NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2026
The latest on Flames forward Nazem Kadri, the Canadiens could be interested in Flames winger Blake Coleman, the Hurricanes are entertaining offers for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and the latest on the Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
NAZEM KADRI COULD BE OPEN TO A TRADE
TSN: Darren Dreger believes Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri would be willing to listen if an opportunity to be traded to a contender came along.
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
Kadri, 35, is signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $7 million and a 13-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade rumors were buzzing about Kadri earlier this season, but Flames ownership said they had no intention of moving him. However, it appears to be a different story if he wants to be moved, or if a contender comes calling with a good offer, whether those offers come before the March 6 trade deadline remains to be seen.
CANADIENS INTERESTED IN FLAMES WINGER BLAKE COLEMAN
TSN: Pierre LeBrun thinks Flames winger Blake Coleman is high on the Montreal Canadiens’ list of trade targets. The 34-year-old is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and would bring a measure of physicality, veteran leadership, and versatility to the Canadiens’ roster.
Coleman is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $4.9 million. He also has a 10-team no-trade list.
LeBrun said nothing is imminent with the Canadiens. They intend to wait until the Olympic break in February to gauge the health of their roster and their position in the standings before pursuing that type of deal.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont appreciates Coleman’s skills, but he’s skeptical that the Canadiens will pursue him.
Dumont pointed out that Alexandre Texier’s play negates some of what Coleman would bring to the lineup. He also expressed concern that Coleman’s shooting percentage might collapse, turning him into an expensive bottom-six forward. There is currently no pressing need to make that move.
RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico indicated that the Canadiens are ahead of schedule with their rebuild and will soon be getting their sidelined players back in the lineup. They’re open to adding physical, middle-six scoring forwards, but they’re not under pressure to do so.
The Canadiens are dealing from a position of strength. They can afford to be patient and wait for value rather than overpaying to keep pace. Management is still prioritizing long-term impact over short-term optics.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coleman wouldn’t be a rental player for the Canadiens, provided they’re not on his no-trade list. However, General Manager Kent Hughes’ trade history suggests he won’t overpay to acquire him. LeBrun also stressed that Coleman is among several players on the Canadiens’ trade targets list.
HURRICANES LISTENING TO OFFERS FOR JESPERI KOTKANIEMI
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports several sources claim the Carolina Hurricanes are considering trade offers for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. They want something in return that can help them now or something they can use to acquire something that can provide immediate help.
The Hurricanes successfully signed away Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens with an offer sheet in 2021, and later signed him to an eight-year deal with an AAV of $4.82 million.
Friedman said the Hurricanes have used the 25-year-old Kotkaniemi in recent trade discussions when they attempted to acquire Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings and Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. Danault was traded to the Canadiens, and Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kotkaniemi struggled to establish himself as a reliable middle-six center with the Hurricanes. Given the lack of centers in the trade market, Friedman believes he’s drawing legitimate interest from other clubs.
LATEST ON THE DEVILS
TSN: Darren Dreger reports New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is trying to shake up his struggling roster. He’s aggressively searching for a top-six forward, but things are quiet in the trade market right now.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes the Devils must make some changes to their roster if they’re not going to shake things up in the front office or behind the bench.
He noted the Devils attempted to move defenseman Dougie Hamilton and winger Ondrej Palat earlier this season. Those moves seem more likely in the offseason when things are more flexible.
Nichols suggested it may be time to consider moving a core player. He felt that management should speak with Jack and Luke Hughes to determine how committed they are to the organization after the Devils’ failed attempt to acquire brother Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, it may be time to look at Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and team captain Nico Hischier
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils supporters are roasting Fitzgerald on social media, but it doesn’t sound as though he’s on the hot seat with ownership. Dreger said he speaks to ownership every week, and they know what direction he wants to take this team.
Barring a strong second-half turnaround, the Devils might face some difficult questions regarding the core of their roster. They’ve struggled to regain their once-promising 2022-23 form, when they finished with the best record in franchise history.
Carolina thinks they can get something for KK that will HELP them … ROTFLMAO … teams asking about KK are bargain basement shopping hoping against hope that the proverbial “change of scenery” will make KK an acceptable 4/3C
I’m with you on that GHT. Kotkaniemi’s value is lower than low right now. There will be demand for him as it’s a sellers market for centers right now. But the only way they get more for him than a 2nd round pick or a similarly underachieving young player is if they retain half his salary. And even then it won’t be easy. Even with the cap going up, he has a high hit for a 4th liner which is essentially what he is right now. Consider that the Kings chose to accept a 2nd for Danault rather than take his contract.
Carolina ruined KK making the nail to an owners ego driven hammer.
Too much money, too soon, no development, set up to fail and a locker room distraction.
He got an 8 x $4.82m whether in the NHL or AHL that runs until he’s 29y/o
Had he re-signed in Montreal and come under the tutelage of MSL in the rebuild I think he would have grown into the original expectations.
At least he got the money.
Wennberg got a $6m extension as an OK 3rd center.
In the right spot, KK could be better than him and then becomes “a bargain” at “only” $4.8M.
Can’t see the value in a center who has 6 points in 25 games, costs $4.8 million for 4 more years and is below 48% in face offs.
I wonder what it would cost the Wild to acquire both Hughes brothers from NJ?
Boldy, Faber and a 1st
That’s the price for Jack; what do they get for Luke?
If true, the devils need to talk to the hughes brothers about there commitment to the team because they didn’t wet Quinn. I would shipped them out as fast I could. This is the exact reason you don’t want this scenario. It disrupts the team in every way.
Jeff they wanted Quinn,they just didn t have close to the resources that Minnesota had to make the deal work.Fitzgerald is partly to blame because of the clauses he included in the players that they wanted to trade.This scenario could reverse and see what NJ would get for the Hughes boys. I Don t think the above trade would be offered by Minnesota. Boldy and Faber to me are worth more than the Hughes boys.
One of my eating crow moments as I reflect on my suggestions throughout the summer about the Habs need for a 2C and the failure to address it. Some of the guys I wanted to go for:
Mctavish- 44games 10g/17A/-8 $7m 50.1 fo%
Zacha- 43 games 10g/18A/-7 $4.75m 53.2 fo%
Rossi- 25 games 5G/10A/-11 $5m 49.4 fo%
Kasper- 44 games 3G/3A/-16 $886k 48.6 fo%
as opposed to in-house rookie
Kapanen- 44games 15G/11A/+4 $925k 46.2
We all have those moments when we decide to become a GM! I know I have. Still fun just the same.
Habs aren’t trading for Coleman. Certainly not now or during this season. Flames are under no pressure to trade him. He’s signed through next season. They’ll wait for their price which will likely be a 1st and maybe even a solid prospect. Hughes will not give up that much for a 34 year old. Coleman’s a solid bottom six player but far from a difference maker. Habs don’t need him right now.
Nobody is paying a 1st and a good prospect for Coleman
Nj send Palat plus to CGY for Huberdeau
Then the details to balance out the cap
Kk a 1st plus prospect for Kadri ?
Cgy gets picks a prospect and cap space
Car gets a 2 yr true 2 c that plays hard
Three more years of Kadri
505 Hockey big deal Kadri is a pretty effective player & one of the better Flames players. 7.0 mill these days isnt outlandish.
Also Coleman can be a huge piece for a long playoff run. if that return isnt minimum a 1st & a decent prospect then he has more value to the Flames than a 2nd & B prospect. We have a ton of those & our prospect pipeline is probably top 10. Backlund & Coleman are like the young player whisperers & have helped many of our young players get their NHL legs. Coleman has a ferocious forecheck, he has decent hands & would be huge addition for any contender. A late first & decent prospect for 2 Cup runs is cheap for a true contender. Just saying as a fan that watches all the Flame games.
Jack and luke for brady. You’re welcome ottawa and nj
Heh. So Ottawa takes on $17 mil per to 2032 while NJ has $8,205,714 to 2028-29.
Sure.