Headlines

  • Wild Sign Danila Yurov To Entry-Level Contract
  • Johnston: “Zero Reason” To Believe Mitch Marner Signs Extension With Maple Leafs
  • Brad Shaw Won’t Return To Flyers
  • Full 2025 NHL Draft Order
  • Sam Gagner Confirms Retirement, Joins Senators’ Front Office
  • Mark Stone Out For Game 5
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for April 2018

Goaltending Situation In Buffalo Still Unsettled

April 11, 2018 at 1:34 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill took the podium today for the team’s season-ending press conference, and spoke on several topics including the future of Phil Housley—who, not unexpectedly, will be back next season—and the comments made by players like Ryan O’Reilly. Admitting that things need to change drastically right down to the culture of the team, he also touched on a goaltending situation that remains in flux.

Botterill announced that he is excited to have Linus Ullmark as one of the NHL goaltenders next season, but couldn’t say at this point who would be paired with him. That’s partly because of the free agent situation both current netminders find themselves in, but likely also because of the disappointing season that preceded the presser.

Chad Johnson is an unrestricted free agent come July 1st, and after posting an .891 save percentage this season is unlikely to return for the Sabres. Though Johnson has posted fine numbers in the past, pairing him with the relatively inexperienced Ullmark seems like a recipe for disaster. He’ll be 32 in 2018-19, and looked lost in the net at some points this season.

More likely—but perhaps only barely—is the return of Robin Lehner. After using a first-round pick to acquire him from the Ottawa Senators, Lehner actually put up two very strong seasons behind lackluster teams in 2015-17. Posting save percentages of .924 (albeit in a small sample) and .920, he looked like he truly could be a long-term option in Buffalo. There were some questions about his consistency though, as the emotional goaltender could sometimes get in his own way. Those inconsistencies were the story this season, as his numbers dropped across the board and led to questions about his future.

Lehner will be a restricted free agent this summer, but is coming off a $4MM salary this season. That means his qualifying offer would need to be at least that much, something the Sabres might not feel accurately portrays his value. If Ullmark is given the keys to the club and is expected to handle at least a good chunk of the starting duties, it’s not clear if Lehner would be re-signed or moved.

If he is put up for trade, there are certainly clubs that would be interested. As stated above, Lehner clearly has the talent to be an above-average goaltender in the NHL. Put on a stronger team, with a healthy leadership core, perhaps the best of him would come out once again. Still only 26, there is even room for him to grow as a professional and squeeze out some of the inconsistency from his game.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Buffalo Sabres| Jason Botterill| Phil Housley Chad Johnson| Linus Ullmark| Robin Lehner

0 comments

Buffalo Sabres Sign Andrew Oglevie To Entry-Level Deal

April 11, 2018 at 12:21 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Buffalo Sabres have signed an NCAA free agent, inking Andrew Oglevie to an entry-level contract. Oglevie recently finished his junior year at Notre Dame, where he helped them to the title game in the NCAA tournament. Though the press release indicates that the contract is for three seasons, Oglevie’s age prevents him from signing anything longer than a two-year entry-level deal.

The 23-year old forward scored 39 points in 36 games this year for Notre Dame, his second consecutive point-per-game season in the NCAA. After playing with Anders Bjork last season, Oglevie was given even more offensive responsibility and still found plenty of success. That should bode well for his future, though an NHL career is still far from guaranteed.

In Buffalo, adding talented offensive players like Oglevie in ways other than the draft can only continue to help their organization. Though things haven’t gone well in recent years for the Sabres, the Rochester Americans are heading to the playoffs and GM Jason Botterill continues to add talent from any source he can. Oglevie could potentially join the Americans on an amateur tryout for the last few games, though the release does not indicate that he will.

Instead, he’ll be another name that should compete for a spot with the Sabres in training camp. There should be plenty of battles for the last few spots, as the team tries to find the right mix to help them climb out of the basement.

Buffalo Sabres| NCAA

0 comments

Vladimir Tarasenko To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

April 11, 2018 at 10:30 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Wednesday: Tarasenko’s surgery was successful, and he will be re-evaluated at the beginning of training camp in September.

Tuesday: The St. Louis Blues were conducting season-ending media availability today, when Vladimir Tarasenko revealed that he has a dislocated shoulder and will undergo surgery tomorrow. The 26-year old sniper was forced out of the playoff deciding game against the Colorado Avalanche, and couldn’t help his team climb back and try to secure a postseason berth. Tarasenko expects to be ready for the start of the 2018-19 season.

The Blues’ superstar forward scored 33 goals this season, his fourth straight campaign with at least that many. Armed with one of the most dangerous shots in the league, his offense wasn’t enough to carry St. Louis into the playoffs. Tarasenko still has five years on his contract at $7.5MM, but could actually be a relative bargain for that amount as he heads into his late-twenties. With the salary cap going up and long-term deals becoming the norm for players coming out of their entry-level contracts, the Blues can be sure that they have a superstar locked in for a reasonable rate.

The team will have to look for an answer next season, as for much of this year they looked like one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference. A February swoon that included a seven-game losing streak would eventually come back to bite them, as they would miss the playoffs by just a single point.

St. Louis Blues Vladimir Tarasenko

0 comments

Hudson Elyniuk Could Re-Enter Draft

April 11, 2018 at 10:11 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Carolina Hurricanes fans have been eagerly watching Hudson Elynuik’s junior career blossom since being selected in the third round two seasons ago, but they may not get a chance to continue. According to Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elynuik may not sign with the Hurricanes and instead re-enter the draft in June.

The Hurricanes have until June 1st to convince him otherwise and get him under an entry-level contract. After an 86-point season for the Spokane Chiefs, the 6’5″ center would be an intriguing addition to the draft pool for clubs looking for talent a little closer to NHL-ready.

Where he would eventually land in the draft is unclear, but it’s important to note that he was already ranked 68th among North American skaters in 2016 and hasn’t done anything to change that opinion. With an NHL pedigree—father Pat Elyniuk played over 500 NHL games—and both size and skill, he could climb even higher than 74th, where he was taken the first time around.

Carolina Hurricanes Elliotte Friedman

0 comments

Winnipeg Jets Recall Jamie Phillips From AHL

April 11, 2018 at 9:32 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

In preparation for their first round playoff matchup against the Minnesota Wild, the Winnipeg Jets have recalled goaltender Jamie Phillips from the AHL. Teams often carry three goaltenders in the playoffs in order to avoid a Scott Foster situation, but it’s unlikely that Phillips ever sees the ice.

With Eric Comrie and Michael Hutchinson manning the crease for the Manitoba Moose as they head towards the playoffs, Phillips wasn’t going to see a ton of time even in the AHL. That’s not because he doesn’t deserve it though, as the 25-year old has played well in his limited opportunities this season.

Splitting between the ECHL and AHL, Phillips actually carries a .912 save percentage in the higher league. Though that’s not world-beating, it is an impressive performance for a seventh-round pick who is in just his second year of professional hockey. Phillips starred at Michigan Tech before that, and has been solid organizational depth for the Jets the past two seasons.

AHL| ECHL| Winnipeg Jets

0 comments

Mikko Koskinen Expected To Pursue NHL Opportunity

April 11, 2018 at 8:44 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

Several years ago, the New York Islanders lost a young goaltending prospect by the name of Mikko Koskinen when he returned to Finland to continue his professional hockey career. After two years in his home country, Koskinen has played six seasons in the KHL, and most recently suited up for Finland at the Olympics. He was a star at both levels this season, recording a .931 save percentage during league play and a .932 mark at the Games.

Now, it sounds like he’s coming back to the NHL. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that Koskinen will leave SKA St. Petersburg for an NHL return, though it’s not clear where that will be. Though there have been reports indicating a possible return to the Islanders, Eronko calls that scenario “unlikely.”

Noted for his playoff dominance over the years, it’s interesting to see where Koskinen would land and what kind of a role he could carve out. It seems unlikely that he’d be given the crease as a starter right away, but at 29 years old it’s not like he has much developing left to do.

KHL| New York Islanders| Olympics

3 comments

Snapshots: Luongo, Johansson, Spurgeon

April 10, 2018 at 8:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

Although his salary is set to be cut in half for next season and the fact that he recently turned 39, Florida goaltender Roberto Luongo has no intention of retiring, he told reporters, including Jameson Olive of the Panthers’ team website.  While the netminder still has four years on his contract left after this one, it’s highly unlikely he plays for all of those considering that the combined salary for those seasons is $7MM; for comparison, he made nearly $27MM the past four years.  Not surprisingly, this is a contract that is still subject to salary cap recapture if he happens to retire before his contract finishes.  Luongo is coming off an injury-riddled season but played quite well when he was in the lineup, posting a .929 SV%, his best mark since 2003-04.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Although he has been cleared to participate in a full practice, it appears that Devils center Marcus Johansson is slated to be a scratch for their playoff opener on Thursday night, reports Abbey Mastracco of The Record. The 27-year-old has been out of the lineup since suffering his second concussion of the season back on January 23rd.  While his production had dipped prior to the injury, his return to full health should be a boost for New Jersey as they get set to take on Tampa Bay.
  • While the Wild will be without blueliner Ryan Suter for their postseason run, they are getting closer to getting a key defender back in the lineup. John Shipley of the Pioneer Press notes that Jared Spurgeon made it through a full practice for the second straight day but head coach Bruce Boudreau is calling him a game-time decision for Wednesday’s game against Winnipeg.  Spurgeon tore his hamstring back on March 13th and was initially diagnosed to be out for a minimum of a month so it appears he is right on schedule.  If Spurgeon can’t play in Game One, Shipley suggests that Ryan Murphy will make his postseason debut instead.

Florida Panthers| Minnesota Wild| New Jersey Devils| Snapshots Jared Spurgeon| Marcus Johansson| Roberto Luongo

3 comments

Red Wings Notes: Green, Goaltending, Larkin, Nielsen

April 10, 2018 at 7:52 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Red Wings defenseman Mike Green’s surgery to repair his cervical spine was a successful one, GM Ken Holland told reporters, including Gregg Krupa of the Detroit News (Twitter link).  Holland also noted that Green should be fully recovered for the start of training camp.  The rearguard was shut down late in March and wasn’t healthy heading into the trade deadline which played a role in him not being traded.

The question now becomes whether or not Detroit shows interest in re-signing the pending unrestricted free agent.  While Green’s offensive prowess isn’t what it once was, he still put up 33 points (8-25-33) in 66 games and their back end doesn’t have a lot of threats from the point.  However, considering that he’s 32 years old and the fact that the Wings are in the midst of a rebuild, it may not make a lot of sense to bring him back unless he’s amenable to a short-term contract.  Holland stated that a decision on whether or not to pursue a new deal with him may not be made until after the draft in June.  Green made $6MM in each of the last three years and it’s likely that his next deal will carry a pay cut.

More from Detroit:

  • Blues goaltender Carter Hutton is on Detroit’s radar for the offseason, reports MLive’s Ansar Khan. The 32-year-old is coming off a career year in which he led the league in goals-against average (2.09) and save percentage (.931).  The Red Wings are in need of another goalie with the trade of Petr Mrazek prior to the trade deadline to play alongside Jimmy Howard, who has one more year on his deal with a cap hit of just under $5.3MM.  Hutton’s salary was an even $1MM this season and he will undoubtedly command a significantly bigger deal on the open market this summer.
  • Centers Dylan Larkin Frans Nielsen has committed to play at the upcoming World Championships, Khan notes (Twitter links). It will be Larkin’s fourth appearance in the tournament while Nielsen will be suiting up for the first time since 2012 (and eighth time overall).  The tournament is set to be held in Nielsen’s native Denmark which likely plays a role in his decision to play this time around.

Detroit Red Wings Carter Hutton| Dylan Larkin| Frans Nielsen| Mike Green

0 comments

Non-Playoff To Do List: Restricted Free Agents

April 10, 2018 at 7:01 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

For 15 of the NHL’s teams, the season is over. While the Stanley Cup playoffs grab the attention of hockey fans around the world, the teams disappointed by regular season failure will start working on a plan to improve for next season. One of the biggest things on any team’s to do list is new contracts for their restricted free agents. These are some of the most important negotiations of the offseason, and can drastically influence other decisions depending on how they are resolved—see Evgeny Kuznetsov’s massive deal with the Washington Capitals for an example.

To retain the exclusive negotiating rights with an RFA, a team must issue a qualifying offer by the deadline (last year’s was 4pm on June 26th). To see how much the qualifying offer must be, and some more information on how they are issued, check out CapFriendly’s Qualifying Offer Calculator.

RFAs become free agents on July 1st like any other, and can negotiate a deal up to eight years with their current team. For the non-playoff clubs, that list is already front and center on the offseason task board. Here is a list of all the players who will become restricted free agents this summer for every team not involved in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Any of these players could sign a new deal in the coming weeks or months, and avoid the process altogether.

Removed from the list are those players scheduled to become Group VI Unrestricted Free Agents.

Read more

Arizona Coyotes

Max Domi
Dakota Mermis
Trevor Murphy
Laurent Dauphin
Marek Langhamer
Sean Maguire
Michael Bunting

Buffalo Sabres

Sam Reinhart
Scott Wilson
Robin Lehner
Victor Antipin
Nicholas Baptiste
Daniel O’Regan
Justin Bailey
Hudson Fasching
C.J. Smith
Sean Malone

Calgary Flames

Nick Shore
Mark Jankowski
Daniel Pribyl
Emile Poirier
Hunter Shinkaruk
Morgan Klimchuk
Jon Gillies
David Rittich
Hunter Smith
Austin Carroll
Brett Kulak
Garnet Hathaway

Carolina Hurricanes

Elias Lindholm
Joakim Nordstrom
Noah Hanifin
Andrew Poturalski
Klas Dahlbeck
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Phillip Di Giuseppe
Valentin Zykov
Lucas Wallmark
Trevor Carrick
Greg McKegg
Tyler Ganly
Keegan Kanzig
Sergey Tolchinsky

Chicago Blackhawks

Anthony Duclair
John Hayden
Tomas Jurco
Vinnie Hinostroza
Adam Clendening

Dallas Stars

Jason Dickinson
Devin Shore
Dillon Heatherington
Remi Elie
Stephen Johns
Mattias Janmark
Philippe Desrosiers
Gemel Smith
Cole Ully

Detroit Red Wings

Andreas Athanasiou
Dylan Larkin
Anthony Mantha
Daniel Renouf
Matej Machovsky
Matt Puempel
Tyler Bertuzzi
Martin Frk
Zach Nastasiuk

Edmonton Oilers

Ryan Strome
Anton Slepyshev
Nick Ellis
Drake Caggiula
Patrick Russell
Matt Benning
Darnell Nurse
Kyle Platzer
Iiro Pakarinen
Ben Betker
Braden Christoffer

Florida Panthers

Alexander Petrovic
Jared McCann
Frank Vatrano
Linus Hultstrom
Gregory Chase
Curtis Valk
MacKenzie Weegar
Edward Wittchow
Anthony Greco
Joshua Brown
Ludwig Bystrom

Montreal Canadiens

Phillip Danault
Kerby Rychel
Michael McCarron
Rinat Valiev
Jacob de La Rose
Daniel Carr
Tom Parisi
Zachary Fucale
Logan Shaw
Markus Eisenschmid
Jeremy Gregoire

New York Islanders

Brock Nelson
Brandon Davidson
Devon Toews
Ryan Pulock
Shane Prince
Kyle Schempp
Ross Johnston
Kyle Burroughs
Alan Quine

New York Rangers

Ryan Spooner
Kevin Hayes
Vladislav Namestnikov
Brady Skjei
Rob O’Gara
Jimmy Vesey
Chris Bigras
Adam Tambellini
Boo Nieves
Steven Fogarty
John Gilmour
Marek Mazanec

Ottawa Senators

Mark Stone
Cody Ceci
Chris Driedger
Nick Moutrey
Nicholas Paul
Fredrik Claesson
Patrick Sieloff
Ville Pokka

St. Louis Blues

Joel Edmundson
Dmitrij Jaskin
Jordan Schmaltz
Mackenzie MacEachern
Robby Fabbri
Nikita Soshnikov
Thomas Vannelli
Justin Selman
Oskar Sundqvist
Jordan Binnington
Beau Bennett
Petteri Lindbohm

Vancouver Canucks

Sven Baertschi
Troy Stecher
Griffen Molino
Markus Granlund
Jake Virtanen
Derrick Pouliot
Michael Chaput
Reid Boucher
MacKenze Stewart
Anton Cederholm
Cole Cassels

Free Agency| RFA

0 comments

Poll: Who Will Be Western Conference Champions?

April 10, 2018 at 5:15 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

The NHL Playoffs kick off tomorrow night with three first round matchups. The Minnesota Wild head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets, the Pittburgh Penguins welcome in their rival Philadelphia Flyers, and the Vegas Golden Knights host the first playoff game in franchise history when they take on the Los Angeles Kings. All three should be exceptional games, featuring superstars and underrated talents.

By Thursday evening, all eight series will have started and the first round will truly be underway.

So who do you think comes out of it all? This year more than ever the conferences seem wide open, with several teams built to be real contenders for the Stanley Cup. Even with weaker records, some of the lower seeds have the ability to catch fire for a few weeks, while injuries can always upset the favorites. Vote below on who you think will win the Western Conference, and explain why in the comment section. Will the Predators head back to the Finals for the second year in a row? Is it another long playoff run for Joe Thornton (when he returns) and the Sharks? Can the Anze Kopitar and the Kings score enough to shock the world again?

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Anaheim Ducks| Colorado Avalanche| Los Angeles Kings| Minnesota Wild| Nashville Predators| Polls| San Jose Sharks| Vegas Golden Knights| Winnipeg Jets

4 comments
AJAX Loader
Load More Posts
  • Top Stories
  • Recent

Wild Sign Danila Yurov To Entry-Level Contract

Johnston: “Zero Reason” To Believe Mitch Marner Signs Extension With Maple Leafs

Brad Shaw Won’t Return To Flyers

Full 2025 NHL Draft Order

Sam Gagner Confirms Retirement, Joins Senators’ Front Office

Mark Stone Out For Game 5

Flyers Name Rick Tocchet Head Coach

Canucks Sign Tom Willander To Entry-Level Contract

Canucks To Name Adam Foote Head Coach

Ken Holland Accepts Kings GM Position

Offseason Checklist: Pittsburgh Penguins

Capitals’ Ryan Chesley Signs Entry-Level Deal

Blue Jackets Sign Oiva Keskinen To Entry-Level Deal

Wild Sign Danila Yurov To Entry-Level Contract

Johnston: “Zero Reason” To Believe Mitch Marner Signs Extension With Maple Leafs

Senators Begin Contract Talks With Claude Giroux

Pacific Notes: Hiller, Canucks, Romani, Pettersson

Blackhawks Interview Jeff Blashill For Head Coaching Vacancy

Sharks Prospect Egor Afanasyev Terminates KHL Deal

Jalen Chatfield Out For Game 5, Alexander Nikishin Making NHL Debut

Rumors By Team

Rumors By Team

  • Avalanche Rumors
  • Blackhawks Rumors
  • Blue Jackets Rumors
  • Blues Rumors
  • Bruins Rumors
  • Canadiens Rumors
  • Canucks Rumors
  • Capitals Rumors
  • Devils Rumors
  • Ducks Rumors
  • Flames Rumors
  • Flyers Rumors
  • Golden Knights Rumors
  • Hurricanes Rumors
  • Islanders Rumors
  • Jets Rumors
  • Kings Rumors
  • Kraken Rumors
  • Lightning Rumors
  • Mammoth Rumors
  • Maple Leafs Rumors
  • Oilers Rumors
  • Panthers Rumors
  • Penguins Rumors
  • Predators Rumors
  • Rangers Rumors
  • Red Wings Rumors
  • Sabres Rumors
  • Senators Rumors
  • Sharks Rumors
  • Stars Rumors
  • Wild Rumors

Latest Rumors & News

Latest Rumors & News

  • Brock Boeser Rumors
  • Scott Laughton Rumors
  • Brock Nelson Rumors
  • Rickard Rakell Rumors
  • Mikko Rantanen Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors Features

Pro Hockey Rumors Features

  • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
  • 2024-25 Salary Cap Deep Dive Series
  • 2025 Trade Deadline Primers
  • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
  • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
  • Active Roster Tracker
  • Arbitration-Eligible Free Agents 2025
  • Draft Order 2025
  • Trade Tracker
  • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
  • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
  • Waiver Claims 2024-25

 

 

 

Navigation

  • Sitemap
  • Archives

PHR Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Commenting Policy

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top

Register

Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version