Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 30, 2026
Could Dylan Larkin accept a trade to the Mammoth or Canadiens? Could the latter attempt to trade Samuel Montembeault to the Oilers? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
LARKIN TO THE MAMMOTH OR CANADIENS?
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan O’Hara believes the Utah Mammoth makes the most sense for Dylan Larkin if the Detroit Red Wings center is serious about chasing the Stanley Cup.
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).
The Mammoth are an up-and-coming team who recently added veteran forwards Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. They have the draft capital to make an enticing offer and have a bit of a trade history with the Red Wings after acquiring goalie Sebastian Cossa earlier this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s trade list includes the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers, though it’s rumored the Dallas Stars are also on his list. So far, the 30-year-old center hasn’t indicated that he’s willing to widen that list, though he might have to if he seriously wants to be moved before the start of the regular season in four weeks.
The Mammoth tick the right boxes, but whether they seriously want him or if he’s willing to include them on his list of preferred destinations remains to be seen.
NHL NETWORK: Mike Johnson suggested the Montreal Canadiens as a landing spot for Larkin. The Canadiens are stacked with young talent that Johnson believes makes them a legitimate Stanley Cup contender over the next four or five years.
Johnson noted that the Canadiens can draw on their “boatload” of young prospects to build a trade package for the Red Wings, including University of Michigan winger Michael Hage. He acknowledged the Canadiens weren’t on Larkin’s four-team trade list. However, if it’s about winning for Larkin, the Habs are on the precipice of winning for the next half-decade.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin would be a terrific addition to the Canadiens, but he doesn’t seem interested in joining a Canadian club.
MONTEMBEAULT TO THE OILERS?
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes the goalie market should start heating up with Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets requesting a trade and Frederik Andersen of the Edmonton Oilers to miss training camp after suffering an injury during offseason training.
That could make it possible for the Canadiens to trade Samuel Montembeault. Cowan doesn’t expect they’ll start the season carrying Montembeault, Jakub Dobes, and Jacob Fowler. He believes Montembeault can regain his form after struggling through injury and inconsistency last season, but he will have a short leash.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Karine Haines wondered if Andersen’s injury might create an opportunity for the Canadiens to ship Montembeault to the Oilers. She noted Montembeault has a cap hit of $3.15 million and the Oilers have $2 million in cap space, which would mean the Canadiens would have to take back some salary in such a deal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said last week that he wasn’t too concerned over the rash of early injuries plaguing his club. He’ll likely look at internal options first (such as offseason acquisition Devon Levi) or a dip into free agency where a few affordable veterans are available, including former Oiler Cam Talbot.
Montembeault could be a trade target for the Oilers, but he’ll probably be further down Bowman’s list.
Why would oiler want to trade for
Montembeault? They already have a full stable of inconsistent goalies. No need for another unless Jarry goes somewhere else which is about as likely as hitting your numbers in 649
Agree…wishful thinking from the Habs faithful.
I doubt Utah is interested in Larkin having just traded for Trochek, but I agree on Montreal even if I’m not as high on Hague as the writer or the Montreal fans
Not that long ago Montembeault representative team Canada Men’s team.
I believe Detroit would want need more than Hage. IN theory . Although an excellent start.
I am thinking Reinbacher, who I think still has a couple of years development would need to be included
However, Larkin is not going there. First choice any USA city . Second choice a playoff- contender. third choice not Canada
The Habs need to get tougher outside of Anderson and Wifi . They play Florida 4x
SilverSeven ,everyone is in the same boat against Fla. You hope to catch them on a back to back so their age might show up. You Don t want to play them in the first round of the playoffs because that is where the hooligans take center stage and disrupt things. As the playoffs advance that starts to settle down when the stakes get bigger!
Dipping into free agency for a goaltender might be “affordable” but there’s really nothing there that isn’t close to the end of the line:
32 y/o Matt Murray 5gp 0 wins 2 losses 0.922 save % 2.21gaa – last contract $1 mil – Seattle
29 y/o Connor Ingram 32gp 16 wins 12 losses 2 SO 0.899 save % 2.60gaa – last deal $1,950,000 – Edm
38 y/o James Reimer 14gp 7 wins 4 losses 1 SO 0.866 save % 2.41gaa – last deal $850,000 – Ottawa
39 y/o Cam Talbot 34gp 12 wins 9 losses 0 SO 0.833 save % 3.19gaa – last deal $2.5 mil – Detroit
34 y/o Petr Mrazek 10gp 3 wins 5 losses 0 SO 0,858 save % 4.07gaa – last deal $4,250,000 – Anaheim
Should read “but, aside from Ingram, there’s really nothing there that isn’t close to the end of the line:”
In this column I have read from several readers that trading a goaltender doesn t always bring back a big return! I can t understand why since they affect around 50-60 games for their team each year.It seems like teams like Edmonton have been chasing this position for years. Does Grant Fuhr have any eligibility left?
I agree Sr, that’s what I posted yesterday. There is no way Cheveldayoff is letting Hellebuyck (who is one season removed from Hart and Vezina trophies on a President’s cup team) be removed without getting a top notch return. Nor should he if he wants to keep his job.
As part of the return Wpg will need a 1B goalie to platoon with Skinner, an NHL (not prospect) player to fill either their 2nd line centre hole or a top 4 Right D, plus at least a 1st round pick and maybe another prospect.
We saw Cheveldayoff take his time until he got the return he wanted when he traded Laine, again when he traded Trouba, and lastly when he traded Pierre Luc Dubois. He will play it out until a team meets his price again.
Something along the lines of Bussi and Nikishkin would probably get it done.
No idea where Larkin ends up but as far as Hellebuyck goes…I’d say the leader is still Buffalo as the teams were close to a deal at draft time. Have heard whispers of SJ, NJ and even Utah by various websites (always take those for what they’re worth). I believe a deal consisting of perhaps UPL, McLeod and a top youngster for Helle and perhaps a higher prospect of their own going back. Chevy seems to have lost some leverage but he’s done very well in trades where that’s been the case before, such as the Dubois trade. Would love to pull a Daxon Rudolph or a Helenius from the Sabres in the deal but I don’t think Buffalo will give that much nor should they. UPL also has a no trade clause in effect but if Hellebuycks coming he’s gonna get moved regardless. He is a starter after all. The season will be here soon, the Jets need to do well on this or the entire future of this team swings to a rebuild I’m afraid. Cheers all.
As I said late yesterday:
UPL won’t go to the Peg. Gonna have to give them Ellis and that 1st!
Nah, Connor is a GOALIE!!!
Even Patrick freakin’ Whaaa did not get that much!
Ellis, Mrtka and Kulich should be enough!
Larkin isn’t going to a rebuilding team. He wants a team that is a slam dunk to make the playoffs. Having said that, the situation isn’t just about playoff hockey. If it were then Carolina and Tampa would be on his list. There’s a team USA connection that seems to be overlooked too. Why are so many players from that team either asking for a trade or refusing to sign an extension? There’s something else going on.
MTL was in the final 4 last season. No team is a slam dunk to make the playoffs with injuries happening, look at FLA last season.
Ed, the first half of your post is a lot easier to agree with than the last.
How can there be a USA Olympic connection when those players are spread over a dozen teams? Isn’t the more logical answer that Larkin, Quinn Hughes and Hellybuyck want to play for a contender?
Part of Brady’s motivation may also have been that, in addition to a team mate telling him his Dad’s comments about Ullmark had gone over poorly with his Sens team mates.
I think the best deal out there for Wpg to trade Hellebuyck is to NJ:
To NJ: Hellebuyck
To Wpg: Dawson Mercer (for 2C), Kovacevic (RD), Jake Allen plus a 1st round pick.
Kovacevic is to balance the cap in and out plus Wpg could use a RD. NJ has 2 firsts in each of the next two drafts so they have the capital. Plus if they bring in Hellebuyck they still have the capital to trade for Quinn Hughes if he can’t reach an agreement with Minnesota and Hughes will be much more interested in joining his brothers with Hellebuyck there.
Also, the other main team interested in Hellebuyck is Buf and they can’t or won’t match the return above. Kulich and Norris are the 2C they might consider and both have health concerns which would steer Wpg away from them. Buf won’t give up Helenius and can’t blame them if he projects as a 1 or 2 C. Mrtka is a good RD prospect but is probably 2 years away from the NHL if he pans out.
Wpg are not going to trade Hellebuyck for lottery tickets, they want NHL caliber players as part of a return. Otherwise you have to look at a rebuild and Scheifele, Connor and Morrissey go on the block too.
Man I would love Larkin on the bruins there’s your no. 1 centre. one of the fastest skaters in the league. Anyone ever heard of Charlie Trethewey? I’ve never heard of the guy but one site “Heavy Hockey network” says Sweeney’s kicked the tire on Charlie & a second rounder for Lohrei
Overlooked from late yesterday, HF30’s suggestion from these runaway contracts, reducing the maximum allowable % of the contract against the total cap.
Simple, effective.
And it just might fly as the NHLPA has more grinders than superstars.
I wouldn’t discount the Canes, I think they’re in the weeds for Helle and have their own issue with Nikishin who is a LHD but regularly plays his off side. I think the two Russians in Nikishin and Kochetchov ends up getting it done the week before camp. Jets finally get their stud dman they’ve been looking for.
I’m thinking that the Canes are waiting in the weeds on a Helle deal. A week before camp both teams resolve their roster dilemmas and Chevy flips the American goalie for a pair of Russians, Nikishin, (a LHD who plays his offside), and Kochetkov.
If the Sabres were going to trade for Hellebuyck it would have been done at the draft.I think that ship has sailed. As Mike Harrington said in The Buffalo News the Sabres should run from Hellebuyck because of his playoff record. Since 2018 his Stanley Cup record is 24-34. 2.90 gaa and .903 save pct. His last 3 post season trips he has lost 10 straight road playoff games with a 5.07 gaa and a .836 save percentage. This includes the 24-25 President Trophy team. The Sabres had the 3rd best save percentage in the regular season last season. UPL also has a 5 team no trade clause with the Jets more then likely on his list. The assets to trade for Hellebuyck would only weaken the team. No thank you.