In today’s NHL rumor rundown, Anthony Stolarz of the Toronto Maple Leafs is due for an extension, and both sides have been talking about getting a deal done. Elsewhere, Yegor Chinakhov has not rescinded his trade request, but no deal appears to be imminent. Finally, Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights seem to be on the same page about an extension, and that could wrap up sooner rather than later.
Stolarz & Leafs Working on Extension
After finishing at the top of the league in save percentage and third in goals against average, Stolarz reportedly only has one goal with his new contract, and that is to be paid fairly. In a clip shared by Nick Alberga from Leafs Morning Take, Stolarz was asked about what he is looking for in his upcoming deal, and his response was, “just getting paid fairly. Something that helps the team, but at the same time shows they believe in me.”
Stolarz and Joseph Woll are expected to take the season as a tandem, and both goalies have a lot of promise in the crease. With Stolarz, his .926 SV% across 34 games gives the Maple Leafs plenty of optimism, but the biggest issue for the team is that the 34 games last season was a career-high.
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Stolarz has proven over the past four seasons that he can be one of the best-performing goaltenders in the league, but only for a light workload. If he is going to be looking for a deal like Dustin Wolf signed, he is going to need to show he can do it for upwards of 45 games, if not closer to 55.
Chinakhov Still Looking for Deal Out of Columbus
Early in the offseason, it was made public that Chinakhov was looking for a new home. There were reported clashes between him and head coach Dean Evason, which were labelled as “misunderstandings.”. At the tail end of the season, upon returning from injury, Chinakhov was a healthy scratch, and Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that general manager Don Waddell said Chinakhov couldn’t handle it.
Chinakhov has done well early in his career, but hasn’t scored at an elite level yet. He has showcased all of the talents, but between opportunity and injuries, he hasn’t broken through, yet.
Portzline’s latest report on Chinakhov states that the two sides have not reached the point of no return, and that Chinakhov was in town early to get ready for the season. Portzline also wrote that any conversations between Waddell and Chinakhov have just been exchanging pleastentries, and that any talks about a trade would be between the general manager and Chinakhov’s agent, Shumi Babaev. (from Updates on Blue Jackets’ Yegor Chinakhov and Adam Fantilli as training camp nears, The Athletic, Sept. 7, 2025)
Eichel Extension Could Be Soon
It has been reported by multiple outlets that Eichel and the Golden Knights are happy with the relationship with each other, and both sides are prioritizing an extension ahead of the season. Chris Johnston reported that he could see a deal happening in the $13 to $14 million range, and that both sides seem content with an eight-year deal.
This was on the latest episode of the Chris Johnston Show, where he extended the report by saying, “I could see Jack Eichel re-upping with the Golden Knights in the near future, I just think it’s such a such a priority on both sides to get something done”
Eichel’s time with the Buffalo Sabres had a lot of promise, but with so many distractions and the direction of the team, moving to Vegas made perfect sense, and has been a perfect fit. Eichel has reached his true potential with the club, and has established himself as one of the top centers in the league, which was always something people believed was possible.
Not only is Eichel scoring at an elite rate in Vegas, but he has also been one of the top defensive centers in the league. With both sides set on an eight-year deal, it shouldn’t be too difficult of an extension to work out.
