NHL Rumors: Oilers, Bruins, Rangers, Canadiens – Hockey Writers – NHL Rumors

In today’s NHL rumor game, speculation about what Connor McDavid will do with his next contract reportedly depends on what Leon Draisaitl does with his extension in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, where will Tyson Barrie land as an unrestricted free agent? He still has to sign a contract somewhere but other teams can use him. Are the Boston Bruins starting to worry about Jeremy Swayman’s deal? Finally, Kent Hughes talked about his contract strategy with key players in the Montreal Canadiens.

McDavid’s Contract Talks Will Close Draisaitl’s

NHL.com reporter Derek van Diest was a guest on NHL Tonight and was asked about Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid’s contract negotiations in Edmonton. Noting that he had a conversation with GM Stan Bowman at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and Bowman said he was looking to have things finalized soon, he also noted that the Oilers expect McDavid to be “the highest-paid player in hockey history.” Saying he deserves it, the dominoes will fall after paying Draisaitl.

McDavid can sign as early as July 1, 2025 and if Leon signs a long-term deal, McDavid will sign a long-term deal. “A lot will depend on where Leon signs, how much time he has, if he comes to the talks next year for Connor McDavid…”

From there, it’s how the Oilers build the team around these two that will prove Bowman’s fit as GM and Jeff Jackson as CEO.

Teams May Be Interested in Tyson Barrie

Brian La Rose writes that defenseman Tyson Barrie is running out of options for the upcoming NHL season, with his best prospects likely to require a Professional Tryout Offer (PTO) with a weak team if he wants a top-six role. However, if he is willing to accept the seventh defenseman position, similar to his role last year, he could be a valuable addition to a team in need of a second power play option.

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In the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers, having lost Erik Gustafsson in free agency, may consider Barrie as a contender for their sixth defensive spot. The Boston Bruins have to wait until Jeremy Swayman’s contract is settled, but Barrie could be a good fit for their lack of power play threats. In the Western Conference, St. Louis Blues could look at Barrie as a potential replacement for Torey Krug.

Bruins Getting Stressed About Swayman’s Contract?

Pressure is mounting to reach an agreement with Swayman that keeps him in Boston for a long time. The netminder has proven himself to be valuable and worthy of a major promotion, but one has to wonder if the Bruins have begun to realize that trading Linus Ullmark before the Swayman deal closed was a mistake. They even agreed that they would not go there again.

Now, it’s up to Don Sweeney to seal the deal and it doesn’t sound like Swayman is in too much of a rush to do so, maybe he’s happy enough to wait until that big offer comes along. The Bruins have about $8.6 million in cap space. and they cannot make any further additions until Swayman’s condition is dealt with.

Kent Hughes Hoping to Bet on the Right Horses in Montreal

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes spoke with van Diest and talked about the contracts of Juraj Slafkovsky and Kaiden Guhle and noted that he is locking his core into long-term deals, hoping that each contract will be considered a value deal in the final seasons. “I think Juraj and Kaiden signing, along with Nick and Cole, is important for us,” Hughes said. “We can’t give everyone long-term contracts, but the young players we’ve chosen and who are willing to commit to the end, I think it’s good.”

Kirby Dach was also considered a big part of the Canadiens’ progress over the next few seasons but was hampered by serious injuries. Hughes noted, “Overall, medically, he is doing well and feeling great.”