NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canadiens, Maple Leafs & Oilers Depth?

Today’s NHL Trade Talk Recap for October 15, 2026, features a lot of roster juggling. A few of these stories could shape the rest of the season. Josh Anderson is off to a hot start, but Montreal seems to be waiting on his extension until it knows how its bigger trade plans shake out. Toronto might go back to a familiar face to patch up its blue line with Chris Tanev out. And Owen Michaels is surprising people in Edmonton, though his underlying numbers say it’s too early to get carried away. 

Josh Anderson Is Off to a Hot Start, So What’s the Plan for His Extension?

Josh Anderson scored his third and fourth goals of the season against Washington. With his contract up this year, insiders are wondering what Montreal will do. Darren Dreger says the Canadiens would like to extend him but plan to wait, and Anderson’s agent likes to take clients to free agency anyway. Anderson reportedly wants to stay. Kent Hughes told him before the season that the team is focused on trades and would get to him later.

That doesn’t mean he’s being traded. It likely means Hughes doesn’t want to lock up money or term on a 32-year-old until he knows whether a bigger swing, like Larkin, will come through. Anderson could be part of a deal if one comes, but this sounds more about future cap space than shipping him out.

Josh Anderson’s Future in Montreal Dependent on Big Trade

Could Ilya Lyubushkin Be the Maple Leafs’ Cheap Fix for the Tanev Injury?

With Chris Tanev now week-to-week, Heavy.com pitches a trade. Toronto brings back former blueliner Ilya Lyubushkin from Nashville in exchange for forward Miles Wood. Lyubushkin hasn’t played for the Predators this season. But he’s a stay-at-home defender who could handle third-pair minutes. He’s in the final year of his deal, so the risk is low. The team could just waive him if it doesn’t work.

It works for Nashville too, since Wood is a big, fast forward who could help their bottom six and they wouldn’t lose anything from their current lineup. It won’t fully replace Tanev, but with Toronto’s firepower, a steady depth defenceman may be all they need.

Maple Leafs Trade Idea: Familiar Face Could Be a Fix for Their Blue Line

Owen Michaels Is the Oilers’ Surprise Early Hit, but the Numbers Say Be Careful

Owen Michaels, a rookie signed after three strong seasons at Western Michigan, was only supposed to be organizational depth. Six games in, he has two goals, has played every game, and has earned Babcock’s trust, taking key faceoffs and helping kill a 6-on-4 and a 6-on-3 against San Jose. His ice time has grown to a career-high 16:50 against the Kings, and he’s giving Edmonton a right-shot center who wins draws and kills penalties.

The underlying numbers are a concern, though. His expected goals share is just 33.8 percent, and his PDO is running well above normal, so some of the good results may not last. Babcock says he’s being sent out against tough competition and that the game doesn’t match the shot clock, and Michaels has started only 21.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. If he settles into a more sheltered fourth-line role as the lineup gets healthy, he could be another Bowman find.

Oilers’ Owen Michaels Is Winning Trust, But the Underlying Numbers Tell a Different Story

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