NHL 2026 Offseason Trade Predictor: Larkin, Rielly & More – Hockey Writers – Previews and Predictions

NHL trade rumors are starting to heat up. The Stanley Cup Final is underway, and the trades will start sooner rather than later. With that, let’s take a look at some of the names on our first list of offseason trade lures and predict where they could end up when teams start making moves.

Morgan Rielly: San Jose Sharks

What was the biggest mistake of the San Jose Sharks this past season? Their porous defenses. Morgan Rielly may not be what he was a few years ago, but he will give the Sharks a much-needed veteran back. He finished last season with 11 goals and 36 points in 78 games, but something is bothering him.

Rielly is still a capable defender, but his defensive game has fallen off a cliff. Primarily, he struggles to defend against the rush, but the Sharks still have to take a chance on him. Despite the defensive struggles, Rielly is still an effective puck-mover and can help the Sharks get out of the defensive zone more effectively. I wouldn’t play him in a high, shutdown role, but he can still be effective as a No. 3 or 4 defender.

Rielly has an immobility phase, so she has full control over where she ends up. The Sharks probably wouldn’t have made it a year or two ago, but they are a team on the rise with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and their young talent. They may be interested in Rielly as a trade option as it appears that his days with the Toronto Maple Leafs are coming to an end. I don’t think Rielly is worth much since one) he has NMC, and two) the Maple Leafs are looking to clear cap space. He would probably trade for a few draft picks, maybe second and third round picks.

Vincent Trocheck: Montreal Canadiens

At the trade deadline, I had Vincent Trocheck dealt to the Minnesota Wild. That could still happen this offseason, but why get bored and say the Wild again? The Montreal Canadiens are three points from winning the Eastern Conference. They have a talented young team to build around, but they lack a second-line center behind Nick Suzuki.

I know there is a narrative that Americans generally don’t want to play it in Canada. There’s certainly some truth to that, but the Canadiens have to be a destination if Trocheck is looking to win a Stanley Cup. Their talented young core should appeal to him. They also have the assets to acquire Trocheck, which could cost a first-round pick, a top prospect, and a depth NHLer. He will be the perfect 2C behind Suzuki and will help the Canadians strengthen their status as a contender in the Atlantic.

Robert Thomas: Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres’ playoff run certainly doesn’t look like a fluke. Now, they will have to build on it this offseason. Konsta Helenius looks set to be a starter, but the Sabers could use another top-six center behind Tage Thompson. That’s why Robert Thomas would be such a great partner.

Thomas has a long history of publishing rumours. He is coming off another productive season that saw him reach 64 points in 64 games. He is a great scorer but also plays a two-way game. He has a reasonable cap hit of $8.125 million and a lot of team control. Thomas is also the size of the backbone of the Sabres, as he is only 26 years old.

It won’t be cheap to get Thomas, but the Sabers have the assets. They should look to part with their first round pick, Helenus or a prospect of his caliber, and another asset to get Thomas. A 1-2-3 punch of Thompson, Thomas, and Ryan McLeod down the middle would give the Sabers one of the best cores in the Eastern Conference, and possibly the entire NHL.

Jordan Kyrou: New Jersey Devils

Okay, now I’m going to be boring. I predicted Jordan Kyrou to the Devils at the trade deadline, and I still stand by it. Equality makes a lot of sense. The Devils are in dire need of a top-six player to complement Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and should have the assets to complete the trade and satisfy what the Blues want in return.

The Devils hold the 12th overall pick in the 2026 draft, and one of Šimon Nemec or Dawson Mercer should be enough to make the deal happen. The Blues could use a right-shooting defenseman on their blue line, especially if they plan to trade Colton Parayko. This is where Nemec can help, and they can add a top prospect to their system with the 12th pick. Meanwhile, the Devils get the top-six winger they need to complement Hischier and Hughes.

Dylan Larkin: Tampa Bay Lightning

Dylan Larkin wasn’t part of our first trade board, but he’s among the biggest names available this offseason after Elliotte Friedman reported that Larkin requested a trade to the Detroit Red Wings. A number of teams will follow Larkin. One team I considered was the Wild, but let’s go with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Why is that? Jack Han tweeted when the news first broke that he saw a team in tax-exempt status, similar to the Lightning, acquiring Larkin. Part of the reason for Larkin’s trade request was due to the Red Wings’ inability to make the playoffs. The Lightning, despite their early exit from the Canadiens this postseason, remain a perennial playoff contender. They are equal to what Larkin might want.

The Lightning don’t have a first-round pick in either the 2026 or 2027 drafts, but they do have both of their second-round picks. Those, along with top prospect Sam O’Reilly and NHLer, may be what it takes for the Lightning to get Larkin.

Mason McTavish: Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers made a surprise appearance in the second round of the playoffs. Their goal is to avoid it becoming a cliff. Trevor Zegras had a strong rebounding campaign in his first year with the Flyers, but they, like many other teams, need to strengthen their center depth.

This is where Mason McTavish can be. While I believe McTavish profiles better as a winger due to his poor puck handling and defensive skills, that may not be the way some NHL teams view him. If the Flyers think he is a center, he could help them improve their depth down the middle.

McTavish is coming off a down season in which he totaled just 17 goals and 41 points in 75 games, but he’s still only 23 years old. He has a contract for five more seasons and about $7 million and would be a perfect fit for what the Flyers need. A first-round pick and a prospect should be what it takes to land him, and the Flyers have the assets to do it.

It will be interesting to see what the trade market looks like this summer, given how weak the free agent class is. There is potential for some fireworks, but only time will tell. Any of these players being traded could change the landscape of the NHL.