On July 13, 2026, the NHL trade chatter centered on three very different situations: Connor McDavid’s scoring ceiling under Mike Babcock, the steady drumbeat of calls around Arber Xhekaj in Montreal, and a new wrinkle in the Connor Hellebuyck sweepstakes that could pull the San Jose Sharks into the mix.
The McDavid discussion starts with the obvious truth: he’s still going to produce. The question is whether Babcock’s more defensive, more structured approach could shave down the biggest point totals McDavid has posted in the past. In a system that asks for more two-way responsibility and less freedom to freelance, McDavid may not get quite as many of those premium offensive chances, especially at five-on-five, where he has often piled up some of his best numbers.
That doesn’t mean anyone is bracing for a down year. The expectation remains that McDavid will be excellent, and the extra games in the schedule could help keep the total climbing. The projection from the interview lands in the low-to-mid 130s, with 135 described as the realistic high end.
In Montreal, Xhekaj is drawing interest, and that part of the story makes sense. A big, physical defenseman who can protect teammates is the kind of player teams always ask about. The Canadiens don’t appear to be in a rush to move him, but the calls are coming in.
Jeff Gorton said the team is in normal contract discussions with Xhekaj, and that he has not filed for salary arbitration. That doesn’t sound like a situation on the verge of turning messy. At the same time, Kent Hughes has shown he won’t ignore the right offer if it comes along.
The Hellebuyck situation may be the most interesting of the bunch. Buffalo had been viewed as the obvious landing spot in the trade talk, but San Jose is now being mentioned as a real contender. The Sharks’ recent signing of goalie Eric Comrie is part of why the idea has gained traction.
The connection matters because Comrie has a history with Hellebuyck, and he has been described as Hellebuyck’s “personal security blanket” from their time together in Winnipeg. That kind of familiarity could make San Jose a more attractive destination. The timing and destination are still unsettled, but the Sharks have moved into the conversation, and Buffalo no longer looks like the only team in the frame.
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Added A Young Defenseman Fans Will Want To Track
The Canadiens have quietly added another name to their defensive pipeline, with Kent Hughes signing Konyushkov and keeping the young blueliner on loan in the KHL for another year before he makes the jump to North America. It is the kind of move Montreal has leaned into as it tries to stock the blue line with players who can grow into NHL roles without being rushed, and this one comes with a profile that has already started to draw attention.
Konyushkovs game and offensive touch have drawn comparisons to Alexandre Carrier, which gives Canadiens fans a pretty clear idea of the type of defender Montreal thinks it may be getting down the road. If he develops the way the organization hopes, he could eventually fit into a similar role on the right side of the blue line, giving the team another mobile, puck-moving option to track closely over the next year. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Already Drawn A Hard Line With Kirby Dach
Peyton Krebs new four-year, $18 million deal in Buffalo has quickly become a useful marker in the Kirby Dach negotiations, and it gives Montreal a pretty clear reference point as the sides head toward arbitration. Krebs had the healthier, fuller season, playing all 82 games with 39 points and a plus-13 rating, while Dachs year was interrupted by injuries and produced 15 points in 37 games with a minus-2 mark.
The Canadiens have already put down a $4 million qualifying offer, and the July 30 arbitration hearing is now looming as the next real checkpoint. For Montreal, the hard part is balancing Dachs upside against what he has actually been able to deliver lately, and the comparable on Krebs suggests the club may not be inclined to budge much from its current line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Feel The Sting Of One 2007 Draft Decision
The Canadiens 2007 draft class still stands as one of the franchises most consequential, and not just because of the names they kept. Montreal came out of that year with Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban, but the decision that continues to linger is the one that sent Ryan McDonagh away before he ever played a game for the team. It was the kind of move that looked like a roster shuffle at the time and has only grown heavier with hindsight.
McDonagh went on to become a fixture in the NHL, later wearing the captains letter with the Rangers and helping Tampa Bay win two Stanley Cups, while the Canadiens return in the deal never delivered the same kind of stability. Scott Gomez arrived with plenty of pedigree, but his time in Montreal never matched the expectations attached to the trade, and the organization eventually moved on. For a franchise that got so much right in that draft year, this one still reads like the missed branch in the road. [Read more 🡒]