NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2026
What will the Maple Leafs do with Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly, and Bobby McMann? Are the Canadiens still interested in Nazem Kadri? What’s the latest on the Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION
TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the Maple Leafs need to decide what they have in Auston Matthews and whether the remaining two seasons of his contract are worth investing in, or whether they should consider moving him elsewhere.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Maple Leafs management touched base with the Matthews camp, and the latter remains committed to the team.
Nevertheless, a disappointing performance by the Maple Leafs next season could prompt Matthews to reconsider his future in Toronto.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).
Simmons believes Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving must approach Morgan Rielly about a trade. The 31-year-old defenseman is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $7.5 million and a full no-movement clause. Given the downturn in Rielly’s performance, Simmons wondered what the blueliner might fetch in return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not long ago, Rielly would’ve fetched the Maple Leafs at least a first-round pick and a top prospect or a promising young NHL player. Not anymore. The Leafs might also have to retain part of his salary. They might get a second-rounder if they’re lucky and one other piece.
Simmons also proposed trading UFA-eligible winger Bobby McMann for “some kind of futures” and then bringing him back as a free agent this summer if he agrees to that.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those types of moves are rarely done as players who hit the open market tend to go where they can get the best deal. Maybe McMann would accept that scenario proposed by Simmons, provided the same management team remains in place for the Leafs this summer. If Treliving is fired, his replacement might have other ideas.
ARE THE CANADIENS INTERESTED IN NAZEM KADRI?
RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports sources confirmed that the Montreal Canadiens were interested in Nazem Kadri earlier this season. The 35-year-old Calgary Flames center is signed through 2028-29 with an AAV of $7 million, and a 13-team no-trade list.
D’Amico indicated that the Canadiens are not on Kadri’s no-trade list. However, their interest in Kadri cooled by the time January rolled around. The emergence of Oliver Kapanen as their second-line center, the progression of top prospect Michael Hage, and the December acquisition of Phillip Danault have made Kadri less of a fit for the Habs.
According to D’Amico, the Flames are reportedly willing to retain part of Kadri’s salary to facilitate a trade. The Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, and Detroit Red Wings could be among the suitors, with interest likely to increase after the Olympic break.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico didn’t fully close the door on the Canadiens’ interest in Kadri, especially if the asking price softens near the trade deadline or if injuries arise. However, it’s now believed the Habs are more likely seeking a scoring winger to play on the top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
UPDATE ON THE SENATORS
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Steve Staios continues working the phones. It’s believed they recently spoke to the Flames about defenseman (and Ottawa native) MacKenzie Weegar, and “kicked tires” on winger Blake Coleman.
It’s believed that Staios prefers adding players with term remaining on their contracts because returning to the playoffs next season is not out of the question.
If Staios decides to sell by the March 6 deadline, Garrioch believes pending UFAs such as Claude Giroux, David Perron, Lars Eller, and Nick Cousins could have some value in the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a disappointing season for the Senators after snapping a seven-year playoff drought last year. Injuries and shaky goaltending were the main culprits. A healthier lineup with more reliable goalies next season could result in a strong bounce-back effort on their part.
While I am NOT saying history is about to repeat itself where these particular teams are concerned, you can almost bet that there will be win-less streaks from about now to early March, based upon these 10 from last season, also showing the average margin of defeat in goals within each streak:
Columbus – 4 games Feb 2 – Feb 8 1.2 goals
Ottawa – 5 games Feb 4 – Feb 26 3.0 goals
Boston – 5 games Feb 5 – Feb 27 1.0
Edmonton – 5 games Feb 7 – Feb 27 2.4
NY Islanders – 4 games Feb 7 – Feb 25 2.2
Chicago – 5 games Feb 8 – Feb 27 2.2
Pittsburgh – 4 games Feb 8 – Feb 25 3.2
Los Angeles – 5 games Feb 26 – March 5 2.6
Buffalo – 6 games Feb 27-March 8 2.5
Detroit – 6 games Feb 27 – March 10 2.0
With the standings being so tight – particularly in the Eastern Conference – losing skids ranging from 4 to 6 games can have a devastating effect on playoff hopes and so stir up trade activity leading up to the deadline.
I wouldn’t touch Kadri right now. He’s 35 years old with three years left on a huge contract and his game is in decline. Kapanen has only 5 fewer points with 4 minutes per game less ice time and is better defensively. And a lot cheaper. And Hage is on the way. Trading for him now would be an expensive mistake.
Lyle is correct. Bigger priority is a big winger to play with Caufield and Suzuki. As a complementary player, wouldn’t have to be the one driving the play. Suzuki does that. But that’s likely to happen in the off season.
An interesting thought on Panarin hit me this morning.
He doesn’t turn 35 until October 30th 2026. Meaning if he signs an extension prior to next season the team acquiring him will not have to be concerned with the “over 35” rule.
So if he’s insists on an extension, teams could feel relatively comfortable giving him a front loaded 6-8 year deal and have zero concern of being stuck with his cap hit if he walks away in 3-5 years.
Even if he goes as a rental and signs somewhere else in July, the same rule applies.
Yup! Panarin can sign a 7 x $7.41M contract with FLA and be with his buddy Bob! To make the trade fit, Florida would likely have to consider moving out Evan Rodrigues or Eetu Luostorainen, who each carry $3M cap hits that expire at the end of next season.
I (reluctantly) have to agree with Lyle’s tone re the Senators above, which suggests their hopes for a return to the playoffs is all but out of reach. And before other Ottawa fans take exception to the tone, let’s look at the reality of the situation.
Yes, their 59 points have them currently 12th in the Conference and just 6 back of the NYI for the last WC slot – and with a game in hand. But to get there they’d have to pass 4 teams – Florida, Washington, Columbus and the NYI – and not all will conveniently go into the tank. Plus there are also 3 teams either tied with them in points (Toronto) or just 1 point back (Philadelphia and New Jersey) who could also be factors in deciding who finishes where down the stretch.
Due to the tight nature of the East, it’s looking like 97 points will be the cut-off and, with a possible 54 points left to them in the schedule, the Islanders at their current .591 % pace would finish at that exact 97. They would need to falter to around .540 to finish below 97, while Ottawa would need to raise theirs from .546 (at which pace they’d finish with 90) to .679.
That is a tall order, and with tough back-to-backs tonight in Pittsburgh and tomorrow in Carolina – with Reimer obviously starting one of them – a loss of both – or even 1 – makes the task even tougher.
So, they will be “sellers” – at least to a certain degree – between now and the deadline.
George O
I agree that the Sens will be in tough to make the playoffs. Very difficult to leapfrog that many teams.
Same can be said for the Leafs. I really hope they don’t do anything stupid and trade what little youth/picks they have to try to squeeze into the playoffs only to be stuck in the “mushy middle”. Their best course of action is to sit their injured players and finish in the bottom 5 and retain this year’s 1st pick.
Leaf’s sold their next 2 1sts, they don’t have a 1st till 2028
Daryl that would also be the best course of action for Ottawa as well … IF they had their 1st round pick, which was taken away for a contract screw-up by Dorion even before Andlauer bought the team.
The LAST thing Staios would need is to see them finish in – and perhaps win if they were eligible – the lottery, only to see the opportunity out the window.
Even if they fail make the playoffs, I’m sure Staios is determined to see them finish as strongly as possible to avoid that embarrassment.
The math doesn’t look good, but I don’t give up hope, George. That’s just my nature I guess. If they can go 2 of 3 then it really helps their chances. Pens a little beat up, so that could help tonight. I’d go Ullmark against pens and flyers and Reimer against Carolina.
If they can’t win 5 of 7 until the trade deadline (with Detroit being one of their wins), I’d go into sell mode. It’s not unthinkable with their schedule. I think G, Cousins, Ellers, and Jensen would have very solid value for playoff teams.
Doubt Rielly would be willing to waive for anything but going to a legit Cup contender. To do that, it would take quite a bit of retainment.
It would still be cheaper than buying him out. He would be on the cap for 4 years beyond his contract end date if they did that.
If they have to take back a contract, it may be someone else that is in the need of a change in scenery.
I always thought that Rielly was a really good defenseman. But he is miscast as the anchor of a defense on any team. For the last 10 years, the Leafs have been missing that anchor, a big physical guy who shut down the other team in the last 5 minutes with a 1 goal lead or at the end of any period.
That’s just my opinion, I may be wrong.