NHL Rumors: Hughes and Wild, Tuch and Sabres, McDavid and Berube? – The Hockey Writers – NHL Rumors

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Buffalo Sabres are facing a pivotal decision on Alex Tuch after a tough playoff exit, the Edmonton Oilers are dealing with backlash and possible Connor McDavid fallout over their recent coaching search news, and the Minnesota Wild are making Quinn Hughes their top offseason priority.

Sabres Facing Tough Call on Alex Tuch

The Buffalo Sabres lost Game 7 of their series to the Montreal Canadiens, and it won’t take long for the conversation in Buffalo to switch to a focus on UFAs and RFAs, namely Alex Tuch. The pending unrestricted free agent is coming off a strong regular season, but his playoff performance raised questions at the worst possible time. After posting seven points against Boston in Round 1, Tuch went scoreless and finished minus-10 against Montreal, though there are suggestions he may have been playing through injury.

Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has already indicated a desire to keep Tuch, but the financials could complicate things. A long-term deal in the range of $10 million annually comes with risk, especially given concerns about consistency. Still, with a thin free agent market, Tuch’s value remains high. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers could show interest, leaving Buffalo with a difficult decision on whether to meet his price or risk losing a key leader.

Oilers Coaching Search Drawing Heat

Speaking of the Edmonton Oilers, their reported interest in Craig Berube has sparked strong reactions from fans and media. While the team has received permission to speak with the former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach, many are questioning the fit—particularly when it comes to maximizing stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Berube’s struggles in Toronto were well documented. Perhaps more than any other coach in the NHL this past season. The takeaway was that Berube has been a winning coach in the past, but his team’s offensive production and defensive structure fell apart. How would he align with Edmonton’s high-skill roster, and could it frustrate McDavid and potentially impact his long-term future with the franchise?

Some believe the Oilers are simply doing their due diligence or using the interview as leverage while waiting on other candidates, such as Bruce Cassidy. At the same time, there is no guarantee that the Oilers will get a chance to speak with Cassidy.

Wild Make Quinn Hughes “Priority One”

In Minnesota, the focus is clear: keep Quinn Hughes. Wild GM Bill Guerin has made it known that re-signing Hughes is the organization’s top priority this offseason. “I love having him here. I mean, the impact that he had on our team was incredible, so yeah, priority one,” Guerin said.

However, negotiations may not be straightforward. If Hughes seeks a deal comparable to the league’s highest-paid stars—potentially in the $17 million range annually—the Wild could face a difficult cap decision. Quinn Hughes said in his post-season media availability: “I really like it here. I think that I would definitely be open to re-signing.”

Despite the uncertainty, there is optimism that a deal can be reached. If Hughes is open to staying, and the Wild want him to stay, only money stands in the way. So too, his strong relationship between his camp and the organization could play a key role. Meanwhile, there is buzz that the New Jersey Devils haven’t completely put aside the idea that Hughes could be an option, and if he hits the trade market, they would make a significant offer.

Golden Knights Appeal NHL’s Sanctions

It is being reported that the Vegas Golden Knights have appealed the NHL’s sanctions against them in relation to the team skipping their media availability after Game 6 versus the Ducks. Coach John Tortorella was hit with a $100K fine, and the team was docked a second-round draft pick.

As it stands, the league has kept the sanctions in place. There is still a chance that Gary Bettman could reduce the penalties.