NHL Rumors: Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Columbus Blue Jackets

The Minnesota Wild won’t bring Alex Goligoski back

Anthony Di Marco: Pending UFA defenseman Alex Goligoski won’t be returning to the Minnesota Wild next season.

The Wild will likely look for a cheap option to fill the eighth slot on their depth chart.

The Philadelphia Flyers will consider anything

Jordan Hall: Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere said that “everything’s on the table” with regards to the draft next week. They’re open to moving up or down, acquiring more picks for this draft or for the 2025 draft.

Briere has said that the 2023 through 2025 drafts are critical for them. Over the three drafts, they have six first-round picks.

NHL Rumors: Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins

Columbus Blue Jackets GM on their coaching search, Patrik Laine, and the draft

Aaron Portzline: Asked Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell that since they’re looking for a veteran coach, if Joel Quenneville was cleared by the NHL to return to coaching, would he be a candidate?

“It’s probably not in my best interest to talk about what might happen. We all know that Joel is still held back by the league. We’ll leave it up to the league to eventually answer that question.”

Jeff Svoboda: Waddell said that they have a list of 12 potential coaches they’re considering but they’ll only interview three or four of them.

“I’ve said pretty publicly, we’ve been through some younger coaches for different reasons. I think right now we need to look at an experienced coach to come in here.”

Jeff Svoboda: Blue Jackets GM Waddell said that it’s too early to know what any Patrik Laine deals might look like. He adds:

“We want to make a hockey trade if we can. We’ll certainly exhaust every opportunity.”

NHL Rumors: Would the Seattle Kraken be Interested in Patrik Laine?

Marco D’Amico: Blue Jackets GM Waddell on trading down in the draft next week: “Some teams even around us are talking about trying to move back a little bit if you’re going to get a nice asset. with it”