NHL Rumor Mill – February 25, 2026
Check out the latest on the Canucks’ Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane, the Flames’ Nazem Kadri, the Maple Leafs and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CANUCKS GETTING INTEREST IN ELIAS PETTERSSON, COULD MOVE EVANDER KANE
TSN: Darren Dreger reports there is renewed trade interest in Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, but they haven’t yet received an offer worth considering. Pettersson’s agents are aware of the trade discussions. However, they won’t include their client (who has a no-movement clause) until it reaches a point where there is a potential deal.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s declining production is a stumbling block in the path to a trade, though the teams that have inquired about him likely believe he’ll regain his scoring form with a change of scenery. Nevertheless, his no-movement protection and his $11.6 million average annual value through 2031-32 are also significant hurdles that could keep him in Vancouver beyond the March 6 trade deadline.
Chris Johnston reports Evander Kane was the subject of a fair amount of trade discussions. It’s expected the 34-year-old winger could be moved to a playoff club by the March 6 deadline, with the Canucks willing to retain half of his $5.125 million cap hit. The Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars are among the clubs that have made inquiries.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is more likely to be moved by March 6 than Pettersson, especially if the Canucks retain half of his remaining salary. He might cost at most a third-round pick.
FLAMES COULD MOVE KADRI, LOOKING AT INTEREST IN COLEMAN AND MORE
TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Calgary Flames are still testing the trade market for Nazem Kadri. He claims the 35-year-old center wants to be traded. They’re also looking at the interest in winger Blake Coleman and defensemen MacKenzie Weegar and Zach Whitecloud. Dreger stated that Flames general manager Craig Conroy will remain patient to ensure he has a full assessment of the trade market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All those players are signed beyond this season. That’s why Conroy can play the waiting game. He’s under no pressure to move them at the trade deadline. If there are no suitable offers by March 6, he can wait for the offseason to see if the trade market improves.
Chris Johnston suggested the Colorado Avalanche might be a suitor for Kadri, who played for them for several seasons before signing with the Flames in the summer of 2022. The Avalanche created extra salary-cap space on Tuesday by trading defenseman Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins for blueliner Brett Kulak. They’re expected to use that additional cap room to add a forward, probably a centerman.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri carries an AAV of $7 million through 2028-29 with a 13-team no-trade list. It’s a good bet that the Avalanche aren’t on that list. He’d probably leap at the opportunity to rejoin the Avalanche and pursue another Stanley Cup with them.
WILL THE MAPLE LEAFS BECOME SELLERS?
TSN: Darren Dreger thinks the next two or three games for the Toronto Maple Leafs will decide if they become sellers at the trade deadline. They’re currently six points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with four clubs to leapfrog.
If the Leafs decide to sell, Dreger believes UFA-eligible forwards such as Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton could be put on the trade block.
WHICH PLAYERS’ TRADE VALUE WAS AFFECTED BY THEIR OLYMPIC PERFORMANCES?
DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin examined which players’ trade value changed for better or worse by the performances in the Olympics.
St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington topped the list of those whose value went up. Binnington had a solid performance between the pipes for Canada. New York Rangers winger Mika Zibanejad and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen also likely got a boost from their efforts in the Olympics.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Ottawa Senators center Lars Eller, and Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen saw their stock go down.
Apart from the game vs Finland when the whole Swedish team played bad, Pettersson played pretty good, the coach received some flak for not playing him more from Swedish reporters. Get him to a new place and some players that compliments him and I think he will be at least a PPG player again. But of course there is a risk
You should get more than a point per game for 11.6 Kent.
I just lost a list of players who score at a point per game pace and those at 11 million who score at more than a point per game, and I’m not going to waste time repeating the research, as the statement itself stands on its own merit.
The only thing the Av’s have that would be of interest to the Flames are picks.
From all indications Scott Laughton is widely considered to be a very good, and in some contexts even elite, penalty-killer and viewed as a crucial, “indispensable” part of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ defensive unit.
He averages 2.14 minutes of PK per game, one of the highest among Leafs forwards, and is very effective at winning crucial PK face-offs, blocking shots, and playing an aggressive, in-your-face style that disrupts power plays.
With a rising cap I truly don’t see why they wouldn’t re-up him, but depending upon what they would want in return, I’d love to see Staios make a pitch to help shore up one of the weakest aspects of the Senators game this season.
considering his NTC, salary and term remaining, trading Pettersson will be next to impossible. Only way it could happen is if the deal included a similar bad contract going back to VAN. Unless VAN is that desperate to get rid of EP40 why would they take back a similar bad contract, that won’t improve their cap situation?
would Kadri really want to be a 3rd line center with the Avs, even if they could win the cup? we’ll see, but obviously MacKinnon, and Nelson, are better center options that Kadri
Weegar would be a great acquisition for just about any team. Not sure I am in the majority, but I have always liked his game. He’s the one defenseman that might be available that could fit into a good team’s too 4 defenseman.
So what’s the price for Laughton?
Toronto St Pats, from what I have been able to glean from a number of sources, most figure the Leafs would seek a 2nd Round pick and a minor prospect.
That’s considered a reasonable return by most based on his role as a bottom-6 C/W, his production (8g 3a 11pts in 39gp) and his pending UFA status and $3 million per cap hit, particularly if Treleving agrees to retains 50% of his cap hit.
Especially being a rental. I think they could get more if he had more term left beyond this year.
I understand why the Leafs acquired Laughton. He is a valuable bottom 6 forward. I just wish they would have extended him. It would have made giving up the first if we could keep his skills around.
Zibanejad is back at center with Rangers, his primary position. Not sure anyone really improved or hurt their value in a few all star games over 2 weeks. Still don’t think Trochek goes anywhere unless it’s a huge overpay. Curious why Panthers haven’t been mentioned much here. Someone brought up Bobrovsky last week and I saw a tweet from Kevin Weekes yesterday pointing out there’s been no extension talks and he’s ufa eligible. Weekes doesn’t always chime in on rumors. Maybe something involving LA’s Kuemper for Bob? Florida needs to get their future cap space in order. Bobrovsky could join his buddy Panarin.
Slick62, by the trade deadline of March 6 the Panthers will have played 4 games – at home to Toronto on Thursday (the day after the Leafs are in Tampa) followed by a visit to NYI on Sunday, at New Jersey next Tuesday and in Columbus on Thursday. Sitting 14th in the Conference with 61 points, they are 8 b/o of a WC slot and need to climb over 6 teams to get there. With a potential 50 points left to them in their schedule, anything short of a 4-game sweep would write “finis” to their playoff hopes, especially if any of the teams they’d need to climb over are in a winning streak of their own.
So, when they visit Detroit the day of the deadline, Bill Zito is apt to be one of the busiest – whether by necessity of selling or buying.
Both Rangers and Panthers have big decisions to make between now and March 6. The Rangers are in a form of rebuild, while the Panthers are still in a position to get into the post season. Or do the Panthers decide to sell some assets and attempt to retool? “Bob” on the market would be huge.
The Blues are in a unique spot at the deadline. They haven’t been contenders since the leadership and talent loss of, Petro, Steen, O’Reilly, Tarasenko and Boumeester. The current core hasn’t cut it. So I’m hoping for some big moves.
Kyrou is god as gone if not now over the summer, both parties are ready for a change.
Thomas, hs recent tepid comments regarding his ntc leads me to believe he’s been approached about a trade
Faulk, if Kulak gets you Girard and a 2nd what can you bring in for Faulk.
Parayko a big fast shut down dman that is consistently among the league leaders in blocked shots and take aways.
Binnington who has proven time and again that he plays his best on the biggest stages. I wonder if he and McDavid had any conversation about coming to Edmonton for a cup run.
The return for some of these players added with what is sure to be a top 3 pick in this year’s draft and a couple of prospects knocking on the door could make for an entirely different team next year.
Only problem is that all those Blues players have NMC or MNTC. So unless they want to move they are not going anywhere.
Can’t directly tie the kulak trade to a Faulk trade as far as value. That was as much about the cap space as it was the player.
I don’t agree that Ellers stock went down due to his Olympic performance. He was on a team that was consistently outmatched.
When he has played for Ottawa he has been a solid two way checker, decent at faceoffs and has moved around to play the wing.
I think lots of lots of teams would be interested.
He also has a Stanley Cup winning goal.
I agree Owen. What games was that person watching? I thought the Danes looked pretty good as a whole. And the three Sens playing for them did all they could.