NHL Rumors: Things Could Get Interesting This Summer

Welcome to another edition of Full Press Hockey’s NHL Rumors! The Stanley Cup Playoffs are rolling on as the 2025 NHL Draft and the start of Free Agency will be here before we know it. Several teams will look different next season, as there are several prominent free agents this offseason, including Mitch Marner.

Welcome to a quick edition of NHL Rumors here at Full Press Hockey. We will look at what the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Buffalo Sabres are up to. In addition, we will provide some interesting nuggets about other teams with big plans this offseason.

Time for a Change of Scenery in Toronto for Two Maple Leafs Players

The Toronto Maple Leafs are finally making the necessary changes in hopes of bringing back the Stanley Cup. Toronto has not won the Stanley Cup since 1967, and they have two playoff series victories in the Core Four/Fab Five Era. Overseeing that was President Brendan Shanahan. His contract is not being renewed and most likely will head to the New York Islanders, but that is not certain as of yet.

However, Shanahan kept running it back with the same players, mainly Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly, William Nylander, and John Tavares. Matthews and Nylander got new extensions, but Marner and Tavares are free agents. While Tavares wants to stay, that deal should have been done if the organization felt he was part of the solution moving forward.

It could still be done, but the locker room needs new voices, not the same robotic and unathletic language. Letting Tavares walk might be the right choice. The same goes for Marner. He needs a change of scenery. Full Press Hockey reported that they needed to play hardball with him all season. The players can’t demand whatever they want and get it.

Marner and his camp didn’t want to negotiate during the season. Reports show that he was offered a contract to be the highest-paid Maple Leaf and didn’t take it. He refused to waive his no-movement clause at the deadline, which made him think, “If the team wants to move me, I am expendable.” Toronto can no longer rely on the same players to get it done and expect a different result.

Shanahan’s departure is the first step. As MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley said on Friday, “Change is hard … further change will probably be needed to get us to the next level.” Expect some major changes this off-season as this group will be breaking up.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Same Old Story: Toronto Maple Leafs Lose Another Game 7

Florida Panthers: New Look Third Line Delivers for Paul Maurice and the Florid Panthers

New Jersey Devils: Tom Fitzgerald Vows To Reshape the Roster This Offseason

Could There Be a Shakeup in the Big Apple with the New York Rangers

The New York Rangers have hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach. In addition, they are keeping General Manager Chris Drury to oversee the reconstruction or retooling of this roster. Drury started last off-season or tried to. He did not end up trading Kaapo Kakko, Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, and Filip Chytil during the season.

However, those were not the only names available last season. Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and K’Andre Miller were also among the players who were floated around as possible trade targets. Those players will be on the block again this summer. Though Zibanejad has a no-movement clause and felt that both parties agreed to the deal, we have seen other players be moved with those clauses. So, nothing is impossible.

Drury was ruthless with Trouba and Barclay Goodrow over that; he could do the same with Zibanejad and Kreider. There is a sense that Kreider’s time is ending in New York. A change of scenery could be necessary. This would allow the younger players to grow, come up, and fill their roles.

K’Andre Miller needs a new extension, but the sense is he could be traded, which leaves a hole on defence that the Rangers need to fill. But he has value, and teams see a player with skill and talent they can mould and fit into their system. It will be interesting to see if the Rangers decide to extend Artemi Panarin. Where does Alexis Lafreniere fit into the scheme of things? There are lots of questions for a team and roster that isn’t a playoff contender.

Will Bowen Byram Stay with the Buffalo Sabres

One of the more intriguing names this offseason will be Buffalo Sabres defenseman and restricted free agent Bowen Byram. At the 2024 NHL trade deadline, Byram was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche for Casey Mittelstadt. The trade has not worked out for either party. As Full Press Hockey has been reporting throughout the season, Byam has been a target of many teams, and his name was once again in the rumor mill leading into the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.