NHL Rumors: Pettersson Talk, Ducks Plans, Oilers Chase & Trocheck to Maple Leafs?

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Edmonton Oilers appear locked in on a coaching upgrade, but some wonder if there’s really more than one candidate on GM Stan Bowman’s radar. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking for a replacement coach, and Edmonton’s recently fired bench boss might make the short list. The Vancouver Canucks are setting (or removing) expectations for Elias Pettersson, and the Anaheim Ducks face a pivotal offseason after their playoff exit. Finally, are the Maple Leafs interested in trading for Vincent Trocheck?

Insider Believes Oilers Have Zeroed In on Coaching Upgrade

The Oilers’ decision to move on from Kris Knoblauch may have been messy and the timing poor, but insiders suggest it was also inevitable. Elliotte Friedman noted that the organization appeared “clumsy but unapologetic” because of their desire to reevaluate everything. Bowman said the Oilers will follow a full process in finding the next coach, but Friedman believes it’s all about Bruce Cassidy.

The sense is that Cassidy—or someone of his pedigree— was going to be the way Edmonton leaned, and Knoblauch was unlikely to stay. At this point, the timeline could be solely about when they’re granted permission to speak with Cassidy formally. If that door opens, Edmonton is expected to move quickly to secure Cassidy as their next head coach.

Could Coaching Carousel Link Oilers and Maple Leafs?

With both Edmonton and Toronto making coaching changes, speculation is already building about how the vacancies could intersect. Craig Berube and Knoblauch are now two of the most notable names available, and there’s chatter about a possible swap of sorts between the two markets.

TSN insider Darren Dreger brought up the possibility of both during a recent appearance on OverDrive. He suggested Berube could be a fit for the Oilers given their win-now window, while Knoblauch might intrigue the Maple Leafs—particularly because of his experience with top stars and his calm approach behind the bench. With Toronto’s new management group emphasizing doing an exhaustive search, no one should be shocked if Knoblauch gets an interview.

Cassidy remains the top prize, but if Edmonton can’t land him, Berube becomes a logical fallback.

Are the Maple Leafs Interested in Vincent Trocheck?

According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the New York Rangers are trying to move off the contract of Vincent Trocheck and the Maple Leafs are a team with interest. It’s unclear how much the two sides have talked, but the belief is that they would look to slide him into the second-line center spot and move John Tavares down.

“Toronto’s among the teams that have some interest, for sure,” said Dreger.

Canucks Challenge Pettersson to Reset

The Vancouver Canucks’ new leadership group made it clear they’re not giving up on Elias Pettersson—but they are going to challenge him. General manager Ryan Johnson, alongside co-presidents Henrik and Daniel Sedin, emphasized preparation, culture, and accountability as key themes heading into next season.

Rather than fueling trade speculation, the organization is focused on helping Pettersson rediscover his elite form, and Johnson said he is removing all expectations. The Sedins stressed that even they had ups and downs in their career and they felt they were at their best when they came in the most prepared.

Pettersson, who remains under contract long-term, has expressed a desire to stay and be part of the solution.

Ducks Face Crucial Offseason Decisions

After being eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks head into a critical offseason. ESPN’s Kristen Shilton and Ryan S. Clark noted that general manager Pat Verbeek must navigate contract negotiations with key young players, including Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson, both of whom are coming off strong performances.

Verbeek has a history of tough negotiations, which could complicate talks. If things drag out, as they’ve done with previous players, the hope is that it won’t impact team chemistry.

They write:

“The challenge for the Ducks in the near future: Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger and Gauthier are restricted free agents this offseason. Getting new deals done for them comes as the club has three veteran defensemen — John Carlson, Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba — who are hitting unrestricted free agency. There is a lot of projected cap space, but it could be tricky to keep everyone.”

There’s also speculation the Ducks could pursue a major trade, potentially targeting a high-end star to accelerate their rebuild.