NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2026
Check out the latest on Canucks center Elias Pettersson, Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, Kraken center Shane Wright, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST ELIAS PETTERSSON SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz shot down online rumors linking the Philadelphia Flyers to Elias Pettersson.
The 27-year-old Vancouver Canucks center played for Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet when the latter coached the Canucks. However, Kurz claims that the Flyers are not interested, saying that the possibility was “strongly denied” by multiple team sources.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).
Kurz also reported that the Flyers aren’t actively shopping defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, and it’s expected he’ll remain with the club for the rest of this season.
THE PROVINCE: Pettersson’s agent, JP Barry, downplayed the trade rumors about his client during an appearance on The Donnie and Dhali Show on CHEK-TV. “For us, we know it’s not real unless the GM is calling and saying that there’s an actual team or a deal and ‘would you consider it’”, Barry said. “Nine out of 10 times, it’s just a rumor.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks beat writer Thomas Drance of The Athletic doesn’t rule out the possibility of a Pettersson trade if they receive a credible offer. However, he indicated that the Canucks aren’t aggressively shopping Pettersson, and he might be unwilling to waive his no-movement clause during the regular season.
UPDATES ON ARTEMI PANARIN, ALEXIS LAFRENIERE, AND BRADEN SCHNEIDER
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports Artemi Panarin has not disclosed any potential trade destinations. The 34-year-old New York Rangers winger has a full no-movement clause.
Baugh believes it’s worth monitoring whether Panarin will agree to a contract extension with a new team in conjunction with a trade. That would take him off this summer’s free-agent market and could result in a better return for the Rangers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have informed Panarin that they won’t be offering him a contract extension and are willing to help him find a suitable trade destination. There’s been plenty of conjecture over where he might go, but he hasn’t tipped his hand about his intentions.
Meanwhile, Alexis Lafrenière is in the first season of his seven-year contract, which has an average annual value of $7.45 million. However, that doesn’t make the 24-year-old winger safe from a potential trade. He lacks no-trade protection until the 2027-28 season.
If the Rangers deal Lafreniere, they’d likely want a young player in return. They could also opt to retain him because his trade value is currently at the lowest of his career. The young winger said Rangers general manager Chris Drury has not spoken with him individually about his future.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere surfaced as a trade candidate soon after the Rangers announced their intention to commence a quick roster rebuild. Given his contract, they can afford to wait for a good offer, but his inconsistent play hurts his value.
Baugh suggested that depth forwards Sam Carrick, Jonny Brodzinski, and Taylor Raddysh could be trade candidates by the March 6 deadline.
NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports the San Jose Sharks are believed to have an interest in Braden Schneider. The 24-year-old Rangers defenseman has a cap hit of $2.2 million and is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have a crowded blueline, but they’ve got five defensemen (John Klingberg, Mario Ferraro, Timothy Liljegren, Vincent Desharnais, and Nick Leddy) who are UFA-eligible this summer, with Leddy recently demoted to the minors. They could attempt to get younger on their defense by acquiring Schneider, but that might mean the Rangers taking one of those veteran blueliners (Leddy?) as part of the return.
ARE THE KRAKEN SHOPPING SHANE WRIGHT?
TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Seattle Kraken are seeking a top-three winger or a top-six winger and could draw on their depth at center as trade bait.
Dreger claimed that teams are saying Kraken GM Jason Botterill is listening on Shane Wright, who they chose fourth overall in 2022. However, Botterill is in no rush to move the 22-year-old center, and Dreger indicated the asking price is “incredibly high.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright is in the second season of his three-year entry-level contract. He had a promising 44-point campaign last season. However, his production and his playing time have been reduced this season, with 17 points in 49 games.
THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS, OILERS, AND PANTHERS
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have been exploring the trade market for defensemen for several weeks before recent injuries to Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Carlo.
LeBrun indicates that Winnipeg Jets defenseman (and former Leaf) Luke Schenn has been mentioned as one option. Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils could be another. LeBrun stated that the Leafs are believed to be on his 10-team trade list, but his contract is a complicating factor.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers are believed to be in the market for a top-nine forward, while the Florida Panthers are open to anything that will upgrade their roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salary cap space is an issue for all three clubs. They could be forced to seek out bargains rather than more significant acquisitions.
Drury really has a mess in New York. Why would he trade a young d man like Schneider when he already traded Miller last year?
Because no young player has reached their potential here under Drury’s tenure.
He will just trade another one for a seasoned vet who has no speed. If this current roster had more speed it would be a different result.
The Rangers mistake was signing Panarin. He’s been a great player for them but they were not at the stage where they should pick up a high priced UFA. That signing pretty much undercut their rebuild which led to hiring win now coaches rather than development coaches which has resulted in poor development.
@howard
how was signing Panarin a mistake?
Team went to 2 ECF in 3 years. Lost to eventual Cup winner both times. If Laf and Kakko were true top picks they might of made it past that round imho.
But…… if not for Igor they dont have this success regardless of Panarin
You mean he has made a mess?
Trying to be diplomatic
Tor can have dumba at 50 percent retention for a mid round pick!
Do we have any mid round picks left to trade?
if the Rangers are going to deal a young dman like Schnieder they better ask the Sharks for Sam Dickinson, or a similar young offensive dman
Pettersson is a coach killer. its a laugh riot reading that the Rangers would be interested in acquiring him considering what their current captain went through last season
I read about the Hawks being interested in Lafreniere, which might work if he were to play on Bedard’s wing, but be careful of what they give up. Lafreniere has really struggled in NY (other than one season) but Kakko really struggled there but has turned things around in Seattle.
something about the Drury organization and how it really drags down the value of young prospects
Drury is really at fault for many odd moves he has made, but has the support of his idiot owner James Dolan
Kakko is on pace for about 35 points this year. When Seattle first acquired him last year, he looked like he may be headed into the right direction. However, he seems to have regressed once again and looks like the same exact player they traded.
Laffrienere would be better off returning to left wing. He looks like a guy that would cap out in the 50-60 point range. (May be a bit generous) If playing with Panarin for a few years hasn’t done wonders for his game, I’m not sure he does any better somewhere else.
In fairness to NY, they have been plagued by injuries right out of the gate this year.i don’t think Miller has been healthy all year either. The bottom 6 is pretty ugly.
As far as prospects go, NY has pretty much always struggled to draft and develop forwards. I have to think that problem goes well beyond / before Drury.
Here’s to hoping the “retool” isn’t botched like the “rebuild “.
only realistic option for VAN is a Kotkaniemi+(other salary) from CAR for Pettersson. no other team is going to want that long contract for a player who is really struggling. with the amount of length remaining on the contract it would be a cap killer if the Canucks retain salary in any deal
only other possibility for VAN is a buyout of his deal
Struble for Schneider straight up.
Shane Wright is interesting, he’s unable to crack the top 6 in Seattle but supposedly Botterill is expecting a top 3 or 6 in return???
He fell in the draft to #4 from a touted #1 and is seen as a bust but if we look at the draft class:
GP- #4
G- #4
A- #6
Pts.- #5
He’s essentially lived up to his draft ranking despite being bounced over the lineup and TOI.
It would be poetic for him to be traded to the Habs and find his game where he expected to be in the first place.
I’m not sure what to think of Shane Wright. His current point production is .35 ppg and as a centre he’s 37.5% in FOs. Nothing here indicates his trade value should be “incredibly high”. Is his skating an issue? Work ethic? Kiefer Sherwood had more goals than Wright has points and he was worth 2 seconds.
I think the idea is what he could become not just what he has produced. He has potential being in the 2nd year of his ELC. He’s cost controlled, Right handed centre, just turned 22 and have 44 points in his rookie season. Writing him off would be silly as not a good potential player.
Matty Beniers went from 57 points to 37 in his second year to 43 in his 3rd and is currently on pace for 53 points. No one would write him off him as not a high potential player.
I guess Wright won’t be shooting any hot stares over at the Habs brass anytime soon.
If the asking price is incredibly high he’s going nowhere.
I wouldn’t trade Laffrienere today. As pointed out, his value is low. What would be the point? Get a lesser player?
Ditto Schneider. Schneider is fine. But is definitely struggling in the #1 role on Fox’s absence.
He’s -14 this year, and a whopping -11 in his last 11 games!! Trading him today would be a panic move.
This entire team looks like a dumpster fire in Shesterkin and Fox’s absence.
Would you entertain a Lohrei for Schneider trade. Boston needs a young RHD and Peeke is a UFA.
Wonder if some package sending Lafreniere to Seattle for Wright might be worth it for both sides.
Both seem to need a fresh start away from from their organization.
IMO you can afford to be patient with Wright and have some hope he will become solid 2C. He just turned 22 and is in his sophomore season. Not overly optimistic about that though. He is cheap though, so won’t cost much if he becomes bottom 6 player.
Lafreniere has 431 games/6th season under his belt and is in the beginning of his prime years at 24. He is what he is. Borderline 2nd line winger, good 3rd line winger. He gets good PP time, on a good PP, and isn’t producing much there as far as points either. His ticket seems a bit rich for that.
The question mark on both of them coming into the draft was wheels. Neither were elite or explosive skaters at the junior level so the question was would it improve as they aged and added strength and put the work in. Or could they still produce in the NHL if their skating didn’t improve much. Starting get a pretty good idea it seems.
Leafs quick retool
Nylander to Dallas for Jason roberstson. Or nylander to NYR for Lafrenière and Schneider.
McMann and leafs 2028 1st rounder for Wright and Seattle 2nd round pick. Move Tavares to wing and wright play 2nd line centre