The Los Angeles Kings are being linked to a few different names as the rumor mill keeps spinning, and one of the bigger ones involves Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
Zach Dooley reported that Elliotte Friedman said the Kings are among the teams interested in Nikishin. Auston Stanovich then pointed to the challenge in making that kind of move happen, saying, “Nikishin would be such a great get for LA. I just don’t see how they get that deal done, especially since it seems like CAR is dangling Nikishin to try and hunt a big fish like Hellebuyck.”
Elsewhere around the league, David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period said Nico Hischier is expected to land an extension in the neighborhood of five years and $60 million.
There’s also movement, or at least discussion, involving some of the NHL’s biggest names. Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild are still exploring options, with Wild owner Craig Leipold suggesting the deal could be either three years or five years.
Two sources told that the Colorado Avalanche and Cale Makar have not opened extension talks yet, though the expectation is that a deal will eventually get done and make him one of the highest paid players. Neither side is viewed as concerned.
In Vegas, signs are pointing toward a Rasmus Andersson extension in the $7.5 million to $9 million range. The Golden Knights are working with $4.265 million in projected cap space with Alex Pietrangelo’s $8.8 million LTIR, and they could create more room by moving Adin Hill’s $6.25 million.
Other names are surfacing in trade chatter, too. The Buffalo Sabres are offering forward Jack Quinn, while one Western Conference team tried to trade for Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov. The Maple Leafs are speaking with multiple teams about Morgan Rielly, and the Stars and Jason Robertson are still in talks as they try to find middle ground, according to Pierre LeBrun.
The Canadiens remain in the market for an impact forward. The Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning are also being considered as possible landing spots for Patrik Laine. The Utah Mammoth are among the teams interested in Kirill Marchenko, while the Canucks continue to have trade conversations involving Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson.
Pittsburgh is another club to watch. The Penguins have cap space and are looking for a major addition, and they’ve been involved on Robertson. The Flyers, meanwhile, have received multiple draft-pick offers for Rasmus Ristolainen.
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Maple Leafs May Have Just Opened A Door Bruins Can't Ignore
The Bruins have already made one notable move on the restricted free-agent front by keeping defenseman Jordan Harris in the fold, and now the focus shifts to what else Don Sweeney still wants to add before the market opens. Boston has been linked to the idea of bringing in more help up front and a right-shot defenseman, so the qualifying-offer decisions around the league are worth watching closely as the roster picture keeps taking shape.
Matias Maccelli is one name to monitor after Toronto passed on qualifying him, putting a versatile forward into the mix for teams looking for skill and playmaking. For a Bruins club still trying to round out its forward group, that kind of opening matters, even if the fit and timing will have to sort themselves out once free agency begins. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Tied To Rugged Blue Line Option That Could Divide Fans
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The appeal is obvious enough for a front office that has leaned on toughness in the past, but it also comes with the kind of split reaction that usually follows a player built this way. He just finished a seven-year deal and arrived in this discussion after a recent move from the Rangers to the Ducks, so any Bruins pursuit would carry both cost and baggage, even before the debate over whether his style is the right answer for a team trying to get deeper and harder to play against. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Tied To Another Move Fans Can't Ignore
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James Hagens is expected to spend most of his summer in Boston working on his development under the watch of player development director Adam McQuaid, a sign the Bruins want this stretch to be about more than just routine drills. There is also a quieter but important goaltending note, with Kyle Chauvette slated to be the teams emergency backup next season, a reminder that even the smallest roster details can matter once the schedule gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]