NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2026

by | Jan 27, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2026

Are the Wild looking at Rangers center Vincent Trocheck? What’s the latest on Canucks winger Evander Kane and Sharks winger Jeff Skinner? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILD SHOPPING FOR A CENTER

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith believe Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is aggressively shopping for a center. He could draw on his draft picks and prospects as trade bait to address that need.

Guerin could be interested in New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck. League sources claim the Wild aren’t on the 32-year-old Trocheck’s 12-team no-trade list, but nothing is imminent.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

Russo and Smith think Guerin will also check into the availability of other NHL centers who might be available. Possibilities include Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues, Trocheck’s teammate J.T. Miller, Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils, Ryan O’Reilly of the St. Louis Blues, and Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux of the Ottawa Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trocheck seems the most likely to be moved and could be the top target on Guerin’s radar. The Blues are willing to entertain offers for Thomas, but the asking price is high. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes they want a stud top-six center who is a little younger than the 26-year-old Thomas. The Wild can’t meet that price.

The Devils could be sellers, but I don’t see Hischier being moved. The Rangers acquired Miller last season and made him their captain, so it’s doubtful he’s available. Ditto Pinto and Giroux. O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but he reportedly wants to stay in Nashville, and the Predators aren’t in a hurry to move him.

The Wild lack a first-round pick in this year’s draft to use as trade bait. Russo and Smith wonder if Guerin might offer up prospect defenseman David Jiricek to the Nashville Predators for their first-rounder, pointing out the Predators reportedly offered up two first-round picks to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jiricek last season before the Wild landed him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was before Jiricek’s stock plummeted. The Predators won’t part with a first-rounder for him now.

Speaking of Wild trade bait, Russo and Smith engaged in some conjecture about the Wild possibly using goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in their quest to add a center. That seems unlikely because they’d be up a creek if they moved out Wallstedt and starter Filip Gustavsson suffered an injury afterward.

Russo and Smith floated the notion of them bringing back Marc-Andre Fleury, but they also pointed out he’s unlikely to come out of retirement.

CANUCKS PERMIT EVANDER KANE’S AGENT TO SEEK A TRADE

THE SCORE: According to CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal, the Vancouver Canucks have permitted Evander Kane’s agent to find a suitable trade partner for the 34-year-old winger.

Kane is in the final season of his contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. His cap hit this season is $5.125 million, and he has a 16-team trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are well into sell mode after shipping out Quinn Hughes to Minnesota last month and Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks earlier this month.

This move indicates Kane is open to a trade to a suitable destination, but the Canucks management had difficulty finding any takers. His agent might have better luck.

COULD THE SHARKS ATTEMPT TO TRADE JEFF SKINNER?

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Josh Frojelin reports Jeff Skinner appears to be the odd man out among the Sharks’ forwards. The 33-year-old left winger has been a healthy scratch for the past couple of weeks.

Skinner signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Sharks last summer. He has six goals and 13 points in 32 games this season.

The Sharks have a logjam of wingers, with Philipp Kurashev and Kiefer Sherwood set to return from injuries soon. They recently sat out Adam Gaudette and Ryan Reaves, and sent promising Igor Chernyshov to their AHL affiliate.

Skinner has a full no-trade clause through Jan. 30, and an eight-team no-trade list after that.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks added Skinner to bring more experienced depth to their forward lines. However, the impressive play of sophomore wingers Will Smith and Colin Graf, and the addition of youngsters like Chernyshov, means they don’t need Skinner unless injuries decimate their lineup in the coming days. He could end up moving to another team between Jan. 31 and March 6.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 26, 2026

by | Jan 26, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 26, 2026

Which Blues could be moved before the March trade deadline? What’s the latest on Kraken center Shane Wright? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST BLUES SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford was recently asked when we can expect the St. Louis Blues to begin selling in the trade market.

If they make moves before the March 6 trade deadline, Rutherford expects defenseman Justin Faulk or center Brayden Schenn to be the most likely to be dealt. He acknowledged that goaltender Jordan Binnington has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill, but thinks he’s more likely to be traded in the offseason.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (NHL Images).

Rutherford also noted the rumors swirling around Blues forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. He doesn’t rule out one of them getting moved, but doubts that contending clubs have sufficient cap space to make significant additions like that before the trade deadline. Both players also have full no-trade clauses.

Rutherford was also asked why Colton Parayko hasn’t been mentioned in trade rumors. He claimed the Blues aren’t looking to move him, citing his role as a 22-minute per game shutdown defenseman. He’s got four years left on his contract, and the Blues need him if they hope to be competitive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn has a 15-team no-trade list and an average annual value of $6.5 million through 2027-28. Interested parties could prefer the Blues retain part of his cap hit. Faulk has the same trade list and AAV, though for one less year. Binnington has a year left on his deal with a $6 million AAV and a 14-team no-trade list.

Thomas and Kyrou have identical AAVs ($8.125 million) through 2030-31. There are some clubs with plentiful cap space (hello there, Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings) who can afford to take on either forward, but they could balk at the asking price. For example, the Blues reportedly want a stud top-six forward who is 22-24 years old as part of the return for Thomas.

TRADE RUMORS STILL SWIRLING AROUND SHANE WRIGHT

SPORTSNET: Shane Wright recently told reporters that he’s focusing on hockey, rather than the trade rumors flying around him. The Seattle Kraken are reportedly listening to offers for the 22-year-old center, who they chose fourth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently claimed the Kraken could use Wright as trade bait to add a dynamic scorer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Once a highly-touted young center, Wright seemed poised for a breakout after tallying 44 points last season. However, his production and his playing time have declined this season.

Given his youth, he still has time to develop into a reliable middle-six center, but the Kraken might have to bundle him with a first-rounder or a top prospect if they hope to land a dynamic scorer.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 25, 2026

by | Jan 25, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 25, 2026

Updates on Artemi Panarin, Dougie Hamilton, Robert Thomas, and Alexis Lafreniere in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE LATEST ON ARTEMI PANARIN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New York Rangers would like to receive a return for Artemi Panarin comparable to what the New York Islanders received last season from the Colorado Avalanche for Brock Nelson.

The Islanders received defenseman Oliver Kylington, prospect forward Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-rounder in 2028.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Other factors include Panarin’s no-movement clause and whether he’d be willing to sign a contract extension if he agrees to be traded.

Friedman mentioned the Anaheim Ducks, citing Panarin’s history with Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville during their days with the Chicago Blackhawks. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings have some decisions to make about their overall situation, where they are right now, and what an extension for Panarin would look like. He also thinks the Washington Capitals would be interested in an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks, Kings, and Capitals are among several teams that Friedman believes could be interested in Panarin. However, the winger reportedly hasn’t given the Rangers a list of preferred trade destinations.

For now, those teams are conducting due diligence for when Panarin decides where he’d like to go. Whether any of them will be on his list remains to be determined.

UPDATE ON DOUGIE HAMILTON

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports that a recent injury to defenseman Luke Hughes has complicated the New Jersey Devils’ efforts to trade Dougie Hamilton.

Friedman hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Hamilton getting traded if a club made an offer the Devils can’t refuse. However, with Hughes sidelined and hoping to avoid surgery, they need Hamilton on their blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After being scratched from the lineup for a Jan. 11 game against the Winnipeg Jets, Hamilton’s agent recently said his client is willing to be flexible with his trade list to facilitate a fair deal for both sides. The 32-year-old defenseman has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $9 million and a 10-team trade list.

LATEST ON THE BLUES AND FLAMES

SPORTSNET: Ron MacLean mentioned that St. Louis Blues forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou and defenseman Justin Faulk have surfaced in the rumor mill.

Friedman noted that the Blues have had trade talks, but the asking prices are huge for those players. He believes they seek a return for Faulk comparable to what the Flames got in the Andersson deal (defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defense prospect Abram Wiebe, and two draft picks).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman also talked about Thomas on Friday, saying the Blues would want a “stud top-six forward who is slightly younger” than the 26-year-old Thomas, preferably between 22 and 24 years old.

Any club carrying that type of forward probably isn’t willing to part with them for Thomas. They might offer up a youngster with that potential, but not one already established in that role.

Thomas is signed through 2030-31 with an AAV of $8.125 million and a full no-trade clause until 2029-30.

Friedman said there’s speculation over what the Calgary Flames’ next move will be after trading Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights last week. He thinks things have quieted down for now, though not out of lack of interest from other clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Center Nazem Kadri and winger Blake Coleman are the two players considered the most likely to be moved next by the Flames.

COULD THE CANADIENS BE INTERESTED IN ALEXIS LAFRENIERE?

SPORTSNET: Ron MacLean brought up Alexis Lafreniere and cited his connection to Montreal Canadiens executive Jeff Gorton, noting that the latter drafted Lafreniere in 2020 when he was the general manager of the Rangers.

Elliotte Friedman thinks the Rangers might talk about moving Lafreniere, but it could be challenging to do so. The 24-year-old winger has struggled to meet expectations as a scoring winger, but he’s still someone who was a first-overall pick not too long ago, and the Rangers would still move him with that designation.

On Friday, Michael Amato included Lafreniere on his list of four under-the-radar trade targets that clubs might pursue. He felt there could be some decent value in the winger if a club could get him at a reasonable price.

Amato acknowledged the Rangers could hang onto Lafreniere. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t hurt to call them to find out what their asking price might be.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere isn’t a fit with the Canadiens as a top-six winger. They already have Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky on the left side, with Ivan Demidov on the right and promising Alexander Zharovsky in their prospect pipeline.

The argument could be made that the Canadiens need a right wing on their first line, but the Habs are currently pressed for cap space, and Lafreniere’s $7.45 million AAV through 2031-32 is too expensive. The Rangers could retain part of it, but it’s doubtful they’ll want to carry dead cap space for the next six years.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2026

by | Jan 24, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have the latest on the Canucks’ Evander Kane and the Sharks’ Kiefer Sherwood, plus the Sabres could become buyers at the trade deadline.

EVANDER KANE GARNERING SOME ATTENTION IN THE TRADE MARKET

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports a source confirmed several NHL teams are inquiring about Evander Kane. The 34-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a cap hit of $5.125 million with a 16-team trade list.

Vancouver Canucks winger Evander Kane (NHL Images)

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes suggested the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars could be among the interested parties. While his production is down this season (nine goals and 23 points in 50 games), his physical play could make him a good addition for a playoff club as a third or fourth-line forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Interested teams might not have to give up much to get Kane. However, it could cost a little more if they want the Canucks to retain part of his salary.

COULD THE SHARKS FLIP KIEFER SHERWOOD AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka reports San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier didn’t send two second-round picks to the Vancouver Canucks for winger Kiefer Sherwood, only to watch him depart via free agency on July 1.

Sherwood, 30, is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He’s completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million and is expected to seek a significant raise on his next deal. He reportedly rejected a three or four-year offer from the Canucks with a $4 million AAV.

Grier is optimistic he can get Sherwood signed to a contract extension. However, he must also ensure he’ll have enough long-term cap room to re-sign rising stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith in 2027. The Sharks GM didn’t rule out the possibility of listening to offers for Sherwood, but insisted that the winger was a targeted acquisition.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Grier acquired Sherwood because he likes his physical two-way style. He believes the veteran winger is the type of experienced player who can help the rebuilding Sharks reach the playoffs now and for the next several years.

Nevertheless, if they can’t get an extension done, Grier could be open to offers before the trade deadline, especially if his club struggles to remain in the hunt for a playoff berth.

WILL THE SABRES BECOME BUYERS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn believes the surging Buffalo Sabres could be buyers at this year’s trade deadline. He believes that general manager Jarmo Kekalainen needs to add a depth defenseman to ease some of the workload from the top-four defensemen.

Injuries have frequently sidelined center Josh Norris, who is currently out with sore ribs. Fairburn believes another forward capable of playing among the top six would help to balance out the forward lines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen won’t overpay to address those issues. Nevertheless, he’ll keep his eyes open for any affordable options before March 6.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2026

by | Jan 23, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2026

Check out the latest on Canucks center Elias Pettersson, Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, Kraken center Shane Wright, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ELIAS PETTERSSON SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz shot down online rumors linking the Philadelphia Flyers to Elias Pettersson.

The 27-year-old Vancouver Canucks center played for Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet when the latter coached the Canucks. However, Kurz claims that the Flyers are not interested, saying that the possibility was “strongly denied” by multiple team sources.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Kurz also reported that the Flyers aren’t actively shopping defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, and it’s expected he’ll remain with the club for the rest of this season.

THE PROVINCE: Pettersson’s agent, JP Barry, downplayed the trade rumors about his client during an appearance on The Donnie and Dhali Show on CHEK-TV. “For us, we know it’s not real unless the GM is calling and saying that there’s an actual team or a deal and ‘would you consider it’”, Barry said. “Nine out of 10 times, it’s just a rumor.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks beat writer Thomas Drance of The Athletic doesn’t rule out the possibility of a Pettersson trade if they receive a credible offer. However, he indicated that the Canucks aren’t aggressively shopping Pettersson, and he might be unwilling to waive his no-movement clause during the regular season.

UPDATES ON ARTEMI PANARIN, ALEXIS LAFRENIERE, AND BRADEN SCHNEIDER

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports Artemi Panarin has not disclosed any potential trade destinations. The 34-year-old New York Rangers winger has a full no-movement clause.

Baugh believes it’s worth monitoring whether Panarin will agree to a contract extension with a new team in conjunction with a trade. That would take him off this summer’s free-agent market and could result in a better return for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have informed Panarin that they won’t be offering him a contract extension and are willing to help him find a suitable trade destination. There’s been plenty of conjecture over where he might go, but he hasn’t tipped his hand about his intentions.

Meanwhile, Alexis Lafrenière is in the first season of his seven-year contract, which has an average annual value of $7.45 million. However, that doesn’t make the 24-year-old winger safe from a potential trade. He lacks no-trade protection until the 2027-28 season.

If the Rangers deal Lafreniere, they’d likely want a young player in return. They could also opt to retain him because his trade value is currently at the lowest of his career. The young winger said Rangers general manager Chris Drury has not spoken with him individually about his future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere surfaced as a trade candidate soon after the Rangers announced their intention to commence a quick roster rebuild. Given his contract, they can afford to wait for a good offer, but his inconsistent play hurts his value.

Baugh suggested that depth forwards Sam Carrick, Jonny Brodzinski, and Taylor Raddysh could be trade candidates by the March 6 deadline.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports the San Jose Sharks are believed to have an interest in Braden Schneider. The 24-year-old Rangers defenseman has a cap hit of $2.2 million and is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have a crowded blueline, but they’ve got five defensemen (John Klingberg, Mario Ferraro, Timothy Liljegren, Vincent Desharnais, and Nick Leddy) who are UFA-eligible this summer, with Leddy recently demoted to the minors. They could attempt to get younger on their defense by acquiring Schneider, but that might mean the Rangers taking one of those veteran blueliners (Leddy?) as part of the return.

ARE THE KRAKEN SHOPPING SHANE WRIGHT?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Seattle Kraken are seeking a top-three winger or a top-six winger and could draw on their depth at center as trade bait.

Dreger claimed that teams are saying Kraken GM Jason Botterill is listening on Shane Wright, who they chose fourth overall in 2022. However, Botterill is in no rush to move the 22-year-old center, and Dreger indicated the asking price is “incredibly high.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright is in the second season of his three-year entry-level contract. He had a promising 44-point campaign last season. However, his production and his playing time have been reduced this season, with 17 points in 49 games.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS, OILERS, AND PANTHERS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have been exploring the trade market for defensemen for several weeks before recent injuries to Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Carlo.

LeBrun indicates that Winnipeg Jets defenseman (and former Leaf) Luke Schenn has been mentioned as one option. Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils could be another. LeBrun stated that the Leafs are believed to be on his 10-team trade list, but his contract is a complicating factor.

Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers are believed to be in the market for a top-nine forward, while the Florida Panthers are open to anything that will upgrade their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salary cap space is an issue for all three clubs. They could be forced to seek out bargains rather than more significant acquisitions.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2026

by | Jan 22, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2026

Could Auston Matthews consider moving on if the Leafs miss the playoffs? Would Dougie Hamilton be a good fit in Toronto? Could the Penguins attempt to acquire Jason Robertson and re-sign Evgeni Malkin? Will the Blues trade Robert Thomas? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos wonders what Auston Matthews will be thinking if the Maple Leafs miss the playoffs this season. The 28-year-old superstar center has two seasons left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Kypreos believes Matthews will need assurances that the Maple Leafs are capable of building a contender. He pointed out that other elite NHL players, such as Matthew Tkachuk in 2022 and Quinn Hughes last month, forced a change of scenery, and wondered if Matthews might do the same at some point if the Leafs are no longer playoff contenders going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews isn’t going anywhere this season, but it’s fair to raise the question about his future if the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs. Even if they squeak in but endure another early elimination, that will spark speculation about whether he’ll finish his contract in Toronto.

Kypreos also addressed whether Dougie Hamilton would be a good fit with the Maple Leafs. The 32-year-old New Jersey Devils defenseman has surfaced in the rumor mill after his agent recently indicated that the blueliner was willing to be flexible with his 10-team trade list.

“Aside from the high acquisition cost and a few warts in his game, the Devils defenseman does check many boxes the Leafs desperately need on their blueline for a playoff push.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Warts aside, the acquisition cost is the biggest stumbling block in the path of a trade here. Hamilton carries an average annual value of $9 million through 2027-28. It’ll likely take a sweetener to convince the Devils to retain any part of that cap hit.

The Leafs have limited cap room and trade capital. They could face difficulty trying to outbid other clubs.

Meanwhile, Kevin McGran noted the logjam in the Maple Leafs crease with Anthony Stolarz due to return soon from injury, joining Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby.

McGran believes Hildeby will likely return to their AHL affiliate because he’s waiver-exempt. If Stolarz regains last season’s solid form, the Leafs could be tempted to use one of those three goalies as a trade chip to shore up the defense.

COULD THE PENGUINS PURSUE JASON ROBERTSON AND RE-SIGN EVGENI MALKIN?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe speculated recently that the Pittsburgh Penguins might go the trade route this summer to bring in a young NHL star forward.

He believes the Penguins love Jason Robertson. The 26-year-old Dallas Stars winger is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He will draw lots of attention if the Stars make him available in the trade market, suggesting the Penguins have the salary-cap space and the tradeable assets to make a solid pitch. He also doesn’t see them attempting to go the offer sheet route as the compensation required would be over the top.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will probably be in touch with the Stars if they decide to trade Robertson this summer. And yes, it would be in the summer because the Stars are all-in this season to win the Stanley Cup, and that includes having Robertson in the lineup.

The Penguins would be well-situated to outbid most teams. The question is whether Robertson would be committed to joining them on a long-term deal. He could opt to go to arbitration, sign a one-year deal, and test the unrestricted free-agent market in 2027. That would crush his value in next season’s trade market, making him enticing only to Stanley Cup contenders seeking a postseason rental.

Yohe also reported that long-time Penguins star Evgeni Malkin is willing to sign a one-year contract and accept a pay cut to stay in Pittsburgh.

Malkin, 39, realizes this could be his final NHL season, but he’s not ready to retire yet. He’s not interested in playing for another team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas indicated last fall that he would meet with the Malkin camp during the upcoming Olympic break to discuss his future. Despite missing 15 games with an upper-body injury, he’s third among their scorers this season with 37 points in 34 games. It won’t be surprising if he ends up with that one-year deal at a reduced price.

COULD THE BLUES PEDDLE ROBERT THOMAS?

THE ATHLETIC: With St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas surfacing in recent trade speculation, Jeremy Rutherford and Shayna Goldman looked at his potential value in the trade market.

Thomas, 26, is in the third season of an eight-year contract with a AAV of $8.125 million. Rutherford and Goldman believe he’ll fetch more than the asking price of a comparable center on an expiring contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You’ll need a subscription to see their detailed breakdown of comparables, cost, and whether it would be worthwhile for the Blues to trade Thomas. In my opinion, he could fetch three assets containing at least a first-round pick and a top prospect or a promising young NHL player.