In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Evan Bouchard continues to struggle for the Edmonton Oilers. Are they prepared to send a message to the defenseman? Meanwhile, one insider notes that the Chicago Blackhawks’ talks with Connor Bedard haven’t necessarily hit a snag, but are on a “fluid delay.” Martin Necas signed a huge contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche, and what does the Necas deal mean for someone like Adrian Kempe in Los Angeles?
Bedard and Blackhawks Pausing Contract Talks
Connor Bedard’s contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks remains in a “fluid delay,” according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Discussions between Bedard’s camp and Chicago started conceptually over the summer but were paused until an undetermined time.
LeBrun writes:
“My understanding is neither side has pinpointed exactly how far down the road they’ve kicked the ball. It’s a fluid delay. Perhaps they pick it back up in the new year. Perhaps it waits until after the season. Either way, nothing is imminent on that front.”
source – ‘NHL rumblings: Star re-signings set a new market, plus latest on Panarin, Zacha, Robertson, more’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 10/31/2025
Bedard has 14 points in 11 games this season and is showing improvements across the board, including with his underlying numbers. The more he produces at the rate he’s going, the more expensive this extension is going to get for Chicago.
LeBrun believes that Chicago may aim for an eight-year deal, while Bedard’s camp could push for five, with estimates ranging from $10 million to $12+ million per season.
Are the Oilers Prepared to Bench Bouchard?
A dejected Evan Bouchard spoke after Thursday’s overtime loss to the New York Rangers, as the Oilers’ defenseman was arguably at fault for three of the Rangers’ four goals. The media asked him about his early-season struggles and turnovers: “That’s definitely gotta get cleaned up, but playing harder will have to be something that I do.”
He acknowledged that he shouldn’t be making such glaring mistakes at the Game 11 mark. “You just have to find a way to battle through it.”
Meanwhile, head coach Kris Knoblauch asked if the team was prepared to bench Bouchard if the mistakes continued. Knoblauch said, “We have to hold all of our players accountable. There’s a fine line on mistakes that periodically happen… if there’s an accumulation of mistakes that are costing us regularly, then yes, we need to hold everyone accountable.”
Inside the Martin Necas Deal
LeBrun reported that Cale Makar’s future in Colorado did have some impact on talks between the Avalanche and Martin Necas. He writes, “Things felt stuck for a bit, with Colorado feeling it had to be careful how far it could go with Necas. I believe the Avs were at $10.5 million for a while. It wasn’t until the team moved to $11.5 million that things finally got done, and Necas signed an eight-year extension Thursday.”
What’s Up with Adrian Kempe and the Kings?
David Pagnotta reports that the Kings and forward Adrian Kempe are still far apart in negotiations. While a guest on the DFO Rundown, he said, “They are not close; there’s no question Kempe wants to be [there]; this is gonna be a grind by the sounds of it.”
Elliotte Friedman notes that some teams have to be dragged kicking and screaming into conceding, which is a good way to describe the Kings right now. He reports that it’s been harder to bridge the gap than expected and the Kings are having trouble getting over the idea that Kempe might cost them more than $10 million per season.
