NHL Rumor Mill – November 21, 2025
Could Rangers winger Artemi Panarin head to the KHL next season? Are the Canadiens in a hurry to make a trade? Could the Leafs move Brandon Carlo? Are the Jets willing to trade Brad Lambert? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
COULD RANGERS WINGER ARTEMI PANARIN HEAD TO THE KHL NEXT YEAR?
RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports former NHL star Alexei Kovalev claims there’s talk that New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin could leave the league and return to Russia next summer. “I don’t know if it’s true, but that’s what people are saying,” Kovalev said.
Panarin, 34, is in the final season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $11.6 million. He recently rejected an offer from the Rangers similar to the two-year, $14 million contract that Anze Kopitar has with the Los Angeles Kings.
If Panarin remains unwilling to re-sign, there’s speculation suggesting the Rangers could approach him about a trade if they’re a playoff bubble team by the March 6 trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible, but Panarin’s preference is likely to remain in the NHL if he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He won’t get another lucrative long-term contract, but there could be teams willing to pony up $10 million annually on a three-year deal, especially with the salary cap projected to reach $113 million for 2027-28.
THE LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the injury-battered Montreal Canadiens continue to search for a second-line center, but they’re also open to a trade for a winger.
Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).
LeBrun doesn’t expect the Canadiens to make a panic move. He pointed out that their management team of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes isn’t known for making rash decisions.
The problem is that there are few sellers. The Calgary Flames aren’t moving Nazem Kadri and aren’t in any hurry to trade Blake Coleman. During the summer, the Canadiens had an interest in St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou, but his no-trade clause kicked in on July 1, and he has no intention of waiving it.
Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault has surfaced in the rumor mill. The 34-year-old has three years left on his contract with an AAV of $5.5 million, which would scare the Canadiens to some degree.
TVA SPORTS: Speaking of Marchessault, the Predators had two scouts at Thursday’s game between the Canadiens and the Washington Capitals. Neither club will face the Predators in the near future.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current Canadiens management tends to acquire players in their mid-to-late twenties with term remaining on their contracts. They tend not to pursue aging stars with expensive contracts, such as Kadri and Marchessault.
Some pundits suggested Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly to address the Canadiens’ need for a reliable second-line center. His $4.5 million AAV through 2026-27 is affordable, but he’s 34 years old and his best seasons are behind him.
COULD THE LEAFS MOVE BRANDON CARLO?
THE ATHLETIC: Earlier this week, Jonas Siegel examined trade candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they attempt to overcome their current struggles. He suggested center Max Domi and defenseman Brandon Carlo could deliver the type of return “to deliver the splash quality that management would be looking for.”
Of the two, Siegel considered Carlo the easiest to trade. He has struggled this season and is currently sidelined. Still, he’s one of those coveted right-shot defensemen who carries an affordable cap hit ($3.45 million) with a year remaining on his contract after this season.
However, trading Carlo would leave a gaping hole on the right side of their blueline, unless they’re getting another right-shot defenseman in return. The Leafs also gave up a lot (Fraser Minten and a first-round pick) to get Carlo. Trading him now for a questionable return would look awful.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless someone loses their mind and offers up a significant return for Carlo, he will likely remain with the Leafs for at least the remainder of this season.
JETS WILLING TO MOVE LAMBERT
DAILY FACEOFF: NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported Thursday that the Winnipeg Jets have given Brad Lambert and his agent permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade.
The 21-year-old center was chosen 30th overall by the Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s appeared in four games this season, scoring one goal while averaging just over nine minutes of ice time per game.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lambert was once a highly-touted prospect, but his stock plummeted during his draft year. His performance has been inconsistent, scoring 55 points in 64 games with the Jets’ AHL affiliate in 2023-24, but only 35 points last season.
Montreal’s best move here would be – no move. The Canadiens have all the pieces they’re just a year too early. Their fans are patient. The management team is patient. This team will learn resiliency and determination and how to play a full 60 minutes. They kinda tune out every second period and get excited to play again with 15 min to go in the third. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. They have a bunch of run-n-gun players but that doesn’t translate to wins anymore. The only thing I would look to swap out is the coach at the end of the season. Time to get a guy who can push them to the next level in their prime. Not a young peewee coach who’s gonna be their friend off the ice.
Dark G: Your post was spot on until the last.
I too was taken aback when St Louis was hired – I didn’t like the guy after his hissy fit with Yzerman over initially not being chosen for the Olympic team when he was in Tampa.
But the Habs have progressed each year under him. If you have not, listen to his answers to questions the reporters ask about game strategy, and where the faults lie. Sounds pretty well thought out to me.
What they need more than anything are saves from a goalie, and shots on the PP.
Don’t be surprised if those Predators scouts were looking at Washington’s players, and not Montreal’s. There’s several reasons why Nashville could make a deal with the Caps:
1. Barry Trotz was a longtime coach in the Caps’ system, and has familiarity with the Caps front office
2. Washington needs a 2nd line center too, and one who could slide back into the 3rd line role, when Dubois comes back
3. The Capitals have tradable assets like Frank, Lapierre, or maybe even McMichael
The Capitals are probably looking just as hard as the Habs for a trade. The only difference is Montreal media is constantly making up trade scenarios, that would only work in an EA Sports video game, whereas Washington media is a little more grounded in reality, and doesn’t pull things out of their tushes.
How about Sharangovic to the Habs; late 20 lots of term; maybe he would thrive in their system.
I only know him after looking his stats up. Seems to be able to score, but bad +/-.
Montreal should have tried to get Pettersson while his value was low
Panarin tool leave of absence a few years back after being accused of sexual assault in Russia. Was a politically motivated attack on him for speaking out against Putin. Can’t see him returning. On another note, he was called out for his lack of defensive efforts last night by Sullivan.
NYR getting prepared to try and trade the Bread Man!
To da Ducks for Killorn or Vatrano with Pavel Mintyukov, and one of their extra 2027 2nds with no retained salary.
Ducks see a deep run in the playoffs! NYR have more cap space.
Given what’s been written (no idea if it’s true) about the relationship between Putin and Panarin, not sure Bread would be wanting to go back to Mother Russia….
“Jets superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will undergo a minor arthroscopic knee procedure that will keep him out of the lineup for four to six weeks, Darren Dreger of TSN reports. Winnipeg announced they’ve recalled Thomas Milic from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in a corresponding move. The Jets have an open roster spot and do not need to move Hellebuyck to injured reserve to accommodate Milic’s addition.”
Comrie and Milic to hold down the fort till Helly returns……..good luck with that!
I’m sure they’ll be keeping a close eye on the waiver wire.