The NHL rumor mill had a busy day, and three situations stood out: Florida’s aggressive push for Connor Hellebuyck, Boston’s attempt to pry Filip Hronek out of Vancouver, and the still-unresolved contract talks between Adam Fantilli and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Florida’s interest in Hellebuyck was especially striking because of the size of the package it reportedly put on the table. Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts that the Panthers were willing to send Evan Rodrigues, the draft picks they used to acquire Brady Tkachuk - including the ninth and 25th overall picks in 2026 - plus another roster player, though not Anton Lundell.
For a goalie, that’s a massive swing. The Panthers had lost Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov to free agency and were clearly hunting for help in net.
What makes the Hellebuyck chatter even more interesting is that those assets are no longer sitting in Florida’s pocket. The broader league picture, according to the rumblings, is that plenty of teams are in the same boat: the pieces they once could have used in a deal are already gone. That leaves the Jets in a tricky spot when it comes to finding what they’d consider a fair return.
Boston, meanwhile, was also taking a big swing on the trade market. In a recent episode of “Behind the B,” the Bruins accidentally gave a look behind the curtain, with a whiteboard in the background showing the PuckPedia trade tool and revealing their offer for Hronek. The Bruins were prepared to send prospect Liam Pettersson and two of their own first-round picks.
That offer tells you plenty about how the Bruins viewed the blue line market this summer. They were linked to defensemen like Darnell Nurse and Rasmus Andersson as well, and while they did add Will Borgen, that move doesn’t sound like the kind of headline-grabber they were chasing.
For Vancouver, Hronek remains one of the players they have little interest in moving despite the teardown around him. He’s viewed as a possible next captain, has been strong individually, and appears happy to stay put.
The Blue Jackets’ situation with Fantilli has been slower-moving, but no less important. He still hasn’t signed, and with training camp already four days in, the delay is becoming more noticeable.
Aaron Portzline reported on the first episode of the Bobby Mac & Porty Show that Fantilli was unwilling to negotiate a new deal before reaching restricted free agency. The exact reason isn’t clear, whether he was looking for an offer sheet, more comparable contracts, or something else, but the intent was to get into the offseason unsigned.
That doesn’t mean he wants out of Columbus. It does mean the sides have yet to close the gap. Friedman added on the same podcast, “[Fantilli] had a target in mind for some time, and they just haven’t really budged from it…to this point, Columbus is not there.”
There may be room to work now that comparable deals for Cutter Gauthier, Connor Bedard, and Leo Carlsson are in the mix, but the basic reality hasn’t changed: negotiations are still ongoing, camp is moving on, and one side is eventually going to have to give.
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Panthers Have An Unusual New Traveling Backup Storyline To Watch
The NHLs latest travel requirement has added an unusual layer to every teams road routine, and the Panthers are no exception. Around the league, clubs now must carry a full-time emergency backup goalie with them for the season, a role that has long been part insurance policy and part hockey oddity, ready for the kind of frantic, once-in-a-blue-moon moment that can turn a quiet night into a scramble.
For Florida, the new setup carries a little extra intrigue because the backups job is no longer just a nearby arena or one-game assignment, but a season-long companion on the trip. The Panthers know better than most how quickly an EBUG can become part of the story, and this years arrangement gives them a fresh subplot to monitor whenever the team hits the road. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Still Have A Goalie Problem And Fewer Easy Answers
Floridas goalie picture remains one of the more nagging questions around the Panthers, especially with the market for high-end help still hanging over them. The club once explored a serious path toward Connor Hellebuyck, and the fact that it even got that far says plenty about how much weight theyve placed on stabilizing the position while trying to stay in the mix as a contender.
Since then, the front office has shifted its attention to other priorities, but the underlying issue has not gone away. Florida can keep evaluating whats available, and it may circle back on Hellebuyck, yet the harder part is finding an answer that fits both the roster and the price without forcing the Panthers to sacrifice too much elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Took Another Goalie Bet And One Question Now Looms
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Midlak has not yet made it to a development camp in Fort Lauderdale, which leaves the next step in his path a little fuzzy. If his role grows on his club side, the Panthers could get a better look at him, but for now his stock is tied as much to opportunity as it is to talent. [Read more 🡒]