Buy or Sell the Latest NHL Trade and Free-Agency Rumors
The 2026 NHL draft will begin with the first round on Friday, followed by Rounds 2-7 on Saturday.
Most of the focus will be on the first round and where the top 32 prospects will be heading. However, fans and pundits will also be monitoring the trade market because the draft is usually when the biggest offseason deals involving established NHL stars take place.
It appears this year will be no exception, after the week began with the Ottawa Senators shipping Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for three first-round picks and a second-rounder.
The rumor mill is currently buzzing over which players could be on the move and where they might go. Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers are among those who've been the subject of recent speculation.
With the start of free agency on July 1, there will also be attention paid to the few remaining notable players eligible to become unrestricted free agents, such as Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It remains to be seen if he'll re-sign with the Panthers or test the market.
Which of these rumors are believable? Follow along as we examine the latest trade and free agent rumors to determine those worth buying or selling.
Vancouver Canucks To Remain Sellers
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Following one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the Vancouver Canucks made changes in the front office and behind the bench. Having made Ryan Johnson their new general manager and Manny Malhotra their new head coach, it's expected that roster changes will be coming.
The Canucks were among the busiest teams in this season's trade market, shipping out such notable players as Quinn Hughes, Kiefer Sherwood, Conor Garland, and Tyler Myers. Johnson could continue the process as he rebuilds his roster.
On June 17, Patrick Johnston of The Vancouver Province reported sources claiming the Canucks were "virtually shopping everyone this season." He'd heard that forwards Brock Boeser, Nils Hoglander, Jake DeBrusk, and center Elias Pettersson were being shopped around the league.
DeBrusk seems the most likely trade candidate. He's expressed his reluctance to be part of a rebuilding roster and carries an affordable $5.5 million annual cap hit. According to Johnston, the Ottawa Senators were believed to be interested in DeBrusk.
Buy or Sell: Buy
The Canucks will continue to overhaul their roster by peddling veterans for draft picks, prospects, and promising NHL players, with an emphasis on the latter to accelerate their rebuild. Pettersson and Boeser will also have value in the trade market, but their expensive contracts won't be easy to move.
Darnell Nurse to the Philadelphia Flyers?
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On June 11, Sportsnet's Mark Spector and Elliotte Friedman reported that Darnell Nurse submitted a trade request to Edmonton Oilers management, with a list of three to five preferred destinations. The 31-year-old defenseman has four years left on his contract with an AAV of $9.25 million and a full no-movement clause.
Nurse has spent his entire 12-season NHL career with the Oilers, but his performance has declined over the past three seasons. He has decided that it's time to move on, earning the 31-year-old blueliner a spot on our latest NHL Trade Block Big Board.
The Philadelphia Flyers were rumored to be among the clubs Nurse would accept being traded to. Jackie Spiegel of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweeted that she'd heard there was "mutual interest" between Nurse and the Flyers. However, she wondered about the cost and whether the Oilers would retain part of his salary.
William James of Philly Hockey Now noted the Flyers can afford to take on Nurse's full cap hit, but they would likely prefer the Oilers retain part of it. He also noted that they have depth on the left side of their blue line.
Buy or Sell: Sell
The Flyers could be interested in Nurse, but not at his full cap hit. They must ensure they have sufficient cap space to address their biggest issue: finding a first-line center.
Could the Montreal Canadiens Acquire Mason McTavish?
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The rebuilding Montreal Canadiens exceeded expectations this season, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference with 106 points and reaching the Conference Final.
However, their swift elimination by the Carolina Hurricanes proved they still have work to do to become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Adding a reliable second-line center is a priority for the Canadiens. They need someone who can take some of the burden from first-line center Nick Suzuki and give promising winger Ivan Demikov another scoring forward to work with.
Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks has been suggested as an option. The 23-year-old center struggled this season following lengthy contract negotiations. He was moved from center to wing on their second line and was a healthy scratch for two regular-season and playoff games.
McTavish wound up at No. 3 on our latest NHL Trade Block Big Board. Despite his difficulties and concerns about his skating and defensive game, he's been linked to the Canadiens in the rumor mill.
On June 12, James Murphy of The Sick Podcast reported the Habs had revisited their earlier interest in McTavish.
Buy or Sell: Sell
Sportsnet's Eric Engels doubted that McTavish is a priority for the Canadiens. He believes the cost of acquiring the young Ducks forward, along with his $7 million annual cap hit for the next five years, would be high. He also noted there's no guarantee he will blossom into a top-six center.
Is Panthers Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky Pricing Himself Out of Florida?
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On July 1, 2019, the Florida Panthers signed Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year contract worth an average annual value of $10 million. While his performance had its ups and downs in the early years of the deal, he ultimately proved his worth by backstopping the Panthers to the Stanley Cup in 2024 and 2025.
The market for free-agent goalies is thin this summer, making the 37-year-old Bobrovsky the biggest name available if he goes to market on July 1. However, he'd like to stay in Florida, and the Panthers would like to re-sign him.
Turning 38 in September, Bobrovsky won't get another contract worth as much as his current one, but he still wants term on his next one. On June 17, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reported the veteran goaltender sought a six- or seven-year contract worth $42 million, or between $6 million and $7 million annually.
George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reported the Panthers continue to negotiate with Bobrovsky's camp. However, they're also considering other options if he departs via free agency. They include Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets.
Buy or Sell: Buy
The Panthers have $7.07 million in cap space for 2026-27 following the Brady Tkachuk trade on Sunday. Bobrovsky is aging and coming off the worst performance of his 16-season NHL career. As much as the Panthers want him to stay, they're unlikely to overpay for the privilege.
Will the Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Matthew Knies?
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During the week before the March trade deadline, reports emerged claiming teams were calling the Toronto Maple Leafs about Matthew Knies. The speculation carried over well past the deadline, earning the 23-year-old winger a regular spot on our Trade Block Big Boards.
The conjecture continued after Brad Treliving was replaced as general manager by John Chayka. On June 17, TSN's Darren Dreger reported "a number of NHL executives" believed the Maple Leafs could still trade Knies, while Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos claimed the Montréal Canadiens were among the interested teams.
Two days later, Dreger's colleague Chris Johnston reported the Maple Leafs were gauging Knies' value in the trade market. He noted there was plenty of interest in the young power forward, who lacked no-trade protection, adding that he could fetch a return that would help them refresh and retool their roster.
Meanwhile, Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun reported Chayka saying that a trade involving Knies would be "tough bar to hurdle." While not dismissing the possibility, Chayka felt that improving their roster by trading a top young player was "not probable".
Buy or Sell: Sell
Teams are undoubtedly calling Chayka about Knies, and like every GM, he's going to at least listen to what they might be offering. However, he's unlikely to move a key player such as Knies unless he gets a substantial return. The young power forward is useful to have around whether it's a retool or a rebuild.
Stats and standings via NHL.com. Salary-cap info and line combinations via PuckPedia.
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