Reviewing NHL Trade Rumors Before 2025 Opening Week

The 2025 NHL season is drawing near, which means the pro hockey rumor mill is coming alive, with reports of potential trades and updates on players who may or may not be moved.

Dougie Hamilton in New Jersey figures to be a name worth watching amid a new, high-priced addition to the Devils, while Boston may not be as quick to move one of their young centers.

Dive deeper into those topics and more with this collection of insider rumors.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli told B/R that Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils will be on the trade block, whether it happens sooner or by March.

New Jersey signed Luke Hughes to a seven-year $63 million deal Wednesday and the 22-year-old star defenseman's arrival makes Hamilton expendable, especially with his own salary hit of $9 million.

The 32-year-old Canadian is coming off of a 40-point season in which he averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game, meaning he will still have value. The question is whether his contract will be too steep for other teams to take on in a trade and how much of it New Jersey will have to shoulder to get a deal done.

Regardless of what form a deal takes, something has to give as the Devils are currently above the $95.5 million salary cap.

Hamilton addressed the trade rumors and was clear that he did not want to go anywhere. He does have a 10-team trade list, though, so he retains some control over where he will continue his career.

Evgeni Malkin is a legend in Pittsburgh and, along with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, guided the Penguins to the Stanley Cup on three separate occasions. His contract with the team runs out at the end of this season and, at age 39, it is widely understood that this is the veteran center's swan song in the Steel City.

Seravalli stated that, if the Penguins decided to trade Malkin and get something in return for their star before his contract runs out, the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are a potential destination.

He noted that Malkin has a home in the Miami area, making Florida even potentially more appealing.

There are worse ways to end one's career than in Florida, home of the two-time defending champions. Last season, fellow veteran Brad Marchand joined the Panthers and was a key contributor to their repeat.

Malkin possesses a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have to approve any attempt to move him so it will ultimately come down to whether he would want to leave Pittsburgh.

With that said, should the opportunity present itself, Florida would be getting a veteran with plenty of high-stakes hockey on his resume, who has played in the biggest games and moments, and could undoubtedly strengthen the roster's depth and give them a legitimate shot at a three-peat, the first team since the 1983 Islanders to achieve that.

Coming off of one of the most disappointing and frustrating seasons in recent memory, the Boston Bruins figure to be a team with several pieces that will attract interest from other teams.

One such player is 26-year-old center Casey Mittelstadt.

Seravalli reported on Canuck Central that the Bruins are likely to take a wait-and-see approach, opting not to deal him before the start of the season.

The Minnesotan has played for three teams in his NHL career, beginning with the Sabres, continuing to the Avalanche, and landing in Boston for the time being. He had a 40-point season last year across Colorado and Boston, and averaged just over 17 minutes of ice time.

He is a skilled passer and strong shooter, so it is not surprising that contending teams like Colorado and Boston have wanted to bring him on board. That is likely why the Bruins have not acted rashly and traded him in return for some prospects.

Whether he remains in Beantown through the season remains to be seen, though, and will almost certainly depend on how well the team performs early on.