NHL Rumor Mill – January 19, 2026
What’s next for the Flames after trading Rasmus Andersson to the Golden Knights? Does Patrik Laine still fit into the Canadiens’ plans? Could the Blackhawks trade Connor Murphy? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WILL THE FLAMES TRADE NAZEM KADRI AND BLAKE COLEMAN?
CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin wondered what’s next for the Flames after trading Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
He believes that if the Flames can acquire young assets or draft picks and give players like Nazem Kadri or Blake Coleman the chance to join a contender, it might be time.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri’s been the subject of trade speculation for two years. The 35-year-old center is signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $7 million, and carries a 13-team no-trade list.
Kadri has put up decent numbers this season with the struggling Flames and has a Stanley Cup ring on his resume. However, his age and cap hit could be stumbling blocks in the path toward a trade.
Coleman, 34, is a versatile two-way forward who won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in this decade. He’s signed through next season with a more affordable AAV than Kadri ($4.9 million), but has a more restrictive 10-team trade list. The Flames reportedly prefer not to move him, but that doesn’t mean they won’t if the right offer comes along.
WHAT WILL THE CANADIENS DO WITH PATRIK LAINE?
NHL.COM: Dan Rosen was recently asked where Patrik Laine fits into the Montreal Canadiens’ lineup upon his return from injury. The 27-year-old right wing has been out since Oct. 16, recovering from core muscle surgery. He has resumed skating with his teammates.
Laine is in the final season of his contract with an AAV of $8.7 million. Rosen believes it’s difficult to determine where he’ll fit into their lineup right now, though an injury or a slump by one of their top-nine forwards could open up a spot for him.
Rosen doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Canadiens attempting to move Laine before the March 6 trade deadline. Otherwise, they’ll retain him for the rest of the season as an expensive depth forward.
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan was also asked about where Laine might fit within the Canadiens’ lineup. He doesn’t see him filling a bottom-six role or moving onto the second line.
Cowan speculates the Canadiens could give him some games at right wing on the top line and on their power-play unit to showcase him for a trade before March 6.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Laine’s injury history and his cap hit, the Canadiens might have to retain salary to move him. Their asking price could be a draft pick or a prospect.
WILL THE BLACKHAWKS TRADE CONNOR MURPHY?
THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus wondered if this season could be the end of Connor Murphy’s nine-season tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The 32-year-old blueliner is UFA-eligible in July, completing a four-year contract with an AAV of $4.4 million. He also has a 10-team no-trade list.
Murphy and his family live year-round in Chicago. He loves the city, but Lazerus speculated that the rebuilding Blackhawks could peddle him by the March trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murphy won’t fetch a big return for the Blackhawks. Moving him to add another draft pick would seem like a waste. They could consider re-signing him if he wants to stay, but he might not fit into their plans.
And now everybody is on Panarin watch!! I think if Panarin is willing to waive that Minny and the Avs will be all over this!
I don’t see the Habs trading Laine. No team will give up much for him so they’d rather keep him as insurance in case of injury and depth on the PP. But no chance the Habs will extend him.
Laine for Brodzinski. Fair trade
seems like decades ago since Laine was a legit sniper
ds
He’s still a legit sniper. Just never plays!
Howard
If Habs don’t plan on extending him, why not get what you can? 50% retention should help. Unless they’re thinking they’re a contender going into playoffs with him.
Put him in PP 2 with cuyle in front laf and Laine outside for one timers
Morrow on back end
Perrault bumper
Slick, because they won’t get anything of value for him. Better to keep him and hope he can provide some scoring down the stretch.
Throwing out the Avalanche as a possibility, I get it. But there’s a flip side to that. Panarin and Kane, guys like that are too nonchalant, don’t play defense. Who wouldn’t want them? IDK, I would rather have another Dman or forward who can score but is defensively responsible. Bednar is already pissed because we have superstars who aren’t consistently present on the defensive side of it. The Avalanche are a juggernaut when everyone is on the same page system wise: landeskog, nichushkin, lekhonen and nelson. Panarin, not unless he can be counted on to play a more complete game. Pass
Pundits are looking at Laine was not what he is and will/can be.
He is a sniper, possibly the best one timer in the NHL and definitely the best one timer on the Habs.
He has been watching practices, games and game film all year long and obviously has followed the transformation of the team to be far beyond simple north/south hockey.
Some players are able to adapt and thrive while others fail and this guy worked so hard this off season, on the ice daily with Demidov and a fire to be back on top.
MSL isn’t going to throw him on the ice to play his old game and “we” have no clue what has been designed for him.
We have seen the development of players, changing roles and styles to improve the team that were unexpectedm hello Texier, Veleno, Anderson, Caufield, Slafkovsky.
I think we are going to see a different Laine, positionally different and less stationary with new shooting lanes.
In Quebecois hockey parlance “Attachez vos ceintures” fasten your seatbelts.
Laine is still a very good one-timer … but not quite the best … that niche still belongs to Ovechkin. Stamkos is still pretty good as well … and seems to be experiencing a bit of resurgence this season.
FYI it was the late great Rene Lacavalier who popularized the expression.
George I did say “possibly the best” and added “definitely on the Habs”
Crazy Laine is 27 years old…..seems like he has been in the league longer then that.
Hope he gets healthy again as his one timer is a banger.
Where the heck is LJ? Haven’t seen a post in quite a while.