the signings of Carolina Hurricanes winger Martin Necas on Monday and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren on Tuesday.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman still tops the list. He’s coming off a one-year, $3.45 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nothing new to report on his contract negotiations. Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis cited AFP Analytics projecting the 25-year-old goaltender is in line for a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6.433 million. However, some recent media speculation suggests he could get around $9 million annually depending on the length of the deal.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond sit second and third on their list. They speculate Seider could get an AAV of $8.6 million on a long-term deal but Raymond could get a mid-term commitment akin to teammate Alex DeBrincat’s four-year contract.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been over a month since Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said he’d get Seider and Raymond signed “in due time.” There’s been nothing new since then but plenty of time remains to get both players under contract before the start of training camp in mid-September. AFP Analytics projects Seider getting a seven-year deal with an AAV of $8.125 million and Raymond seven years at $7.758 million annually.

Seth Jarvis is the focus for Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky now that Martin Necas is under contract. The versatile 22-year-old forward can play center or wing and has risen among the Hurricanes’ core players. He’s coming off an entry-level contract and there’s speculation he could get an eight-year deal worth around $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $7.75 million annually for Jarvis. Unless Tulsky makes a cost-cutting move, the Jarvis camp will have to accept much less than that because the Hurricanes only have $6.44 million in cap space.

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could attempt to sign defenseman Thomas Harley to a bridge contract. That’s what he did with Jason Robertson when the winger came off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Harley is projected to get a seven-year deal with an AAV of $6.922 million. However, the Stars have $6.243 million in cap space. The 22-year-old blueliner could end up with a short-term contract worth under $5 million annually.

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers’ sophomore slump compromises his bargaining position coming off his entry-level contract. The betting is the 21-year-old center gets a bridge deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $6.66 million annually. The Kraken have the hammer here so it could be much shorter and for around $5 million annually.

Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti seems a classic case for a bridge deal after a healthy but inconsistent 2023-24 performance under former head coach Rick Bowness. However, the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck recently reported positive communication between the Perfetti camp and new Jets bench boss Scott Arniel. That could sway Perfetti into signing a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The projection has Perfetti in line for a seven-year deal with an AAV of $5.584 million. That could become a real bargain for the Jets if he blossoms into the scorer he was projected to become when the Jets drafted him in 2020.

The New Jersey Devils could go the bridge route with Dawson Mercer. Comparables include Ottawa’s Shane Pinto (two-year, $3.75 million AAV) and Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko (three years, $3.85 million AAV).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projected a six-year deal at $6.52 million annually. However, the Devils only have $4.9 million in cap space. Mercer will likely get a bridge deal unless the Devils shed some salary.

Cole Sillinger enjoyed a bounce-back performance from his 2022-23 sophomore slump with 13 goals and 32 points in 77 games. Like teammate Kirill Marchenko, he could get a three-year deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 28, 2024

by | Jul 28, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 28, 2024

Check out the latest on the Ducks and more musings over Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman’s contract negotiations in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON THE DUCKS

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently addressed questions from his readers regarding the Anaheim Ducks.

Stephens believes this season will be a big one for Trevor Zegras. He could bust out in a big way that establishes himself as an impact player. He could have a healthy and productive campaign but not one that convinces management he’s the piece they need to win big with, or he settles in as a complementary, 60-point winger.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whatever version of Zegras emerges could determine his future with the Ducks. A breakout performance means he’ll play a major role going forward, ensuring a more lucrative contract down the road. The other two scenarios could see him getting traded for a return that could be less than expected. 

Asked why John Gibson remains with the Ducks, Stephens believes management’s unwillingness to retain part of the goaltender’s $6.4 million cap hit through 2026-27 is a major stumbling block. He believes Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has tried trading Gibson on multiple occasions. A trade would be good for both sides to move on, but there’s a thought among the Ducks that they might as well retain him if they can’t get a suitable return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson frequently surfaced in the rumor mill over the past two years. His name came up again back in June but nothing came of it. His contract is a major sticking point and the Ducks’ unwillingness to retain some salary ensures he’ll remain in Anaheim for the coming season.

One reader asked if Mitch Marner might end up on the Ducks roster a year from now. Stephens is skeptical, suggesting Anaheim likely isn’t a desired destination if the winger sought a trade or becomes a free agent.

NO SIGN OF PROGRESS YET IN JEREMY SWAYMAN’S CONTRACT TALKS

BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont reports Jeremy Swayman remains without a contract. The 25-year-old goaltender and the Bruins opted not to take this before arbitration. With training camp set to open on Sept. 18, there’s plenty of time to get a deal done.

Swayman hasn’t publicly commented yet on this situation. He won’t be able to report to training camp without a contract. Restricted free agents have until Dec. 1 to come to terms, or forfeit the rest of the season.

The last high-profile RFA to push it to the wire was William Nylander, who agreed to a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the final hour leading up to the Dec. 1, 2018 deadline.

Puckpedia indicates the Bruins have $8.6 million in cap space this season. Swayman’s next contract will take up most, if not all of that surplus, perhaps forcing management to make a cost-cutting trade or placing someone on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s speculated that Swayman could get an AAV of around $9 million, depending on the length of the contract.

Plenty of time remains for both sides to get this done but the longer Swayman’s unsigned the more speculation will grow over the status of his talks and his future with the Bruins.

This could be done by early September with the Bruins signing him to a seven-year deal worth around $8 million annually.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 24, 2024

by | Jul 24, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 24, 2024

Check out the latest on Igor Shesterkin, Jeremy Swayman, Patrik Laine, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Kirill Marchenko in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NHL.COM: In his latest mailbag, Dan Rosen was asked about the odds of the New York Rangers and goaltender Igor Shesterkin failing to agree to a new contract, forcing them to trade him.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Rosen dismissed that possibility, citing Shesterkin’s value to the Rangers. He also noted the 28-year-old netminder has plenty of years left in his playing prime. Shesterkin will seek market value on his next contract and Rosen expects a deal will be in place before his UFA eligibility next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin will receive the most expensive contract for a goaltender in NHL history. It’ll be between seven and eight years and could come in around $12 million annually.

One reader asked Rosen what Jeremy Swayman’s new contract with the Boston Bruins would look like. He anticipates it could come in around $9 million annually depending on the length of the deal. It could dip below $9 million if the 25-year-old goalie seeks an eight-year contract, or jump to the $10 million range if he wants a five-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could explain why the Bruins and Swayman haven’t yet hammered out an agreement. The two sides could still be negotiating the term and dollars. Plenty of time remains for them to get it done before training camp opens in September.

Another reader noted the Washington Capitals got $3.9 million back due to the termination of Evgeny Kuznetsov’s contract and wondered if they might pursue someone like Patrik Laine. Rosen thinks they could be in the mix for Laine once he’s cleared to resume his playing career. He believes the Capitals have sufficient cap space to add another forward via trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia shows the Capitals sitting over $10.2 million above the $88 million salary cap. However, they’ll get $9.2 million in cap relief with Nicklas Backstrom on long-term injury reserve. The Caps could also get an additional $5.75 million if T.J. Oshie joins Backstrom on the LTIR list. Factor in Kuznetsov’s buyout and they could have sufficient room to make another addition, be it Laine or another forward.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of Kuznetsov, Sammi Silber reports his agent, Shumi Babayev, said there is interest from 15 NHL teams in the 32-year-old center. The former Hurricane and Capital is also believed weighing offers from KHL teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov probably didn’t expect to hear from other NHL teams following the termination of his contract. Those clubs could attempt to sign him to a low-cost one-year deal worth around $2.5 million.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey noted a recent report indicating Kirill Marchenko hadn’t received a worthy offer from the Columbus Blue Jackets and had yet to speak with new general manager Don Waddell. Bailey suggested this could be an opportunity for the Flyers to attempt to acquire the 24-year-old forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko also indicated he believed he would hear from Waddell this week and would likely get a better offer from him then. His arbitration hearing is slated for July 31 but he’s likely to end up settling with the Jackets before then. It’s unlikely he’ll be available for the Flyers or anyone else to acquire.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 20, 2024

by | Jul 20, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 20, 2024

Check out the latest on some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox and Rory Boylen recently looked at where things stand with 12 of this summer’s notable remaining restricted free agents. Here are some of the more notable ones:

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman didn’t file for salary arbitration. Some observers wonder why the Bruins didn’t already have a “hush-hush handshake deal” with the Swayman camp in place before trading Linus Ullmark to Ottawa last month.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have over $8.6 million in cap space for 2024-25 with the 25-year-old Swayman the only active roster playing to be signed. He’s two years away from UFA eligibility.

Swayman will get signed, it’s just a question of for how long and how much. The two sides could agree to a long-term contract or a two-year deal. The average annual value could be between $6.5 million and $7.5 million.

The Carolina Hurricanes hold the hammer in contract talks with Seth Jarvis. The 22-year-old winger is coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

General manager Eric Tulsky could go for a short-term bridge deal or attempt to lock up Jarvis to an eight-year deal. His camp could seek a long-term deal worth over 8.35 million annually.

Tulsky isn’t worried about someone signing Jarvis to an offer sheet, pointing out they have the cap space to match.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Terminating Evgeny Kuznetsov’s contract gives the Hurricanes $13.9 million in cap space. That’s more than enough to match an offer sheet for Jarvis.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, Martin Necas has been the subject of trade speculation since their playoff elimination in May. The New Jersey Devils, Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames were believed to be monitoring the 25-year-old winger’s situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fox and Boylen considered Necas most likely to be traded when this list was published on July 17. Since then, GM Tulsky said he’s not closing the door on a potential deal but it’s looking more likely Necas will remain with the Hurricanes.

Tulsky pointed out that teams have a lot less flexibility than they did a month ago, making it harder to do deals in the trade market. In other words, the clubs interested in Necas lack sufficient cap space to acquire him.

Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti had an inconsistent 2023-24 performance but still finished fifth among their leading scorers. The departures of Tyler Toffoli and Sean Monahan could lead to a fresh start for the 22-year-old forward under new head coach Scott Arniel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press observed the Jets tend to sign players like Perfetti to bridge contracts. However, there is precedence for a long-term deal, citing Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers.

In that case, his camp could seek an average annual value between the $5 million AAV that Anton Lundell received from the Florida Panthers and the $6.25 million the Los Angeles Kings are paying Quinton Byfield.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko filed for arbitration on July 5. With Patrik Laine facing a doubtful future in Columbus, the 23-year-old Marchenko could get a nice raise.

The Rangers and Ryan Lindgren remain in contract negotiations despite the latter filing for arbitration. A one-year deal for the 25-year-old defenseman could cost $3.6 million. A longer deal will cost more due to the cost of his UFA years.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2024

by | Jul 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2024

Check out the ongoing speculation that the Panthers might trade Aaron Ekblad, an update on Jacob Trouba, and nine possible offer-sheet candidates in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON EKBLAD AND TROUBA

TSN: Jay Onrait spoke with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Tuesday regarding speculation the Florida Panthers could trade Aaron Ekblad to free up some salary-cap space.

Kaplan said it will be difficult for the Panthers to maintain their roster despite being a destination franchise. Nevertheless, their front office isn’t afraid to make hard decisions. She can’t confirm that Ekblad’s on the trade block but wouldn’t be surprised if the Panthers explored that possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ekblad trade rumors stretch back to June 2 when the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons speculated they could move him to free up cap room to re-sign Brandon Montour, who has since signed with the Seattle Kraken.

Ekblad has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.5 million and a 12-team no-trade list for 2024-25.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

The Panthers are above the $88 million cap by over $933K. They can easily become cap-compliant before their season opener in October by demoting a lower-salaried player rather than moving a high-salaried core player like Ekblad. Montour’s departure could make the Panthers less likely to move him if they intend on staging a successful defense of their Stanley Cup title.

Onrait and Kaplan also discussed the recent trade rumors swirling around New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. The Rangers reportedly had a deal on the table with the Detroit Red Wings. However, the 30-year-old defenseman didn’t want to do it with his wife still finishing her residency as a medical doctor.

Kaplan believes Trouba will be in the Rangers lineup when they start the season in October even though it was a really uncomfortable process over the last days and weeks. She noted Trouba used his no-trade protection in his contract to nix the deal with the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers general manager Chris Drury attempted an aggressive move to trade Trouba in the week leading up to the start of free agency. He hoped to shed most of his captain’s $8 million cap hit to Detroit to free up room for a foray or two into the UFA market.

Trouba used his no-trade protection to reject the deal as was his contractual right. He now has a 15-team no-trade list. Drury could peddle him to any club not on that list but it’s pointless to do so at this stage with all the top free-agent talent now gone from the market. Trouba isn’t moving unless Drury finds a return that improves the Rangers right away.

POSSIBLE OFFER SHEET CANDIDATES

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler looked at nine restricted free agents who could become offer sheet targets this summer. She acknowledged the rarity of offer sheets, noting the last one occurred in 2021 when the Carolina Hurricanes successfully signed away Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens.

The longer Jeremy Swayman goes without a new contract with the Boston Bruins sows another small seed of doubt about this deal and how soon it’ll get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Someone could pitch an offer sheet to Swayman but that depends on his willingness to sign one. The same goes for every restricted free agent. It’s pointless to attempt if they’re not interested.

Swayman knows he’s got the Bruins’ starting goalie sewn up. He loves being a Bruins and playing in Boston. He also opted not to go to arbitration when he had the chance. That should tell us all we need to know about his interest in an offer sheet.

His negotiations could take time but that’s common. Most RFA contract talks can take most of the summer before a resolution is reached. It’s doubtful there’s any real concern here.

The Canadiens could make a “revenge play” against the Hurricanes by targeting Seth Jarvis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens could make that move if Marc Bergevin was still their general manager. His attempt at signing Sebastian Aho in 2019 prompted the retaliatory Kotkaniemi signing two years later. The current Habs management probably isn’t interested in going down that road.

Swimming in cap space, the Detroit Red Wings can match any offer for Moritz Seider and/or Lucas Raymond. Whether someone attempts to set the market for them is the bigger question.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s doubtful that any club will attempt it. That move will only succeed in pissing off every general manager around the league for setting the market value for comparable players.

A rival club could attempt to squeeze the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers by pitching an offer sheet to Dylan Holloway or Philip Broberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Possible but unlikely. Holloway and Broberg are in the early stages of their NHL careers. They might not pan out as hoped.

Sadler also suggested Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings, Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets and Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils. An offer sheet to any one of them could mess up their team’s plans to sign them to an affordable bridge contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another possibility but only if the player is willing to entertain offer-sheet proposals. Those three might not be interested in such deals.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 18, 2024

by | May 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 18, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Avalanche and Bruins? What’s the latest on the Hurricanes? Who could become candidates for the Blue Jackets’ GM position? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND BRUINS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what the offseason might hold for the Colorado Avalanche following their elimination from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Supplementing their roster core is once again a priority. They must re-sign restricted free-agent center Casey Mittelstadt. The Avs must also re-sign or replace pending unrestricted free agents like Jonathan Drouin, Jack Johnson, Sean Walker and Andrew Cogliano. They must also replace retiring winger Zach Parise.

Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Core winger Mikko Rantanen has one year remaining on his contract. His continued presence is important if the Avalanche intend to remain among the Western Conference’s top contenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have $15.9 million in projected cap space next season with 12 active roster players under contract. They get an additional $7 million in wiggle room if sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog remains on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t given up attempting to resume his career after being sidelined by knee surgeries for the past two years.

Rantanen carries a cap hit of $9.25 million on his current contract. Given his consecutive 100-plus point seasons, he’ll likely seek over $12 million annually.

The Avalanche will also have to decide what to do with Valeri Nichushkin once he exits Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in November.

Kristen Shilton looked at what could be in store for the Boston Bruins this summer.

They face some significant personnel decisions. Several notable players, including Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, are slated to become UFAs on July 1. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman is an RFA coming off a one-year contract and the Bruins must ensure they have sufficient cap space to pay him his worth as a starter.

Shilton expects the Bruins will be active in the free-agent market if they hope to keep their playoff window open, especially on the defensive side.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss observed the Bruins have around $21 million in projected cap space for next season to put toward offseason roster upgrades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were frequently linked to Elias Lindholm this season before and after his trade to the Vancouver Canucks. They could revisit that rumored interest or consider other options to add a center for one of their scoring lines.

Rumors also tied the Bruins to Noah Hanifin before his trade and contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. Free-agent options could include Carolina’s Brett Pesce or Brady Skjei or Florida’s Brandon Montour, regardless of his recent interaction with Bruins captain Brad Marchand. Money talks and time heals all wounds.

LATEST HURRICANES SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he didn’t expect Brett Pesce to return with the Carolina Hurricanes. He indicated the Hurricanes’ offer to the Pesce camp last summer was a five-year deal worth $5 million annually.

Friedman believes Martin Necas could be traded this summer. The 25-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He thinks the Hurricanes will prioritize re-signing Jake Guentzel.

Winger Seth Jarvis has surpassed Necas on the Hurricanes’ depth chart, making him more of a priority contract-wise. Jarvis is coming off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce was the subject of trade speculation last summer, which was an early indication of how poorly those contract negotiations were going. The Hurricanes retained him for this season. His absence due to injury contributed to their elimination from the second round by the New York Rangers. He missed 12 games in the regular season but the decline in his stats likely won’t hurt his free-agent value.

Necas could draw plenty of interest from teams seeking additional scoring depth. He’s been mentioned as a possible trade option for the rebuilding Montreal Canadiens. Necas is completing a two-year, $6 million contract and will likely attempt to more than double his money on his next deal.

HOLLAND, BERGEVIN AMONG RUMORED CANDIDATES FOR BLUE JACKETS’ JOB

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland’s report of rumors linking Oilers general manager Ken Holland to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Holland is in the final season of his contract with the Oilers. The Blue Jackets are in the market for a new general manager after firing Jarmo Kekalainen in February.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont reports speculation the Blue Jackets could consider former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin to fill their vacant GM position. Bergevin is currently working in the Los Angeles Kings’ front office.