Is this finally the week Trevor Zegras will be traded?
It’s looking more and more likely. Because, according to Elliotte Friedman, the Anaheim Ducks player has a good chance of being on his way out this week.
That’s what he wrote in a text on the subject. So it could be imminent.
It’s clear that the Ducks are negotiating with other NHL teams. So it’s more than possible that he’ll be leaving soon.
But which teams could be in the derby? Because Friedman didn’t name anyone…
It’s easy to believe that the Canadiens, who are looking for help in the top-6 and want talent, are in the mix. After all, this isn’t the first time Zegras has been linked to the Habs.
Discussed Zegras as a potential stopgap at C that could eventually be shifted to the wing for the Canadiens.
Of note, the Canadiens had a deal in place for Zegras at the 2024 NHL Draft, and, if the 2C market continues to be dry, he may be a good compromise, for now. https://t. co/ZIPvm5fh1u
And according to our sources, the Canadiens are once again definitely interested in 2025.
In an ideal world, Kent Hughes would rather give away picks (not necessarily 16 or 17) and prospects the club has given up on. I’ll leave it to you to decide which names fall into the category of prospects the club has given up on.
extension
That said, Zegras isn’t the strongest of men, and I wonder how much Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton need to add the Ducks player after seeing the Habs get shuffled around in the playoffs.
At this point, he’s not my target of choice.
However, if the price is right, maybe the gamble could be worth it… if there’s nothing better elsewhere. And since only the Penguins are real sellers on the market right now, that creates a scarcity effect.
But let’s just say that if the Habs pass, I won’t criticize management. Zegras, after all, isn’t the player he once was… or could be.
Last summer, before he came to an agreement with the Penguins, Beauvillier had been linked to the Canadiens… as well as quite a few times when he had to change teams in the middle of the season.
Anthony Beauvillier could well realize his dream of one day playing for the Canadiens this summer. (Credit: Getty Images)
Could the summer of 2025 be THE time when Beauvillier realizes a childhood dream by coming to play in Montreal?
According to people close to the situation, the answer is definitely yes.
“I want to know the number of years, I want to know how many, but yes, for sure, if the phone rings and it’s the Canadiens, I’ll think about it a lot.” – Anthony Beauvilier
The 28-year-old Sorel native will be eligible for full autonomy on July 1. He collected 25 points – including 15 goals – in 81 regular games, adding another six points in the playoffs with the Caps.
With an annual salary of $4.15 million until 2023-24 and a $1.25 million pact signed last summer, Beauvillier won’t be breaking the bank in ten days or so.
According to reliable sources, both the Canadiens and Anthony Beauvillier are currently interested in each other. Kent Hughes is Beauvillier’s former agent, who is still represented by Quartexx Management.
“This could well be a reunion year for Hughes and Beauvillier. The two parties will definitely be talking July 1.” –Source wishing to remain anonymous
Beauvillier played center when he was younger, but he’s more of a left winger than anything else now. He’s 5’11 and 181 lbs. In short, he has a very similar profile to Alex Newhook, another former Kent Hughes client.
If Beauvillier ever joins the Habs, don’t think he’ll be filling an important position right away. No, he won’t be the team’s much-sought-after second center!
But as a depth addition, a guy like Beauvillier wouldn’t hurt. A guy very close to Quartexx once told me that Beauvillier was often the best player on the ice during the summer practice sessions conducted by the group.
At 28, a guy like Beauvillier now has the mental make-up to play in Montreal. He’s the kind of Québécois who can bring a lot to the franchise, its fan base and the fans.
All that remains to be seen is why he’s been traded so much in recent years..
Overtime
– A splint, but no cast for Giacomo Vrioni?
Vrioni came and sat next to us on the catwalk at practice yesterday. He didn’t seem to have a cast, but I could be wrong. I didn’t observe him closely.
#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that Rocky Thompson has been named Head Coach of the Bridgeport Islanders. He becomes the 10th Head Coach in team history.
Reading his text, it’s clear that the Bruins are much more likely to sign the American. The same goes for the Wild, who have been linked to the Minnesota native for some time.
Still, the Habs have prospects.
In addition to the Wild, the Kings, the Mammoth, the Red Wings and the Canadiens, the Bruins want to work hard to sign the free agent. – Jimmy Murphy
I can’t say I expect Boeser to sign in town. But at 28, he’d be in the age bracket of guys who might be targeted by the Canadiens’ management.
But he’s not a center…
(Credit: Hockey DB)
As a general rule, he’s a player who gets between 45 and 56 points every year… except in his 2023-2024 season, when he flirted with the one-point-per-game plateau, just like that.
He had 73, including 40 goals.
I don’t think the American has Montreal at the top of his list, and I don’t think the Habs will want to sign a free agent of his caliber (and in a price range that’s surely high) who plays primarily on the right wing.
But I can understand why management has its nose in the matter.
A new page will be turned in Toronto when, inevitably, Mitch Marner will be leaving for other climes. And that’s just as well for everyone.
But now everyone’s wondering where he’ll go.
And rightly so, since he’s the one who’ll be dictating the market. Whether he signs on July 1 or a few days later, many teams will wait to see what he decides before going ahead with a plan B.
Elliotte Friedman touched on the subject this morning in his podcast(32 Thoughts), and what he says is that a lot of people think Vegas is the team to beat. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s just a misconception across the league… but that’s the word on the street right now.
Why Vegas?
Because it’s a really attractive market for a free agent, but also because it’s a club that’s always looking to improve. You’ve got to hand it to the Golden Knights: they don’t want to sit on their laurels.
But the question we’re also asking ourselves is how long the agreement will last.
It’s important to remember that the salary cap is going crazy. In a few years, Marner and McDavid will still be in a position to sign a major contract.
We’ll start getting answers soon in Marner’s case, anyway.
overtime
– When’s the next collective agreement?
The NHL has a Board of Governors meeting Wednesday in L.A. The hope was to maybe have a framework of a new CBA extension in place for Board approval, but as of this morning I’m told there remain a few oustanding issues in CBA talks, so not quite there yet… we’ll see what this..
We’re four days away from the first round of the draft.
For the first time since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton took office, they won’t have the chance to draft in the top-5. But with 12 rights this year, including two in the top-17, it’s still an important draft.
Picks #16 and #17 will be closely scrutinized.
Analysis | Good defensive options will be scarce for the Canadiens in the first round https://t.co/UYFu1zmrYG
And in just over a week’s time, the free agent market will open. We’ll then see if the Canadiens will lose any depth players (Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak are names that come to mind) and who the club will add.
The club’s executives, like their counterparts at the other 31 NHL teams, must not be counting their hours right now.
It’s important to remember that right at the end of the 2023-2024 season, Kent Hughes was never afraid to say that the 2025 off-season was going to be very important for the future of the organization. That probably hasn’t changed – especially since the club made the playoffs in 2025.
And here we are.
When Hughes talked about the off-season, he didn’t mean June 1 or July 28. The big off-season is draft week and the opening of the free agent market.
And if I’m not repeating myself, here we are.
Since the Canadiens aren’t exactly a club that’s expected to break the bank on the free-agent market (don’t expect Mitch Marner or Aaron Ekblad in town next week, let’s say), it’s mainly the draft that the club is aiming for.
If there’s a coup, it’ll surely be this week. It’s rare for a big-name player to leave on July 15, you know.
Will the Canadiens draft twice in the first round? Once? Not at all? And if they do draft, will it be in the middle of the draft or will it be earlier?
Because the coup d’éclat that people are waiting for in the middle could be Caleb Desnoyers. I can’t say I believe it, but it’s a theory that has to be raised.
After months of work, I finally present my list of the best Québécois for the upcoming draft. https://t. co/mtsybstYie
One likely scenario is to see one or more picks and one or more prospects leave the Canadiens organization in exchange for a second-line center who can be there the day the Canadiens are ready to win.
Because if the HuGo duo want to surround Ivan Demidov, this week is an excellent time to do it.
You know as well as I do that the draft is often where the big trades are made. And if the Canadiens have something big to do to transform their organization, this is probably how it’s going to happen.
We’ve never really believed in the free agent route… and with the market not even open yet, options are increasingly limited for teams looking for help at center.
QUESTION OF THE DAY IN THE MORNING CLUB :
Nelson, Donato, Duchene, Toews… they have a new deal for next campaign. If you were in Kent Hughes’ shoes, with fewer options available, would you rather overpay to get your hands on a quality 2nd center,..
So yes, in my eyes, this is the most important week of the new regime. After all, in 168 hours, we’ll have to say that the Canadiens have taken a good step forward in terms of the club’s future.
And if that’s the case, the 2025-2026 season could be a lot of fun in Montreal.
overtime
– Speaking of the draft.
A few hours before his departure for California, where the NHL draft will take place on Friday evening, I went to meet Justin Carbonneau.
We talked about his expectations, the Canadiens, his confidence, the Armada and the NCAA. https://t. co/m9Glilcnd2
Tonight, we’ll focus on John Gibson, the Columbus Blue Jackets, Alexander Romanov and Jason Robertson.
John Gibson ready to be traded to Edmonton
The Anaheim Ducks goaltender of the past 11 years is now 31 years old.
This year, we’ve increasingly seen Lukas Dostal take over in front of the net at the veteran’s expense.
Gibson, who will reach the end of the 7th year of his eight-year contract next season, may be looking for a change of scenery.
In 29 games, he maintained a 2.79 goals-against average and a 0.912 save percentage, which is very good for a club like the Ducks.
Knowing that Dostal would be ready to officially take over as starting goaltender, the Ducks could very well want to trade the veteran goaltender to rejuvenate themselves or by adding one or more draft picks.
In his contract, Gibson has a modified no-trade clause with 10 teams with whom he would not accept a trade.
That leaves 22 teams, but we now know that the Edmonton Oilers would be a team Gibson would like to play for.
David Pagnotta: John Gibson would be willing to accept a trade to Edmonton – SN 960
– NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 22, 2025
That’s what David Pagnotta reported on Sportsnet 960.
It would be a great addition for the Oilers, who seem to be struggling in front of the net: Stuart Skinner simply can’t bring the Stanley Cup to Edmonton.
And it would be a fresh start for Gibson, who seems to have lost his starting spot with the Ducks.
He might not have the starting role from the start, but could very well offer Edmonton a 50-50 backup option.
Blue Jackets to try something major this summer
Columbus needs a revival if they want to make the playoffs and be competitive.
There are a number of very interesting, quality players on the team, but there’s one big piece missing from the roster, a piece that can make a difference.
And Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet that the Jackets are going to try something major this summer.
Elliotte Friedman: Columbus is going to “try something major” this offseason – Sportsnet
– NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 22, 2025
We don’t have details on what exactly they want to do, but something big is brewing in Columbus.
Will it be a big free agent signing (Mitch Marner)? Or a major transaction?
Only time will tell.
The price for Alexander Romanov is very high
The New York Islanders will have the opportunity to add an excellent prospect to their bank, and everything points to Matthew Schaefer.
However, rumors surrounding Alexander Romanov are coming out more and more, probably to make room for Schaefer on the left side of the defensive line.
With Adam Pelech and now Scott Perunovich on the left flank, Romanov is the logical choice to be part of a deal if we want to make room quickly for Schaefer.
And some teams will be disappointed to know that the asking price is astronomical.
Elliotte Friedman: Teams have asked the Islanders about Alex Romanov, the price is very high – 32 Thoughts Podcast
– NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 23, 2025
From what we understand, the Islanders should receive more for Romanov than the Habs got for him, if they decide to trade him, of course.
With Romanov as a trade chip, the Isles could get an interesting forward to help the team’s badly-needed offensive contribution.
I’d love to know what the Islanders would be looking for in return for the 25-year-old defenseman.
If Jason Robertson asks too much for his next contract, the Stars would be willing to trade him
Jason Robertson has been the talk of the town lately, and according to Darren Dreger, the Habs even have the pieces to dance with the Stars for the 6’3″ winger.
He has the potential to become the Habs’ best winger, with a 109-point season under his belt.
But the Stars’ primary goal is to find common ground on Robertson’s next contract, as he will become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2026.
On the other hand, if Robo’s asking too much, the Stars would be willing to listen to offers to find a trade for their star forward.
Pierre LeBrun: The Stars aren’t actively shopping Jason Robertson, but they are listening; if the ask is too high on his next contract they might circle back to teams with interest – The Athletic
– NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 22, 2025
It’s a good thing the Stars are opening all possible doors, because there’s a good chance Robertson will ask for a very high salary, especially if they wait and he produces like a real star.
The last two years have been a little tougher for Robertson, who had back-to-back 80-point seasons in 82 games.
But the interesting thing about Robertson is that he rarely gets injured.
In fact, with the exception of the 2021-22 season when he played 74 games, he has only played full seasons in his NHL career.
The Stars could certainly get some quality players and/or prospects and/or picks in return.
Overtime
– At about 4:20, Marco D’Amico mentions that the Habs are one of the best-positioned teams to deal Anton Lundell.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to make some changes to their line-up after another disappointing playoff run.
There’s talent on the forward line, but with Mitch Marner and most likely John Tavares leaving this summer, there will have to be more reinforcement up front.
Anthony Stolarz has been excellent in front of net for the Leafs, and they may finally have found their goaltending solution. And with Joseph Woll as backup, they’re on their way.
With the addition of Brandon Carlo at the deadline and Chris Tanev last year, the right side of defence isn’t so bad in Toronto, but there’s room for improvement in the defensive brigade, in my opinion.
On the latest episode of Leafs Morning Take (with Nick Alberga, Jay Rosehill and Nick Kypreos), the option of adding Aaron Ekblad was named, and it would make sense.
You can listen to the excerpt at the 49th minute of the video below:
Alberga seems to be on board with the idea of signing Ekblad as a free agent on July 1 to bolster the defense.
On the other hand, Nick Kypreos doesn’t seem to be too keen on the idea, as he thinks someone on the defensive brigade would have to be squeezed.
And that’s when he suggested trading Morgan Rielly for forward support to make room for Ekblad.
Why sign a quality defenseman to trade your best defenseman right now?
It doesn’t make sense in my book.
But I can see Kypreos’ point. Rielly certainly has good value and could allow the Leafs to add at least one, if not two, good players to their lineup.
But being in the Leafs’ shoes (and I’m not a GM), I’d try harder to sign a Nikolaj Ehlers or a Brock Boeser, if they don’t re-sign with their respective teams. And if there’s money left over, a veteran defenseman like Cody Ceci or Matt Grzelcyk.
Morgan Rielly is the mainstay of the defense, who can play in all kinds of situations, even if he doesn’t seem to be developing into the defenseman we were expecting.
Brad Treliving will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him this summer, with a number of options open to him.
Whether he makes the right choices remains to be seen.
Overtime
– It hurts to see this today…
I hesitate between 2 emojis: or https://t.co/CGZHKvorF E
– He certainly has a lot to learn from the all-time leading scorer.
Aliaksei Protas on what he can learn from Alex Ovechkin moving forward: “His inexhaustible hunger for the game, leadership, and his human qualities ” https://t.co/ZGAxDq8o1g
But now Hage has to concentrate on gaining more mass, and in a text by Stu Cowan, we learn that his assistant coach is very impressed with his progress in the gym this summer.
Rob Rassey, the associate coach at Michigan, says that Michael Hage has been working out hard at the gym to add some muscle this summer:
“From seeing what he’s done in the last eight weeks – and with eight more weeks to go in the off-season – I think he’ll be a different player physically next year.” – Rob Rassey
When a coach is impressed with your work, it’s always positive.
Hage could very well break the 200-pound barrier for next season, and that would be more than beneficial for him.
He could start to establish himself as a top center in the NCAA, with a lot of talent, but above all, an imposing frame.
And having good size goes a long way to helping you make the transition to the pros, especially in the NHL.
We know that the NHL won’t be for the right-handed center just yet, as he has another season in the NCAA and possibly another in Laval before making the jump.
Still, Hage is definitely on the right track, and he’s making a strong case to become a second center with the Habs sooner rather than later.
I’m looking forward to his season with the Wolverines this year.
In Overtime
– Russo puts Cole Caufield ahead of Lane Hutson as the Habs’ top draft pick. Is it too early to put Hutson ahead of Caufield at this level?
– Very interesting to know in view of the next NHL draft.
New at @TheAthletic: 2025 NHL Draft class superlatives:
– Best skaters
– Best shots
– Best hands
– Smartest
– Most competitive
– Most physical
– Strongest
– Most well-rounded
At some point, enough is enough. Enough is like not enough, as the saying goes.
But this gesture could possibly have hurt someone who was present. All it took was for one person to have been in the line of beer pushed back by Marchand and could have been knocked unconscious.
But hey, the odds were less and no one was hurt in the sequence. We can also understand Marchand’s gesture, as he was fed up with receiving open beers dripping all over the bus.
Speaking of Marchand, he seems to like his nickname “rat” and honored it in the nicest way possible: with a Rat King crown.
Brad Marchand is rocking a Rat King crown at the parade
And Marchand added to it in front of the mic, saying he was very happy not to have to face the Panthers players, but more importantly, that he’s happy not to have to worry about getting hit by Sam Bennett.
While Marchand has been a nuisance throughout his career, Bennett is another name that has been the talk of the town for questionable gestures, often towards the opposing goalkeeper.
On the subject of the Panthers’ “dirty” style of play, Bennett was keen to speak out and apologize…
Specifically, he’d like to apologize to… absolutely nobody.
Sam Bennett’s message to people who criticize the Panthers as “dirty”
Poppy and Penny are certainly favorites with the Florida crowd, and the coach did a great job of bringing them back.
Of course, as Maurice mentioned, it was his daughter who urged him to do it again today.
If your daughter asks you, you do it, especially as a double champion.
There was a big controversy this year about low-tax teams like Florida State.
It came up in a speech today, pointing the finger at Paul “Biz Nasty” Bissonnette, who is a staunch advocate of tax equality, or at least finds it simply unfair.
Biz Nasty responded to this tweet about the speech in question by keeping his point and seeking the approval of Toronto Maple Leafs fans.
The whole saga is one to watch, but for now, the day is reserved for the defending champions, the Florida Panthers, and their fans.
Overtime
– Could Jason Robertson leave the Dallas Stars?
Pierre LeBrun: The Stars aren’t actively shopping Jason Robertson, but they are listening; if the ask is too high on his next contract they might circle back to teams with interest – The Athletic
– NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 22, 2025
While there’s a lot of talk about the players the Habs might target on July 1, we shouldn’t forget that the club also has free agents in the making on its roster. After all, guys like Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia have done the city proud over the past few years, and they’re on track to become free agents in ten days or so.
The popular feeling right now is that both players won’t be back. Their departure would hurt (especially at the numerical disadvantage), but there are youngsters on the rise and we’ll have to make room for them.
Dvorak, on the other hand, is a little more interesting. The Habs have a surplus of right-handed centers, and a guy like Dvorak (who is left-handed) could still help out for a year or two. There’s a reason the club was interested in Jonathan Toews, you know.
And on the Tellement Hockey podcast, Marc Antoine Godin chatted a bit about Dvorak… and listening to him, you get the impression that the forward might not necessarily want to come back: going back to the U.S. probably speaks more to him.
Because in reality, Dvorak would be far from the worst option for the club… but he’ll have interest south of the border, and he’ll have the final say.
We know that Dvorak, who hasn’t always been a crowd favorite in recent years, is capable of helping a team in a supporting role. There are teams who will be eyeing him up, and you’d think that playing closer to home would be something he’d be interested in.
I wonder, for example, if the Blackhawks, who have a lot of money and could use a guy like Dvorak (who is an Illinois native) to take on defensive duties, could make him a competitive offer.
On the other hand, you also have to wonder whether Dvorak could be persuaded to stay in Montreal and play with an increasingly competitive team in which he has good friends. He’s found his way back to success with guys like Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher this year, and trying to recreate that magic could be an argument in favor of the Habs.
That’s assuming the club would like to keep him.
I expect Dvorak, like Armia, to leave the Habs next season. Both will probably get better offers elsewhere, and it wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Habs to make room for the young up-and-comers.
But if Dvorak is open to the idea of coming back, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to bring him back for a year or two.
Overtime
– The party continues for the Panthers.
Somehow, these guys are still out there popping bottles. You have to admire the stamina. https://t.co/uabFqCH9NL
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are trading two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EwrbA2ES9O
Reigning NBA Finals MVP – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
or 
https://t.co/CGZHKvorF 
https://t.co/5qFsKqepZJ
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