Could Quinn Hughes land with the Devils one day? Are the Sabres planning a management change? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
IS QUINN HUGHES EYEING A REUNION WITH HIS BROTHERS IN NEW JERSEY?
THE PROVINCE: After the Vancouver Canucks traded defenseman Quinn Hughes on Friday to the Minnesota Wild, Steve Ewen reports “there’s already rampant speculation” that the 26-year-old superstar is “dead set on hitting the open market when he’s eligible and signing with the New Jersey Devils.” That would reunite him with his brothers, Jack and Luke Hughes.
Luke, Quinn, and Jack Hughes (NHL.com).
Ewen cited Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin “leaning into that” when he met with the media on Friday to discuss trading Hughes to the Wild. He claimed that it came to their attention “probably back a year ago” that it was the path Hughes wanted to go.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild will attempt to convince Hughes to change his mind, especially if his acquisition turns them into a Stanley Cup contender. But if they can’t, they’ll at least have him for two playoff runs, and they’ll consider it a worthwhile investment if he helps them win the Cup, or at least reach the Cup Final.
The Devils were among several clubs that reportedly made solid offers to the Canucks for Hughes. Ultimately, this might work to their benefit in the long run.
If Hughes intends to test the open market in 2027, the Devils will only be investing money to get him. Granted, it will be a significant amount of money, between $15 million and $20 million annually, but at least they wouldn’t have had to give up a couple of good young players, a prospect, and a first-round pick.
ARE THE SABRES PLANNING TO REPLACE GM KEVYN ADAMS?
THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn and Tim Graham report that three NHL sources told them the Buffalo Sabres are holding internal discussions about replacing Kevyn Adams as general manager.
Adams has been the Sabres GM since June 2020. His contract runs through 2026-27. During his tenure, the Sabres failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Their last appearance was in 2011.
The Sabres are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference. Adams is traveling with the team on a six-game road trip that concludes Sunday against the Seattle Kraken. Neither Adams nor the team has commented on the report.
Jarmo Kekalainen would be the logical replacement on a temporary or full-time basis. The former GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets joined the team in May as a senior advisor. He’s currently back home in Finland attending to a personal matter.
The Sabres have some key roster decisions to make this season. Winger Alex Tuch is eligible for UFA status next summer. Forwards Josh Doan and Zach Benson and defenseman Michael Kesselring are restricted free agents in July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Adams is getting replaced, it’ll be interesting to see who takes over as Sabres GM. This team is overdue for a front office makeover. Whoever gets the job should be in place well before the March 6 trade deadline, especially if they’re sellers by that point.
Kekalainen could be a good fit. He spent 11 seasons as Blue Jackets GM from 2013 to 2024, building them into a perennial playoff club from 2016-17 to 2019-20, marking the most successful period in franchise history. Current Blue Jackets stars Zach Werenski, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitri Voronkov, and Adam Fantilli were drafted during Kekalainen’s tenure.
The Blue Jackets subsequently struggled, leading to Kekalainen’s firing in February 2024. Nevertheless, they had a better record during his tenure than the Sabres over the same period.