NHL Rumor Mill – April 18, 2025

by | Apr 18, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 18, 2025

Check out the latest speculation regarding the offseason plans for the Canucks, Penguins and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston wondered what the future holds for Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet and first-line center Elias Pettersson.

Tocchet’s contract expires at the end of this season but the Canucks hold a club option for another year. It’s believed they offered a contract extension, but Tocchet has strong bargaining power given his reputation around the league and his 2024 Jack Adams Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Management’s plans for next season and beyond will also factor into whether Tocchet stays or goes.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Pettersson had an awful season, prompting Johnston to ponder if management still believes signing him to his long-term contract last year was a good idea. If they decide to move him, they must find a trade partner and a suitable replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson has seven seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $11.6 million. If the Canucks intend to move him their best opportunity is before his no-movement clause kicks in on July 1.

Pettersson’s performance this season makes him difficult to move unless the Canucks retain up to half of that cap hit, which they won’t do. They’ll likely hang onto him and hope he has a bounce-back effort next season.

Johnston believes the Canucks must find a suitable second-line center. Filip Chytil is talented but not a full-fledged second-line center, plus he’s frequently sidelined. Pius Suter has shown potential in that role, but Johnston wonders if he can truly fill that spot next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Canucks could scour the trade and free-agent markets before then to see if there are obtainable options. They have over $16.7 million in cap space with 17 active roster players under contract for next season.

The Canucks might have to find a scoring right wing if Brock Boeser departs as a free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser recently expressed doubt that he’ll be back with the Canucks. If they don’t re-sign him, it’ll give them more cap space to add that second-line center, likely the more pressing need in management’s eyes.

Team captain (and reigning Norris Trophy winner) Quinn Hughes has two years left on his contract. They can sign him to an extension next summer, but Johnston believes he’ll want to see improvement before he commits to a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes isn’t going anywhere this summer but the Canucks’ performance next season could determine his future in Vancouver. That will play a role in management’s moves this summer.

PENGUINS

POST-GAZETTE.COM: Matt Vensel had nine questions that will define the offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

One was whether it would be the status quo for next season. Vensel doesn’t think so, suggesting defensemen Erik Karlsson and winger Rickard Rakell as trade candidates this summer.

Winger Bryan Rust’s no-movement clause expires at the end of this season but it would take a significant offer to convince management to part with him. Much-maligned defenseman Ryan Graves and goaltender Tristan Jarry could be shopped this summer, though the latter is no sure thing if they can’t find a suitable replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Josh Yohe of The Athletic believes there’s a real chance Karlsson could be moved if a suitable offer from a team he’s willing to join should emerge, but it would take the Penguins retaining part of his annual cap hit.

As for Jarry, Yohe believes he’ll be back next season, citing his improved performance following his stint in the minors. Of course, the Penguins will listen to offers if a rival club expresses interest in him.

Vensel wondered if the Penguins would make a splash in the trade or free-agent markets this summer. If they do, improving the blueline is the priority. Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov are the top left-handed defensemen potentially available in the UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vensel also mentioned that Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will be the player we hear the most between now and the start of free agency on July 1. He cited Marner’s relationship with Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas during the latter’s tenure as Leafs GM. However, that relationship might not be enough for the rebuilding Penguins to win a bidding war for his services.

ISLANDERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple addressed questions over how the New York Islanders intend to address their crowded blueline during the offseason.

He believes restricted free agents Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov will be re-signed. Dobson’s difficult season could land him a four or five-year contract with an AAV between $7.5 million and $8 million. He suggested a six or seven-year deal for Romanov for between $6.5 million and $7 million.

Dobson and Romanov would receive lots of interest in the trade market, but it would be difficult getting equal value for either guy.

Scott Mayfield seems the main candidate to be moved. He’s got five years left on his contract with a full no-trade clause, but they could attempt to buy him out. Ryan Pulock has five years left with a full NTC for the next two years.

Adam Pelech had four years left on his contract with a 16-team no-trade list. Of those three, he’s the one they could prefer to keep.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 13, 2025

by | Apr 13, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 13, 2025

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Islanders and Lightning in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CANUCKS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have some business to take care of when they head into the offseason by the end of this week.

Head coach Rick Tocchet’s contract is up at the end of this season. The Canucks have a club option for one more year but they seem to have cooled on that, preferring to sign him to an extension. Neither side wants this situation to drag on too long into the offseason.

Friedman believes contract term is the big issue regarding Brock Boeser’s contract talks. Last week, the 28-year-old winger said it seemed unlikely that he’ll sign a contract extension. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Luke Fox doesn’t see the Canucks offering Boeser more than their earlier proposal of a five-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Fox suggested Boeser might fare better on the open market given the rising salary cap and lack of UFA scorers in their twenties. Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner is the biggest name, but once he’s gone, players like Boeser and Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets will be courted.

The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames want to rebuild on the fly. The Anaheim Ducks, Utah Hockey Club, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres are under pressure to improve and they have the cap space this summer to do so. The New York Islanders could shake things up this summer to add more scoring punch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tocchet seems more likely to get an extension than Boeser, but there are still over two months to go before the UFA market opens. A lot can happen between now and then.

The current Canucks management returned to the bargaining table with J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson when it seemed unlikely but neither player was weeks away from UFA eligibility like Boeser. Still, we can’t dismiss that possibility. We should have get a better idea of where things stand near the start of free agency on July 1.

As Fox pointed out, Boeser won’t lack for suitors if he hits the open market this summer. One of those teams he listed will sign him if the Canucks don’t.

ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Islanders face crucial offseason decisions after missing the playoffs this season.

The biggest is determining the future of head coach Patrick Roy and general manager Lou Lamoriello. Questions surrounded Lamoriello for most of this season but the spotlight shifted to Roy as the Islanders imploded down the stretch. His handling of several players (Pierre Engvall, Samuel Bolduc, Tristan Lennox) prompted speculation of a rift between him and Lamoriello.

Meanwhile, Lamoriello faces criticism for running it back with his aging core once too often. It’s reasonable to ask if he’s the right person to overhaul the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders fans have been calling for new management but Lamoriello is so entrenched that convincing him to give up the reins won’t be easy.

If Lamoriello gives up the management role he’ll still have considerable influence as president of hockey operations, especially with his son Chris being an assistant GM and a possible candidate to replace him.

LIGHTNING

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina wonders if the Lightning might end up trading top prospect Isaac Howard.

The 21-year-old left wing is the 2025 winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top US college player, but he’s indicated he’s returning to Michigan State University next season as contract talks with the Lightning remain stalled.

Howard becomes eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on Aug. 15, 2026.

The Lightning have a tried-and-true development process involving some service with their AHL affiliate. Current Lightning stars Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brayden Point were products of that process.

Encina believes it’s clear to Howard that he sees no direct path to the NHL with the Lightning, who aren’t interested in bringing him in at this stage of the season to burn a year of his entry-level contract. If the Lightning think he’s unsignable, they could use him as a trade chip this summer or next season to bring more immediate help to their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s still time for both sides to meet and try to sort this out. Nevertheless, this could end up like it did last summer with Rutger McGroarty and the Winnipeg Jets.

McGroarty wanted to join the Jets right away but they wanted him to get some AHL seasoning first with their farm team. He was concerned about what his future in Winnipeg would look like, resulting in his trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins last August.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 5, 2025

by | Apr 5, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 5, 2025

The latest on the Canucks and Bruins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Earlier this week, Patrick Johnston mused on what he called “the most disappointing Vancouver Canuck season in recent memory” as the club’s playoff hopes were all but dashed following their 5-0 loss to the Seattle Kraken.

Johnston wondered what head coach Rick Tocchet’s path forward would be following this trying season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tocchet is in the final season of his contract with the Canucks, but they hold a one-year option on that deal. He’s open to discussing an extension following this season but the club’s difficulties raised speculation that he might move on.

Tocchet’s been linked to the Philadelphia Flyers, who replaced John Tortorella as head coach last week with Brad Shaw on an interim basis. Tocchet spent 11 of his 18-season NHL playing career with the Flyers and remains well-respected and popular among their fan base.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Johnston also wondered how management would address their depth at center. “If they do keep Elias Pettersson, who are they going to find to be the other top-line center?” “Is Pius Suter really the second-line center behind Pettersson?”

If the Canucks trade Pettersson this summer, they’ll likely have to retain part of his $11.6 million average annual value. Finding a suitable replacement will be difficult.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading J.T. Miller in January did little to improve Pettersson’s production. With 45 points in 64 games, he’s having the worst performance of his seven-season NHL career. Since the Miller trade, he has 17 points in 30 games.

Nevertheless, Pettersson had 89 points in 82 games last season and 102 points in 2022-23. The Canucks know what he’s capable of and that there is no one available to replace his production when he’s on top of his game. Unless they intend to tear down the roster and rebuild, trading Pettersson makes no sense.

Even if they trade Pettersson, they won’t get fair value in return. His expensive contract and poor performance this season hurt his value in the trade market. Their best option is retaining Pettersson and hope he has a bounce-back performance.

BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes the Washington Capitals offer a template for the Boston Bruins to quickly retool their roster.

He suggests the Bruins bring in a younger, less experienced coach who can grow with the team, suggesting former Providence Bruins coach Jay Leach, who is now part of the Seattle Kraken’s coaching staff.

Shinzawa also recommends building around David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy through the trade and free-agent markets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston won’t tear things down to the studs with Pastrnak, Swayman and McAvoy in their prime and under long-term contracts. They must build up around those three as quickly as possible while they remain at their peak.

Bruins management has $28.8 million available next season with 11 active roster players under contract. They have the cap space to make additions this summer. The aim could be landing younger, affordable NHL-ready players from cap-strapped clubs or those looking to shake up their rosters.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2025

by | Mar 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2025

The Blue Jackets regain the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, Brad Marchand gets a point in his debut with the Panthers, Jets stars Connor Hellebucyk and Mark Scheifele set franchise records, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets regained the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, overcoming a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 7-6 on a shootout goal by Kent Johnson. Boone Jenner and Dante Fabbro each had three points for the Blue Jackets (75 points), who hold that wild card for the first time since March 14. Aatu Raty scored twice and Kiefer Sherwood and Pius Suter collected three assists each for the Canucks (81 points), who sit four points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have won two straight in a shootout after going 1-7-1 over their previous nine games.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Second-period goals by Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho gave the Hurricanes the win. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens (75 points), who’ve dropped out of the final Eastern wild-card spot after going 0-3-2 in their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov scored in his first game since missing the last seven games with an upper-body injury. Hurricanes defenseman played in his 915th consecutive NHL regular-season game, moving into fourth place on the league’s all-time Ironman list.

An overtime goal by Mason McTavish lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-4 win over the New York Rangers. Leo Carlsson had a goal and three assists as the Ducks a 4-2 deficit to force the extra frame. J.T. Miller, Adam Fox and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (75 points), who have one win in their last six games (1-5-1) to sit outside the Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Rangers each have 75 points, but the Jackets hold the wild card with a game in hand over the Canadiens and two games in hand over the Rangers. The New York Islanders are one point back and the Detroit Red Wings are three points back.

Brad Marchand set up Sam Bennett’s overtime goal in his debut with the Florida Panthers as they nipped the Utah Hockey Club 2-1. Bennett scored both goals for the Panthers as they picked up their seventh straight home win, regaining first place in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. Sean Durzi scored for Utah.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk made 24 saves for his league-leading seventh shutout in a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Alex Iafallo tallied twice for the Jets, who’ve overtaken the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings with 104 points. New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes was a late scratch for precautionary reasons with a lower-body injury. The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the first team to reach the 50-win plateau this season. Hellebucyk’s shutout set a single-season franchise record. Scheifele also set a franchise record for the most multi-point games with 201, surpassing former teammate Blake Wheeler.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Victor Olofsson scored two goals and William Karlsson had three assists for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 96 points. Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato tallied his first NHL hat trick.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco provides a breakdown of what led the Philadelphia Flyers to fire head coach John Tortorella on Thursday, citing a source claiming a series of consistent events since the March 7 trade deadline culminated in his dismissal.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Cam York and the Flyers are moving past a reported incident that led to his benching on Thursday against the Canadiens. He said he took full responsibility for his actions.

The benching was described as for disciplinary reasons. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported Friday that an incident occurred between York and Tortorella during Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli claimed the incident was a heated verbal exchange between the two men.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Daniel Briere said it wasn’t any one thing that prompted the decision to replace Tortorella. Nevertheless, the incident with York contributed to their decision to make a coaching change following the incident. 

THE ATHLETIC: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has been suggested by some pundits as a full-time replacement for Tortorella behind the Flyers bench. However, Thomas Drance cited a team source saying the club fully intends to use their club option next season to retain Tocchet. They also prefer to negotiate a contract extension for Tocchet this summer.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich returns to action on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche after missing four games with an illness. The Blues also signed top prospect Jimmy Snuggerud to an entry-level contract.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning will honor Ryan McDonagh for reaching the 1,000-game plateau during a ceremony before Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. McDonagh reached the milestone on Thursday against the Utah Hockey Club.

RG.ORG: Ryan Lindgren is enjoying his fresh start with the Colorado Avalanche after being traded by the New York Rangers before the March trade deadline. The 27-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 but his current focus is on helping the Avalanche win.

TSN: Minnesota Wild defenseman David Jiricek is out for the season with a lacerated spleen. He suffered the injury playing for their AHL affiliate in Iowa and is expected to fully recover before the start of next season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin looks at whether last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off adversely affected the overall performance of the players who participated in the tournament.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL attendance is seeing nearly league-wide gains heading into the final stretch of the 2024-25 regular season. The biggest gainers include the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2025

by | Mar 28, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2025

Check out the latest on the Oilers and Flames and a look at some potential new coaches for the Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited NHL insider Brian Lawton speculating over what the next contract for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard might look like.

Lawton mentioned some observers believe the eight-year, $72-million contract extension that Jakob Chychrun signed this week with the Washington Capitals could be a comparable. The average annual value is $9 million.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

According to Lawton, Bouchard ranks ahead of Chychrun. Given the huge points the Oilers blueliner has put him, he could gravitate toward the $11 million AAV of Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.

Staple cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggesting last year that Bouchard could come in at $10 million annually. He thinks that number could still hold up.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s production is down from last season’s 82-point career high but he’s still on pace for 60 points. He’s unlikely to get a deal similar to Dahlin because the latter is a better all-around defenseman and is in a leadership role.

The Oilers could use Chychrun as a comparable to keep the cost closer to $9 million annually. It’ll likely be around $10 million once the dust settles.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cites sources claiming the Oilers attempted to acquire versatile two-way center Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the New York Islanders before the March 7 trade deadline.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman wanted to shore up his club’s depth at center with someone who would be more than a playoff rental player. Pageau, 33, has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5 million.

The Islanders had two reasons for rejecting the trade. They didn’t want to retain salary and weren’t interested in a return of draft picks.

FLAMES

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson believes Flames GM Craig Conroy faces a crossroads in his rebuilding project.

The Flames have exceeded expectations this season partly because of the strong performance of rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf. His presence makes it difficult for Conroy to collect futures by leveraging veterans on expiring contracts in the trade market. By making them competitive in the short term, it could be tempting to pursue some short-term help via trades and free agency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy has stressed that he’s trying to retool the Flames roster and remain competitive rather than tearing it down and rebuilding. He’ll likely stick with that plan going forward. I doubt he’ll go chasing after aging talent.

Conroy’s next moves could be similar to his acquisitions this season of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, players in their mid-twenties who can fit into the Flames’ long-term plans.

SPORTSNET: A reader asked Pat Steinberg if the Flames will keep pending free-agent backup Dan Vladar or go with promising Devin Cooley as Wolf’s backup next season.

Steinberg believes Vladar’s solid performance in the second half of this season as Wolf’s understudy has contributed to keeping the Flames in the playoff chase. He thinks they’ll retain Vladar if he’s comfortable filling the backup role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 27-year-old Vladar is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The market is thin for goalies this summer, which could work to his advantage if he wants a larger role with a bigger paycheck, something he’ll likely find with another club.

FLYERS COACHING OPTIONS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun proposed several options for the Philadelphia Flyers to replace John Tortorella, who was fired as head coach on Thursday. Brad Shaw is filling the role on an interim basis.

LeBrun pointed out that Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks is the only coach on an expiring contract. The Canucks do have an option year on his contract. Tocchet recently indicated he’s waiting until the end of this season before discussing an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before Tortorella was fired, Ben Kuzma of The Province suggested Tocchet could use the Flyers’ coaching job as leverage if it became available.

LeBrun also mentioned Shaw, former NHL coach Joel Quenneville, and University of Colorado bench boss David Carle as potential candidates.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2025

by | Mar 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2025

Could this season be John Tortorella’s last behind the Flyers bench? What’s the latest on the Bruins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THIS BE TORTORELLA’S LAST SEASON COACHING THE FLYERS?

**UPDATE** The Philadelphia Flyers have relieved John Tortorella of his coaching duties. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This occurred mere minutes after I published the original post. You can read it below and laugh at how mistaken I was that they might keep him for another season. Cheers!

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently cited Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella taking responsibility for his club’s 7-2 loss on Tuesday to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tortorella also expressed frustration over the Flyers’ current losing skid.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella (NHL.com).

James believes Tortorella’s comments signal the beginning of the end of Tortorella’s tenure behind the Flyers bench. While the long-time NHL coach has a year left on his contract, his frustration over the rebuilding team’s struggles could suggest he’s not up to another season.

If this season is Tortorella’s last coaching the Flyers, James believes his replacement should be David Carle of the University of Denver if he’s willing to make the jump to the NHL coaching ranks.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes Tortorella sounds a lot like he did when he “walked the plank” in Vancouver after his dismal one-year reign of error coaching the Canucks in 2013-14.

Kuzma wonders if the Flyers might try to woo Canucks current head coach Rick Tocchet, who is in the final year of his current contract, though there’s a club option for next season. It could give Tocchet leverage in his contract talks with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation over the fates of coaches on losing teams always arises at this point in the season. Tortorella’s future in Philadelphia likely rests with him. For the most part, he’s done a good job in keeping the rebuilding Flyers competitive since last season. The front office could keep him in place for next season to see how things shake out.

Tortorella cannot be faulted for the Flyers’ weak goaltending or management’s decision to trade away a leader like Scott Laughton or long-time Flyers like Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. Those are among the key factors contributing to their current slide.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes the Boston Bruins will need more speed in their lineup if they hope to improve next season. He cited several recent examples of how their inability to get to pucks and places quickly enough remains a problem.

The return of healthy puck-moving defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm will help next season. The blueline could undergo additional makeovers if management decides to add more speed. The Bruins also have only five forwards under contract for next year, giving management more flexibility in that area to address the issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins will have nearly $28 million in cap space for next season with 12 active roster players under contract. The most notable player to re-sign is restricted free-agent winger Morgan Geekie. They could have sufficient room this offseason to add faster players.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Bruins are among a handful of teams interested in signing Cornell University forward Dalton Bancroft.

Bancroft, 24, is a 6’3”, 207-pound right wing in his third season with Cornell. He leads them with 15 goals and is second in points with 26 in 34 games. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and Tampa Bay Lightning are also believed to be interested in the big power forward.