In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Evan Rodrigues trade talk is still floating around, but an interesting story about how he thought he was being traded to the Boston Bruins got some play this weekend. Meanwhile, an insider noted that at least five or six teams are still interested in Jack Roslovic. Finally, what would Connor McDavid be paid by the Edmonton Oilers if the salary cap wasn’t a factor, or a different revenue share measure was used to determine his salary?
Rodrigues Thought He Was Being Traded to the Bruins
Evan Rodrigues had a brief moment of panic at last season’s trade deadline. When the return for Brad Marchand took some time to be announced, and thanks to his bit of a dressing room prank, Rodrigues worried it was him going back in the trade.
According to Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast, the Florida Panthers forward feared he was being traded and Rodrigues’ teammates took the opportunity to stir the pot, convincing him he might be on the move. “They didn’t announce the return for over an hour,” Friedman said. The NHL insider said he got pulled aside in Toronto by Rodrigues and given the gears, noting not to wait so long next time when announcing a full trade.
Related: 6 Reasons the Toronto Maple Leafs Will Be Even Better in 2025-26
Rodrigues, who signed a four-year deal with Florida, has recently surfaced in trade rumors again as the cap-strapped Panthers explore options to get compliant before puck drop. Matthew Tkachuk is likely going on LTIR, so that will delay trade talks for some time; however, his name could pop up again. Rodrigues wants to stay put and has no desire to be traded.
5 or 6 Teams Still Interested in Roslovic
Over a month into free agency, Jack Roslovic remains unsigned—but teams are still talking to him and his agent. The 28-year-old forward, coming off a 22-goal season with the Carolina Hurricanes, still has “five or six” teams showing interest, according to Friedman. The Toronto Maple Leafs are among them, but with less than $2 million in cap space, they’d need to move a contract—like David Kämpf or Calle Järnkrok—to make room.
Roslovic, a two-time 20-goal scorer with 260 points in 526 career NHL games, is reportedly hesitant to sign a deal that feels like a bargain. He was projected to land a three-year, $3.5 million AAV contract, but that’s likely not in the cards now.
Other teams potentially in the mix include Vancouver (who checked in on him previously), Anaheim, and Nashville (author speculation)—both of whom have more flexibility. Anaheim and Nashville, in particular, could use additional scoring depth and have room on the roster. Wherever he lands, Roslovic remains the top name left on the market.
What Is McDavid Really Worth to the Oilers?
If the NHL didn’t have a salary cap, Connor McDavid’s next contract could look drastically different. On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said the Edmonton Oilers would gladly pay McDavid $50 million a year in a freer market. Current NHL rules cap an individual salary at 20% of the team limit—about $19.1 million for 2025-26. That number could grow if the cap continues to rise, potentially reaching $25 million by 2028-29.
Edmonton Journal columnist David Staples took it further, comparing McDavid’s pay to stars in other leagues. He noted McDavid would make $47.5 million if his salary was calculated at the 14% average of their team’s respective revenues for NFL quarterback Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), NBA star Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), and MLB’s Juan Soto (New York Mets). Based on the Oilers’ estimated $388 million in revenue last season, if McDavid earned just 10%, he’d make $38 million.
Staples writes:
“If McDavid took 10.6 per cent of Edmonton’s revenue he’d make $41 million. If he took the seven per cent of revenue that the NBA’s top paid player Stephon Curry made, he’d make $27 million. But if he took the 24.6 per cent that baseball’s top paid player Juan Soto earned of New York Mets’ revenues, McDavid would make $95 million.”
source – ‘McDavid’s real value is $50 million per year, NHL insider speculates’ – David Staples – Edmonton Journal – 08/03/2025
Friedman’s seemingly random $50 million evaluation remark might not seem so random when you factor in things the way that Staples did.
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