NHL Rumour Report: DeBrincat frontrunner surfaces; Hanifin available; Dubois contenders hits 7 + more


The latest buzz around Alex DeBrincat, Noah Hanifin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and more.

- Not so fast on the Pierre-Luc Dubois to Montreal rumours? Apparently Dubois' camp is open to short term offers from other teams willing to acquire him - the Wild, Lightning, Stars, Hurricanes, Kings and Rangers among them. 

- Of course, the preferred landing spot still remains his hometown Montreal Canadiens, but this revelation could spice up the bidding war just a bit.


- The Blue Jackets remain a team to keep an eye on even after blowing open the market with trades that landed them blueliners Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson. Up front, they have had talks about taking on centerman Kevin Hayes, who should come cheap as the Flyers look to divest themselves of his onerous contract. 


- In net, there is talk that they may be looking to move on from goaltender Elvis Merzlikins who struggled mightily this past season but could be a reclamation project elsewhere. On the blueline, they are beginning to field offers on Adam Boqvist and Jake Bean.


- The Red Wings have emerged as a frontrunner for Alex DeBrincat, a Michigan native. Ultimately, the bidding war for this player will be fierce, with the Stars, Golden Knights, Panthers, Blues, Hurricanes and Predators expected to be in the mix. The Sens are expected to sift through the offers presented before allowing teams to negotiate a contract with the player. This is something that could get worked out around the draft or the opening of free agency in July.


- The Flames have quietly put feelers out to gauge the market on Noah Hanifin, who is slated for unrestricted free agency in 2024. Calgary have a number of core players with deals coming up, Hanifin among them. This could be a sign that Calgary doesn't feel they can keep him, either because they think they're priced out or the player has made it clear he won't sign an extension. A defenseman of his age and reputation should be highly sought after this offseason.

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