Keep up to date on the latest rumours and speculation around the NHL beat with TSN.ca's Rumour Mill.

Get Together?

Florida Panthers head coach Bob Boughner said earlier this week the team is looking into options to help fill the team's netminding void because of injured goaltender Roberto Luongo, who is set to miss extended time.

One place the Panthers could look, TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie suggests, is Winnipeg - where the Jets have plenty of goaltending depth.

McKenzie wonders if Michael Hutchinson is an option for the Panthers. Hutchinson, who joins Connor Hellebuyck, Steve Mason and Eric Comrie in the goaltending depth chart, has played 99 career NHL games.

Hutchinson has played this season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, posting a .951 save percentage with a 1.73 goals-against average. He is 9-1 at the AHL level this season and has a career .910 save percentage in the NHL. 

McKenzie believes Hutchinson is available and reports the Panthers aren't just looking for a stop-gap veteran to fill Luongo's role, which they were when the team claimed Antti Niemi on waivers earlier this season.

Limited Options

While the Ottawa Senators continue to search for ways to spark their skidding team, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that the team has few options for trade.

Garrioch reports that only the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks are currently active in the trade market.

According to Garrioch, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion has talked to other teams about trades to shake up his team, but nothing is imminent. 

The Senators acquired Matt Duchene in a blockbuster trade last month, but have won just three games since. Duchene posted a goal and an assist on Thursday, doubling his point total since joining the team, but the Senators lost again in overtime to the Los Angeles Kings.

Despite their struggles, the Senators are optimistic the group can turn it around. 

"I thought we played really well," said defenceman Cody Ceci after Thursday's loss. "This (L.A.) is one of the top teams in the league. We're coming in off a back-to-back and we held our own. I guess that's a positive we can take out of it.

"It's been a little rough lately, but I think we're headed in the right direction. I think we played a lot harder and a lot more intense."

No Change Coming?

The New York Islanders have posted a 16-9-3 record this season despite Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak combining for a .897 save percentage this season.

However, Islanders general manager Garth Snow told Arthur Staple of Newsday he has no plans to make a change in net anytime soon.

“When Thomas and Jaro are playing to their capabilities, they’re great goaltenders,” Snow said Wednesday. “The challenge is to get them to play to their capabilities.”

Staple notes Greiss' remaining contract of two years at $3.33 million AAV likely can't be moved and Halak, who will be a unrestricted free agent in July, has been the better of the two.

Staple suggests possible upgrades in the trade market could include Jimmy Howard of the Red Wings or Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights, but adds neither would come cheap and both carry with large cap hits.

Diving deeper into the stats of both goaltenders, Staple adds that Greiss has struggled as a whole this season, while Halak's numbers suggest he's been one of the league's better goaltenders at even-strength, but has allowed weak goals from low-danger areas and while shorthanded.

Halak, who allowed four goals on 28 shots in Thursday's overtime loss to the Penguins, has  an 8-6-1 record with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in 16 games this season.

Greiss is 8-3-2 despite a 3.79 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage. Islanders head coach Doug Weight said the team must support Greiss to help him through his tough start.

“Thomas is such an easygoing guy, he’s always, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, it’s all good.’ But I think it’s something we have to address rather than ignore,” coach Doug Weight said. “We’ve got to help him through it. He’s not dreadful. He’s had some bad luck, some games he’s played well where his numbers weren’t great. Now you pair it with what you’ve seen the last couple weeks, we’ve got to fix it.”