NHL Rumor Mill – October 30, 2025
Evaluating possible trade targets for the Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont weighed in on recent rumors linking the Canadiens to Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun recently indicated that Canadiens management has compiled a list of centers who might become available between now and the March 6 trade deadline, and Kadri is among them. He thinks the Canadiens might be interested because of their ongoing need for a second-line center.
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
Dumont noted the 35-year-old Kadri is signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $7 million and a 13-team no-trade list. He’s done a good job of bucking the usual decline for athletes in his age group, and his underlying numbers remain good despite the Flames’ poor performance this season.
Nevertheless, Kadri’s age is a concern, and the Canadiens tend to focus on youth to maximize their asset value in trades. They would also have to pay a premium for Kadri.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dumont believes acquiring Kadri would fly in the face of most of the decisions they’ve made during their rebuild. The Canadiens are likely to pursue younger options to address their second-line center needs.
THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston was recently asked which of the following players could be realistic trade targets for the Canadiens: Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders, or Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins.
Johnston considered Zacha as the most likely candidate, but he doesn’t see the Bruins moving him to a long-time rival like the Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent reports suggest the Bruins aren’t in any hurry to move Zacha, who is signed through next season. He may sign a contract extension next summer.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols looked at four early-season trade targets for the Devils.
Nichols believes the Devils will need reinforcements if they intend to stage a deep playoff run this season. He listed Zacha, Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames, Alexander Wennberg of the San Jose Sharks, and Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres as potential options.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All four are on teams that are struggling early in this season. However, none of them are sellers yet. That could change in the coming weeks if they don’t soon turn their fortunes around. By that point, the Devils might find other options elsewhere.
Tuch and Wennberg are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next summer. Zacha and Coleman are signed beyond this season. Tuch has indicated his willingness to stay in Buffalo, but he’s paused his contract extension talks.
The last few years I have noticed that hockey reporters and insiders are throwing names out in rumors without any real thought. It used to be more the regional reports doing it. I don’t know how many times I read Nurse was going to the Leafs before the Oilers drafted McDavid. Now it’s the big national guys, how does it make sense for the Bruins to trade Zacha? Will it really help the Bruins enter a rebuild? They already have 4 first round picks in the next 2 drafts. Oh, and did the Leafs not protect that first round draft pick again with the Bruins? lol
I wonder sometimes too, Kevjam.
But note the wording re Lebrun, who is well thought out: it says the Habs compiled a list of centers who might become available. Making such a list is not an indication that they are interested.
Yeah, I get that. Every GM should have a list like that in an area that they need help in.
Zacha is just the most recent. There have been a few real head scratching rumors the past couple years coming from these guys.
They are all taking their Q from make-it-up-Murphy who has been doing this for years!
How is Zacha even considered so highly. 3rd line center at best. He’s not an improvement to Montreal. If you’re going to make a trade swing for the fences. Montreal has the assets and the gm to do it.
I would consider Zacha an improvment over Kirby Dach. Zacha has been pretty much a 50 point player the past few seasons and Dach can’t stay healthy.
True, Kevjam. Dach is brittle, and doesn’t inspire confidence. But that doesn’t elevate Zacha to a legit 2C. Certainly not the one the Habs seek.
I don’t see the Habs making a big trade. This is not their year. It’s a year to let their youngest players gain more experience and then make determinations.
Weeks ago I mentioned Beniers as a possible target for the Habs. At the time I thought if the Kraken don’t get off to a good start then maybe there is a trade there. With Beniers now taking first line duties in Seattle, I don’t think there is trade now. Kapanen has been holding the 2nd line C role in Montreal for now so I think the Habs take a longer wait and see approach.
I think Kadri makes a lot of sense for the Habs. If not Kadri then a vet who has cup experience. The habs have one of the best young nucleus’ they dont need every player coming in to fit that demographic. Sprinkling in some vets with a lot of nhl playoff experience or cup wins will be beneficial at some point soon.
I agree that Montreal would benefit from adding an experienced center with cup experience to their young core, but I don’t know if Kadri would be that player. Kadri has a history of being a puck hog which can work on a poorer team like the Flames, but add that to a more skilled team could be damaging.
I also don’t see the Habs trading for a 35 year old with 3 years left on their contract unless they think they can go on a deep Cup run this year (and I don’t think they believe that)
Zacha is a nice low cost upgrade for the Habs.
A L shot centre with a 60% faceoff, strong in all three zones, affordable contract. He isn’t a high scoring guy but he’ll get 50-60 pts.
The Bruins are heading for a rebuild whether its by choice or not and Zacha is at his highest value now.
Draft picks or young prospects have more long term value for them than Zacha.
The Habs are full of prospects and Zacha elevates the playoff depth now and there’s room on the team as they are only carrying 22 players on the roster.
Without touching Kapanen, Zacha could slip into Veleno slot and the lines could become:
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Newhook-Kapanen-Demidov
Bolduc-Zacha-Dach
Anderson-Evans-Gallagher
That is a well balanced 4 lines that can be seen as 1st-2ndA-2ndB-3rd,
Joshua Roy or Sean Farrell or Owen Beck could go the other way for eg.
Of course he makes sense for the Habs HF30. Would it be an issue trading with MTL, depends how bad the Bruins are nearing the TDL and who will offer what from other teams. I would take the best return, period.
If you miss the playoffs by a significant amount 2 years in a row, then the B’s need to accept their reality. And if that is the case it will be years before they are competing with MTL for anything as they need to move on. And I hate saying that, and there is no team I root for less than MTL. It pains me to see them doing this well, this quickly, under Gorton and Hughes.
He is solid in all 3 zones, big and strong, and scores almost exactly as much as the average 2C. Over the last 3 years he is 43rd in scoring for C’s and there are 32 teams. Pretty easy math.
Perhaps folks think the average 2C scores more than they actually do.
Ray, you can champion Zacha all you want, I am not interested in that line of thinking.
But acquiring Zacha makes absolutely no sense for the Habs. Period, full stop.
Right now Kapanen is doing a very good job at 2C. I don’t see his offence continuing at the pace, nor will he necessarily turn out to be a 2C over the long term. But right now his play has a ripple effect on the Habs line up, allowing for an Gallagher/Evans and Anderson and a 4 line with Veleno as center, so all 4 lines are working.
Indeed, what is to fix right now? How would Zacha make things better? There are only 2 teams with more goals than the Habs, only three teams with a better goal differential, and one team with a better winning percentage.
Meanwhile Zacha scores at a .55 point per game averages and is a career -35. This is an upgrade?
Of course the Habs can’t continue at a .727 winning percentage. Sure, there are better 2Cs in the league than they have right now. But the acquisition cost of any worthwhile upgrade is both unnecessary and too costly. No one is going to part with a a good 2C for players currently in Laval.
The purpose of this site is to trade ideas, and I own up to saying Hutson was too small to play in the NHL. I am not Mr. Know it All.
But before anyone else bites on one of HF30s suggestions for a center for the Habs, remember the last one was David Kampf. The guy who has no games played listed on the Leafs site, and who is listed as “buried’ on puckpedia.
https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/player/david-kampf-8480144
https://puckpedia.com/team/toronto-maple-leafs
That should read no games played this year on the Leafs.
Agree to disagree on Zacha LJ.
Not saying he is a world beater, but he is a quality 2C on a good contract for this year and next. Not sure how anyone can argue he isn’t?
Very little risk. If he thrives keep him, if doesn’t don’t.
Habs have had an easy schedule I hear, but they are beating the teams in front of them which is all you can ask. We’ll see how it goes moving forward, but they are a young and exciting team on the upswing.
If you want to play Kapanen, have at er. B’s won’t be trading Zacha unless they stink again by the TDL. And somebody will be happy to give them a quality return if he keeps playing well.
Like I said last 3 years 42nd in scoring for C’s averaging 54 pts a year. That is 2C production, it just is, and is plus 30 over that stretch.
Habs are exciting and look like a playoff team, but I would be shocked if they contend for a cup. Simply too young, and they need to get some playoff lessons IMO. So maybe waiting is the right way to go. That’s a logical argument.
But Zacha would help them now, that seems obvious to me.
Ray: To be clear, I am not saying that Zacha is lousy. Nor am I saying the the Habs are cup contenders. Not this year, and not next.
But the teams who are legit cup contenders are Florida, Edmonton, Colorado, Dallas and while not a Cup contender Tampa. All with strong # 2 centers. Throw in the Hurricanes with Stankoven.
I rank Suzuki as a legit # 1 C now. Zacha doesn’t move the Habs into the class above. So why acquire him?
Per my earlier comment, and yours above, the Bs aren’t going to give him away for AHL players and his current acquisition cost isn’t worth it to the Habs. It may be to another team, I’m just talking about the Habs.
They are better off seeing how this season goes with the young centers they have, see where Michael Hague is at, and then decide who they can afford factoring in increases to Demidov and Bolduc. Cap before the Cup.
So, no thanks to Pavel.
Necas signed extension with Avs
Eight years @ 11.5 million per year average.