NHL Rumor Mill – June 8, 2026
More Dylan Larkin Trade Speculation, plus the latest on the Canadiens and the Capitals in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST ON DYLAN LARKIN
THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz looked at whether Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin would be a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 29-year-old center requested a trade last week. He has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.7 million and a full no-trade clause.
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).
Kurz believes it would make sense for the Flyers to pursue Larkin, who would fill their first-line center position.
If the Red Wings want to be in the playoff chase next season, they’ll likely want a top-two center in return for Larkin, which would take the Flyers out of the running. However, if the Wings are rebuilding, the Flyers have the tradeable assets to make a competitive trade offer.
Kurz considers it unlikely that the Flyers will land Larkin. He believes general manager Daniel Briere isn’t under pressure to take a big swing right now.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin has spent the past decade outside the playoff picture. While the Flyers exceeded expectations this season by reaching the postseason, Larkin’s preference could be joining a club he believes will give him the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup.
Meanwhile, Aaron Portzline doubted that the Columbus Blue Jackets have a shot at acquiring Larkin.
Portzline noted the friendship between Larkin and Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, but that’s unlikely to put the Blue Jackets on Larkin’s short list of trade destinations. He noted that the Wings center’s preference could be to join an upper-echelon club, such as the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Florida Panthers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have come tantalizingly close to the playoffs the past two years but failed to break through. They probably aren’t the type of team Larkin would be keen to join.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Patrick Present believes the Anaheim Ducks could be well-positioned to make an enticing trade pitch for Larkin.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek knows Larkin from his days as the Red Wings’ assistant GM. He’s also been an active trade partner with his former club over the past two years.
Present wondered if an offer of young center Mason McTavish, a second-tier prospect such as Eric Nilsson or Lasse Boelius, and a first-round pick might be enough to acquire Larkin.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks have plenty of factors that would give them an advantage over other clubs pursuing Larkin. However, it will come down to whether they’re on his short list of trade destinations.
UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault will have value in the trade market despite his struggles this season.
The 29-year-old Montembeault entered this season as the Canadiens’ starting goaltender. However, a combination of injuries and inconsistency shook his confidence and turned him into their third-stringer behind Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.
Montembault has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3.15 million. With several teams having goaltending issues, Cowan thinks the Canadiens shouldn’t have a problem trading him this summer.
TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie believes the Canadiens could find a buyer for Kirby Dach if they decide to put the 25-year-old forward on the trade block.
Injuries hampered Dach’s development since being acquired by the Canadiens in 2022. Nevertheless, Lavoie believed that Dach still has value. He felt that teams will be interested if he becomes available, suggesting the Canadiens could get a second or third-round pick for him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens likely won’t get much for either guy, but a draft pick for each could be used as trade chips to address other issues. One of them could even be part of a larger multi-player deal, though that possibility seems remote.
CAPITALS TO SHOP FOR A DEFENSEMAN
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber recently reported that Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin has started rehab as he begins his long recovery from surgery in April to repair a torn ACL.
Sandin is expected to be sidelined for six to nine months, meaning he might not return to the lineup until late January. Capitals GM Chris Patrick said he will explore options to address Sandin’s absence.
To add to the list, the Habs would probably be able to trade Gallagher as well. Won’t get much, but all of these dumps would open up cap space.
I disagree on Gallagher, the cap hit is too compared to what he brings. If they want the whole hit gone they have to add. Like him plus Dach for a 6th, teams might hope that Dach can turn healthy, teams like Vancouver, or rather Vancouver.
With the cap going up the floor goes up as well. There will be teams who’ll be looking to pick up Gally to get to the floor. And his actual salary this year is less than his cap hit. He won’t bring much back but they should be able to trade him without holding salary.
Dach is an RFA. If the Habs can’t work out a trade or a one year prove it deal they may very well just not tender him.
With so many teams looking for goaltending someone will trade for Monty, though he won’t bring back much.
The theory that there will be teams needing to take on contracts like Gallagher’s just to get to the cap floor comes up every year around this time. And, yes, it has happened before. A number of times, in fact. But I just don’t see it this time around.
The following project to be somewhere below the cap floor of $76.9 mil and so must add cap hits in order to reach that level, ranging from a high of $13,460,888 (San Jose) to a low of $120,445 (Nashville). However, every one of them has a combination of pending UFAs and RFAs who will easily do the trick. And even if some are not re-signed, those teams will still need to find replacements who can actually play and contribute as opposed to just taking up a seat on the bench. Or in the press box.
Those with amounts $10 mil and up needing to be spent:
San Jose – $13,460,888 – UFAs: Reaves, Regenda, Leddy, Klingberg, Desharnais, Ferraro – RFAs: Kurashev, Ostapchuk, Graf, Mukhamadallen
Chicago – $13,060,842 – UFAs: Lafferty, Mikheyev, Grzelcyk – RFAs: Bedard (who’l take up most of it), Del Mastro, Kirchinski
Anaheim – $11,673,395 – UFAs: Johnston, Harkins, Viel, Carlson, Gudas, Trouba, Mrazek – RFAs: Moore, Gauthier, Carlsson, Hinds, Zellweger, Mintyukov
Pittsburgh – $10,758,750 – UFAs: Hayes, Mantha, Accieri, Shea, Clifton, Skinner – RFAs: Chinakhov, Silovs
Philadelphia – $10,397,917 – UFAs: Wilson, Glendening, Grundstrom, Abois, Juulsen – RFAs: Zegras, Grebenkin, Drysdakle, Andrae, Ersson
Those with amounts less than $6 mil needing to be spent:
Columbus – $5,260,835 – UFAs: Jenner, Marchment, Heinen, Gudbranson, Smith – RFAs: Sillinger, Fantilli, Zamula, Greaves
Washington – $4,250,417 – UFAs: Ovechkin, Du haime, Kampf, Trevor Van Riemsdyk – RFAs: McMichael, Lapierre
Detroit – $1,947,084 – UFAs: Kane, Perron, James Van Riemsdyk, Hamonic, Talbot – RFAs: Edvinsson, Mazur
Seattle – $1,241,371 – UFAs: Schwqartz, Toivanen, McMann, Oleksiak, Murray – RFAs: Melanson
Nashville – $120,445 – UFAs: Haula, Jost, Gravel – RFAs: Barron
Aww come on, Howard. What teams out there will want a 34 y/o 5’ 9” 185lber who the Habs have decided must go simply because he’s literally run out of gas? And, to boot, is taking up $6.5 mil of the cap for another season. I know he’s said he’d prefer to go to Vancouver … but why would the Canucks want him if he can no longer do what kept him as a mainstay in Montreal all these years? Even if the Habs withheld a chunk of that cap hit?
As for Dach, same thing but for an entirely different reason. This guy has NEVER played a full season, not even the Covid-shortened one. Is there – realistically – a GM out there who’s thinking “yeah, all that will change once I get him here.” ??
Over the past 3 seasons alone he has missed 40% of the team’s games. Just look at his injury history
https://sportsforecaster.com/nhl/p/27907/Kirby_Dach/transactions
I knew I was being to kind to Montreal;)
According to the reports from a interview with Gallagher he could be traded this week.
Howard
Several years ago it cost the Leafs a 1st round pick to rid themselves of the last year of Patrick Marleau’s contract.
Gallagher was a good player for the Canadiens but those days are long gone.
Look what Montreal got to take Monahan from Calgary.
Seth Jarvis with that 1st, thank you very much.
Heye George, how are you doing ? 🙂 For Gallagher, I think he might like Seattle because it’s pretty close to his home town BC 😉 If not maybe the Sharks ? His cap hit is 6.5M as you were saying but I think his actual salary will be 4M
But Mike, if the reason the Habs see fit to part ways is because he just doesn’t have his previous “zip” any longer, why would another team take him on?
To what end? There are far better … and younger and cheaper … options out there – even among the UFAs at that level.
And Mike, just for the record I’m doing fine … thanks for asking. Heh. When you get to my age it’s literally “one day at a time.” LOL.
Further on Gallagher, here’s an overview of his situation from the web:
“Brendan Gallagher did see some ice time in the playoffs, but he was highly limited, dressing for only three of the Montreal Canadiens’ 19 postseason games and becoming a healthy scratch for the remainder of their playoff run.The Canadiens’ coaching staff made the difficult decision to reduce his role and make him a healthy scratch for the majority of the playoffs, including in the Eastern Conference Final, for a few specific reasons:
Reduced On-Ice Effectiveness: Gallagher’s skating speed and physical dominance had declined over recent seasons. Head coach Martin St. Louis prioritized younger players, feeling they gave the team a better matchup and the necessary pace to compete.
Limited Minutes: In the three playoff games he did play in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, his ice time was restricted to just a few minutes per game.
Focus on a Youth Movement: The Canadiens leaned heavily on their emerging young core and opted to utilize players they envisioned as long-term fixtures in their rebuild rather than the 34-year-old veteran.Although Gallagher proved he could still provide a spark by scoring a goal in his return to the lineup in Game 5 against Tampa Bay, he did not see the ice again after Round 1. The veteran acknowledged the coaching staff’s decisions with class but tearfully confirmed at the end of the season that his 14-year tenure with the team is over, and his agent is currently working with the organization to facilitate a trade.”
And from my observation, if ever a series called for the presence of the old Gallagher it was that physical Carolina one … but what they have now is nowhere near the old, feisty Gallagher. Nor is he apt to suddenly get back his old mojo.
Why do you think teams are just going to absorb Gallaghers contract.? Habs fan obviously, the Habs would have to absorb 50% and still add a 2nd round pick to get him off their hands.
Spector is my favorite morning read.!
Got to show some love.!
With an actual salary of 4 mil the Habs would not have to hold any salary to move him. Dumba made 4 mil and it cost Dallas a second with no money held. So there is precedent. Mont has zero value. Dach could maybe bring a mid rounder as a project for a team.
There are teams who will have to make the salary cap floor. I mean doesn’t Chicago (?) still have Ryan Ellis and Shea Weber still on their books? Two guys that don’t play anymore so someone can still take Gallagher’s salary.
Chrisms: Montembeault was a train wreck last year. But the three previous years his save % was .902, .903, and .901 on mediocre teams.
He won’t get a first round pick back but with the paucity of goaltenders a GM who views his records will find he is worth a shot as at least a back up.
How many teams want a 3 mil plus possible bounce back back up goalie?
Since Hildeby will not be eligible for waivers next season, Leafs will be trading either Woll or Stolarz. Both are probably preferable to Montembault.
“He won’t get a first round pick back”
Literally no one except you, LJ, is suggesting Monty returns a first-round pick.
I don’t know the answer, and I don’t care to look it up, but in my eyes a reasonable return for Monty would be a pick equal to or a round lower than the round in which he was selected. Or even less, considering he was a waiver claim by the Habs. But a first-rounder? Again, no one has suggested that’s the ask.
Heye Darryl,
How ever, it is Kent Hughes you are talking about, he didn’t give much to get rid of Shea Weber and Carey Prices contracts and the two players were literally done. He traded Weber for Dadonov, then traded dadonov for Gurianov and then let Gurianov go.
As for Price, he traded him with a 5th round pick in return of A AHLer Gannon Laroque and a 4th rounder…
The Monahan move was pure genious, getting a 1st rounder to take him to later trade him for another 1st rounder to the Jets. What were these first rounders used for ? Trades for Noah Dobson and a pick trade that gave him the ability to draft Michael Hage.
Frank, you should take a look at my answer to Darryl a bit lower. I think you woulnd’t mock Habs fans after reading it
Dach? A project? A medical project, perhaps.
TB: Show me where I have ever suggested Montembeault would fetch a first round pick?
Particularly as you quote me saying he won’t get a first round pick back.
Mike, see my post above on teams needing to reach the cap floor. All 10 will do it easily with what they have to re-sign.
Which of the 10 do you think would need Gallagher’s contract?
Why would they do that when they can buy him out
And Mike, Weber came off the books in Chicago before the start of this past season, although they do have 1 more season of Ellis.
I would argue that the ducks are the perfect partner for Detroit, even if I think it will cost Verbeek more than the package suggested. Like Solberg/luneau, McTavish, a first and a second/third. Reason is that besides being a 2A c, he is on a good contract. If Larkin is smart, the Ducks are ON his trade list
McTavish, Mintyukov and Pohling.
I’m guessing that we will see NMC and No Trade clauses, become a thing if the past except for the McDavids, Makars, McKinnon, and Hughes’ of the world. Top 5 % of the league, if that’s how this is starting to play out. Sorry Doug Armstrong you wont be giving Jordan Kyrou and Colton Parayko a No Movement clause anymore…Well I guess HE won’t since he’s stepping down.
It’s been reported Larkin gave three teams the Wild, Panthers and Vegas to be traded too I don’t see Detroit getting much in return if this list is true. All three teams will not move younger equivalent players and Detroit doesn’t want their older players.
Wild probably don’t have the prospects to get a trade done unless Detroit wants Wahlstrom as part of the return.
Vegas and Florida won’t have the cap space to take him on and their prospects pool isn’t great either. Florida looks like they have $15M in space right now, but they also don’t have any goalies currently under contract and also have several UFA forwards to handle.
If true, nhl is starting to become like the nba, where the stars pull a tantrum to get traded and then team up with a power house so they can get their cup. Hated that move by players in NBA and now it’s starting to become prevalent in NHL. Looks to be mostly an American kind of thing really if you look at the stats.
You give a guy a NMC (which nba doesn’t have to be fair) and they go around and demand a trade putting the team in a crap spot. Pretty weak if you ask me, where is honouring your contract?
Owen they are honoring the clause in their contract that includes a NMC. If you don’t t want the player to exercise their rights,Don t put it in the contract!
I think it should be the following for NTC or NMC.
A team isn’t allowed to ask a player to waive it, at all.
The player of they ask for a trade either loses the NTC or NMC or it drops to a 16 team NTC/NMC.
There is downside to both sides. The team can’t just plan on begging the player to let them trade him and the player can’t leave the team in a bad position.
SR, I meant by demanding a trade. If you expect your nmc to be honoured, then honor the term on your contract or remove your nmc so the GM can get max value. Seems fair.
Agreed that the NMC was fairly negotiated. However, I am of the belief that if a player has a NMC, then asks for a trade, the NMC should then be void. If the team cant trade you on their terms, you shouldn’t have protection when you want out. Strictly my opinion.
And one I share totally. Been saying it since the Heatley fiasco in Ottawa.
Sr, it’s put in their contracts to prevent the team from trading them where they don’t want to go … not so they can demand to be traded and still pick and choose where they’re dealt.
I seriously doubt that was ever the intent and every time a Larkin situation pops up you can bet that that situation is being logged into the next NHLPA-League bargaining sessions as a prime topic.
I dunno, the agreement with the players seems pretty fair to me.
The players get no say in where they play from the time they are drafted until they play 7 seasons or hit 27 years of age (most of their career for the majority of them). They can get traded anywhere.
Then they get the leverage, and only if they above average players.
Teams don’t have to give a player a NTC or NMC and are free not to. Best be trading guys before they are eligible then.
I can go work wherever I want and could from the age I started working, so tough to complain about NHL players wanting the same thing.
Utah seem like a good fit for Larkin, up there with ANA IMO.
Ray, The reality is that a player can go to management at any point from being drafted onwards, and ask to be traded. There are likely instances that we don’t know about because they were done on the QT.
A few have done that despite NMCs, hell, a McGroarty said that before he had signed a contract after being drafted.
As for your work analogy, I find it hard to dredge up sympathy for a teenager being paid $950K for their first job, for three years, and with all the benefits of an NHL contract. I cannot imagine a single NHL player making the money they do make in any other career, from the get go onwards.
Teams put a lot of training and resources into players, so it seems fair to me that the teams get some ROI on their investment.
I get it LJ, they make a bunch of money.
But, most drafted players never even play in the NHL, and almost every ELC has a minors salary and an NHL one. Larkin’s first contract paid him $70K in the minors, which he was good enough to not play there.
Average career is 300-400 games(4 to 5 years) I think, so looking at just the stars isn’t the reality for the players union.
A player invests years of his career in an organization, a team invests in the player, both sides do.
Larkin could have left earlier, chose to stay hoping the Wings started to contend, I’m guessing they sold that vision to Larkin. Didn’t happen. Now what?
It’s a short career, vast majority don’t make huge money, so if you are the cream of the crop and play in the NHL, have at er IMO.
Owners ask players to waive NMC’s sometimes, some players ask to be traded. Not surprising, just life and the way it is in every profession.
I could get canned, but it would cost the company a bunch of money. If I quit, it would cost me a bunch of money in stock options.
Ray is 100 on this one. I propose a compromise though. The nhl takes horrible advantage of young men at the expense of the “older” established players. How’s bouts if you have a nmc or ntc you get it recanted if you ask for a trade is made a rule but in exchange any player making it till 22 years old that hasn’t signed with the team that drafted them gets to be a elc fa just like ncaa players can do. Across the board. Don’t matter what league.
Maybe shorten the time they are rfas as well.
But Ray, those players on two-way ELC deals, many of whom see very limited NHL action – if any – rarely if ever ask to be traded, and if any of that group ever did, a GM would do his best to find a trade partner who needs that player’s specific position in THEIR minor league system – and so you get those tweedle-dum for tweedle-dee exchanges all the time.
That isn’t crippling any one’s team. Unlike when a star, established player demands a trade because he figures everyone else on his current team is the problem – not him in any way, shape or form.
Lundell, #9 OA and Rodriguez (salary) for Larkin and Cossa
JohnnyZ, you need to add 1 more piece to make that trade. Rodríguez could be in the way of a deal.
Johnny Z. Lundell is not going anywhere. He just sign a 6 year contract for a ridiculous $5m. Whats Larkins?? 8.7M with 4 years left. Lundell is 24, Larkin is 29. Lundell is being groomed to take Barkovs place. Hell he’s called Baby Barkov. Lundell is crazy good on the Panthers 3rd line, with Marchand and Luostarinen on the wings. Would Larkin take a demotion to be a 3rd line center? Would he be pissed not getting power play time.? The only way Larkin becomes a Panther is if they trade Bennett even up for Larkin. Bennett make 8m for the next 4 years. That would be the only thing that makes sense. Panthers still have to sign 2 goalies and a bunch of wings with 15m to play around with.
Rodrigues is a good all around player that can play LW RW C . And has 1 more year left on his 3m contract.
I just do not see Larkin as a Panther unless GM Zito figures out a way to get some money to get him and not mess the team up.
Pete, Larkin is much better than Lundell. He had averaged over 70 pts for the last 5 yrs
Lundell is a 44 pt guy. Sam Benett is not much better at about 50 pts avg over the last 5 years, but is a playoff great! (for 1 great playoff and 2 good playoffs) But Zito will try to get better than just hanging with the status quo. If he brings back Bob w/o having another comparable or better goalie, he will not lift another cup.
Larkin would slot in at 2C and #2 PP and PK duty.
Benett and Marchand and Lusty or Roddy would be an awesome #3 line.
If thats his list, he isnt going anywhere
I wouldn’t trade Montembeault, at least not now.
While he had a bad start to the year, the team wasn’t scoring for him at all at that point usually only 2 goals.
He got much better in Laval under Marco Marciano who is now the goalie coach of the Habs.
I’d start Fowler in Laval, have Dobes and Montembeault start the year as 1 and 2 then see.
History has shown him to be capable, to rebound well, he loves it in Montreal and is a solid teammate.
If after the first 1-15 games he doesn’t show change, his value can’t be lower than it is now, if he plays as I expect, HuGo have a tough decision.
I’ve seen Dallas as a spot for Larkin on a bunch of sites, but they don’t even have enough $ to re-sign JRob, let alone add Larkin.
Yzerman isn’t doing Dallas any favors in a trade (like taking back Seguin’s contract).
I’ve also seen Vegas tossed in the mix. They can’t fit him either.
Minny? I can’t see what they could trade to get Larkin (or Trocheck or any decent center for that matter).
I’m sure every team would like Larkin, but having the cap space and the players/picks to get a deal done probably takes 90% of the league out of play.
Now that Anaheim note above could be intriguing on both sides. I can see Anaheim wanting more experience in their top 6 for centers. Detroit can put McTavish back in a top 6 role and let him grow, plus pick up other picks and prospects.
Montreal make some sense on paper, but it will depend on how much youth that Montreal wants to trade away.
And I can see Carolina getting in the mix if they don’t win the Cup this year.
Can’t wait for free agency to open on July 1st!
Ducks have been willing to make moves last couple years. Traded for both Trouba and Kreider. Signed Granlund.
The report of the 3 team list did say “initial” list. It’s expected to grow.
If Larkin is not dealt to Colorado, Florida, Tampa, Dallas.Carolina, Minny, Habs it definitely say a lot. It says he wants to get the hell out Detroit and willing to take his chances to go to another team that is really in the same boat Detroit is in.
I disagree unless you add Ducks, Utah to that list. They both made the playoffs and have both the team AND the prospects to compete for many years to come
Josh Wegman proposes Larkin heading to the Wild in exchange for David Spacek, Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel, and a 2027 first-round pick.
“With several familiar faces from the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team – Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, and GM Bill Guerin – it’s likely a spot Larkin would be willing to go. This proposal is more prospect-focused. Though Detroit may want players who are ready to contribute immediately, this is still a pretty good haul. Yurov is coming off a promising rookie season. Stramel, a 2023 first-rounder, should be ready to turn pro soon after a stellar 2024-25 campaign at Michigan State, where he racked up 44 points in 37 games. Spacek is more of a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect, but the 23-year-old could be ready to step in and play NHL games next season.”
This would set the rebuild back a couple years, I think Y is aiming for more NHL ready options. But I say it has potential.
It just went from bad to worse……
Oilers Interested In Hiring Mike Babcock As Head Coach
https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2026/06/oilers-interested-in-hiring-mike-babcock-as-head-coach.html
UGH!