NHL Rumors: Bruins, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Blackhawks – The Hockey Writers NHL Rumors Latest News, Analysis & More

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, is there a situation in which the Boston Bruins would consider trading Brad Marchand? Meanwhile, are the Toronto Maple Leafs kicking tires on Nazem Kadri out of Calgary? The Edmonton Oilers are still looking for a defenseman. Is David Jiricek out of Columbus on their radar? Finally, one insider believes Morgan Frost might be a good fit for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Brad Marchand on Trade Boards

According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Brad Marchand is someone who could be a potential trade candidate. As part of his recent trade board at The Athletic, Johnston ranked Marchand as the 10th most likely player to be moved. He writes:

This is not a player we expected to find on the Big Board, even if he’s currently playing out the final year on his contract. But as a league source noted this week, “I don’t think anyone in Boston thought this is where they’d be at.” If the decision to replace Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco behind the Bruins bench doesn’t produce the desired results, some difficult personnel decisions will almost certainly follow. Marchand has had a slow start to the season after a summer during which he underwent multiple surgeries, but he remains a high-end winger who can contribute offensively, kill penalties and, yes, get under an opponent’s skin.

source – ‘NHL trade board 2024-25: The latest on all the top targets from Chris Johnston’ – Chris Johnston – The Athletic – 11/21/2024

While the idea of Marchand leaving Beantown seems unthinkable it’s being said that very few things are being ruled out in Boston.

Analyst Says Maple Leafs Kicking Tires on Kadri

Former NHL GM, Doug MacLean says the Toronto Maple Leafs have been kicking tires with the Calgary Flames on the availability of Nazem Kadri. MacLean suggested there could be some hurdles with Brad Treliving’s history with the Flames, but he was sold on the idea that the Leafs needed a player like him. “Toronto’s got to get Kadri. They gotta go get him.”

MacLean added, “If you’re going to play against teams in the playoffs—Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Rangers—you need a player like Kadri.” MacLean went so far as to even suggest that the Maple Leafs work some salary cap magic and get MacKenzie Weegar out of Calgary too.

Oilers Expressing Interest in David Jiricek

According to RG.org, the Edmonton Oilers have reportedly kept tabs on Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek. While some insiders suggest the Oilers’ preference might be Ivan Provorov, Jiricek is likely being traded and it’s just a matter of when, not if.

Related: Oilers GM Says Player Agents Calling Unsolicited to Talk Trades

A source close to the Blue Jackets indicated that Edmonton sees Jiricek as a potential replacement for Philip Broberg. “Teams that want to upgrade their defense, like the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators, are potential landing spots,” the source told RG. “Edmonton, in particular, has shown significant interest.”

Friedman Links Frost to the Blackhawks

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman wrote in his recent 32 Thoughts column that the Chicago Blackhawks might be interested in Philadelphia Flyers forward Morgan Frost. Frost, 25, had a bright future with the Flyers after being drafted in 2017. However, he has struggled with consistency and not become the top-six forward that they had hoped he would be.

He writes:

Player-team that seem a match: Morgan Frost and Chicago. Frost didn’t play Wednesday against Carolina, the fourth game of the last five he’s watched from the press box. He’s not a complainer, prefers to keep any displeasure behind closed doors, but players want to play. Obviously, any dance needs partners who deal, but the Blackhawks, in dire need of centres, are one team that makes sense for him.