Boston Bruins

NHL Trade Talk Recap: Oilers, Maple Leafs & a Bruins Bot Joke?

The Oilers may have found a gem, Rielly gets a fresh start in Toronto, and a bizarre Instagram rumour has Boston fans wondering.

by
Old Prof
September 27, 2026

In today’s NHL Trade Talk Recap for September 24, 2026, we cover a little bit of everything: a new Oilers defenceman already winning over his coach, a Maple Leafs veteran hoping a fresh role gets him back on track, and a social media rumour so weird it might just be a joke.

NHL Trade Talk Recap Mar 9 — NHL Trade Talk Recap September 27, 2026

Babcock Thinks Stan Bowman “Could Have Made a Hell of a Deal” on Nurse

After a solid preseason showing, Shakir Mukhamadullin has won over his new coach. Babcock praised the 6’5″ defenceman for making simple, smart plays instead of getting cute, and even beat out Spencer Stastney and Ty Emberson for a roster spot, at least for now. Babcock also said players often thrive after a fresh start somewhere new. And GM Stan Bowman “could have made a hell of a deal” landing him in the Darnell Nurse trade.

Whether or not Babcock was taking a subtle shot at Nurse, the bigger picture is pretty good for Edmonton. Few thought the Oilers could move Nurse’s full salary, and Bowman not only did but also got a useful young defenceman back. Mukhamadullin’s new two-year extension pays him $1.75 million a year, roughly 19% of what Nurse was making. So if he keeps this up, that’s a very nice bit of business.

“Stan Could Have Made a Hell of a Deal”: Babcock Praises New Oilers D-Man

Can Morgan Rielly Bounce Back Under Hiller?

Morgan Rielly has had a rough couple of seasons, and much of that comes down to how he was used under Craig Berube. He’s always been an offensive defenceman. But Berube’s defence-heavy system leaned on him like a true number one, giving him 21-plus minutes a night and letting him struggle in his own end. That showed up in a combined minus-26 over two years. With Jim Hiller now behind the bench, the hope is he gets used in a role that actually fits his strengths.

The plan looks like a pretty smart reset. Rielly’s been skating with Darren Raddysh, who’d take over the top power-play unit and drop Rielly to the second unit with fewer minutes and less pressure. If the Maple Leafs shelter him from tough defensive starts and let guys like McCabe and Tanev handle the heavy lifting, Rielly could comfortably top 40 points, with 50 possible if everything breaks his way. He’s also 49 games away from 1,000 with the franchise, which would make him the sixth Maple Leaf ever to reach it.

How the Toronto Maple Leafs Can See Morgan Rielly Bounce Back

Morgan Rielly Maple Leafs facts — Morgan Rielly Maple Leafs

Did an Instagram Bot Just Spot a Marchenko-to-Boston Trade?

The Marchenko rumour mill just got a weird new twist. Bruins players David Pastrnak and Nikita Zadorov have both quietly started following Kirill Marchenko on Instagram. And Marchenko followed them back. A bot account called the NHL Follow Tracker spotted it, and with Boston recently linked to Marchenko and Columbus’s situation still messy, fans are wondering what it means. Even ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski chimed in, basically asking if the Bruins are messing with everyone.

The honest answer is that it’s probably nothing. NHL players follow each other all the time, whether they train together, share agents, or just like each other’s game. But it’s a fun thought that a bot watching Instagram could beat the big insiders to a trade. Even if it fizzles out, it’s a lot more entertaining to pretend it might.

The Marchenko Mystery: Is a Bot Account About to Break NHL News?