NHL Weekend Rumors: Panarin, Laine, and a Busy Trade Market Ahead

In today’s NHL weekend rumors, the Los Angeles Kings shook up their roster with Artemi Panarin’s arrival, the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets are exploring options with high-profile forwards, and several teams are using the Olympic break to reassess pending free agents and trade targets ahead of the March 6 deadline.

Here’s a closer look at the latest chatter around the league.

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Kings’ Big Move and Panarin Sweepstakes

Artemi Panarin had been the talk of the trade market, with teams across the league vying for the star forward. According to Chris Johnston, it seemed like half the league had conversations with Panarin and his agent in recent weeks. Elliotte Friedman adds that while Los Angeles ultimately landed him, Seattle reportedly made a jaw-dropping offer—somewhere above Leon Draisaitl’s $14 million cap hit—underscoring just how hot Panarin was on the market.

Other teams, including Carolina, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Anaheim, explored opportunities, but salary cap issues and contract preferences kept those deals from materializing. In the end, Panarin said he only wanted to go to the Kings, and when he spoke to Vlad Gavrikov, it cemented his desire to sign an extension.

David Pagnotta notes that the Kings aren’t done making moves, particularly at the center position, signaling GM Ken Holland may still tweak the roster before the deadline. Some wonder if he’s trying to trade Warren Foegele to create additional cap space.

Canadiens and Laine on the Move

Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine is another name drawing attention. Chris Johnston reports that the Canadiens will likely need to attach a value piece or retain salary to move him, or a combination of both. Nick Kypreos adds that Laine could be a “freebie with upside” for a playoff team seeking a cheap scoring boost—or a non-playoff team like Calgary aiming to evaluate him long-term.

Some Trade Names to Watch

The Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and Colorado Avalanche are all monitoring potential deals involving forwards like Charlie Coyle, Ryan O’Reilly, and Vincent Trocheck. These will be some key names to watch coming out of the Olympic break.

Frank Seravalli notes that Trocheck could make sense for Boston, while Pierre LeBrun points out that the Wild may aggressively pursue a center post-Olympics to strengthen their lineup. There are several other names worth watching, including Bobby McMann, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jesper Wallstedt, Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Blake Coleman. It is setting the stage for a busy trade season.

Olympic Break: Kraken, Blue Jackets, and Pending Free Agents

The upcoming Olympic break is giving several teams a chance to reassess their rosters. David Pagnotta highlights that the Seattle Kraken are talking to pending UFAs such as Jordan Eberle, Jamie Oleksiak, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jaden Schwartz, weighing whether to lock them in or explore trade possibilities. The Columbus Blue Jackets are reportedly in a similar position, with Boone Jenner likely to stay, Erik Gudbranson probably returning, and questions surrounding Charlie Coyle’s future.

Other teams like the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, and Edmonton Oilers are using this downtime to explore cap-friendly moves. Darren Dreger reports that Dallas may add pieces despite financial challenges, while the Predators could entertain offers for players like Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, or Marchessault. Much of that depends on the Preds’ active GM search, which hit a slight snag when CAA Executive Search says it has “ended its contract with the Nashville Predators with respect to the general manager search” after “a productive call with the NHLPA.”

The break is giving GMs time to strategize, creating a calm before the March 6 deadline storm.

Flyers, Capitals, and Other Trade Chatter

Outside of marquee forwards, teams are also looking at smaller, strategic moves. The Flyers are reportedly willing to swing big this summer or sooner, with Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny listed as potential trade pieces.

Frank Seravalli adds that the Capitals are targeting available top-six talent.

The next few weeks will be about management teams and GMs talking. The couple of weeks that follow could be busy. As the trade deadline approaches, the next month promises plenty of movement—and plenty of rumors to keep fans talking.

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