The trade chatter around the league is already loud, and it’s only October 21, 2026.
Connor Hellebuyck still hasn’t reported to Winnipeg, Dylan Larkin has expanded his list of approved destinations to 10 teams, and a pair of unsigned young defensemen in Simon Edvinsson and Alexander Nikishin are sitting in situations that could turn messy quickly. Pittsburgh also sounds ready to start listening seriously on veterans such as Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson if the return is picks and prospects.
Elsewhere, Toronto has been checking in on Calgary’s Zach Whitecloud, while names like Jake DeBrusk and Travis Konecny could become more prominent if their clubs decide to head in a different direction. The market is warming up fast.
DeBrusk, in particular, looks like a player who may want to get in front of the conversation in Vancouver. The Canucks appear to be leaning toward selling, and Chris Johnston has DeBrusk on his trade board.
The key detail is his contract situation: this is the final season with a full no-movement clause. After that, it becomes a 15-team no-trade list, giving Vancouver far more freedom to move him.
That makes a quiet heads-up to the Canucks seem like a smart play. Not an official trade demand, just a signal that he’s open to a move and would prefer a short list of destinations.
He’s not in the same tier as Larkin or Hellebuyck, but at $5.5 million through 2031, he’s the kind of contract teams can handle. If he gets ahead of it now, he gets some say in where he lands instead of waiting to see what happens.
In Edmonton, meanwhile, the focus is on a player coming back rather than one potentially leaving.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to make his season debut Thursday night against the Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes, and the Oilers are welcoming him back with open arms. He’s missed the entire year so far with a lower-body injury, and Mike Babcock made it clear how much he values him, calling him maybe the best man in the middle on the power play in the whole league. Edmonton has powered through without him at 7-1-1, but his return gives them a full second line and adds another layer to a power play that was already rolling.
It also changes how the Oilers can deploy their stars. With Nugent-Hopkins handling that second-unit role, Babcock can spread the ice time around and keep McDavid and Draisaitl away from opposing top matchups more often.
The scoring depth still isn’t deep beyond the top names - nobody other than the big guns has more than five points - so having Nugent-Hopkins back is a timely boost. Thursday will be an early test, both for Edmonton and for Babcock in his first season behind the bench.
In Other News...
Easton Cowans Breakout Just Made A Leafs Decision Much Harder
Easton Cowan has spent the early part of the season doing more than just flashing promise, and that has quietly changed the conversation around him. Through 11 games, he has piled up 10 points while giving the Leafs real value away from the puck, too, with a growing role on the penalty kill and strong underlying numbers at 5-on-5.
The most encouraging part for Toronto is how complete the impact has been. Cowan has already shown he can help in transition, create offense and disrupt plays defensively, which is why his rise now feels bigger than a hot start. He is still a restricted free agent in 2028-29, but if this level holds, the next Leafs decision on him is only going to get more expensive. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Just Got Another Intriguing Option For More Size Up Front
Torontos search for more heft up front has put another name on the board, and this one fits the profile the Maple Leafs have been chasing. Dmitri Voronkov has drawn interest from Toronto as the Blue Jackets consider their options, giving the Leafs a potential swing at a winger whose game is built around size, physicality and enough offensive touch to help a middle-six role.
The 26-year-old has been productive over the past three seasons, averaging 19 goals and 19 assists, and he is still under team control beyond this year as a restricted free agent. For the Leafs, the appeal is obvious: a big body who can change the look of a forward group. The question is whether Columbus decides the right move is to keep shopping, and whether Toronto is willing to push hard enough to make the fit work. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Face A Trade Price Fans May Hate Most
Easton Cowan keeps doing the sort of things that make the Maple Leafs think twice before moving him. The prospect turned in a career-best outing in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, finishing with a goal and two assists, a reminder that his stock is rising at exactly the moment Toronto is trying to sort out its next move on the back end.
The Leafs are still looking at the kind of young, high-end defenseman who could change the look of their blue line, with names like Simon Edvinsson and Alexander Nikishin in the mix. The problem is that the kind of trade package it would take to land that level of player may run straight through Cowan, and Toronto appears reluctant to go that far even with its desire to strengthen the defense. [Read more 🡒]