The NHL's off-season has arrived for all 32 teams who are preparing for the NHL Draft starting on June 27 and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.


Senators a suitor for Boeser?

With the Ottawa Senators looking for five-on-five scoring help, Brue Garrioch of Postmedia reports the Ottawa Senators will show interest in Brock Boeser when the market opens on July 1.

Garrioch adds that Ottawa is expected to face heavy competition for the Vancouver Canucks' pending unrestricted free agent, noting that the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres are all expected to be in on the bidding for Boeser.

He adds that Boeser, who earned $6.65 million on his expiring deal this past season, is expected to command a salary of roughly $8 million on the open market. 

The 28-year-old had 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games with the Canucks this season. He had a career season in 2023-24 that saw him register 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games. 

Drafted 23rd overall by the Canucks in 2015, Boeser has 204 goals and 434 points in 554 career games. 

Garrioch believes the Senators have likely kicked tires on Buffalo Sabres restricted free agent J.J. Peterka, whose name has come up in trade rumours, but a league executive told him a trade appears unlikely. 

Peterka, 23, had 27 goals and led all restricted free agents with 68 points in 77 games this season. The 6-foot winger is coming off of his three-year, entry-level contract that carried a cap hit of $855,833.  

The Senators have $10.75 million in cap space for next season with 17 players under contract for next season, per PuckPedia. 

 

Ryan Suter to hit the market?

If pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter is to return for 21st NHL season, it appears it will not be with the St. Louis Blues.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong spoke with reporters on Monday and said he had spoken to Suter, who will likely be a victim of the depth the team has on the blueline. 

“I talked to Sutes. I mentioned the seven (defencemen) that we have. He understands that,” Armstrong said. 

Suter, 40, had two goals and 15 points in 82 games with the Blues this past season while averaging 19:28 of ice time. He added an assist in five playoff games while averaging 16:54 of ice time before his team was eliminated by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. 

The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenceman is coming off a one-year, $3 million deal. 

Armstrong did not close the door on making changes on defence despite having Cam Fowler, Broberg, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Nick Leddy, Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel all under contract already. Torey Krug, who remains under contract, will not play next season, Armstrong confirmed. 

“I think we’re always looking to improve,” Armstrong said. “I think that if we came back with the four that ended the year, if they played a whole year together — Parayko and Fowler, Faulk and Broberg — it’s not the best top four in the league. But it’s certainly above average. We do want to see what Tucker can do. We do want to see what Kessel can do and do know what Leddy can do. So we have seven guys there.”

“You have to look at where do you want to improve,” Armstrong added. “Can we get better than Colton Parayko? Probably. What’s the cost of a player like that? $10 (million), $11 (million), $12 million in today’s market.”

The Blues, who returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 this season, have just $5 million in cap space, but already have 22 players under contract for next year.