NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2026

by | Mar 9, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2026

The trade deadline has passed, but the rumor mill keeps churning as the focus shifts toward offseason moves. Check out the latest on Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, Roman Josi, and Simon Nemec in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE PENGUINS PART WAYS WITH MALKIN AND KARLSSON THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently reported that Evgeni Malkin’s contract situation overshadowed the trade deadline for the Pittsburgh Penguins and could continue to do so over the remainder of this season.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

Malkin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 40-year-old center has expressed his desire to return with the Penguins for another season. He’s had a solid bounce-back performance as the Penguins jockey for a playoff berth in the Metropolitan Division.

However, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas indicated contract discussions would be put off until the offseason, prompting Malkin to express his disappointment publicly. Dubas praised Malkin’s performance and acknowledged what he means to the club, but indicated that he has to do what’s best for the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This issue will likely fade over the remainder of the season as the focus shifts to the Penguins’ efforts to clinch their first playoff berth in four years. However, it will flare up again in the offseason, especially as the July 1 opening date from free agency approaches.

Speaking of aging Penguins stars enjoying bounce-back efforts, Erik Karlsson has one more year left on his contract. However, Pierre LeBrun speculated that the 35-year-old puck-moving defenseman could be moved this summer if there’s an opportunity for Dubas to recoup some assets.

LeBrun acknowledged that Karlsson carries an expensive cap hit but believes there would be genuine interest if the Penguins agreed to retain half of it. The veteran blueliner would also have to waive his no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson has an average annual value of $11.5 million, of which the Penguins carry $10 million, and the San Jose Sharks carry $1.5 million. He’ll earn $1.5 million in actual salary next season once his $6 million signing bonus is paid on July 1.

KEEP AN EYE ON SOME OF THE PREDATORS’ STARS THIS SUMMER

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun cites a source saying it might be worthwhile to keep an eye on Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi this summer.

If the Predators deepen their rebuild by trading Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault, Josi would probably want to speak with management about the club’s direction.

LeBrun believes Josi would probably stay in Nashville. The 35-year-old defenseman is loyal to the team and has two years left on his contract. Nevertheless, LeBrun isn’t ruling out the possibility that he might consider moving on.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reported Friday that Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz said he received calls about Stamkos, O’Reilly, and Erik Haula before the trade deadline.

Trotz indicates he told Stamkos and O’Reilly that he didn’t want to get rid of them, but if he got irresistible offers, he’d speak to them and give them the chance to decide if they want to accept a trade. He also indicated that he came “fairly close” to moving either guy, but “until it’s done, it’s not done.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators are expected to be under new management by this summer. Trotz’s successor could prove more aggressive in peddling veterans such as O’Reilly, Stamkos, and Marchessault, which in turn could prompt a conversation with Josi. It would indeed be something worth monitoring in the offseason.

DEVILS COULD CONTINUE SHOPPING SIMON NEMEC THIS SUMMER

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the New Jersey Devils were listening to trade offers for Simon Nemec. However, their asking price for the 22-year-old defenseman was a young, impact, top-six forward.

Nemec is slated to become a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract and has changed agents. LeBrun believes his camp intends to use teammate Luke Hughes’ contract (seven years, $9 million annually) as a comparable.

It would make more sense for the Devils to retain Nemec and move veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $9 million. However, it’s proven difficult to move Hamilton. Given the interest in Nemec, LeBrun believed the latter is more likely to be moved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the Devils can get a young impact forward in return for Nemec remains to be seen. There’s a better chance of landing that type of player in the offseason, but that doesn’t mean it’s a certainty. Devils management will have to sell Nemec’s potential as a No.1 defenseman.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Following Friday’s trade deadline, Sheng Peng reported San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier shot down a rumor claiming he offered up winger William Eklund to the Devils for Nemec.

“I think that was more Twitter stuff,” Grier said. “It’s something where you call and see if someone’s available and then see what the asking price is. That was really about the extent of it. There wasn’t any real getting into it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s worth pointing out that the Sharks were reportedly interested in Hamilton last summer, but he declined to waive his no-trade clause.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2026

by | Mar 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2026

The trade deadline is 3 pm ET today. Check out the recaps of Thursday’s game, the latest notable trades, and more as the deadline approaches in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres extended their win streak to five games by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. Josh Norris and Owen Power each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (37-19-6), who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 80 points. Bryan Rust replied for the 31-17-13 Penguins, who remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin could receive a suspension after receiving a game misconduct for a slash to the head of Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. He’s been suspended twice before in his NHL career.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar played his 1,500th NHL regular-season game in a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Kopitar collected an assist, Artemi Panarin scored his first goal as a King, and interim head coach D.J. Smith got his first win behind the bench for Los Angeles (25-22-14), who are three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau had two assists for the 35-23-5 Islanders, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

The Utah Mammoth got a 16-save shutout performance from Vitek Vanecek to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Michael Carcone scored for the Mammoth (33-25-4), who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 70 points. Dan Vladar stopped 22 of 24 shots for the 28-22-11 Flyers.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Matthew Wood tallied twice for the 28-26-8 Predators, who are also three points out of the final Western wild-card position. Charlie McAvoy and Viktor Arvidsson each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (34-22-5), who cling to the final Eastern Conference wild card with 73 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (32-21-8) moved to within one point of the Bruins after doubling up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Ivan Provorov had a goal and two assists, and Mathieu Olivier scored twice for the surging Blue Jackets, who picked up their third straight win. Niko Mikkola and Sam Bennett replied for the 30-29-3 Panthers, who have dropped four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers sat out forward A.J. Greer, signaling the likelihood that he’ll be moved before today’s deadline.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist as his club upset the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-1. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 26 shots for the 25-26-10 Jets. Brayden Point tallied for the Lightning (38-18-4), who cling to first place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points.

New York Rangers forwards Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Will Cuylle scored two goals for the 24-29-8 Rangers. Matias Maccelli and Easton Cowan replied for the Maple Leafs (27-25-11).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both teams sat out players for “roster management reasons” in anticipation of potentially trading them before today’s deadline. The Rangers scratched center Vincent Trocheck, while the Leafs sat out forwards Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the second straight game.

The Ottawa Senators kept their playoff hopes alive by beating the Calgary Flames 4-1. Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens were among the goal scorers for the Senators (30-22-9), who extended their points streak to five games and sit five points behind the Bruins for that final Eastern wild card. Martin Pospisil tallied his first of the season for the 24-30-7 Flames.

ROUNDUP OF NOTABLE TRADES

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in 2027.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlson had spent his entire 17-season NHL career with the Capitals. It’s the end of an era as he was the linchpin of their blueline for most of his tenure in Washington.

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire winger Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a second-rounder in 2028.

The Buffalo Sabres acquired defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for prospect forward Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2027 second-round pick, and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2026.

The Detroit Red Wings acquire winger David Perron from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

The Ottawa Senators acquire winger Warren Foegele and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round pick and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 draft.

The Dallas Stars acquired forward Michael Bunting from the Nashville Predators for a third-rounder in the 2026 draft.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 or 2028 NHL Draft and a conditional fifth-rounder in 2026.

The Vegas Golden Knights acquired forward Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, and a second-rounder in 2029.

The Minnesota Wild acquired defenseman Jeff Petry from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Ryan Poehling to a four-year contract extension. PuckPedia indicates the 27-year-old center will receive an average annual value of $3.75 million on his new deal.

The New Jersey Devils placed forwards Evgenii Dadonov, Luke Glendening, and Maxim Tsyplakov on waivers.

The St. Louis Blues placed forward Mathieu Joseph on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.










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 Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2026

by | Mar 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2026

A five-point game for Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov sets a franchise goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl scored twice and collected three assists as the Edmonton Oilers nipped the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on an overtime goal by Evan Bouchard. Connor McDavid had two assists to record his eighth 70-assist season as the Oilers (30-24-8) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 68 points. Drake Batherson tallied two goals for the Senators (29-22-9).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid tied Mario Lemieux for the second-most 70-assist seasons. Wayne Gretzky holds the record with 16 seasons. McDavid sits first in this season’s scoring race with 105 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Parker Kelly scored twice, and Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to become the second player to reach 100 points this season. Cutter Gauthier replied for the Ducks (33-24-3), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 69 points. The league-leading Avalanche (91 points) improved to 41-10-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without forward Artturi Lehkonen, who is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored to set the franchise record of 220 goals in a 5-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Matt Boldy had three assists for the 36-16-10 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 82 points. Nikita Kucherov scored for the Lightning (38-17-4), who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 80 points, but have lost three straight games.

The Dallas Stars collected their 10th straight win as they thumped the Calgary Flames 6-1. Matt Duchene had four assists, and Sam Steel scored two goals and an assist for the 38-14-9 Stars, who sit second in the Western Conference with 85 points. Morgan Frost replied for the 24-29-7 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz missed this game as he’s on injured reserve with an illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored his 30th goal of the season and collected three assists in a 7-5 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens overcame a 5-2 deficit to tie the game. However, Kiefer Sherwood tallied the winning goal with 3:26 remaining in the third period for the 30-25-4 Sharks (64 points), who sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Mike Matheson had three assists, and Alex Newhook tallied twice for the Canadiens (33-18-9), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 75 points.

Unanswered third-period goals by Sean Monahan and Charlie Coyle lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Nashville Predators by a score of 3-2. The Blue Jackets improved to 31-21-8 (70 points), sitting three points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card berth. Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators (27-26-8), sitting five points out of the final Western wild-card with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly left the game in the third period after being accidentally struck in the left eye by Coyle’s stick during a faceoff. Following the game, the Predators released a statement indicating that O’Reilly will be ok. He is returning with the team to Nashville, where the club’s medical team will evaluate him.

The Predators were also busy in the trade market before this game. They shipped forward Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild for a 2028 second-round pick, and forward Cole Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 third-round pick and minor-league defenseman Cristoffer Sedoff.

Moving those two pending UFA depth players shouldn’t adversely affect the Predators’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. However, that could change if they ship out more significant UFA-eligible players such as Erik Haula, Michael Bunting, and Nick Blankenburg.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres, who picked up their fourth straight win. Jason Zucker, Owen Power, and Tage Thompson scored for the 36-19-6 Sabres, who are two points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning with 78 points. Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev replied for the Golden Knights (28-19-14), who cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

The Boston Bruins got a 34-save performance from Jeremy Swayman to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittelstadt scored for the Bruins (34-21-5), who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 73 points. Erik Karlsson scored for the 31-16-13 Penguins, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Clayton Keller picked up two assists for the 32-25-4 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 68 points. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals (31-25-7, 69 points), who are four points behind the Bruins.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist as his club tamed the Florida Panthers 5-1. Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each had two assists for the Devils (30-29-2). Anton Lundell replied for the 30-28-3 Panthers, who are ten points behind the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Panthers’ hopes for a third straight Stanley Cup run fade, management could end up becoming sellers by Friday’s trade deadline.

An overtime goal by Mark Scheifele lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Perfetti tied the game for the Jets (24-26-10) with 39 seconds remaining in regulation time. Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Greene scored for the 23-28-10 Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The New York Rangers placed captain J.T. Miller (upper body) on injured reserve. It is unrelated to the one he suffered earlier in this season.

The Vancouver Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (hip surgery) on long-term injury reserve, and placed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (upper body) on IR.

CALGARY SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Calgary and Edmonton have submitted bids to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. They’re among several NHL cities to bid to host the international tournament.

An announcement is expected within the next two weeks. A European city is expected to host round-robin games, before the tournament shifts back to North America to the host city or cities.

Bettman also doesn’t see the league staging an outdoor game at Lake Louise in Banff National Park in Alberta, citing logistical and economic issues.










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 27, 2026

by | Feb 27, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 27, 2026

Check out the latest on Predators forward Steven Stamkos, Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers, Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

STEVEN STAMKOS PROVIDES PREDATORS WITH A LIST OF TRADE DESTINATIONS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos has provided the team with a list of trade destinations.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

Stamkos has two years remaining on his contract and carries a full no-movement clause. LeBrun said that the 34-year-old forward is happy in Nashville and isn’t asking to be traded. This is a preparatory move in case Predators management approaches him about a trade.

The list is topped by Stamkos’ former club, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are also believed to be on it. LeBrun also believes the New Jersey Devils could be there, as they attempted to sign Stamkos two years ago.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos recently said he’s not sweating the upcoming trade deadline because of his no-movement clause. The possibility of a trade seems unlikely at this point.

RED WINGS REPORTEDLY MAKE A TRADE OFFER FOR TYLER MYERS

TSN: Darren Dreger reported yesterday that the Vancouver Canucks received a trade offer from the Detroit Red Wings for Tyler Myers. That’s why they held the 36-year-old defenseman out of the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Myers is signed through next season with an average annual value of $3 million. He also carries a full no-movement clause for this season. The blueliner and his agent were reportedly deliberating their next move.

Dreger indicated other clubs, such as the Dallas Stars, are believed to be interested in Myers.

Chris Johnston reported Myers had not yet signed off on the deal. It remains to be seen how this plays out between now and the March 6 trade deadline. The blueliner wants time to decide where he wants to play.

Speaking of the Canucks, Dreger noted that forwards Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, and Elias Pettersson have been mentioned in the rumor mill. However, he believes Evander Kane remains the most likely of their forwards to be moved.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche would also be interested in Myers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Myers had intended to finish his career in Vancouver. He and his family love the city and are well-established in the community. He probably wants to take their needs into account. We’ll find out soon enough what Myers intends to do.

WILL THE PANTHERS BECOME SELLERS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes the Florida Panthers’ remaining games leading up to next Friday’s trade deadline will determine if they become buyers or sellers.

LeBrun noted that goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is among their players eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He pointed out that ESPN’s Kevin Weekes indicated that the 37-year-old goaltender has not been signed to an extension, and wondered if he could be traded. LeBrun thinks he could be moved if the Panthers become sellers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky carries a salary-cap hit of $10 million, but he’s earning $5 million in actual salary this season. He has a 16-team no-trade list.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold for the Panthers in the coming days. Trading Bobrovsky would be a bold move, and it could send them into the offseason trade and free-agent markets for a suitable replacement.

THE LATEST ON MAPLE LEAFS FORWARDS BOBBY MCMANN AND SCOTT LAUGHTON

TSN: Chris Johnston believes the Toronto Maple Leafs will move forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton if they haven’t signed contract extensions by the trade deadline.

Both players are eligible to become unrestricted free agents by July 1. The Leafs aren’t going to carry them to free agency in a season that appears to be heading in the wrong direction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McMann and Laughton have indicated they want to remain with the Leafs. However, that’ll only happen if they’re willing to accept less than market value, which for both players could be around $5 million annually on long-term contracts.

OILERS INTERESTED IN FAULK OR EKMAN-LARSSON?

NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes the Edmonton Oilers could be paying close attention to St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk and Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Both play right-side defense, something the Oilers are trying to address before the trade deadline. However, they’ll have to move Andrew Mangiapane first to clear sufficient cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are pressed against the salary cap. Mangiapane carries an average annual value of $3.6 million through next season with a full no-trade clause, but he’s believed to be willing to waive it to join a team where he’ll get more playing time.

Faulk’s AAV is $6.5 million through 2026-27 with a 15-team no-trade list, while Ekman-Larsson’s is $3 million through 2027-28 with a 16-team no-trade list. By moving Mangiapane, they would have more than enough for Ekman-Larsson, and should have enough to take on the remainder of Faulk’s salary for this season.

However, the Oilers have limited trade assets. The Blues have reportedly set a high asking price for Faulk, and the Maple Leafs could seek a first-round pick or a top prospect for Ekman-Larsson.

THE SHARKS COULD FLIP KIEFER SHERWOOD

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports a source informed him that the San Jose Sharks are open to trading Kiefer Sherwood if he hasn’t signed a contract extension by March 6.

The Sharks acquired the 30-year-old winger from the Vancouver Canucks last month. Given his $1.5 million cap hit, he could draw plenty of interest in the trade market.

LeBrun believes Sherwood would like to stay with the Sharks. However, it’s more likely than not that he gets moved by the trade deadline if he’s not re-signed by then.