NHL Rumor Mill – September 30, 2026
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have updates on Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck, and the latest on the Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Flyers.
TSN: Chris Johnston reports there’s been “no tangible progress” made towards the Detroit Red Wings trading Dylan Larkin.
The Red Wings are entering this season trying to support Larkin, get him involved in what they’re doing, and eventually move towards a trade. He’s expanded his list of preferred trade destinations, but it hasn’t prompted any more conversation.
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now believes Larkin’s days with the Red Wings will soon be over. Any hope of reconciliation after Steve Yzerman’s departure as general manager appears to be dashed.
Duff believes it will take time for a trade to happen despite the expansion of his trade list. Nevertheless, Larkin could be on the move at some point before the March 1 trade deadline.
Johnston believes the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t done adding to their roster after acquiring winger Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
Johnson said the Maple Leafs still have other futures they can peddle for “help now” solutions, including the 2027 first-round pick they received from the Colorado Avalanche and some young prospects. He believes they could seek a defenseman after including Emil Andrae in the return to Columbus for Marchenko.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs will likely attempt to add players in their mid-to-late twenties as they did with Marchenko. They shouldn’t move those futures for older players with limited time remaining in their careers. Otherwise, they’re back in the trap of sacrificing their future for quick fixes.
Speaking of Marchenko, Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens tried hard to land him, envisioning the winger playing on the second line with rising star Ivan Demidov. However, they didn’t have any young roster players that they were willing to part with.
LeBrun believes the Canadiens will still be “big-game hunting,” especially next summer when they’ll have salary cap flexibility. He believes if Connor McDavid decides he wants out of Edmonton, the Canadiens will be all over that.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes will remain on the lookout for young talent leading up to the March 1 trade deadline. He lost out on Marchenko and on Matthew Knies earlier this year, but it’s a long season, and players no one thought would be available could be on the trade block by March.
Speaking of teams that missed out on Marchenko, Anthony Di Marco thinks the Philadelphia Flyers have Red Wings center Dylan Larkin on their wish list. The Flyers aren’t on Larkin’s list of preferred destinations, but sources claim they’re keeping tabs on him. They could also be on the lookout for a depth defenseman with size like Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames.
Darren Dreger reports the Winnipeg Jets aren’t looking for a return of futures for holdout goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. They want something that will let their current players know help is on the way and they’re not rebuilding.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman pretty much said the same thing in his “32 Thoughts” column on Tuesday.
Dreger previously reported that the Jets hadn’t received any decent offers. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is insistent that he wants a return that helps both sides, but he’s also giving Hellebuyck a chance to return to the Jets. It could take some time for one or the other to take place.
Chris Johnston should perform a little more analysis. Emil Andrae became expendable when PTO candidate Nick Blankenburg beat him out of a job during training camp.
Simon Eddy went to Sweden to train. What does that tell you?
Wings are in total disarray!!
Maybe Johnny, or they have accepted that this year is a right off already, and until they know what happens with their former captain, they don’t know what direction to even go.
That’s on Larkin IMO.
What I would do is what Yzerman suggested, get the best you assets you can for Larkin. Build for 3 – 5 years from now.
Accept the reality of the situation; Win now ain’t happening.
Ray, the burning question surrounding the ongoing mess that is Detroit has to be “does anyone in the organization care about how they are being perceived in the hockey world”?
Other GMs – anonymously of course – have regarded it with adjectives like “baffling” and even “inexcusable”. At the same time, Detroit media outlets, along with large chunks of the fan base, daily chastise owner Ilitch, accusing him of being “insular” and frustratingly tight-lipped about ANY aspect of what’s transpiring – or not – from the asinine “search” for a full-time GM, to the Larkin situation, and – despite having the largest cap space (over $18 mil!) – the puzzling Edvinsson stalemate.
It’s fine for interim GM Horcoff to insist that a “rebuild is out of the question” and that “the playoffs remain the goal” but the reality is, in the highly competitive Atlantic Division (and Eastern Conference), they are a team heading to be somewhere in the “mushy middle” if they don’t swiftly get their act together.
Looking back I can only think of 3 teams that were on a par with Detroit’s current dysfunction:
the 2018 Ottawa Senators and the Hoffman-Karlsson imbroglio, intermingled with then owner Eugene Melnyk threatening to relocate, all of which led to that infamous scorched-Earth fire sale of their top stars and the following 7-years-in-the-wilderness;
The Buffalo Sabres RFA & captain vacancy stalemate of the late 2010s, including eye-opening bungling of communication with star C Jack Eichel and, ultimately. their own multi-year wandering in the playoff wilderness which produced continuous front-office and coaching changes over a stretch of 1 1/2 decades!;
the NY Islanders of the 1990s and their own wonky ownership of Charles Wang who fired GM Neil Smith after just over a month on the job – and before a single game was played – and replacing him with their then backup goalie Garth Snow!
Similar to the Detroit fiasco, these were all a result of self-inflicted executive paralysis.
I have agreed with your take on Larson’s “I want out position”, Ray.
But don’t agree with your take on the Wings situation generally. How can they risk alienating, or not playing with, Edvinsson, their top pairing D? They have lots of cap space. What’s the problem?
Yeah, everyone in the Wings organization knows this is another year out of the playoffs but why accelerate the descent? Wings management are running the risk of having the team (and fans) say: I see Larkin’s point.
All the Wings are demonstrating is that they are dysfunctional and a no go destination. For years to come at this rate.
Well George and LJ, all fair points. There does not seem to be a clear strategy, hence no clear direction. They do need to pick one. I’m fine not trying to save this season, that decision was made for them on July 15.
Illich, who I would guess is driving this train, can hope to try and win now, but I don’t think it’s based in reality. Hope is not a strategy.
They were in the mushy middle with their #1C, and sounds like he is dead set on leaving. Anybody realistically think they will get a legit top C back? I don’t, because even if he opens up the amount of teams, who trades a top C for another one? Like why do that?
Would you go there and extend if a pending UFA? Not right now you don’t.
They need to draft some elite players, especially C’s because soon they won’t have any that qualify as even an adequately good top 2 C.
Trade Larkin for the best group of young assets/picks and tank this year. If DeBrincat wants no part of a rebuild, move him too.
Get a high pick this years draft and take stock at the end of the year.
They have some nice players on D, on the wing and very promising tender prospects.
Sell some hope for the future, because nobody is buying the now. The players know it too.
I do not believe the Leafs have received enough credit for what they have done in the offseason. Last year was a bummer in Tronna, but the mood is certainly changed. Getting the top pick in the draft didn’t hurt, but some of the player moves have helped too. Like most teams, the big questions are on the back line and in goal.
Ok, Toronto. The Leafs D didn’t look fabulous last night, and one can’t judge how Bob will do based on one game.
That said, IMO the Leafs’ fate rests on getting balanced scoring from their top two lines. Will Matthews stay off the injury list? Can Tavares hit 30 goals again? Will Roslovic make a meaningful contribution?
As for improving their roster with futures, ask the Habs how easy that is.
Give it time LJ. Better than we expected at the end of last season. They have a GM now
That’s fair. Toronto. There have been lots of changes to the Leaf’s roster and teams don’t gel with the drop of the puck.
I could have added that the Habs need to have Slavkovski click with Demidov and Kreider click with Suzuki and Caulfield.
I watched the 1st 2 periods of the leafs habs last night and leafs fans must be quite excited if last night ends up being a reflection of Kirill’s game.
I have had him in my keeper league for 4 seasons so I now how he produces but I dont get to see him much. Seemed he was always a threat when on the ice.
Leafs were the only team willing to give up front line talent to acquire Kirill. The Habs need to realize that they need to do the same if they are really going to improve their roster.
I am glad the Leafs and Jackets had the realization that they needed to make this deal before the season.
TSP, that happened because the Leafs and the Habs are in very different places.
The Leafs contention window has been open for a number of years and is likely nearing its conclusion with the current core. And the current core has accomplished just about nothing in the playoffs. Management obviously realizes that they have to make changes to the core if they hope to win. That meant letting Marner walk and using his salary to fill other holes. That meant trading a young member of the core that hasn’t accomplished much for another player whom they hope will help them reach greater heights. And being fortunate enough to land McKenna certainly helps.
The Habs on the other hand are just entering their contention window. And have already gone farther than the Leafs have. They now have to find ways to add to their core not exchange their core. Giving up a top six forward for another top six forward makes sense now for the Leafs. It makes no sense now for the Habs.
You know Howard, it seems like the Habs have tried all summer to makes moves to shore up the fee holes they have. The Kreider signing seems to be the only add I can think of. The Habs are going to have to offer up some of their young trade bait, if they truly believe the current roster isn’t going to take them a lot further.
Toronto St. Pats: It’s not as though the Canadiens haven’t offered up “young trade bait”. Their pitch for Knies in March was reportedly top prospects Alexander Zharovsky and Bryce Pickford, plus two first-round picks. That deal was minutes from happening before the deadline, but former Leafs GM Brad Treliving was indecisive, and by the time he made up his mind, it was too late.
As for Marchenko, the Blue Jackets wanted an established young top-six forward in return, hence the reason they got Knies. The asking price from the Habs was likely Slafkovsky or Demidov, both of which would be deal-breakers and wouldn’t have improved the team.
More opportunities could present themselves over the course of this season, or next summer when they’ve got over $30 million in cap space to work with.
Lyle, thank you for the scarification on what occurred at last year’s trade deadline. I was not aware that Montreal was that close to a deal for Kneis.
It sounds like the previous YYZ GM was the issue here, the cards were on the table. I wonder if they approached the new GM with such a deal, or a similar deal over the summer?
I just think the Habs team is really talented, but still needs more to make them a serious contender.
It will be fun to look back at this trade at the end of the season, which team got the better of the deal.
I’d like to add something to my comments yesterday on the Marchenko trade when I said I don’t see how it benefited the TML.
He’s a very good player and adding him to a roster is a big plus. Giving up Knies didn’t make the TML weaker, we’ll see over time if it makes them stronger.
My reasoning is that Chayka threw Waddell a life-line and overpaid for the player. Marchenko’s value would have continued dropping as the season wore on.
Clearly the Merzlikins and Woods/Lorentz were done to let CBJ meet cap restraints, Andrae and 2nd round pick swapped for the 18% retained on Merzlikins.
Since nobody was willing to give up an asset like Knies now, just imagine how weak Waddell’s hand would have become in a couple of months.
At that point he could have squeezed Waddell with Knies for Marchenko and RFA Voronkov to cover the cap imbalance for example instead of the useless extras he paid for.
Waddell on the other hand had an empty hand and turned it into a quality player.
I dont agree with your shaping of waddel’s hand.
Marchenko was going to be an rfa not ufa and whether he wanted to extend or not next summer, waddel still controlled the player. His ask was not going to change until he got what he felt was fair value.
As for the leafs, the team feels this acquisition makes them better and took their shot. Waiting or trying to squeeze waddel could result in negatives…Knies could get injured or struggle, another team could swoop in an make a trade etc
If you think the player makes you better, if the cost is bearable, you go for it.
Its better to regret the moves you make vs those you didnt imo.
“Its better to regret the moves you make vs those you didnt imo.”
Moves you didn’t make can be offset by other, better moves.
If the same or similar offers made by Hughes for the any of the centres I named succeeded for example, Habs dodged a bullet.
There’s always another deal to be made, never regret the one you passed on.
I won’t say you’re wrong and I’m right, just different philosophies to live by.
Targets on Hughes radar:
Lundell
Beniers
Pinto
Tippett
Beniers would be a nice add and I think more realistic than trying to trade within the division.
Habfan30
If they want any of those players, the ask starts with Hage.
You know it.
Reinbacher isn’t the centrepiece to getting any of those players. If he was good enough, he’d be on the NHL roster today.
If you want quality, you have to give quality.
Montreal could have had Knies…but they didn’t want to offer up their best prospect which is why Treliving was undecided. Had the offer been Hage, Pickford, and a 1st, Knies would have been in Montreal last year and maybe fared better against the Canes…
If you read Lyle’s comment, the deal WAS accepted..just that Tree was too slow to press send and it got squashed.
Knies would have been a help in that series though.
Happy new NHL season everyone! With everyday that goes by, it seems less likely of the Jets finding a team to team trade deal for Hellebuyck happening. I think there’s a better chance of a 3 team deal scenario happening. Smart money would involve the Canes/Nikishin as well as a third party. More options and more possibilities make me think this is the best move forward. We have all heard rumblings of Utah, SJ and Buf of course. But with Wpg picking up Stevenson from the Caps to back up Skinner perhaps a goalie coming back is less important. Of course this all changes if the Jets or Skinner start off poorly. Nikishin seems to be wanting a contract in the ball park of 9 million, Hellebuyck comes in at 8.5 so that’s a wash. A 3rd team that is need of defensive help takes Niki and gives the Jets what they’re looking for. Perhaps Jersey throws in a high pick to grease the wheels a bit. Under those parameters, which teams do you think is in it??
I have a feeling if the oilers keep putting in performances like lastnight Connor won’t be around much longer now granted it was one game but it was against the worst team in the nhl. Under the unflinching eye of Babcock. All we need now is for Larkin to expand his list to include Boston. It could happen.
Could it be possible that Larkin does have input to team direction and maybe stays? After trading Marchenko, could BJ’s look to trade Werenski who also has doubts about his future with club? Could a move to Detroit keep Larkin there, and maybe that’s why Edvinsson hasn’t signed yet?Hed be piece going other way. If Larkin isn’t interested in staying and has indeed expanded his list, perhaps NYR would be interested. There’s a USA hockey connection with coach and a couple players. JT Miller or Zibanejad could move to wing. Deal would probably include Lafreniere among others to even cap hit out in NY. Everyone going to scoff at idea that NY wouldn’t be the contender he’s looking for but unlike Detroit they’ll make moves to get there.
Lots of things are possible Slick, but not sure Larkin having a say in team direction is one of them. I dunno, but team owners wouldn’t like having to make concessions with a gun pointed at their head. Not like Larkin has delivered down the stretch as the team captain and “leader”.
No idea what the Edvinsson hold up is because we don’t know what he is asking for and for how long.
A lot of teams are throwing money around right now on guys coming out of their ELC so maybe his agent is trying to take advantage, plus Detroit is vulnerable right now as they are facing major fan pressure. So if unreasonable, do you give in or hold tight to get a fair deal? We don’t know.
Edvinsson is a good young player, but we’re not talking about a future Norris candidate. Big, skates and should be a very good defender long term. So is he asking for like $9-$10M? That seems crazy. Or am I crazy?
Oilers aren’t rushing on Savoie either and Bowman’s answer was basically, things are crazy right now, gonna wait and see if they settle down.
If Buium is worth nearly $10M, Eddy is worth more than 10. He is Detroit’s #2 D-man.