2026 NHL UFA/Trade Thread

[Habsy]

Zharovsky + Engstrom + Dikembe (retain 50%) + First

They just signed Reaves. No Monty.

Plus they’ll want NHL ready talent.

 

[lecoqsportif]

I figured Monty is their # 2 if we retain.

 

[Habsy]

With the expansion to 84 games I fear Monty is here to stay

 

[CH1]

With the expansion to 84 games I fear Monty is here to stay

good news for you as you’ll now get more mileage from wearing his jersey

 

[Sal_Butera]

CBJ might want less quantity, more quality.

Sir, this is ForumIce, not HFBoards.

I think you left out some of the team

CBJ has less than $15M to ink Fantilli and build out a team - w Waddell on record saying he wants NHL ready players not futures in any deal.

I don’t see another team able to offer legit NHL ready top-9 U25 F like Dach / Kapanen / Bolduc + young D like Xhekaj / Engstrom

The caveat in all this .. will Marchenko limit his destinations? Likely, which means Waddell’s largest return would be to a team Marchenko is willing to sign an extension with and even max return for CBJ will be skewed.

I don’t see any of Hage, Zharovsky, Redenbacher or Fowler being included

 

[Sal_Butera]

IF Marchenko is acquired I’m willing to bet Hage will “have a change of mind” … to sign w Habs.

Keep recalling Gorton’s line at pre draft presser “who knows maybe Hage changes his mind after what happens this summer”

 

[Sal_Butera]

View: https://x.com/hockeyagent1/status/2081164324588949820?s=46

 

[CH1]

I want Marchenko but he was singled out as a complete no show during that I’ll fated CBJ run to make the post

 

[Sal_Butera]

Plekanec said he “played scared” his first playoffs w Habs but went on to become quite the shutdown playoff C the rest of his playoff career.. just ask Krejci.

 

[Krustchev]

View: https://x.com/HockeyAgent1/status/2081215671334015379

 

[Krustchev]

This F'ing guy

 

[Sal_Butera]

Danny Billions..

 

[Habsy]

Marchenko would be a better add than Knies.

 

[Sal_Butera]

FWIW, Trevor Timmins is Assistant Dir of Amateur Scouting w CBJ. The guys on the Habs drafted by him are: Caufield, Guhle, Dobes, Kapanen, Evans and Struble.

 

[lecoqsportif]

Kapanen and Engstrom are legit NHLers who can play now and whose contracts under under team control for a while (I’ll assume that’s important for CLB.)

But they would be secondary pieces. A significant player has to go in return, and it seems to me that Zharovsky is available.

 

[Habspatrol]

FWIW, Trevor Timmins is Assistant Dir of Amateur Scouting w CBJ. The guys on the Habs drafted by him are: Caufield, Guhle, Dobes, Kapanen, Evans and Struble.

I'd happily include Struble.

 

[habs25th]

Kapanen and Engstrom are legit NHLers who can play now and whose contracts under under team control for a while (I’ll assume that’s important for CLB.)

But they would be secondary pieces. A significant player has to go in return, and it seems to me that Zharovsky is available.

Nah they're not trading Zharovsky.

Probably Reinbacher and 2 firsts, something like that.

 

[lecoqsportif]

I doubt DR is moved, they want him to earn a spot in training camp. Plus there’s huge logjam at LHS D that needs to be resolved and Engstrom only has one more year of waiver exemption.

 

[Sal_Butera]

View: https://x.com/aportzline/status/2081374807778587045?s=46

Translation: Waddell’s trying to create market value, but some combo of player limiting destination choices / teams unwilling to offer up fair market value is taking place

A deal IMO is more likely & imminent than ever - Waddell is now approaching desperation mode

 

[CH1]

Unless Elliot Friedman tweets abt it, my assumption is nothing is happening