NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2026

by | Mar 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2026

Recapping Wednesday’s games and notable trades in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nikolaj Ehlers tallied a hat trick as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-4. Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Sean Walker each had a goal and an assist for the 39-16-6 Hurricanes, who are 11-1-2 in their last 14 games and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 84 points. Filip Hronek had a goal and two assists for the 18-36-7 Canucks.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, defenseman Tyler Myers waived his no-movement clause, accepting a trade to the Dallas Stars. In exchange, the Canucks received a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fourth-rounder in 2029.

Myers will likely slot in on the Stars’ blueliner as the right-shot defenseman on their third pairing. The Canucks got a decent return for the 36-year-old Myers.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer made 34 saves to help his club hold off the Seattle Kraken by a score of 3-2. Brayden Schenn collected three assists, and Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for the 23-29-9 Blues. Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn scored for the Kraken (29-23-9), who hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have a deal in place with the Buffalo Sabres that would reportedly send defenseman Colton Parayko to the Sabres in exchange for prospect blueliner Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick. However, they’re waiting for Parayko to decide if he’ll waive his no-trade clause. As of publication, they’re still awaiting his decision.

The New Jersey Devils got a shootout goal from Paul Cotter to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3. Arseny Gritsyuk and Nico Hischier each had two points for the 31-29-2 Devils. Anthony Stolarz stopped 44 shots for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 27-24-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs held forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson out of the lineup for roster management purposes, which means that management is having trade talks involving those players. At least one of them could be on the move by Friday’s trade deadline.

McMann and Laughton are due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 and lack no-trade protection. Ekman-Larsson has two years left on his contract and a 16-team no-trade list.

Before this game, the Maple Leafs announced that defenseman Chris Tanev is done for the season after undergoing core muscle surgery. He is expected to fully participate in training camp in September.

The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on an overtime goal by Tomas Hertl. Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner scored in the third period to tie the game, with Marner finishing the night with three points. Alex DeBrincat and Simon Edvinsson each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (35-20-7), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 77 points. The 29-19-14 Golden Knights remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings had a scare when team captain Dylan Larkin left the game late in the third period after being cross-checked in the ribs by Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb. He returned for the overtime period.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier tallied twice, and goaltender Ville Husso kicked out 42 shots in a 5-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Beckett Sennecke had a goal and an assist to take over the lead among this season’s rookie scorers with 51 points as the Ducks (34-24-3) sit one point behind the Golden Knights. Anders Lee replied for the 35-22-5 Islanders, who are in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock missed this game with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames traded defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for blueliner Olli Maatta, prospect center Jonathan Castagna, and three second-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no salary retention by the Flames, meaning the Mammoth takes on the full remaining value of the 32-year-old Weegar’s contract. He’s signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $6.25 million.

Weegar will bring valuable depth and experience to the Mammoth’s blueline as they jockey for a playoff berth in the Western Conference. He will likely skate on the right side of their second defense pairing, but can move up into a first-pairing role if required.

Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun believes the Flames got a good return for Weegar, considering that the blueliner’s production is down this season. One of those second-round picks belonged to the Rangers, meaning it’ll be near the top of that round. They also get a veteran replacement for Weegar in Maatta, who carries a more affordable $3.5 million AAV through 2027-28. Castagna brings more center depth to the Flames’ prospect pool.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for winger Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional first-round pick (top-12 protected) in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports the Blackhawks retained half of Dickinson’s $4.25 million cap hit. He’s UFA-eligible in July.

The Oilers dealt with two needs with this trade. The underrated Dickinson should address their need for a reliable third-line center, and they got Mangiapane’s burdensome contract off their books. They also get a young forward in Dach, the younger brother of Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens. Colton played a fourth-line role in Chicago.

This move gives the Blackhawks two first-rounders in next year’s draft. As for Mangiapane, he gets another chance to see if he can regain the scoring touch he had with the Calgary Flames several years ago. He’ll have an opportunity for more playing time with the rebuilding Blackhawks.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blankenburg is a puck-moving defenseman who has 21 points in 49 games this season, averaging over 17 minutes of ice time per game. It’ll be interesting to see how much playing time he’ll get on the right side of the Avalanche defense corps.

Blankenburg is the third player traded by the Predators this week. They already shipped out forward Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild for a 2028 second-round pick and Cole Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 third-rounder. General manager Barry Trotz could have more moves in store by tomorrow’s deadline, even though his team is battling for a playoff berth.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed winger Kiefer Sherwood to a five-year, $28.75 million contract. He’ll earn an average annual value of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood has cashed in well with this deal. His current AAV is $1.5 million. He’s also getting a full no-trade clause for next season, followed by a 16-team no-trade list for 2027-28, a 13-team list in 2028-29, a 10-team list in 2029-30, and a five-team list in 2030-31.

The Sharks can afford it, but it remains to be seen if Sherwood can maintain the level of performance from the past two seasons that earned him this deal.

TSN: The Washington Capitals signed forward Ethen Frank to a two-year, $4 million contract.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed defenseman Tobias Bjornfot on waivers and signed goaltender Louis Domingue to a one-year, two-way contract.










NHL Rumor Mill Update – March 3, 2026

by | Mar 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill Update – March 3, 2026

Check out the latest speculation on the Canucks, Islanders, Golden Knights, Oilers, and more in Part 2 of today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports that teams are continuing to check with the Vancouver Canucks regarding center Elias Pettersson. He believes the Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings are among those clubs.

However, LeBrun thinks it’s a stretch to expect Pettersson to be moved by Friday’s trade deadline, citing his expensive contract and inconsistent play. The Canucks aren’t feeling any pressure to move him by the deadline.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

The Canucks aren’t willing to retain any part of Pettersson’s $11.6 million average annual value. LeBrun doesn’t think it makes sense to retain any part of it for the next six years and still try to rebuild the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Six years is a long time to carry dead cap space. Some argue that it shouldn’t be an issue because the salary cap is rising significantly, but it must be remembered that salaries also rise with the cap. That will affect efforts to build and maintain a roster.

LeBrun said Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers and his agent are waiting to see how the trade market unfolds before Friday’s trade deadline.

The Canucks have an offer on the table for Myers from the Detroit Red Wings. The 36-year-old defenseman has a full no-movement clause, so it’s up to him if he’ll agree to waive it to join the Red Wings. LeBrun believes it’s not out of the question that Myers ends up in Detroit.

So far, everyone involved in this has been amicable. The Canucks aren’t pressuring Myers to accept the Red Wings’ offer.

TSN: Farhan Lalji reports Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk hasn’t asked to be traded, but it sounds like he’s not interested in sticking around if the club intends to rebuild.

“Obviously, that is not something I would be okay with or accepting,” DeBrusk said. Lalji also cited Ben Kuzma of The Province, who wrote that the 29-year-old winger believes his game doesn’t fit a rebuild.

“I’ve said it since I’ve been here. I don’t care how I do as long as we’re winning and we haven’t been winning,” DeBrusk said. “I’ve learned a lot more about myself in some ways this year. Lots of ups and downs, and it’s a mental thing. I don’t think anybody in this room thought we’d be in this position. But that’s the reality.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk signed his seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Canucks in the summer of 2024, when the club was coming off its third-best season in franchise history and seemed poised to become a powerhouse in the Western Conference. The club’s rapid decline is not what he signed up for.

DeBrusk has a full no-movement clause, but he could be willing to waive it to join a better team.

UPDATE ON THE ISLANDERS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner reports the Canucks and the New York Islanders have been scouting each other ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

Rosner said the Islanders have previously poked around regarding Canucks winger Conor Garland. The complication with the 29-year-old winger is his new six-year, $36 million contract (with a full no-movement clause), which begins on July 1. He also believes they’re interested in Canucks forward Drew O’Connor.

The Islanders previously were interested in Canucks center Elias Pettersson, but that ship has sailed.

Meanwhile, Julian Gaudio reports the Islanders are also rumored to have made inquiries about St. Louis Blues forwards Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, with the focus on Kyrou.

According to The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner, the Blues’ asking price for the 27-year-old Kyrou could include prospects Kashawn Aitcheson and Danny Nelson.

Kyrou is in the first season of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8.125 million and a full no-trade clause. There’s a belief he could be more of an offseason move rather than a deadline deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou hasn’t been mentioned as much in the rumor mill as Thomas, given the latter is a center and there’s a big market for those players. Nevertheless, he’s been linked to the Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Kraken in earlier rumors.

WHICH CLUBS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN RASMUS RISTOLAINEN?

THE ATHLETIC: The recent trade rumors swirling around Rasmus Ristolainen prompted Kevin Kurz to speculate about which teams might be interested in the 31-year-old Philadelphia Flyers defenseman.

Kurz listed the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings as potential suitors. He believes the Flyers want a return comparable to what the Boston Bruins received from the Toronto Maple Leafs in last year’s Brandon Carlo trade. That deal fetched the Bruins a promising forward (Fraser Minten), a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen carries a $5.1 million cap hit through next season and lacks no-trade protection.

WHO COULD THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS TARGET IN THE TRADE MARKET?

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Danny Webster reports the Vegas Golden Knights could use a center to replace the sidelined William Karlsson or a scoring winger. They lack the cap room to pursue top-tier talent such as Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames or Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. Nevertheless, they have the room to add a second-tier forward.

Webster listed Jason Dickinson of the Chicago Blackhawks, Evan Rodrigues of the Florida Panthers, Michael Bunting of the Nashville Predators, and Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights made their big move when they acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Flames in January. They have $5.5 million in cap space if Karlsson remains out for the season, as some suspect. That would give them enough room to squeeze one of those players within their limited cap space. 

OILERS STILL TRYING TO TRADE ANDREW MANGIAPANE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Edmonton Oilers are still trying to find a new home for Andrew Mangiapane. The struggling 29-year-old winger was demoted to their AHL affiliate earlier this week to free up salary-cap space with the trade deadline approaching.

The Oilers are trying to move his contract, which has an average annual value of $3.6 million, through next season. They’re in the market for a top-nine forward, particularly a third-line center.

LeBrun believes Nicolas Roy of the Toronto Maple Leafs could be what the Oilers are looking for. There’s talk that he’s available in the trade market. The 29-year-old Roy is signed through next season with an AAV of $3 million.










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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2026

by | Mar 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2026

Milestone performance for Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer and Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, the Kings fire head coach Jim Hiller, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Matthew Schaefer scored two goals, and Anders Lee netted the game-winner with 32 seconds left in the third period to lift the New York Islanders over the Florida Panthers 5-4. Sam Bennett scored twice while Matthew Tkachuk had three assists for the 30-27-3 Panthers (68 points), who sit eight points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, while the Islanders (35-21-5) hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Schaefer, who is the front-runner for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

The 18-year-old defenseman collected an assist for his first three-point NHL game. He also became the youngest defenseman in league history to reach the 20-goal plateau, and the fourth rookie blueliner in league history to reach that mark. Schaefer is only three goals behind Brian Leetch for the most by a rookie defenseman. He also leads this year’s rookie class in goal scoring.

Fun fact: Schaefer is only the second defenseman in Islanders history to score 20 goals in a season. The other is Hall of Famer Denis Potvin.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by an injury during the second game of the season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov tied the franchise record for goals (219) in a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Pavel Buchnevich tallied the winning goal while Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for the 22-29-9 Blues. The Wild (35-16-10) holds third place in the Central Division with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild made a minor trade yesterday, acquiring defenseman Roman Schmidt from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Boris Katchouk.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 5-0. Arturs Silovs turned in a 22-save shutout, while Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, and Justin Brazeau each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (31-15-13), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. The 28-18-14 Golden Knights cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left this game in the first period with an injury to his left arm. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

A shootout goal by Mason McTavish gave the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Cutter Gauthier scored twice, and Lukas Dostal stopped 32 shots for the Ducks (33-23-3), who sit one point behind the Golden Knights. Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 24-28-7 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Calgary, the city is on the short list of host cities for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. NHL brass, including commissioner Gary Bettman, will be in town on Monday to meet with Flames ownership and tour the construction site of the club’s new arena. Scotia Place is expected to be ready for the 2027-28 season.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 22 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Teuvo Teravainen scored twice for the 23-28-9 Blackhawks as they snapped a three-game losing skid. The Mammoth (31-25-4) holds the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 66 points.

San Jose Sharks rookie Michael Misa scored his first NHL overtime goal to beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. Will Smith also scored for the Sharks (29-25-4, 62 points), who sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Morgan Barron scored for the 23-26-10 Jets.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings fired Jim Hiller as head coach and named associate coach DJ Smith their interim coach for the rest of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hiller was in his second full season as the Kings’ bench boss after taking over the role midway through the 2023-24 season. He led them to a franchise-best record of 48 wins and 105 points last season, but couldn’t replicate that success. They’re struggling to remain in the Western Conference playoff race and are among the league’s lowest-scoring teams.

Smith was head coach of the Ottawa Senators from 2019 to 2023. It will be interesting to see if he can reverse the Kings’ fortunes down the stretch.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed winger Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula on waivers. If they clear, they will be sent to the club’s AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, clearing over $1.8 million in salary-cap space to use for the upcoming trade deadline.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Guillaume Brisebois and St. Louis Blues forward Robby Fabbri were also placed on waivers Sunday.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers prospect winger Porter Martone sees his move from the OHL to the NCAA this season as a stepping stone on his path toward the NHL. He saw it as an opportunity to sharpen his skills and his physical game.

If his NCAA season ends on March 29, he would be eligible to sign his entry-level contract with the Flyers, which could lead to his NHL debut in April.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 28, 2026

by | Feb 28, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 28, 2026

Predators forward Steven Stamkos denies he’ll waive his NMC, an update on Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers, several teams are interested in Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, and much more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

STEVEN STAMKOS DENIES REPORTS HE WOULD WAIVE HIS NO-MOVEMENT CLAUSE

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports Steven Stamkos is denying a report from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that the 36-year-old Nashville Predators forward might be willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to a contender.

Stamkos said he’s never talked to Predators general manager Barry Trotz about it, adding that there was “zero chance” he’d be willing to waive his NMC.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

“Obviously, there’s stuff that gets reported,” Stamkos said. “But what I’ll say, with this group, we want to be together. I can only control what I control, but I love it here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Stamkos’ remarks, it’s probably safe to assume that he’s not going anywhere.

In fairness, LeBrun didn’t report that Stamkos was willing to waive his clause to join a contender. He stated that the veteran forward was happy in Nashville and didn’t want to be traded.

LeBrun claimed that the Stamkos camp provided Predators management with a list of potential destinations as a preparatory move in case management approached him about a trade.

TYLER MYERS REMAINS WITH THE CANUCKS AS RUMORS SWIRL

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reported Tyler Myers was absent from the Vancouver Canucks’ practice on Friday, but the 36-year-old defenseman remains with the team amid reports of the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars expressing interest in him.

Myers has a year left on his contract with a full no-movement clause for this season. He was held out of Wednesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets for “roster management reasons”, which usually means a trade could be imminent. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported the Canucks had an offer on the table from the Red Wings, but Myers and his agent were still deliberating.

A trade to the Stars could be more appealing to Myers. His mother is from Texas, and he lived there until moving to Calgary at the age of 10 to play hockey. The Stars also placed forward Tyler Seguin on season-ending LTIR, freeing up $6 million in cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Be it Detroit, Dallas, or elsewhere, Myers could be playing with a new team by the March 6 trade deadline. It’ll be interesting to see how long this plays out.

WILD, AVALANCHE, AND PENGUINS COULD BE PURSUING VINCENT TROCHECK

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports speculation tying Vincent Trocheck to the Minnesota Wild. There’s also talk linking the 32-year-old New York Rangers center to the Colorado Avalanche, but Friedman reports his preference is to remain in the Eastern Conference.

Friedman also mentioned that there was some speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins might pursue Trocheck, who is a Pittsburgh native. He also mentioned the Detroit Red Wings, who attempted to sign him in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Minnesota is west, but maybe not so far west that Trocheck might say no. We’ll see.

As for Pittsburgh, acquiring the 32-year-old center would pretty much go against everything that GM Kyle Dubas has been doing for the past two years, which is acquiring players in their twenties who can be part of the club’s long-term plans. Trocheck has three years left on his contract, but his effectiveness will diminish as he ages.

THE LATEST ON THE BLUES’ PLANS FOR THE TRADE DEADLINE

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently reported on what he’s been hearing about Robert Thomas, Jordan Binnington, and other St. Louis Blues players ahead of next Friday’s trade deadline.

Thomas, Binnington, Jordan Kyrou, Colton Parayko, Pavel Buchnevich, Justin Faulk, Brayden Schenn, and Cam Fowler all have some form of no-trade protection. General manager Doug Armstrong recently met with them to discuss the club’s trade deadline plans. As of Thursday, none of them had been asked to waive that protection.

It’s believed the Blues are willing to trade their older players, specifically those over 25. Thomas is 26, and Kyrou is 27, while the rest are over thirty.

Rutherford reports Armstrong’s asking price for Thomas is “three first-half-of-the-first-round assets”. That could mean an established young player, a prospect, and a draft pick who were all selected or could be chosen within the top 15 picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also believes the Blues are setting high prices for some of those players. He claimed the asking price for Faulk is comparable to what the Calgary Flames received in the Rasmus Andersson trade. The Flames got an established player, a prospect, and a pair of draft picks.

LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

TSN: Craig Button took note of the recent speculation over whether the Florida Panthers might trade UFA-eligible goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The 37-year-old netminder has not yet signed a contract extension with the Panthers, resulting in trade conjecture.

Button believes a trade sending Bobrovsky to the Montreal Canadiens would make a lot of sense if the veteran netminder were open to it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky has a $10 million cap hit this season. The Canadiens have roughly $1.4 million in projected trade-deadline cap room. They’ll have to move out some salary to take on the remainder of his cap hit. He also has a 16-team no-trade list and might not want to go to Montreal.

Even if it were possible, it’s doubtful the Canadiens would do it, as it would go against what they’ve been trying to build with younger talent. While their goaltending has been questionable this season, they prefer to make trades for younger players who have term left on their contracts. They’ll likely stick with their current tandem for this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Montreal Canadiens have “poked around” about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly, but he isn’t sure how feasible it is.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not feasible. The Predators are pushing for a playoff spot, and O’Reilly wants to stay put.

Friedman also believes the Canadiens have looked into the availability of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports forward help remains a priority for the Canadiens, but they’re also looking at adding a depth defenseman. He indicated that the Canadiens made a brief call to the Flyers about Ristolainen to gauge their asking price, but there was no serious push.

D’Amico said the Canadiens are open to adding some toughness to their blueline, but only if the cost makes sense for where they are in their competitive window.

TVA SPORTS: The Canadiens have been trying to move Patrik Laine for some time. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported they allowed the winger’s agent to speak with other teams about a trade months ago.

MAPLE LEAFS PROJECTED TO BE SELLERS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Toronto Maple Leafs’ flat performance coming out of the Olympic break has GM Brad Treliving listening to offers for his players who are on expiring contracts.

That includes Bobby McMann, who appears all but certain to be moved. Murphy claimed the Edmonton Oilers are among several clubs interested in the 29-year-old winger. McMann wants to stay in Toronto, but there’s no sign of progress in contract negotiations.

Murphy acknowledged the trade speculation about Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz. However, sources suggest Joseph Woll as the more realistic trade chip. They also have Dennis Hildeby under contract, and Treliving could attempt to clear the club’s logjam in goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Woll and Stolarz are both signed beyond this season. Injuries in his brief NHL career have frequently sidelined Woll. He’s also easier to move than Stolarz because he lacks no-trade protection (Stolarz has an eight-team no-trade list) and a slightly more affordable cap hit than Stolarz’s $3.75 million AAV on his new contract that begins in July.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples indicated that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Oilers have a “real interest” in Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Oilers are trying to move Andrew Mangiapane to free up salary-cap space, but haven’t found any takers yet for the struggling winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekman-Larsson has a 16-team no-trade list. Assuming the Oilers aren’t on it, his $3.5 million AAV through 2027-28 could be a good fit if they can shed Mangiapane’s $3.6 million AAV through next season, and if the Oilers can meet the Leafs’ asking price.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 24, 2026

by | Feb 24, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 24, 2026

Check out the latest on the Flames’ Nazem Kadri, the Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck, the Predators’ Steven Stamkos, the Canucks’ Evander Kane, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

A NAZEM KADRI TRADE SEEMS INEVITABLE

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis believes it’s not a question of if the Calgary Flames trade Nazem Kadri, but when.

Kadri remains focused on helping the Flames, insisting he doesn’t have one foot out the door. However, the 34-year-old center acknowledged that his future remains in the hands of the club’s management. He admitted having discussions about his future with general manager Craig Conroy, but declined to elaborate.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

What complicates things is Kadri’s contract. He’s signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $7 million and a 13-team no-trade list. Francis believes plenty of contenders would love to have him as a second-line center, but the Flames would have to retain a healthy portion of his salary cap hit.

Francis pointed out that the Flames only have one salary retention spot left for this season. He speculated they could use that to maximize the return if they trade winger Blake Coleman. That would leave Conroy waiting until the summer to move Kadri, when two more retention spots open up.

TSN: Darren Dreger reported the Flames have received strong offers for Kadri, who has 10 goals and 39 points in 56 games this season. He believes they could hang onto the veteran center until other centers, such as Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers, come off the market, hoping that it will increase Kadri’s value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Flames retain part of Kadri’s cap hit, they could insist on a sweetener in the deal. Hanging onto him to wait for other centers to be moved could be risky if those centers don’t move until the final hours before the trade deadline.

Nevertheless, Kadri being under contract beyond this season works to the Flames’ advantage. If they don’t receive suitable proposals from other clubs by the trade deadline, they can afford to wait for the offseason for better offers, especially from teams with plentiful cap room trying to improve their depth at center.

THE WILD AND RED WINGS ARE AMONG THE CLUBS INTERESTED IN VINCENT TROCHECK

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports sources believe Vincent Trocheck will be moved by the March 6 trade deadline if he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause. Like Kadri, the 32-year-old center is signed through 2028-29. He carries an AAV of $5.625 million and a 12-team no-trade list.

The Minnesota Wild are considered the front-runners for Trocheck. One source told Murphy that the Rangers’ asking price is prospect Charlie Stramel and maybe the Wild’s first or second-round pick in 2027.

Sources also said the Detroit Red Wings are interested in Trocheck. Murphy wondered if they’d be willing to part with rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka and a prospect goaltender such as Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Murphy pointed out, the Rangers are seeking young players who can either immediately join their roster or those on the cusp.

The Wild traded three of their top prospects to the Vancouver Canucks in the Quinn Hughes trade. That’s why young goaltender Jesper Wallstedt has been frequently mentioned as a trade chip to bring in a center.

Comparing the respective prospect pools for the Wild and Red Wings, the latter has the advantage in tradeable assets. Whether the Wings will part with any of them for Trocheck remains to be seen. They might be willing to move Cossa or Augustine, but it seems unlikely that they’ll part with the promising Sandin-Pellikka.

STEVEN STAMKOS SHOOTS DOWN TRADE SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports Steven Stamkos isn’t sweating the upcoming NHL trade deadline. The 34-year-old Nashville Predators forward has been the subject of trade rumors this season.

Stamkos acknowledged that those rumors come with the territory for a playoff bubble team like the Predators. However, he said he’s not worried about it because he’s got a full no-movement clause on his contract, which runs through 2027-28. Stamkos said he hasn’t had any discussions about it with management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos isn’t going anywhere unless he wants to move. By the sound of things, he’s happy in Nashville.

FLYERS DEFENSEMAN RASMUS RISTOLAINEN GARNERING INTEREST

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco reports there’s been growing interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen in recent weeks. He claimed five or six teams have checked in on the 31-year-old right-shot blueliner.

Ristolainen is signed through next season with an AAV of $5.1 million. He lacks no-trade protection. Di Marco claims the Flyers seek a return comparable to what the Boston Bruins received in last year’s Brandon Carlo trade or what the Montreal Canadiens got for Ben Chiarot four years ago.

Di Marco indicated that Ristolainen doesn’t seem particularly fond of the idea of getting traded. Nevertheless, the Flyers are believed to be willing to retain part of his cap hit to facilitate a deal for the right price. Di Marco claimed the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers are among the interested teams, but neither club has stepped up as a serious landing spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen has popped up often in the rumor mill near the past two trade deadlines. His value in this year’s trade market could be hampered by his injury history.

For those who might be wondering, the Bruins received forward Fraser Minten, a conditional first-round pick in 2026, and a 2025 fourth-rounder from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Carlo. The Canadiens received a prospect, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2022 fourth-rounder from the Florida Panthers for Chiarot.

THE LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance reports the Vancouver Canucks are willing to listen to offers for just about everybody on the roster. However, they aren’t actively shopping their half-dozen expensive veterans with several years remaining on their contracts and some form of no-trade protection.

The Canucks are in the market for draft picks and prospects, but they’re also open to players with term left on their deals who can provide short and medium-term help.

Evander Kane is drawing some interest in the trade market. He’s eligible for unrestricted free-agent status and carries a $5.15 million cap hit this season. The Canucks are willing to retain half of it to facilitate a deal. Drance believes the 34-year-old winger could be a fallback option for the Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, or Colorado Avalanche.

CANUCKS ARMY: TSN’s Darren Dreger believes there’s enough interest in Kane to make a trade plausible. He suggested a deal might likely get done sometime this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s recent postseason history will make him enticing as a depth addition for a contender, especially if the Canucks are willing to retain salary. He could cost at most a third-round pick.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes the Canucks will attempt to peddle their UFA-eligible players such as Kane, Teddy Blueger, and David Kampf.

Kuzma claims Canucks high-priced center Elias Pettersson is still drawing interest in the trade market. He said he was told to check out the Detroit Red Wings, who need a second-line center.

The Red Wings have the cap space to take on Pettersson’s $11.6 million AAV, but he does hold the hammer with his full no-movement clause. Kuzma wonders if they’ll part with center Marco Kasper and prospect Nate Danielson, plus a 2026 first-rounder and a conditional 2027 first-round pick.

Kuzma also wondered if wingers Conor Garland and Jake DeBrusk could be trade candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Never say never when it comes to an expensive, struggling player such as Pettersson getting traded. He could waive his NMC for an opportunity to join a rising young team in Detroit. However, I don’t think Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman would offer up that much to get him. Maybe Kasper or Danielson with one of those picks.

WILL THE OILERS FIND A TAKER FOR ANDREW MANGIAPANE?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports Oilers GM Stan Bowman will have to work some salary-cap gymnastics to free up salary for his cap-strapped club to bolster their defense and add a third-line center.

Bowman has attempted to move little-used winger Andrew Mangiapane and his $3.6 million cap hit through next season, but hasn’t drummed up much interest. They’ll likely have to add a draft pick or prospect as a sweetener.

Meanwhile, Matheson’s colleague David Staples reports NHL insider Frank Seravalli has said he expects the Oilers will move Mangiapane within the next three or four days. Seravalli believes they’ll use the cap space freed up by moving him to bring in a winger with size who can score.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Mangiapane will be moved by the deadline. There are conflicting views here on what the Oilers are seeking, but the consensus among Edmonton pundits has them looking for a right-side top-four defenseman to play alongside Darnell Nurse.