2026 NHL UFA/Trade Thread

[CH1]

I think Larkin will dictate where he wants to go

Why wouldn’t he. He’s got a NMC.

I think he goes to Vegas

 

[GEEMAN]

Why wouldn’t he. He’s got a NMC.

I think he goes to Vegas

Philly

 

[AH$$$]

He wants to win. He won the gold at olympics and now has the itch. Same with Auston.

 

[wiseguy1]

Habs Mailbag: Dealing for Dylan Larkin should be Canadiens' top summer priority

Price would be very steep, probably including top CH prospect Michael Hage, but Wings centre could fill a key need.

montrealgazette.com

“I don’t know if he gets enough credit for how skilled he is and how he can be good offensively for us,” Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler said about Xhekaj.

 

[Habsy]

So the rumor flying around Montreal is that the Habs leaked the Knies trade recently for two reasons:

Primarily was to have Hage know it wasn’t him that they were willing to trade.

Secondarily was to say fuck you to Pelley.


This of course was done after it was clear Knies was off the table.

 

[lecoqsportif]

I heard the same thing.

I mean, they could have just told Hage off the record.

The second point amuses me, and I hope it’s true. Fuck TML. Buncha morons.

Third point: this leak demonstrates to the other 30 teams, in a very tangible way, that the Habs are willing to trade considerable futures. This might lead to other opportunities.

 

[Habsy]

Yeah but there’s a difference when Hage hears it from multiple sources. Kids will be kids.

 

[Habspatrol]

Making the Knies trade would have been huge and he would have been a difference maker. I'm not sure he would have made a big enough difference to be the Canes. But you never know just how it would have changed the entire team.

That said, as great as a big talented winger would be... we need a 2C more. Ultimately, we might be better off having those assets to land a difference making center.

 

[CH1]

I heard the same thing.

I mean, they could have just told Hage off the record.

The second point amuses me, and I hope it’s true. Fuck TML. Buncha morons.

Third point: this leak demonstrates to the other 30 teams, in a very tangible way, that the Habs are willing to trade considerable futures. This might lead to other opportunities.

I don't know who leaked it but I disagree 100% that the Habs benefit.

Leafs don't look bad because Treliving isn't there anymore. So they don't have to own it, and have nothing to explain to Knies.
OTOH Hughes now has to have an awkward convo with Zharovsky's agent and potential other agents who want to know if their guys was the "other prospect"

It also tells the rest of the GMs what Hughes is willing to pay...why would Hughes want other teams to know his private dealings?

If I had to guess, I would think the Leafs benefit from this. Hughes looks like a bully yelling at Treliving, and Knies is a guy that commands 3 first round talents and more.

 

[Krustchev]

So the rumor flying around Montreal is that the Habs leaked the Knies trade recently for two reasons:

Primarily was to have Hage know it wasn’t him that they were willing to trade.

Secondarily was to say fuck you to Pelley.


This of course was done after it was clear Knies was off the table.

There's absolutely zero doubt that the Habs DIDN'T leak this. Zero.

 

[Habsy]

I think someone intentionally dragged their feet to kill the deal. It’s not like Tre was the one that was going to send the fax personally. My feeling is that someone else in the organization slow rolled it.

 

[CH1]

There's absolutely zero doubt that the Habs DIDN'T leak this. Zero.

Yeah… habs had zero to gain.

 

[Habsy]

There's absolutely zero doubt that the Habs DIDN'T leak this. Zero.

How?

 

[Habsy]

Yeah… habs had zero to gain.

Not true

 

[CH1]

I think someone intentionally dragged their feet to kill the deal. It’s not like Tre was the one that was going to send the fax personally. My feeling is that someone else in the organization slow rolled it.

With all due respect to your feelings, there are lots of sources who claimed Tre was very last minute and unorganized even beyond this particular trade

 

[Krustchev]

How?

The Habs have nothing to gain from leaking what players they're offering in trades, especially if the trade didn't happen, like here. They can just call teams individually, in private, and offer players. Now we have a likely pissed off Zharovsky camp. How does that benefit HuGo? Anyone?

 

[CH1]

The Habs have nothing to gain from leaking what players they're offering in trades, especially if the trade didn't happen, like here. They can just call teams individually, in private, and offer players.

I first heard the “Habs leaked it”‘rumour from Toronto media and thought it was dumb (but at least self serving) but now that I hear it from Montreal fans, it’s batshit crazy

 

[Krustchev]

I first heard the “Habs leaked it”‘rumour from Toronto media and thought it was dumb (but at least self serving) but now that I hear it from Montreal fans, it’s batshit crazy

It's totally idiotic. It's probably either a disgruntled (former?) Leaf employee and/or someone connected to BT.

 

[Habsy]

With all due respect to your feelings, there are lots of sources who claimed Tre was very last minute and unorganized even beyond this particular trade

CYA sources

 

[Habsy]

The Habs have nothing to gain from leaking what players they're offering in trades, especially if the trade didn't happen, like here. They can just call teams individually, in private, and offer players. Now we have a likely pissed off Zharovsky camp. How does that benefit HuGo? Anyone?

Except you don’t know the nuances of the relationship between Hage and the Habs and without knowing those, you can’t be certain that it wasn’t leaked as a reparation method. You may find the thinking weak however you’re dealing with a kid’s emotions.

Until we know exactly what the nature of the rift is, or even if there is one, the assumption that the Habs had nothing to gain is tenuous at best.