The Boston Bruins have made one of the biggest commitments in today’s NHL rumors roundup, locking up Fraser Minten on a seven-year extension worth $7.2 million per season. The deal keeps the 22-year-old in Boston through the 2033-34 season and comes after a breakout 2025-26 campaign that put his name on the map in a big way.
Minten played all 82 games and delivered career-best numbers across the board: 17 goals, 18 assists, and 35 points. He also finished with a plus-21 rating, tops among NHL rookies, and picked up Rookie of the Month honors in January.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney made it clear the organization sees the growth continuing. “Since joining our organization, Fraser has continued to grow and earn the accelerated trust of his teammates and coaching staff,” Sweeney said.
Minten, who arrived in the Brandon Carlo trade, now looks like a long-term piece for Boston.
That contract will likely get attention around the league, too. A seven-year deal at $7.2 million annually for a player coming off a 35-point season is the kind of number that catches agents’ eyes fast.
Boston’s other young name, Mason Lohrei, is in a much different spot. Jimmy Murphy of RG Media reported that the Bruins’ depth on the left side of the blue line could make Lohrei the odd man out.
One NHL executive told RG Media, “I keep hearing Mason Lohrei as a guy that’s still out there and someone they’d still consider moving.” Two more NHL team sources reportedly said his name is still coming up in trade conversations, though they also stressed that doesn’t automatically mean Boston is shopping him.
Elsewhere, the Connor McDavid-to-Toronto chatter that blew up online has been walked back a bit. The buzz started after The Hockey News’ Michael Augello floated a theory he’d heard from another reporter, but he later clarified that it was never meant to suggest McDavid wants out of Edmonton.
“I don’t know why… I said it was another reporter’s theory… and it was conditional on the Leafs being good, and even then it’s not guaranteed!” Augello said.
He also said, “If the Leafs are good, their chances of getting McDavid are good because I think he would want to play in Toronto if they pay him,” before later describing it as “a potential scenario,” while adding that the New York Rangers or Los Angeles Kings could also enter the mix if McDavid ever reaches free agency.
In Vancouver, the Canucks have gone big on Zeev Buium, agreeing to an eight-year extension at $9.38 million annually. According to Steve Ewen of The Province, general manager Ryan Johnson said Buium has made his intentions clear about being part of the future in Vancouver.
“He wants to see a championship here,” Johnson said, and he added that Buium “really doesn’t understand the rhetoric behind the American not wanting to be in Canada.” Johnson said Buium wanted to be in Vancouver from the start and sees this as part of a long-term path.
And in Ottawa, Drake Batherson is still hoping to get his own extension done before training camp. Batherson said, “Steve knows I want to be here,” leaving the rest to the Senators’ GM and his agent.
He was also asked about the captaincy and said he didn’t care who gets it, adding that all the candidates would do a great job. Batherson also joked about texting Brad Marchand after the veteran took a shot at Tim Stutzle, saying he told his teammate that this is just what Marchand does.
“He’s been doing it for 20 years.”
In Other News...
Brendan Gallaghers First Canucks Take Hits A Nerve Before Camp
Brendan Gallagher has only just landed in Vancouver, but his first public read on the Canucks already sounds like the kind of voice teams tend to appreciate in September. The 34-year-old forward, brought over after 14 seasons with the Canadiens, said in a podcast interview that he has met with teammates and came away encouraged by the groups energy, describing the room as engaged and motivated as camp approaches.
For a Canucks club trying to keep the right tone as the season nears, Gallaghers emphasis on culture matters almost as much as whatever he eventually brings on the ice. He spoke about the importance of building a strong team identity and made clear he sees himself fitting into that environment, which gives Vancouver an early hint of how he plans to approach his first year in a new market. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Just Got A Reality Check On Elias Pettersson Rumors
A real estate move by Elias Petterssons family has been enough to send the rumor mill spinning again, this time tying the Canucks center to Los Angeles and the Kings. It is the kind of detail that can set off trade chatter fast, especially with the Kings still looking for a long-term answer down the middle and Petterssons name carrying plenty of weight around the league.
But the latest read on the situation suggests Vancouver is not treating this like a move-in-the-making. NHL analyst David Pagnotta said the Kings did have genuine interest, though their attention is pointed elsewhere right now, while the Canucks are focused on getting Pettersson back on track after a difficult season. For Vancouver, the priority remains straightforward: help him recover his game and build him back up, not ship him out. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Face A Jake DeBrusk Decision That Wont Go Away
Jake DeBrusk has not been moved, but the conversation around him keeps circling back in Vancouver. During a podcast appearance, NHL insider David Pagnotta said the Canucks appear to be thinking long term with the winger, suggesting the eventual plan is to trade him even though nothing is imminent and the timing is still unsettled.
Pagnottas read is tied to the fit between DeBrusks contract and the teams competitive window, which makes the situation harder to ignore as the Canucks weigh their next steps. For now, it sounds like Vancouver is waiting for the right deal rather than forcing one, but the fact that this possibility keeps resurfacing says plenty about how the front office may be viewing the roster. [Read more 🡒]