NHL Rumor Mill – June 16, 2026
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom, Penguins forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher, and Senators blueliner Jordan Spence.
HOW WILL THE DEVILS REPLACE JACOB MARKSTROM IF THEY TRADE HIM?
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols looked at how trading Jacob Markstrom would impact the Devils’ goaltending. Earlier this week, it was reported Devils GM Sunny Mehta is gauging the trade market for the 36-year-old netminder.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).
Shipping out Markstrom would clear his $6 million AAV through 2027-28 from the Devils’ books, creating more cap space to sign center Nico Hischier to a contract extension. It will also leave them seeking a new starting goaltender.
Mehta could attempt to land Sergei Bobrovsky if the Florida Panthers starter goes to market on July 1. He could pursue a promising youngster such as Sebastian Cossa of the Detroit Red Wings or Devon Levi of the Buffalo Sabres. Perhaps Connor Hellebuyck would be available if the Winnipeg Jets decide to rebuild after missing the playoffs this year.
Possible trade destinations for Markstrom could include the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Utah Mammoth, or the Jets if they peddle Hellebuyck.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom’s age (36), cap hit, and struggles last season could hurt his trade value. Nevertheless, some clubs could take the chance because of the lack of quality goalies in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets.
Bobrovsky could be an option for the Devils given Mehta’s recent ties to the Panthers. Cossa and Levi are trade possibilities, but they’ve yet to prove themselves as NHL starting goaltenders. As for Hellebuyck, he’s unlikely to be available unless he asks for a trade, and there’s no indication that’s the case.
PENGUINS WILLING TO MOVE RAKELL AND RUST
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas isn’t itching to move Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. However, like last summer, the two veteran forwards are available.
Yohe claimed there is more interest in Rust than Rakell. The 34-year-old Rust tallied 29 goals and a career-high 65 points in 72 games this season. His age and injury history are concerns, but he’s a well-respected two-way forward.
Rust is also Sidney Crosby’s linemate, which is another reason why Dubas isn’t shopping him. Nevertheless, Yohe believes he’s available for the right price.
Rakell, 33, had a slow start last season and missed time with a broken hand. However, he had a strong second half, finishing the season with 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games. It was expected he would be moved at the March trade deadline, but the Penguins didn’t receive suitable offers.
Rust ($5.25 million average annual value) and Rakell ($5 million AAV) each have two seasons left on their contracts. The former lacks no-trade protection while the latter has an eight-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yohe indicated that Dubas prefers getting young players in return for Rust or Rakell.
Veteran defenseman Kris Letang is also available, but Yohe stated that no teams have expressed interest in him yet.
NOTHING BREWING YET FOR MORGAN RIELLY
TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reports there is nothing imminent regarding a trade for Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly. There were discussions between Rielly’s agent, J.P. Barry, and Leafs GM John Chayka, but things haven’t gone beyond that.
Koshan claimed the Maple Leafs haven’t presented the Rielly camp with any trade proposals, nor has Rielly offered up a list of preferred destinations.
Recent speculation suggested the Maple Leafs ship Rielly to the Edmonton Oilers for Darnell Nurse, but that move doesn’t make salary-cap sense for the Leafs. Nurse carries an AAV of $9.25 million while Rielly’s AAV is $7.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Rielly’s performance over the past two seasons could explain why there aren’t any teams calling about him. That might change as this offseason progresses and teams looking for experienced blueline depth can’t find other options through trades and free agency.
THE LATEST CANADIENS CONJECTURE
THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma looked at options for the Vancouver Canucks to acquire veteran winger Brendan Gallagher from the Montreal Canadiens.
Gallagher, 34, has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $6.5 million. He said he was open to a trade to Vancouver. His agent, Gerry Johansson, was permitted to speak with other teams, and he indicated that the Canucks were interested in his client.
The Canadiens aren’t expected to buy out Gallagher’s final season, preferring to move him in a cost-cutting trade to free up salary-cap space to pursue a second-line center. Kuzma pointed out that Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek wondered if the Canadiens might take a gamble on Canucks center Filip Chytil in return for Gallagher.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chytil, 26, is younger and bigger than Gallagher. The 6’3”, 209-pounder is also more affordable with a $4.437 million cap hit for next season. He would be a good option as a second-line center for the Canadiens if it weren’t for his concussion history, which is why the Habs are unlikely to take that gamble.
Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette was asked if the Canadiens could get winger Jake DeBrusk from the Canucks for Gallagher. However, he believes it would take more than Gallagher to land DeBrusk, and he sees the Canadiens focusing more on landing a center.
TVA SPORTS: Vincent Duquette looked at whether the Canadiens should pursue Mason McTavish. The 23-year-old center became the subject of trade rumors after his production and playing time dropped this season. He was a healthy scratch for two regular-season games and two postseason contests.
The Canadiens are reportedly among the teams to have called the Ducks about McTavish.
Duquette noted that the 6’1”, 219-pound McTavish is capable of scoring 20 goals per season and is only 23 years old. However, he’s coming off the worst offensive season of his young career and was a healthy scratch in the postseason.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish has a terrific shot and was offensively consistent during his first three seasons with the rebuilding Ducks. The decline in his play this season was due in part to missing training camp and preseason play because of contract negotiations.
However, McTavish’s skating has been cited as a concern, and a contributing factor to his poor defensive stats even before this season.
McTavish is the right age to fit within the Canadiens’ young core, and maybe a trade will help him improve his game. The concern here is he’s earning an AAV of $7 million for five more seasons. If he doesn’t improve, the Habs would have an expensive mistake on their roster, eating up valuable cap space.
SENATORS ARE GAUGING JORDAN SPENCE’S TRADE VALUE
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports three league executives claim the Senators are gauging the trade market for Jordan Spence. The 25-year-old right-shot defenseman is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.5 million.
Garrioch indicated that this doesn’t mean GM Steve Staios is trying to move Spence. However, all options are on the table with all 32 teams trying to improve their rosters. This could also be part of Staios’ negotiations with the Spence camp.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Staios could be conducting due diligence in case contract extension talks with Spence go sideways. It wouldn’t be surprising if the blueliner is back with the Senators next season.
Letang is “available”.
That’s hilarious.
Yup, he’s 39 years old with 2 more years at $6 million. Not sure if there’s a market there. I think Gallagher may be in the same boat at 36 with a year remaining at $6.5 million. Montreal had made it known he’s done but some feel he still has value. Debrusk for Gallagher, really?
Plus he tells pens if he wants to move and to where with his trade protection.
Unless the Habs can trade for Matty Beniers, I think they would be better off seeing how Oliver Kapanen performs in a 2nd full season, moving Sam Montembeault and Brendan Gallagher, and bringing in some complementary players. Habs play a high-speed game and McTavish does not fit. They are not gonna win the cup next year so might be better off taking a conservative approach and then re-evaluate closer to the trade deadline. Another year of evaluating their prospects would be wise, too. No sense trading them away prematurely without fully gauging their potential.
Montreal should just stay the course for next season and see where the youth are. This coming season is the 5th in the rebuild. Hage should play first line center in ncaa and there will be spots opening up at the end of next season.
Agree, and I think trading Hage would be a mistake this early in his career. But if they can trade for Beniers without giving up Hage…
and as for Gallagher; its not Vancouver wants to acquire the player its Montreal trying to get rid of the contract and player….it should take a very very very good sweetener like a first rounder
Montreal is starting to look like an OV, or Laurentide Light……doing what Toronto did with a balls out highspeed offense….and a cross your fingers and pray defense. The goalie looks like a keeper. But so did the Sens Meraleinen last year. Hot rookie goalies often have that next 2-3 years of finding their game as the league adjusts to them.
See how well that that style worked for the Leafs. They scored lots. And were scored lots against.
All kidding aside, I think Chytil needs to retire. Concussions are no joke and can lead to serious issues later in life like C.T.E.
I’m afraid you are correct, there were rumors though that the last injury wasn’t concussion related but only Vancouver knows. As for Gallagher, I wouldn’t take him without a sweetener
if even a broken Chytil is offered to the Habs they have to scoop him up. LITR Vegas style until the end of the season. he has speed and a good motor.
I do doubt he plays much longer and he shouldnt
Heh. Yeah. He’s been with the Penguins full time since 2007-08 – 2 less than Sid and 1 less than Malkin – but unlike those two there’s no talk whatsoever of him retiring “a Penguin for life.”
Another summer of trade speculation of players before joining The Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni Association.
Would Matty Beniers cost the Habs more in a trade than McTavish? I think he should seriously be looked at and with Pascal Vincent as the new coach, he knows the Habs in the system like the back of his hand who could crack their lineup.
I mentioned Chytil last week, he has only this coming season on his contract, cap is $2m less than Gallagher. If he isn’t able to play, LTIR for the year with cap relief.
Beniers would definitely cost more.!! Come on.
How about Zharovsky, Kapanen, Reinbacher, and a 1st for Beniers? Maybe Montour is included and more players go in either direction.
Come on Everyday. Yes, it is much easier to pan trade proposals than to make them, but you want to trade two top prospects and and a first for Beniers?
This is a greater haul than the trade that almost went through for Knies.
Let’s get serious.
Same old story with Rust and Rakell. Maybe Pittsburgh won’t be winning a cup but like every team, you want to be competitive. If they wanted to trade those guys, why bring back Malkin? Also, still under cap floor by a little over 10m. Rust and Rakell are also 2 of only 7 current roster players signed after this season.
Perhaps.
Why would Seattle move Beniers when they need scorers in return? Who do the Habs have in return?
Vincent’s loyalty is now to Seattle, no? His loyalty is to the Kraken now.
Re above comments from others, where are the Habs in their evaluation of Kapanen, Dach and Newhook and are they better off developing one of them with their 2C?
I vascillate between Everydayboots’ thinking, and the need for the Habs to grab a legit 2C now that Hage is going to take another year in college.
The problem with Chytil is that while LTIR is an option, it means acquiring him and having him go down means passing on another trade option.
Too many questions in my head this morning …
LJ,
I don’t have any suggestions for which players to trade, as you know I usually list some.
My rationale is if the Habs are planning to pay for McTavish or Knies etc, I’d rather go for Beniers.
Beniers is their 1C but he’s a disappointment for that role. If nothing else Habs know how limiting it is to not have a real 1C, at least other areas could be built up.
As I mentioned regarding Pascal Vincent he knows the players on the Habs and in the system. As the new coach he might want a few young players he has developed and trusts.
Ok, now I understand your comment on Vincent.
Beniers would help, just not at the absurd cost Everyday suggests at 12:51.
When I said I was vacillating between a trade and his comment, I meant the one about not making a rash move and possibly sticking with what the Habs have for another year.
I agree Knies is not a trade I would now make, nor would I be interested in McTavish as we have previously discussed.
Bobrovsky played 8 more games than Markstrom last season and had numbers similarly as bad. Even if he was an upgrade, will he sign for less than 6m and 2 years? If so, would that mean Florida wasn’t willing to pay same? A week and a half to draft, will we see some trades soon?
Markström this season started bad and when he finally seemed to turn it around he got injured. But he was pretty good at the Olympics and down the stretch
Toronto. We have a trade.
https://puckpedia.com/trade/1125
Yep. Some more details
https://www.nhl.com/flyers/news/flyers-acquire-joseph-woll-and-simon-benoit-from-toronto
Slick62, not only the question as to whether we’ll see trades soon, will any of them involve the names mentioned in Lyle’s blurb above and, if so, who goes first? These are – in order of oldest to youngest
Letang – RD Pittsburgh – $6 mil per 2 more years – turns 40 next April – NMC/MNTC
Markstrom – G New Jersey – $6 mil per 2 more years – turns 37 next January – MNTC
Gallagher – RW Montreal – $6.5 mil 1 more year – just turned 34 – NMC/MNTC
Rust – RW Pittsburgh – $5,125,000 per 2 more years – just turned 34 – no restrictions
Rakell – C/RW Pittsburgh – $5 mil per 2 more years – just turned 33 – MNTC
Rielly – LD Toronto – $7.5 mil per 4 more years – turned 32 in March – NMC
Nurse – LD Edmonton – $9.2 mil per 4 more years – turns 32 in February – NMC
DeBrusk – LW Vancouver – $5.5 mil per 5 more years – turns 30 in October – NMC
Chytil – C Vancouver – $4,437,500 per 1 year – turns 27 in September – no restrictions
Spence – RD Ottawa – $1.5 mil and an RFA with arb. – turned 25 in February – no restrictions
McTavish – C Anaheim – $ 7 mil per 5 more years – turns 24 in January – no restrictions
You heard it here first.!! Gally isn’t getting the Habs anything but a salary retention and a 6th round pick.!!
Lyle you’re a big Habs fan, can anyone else tell.?
I read your stuff as soon as it comes out.. keep up the great work Buddy.!
Go Leafs Go lol
Stu Cowan. Thinking Gallagher could be traded for DeBrusk. Is dam right laughable
That’s a poor trade by the Leafs. Woll is the best player in this deal by far.