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.
In Other News...
Hellebuyck Standoff Just Put Even More Pressure On The Jets
The Connor Hellebuyck situation has already put Winnipeg in a tricky spot, and now one of the teams most closely tied to him appears to have shifted its attention elsewhere. Florida was reportedly interested enough to make a trade offer that would have centered on a veteran forward and draft help, a sign the Jets still had a real market for their goalie even with the relationship heading in the wrong direction. For Winnipeg, the bigger issue remains the same: a franchise goaltender is in limbo, and the longer it drags on, the harder it gets to treat this like anything other than a defining team decision.
Hellebuycks status also makes the standoff feel more urgent inside the Jets room. He was suspended after failing to report to training camp following his trade request, and that has only deepened the pressure on Winnipeg to find a resolution one way or another. Florida is still expected to keep an eye on the situation, but the broader problem is unchanged for the Jets. They need clarity at a position that can shape everything else about the season, and right now they do not have it. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Already Has One Big Tension Around Opening Night
Training camp rolled into its second day at the Hockey for All Centre, with Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry, Cole Perfetti and coach Scott Arniel all available to the media as the Jets kept building toward opening night. It is still early in camp, but there is already a practical wrinkle hanging over the season, one that will affect how fans follow the club at home and on the road.
The issue stems from Manitoba's decision to remain on daylight time year-round, which has forced the Jets to adjust the start times for a dozen home games. Before the regular season begins, there is also a Prospect Challenge game in Edmonton against the Oilers, giving the organization another chance to sort through mostly young players while keeping a close eye on how the schedule changes might shape the way the season is experienced back in Winnipeg. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Suddenly Hinges On One Line Finding Its Edge
A shortened training camp has put a little extra weight on Winnipegs forward combinations, and Cole Perfetti is right in the middle of it. The young winger is eager for the chance to build chemistry with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, a pairing that gives him immediate access to two of the Jets most dangerous offensive players and a clearer path to showing he can fit on a top line.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Adam Lowrys group with Morgan Barron and Brad Lambert is being counted on for the steady, defensive-minded work that can make a team hard to play against, while Lambert is looking to take a step forward this season. Nino Niederreiter is also part of the early camp conversation as he tries to get through a healthy year and rediscover the form that made him such a useful piece for Winnipeg before knee surgery interrupted his season. [Read more 🡒]