NHL Rumor Mill – November 28, 2025
The latest on the Canucks, Flames, Oilers, and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
TSN: Chris Johnston said the Vancouver Canucks still want to add a center, but if they can’t fill that position immediately, they’d like to add another forward.
Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations, likes to get the jump on the trade deadline. Johnston wondered if it would be wise to move pending unrestricted free-agent forward Kiefer Sherwood now or wait until the March 6 trade deadline, when he might fetch a first-round pick.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood’s team-leading 12 goals have him on pace for a career-best 40. If he maintains that production, a contender could overpay for him by the trade deadline.
Johnston believes management is trying to make their changes as palatable as possible to put themselves in a good position to sell superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes on their long-term plans.
Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes said he has an excellent relationship with Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin. Despite management’s willingness to become a seller in the trade market, the Canucks captain isn’t giving up on this season. Whether he’s willing to sign a contract extension after this season remains to be seen.
The struggling Calgary Flames prefer to hang onto Nazem Kadri, but Johnston thinks the veteran center must decide if he wants to consider a move elsewhere at some point. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson is a pending UFA who will get increased attention in the trade market. Winger Blake Coleman has a year left on his deal, and he’s drawing some interest around the league.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coleman said he’s heard the trade rumors but shrugged them off as part of the job. His Stanley Cup pedigree and gritty two-way style could make him a valuable trade chip by the deadline, but the number of trade partners will be limited by his 10-team approved trade list.
Johnston also noted the rumors linking the Edmonton Oilers to Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. He acknowledged Jarry’s bounce-back performance this season and his ties to Edmonton.
Whether it’s Jarry or somebody else, Johnston believes the Oilers must address their goaltending situation.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That somebody else could be Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, who was also linked to the Oilers this week. However, there is no indication that the Blues are shopping him, and the Oilers could be on his 10-team no-trade list. The same can also be said of Jarry and the Penguins.
Even if Binnington were available and willing to go to Edmonton, the Oilers lack the cap space to take on his $6 million AAV through 2026-27. It would require a significant sweetener to get the Blues to retain half of Binnington’s cap hit, and to take on a salaried player from the Oilers in the deal.
Turning to the Canadiens, Johnston said they’re trying to add a top-six forward, but they’ve encountered difficulty in a trade market with little activity. Unless they can find some external help, they’ll have to look within.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: TVA Sports’ Marc de Foy noted the recent rumors claiming the Canadiens are interested in Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly, but he considers the reported asking price of a first-round pick and a top prospect to be too expensive. However, his colleague Jean-Charles Lajoie believes the Canadiens should overpay “a little” to get O’Reilly, suggesting they offer up defenseman Kaiden Guhle.
It’s been noted that O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but it’s also been reported that the Predators will treat him as though he does. All this chatter linking him to the Canadiens could be a moot point if he has no interest in going to Montreal.
Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has a well-earned reputation for being patient and not overpaying for talent. It would be surprising if he changed tactics now. Rather than pursue an aging veteran like O’Reilly, Hughes could have his sights set on Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood.
Yeah, Guhle in a trade for O’Reilly? No.
I do think O’Reilly would be a good 2C for the this year and next. But the Habs don’t have an overly physical blue line and despite his injury history Ghule makes their D better. So hard no.
Sherwood? He’s listed as wing. The Habs could use his pugnaciousness, but as he is not the white whale 2C they seek Ahab like, this is money spent on the wrong position.
Sherwood is a 30y/o winger, not what the Habs need at all. Two young guys on the team bring toughness, Davidson and Florian Xhekaj plus they can bot not only put the puck in the net, they can play centre.
ROR can help the Habs in a big way despite his age, a pro’s pro who’s game has barely slipped. He would elevate everybody’s game on this young team giving immediate impact and more importantly, long term maturity.
I believe the time with Staal, Perry and Toffoli left a lasting impression on Suzuki and Caufield and contributed to what they have become and ROR would do the same.
Habs have so many A prospects that it would be easy to replace whomever HuGo let go especially since there’s no room for them all. An abundance of riches has to be used not squandered away.
I’m fine with trading a 1st and a prospect for ROR not a regular on a long term contract like Guhle .
HF30, I don’t disagree that ROR can help but at what cost? Staal was a cheap deadline acquisition (3rd and 5th) and Toffoli and Perry were free agent signings so no assets needed to acquire them. Who are these A prospects you speak of? I think we have Reinbacker, Engstrom, Fowler, Hage and maybe Zharovsky that can be considered A prospects. Are you willing to give up one of them + a 1st round pick for 1.5 years of ROR? In your mind are the Habs contending for the Cup this year or next? IMO, you make that kind of trade if ROR is the missing piece in a Cup run. Montreal again has had some terrible luck this year regarding injuries and for the most part goaltending has been an issue. Adding ROR does nothing to address this. Kapenen has similar stats to ROR so not a huge upgrade but I do agree that having an experienced center will be of some help just not at the cost you are proposing. Lastly, ROR opted to leave Toronto because of the overbearing media scrutiny – he was not happy in Toronto. Can’t imagine he would be any happier in Montreal which may be a detriment in the locker room. So unless the trade is ROR for Joshua Roy or Owen Beck or Sean Farrell or something similar then best move on. Montreal can make the playoffs IF they get and stay healthy and IF goaltending and team defense improves. They don’t need ROR at that price tag.
For all the Habs fans … just announced that they have re-upped Matheson for 5 years $30 mil
Habsman67
Matheson signed today for $6m x5
So the Habs have top 4 of Hutson, Dobson, Matheson, Guhle locked up.
That leaves
Carrier
Struble
Xhekaj
Reinbacher
Engstrom
fighting for 2 starter and 1 spare spot.
Protz, Pickford, Konyushkov, Trudeau are coming not to mention future drafts.
Surely one of them can go without impact.
HF30. Sure, one of them not named Engstrom or Reinbacher can go but why not keep your assets and swing for the fences when someone better becomes available? Isn’t that what Toronto did. Trading for ROR, Marleau, Thornton etc. A draft pick here and a prospect there and now their cupboard is bare with nothing to show for it. But at least with Toronto, they were a consistent playoff team and a Cup contender when these players were acquired. We are not there yet. Patience grasshopper!
Thanks George and HF30 for the Matheson signing info. Another good signing by Hughes!
The day may come when the Habs have to trade a guy like Guhle for help up front. Especially if Engstrom proves he belongs. But would have to be for a player a number of years younger than O’Reilly.
Howard: I would consider it given Guhle’s injury history alone. I’m not keen to lose him, but I’d consider it for the right addition.
“ but Johnston thinks the veteran center must decide if he wants to consider a move elsewhere at some point.” 13 team ntc. 7m cap hit. Kadri doesn’t have to decide anything until Calgary finds teams willing to take on a 35 yo (37 when contract is up).ROR on the other hand has no protection and a more palatable cap hit with less term. Nashville isn’t in a position to not at least consider moving him.
At some point they will, Slick62, to mutual advantage. I can’t imagine Stamkos not wanting to leave a sinking ship for a team with a legit shot at the Cup.
And I can’t imagine Trotz jeopardizing the Preds by holding onto a player who, given the team, won’t make a difference except by being traded for assets to help the team. Sentiment is the enemy of success, as Julien Brisbois will tell us.
Agree on the sentimental part LJ. So any team thinking about trading for Stamkos won’t be sentimental, and they simply won’t. Looks like Brisbois saw what we all see now. A one trick pony (albeit an important trick) who can’t do that trick now. Physical issue or was he simply feasting off Kucherov?
Whatever it is, he gets paid to score, because he doesn’t really do much else very well. He has 7 points in 23 games, more than half of which come on the PP. And he gets mor PP time than any other forward, and still isn’t producing.
Can’t see Nashville eating half that salary for 2 years after this one, but maybe they do. But even if they did, who wants that at $4M/year?
O’Reilly on the other hand, worth every nickel and then some. So if Trotz is going to treat his contract as if it had a NMC, why didn’t he just give him one when he signed him?
Brain fart, lads.
I meant that ROR would surely be traded. Up too early and no coffee so I conflated the two.
I do however agree with the comments about Stamkos
Shouldn’t t ownership be looking harder at Trotz. He s on record as saying he is not in favor of firing the coach. And then last week he throws his team under the bus. His player decisions have been brutal.
That soundbite we all heard was Pete Deboer walking up to the on deck circle.
Brunette has received the “kiss of death.”
Maybe SOP. Opportunities are limited for head coaches, but Deboer would surely be walking into a situation he can’t improve. Were I him, I’d pass. May be true that coaches only get hired by teams who are on fire, but Nashville is a dumpster fire.
Ray, I agree totally re Stamkos’ “worth” – which is zero to any team getting him in a trade – even at 50%. He’s done – or certainly at THAT price at least. Although it would be costly, it would appear that Nashville’s best option would be to buy him out, as detailed in this article
https://predlines.com/buying-out-steven-stamkos-would-be-better-exit-strategy-for-nashville-predators-than-a-trade-01k8saf96p2j
If and when that happens, and if he has any interest in trying to stay in the game at a reduced role, some team might take him on at perhaps $1 mil for one “show-me” season.
Seems that writer has a similar opinion George. He was a little more blunt/harsh than I was, but agree with him obviously.
If a team has an elite play driver/distributor and they need a guy to bang one timers at the net on the PP, then yes give Stamkos a go on the cheap if they buy him out.
I guess a team desperate for that and think they can contend if they get their PP going, Nashville eats half, then do it Trotz. The preference would be to get the dead salary off the books as soon as possible.
But the writer on the link could be right, maybe that isn’t a realistic option either as the market simply isn’t there for Stamkos at $4M. I wouldn’t do it.
Frank’s 25 points after 25 games regarding Leafs spectacular season so far:
1. 40 draft picks given away between Dubas and Treveling since Matthews has been drafted.
2. Not one of these trades involving draft pick giveaways have amounted to anything of significance.
3. Prospect pool has been depleted. Minten, Grebenkin, etc all gone.
4. Zach Hyman should have never left.
5. Naren Kadri being traded for Kerfoot and Barrie should have led to Dubas firing on the spot. Kadri has never been replaced.
6. Domi needs to go.
7. Jarnkrok is useless.
8. Both Dakotas can’t score (Joshua snd Mermis).
9. What exactly does Derek Roy do?
10. Can someone teach Morgan Reilly how to take a slapshot before he retires?
11. Can someone teach z Morgan Reilly how to st least pretend to make physical contact in his own end before he retires?
12. Why is Morgan Reilly still on this team?
13. Matthew Knies should be assistant captain.
Rielly should be stripped of the “A”
14. Berube needs to be fired. This experiment is not working. No one is listening to him.
15. If Treveling doesn’t fire him he should be fired.
16. Time to trade for two mobile defensemen who can drive the play.
17. Time to trade for two bruising wingers who actually hit.
18. Time to trade for a top 6 right winger who can feed matthews the puck.
19. Matias Maccelli needs to be traded.
20. Berube is burning matthews out with forcing him to waste energy chasing pucks in his own zone. Someone tell Berube leafs are not paying Matthews to do Derek Roy’s job.
21. ScottLaughton needs to have Derek Roy’s job. Why is Laughton on the 4th line when the third line is doing nothing of significance?
22. Tavares is having s career year.
23. Nylander is having a career year.
24. Joel Quenneville, Peter Laviolette or Pete DeBoer should have gotten HC job not Berube.
25. This is by far the worst team in the last 20 plus yrs. They look confused, uninterested, slow and lazy.