In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Toronto Maple Leafs are rumored to be interested in Ryan Reaves. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames may have a few options for Noah Hanifin, among them the Florida Panthers. The Nashville Predators tried to move into the top five of the NHL Draft and the Philadelphia Flyers did their homework before selecting Matvei Michkov before taking him with the No. 7 overall pick. Finally, is Milan Lucic headed back to the Boston Bruins?
Are the Maple Leafs Looking at Ryan Reaves?
As per Darren Dreger of TSN: “Toronto would be appealing to the Ryan Reaves camp simply because this guy has so much personality on and off the ice, so it’s not just about that salary you are earning as an NHL player, maybe there is some financial dividends off the ice as well.” Dreger adds that Reaves will have options as other teams will show interest. There’s also a chance he’ll stay in Minnesota and re-sign with the Wild.
Dreger wasn’t the only one to report that the Maple Leafs might be a fit. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the team is actively seeking to bolster their bottom-six forward group with a focus on adding toughness. Reaves, along with Austin Watson and potentially Miles Wood, are being considered as options by GM Brad Treliving. Friedman notes that the potential acquisition of Reaves by the Maple Leafs could be contingent on him not signing with the Minnesota Wild.
Panthers Like Noah Hanifin
According to Pierre LeBrun, “The Panthers have interest in Noah Hanifin but have competition from several teams.” He adds that the Calgary Flames would be looking at Anthony Duclair as part of that trade scenario. He also adds that Calgary would have options beyond Florida potentially a few offers that could be better.
Related: NHL Rumors: Oilers, Kings, Canadiens, Devils, Avalanche
Should Hanifin ultimately join the team in Florida, his presence would significantly bolster the top-four defense, potentially surpassing the performance of pending unrestricted free agent Marc Staal. Hanifin has consistently logged over 20 minutes of ice time per game in the last five seasons, accumulating 86 points and an impressive +29 rating in 162 games since the 2021-22 season.
Predators Tried to Acquire a Top-Five Pick
Heading into Wednesday night’s NHL Draft, Barry Trotz, head coach of the Nashville Predators, was actively seeking to secure a spot in the top five picks of the draft. However, none of the teams holding those picks were willing to part with them. The anticipation leading up to the draft was that Trotz wanted to make a significant move and create a buzz in the city hosting the event.
According to Frank Seravalli, there have been discussions indicating that goaltender Yaroslav Askarov could be involved in the Predators’ efforts to make a splash. Askarov, who was selected 11th overall in 2020, had an impressive debut season with AHL Milwaukee.
In his own words, Trotz confirmed the ongoing negotiations, stating that he and David (presumably David Poile, the Predators’ general manager) have been actively working the phones in an attempt to break into the top four picks. Trotz acknowledged the challenges in unsettling those teams but remained optimistic that there could still be changes in the remaining days before the draft.
Flyers Checked Around Before Taking Michkov
Seravalli also reported that the Philadelphia Flyers called around to teams near the top of the draft to see who, if anyone, was leaning toward taking Matvei Michkov with their draft selection. Their research suggested he would be available to them at No. 7 and the team then had to make a decision about whether they would let him slide by. Ultimately, they chose to overlook the concern about his contract status in the KHL and took the player.
Lucic Likely to Sign with the Boston Bruins in Free Agency
Reports suggest that Milan Lucic is expected to reunite with the Boston Bruins as a free agent when the market opens on Saturday. It appears highly likely that Lucic will return to Boston, with discussions already underway since the player was given permission to speak with other teams.
Additionally, there are indications that the Bruins are actively working on a trade to create more salary cap flexibility, leading to some roster adjustments. Lucic is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
