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Rumours
Maple Leafs trade chatter, insider reports, and roster speculation. Unconfirmed reports remain rumours until officially announced.
Canadiens Could Have A Backup Plan If Marchenko Talks Collapse
The Montreal Canadiens have spent weeks chasing Kirill Marchenko, but a second name out of Columbus has quietly emerged as a potential fallback option. Kent Johnson. Per Marco Normandin , Canadiens GM Kent Hughes could finalize a major trade in the coming days, but it may not necessarily involve Marchenko at all. "From what I'm hearing, Kent Hughes could very well finalize a major trade in the coming days," Normandin reported. "But it wouldn't necessarily involve Kirill Marchenko. Instead, the Canadiens might finally acquire their second center." When journalist Maxime Truman directly asked Normandin whether he was referring to Johnson, Normandin did not deny it. Why Johnson Makes Sense Johnson offers a much cheaper alternative to Marchenko. The 23-year-old is entering the final year of a three-year, $5.4 million contract, a fraction of the price it would take to pry away Marchenko, who is controlled through 2027 and viewed as a franchise cornerstone in Columbus. There are rumours that Kent Johnson is on the trade block. pic.twitter.com/omR7gWYQ7N — Rono (@RonoAnalyst) June 29, 2026 Johnson would give Montreal the second-line center it has chased for several seasons, projecting to fit beside Ivan Demidov and either Zachary Bolduc or Alex Newhook. Truman reported that Hughes has had recent discussions with at least two teams, the Blue Jackets and the Maple Leafs, as he continues searching for that missing piece down the middle. The Skepticism Not everyone believes Johnson is the answer. NHL insider Marco D'Amico is skeptical Montreal will actually land him, pointing to the inconsistency in Johnson's game as reason for caution. Johnson posted 57 points during the 2024-25 season but stumbled significantly last year, finishing with just 22. Marco D'Amico about the rumors/talks of the #Habs interest in #CBJ Kent Johnson : ''I would be surprised if the Canadiens would try another reclamation project like that.'' #NHL #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/0BYXIcZMzJ — R i N K Y (@RinkyReport) July 28, 2026 D'Amico compared a potential move to past Hughes acquisitions like Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach, both players who flashed offensive skill in Montreal without replicating it consistently. "If you're Columbus, you're selling excessively low if you're trading a guy like Johnson," D'Amico said. "And they've said that they want him to be part of the future because Kent Johnson is one of the few that actually wants to stay in Columbus. Why would you trade that?" Where The Marchenko Talks Stand The Marchenko situation remains very unclear. Some insiders believe a trade is imminent, while reporters closer to Columbus continue to pour cold water on the idea, with Marchenko's own camp indicating the sides have not spoken about a move in weeks. Aaron Portzline has similarly downplayed the likelihood of an imminent Marchenko trade, though he has not ruled out the situation evolving.
NHL Trade Talk Recap: Maple Leafs, Oilers, & Canadiens Hang On
The post NHL Trade Talk Recap: Maple Leafs, Oilers, Canadiens Hang On appeared first on NHL Trade Talk . Maple Leafs, Oilers, and Canadiens face key questions: Raddysh’s future, Jarry’s role, and Xhekaj trade talks headline NHL chatter. The post NHL Trade Talk Recap: Maple Leafs, Oilers, Canadiens Hang On appeared first on NHL Trade Talk .
Matthews Enters A Pivotal Season In Toronto
When the puck drops for another NHL season this fall, it will be three seasons since Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had the league’s attention captivated by his quest to reach the 70-goal mark, a plateau the league has not seen surpassed since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny each reached 76 goals in the [ ]
Penguins Could Have Difficult Decision To Make With Erik Karlsson
Heading into the last year of his contract, what does the future hold for 36-year-old Erik Karlsson? Will he finish the 2026-27 season in Pittsburgh? And how about after that? The Athletic's Josh Yohe was asked what the Penguins might have in mind with the veteran blueliner, who had an excellent renaissance season after his first year in Pittsburgh went so poorly. If they aren’t having a very good season come January or February, Karlsson should almost certainly be traded, especially if he’s performing at a level remotely close to last season’s. This is a no-brainer. Karlsson was spectacular last season. Is he really coming back when his contract expires after next season? Dealing him for a significant asset or two might make more sense. One hockey podcaster and analyst recently suggested that a trade back to the Ottawa Senators, or to the Toronto Maple Leafs, could be on the horizon. But what if the Penguins are having a strong season and look like they could make some noise in the postseason? That's where the difficult decision would come in. A tough call for Penguins on Erik Karlsson is looming It doesn't seem fair to franchise icon Sidney Crosby to trade Karlsson and potentially prevent Crosby from one more chance at a nice playoff run. If that's the case, Yohe feels the Pens may just have to hold Karlsson through the end of the season and then just let him walk in free agency for nothing. He doesn't feel that re-signing him, going into his age-37 season, makes any sense. Karlsson is a three-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top defenseman. Although he'll never approach that 100-point season again that he had with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23, another 66-point year with a plus-8 rating while logging over 23 minutes of ice time, like last season, and he should still be in line for a hefty deal of some kind as a UFA next summer. It's just not very likely that it would come from Penguins GM Kyle Dubas.
Giants Open To Covering Part Of Robbie Ray’s Salary In Trade
The Giants are all but guaranteed to move the impending free agent trio of Luis Arraez, Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle within the next four days. They’d surely flip reliever JT Brubaker if they can drum up interest.
Maple Leafs could have an old buddy team up with Auston Matthews
The Toronto Maple Leafs could see one of Auston Matthews' old buddies team up with him, as they look to configure the lineup.
Maple Leafs Host Clears Up Ridiculous Gavin McKenna Rumor
The post Maple Leafs Host Clears Up Ridiculous Gavin McKenna Rumor appeared first on NHL Trade Talk . A strange rumor went around about Gavin McKenna asking permission about his jersey number. The former player involved has cleared things up. The post Maple Leafs Host Clears Up Ridiculous Gavin McKenna Rumor appeared first on NHL Trade Talk .
Is hockey speed really about skating? The Maple Leafs' John Tavares may have shown that the fastest teams actually think faster.
Is hockey speed really about skating? The Maple Leafs' John Tavares may have shown that the fastest teams actually think faster.
Mats Sundin identified one change that could unlock Tinus Luc Koblar's offence
Mats Sundin's role with the Maple Leafs has taken a much more hands-on approach as he's giving more than just some advice from a distance.
New NHL Contracts Spark Fresh Debate About Maple Leafs’ Core
The post New NHL Contracts Spark Fresh Debate About Maple Leafs’ Core appeared first on NHL Trade Talk . Does this new wave of NHL contracts going to young guys remind anyone of the gamble the Maple Leafs took with their core four? The post New NHL Contracts Spark Fresh Debate About Maple Leafs’ Core appeared first on NHL Trade Talk .