We are just two days away from Free Agent Frenzy and TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest news and rumours from around the NHL.
Werenski not a target for Maple Leafs?
The Columbus Blue Jackets are listening to offers on defenceman Zach Werenski as his long-term future no longer looks to be with the team.
While there’s no guarantees Werenski will be moved, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said Monday on TSN 1050 Toronto there are no shortage of teams interested in the reigning Norris Trophy winner.
Dreger reports that Werenski would prefer to stay in the Eastern Conference, but is open to moving West as well. He adds that the Dallas Stars are very interested in Werenski and could potentially offer Thomas Harley to the Blue Jackets in a trade for the star blueliner. He doubts the Maple Leafs are willing, or perhaps even able, to match that level of an offer in a Werenski deal.
The 28-year-old defenceman has two years remaining on his deal that carries a cap hit of $9.58 million. He has a full no-movement clause for the 2026-27 season and a modified no-trade clause in 2027-28.
Werenski scored 22 goals with 81 points in 75 games last season to capture his first Norris Trophy.
He also helped the United States capture the gold medal at the Olympics in February with six points in six games.
Drafted eighth overall by Columbus in 2015, Werenski has skated in 642 games with the club, scoring 135 goals with 465 points.
Carlson trade a hedge for Hurricanes?
The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the rights to pending unrestricted free agent John Carlson from the Anaheim Ducks but it remains unclear if the team will sign him before he hits the market on Wednesday.
Dreger reports the Hurricanes are among those teams chasing Werenski, with Alexander Nikishin likely part of their offer, but notes that if they were to land the Blue Jackets star, the team would likely no longer be a fit for Carlson.
He called trading for Carlson “a hedge” for the Hurricanes as they assess the Werenski market, but notes the veteran is expected to command a salary of roughly $10 million on a short-term deal.
The Hurricanes sent prospect Kyle Masters and a sixth-round pick to the Ducks for Carlson’s rights.
Could Larkin stay put?
Dylan Larkin’s seemed to spark the off-season frenzy earlier this month when his trade request to the Detroit Red Wings went public.
However, three weeks later, Larkin remains a member of the Red Wings and there have been no reports of any trades being close. General manager Steve Yzerman spoke Saturday and offered no guarantees that he would trade the team’s captain.
“Shortly after the season, I received a phone call from Dylan Larkin’s agent, informing me that Dylan would like to be traded,” Yzerman told reporters. “A week or so after that, Dylan’s agent followed up with a short list of teams that Dylan would consider waiving his no-trade (clause) to go to.”
“My job as the manager of the Detroit Red Wings is always to do what is in the best interest of the Detroit Red Wings, and I will act accordingly to that,” Yzerman added. “I cannot make any guarantees, or did not make any guarantees, that that request could or would be met.”
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger first reported Larkin’s request for a trade on June 4, after the team failed to make the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. The 29-year-old Larkin has been with the Red Wings for 11 seasons.
He is initial list of teams he would approve a trade to was made up only of the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild, though it’s believed that list has since been expanded.
Larkin registered 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games this past season with the Red Wings.
He is entering the fourth season of an eight-year, $69.6 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $8.7 million with a full no-move clause.
Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Saturday that both the team and player are working together to try to get a trade done.
“The process is that we’ve had discussions for the last month or so,” Brisson said in response to Yzerman’s comments. “And we’ve agreed that we’ll be working together on this. I do understand that Steve and the organization have to do what’s best for the Red Wings. We’re trying to work as a `team’ together on this to reach each of our goals, so to speak.”
Drafted 15th overall by the Red Wings in 2014, Larkin has 276 goals and 643 points in 808 career games.
The Waterford, Mich., native helped the United States claim gold at The Winter Olympics in February, the country’s first since 1980. He also represented his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off in a second-place finish in 2025.
