In today’s NHL rumors rundown, have the Vancouver Canucks made an offer to Jack Roslovic? What is taking so long for him to find a landing spot in free agency? Meanwhile, are the Edmonton Oilers looking to sign Mattias Ekholm and find a potential replacement? Finally, a bitter Don Waddell confirmed in a recent interview that Adam Fox and his agent shafted the GM and his former team during trade and contract negotiations.
Jack Roslovic Delay and Canucks Offer
Cam Robinson is reporting that UFA forward Jack Roslovic was expecting the process of finding a new team to take a while. As a result, it shouldn’t be terribly surprising that he’s not landed somewhere, despite rumored interest from a few teams. Robinson noted on the Sekeres and Price show (7/28), he wasn’t 100% sure that the Canucks have put a solid offer in front of him yet.
Roslovic, 28, spent last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, scoring 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games. He’s arguably the most notable UFA not to have landed a deal yet. The Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs have most frequently been linked to him signing with one of them. No one should be surprised if a team like San Jose, Anaheim, Seattle, or Buffalo pops into the conversation and signs the forward.
Are the Oilers Looking for Mattias Ekholm’s Replacement?
The Edmonton Oilers face a potential dilemma on defence as Mattias Ekholm enters the final year of his current contract. Acquired in 2023, Ekholm quickly became a cornerstone of the blue line alongside Evan Bouchard. However, with age and injury concerns mounting, general manager Stan Bowman needs to get a new deal done, while also thinking about a succession plan.
As Allan Mitchell of The Athletic points out, there’s no clear replacement in place. Former top prospect Philip Broberg is now with the Blues, while internal options like Riley Stillman, Cam Dineen, and prospects Paul Fischer and Atro Leppanen aren’t ready for top-pairing duties. Compounding matters, Jake Walman and Brett Kulak could hit free agency next summer, leaving only Darnell Nurse under contract beyond 2025.
Mitchell writes:
Bowman could look to next year’s free-agent pool, but there’s every chance Ekholm will be one of the prize names on July 1, 2026. As shown above, his performance levels were strong before the injury, and his expected goals in the playoffs showed signs of rebounding.
source – ‘Why the Edmonton Oilers should sign Mattias Ekholm to an extension’ – Allan Mitchell – The Athletic – 07-30-2025
Unless Bowman can find external help, re-signing Ekholm, even on a short-term deal, is essential to avoid a major gap on Edmonton’s blue line.
Waddell Reveals Adam Fox Backed Out of Deal with Hurricanes
Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell revealed in an interview that Adam Fox shunned the Carolina Hurricanes after initially indicating he’d sign with them. In 2018, Waddell traded for Fox’s rights from Calgary—sending Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm the other way—based on assurances from Fox’s camp. However, weeks later, Fox’s agent said he would only sign with the New York Rangers.
Carolina was forced to trade him to New York in 2019 for just two second-round picks. Waddell admitted he didn’t foresee Fox’s rise to stardom, as the defenseman later won the Norris Trophy in 2021 and became a top NHL blueliner. He added that you never forget things like that when it comes to dealing with players and agents, suggesting there was some bitterness and resentment still there as he got shafted in his dealings with Fox and his agent.
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