NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2026

by | Mar 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2026

As the trade deadline draws closer, check out the latest on Vincent Trocheck, Adam Fox, and Robert Thomas, plus updates on the Oilers, Bruins, and Capitals in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATES ON VINCENT TROCHECK AND ADAM FOX

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports Vincent Trocheck confirmed that West Coast teams are on his 12-team no-trade list. The 32-year-old New York Rangers center has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.65 million.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

Trocheck said it was no secret that those teams were on his list, saying he wants to stay as close to the East Coast as possible for family reasons. He also acknowledged that a trade could be coming, and if it does, he wants it to be to a team where he has a chance to win, rather than joining a club that’s in the same situation as the Rangers.

Walker noted that Trocheck has been linked to the Minnesota Wild. If he wants to remain in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes could be suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sarah McLellan of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune believes Trocheck would “fit the bill” for the Wild, who are in the market for a center. However, they could have difficulty meeting the Rangers’ asking price after trading away several top assets to the Vancouver Canucks for Quinn Hughes in December.

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano reported a league source claimed there were multiple meetings in recent weeks between Rangers defenseman Adam Fox and general manager Chris Drury.

Another source said Fox wants to see how Drury handles the coming months and assess the roster this summer before making a full commitment to sticking it out with the rebuilding Rangers. That doesn’t mean he’s unwilling to endure a transition period, but he wants evidence that management has a path out of its current plight.

Mercogliano dismissed the possibility of Drury using Fox as a trade chip, pointing out he has a full no-movement clause through 2026-27, after which it drops to a 16-team no-trade list. The Rangers must avoid another situation where a player with a full no-movement clause limits where he can be moved, as Artemi Panarin did last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be surprising if Drury attempted to trade Fox by Friday’s deadline. As I mentioned over the weekend, that’s a move that seems more likely during the offseason. Nevertheless, Fox’s NMC would complicate things.

THE LATEST ROBERT THOMAS SPECULATION

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Montreal Canadiens are among a handful of teams interested in Robert Thomas. However, they’re wary of the St. Louis Blues’ high asking price for the 26-year-old center. He’s under contract for another five seasons with an AAV of $8.125 million and a full no-trade clause.

D’Amico’s sources claim the Blues covet the Canadiens’ top prospect Michael Hage. They’re also interested in defenseman Kaiden Guhle and several of their young blueline prospects. One source said they’re seeking a return comparable to what the Vancouver Canucks received in the Quinn Hughes trade, which was the equivalent of four first-round picks.

The Utah Mammoth and Detroit Red Wings are also believed to be among the other interested parties and could be better positioned to acquire Thomas. The Wings are said to be openly shopping high-end prospects for a top-six center, while Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong knows Thomas from his days with the Blues organization. They also have the depth in prospects to make a competitive bid.

TVA SPORTS: The Canadiens won’t part with Hage. Tony Marinaro would be fine with the Canadiens parting with prospect winger Alexander Zharovsky as part of the return for Thomas. He also suggested adding Oliver Kapanen to the deal to make room for Hage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adding Thomas could accelerate the Canadiens’ rise into Stanley Cup contention, but it could also come at the expense of their top assets. That’s assuming he’ll waive his no-trade clause to go to Montreal.

Canadiens management has patiently built this roster largely with their promising young talent. They did make a bold move last summer by acquiring Noah Dobson, but that didn’t put much of a dent in their prospect pipeline. Moving Hage seems like a non-starter for them.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford and Cory Pronman looked at what a deal for Thomas with the Mammoth might look like. They believe it’ll cost the Mammoth “two A-level assets” and one or two B-level assets, with one of those being a current player.

They don’t see the Mammoth parting with Logan Cooley or Dylan Guenther because they’re already difference-makers for the Mammoth. Caleb Desnoyers and Dmitri Simashev are unlikely to move.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Andrew Knoll believes the Anaheim Ducks are well-positioned to be buyers at the trade deadline. They’re poised to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years and carry plenty of depth and draft capital to make a splash.

Knoll suggested Thomas as a big-name target for the Ducks. He noted they have plenty of salary-cap space for this season and beyond, and a nice stock of future draft picks, including their first-rounder and three second-rounders in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are my dark horse approaching this trade deadline. They haven’t popped up much in the rumor mill, but that doesn’t mean GM Pat Verbeek isn’t quietly shopping around. He could prefer adding a good player in their twenties with term remaining on their contract.

MORE TRADES COULD BE COMING FOR THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports Oilers insider Bob Stauffer believes the club might not be finished making moves in the trade market after acquiring Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Stauffer speculated the Oilers could make two more trades, suggesting a player could be moved out to create more salary-cap flexibility. Meanwhile, Frank Seravalli believes winger Andrew Mangiapane could be traded, despite clearing waivers and being demoted to the AHL affiliate. Staples colleague, Jim Matheson, raised the possibility of the Oilers pursuing Toronto Maple Leafs center Nicolas Roy.

Staples also noted that NHL insider Brian Lawton thinks the Murphy acquisition is the prelude to a bigger move by the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers had to demote Mangiapane and Alec Regula, place forward Mattias Janmark on long-term injury reserve, and get the Blackhawks to retain half of Murphy’s $4.4 millon AAV to pull that deal off. They’re still pressed for cap space, meaning they’ll have to move more than Mangiapane if they’re planning another significant addition.

BRUINS WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEIR ROSTER A BUMP

NESN: Keagan Stiefel reports Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney said he’d like to give his roster a bump as they jockey for a playoff berth. He indicated that such a move would be an eye on the present and for the future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Sweeney wants a player signed beyond this season instead of a pending UFA who could walk this summer.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Bruins have been tracking Vancouver Canucks wingers Conor Garland and Brock Boeser. Multiple sources suggested Garland is more likely to be dealt, given that the no-movement clause on his new contract begins on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are reportedly open to offers for Garland and Boeser, but they’re not actively shopping them. It’s been said that teams like Garland’s style of play, but not his new six-year, $36-million contract. If the Canucks aren’t willing to retain salary on Elias Pettersson’s contract to facilitate a deal, they probably won’t do so for Garland. Six years is a long time to carry dead cap space, even with the salary cap rising.

CAPITALS LOOKING TO ADD BUT NOT AT ANY COST

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber recently reported Washington Capitals GM Chris Patrick would like to add a scoring winger. However, he’s not keen to part with his young players or prospects, and isn’t going all-in on a short-term rental player.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 2, 2026

by | Mar 2, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 2, 2026

As the Friday trade deadline approaches, check out the latest on Vincent Trocheck, Robert Thomas, Auston Matthews, Nazem Kadri, Sergei Bobrovsky, Patrik Laine, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON TROCHECK, THOMAS, MATTHEWS, AND KADRI

NHL ON TNT: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Vincent Trocheck has let it be known that he wants to stay as close to the East Coast as possible. The 32-year-old New York Rangers center has a 12-team no-trade list and three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.625 million.

Friedman thinks the Minnesota Wild are still in the Trocheck sweepstakes, sitting in the Central time zone. It’s believed the Wild have a standing offer for him, but we’ll have to wait and see what they do. Failing that, they could look at someone like Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings could also be among the suitors. It’s believed the Rangers have set a high asking price for him.

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

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trocheck’s salary, two-way play, and modified NTC make him the center most likely to move by the trade deadline, depending on what the Rangers want in return. His contract also works to the Rangers’ advantage. If no one is willing to meet their price, they can wait until the offseason for the market to improve.

The teams that are in on Trocheck could also be pursuing Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. The 26-year-old center has a full no-trade clause, giving him full control over this situation. Friedman thinks the Red Wings and the Utah Mammoth could be linked to Thomas, but he doesn’t put stock into rumors linking him to the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thomas’ NTC and his $8.125 million AAV are significant stumbling blocks in the path to a trade, as is the Blues’ asking price. They reportedly seek “three first-half-of-the-first-round” assets.

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t looking to move Auston Matthews or William Nylander. Matthews’ representatives met with Leafs management before the Olympics, and there’s no issue with him returning next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs will attempt to move pending UFAs like Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton. They could also look at moving some players with term on their contracts, such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Friedman is skeptical that the Colorado Avalanche will bring back Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames. He pointed out that the club has to re-sign Cale Makar before his contract expires in 2027. Taking on Kadri’s $7 million cap hit through 2028-29 would complicate efforts to re-sign Makar.

Friedman said the Flames aren’t interested in retaining part of Kadri’s salary. He thinks the Avs could look more toward adding an affordable rental center, such as Scott Laughton of the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I thought a Kadri reunion with the Avalanche was possible, but Friedman’s comments about the cost of re-signing Makar make that unlikely if the Flames won’t retain salary.

COULD THE PANTHERS MOVE SERGEI BOBROVSKY?

NHL ON TNT: Elliotte Friedman reports he’s heard it’s been challenging for the Florida Panthers to re-sign Sergei Bobrovsky, giving rise to rumors that they might trade the 37-year-old goaltender.

Bobrovsky has a 16-team no-trade list. Friedman said he’s heard speculation linking the netminder to the San Jose Sharks, but he can’t currently can’t confirm that.

SPORTSNET: Michael Amato thinks the Panthers should try to trade Bobrovsky. He suggested they try to get younger and deeper in goal while getting some kind of asset for Bobrovsky at the trade deadline. They could also look at trading him now and re-signing him in the offseason, though that sort of thing rarely occurs.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards recently reported that Bobrovsky wants to stay with the Panthers despite the lack of negotiations for a contract extension. “I’m fine with that, to be honest,” Bobrovsky said.

According to Richards, it would be very surprising if the Panthers trade Bobrovsky. The general feeling around the team is that he remains a big part of their future plans, and he wants to be part of it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless something radically changes leading up to Friday, expect Bobrovsky to remain with the Panthers when the trade deadline has passed.

LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu reports the Canadiens are actively working on moving Patrik Laine before the trade deadline. The 27-year-old winger is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July. He carries an $8.7 million cap hit for this season. Management has permitted Laine’s agent to speak with other teams about a trade.

Basu thinks the Canadiens are trying to include Laine in a trade that frees up some cap space while also bringing back a useful player. The other option is including a sweetener in the deal to convince another club to take on the remainder of his contract, or half of it.

TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie doubts there’s much of a market for Laine. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be with the Canadiens now. He wouldn’t be surprised if he’s still with the Habs after the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has a well-earned reputation for pulling off deals that few would’ve thought possible. However, trading Laine could prove to be a challenge too difficult to pull off. 

NHL ON TNT: Friedman touched on the growing interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen following his solid performance for Finland in the Olympics. He’d heard the Montreal Canadiens looked into it, but it didn’t go very far. The Toronto Maple Leafs were linked to Ristolainen, but the Leafs are more of a seller than a buyer.

UPDATE ON THE OILERS

NHL ON TNT: Elliotte Friedman said he recently looked into whether the Edmonton Oilers might make another foray into the goalie market. He said the answer was no, that they’re going to stick with what they’ve got.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There really wasn’t a lot for the Oilers to get in the trade market this season. They sent Stuart Skinner to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry, but that hasn’t really improved things. So, they’ll have to stick with Jarry, Connor Ingram, and Calvin Pickard and hope for the best.

Friedman also reported that the Oilers need to move Andrew Mangiapane and his $3.6 million cap hit. However, they found it difficult to do, which is why they placed him on waivers.

He also said that the Oilers were interested in St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk. Unless the Blues are willing to retain salary, it would be too difficult to acquire him. Faulk carries an AAV of $6.5 million through next season. They’ve also looked at Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Maple Leafs, but he would have to agree to go to Edmonton.

TSN: The Oilers can forget about trying to trade Adam Henrique to free up cap space. Darren Dreger reports he hasn’t told them that he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup (Part 1) – March 1, 2026

by | Mar 1, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup (Part 1) – March 1, 2026

The annual trade deadline is March 6. Check out the latest on Robert Thomas, Vincent Trocheck, Ryan O’Reilly, Nazem Kadri, Elias Pettersson, Bobby McMann, Tyler Myers, and more in Part 1 of the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE CENTERS OF ATTENTION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports centermen are drawing a lot of attention in the rumor mill, referring specifically to Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues, Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers, Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators, and Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames.

Friedman admitted being skeptical about the Thomas trade rumors when they first appeared, but now believes it could happen before the March 6 trade deadline. He thinks the Utah Mammoth is among the interested teams, pointing out that Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong drafted Thomas when he was working for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reports sources say Thomas is a player the Boston Bruins really like. The Blues have set a high asking price for the 26-year-old center, but Di Marco indicates the Bruins have four first-round picks in the next two drafts and are willing to part with prospects such as Matthew Poitras and Dean Letourneau.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

Friedman mentioned that Trocheck’s preference is to stay in the Eastern Conference. A couple of far-west teams expressed interest in the 32-year-old center, but were told he’s not going out there. The Minnesota Wild have been linked to Trocheck. Friedman thinks “they’re a maybe.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reported Friday that the Wild are considered the favorite to land Trocheck. However, his colleague Michael Russo wondered if general manager Bill Guerin is willing to part with the necessary assets to get it done after giving up so much to acquire Quinn Hughes in December.

Mercogliano also noted the Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings have also been rumored to be interested in Trocheck, but he’s not sure if they’ll part with their top assets.

Friedman said O’Reilly has no desire to leave the Predators in the middle of a playoff race. Nevertheless, he thinks teams will still try to tempt the Predators into moving O’Reilly. The veteran center lacks no-trade protection, but he’s been told he’ll have the final say over his situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Score’s Josh Wegman observed that Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently reported the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars were among the clubs believed to be interested in O’Reilly.

As for Kadri, Friedman believes the Flames have been waiting patiently for a good offer to come.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Di Marco believes the Bruins like Kadri, but they’re not keen to take on an aging player with a $7 million average annual value through 2029. He also claimed the Bruins like Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, but the remaining term of his contract ($6.25 million through 2030-31) does cause some trepidation on their part.

Meanwhile, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun believes the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche could be among the interested parties. It’s doubtful that the Canadiens will add a 35-year-old center carrying that much term to their young roster. However, the Avalanche recently freed up some cap space by trading Samuel Girard to Pittsburgh for Brett Kulak, raising speculation that they could attempt to reacquire Kadri.

THE ATHLETIC: Cory Lavalette recently listed Trocheck, Thomas, and O’Reilly as potential trade targets for the Carolina Hurricanes. Of these, he considers O’Reilly as the most cost-effective move, provided he still has enough left in the tank to be effective for the playoffs.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports teams have been calling the Vancouver Canucks about Elias Pettersson. The 27-year-old center has six years left on his contract with an AAV of $11.6 million and a full no-movement clause.

Nevertheless, teams are still seeing if Pettersson might be available. Garrioch noted that the Detroit Red Wings are seeking a second-line center, and they have the tradeable assets and cap space to take on Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It still seems like a Pettersson trade is something more likely to happen in the offseason rather than the trade deadline. Moving that hefty salary isn’t easy during the regular season, and there could be better options in the summer when teams have more cap space to work with.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Maple Leafs are considering moving players with term remaining on their contract, as well as pending unrestricted free agents. That doesn’t mean they’ll trade core players such as Auston Matthews or William Nylander, but perhaps someone like defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Friedman believes Ekman-Larsson is on the Edmonton Oilers’ radar. He thinks they’re looking at adding a right-side defenseman (which Ekman-Larsson has done) or potentially a third-line center. They have to move on from Andrew Mangiapane.

As for UFA-eligible winger Bobby McMann, Friedman said it could go either way. He’s been told there is an extension that both sides know could happen. The fact that the 29-year-old winger remains a Maple Leaf suggests there’s nothing in the market that they would currently trade him for.

UPDATE ON TYLER MYERS AND MORE CANUCKS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports he believed (as of Saturday night) that the Detroit Red Wings’ offer for Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers remains on the table. He thinks everyone involved was expecting a decision by Monday, but he doesn’t know where it currently stands. Friedman also doesn’t believe that the Canucks have a firm offer from another team for Myers.

Friedman also said things are quiet right now on Elias Pettersson. He stated that the Canucks are not interested in retaining any salary to facilitate a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s because six years is a long time to be carrying dead cap space, even with the salary cap rising. It can still hamper efforts to retain key players or add to the roster as salaries rise.

BRUINS LINKED TO THE BLUES AND FLYERS

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco reported the Boston Bruins were interested in St. Louis Blues defensemen Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk. Parayko has a full no-movement clause and carries an AAV of $6.5 million through 2029-30. Faulk is signed through 2026-27 with the same AAV as Parayko and a 15-team no-trade list.

Di Marco reports the Bruins have moderate interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. However, they’ve checked in several times on Flyers winger Owen Tippett, who has six years left on his deal with an AAV of $6.2 million. The Flyers aren’t looking to move the 27-year-old Tippett, but are believed to be open to discussions, though their asking price could be significant.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins GM Don Sweeney tipped his hand with his failed attempt to acquire Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames before he was shipped to the Vegas Golden Knights in January. Parayko and Faulk would be expensive additions, though Faulk would cost less than Parayko.

As for Ristolainen, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reported last week that the Flyers’ asking price would have to start with a first-round pick for GM Daniel Briere to consider it. Briere is looking at what the Boston Bruins got from the Toronto Maple Leafs last year for Brandon Carlo, which was a prospect (Fraser Minten), a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2027 fourth-rounder.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2026

by | Feb 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2026

Recaps of Friday’s games, Stars forward Tyler Seguin is officially sidelined for the season, the latest on Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Lawson Crouse tallied two goals for the 31-24-4 Mammoth, who hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 66 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild (35-15-10).

Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek left this game near the end of the second period after taking a stick to the face from Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz.

The Buffalo Sabres (34-19-6) moved into second place in the Atlantic Division with 74 points by nipping the Florida Panthers 3-2. Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist, and Alex Lyon made 28 saves. Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist, and Daniil Tarasov stopped 36 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Cole Schwindt missed this game due to a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied twice, and Jakob Chychrun scored what proved to be the winning goal as the Washington Capitals held off the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 3-2. Braeden Bowman and Tomas Hertl scored for the Golden Knights (28-17-14), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. The Capitals (32-17-9, 69 points) picked up their third straight win to move within two points of the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

An overtime goal by Chris Kreider lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Beckett Sennecke collected three assists for the 32-23-3 Ducks, who picked up their fourth straight win. Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo each had a goal and an assist for the 23-26-9 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov left this game with a lower-body injury. The Jets also played with winger Nino Niederreiter, who is week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars have ruled out forward Tyler Seguin for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs. Seguin, 34, had surgery for a torn ACL on Dec. 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seguin carries an average annual value of $9.85 million. He will now be placed on season-ending long-term injury reserve (SLTIR).

The Stars have $1.4 million in cap space, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports they’re already using $3.8 million of his cap hit with other players injured. Nevertheless, this will still give the Stars salary-cap flexibility heading toward the March 6 trade deadline.

ESPN.COM: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk isn’t happy that he was part of an AI-doctored TikTok video released by the White House that made it appear he was disparaging Canadians.

In the video, Tkachuk is made to say, “They booed our national anthem, so I had to go out and teach those maple syrup-eating f**ks a lesson.”

“Well, it’s clearly fake, because it’s not my voice, not my lips moving,” Tkachuk said. “I’m not in control of any of those accounts. I know those words would never come out of my mouth. So, I can’t do anything about it.

Asked if he enjoyed the video, Tkachuk said he didn’t because he would never say those things about Canadians. He also denied that he was the person who shouted, “Close the northern border!” during Team USA’s congratulatory call with President Donald Trump.

“I’ve been seeing stuff that people think it’s me. But if you watch the video, it’s not my voice or something I would never say.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk is a proud American, and he’s obviously overjoyed to have helped the United States win its first gold medal in Olympic Men’s hockey in 46 years. However, he would never make those comments.

Tkachuk has spent the entirety of his eight-season NHL career with the Ottawa Senators, becoming their captain and the face of the franchise. He’s also been active in the local community for years. He signed an eight-year contract with the club in 2021 and denied trade rumors about him that popped up last spring, calling them lies.

TSN: The New York Rangers claimed forward Tye Kartye off waivers from the Seattle Kraken.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki underwent successful shoulder surgery. He will miss the remainder of this season, but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September.

SPORTSNET: Ian (Scotty) Morrison, a former NHL referee and top executive with the Hockey Hall of Fame, died on Wednesday at the age of 95.

Morrison joined the NHL as a referee in 1954. By 1965, he was appointed the league’s Referee-in-Chief. In 1981, he became their vice-president of officiating until 1986, when he was appointed to an executive position in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In 1991, he became the Hall’s chairman and chief executive officer until his retirement in 1998. A year later, he was inducted into the Hall along with superstar Wayne Gretzky and referee Andy Van Hellemond.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Morrison’s family, friends, and colleagues.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 18, 2026

by | Feb 18, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 18, 2026

Which teams are interested in Blues defenseman Justin Faulk? Could the Canadiens trade blueliner Arber Xhekaj? Check out the latest speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports a source claiming the Boston Bruins are among multiple teams interested in St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.

According to Murphy, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney remains aggressive in his pursuit of a top-four, right-shot defenseman after losing out to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Rasmus Andersson sweepstakes.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk (NHL Images)

Other clubs believed to be pursuing Faulk include the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, and Utah Mammoth. However, the Blues have set a high asking price for the 33-year-old puck-moving defenseman. They seek a return comparable to what the Flames received from the Golden Knights in the Andersson deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames received defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defense prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft (top-10 protected, and a conditional 2028 second-rounder, which would upgrade to a 2028 first-rounder if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup this year.

Faulk has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million, but he’ll be paid $4.5 million in actual salary next year. He also has a 15-team no-trade list.

Both factors could limit the number of potential trade destinations for Faulk, especially if the Blues aren’t willing to retain salary. Convincing them to do so would mean giving up an additional asset in the deal.

The Sabres, Red Wings, Stars, and Mammoth could use Faulk, but he wouldn’t be a fit with the Canadiens. They have limited cap space ($1.7 million) at the trade deadline. The Habs also have Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, and Alexandre Carrier as their right-side defensemen, with Lane Hutson capable of shifting from left to right if necessary. Guhle is a left-shot defenseman playing on the right side, but they’re not going to demote him or Carrier. 

The Canadiens have a right-side need, but it’s for a scoring winger on their top line.

Speaking of the Canadiens’ blueline…

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: In a recent mailbag segment, Stu Cowan was asked if this season could be the last for Arber Xhekaj with the Canadiens.

The 6’4”, 240-pound defenseman has averaged just over 11 minutes this season playing on their third pairing. Meanwhile, Jayden Struble has averaged over 14 minutes as he jockeys with Xhekaj for that sixth spot on the Canadiens’ blueline.

Xhekaj, 25, is eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. Struble, 24, has one more year left on his contract with an AAV of $1.412 million.

As competition for blueline spots gets tougher, Cowan believes it might be best for Xhekaj if he were traded to a club where he’ll get more playing time. He doesn’t see the Canadiens trading the big blueliner to a division rival, but noted that Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer is a big fan of Xhekaj’s from their time together with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2022.

Cowan wondered if the Senators or another club might attempt to sign Xhekaj to an offer sheet this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Cowan observed, Xhekaj could become expendable after this season, with David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom likely to push for roster spots this fall.

That will upset Canadiens fans who love Xhekaj’s physical style. However, that could be offset if they get a decent trade return or if Engstrom and Reinbacher blossom into quality NHL defensemen.

The Canadiens aren’t likely to peddle Xhekaj before the trade deadline because they need his size and toughness for the playoffs. However, they could trade him before July 1 if they feel they no longer have room for him. They could also re-sign him to an affordable short-term deal and then attempt to move him during the preseason.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 12, 2026

by | Feb 12, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 12, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest speculation on Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, and a look at possible trade targets for the Penguins.

WHERE COULD THE RANGERS SEND VINCENT TROCHECK AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano recently listed potential trade destinations for Vincent Trocheck.

The 32-year-old New York Rangers winger is under contract for three more years, with an average annual value of $5.625 million. He also has a 12-team no-trade list.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several of the teams listed (Minnesota, Carolina, Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Colorado) have been previously mentioned and analyzed. Baugh and Mercogliano also listed the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Utah Mammoth, and New York Islanders.

The Penguins are more interested in acquiring younger talent to fit into their long-range plans. They’re unlikely to go after Trocheck. Sending him to the Islanders would be an entertaining swerve, but given the rivalry between the two clubs, don’t hold your breath waiting for that one to occur.

The Mammoth have the cap space and plentiful trade assets (draft picks, prospects, young players) to make a competitive bid for Trocheck. However, they might not be among his preferred destinations, and they could prefer adding a player who isn’t closing in on his mid-thirties.

Trocheck might not fit into the Bruins’ retooling plans as they appear to favor younger talent.

WHAT WILL THE PENGUINS DO AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski recently reported “multiple reports and confirmations” indicating Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is attempting to acquire more young NHL players.

Kingerski also pointed out that the Penguins could use a right-handed defenseman and a scoring top-nine winger if they hope to clinch a berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Luke Schenn of the Winnipeg Jets or Erik Gudbranson of the Columbus Blue Jackets could be options on the blueline if those teams remain out of playoff contention. Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner or Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine could be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets surged in the standings in the weeks leading up to the Olympic break. If they pick up where they left off, they could be buyers instead of sellers.

Schenn could be an option, but he will also draw interest from other clubs. The Canadiens are expected to peddle Laine and are reportedly willing to retain half of his $8.7 million cap hit. He has a 10-team no-trade list, but the Penguins might not be on it.