NHL Rumor Roundup: Updates On Jason Robertson, Dylan Larkin, Morgan Rielly And More
With the NHL draft starting on Friday, trade activity has picked up this week.
Tuesday saw a frenzy of deals, with the Buffalo Sabres trading Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, the St. Louis Blues shipping Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, the New Jersey Devils sending Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators acquiring William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks.
Here's a brief look at some of the latest rumors involving notable NHL players as the draft approaches.
New Frontrunner Emerges In Dylan Larkin Trade Rumors Per NHL Insider
A new club in the Western Conference has emerged as a potential frontrunner to land Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade out of the Motor City earlier this month.
Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
According to Dreger, Rielly's agent has submitted a list to the Toronto Maple Leafs of four Western Conference teams as preferred trade destinations. They've left some flexibility to add more teams if necessary. No indication which clubs the 32-year-old defenseman is open to joining, but the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks could use some experienced blueline depth.
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
CHEK-TV's Rick Dhaliwal reported last Friday that a source told him the St. Louis Blues were "sniffing around" Pettersson. Despite the 27-year-old center's recent struggles, Dhaliwal said there are teams desperate for centers who believe they can turn him back into a point-per-game player. However, the Canucks aren't keen to retain any part of his $11.6 million average annual value to facilitate a trade.
Pavel Zacha, C/LW, Boston Bruins
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently reported the Boston Bruins were listening to offers for Zacha. The 29-year-old center is a year away from UFA eligibility. He has a cap hit of $4.75 million and an eight-team trade list. LeBrun noted the Bruins' priority remains re-signing him, but it appears they're keeping their options open in case those extension talks go sideways.
Making Sense Of The Pavel Zacha Rumors
The most surprising rumor surrounding the Boston Bruins this summer has come out in the last 24 hours.
Valeri Nichushkin, LW, Colorado Avalanche
On Monday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman mentioned Nichushkin as a possible cost-cutting candidate for the Avalanche. The 31-year-old left winger has four years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.125 million. When healthy, the big winger can be a solid two-way force, but his injury history and well-documented off-ice issues could make him difficult to move.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Copyright The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 8:55 AM.