While the Stanley Cup Final continues, the NHL's off-season has arrived for 30 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.

Canucks eyeing Rossi? 

Pending restricted free agent Marco Rossi appears to be on the trade block and TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Vancouver Canucks are among the interested suitors. 

LeBrun writes in the The Athletic that the Canucks, Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens are all looking for a young No. 2 centre. Of those teams, the Canucks are the most interested in Rossi, with the Flames owning mild interest but preferring to add more size and the Canadiens seemingly not pursuing Rossi at all. 

Michael Russo of The Athletic reported earlier this month that the Wild were at a standstill in talks with Rossi, but general manager Bill Guerin said he was "not dying" to trade the 23-year-old forward.

Russo reported that the Wild made Rossi a five-year, $25 million contract offer during the season, which was rejected and countered with a bridge counter that the Wild turned down. Minnesota has since offered a shorter-term deal, which Rossi's camp is yet to counter.  

“There clearly is a difference of opinion with respect to Marco’s value,” Rossi’s agent, Ian Pulver, told Russo. “We will continue in good faith to engage the Wild to attempt to reach resolution. We understand that Billy likes Marco, but for how much? And in what role going forward? (That) is the subject of great debate.

“Like the Wild, we believe we have advanced very fair and reasonable contract proposals. What the future holds for Marco and the Wild, only time will tell.”

As a restricted free agent, Rossi is eligible to sign an offer sheet on July 1, which could put a deadline in place for a resolution. 

Rossi posted 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games with the Minnesota Wild this season, adding two goals and one assist in six playoff games. His time on ice dropped from an average of 18:15 per game in the regular season to 11:08 in the postseason. 

While the Canucks are looking to add a centre, LeBrun shuts down rumours the team is looking to offload another in Elias Pettersson. He reports that all signs point to the Canucks are encouraged by Pettersson's start to the off-season and intend on keeping the 26-year-old centre with his full no-move set to kick in on July 1. 

Pettersson finished this past season with 15 goals and 45 points in 64 games after topping the point-per-game mark in each of the previous two years. He carries a cap hit of $11.6 million through the 2031-32 season. 

 


Karlsson staying in Vegas?

William Karlsson has a popular name in the rumour mill with the Vegas Golden Knights potentially looking to clear cap space for a run at Mitch Marner. 

Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal cites multiple sources as he reports Karlsson, one of the Original Misfits in Vegas, is not expected to be dealt this summer. 

Karlsson is signed through the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $5.9 million. He's coming off an injury-plagued campaign that saw him finish with nine goals and 29 points in 53 games. He added three goals and six points in 11 games during the postseason. 

The 32-year-old turned into a star with Vegas after being selected in the 2017 expansion draft, going from six goals and 25 points in the previous season with the Columbus Blue Jackets to 43 goals and 78 points in his first year with the Golden Knights. Karlsson hit the 30-goal mark for the first time since that breakdown season last year. 

Webster notes the Golden Knights could still explore another path to finding space for Marner this summer, with the team currently owning just $9.6 million in cap space with 18 players under contract for next season.

 


Byram drawing interest?

Buffalo Sabres pending restricted free agent Bowen Byram is generating interest on the trade market with multiple teams interested, NHL analyst Kevin Weekes reports. 

Byram, 23, had seven goals and 31 points in 82 games with the Sabres last season while averaging 22:42 of ice time. The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenceman is coming off of a two-year, $7.7 million deal with an annual cap hit of $3.85 million.  

The Sabres acquired Byram at the trade deadline in 2024 in exchange for centre Casey Mittelstadt. 

Drafted fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, Byram has 33 goals and 110 points in 246 career games split between the Avalanche and Sabres. 

Byram recorded nine assists while averaging 19:22 of ice time in 20 playoff games to help the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022.