NHL Trade Watch: Rielly Linked to Sharks, Blue Jackets off the Market & Hurricanes’ Big Swing

Although the NHL is on its Olympic break, that hasn’t stopped the news and rumours from swirling around the league.

In the latest edition of NHL Trade Watch, we take a look at reports linking Morgan Rielly to the San Jose Sharks. As well as news that the Columbus Blue Jackets are inching toward extensions with their big-name UFAs. And finally, what the Carolina Hurricanes could be planning ahead of the deadline.

Hurricanes’ Big Swing

According to a report from The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel, the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to take a big swing at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. In that report, Siegel mentioned that the Hurricanes could be a player in the Robert Thomas sweepstakes. Here’s what he said:

“Something tells me that Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky is going to keep swinging on the biggest fish until one is reeled in for the long term. Thomas would be (a great) fit as a center, given he’d allow Logan Stankoven to shift to the wing and give Carolina two higher-end scoring lines. His exceptional vision and two-way ability would fit in well under coach Rod Brind’Amour.”

The Hurricanes have built a reputation for targeting big-name players who fit their system. Thomas would slide into their top six nicely. As Siegel mentioned, this would allow Logan Stankoven to move to the wing. That move would naturally make them deeper down the middle and on the flank.

If they’re serious about making a splash, this feels like the type of move they’d at least explore.

Blue Jackets’ UFAs Off the Board?

In a recent report from RG Media, the Blue Jackets are inching closer to extensions with some of their big-name unrestricted free agents. That includes Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and Charlie Coyle. If those deals get done, it would effectively take them off almost every NHL trade board.

That would signal full confidence in the group in Columbus. It could point toward them being buyers at the deadline instead of sellers. James Murphy of RG reported that conversations are expected to ramp up as early as next week.

“Those talks should be underway by next week at the latest,” one source told RG this past weekend.

“With the way the team has played since [Rick] Bowness got hired and where they are in the standings now, I’m hearing a lot less chatter around Coyle, Marchment, and Jenner. Regardless of whether they’re signed to extensions before the Olympic break ends, they’re off the trade market heading into the trade deadline. Waddell is just going to ride with them and add to the roster so they can make it into the playoffs.”

If the Blue Jackets remain in the playoff race after the break and lock these players up, it would remove three highly sought-after names from the market before the March 6 trade deadline.

Morgan Rielly Linked to Sharks

This one has been floating around the rumour mill for the past week. In a recent post from HockeyBuzz, the San Jose Sharks were linked to Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s the type of move many in Leafs Nation would welcome, especially with the growing sense that Rielly has fallen out of favour. Here’s what the report stated:

“According to my source, the Sharks have formally expressed interest in Rielly to the Leafs organization. The request was to circle back when Toronto is ready to pull the trigger on moving the defender. It is my understanding that, at this time, no specific names have been exchanged, and Rielly has not yet been approached regarding a potential move. However, in the NHL, situations remain fluid.”

From San Jose’s perspective, they’d be adding an offensive-minded defenceman who is signed for the next four seasons. He can still play meaningful minutes on a blue line that needs stability. And at this point, the asking price may not even be all that high.

For the Maple Leafs, this could be more about cap relief than a massive return. If that’s the case, the Sharks might be able to land Rielly at a much cheaper cost than people expect.

As always, we’ll see how it all unfolds once the Olympic break wraps up.

Next: ESPN Ranked Connor McDavid How Low Among NHLers at the Olympics?