NHL Rumour Roundup: Could Lightning's Stamkos test free agent waters?

The rumour mill is abuzz with the NHL Draft on the horizon and less than a week to go until the free-agent frenzy begins.

Sportsnet's NHL insider Elliotte Friedman joined The Jeff Marek Show on Wednesday to discuss the latest with guest host Matt Marchese.

LATEST ON STAMKOS

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is heading towards unrestricted free agency and time is running out for the team to re-sign its longtime captain.

Friedman said there is a "realistic scenario" where Stamkos could opt to test the waters.

"I think the Lightning have known he'd prefer to stay," Friedman said. "I think they gamble with that a bit. ... It's not going to be on his terms so much, it's going to be on their terms. So, does any part of him change his mind? Does any part of him say, 'You know what? I'd rather do this on my terms.' So, I don't have the answer to that yet, but I do think there is a scenario where that could happen, yes."

Stamkos, who was drafted first overall by the Lightning in 2008, holds the franchise records for goals (555) and points (1,137) over his 16 seasons with the club.

The 34-year-old from Markham, Ont., finished third on the Lightning in scoring during the regular season with 81 points (40 goals and 41 assists) in 79 games. He also had five goals and one assist in five playoff games as the Lightning fell in the first round to the eventual Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers.

RED WINGS LOOKING FOR GOALTENDING HELP?

The Detroit Red Wings might not be done making moves after dealing defenceman Jake Walman on Tuesday.

Detroit traded Walman along with a second-round pick in the upcoming draft to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations.

Could this be a sign Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has something else up his sleeve?

"Basically, this is a good young defenceman who they had to send a sweetener with and got nothing back in return. That says to me that Steve Yzerman felt he had to make this deal," Friedman said. "It's like one of those logic puzzle games. ... If A equals B and B equals C, then A equals C, and I'm still trying to figure out what that middle step is. To me, it says that Yzerman's got something cooking, he's got something he wants to do and it's on all of us to figure out what that is.

"He's a tough guy to crack, it's not easy to figure out what he's up to, but I really do believe that it is the prelude to something else that he's working on and we just have to figure out what that is."

Friedman believes Yzerman has been looking at the goalie market and pointed to a pair of veteran goaltenders the Red Wings might be targeting.

"I do think that he's been at least talking to Anaheim about John Gibson," Friedman said. "I've also heared Tristan Jarry's name out there, so I wonder about that one too, that it could be a possibility he's discussed Jarry, but I also do wonder, Matt, if there is another position as well. They brought in Patrick Kane, he was very helpful to them. Kane wants term, I'm not sure how comfortable Yzerman feels about it, so I wonder if he's looking at someone else up front."

Jarry posted a 19-25-5 record, 2.91 goals-against average and .903 save percentage this past season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 29-year-old from Surrey, B.C., holds a career 136-85-25 record, 2.70 GAA and .912 save percentage over eight seasons with the Penguins.

Gibson had a 13-27-2 record, 3.54 GAA and .888 save percentage with the Ducks during 2023-24. The 30-year-old from Pittsburgh has a career 193-206-61 record, 2.90 GAA and .910 save percentage.

Jarry is under contract for another four seasons after signing a five-year deal last July. Gibson has three seasons remaining on an eight-year deal he signed in 2018.

BLUE JACKETS CONSIDERING McLELLAN?

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell's search for a new head continues and Todd McLellan has emerged as a candidate.

"I think he's a very legitimate contender there," Friedman said. "I believe he has a family function this week so I don't know if that will tie him up but I do think he's very high on Waddell's list."

McLellan, 56, has served as a head coach for parts of 16 seasons in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. The Kings fired McLellan on Feb. 2 with the team having 14 of its previous 17 games.

McLellan has coached a total of 1,144 regular season games with 598 wins. He won the Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008.

Waddell was named general manager and president of hockey operations of the Blue Jackets on May 28 after holding similar roles with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Head coach Pascal Vincent was fired on June 17 after one season behind the bench. Vincent guided Columbus to a 27-43-12 record as the team finished last in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.