NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canadiens, Canucks & Oilers Trade Issue?

This edition (June 12, 2026) of NHL Trade Talk Recap includes three big recaps from our posts today. First, the Canadiens are back on Mason McTavish. Would they be willing to offer a top prospect like Michael Hage to get serious? The Canucks are eyeing Brendan Gallagher as a one‑year culture boost? But can they move Jake DeBrusk to make room? And the Oilers Darnell Nurse has agreed to be traded, but his $9.25M cap hit complicates things. What will they need to do to make the trade work?

Habs Rekindle Interest in Mason McTavish

Montreal has circled back to Anaheim about Mason McTavish. It’s not a full-blown trade push, but enough to let the Ducks know they’re still interested in a young, high-upside second-line center. Sources say talks haven’t reached the stage of swapping proposals yet. But Anaheim’s likely starting point would be top prospect Michael Hage, a piece Montreal has been reluctant to move.

McTavish’s numbers dipped after his extension, and he’d been scratched late in the season. That fueled chatter that Anaheim might listen if the price is right. Kent Hughes is clearly working the market. Whether he’s willing to part with big assets or wait for a better alternative will tell us how serious this really is.

Canadiens Circle Back to Trade For Ducks’ $42M Center

Canucks Eye Brendan Gallagher — But DeBrusk Might Have to Go

TSN’s Farhan Lalji says Vancouver likes the idea of bringing Brendan Gallagher in for a one‑year culture boost. He would be a low-cap hit and bring locker‑room energy. But the move comes with a price: someone needs to clear a roster spot, and Jake DeBrusk looks like the odd man out. Lalji made the point that the Canucks don’t want to clog the lineup with veterans and block young players who need minutes.

DeBrusk reportedly doesn’t love rebuilding, and teams are sniffing around. Ottawa and Edmonton are among them, which makes sense given his goal track record and term and contract. If Vancouver wants Gallagher, expect them to shop DeBrusk and see who bites.

Canucks Linked to Brendan Gallagher—But It Hinges on Trading a 20-Goal Forward

What Can the Oilers Get for Darnell Nurse?

Nurse has asked to be traded, and his $9.25M cap hit makes this messy. Some GMs want Edmonton to retain or take back salary, others say a team valuing his size, skating, reliability, and shutdown ability will bite. He’s not perfect (net-front reads, occasional split-second mistakes), but he plays tons of minutes, hits hard, and can produce offensively enough to be useful.

So what’s the return? If Edmonton just wants the cap gone, expect to add a sweetener. That might be like a late pick or a bad contract, to balance the dollars. If they actually want a hockey trade, they’ll likely take back a short-term overpay or a roster headache and get a middle-tier asset in return. The bottom line is that it won’t cost a top prospect, but it’ll cost enough to make moving that cap workable.

What Could the Oilers Get in Return for Darnell Nurse?

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