Anaheim Ducks

NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canadiens, Jets & Ducks’ Big Snub

Kucherov to Montreal? Messier blasts Edmonton’s Babcock hire, while Anaheim’s Carlsson captaincy snub sparks a heated debate.

by
Old Prof
September 23, 2026

In today’s NHL Trade Talk Recap for September 23, 2026, it’s a big day for hockey drama. There’s talk of a wild superstar trade theory out of Montreal, a legend calling out the Oilers over how they hired their new coach, and a captaincy snub in Anaheim that’s got people picking sides.

NHL Trade Talk Recap Dec 22 — NHL Trade Talk Recap September 23, 2026

Could the Habs Actually Land Kucherov Next Summer?

Montreal’s in a really nice spot cap-wise right now. They have almost $13 million in space by the trade deadline and about $30 million heading into next season. That’s superstar-chasing money. And with Ivan Demidov already loving life in Montreal and taking a discount to be there, plus links to guys like Kirill Marchenko and a strong Russian prospect pipeline, the Habs are turning into a real destination. That’s why Jeff Marek floating the idea of Nikita Kucherov in a Habs sweater next July isn’t as odd as it sounds.

Kucherov’s heading into the last year of his deal. There’s little extension buzz, and Tampa’s got a track record of not budging for anyone, even franchise legends (see: Stamkos). He’s coming off a Hart Trophy season and is about to get paid big somewhere. Tampa’s been bounced in the first round four years straight, and if Kucherov wants a real shot at another Cup, Montreal’s young, fast, well-coached roster might just be appealing enough to pull him away from the only team he’s ever known.

Kucherov to Montreal? A Wild Scenario That Could Suddenly Be Real

Mark Messier Is Not Okay With the Oilers’ Babcock Hire

Mark Messier did not hold back on this one. He said he’s “absolutely shocked” the Oilers hired Mike Babcock and called himself “horrified” by the whole thing. His real issue isn’t just Babcock’s polarizing history. It’s that Edmonton let players like McDavid, Draisaitl, and Hyman basically drive the hiring process. Messier says he’s never heard of players being that involved in bringing in a coach, and he thinks it blurs a line that should never get blurred between players and management.

His bigger worry is what happens if things go south. If the leadership group also picked the coach, who do players turn to when problems pop up? There’s no separation left. The Oilers, for their part, are standing by the process, with GM Stan Bowman saying they wanted their top players to have a real voice in the decision. Messier’s clearly not convinced that’s a good idea. And he’s not shy about saying so.

Oilers Legend Mark Messier Makes Strong Argument Against Mike Babcock Hiring

Did the Ducks Snub Leo Carlsson Out of Spite?

So this one’s got some real drama behind it. Anaheim named Mikael Granlund captain over Leo Carlsson, and TSN’s Bryan Hayes thinks it wasn’t just a hockey decision. He floated the idea that it’s payback for how messy Carlsson’s contract situation got, including the offer sheet drama with Philly. Hayes straight up said he thinks it was “out of spite,” basically the Ducks sending Carlsson a message that the captaincy wasn’t happening for him this time around.

Not everyone’s buying it though. Jamie McLennan pointed out Granlund’s about to turn 35, so Anaheim might be searching for a new captain again in a couple of years anyway, and he actually praised Granlund as a respected guy who’s captained Finland at the Olympics. Jeff O’Neill went even harder, calling the spite theory “idiotic” and saying if anyone’s to blame for the whole mess it’s GM Pat Verbeek for not locking Carlsson up earlier. Bottom line: nobody agrees on the real reason, and the Ducks themselves haven’t said a word connecting the decision to Carlsson’s contract.

Analyst: Ducks Sent Captaincy Message to Carlsson “Out of Spite”