Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 22, 2026

by | Feb 22, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 22, 2026

The latest on Blues center Robert Thomas, and an update on the Blue Jackets in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

SPORTSNET: With the March 6 trade deadline on the horizon, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas acknowledged the trade rumors swirling around him and his teammates.

The Blues are near the bottom of the standings. That has led to rumors involving several Blues, such as defenseman Justin Faulk and forwards Brayden Schenn, Pavel Buchnevich, and Jordan Kyrou. They also include the 26-year-old Thomas, who has a full no-trade clause.

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

Thomas is in the third season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.125 million.

Elliotte Friedman reports the Blues seek a high asking price for Thomas, who declined to say if he’ll waive his NTC. “I don’t really want to talk too much about it now. We’ll talk about it later,” Thomas said. “I have one. That’s kind of where we’re at.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues management has probably spoken to Thomas about whether he’d agree to waive his clause if a rival club is willing to meet their price for him. The fact that it’s expensive suggests few teams are willing to do so, and perhaps even fewer would be on Thomas’ list of preferred destinations.

Thomas could be moved before March 6, but that’s not a certainty. The Blues aren’t under any pressure to move him as they would be if he were a pending free agent. If no one meets their price by March 6 (assuming Thomas agrees to a trade), they’ll revisit it in the offseason.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reported on Thursday that the Columbus Blue Jackets had not engaged in serious contract talks with UFA-eligible players Charlie Coyle, Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and Erik Gudbranson.

However, general manager Don Waddell said he spoke with the players and their agents to gauge their feelings about staying in Columbus. “Everybody wants to stay here,” Waddell said. We’ve got something going here.”

Coyle and Marchment could be Waddell’s biggest priorities. He’ll have to decide if he’ll keep them or trade them if they’re still unsigned by the March 6 deadline.

NHL.COM: Waddell also indicated that he’s not interested in acquiring rental players if his club remains in playoff contention by the deadline.

“If we could trade for somebody that has term, that we like going forward, that’s a different value that we look at,” Waddell said. “We’ll see. All the UFAs right now on our team on our team play a good role for our team, so if you take anybody off, you’re going to have to replace them because of the positions that they play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have over $45 million in projected trade deadline cap space, so they have room to add if Waddell wishes to. They also have over $46 million in projected space for next season with 14 active roster players under contract.

Re-signing Coyle, Marchment, Jenner, and Gudbranson shouldn’t take up too much room, leaving space to re-sign RFAs such as Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, and Jet Greaves. It should also leave enough space to add a player or two signed beyond this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2026

by | Feb 11, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2026

Check out the latest on the Flyers, Maple Leafs, and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHICH FLYERS COULD BECOME TRADE BAIT?

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently looked at the Philadelphia Flyers’ potential plans for the March 6 trade deadline.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).

James dismissed a recent rumor suggesting the Flyers could shake things up by trading Travis Konecny. He pointed out that the 27-year-old winger has a full no-movement clause, is a respected team leader, and will be part of the Flyers’ plans to get better sooner rather than later.

Owen Tippett was also mentioned as a trade candidate. James believes the Flyers would prefer to keep him, but their surplus of wingers could force their hand. Tippett could be someone they could include in a package deal if they were to pursue someone such as St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas.

Bobby Brink could also become a trade chip. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent in July and might have to make room for younger wingers in the Flyers’ system.

As for their defensemen, James suggested moving Rasmus Ristolainen as one option before March 6. He also wondered about Noah Juulsen, Emil Andrae, and Nick Seeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ recent slide in the standings likely killed off their chances of reaching the playoffs. Management will likely be sellers at the deadline, seeking returns that could accelerate their development, such as young NHL players.

The Flyers could use a first-line center, and Thomas would fit the bill. However, he has a full no-trade clause and might not be keen on joining a retooling/rebuilding club. If he is willing to join the Flyers, Tippett could be part of the deal, but it would cost perhaps another good young player, along with the Flyers’ 2026 first-rounder, and one of their top prospects. The Blues are setting high asking prices for guys like Thomas.

WHICH MAPLE LEAFS ARE THE MOST LIKELY TRADE CANDIDATES?

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes forwards Calle Jarnkrok, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann are the most likely trade candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The trio is due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Siegel also wouldn’t be surprised if defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Troy Stecher, and winger Nick Robertson end up getting moved by March 6.

Ekman-Larsson has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million and a 16-team no-trade list. Stecher is UFA-eligible on July 1, while Robertson is due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McMann, Ekman-Larsson, and Laughton would likely fetch the best returns. McMann is considered their best trade chip because of his style of play and affordable contract.

WHAT WILL THE BLUE JACKETS DO BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell and his staff will be busy during the Olympic break attempting to sign forwards Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment, and defenseman Erik Gudbranson. The four are UFA-eligible on July 1.

Given the Blue Jackets’ surge in the standings before the Olympic break, Waddell wants to help his club by the trade deadline. If he can find an offensive finisher with term left on his contract, Waddell could go for it. He could also make depth moves, perhaps by targeting Chicago Blackhawks captain (and former Blue Jacket) Nick Foligno.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell’s trade deadline plans will also depend on whether the Blue Jackets can maintain the hot streak they were on before the Olympics. If they struggle and end up sliding in the standings, he could attempt to move any unsigned UFAs.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 3, 2026

by | Feb 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 3, 2026

What’s the latest on Rangers winger Artemi Panarin? Will the Blue Jackets be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Could the Penguins add to their roster before the trade deadline? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL ARTEMI PANARIN BE TRADED BEFORE THE OLYMPIC TRADE FREEZE?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports there doesn’t seem to be any eager takers for Artemi Panarin as the Olympic trade freeze (Feb. 4-22) approaches. He indicated that the 34-year-old New York Rangers winger seeks a four-year contract extension at roughly $11 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman last Friday said he’d heard that Panarin was seeking a $50 million contract.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Panarin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a cap hit of $11.6 million this season and a full no-movement clause. The Rangers are holding him out of their lineup as they attempt to find a suitable trade partner.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes last week reported that 14 clubs were interested in Panarin. They included the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars in the Western Conference, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Islanders in the East.

Dreger’s colleagues Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston believe the Capitals and Hurricanes are among the more legitimate suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the Capitals, Kings, Sharks, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings were believed to be willing to discuss a contract extension with the Panarin camp. He also indicated that the Ducks, Avalanche, and Stars were only interested in the Rangers winger as a playoff rental. The Hurricanes were said to be flexible regarding a contract extension, but it depended on how much they were willing to pay him.

The Golden Knights are probably out of the bidding given their limited cap space and recent acquisition of Rasmus Andersson. The Maple Leafs are sellers, not buyers. The Lightning would probably be interested in him as a rental. Ditto the Mammoth. It would be quite a swerve if the Rangers traded Panarin to the Islanders, but it’s unlikely to happen given their rivalry and the fact that they are in the same division.

WHAT WILL THE BLUE JACKETS DO IN THE TRADE MARKET?

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports that Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell faces a tough decision regarding pending forwards Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, and Mason Marchment.

The trio is due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, which could make them trade bait if Waddell became a seller by the March 6 trade deadline. However, the Blue Jackets have won nine of their last 10 games and are surging up the Eastern Conference standings.

Waddell said that he won’t make any substantive moves before the Olympic trade freeze begins at 3 PM ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. He will try to use the three-week break to get those three players under contract.

RG. ORG: James Murphy reported Waddell intends to reassess his club’s position during the Olympic break and into early March. He also indicated that the Blue Jackets GM would like to re-sign Coyle, but acknowledged a trade could happen if the club falls out of playoff position.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are seven points out of a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. They still have some time over the remainder of the season to gain ground, but a losing skid could prove fatal to those playoff hopes.

Portzline pointed out that Waddell can’t wait until March 5 to become a buyer or a seller. Those contract talks with Jenner, Coyle, and Marchment will factor into his decision.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas will keep his focus on the future as the March 6 trade deadline approaches. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t make a move that provides more immediate help for his retooling franchise.

Yohe suggested keeping an eye on right-handed defensemen in the trade market. The Penguins are thin on the right side of their blue line.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2026

by | Jan 31, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2026

Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle extends the league’s January hat trick record, plus the latest on Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle had a four-point night, including a hat trick, in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Zach Werenski and Mathieu Olivier each had two points for the Blue Jackets (26-20-7) as they extended their win streak to four games. Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi each had two points as the Blackhawks (21-25-9) are winless in their last five games (0-3-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyle’s hat trick extends the league record for the most hat tricks in a calendar month to 31. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are 7-1-0 since Rick Bowness took over as their head coach.

Blackhawks rookie defenseman Artyom Levshunov was a healthy scratch as the coaching staff is working with him to “reset some foundational things” in his game. The 20-year-old Levshunov leads all Blackhawks blueliners with 21 points in 52 games, but he also has a team-worst plus/minus of minus-27.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang missed practice on Friday for medical reasons. Malkin has been dealing with a shoulder issue since early December, while Letang recently missed two games with an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins forwards Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha are listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm and Zacha could miss the Bruins’ Stadium Series game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sunday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Lightning, owner and team chairman Jeff Vinik suffered a major leg fracture in a snowmobile accident while traveling with his family in Norway. He is expected to make a full recovery.

GRAND FORKS HERALD: Former NHL defenseman Tucker Poolman is learning to live with the rare autoimmune disease that prematurely ended his playing career.

Poolman, 32, spent five seasons in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks before his career ended in 2022-23 when he was diagnosed with Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy (AAG), which attacks the autonomic nervous system.

Now living in Grand Forks, Poolman is on medication and coaching high school hockey. He and his family intend to move to Brainerd, Minnesota, in the summer.

THE SCORE: John Matisz recently reported on why Canada has fallen behind in goaltender development.

One reason is that today’s aspiring goaltenders are being overcoached to the point where technique is getting in the way of their instincts. Another is the high cost of equipment and travel expenses for major-junior goalies, and limited playing time.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2026

by | Jan 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2026

Milestone games for the Predators’ Roman Josi and the Blue Jackets’ Charlie Coyle, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone set a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos tallied a hat trick, and Roman Josi had an assist in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game as the Nashville Predators overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Ryan O’Reilly collected three assists as the Predators improved to 24-22-4. Senators rookie Stephen Halliday scored his first career NHL goal as his club dropped to 23-20-7.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Senators announced winger David Perron will require surgery to repair a sports hernia and will be sidelined at least five to seven weeks.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 30 shots while Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist for the 29-20-2 Bruins. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (24-13-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone collected an assist to extend his points streak to a franchise-record 13 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 28 saves in a 1-0 shutout of the Dallas Stars. Zach Werenski tallied the only goal as the Blue Jackets have won five of their last six games and improved to 23-20-7. Casey DeSmith turned aside 21 shots for the Stars (28-14-9), who have dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle played in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, the Stars remain in a lengthy funk, with just three wins in their last 14 games.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and picked up an assist in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Mats Zuccarello also has two goals and an assist, and Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Wild (29-14-9). Lucas Raymond scored two goals for the 31-16-5 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wild activated center Joel Eriksson Ek off injured reserve. They also announced that defenseman Jonas Brodin will miss the Olympics next month after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Oliver Moore. Spencer Knight made 28 saves, and Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (21-22-7). Hurricanes rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom scored his first career NHL goal as his club picked up a point to hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 67 points (31-15-5) and a game in hand over the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forwards Andre Burakovsky and Frank Nazar returned to action. An illness sidelined Burakovsky while Nazar missed 14 games with an upper-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got three first-period goals in 37 seconds (two by Anthony Mantha) in a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Arturs Silovs made 30 saves, and Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the 25-14-11 Penguins, who have won three straight games. Former Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry gave up six goals on 22 shots for the Oilers (25-19-8).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Malkin told reporters that he wants to play one more year with the Penguins. The 39-year-old center’s contract expires at the end of this season. Meanwhile, the Penguins activated defenseman Erik Karlsson from injured reserve, but placed blueliner Ryan Graves on IR.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 32 shots as his club doubled up the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-2. Zach Benson scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Sabres (28-17-5), who are 4-1-1 in their last six games. Cole Caufield scored to extend his goal streak to four games for the 28-16-7 Canadiens.

A shootout goal by Sam Reinhart gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Daniil Tarasov stopped 17 shots, and Sam Bennett scored in regulation for the Panthers (26-20-3). Cole Perfetti replied for the 20-23-7.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2025

by | Dec 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2025

Check out the latest speculation on the Avalanche, Islanders, and Kings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak believes the first-overall Colorado Avalanche will “almost certainly” add another defenseman before the March 6 trade deadline. However, adding a third-line center is a more pressing need.

The Avalanche could stick with Ross Colton in that role. Bednar recently praised Colton’s efforts in his first game in that role. They could stick with him if the cost of finding other options proves expensive.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

Masisak suggested former Colorado centers such as Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators and Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames as possibilities. However, the cost for both makes them unlikely trade targets for the Avalanche.

Other options include Alexander Wennberg of the San Jose Sharks, Jason Dickinson of the Chicago Blackhawks, and former Av Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly reportedly isn’t considering a trade at this time. Kadri’s contract and the Flames’ asking price are too expensive. The Sharks won’t part with Wennberg if they remain in playoff contention.

Dickinson and Coyle could be more affordable if the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets go into sell mode. However, the Avs could be forced to overpay if other clubs get into the bidding, and they’ve already sacrificed future assets in recent years.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Islanders have a steady, left-shot defenseman and a top-six winger near the top of their Christmas wish list to replace sidelined blueliner Alexander Romanov and winger Kyle Palmieri.

If the Islanders become buyers, they could get salary-cap relief by placing Romanov and Palmieri on long-term injury reserve. San Jose Jose Sharks defensemen Mario Ferraro and former Islander Nick Leddy could be blueline targets, while Kiefer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks or Matias Maccelli of the Toronto Maple Leafs might make sense as a replacement for Palmieri.

Sears doesn’t see general manager Mathieu Darche parting with a first-round pick to get any of those players.

For now, it’s too early to tell which path Darche might choose. Sears noted that a couple of bad weeks could knock them out of playoff contention in the tightly packed Eastern Conference.

If Darche buys early, he could be parting with future assets that he’ll need to recoup if things go sideways. If he waits too long, he’ll end up in sell mode with UFA-eligible forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Darche will remain patient for now, especially given how few sellers there are in the trade market. The Isles’ performance in January will likely determine which path he takes, especially if more teams become sellers.

The Sharks aren’t likely to part with Ferraro and Leddy if they remain in playoff contention. Sherwood is available, but the Canucks’ asking price could be too high for Darche. Maccelli should be an affordable addition, but his struggles this season don’t make him an enticing trade target.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens believes the Los Angeles Kings have more work to do after trading center Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. He noted they didn’t get a roster player back in the deal, and the club continues to struggle offensively.

Stephens pointed out that the draft pick they got in the Danault deal would look good if the Kings were rebuilding. However, the club is built to win right now, and they still believe they can reach the playoffs and make some noise.

That second-round pick will only be valuable if it can be turned into a player (like Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators or Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues) who makes the Kings better.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings GM Ken Holland probably isn’t done making moves. Stephens pointed out that they shed Danault’s $5.5 million cap hit for this season and next, giving the Kings $9.2 million in current cap space, and a projected deadline cap space of $26 million.

As mentioned earlier, O’Reilly isn’t prepared to consider a trade right now. Meanwhile, the Blues intend to seek full value for any player they trade, meaning they’ll want a young NHL player for Schenn instead of draft picks.