BS Meter on the Latest NHL Trade Rumors

NHL training camps open next week, and not a moment too soon for fans after a quiet August with little real hockey news, especially on the trade front.

Only three trades occurred in August , none involving established NHL players. The drought ended on Sept. 1, when the Nashville Predators shipped winger Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils for two draft picks.

That move could awaken a slumbering trade market as NHL general managers evaluate their rosters before the puck officially drops on the 2026-27 regular season on Sept. 29.

Most of the recent trade speculation involved notable stars like Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebucyk, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes. They were among the players featured in our NHL Trade Targets Big Board for September 2026 .

Could one of those stars be moved this month? Follow along as we deploy our trusty BS Meter to separate fact from fiction.

Will the Boston Bruins Trade Mason Lohrei?

Trade rumors dogged Mason Lohrei through most of last season and into the early weeks of the offseason. That conjecture landed the 25-year-old Boston Bruins defenseman at No. 7 on our July NHL Trade Block Big Board .

The speculation died away as the summer progressed. On Aug. 22, Lohrei told The Boston Globe 's Jim McBride that he was looking forward to the challenge of earning a full-time spot on the Bruins' blue line after being a healthy scratch for several regular-season and playoff games in 2025-26.

RG Media's James Murphy reported on Sept. 7 that multiple league sources claimed Lohrei was again drawing interest in the trade market. He said Lohrei was in play last season when the Bruins attempted to acquire Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames before he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Lohrei is in the final season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.2 million. He's slated to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.

The Bruins may not be shopping Lohrei, but they could be open to trade offers. They also have a crowded blue line this season, which could make him a trade chip to address other roster issues, such as depth at center.

Are the St. Louis Blues Interested in Alexander Nikishin?

Trade rumors have swirled around Alexander Nikishin since June following reports that the Carolina Hurricanes were considering whether to re-sign or peddle him. The speculation reached a point where a trade seemed certain, earning the 24-year-old defenseman the No. 4 spot on our August Trade Targets Big Board .

Nikishin is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract and is ineligible to sign an offer sheet because he lacks the minimum number of NHL games. He had a promising debut last season with 11 goals and 33 points, but his role and playing time were reduced during the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup run.

The conjecture died down during a quiet August in the NHL trade market. However, persistent rumblings have linked Nikishin to the St. Louis Blues since July. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic first reported that the Blues were believed to be interested in the young blueliner.

On Sept. 1, Rutherford boldly predicted that the Blues would acquire and sign Nikishin. He claimed the 6'3", 218-pound left-shot blueliner was the type of defenseman that general manager Alexander Steen was looking for.

The Hurricanes could re-sign Nikishin or perhaps peddle him to another club. Nevertheless, the rumors linking him to the Blues haven't gone away. It wouldn't be surprising if he ends up in St. Louis on a bridge contract.

Since his trade request was reported in early June, Dylan Larkin has been a fixture in the offseason rumor mill. The 30-year-old Detroit Red Wings center sits at No. 2 on our NHL Trade Targets Big Board for September 2026 . His request is currently in limbo as the Red Wings search for a new general manager.

Larkin is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8.7 million. He has a full no-movement clause, but will waive it for the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights. The Dallas Stars are also rumored as a possible landing spot.

However, Larkin's preferred destinations lack the salary cap space and tradeable assets to acquire him. Some observers suggest he must widen his list if he hopes to be traded before the regular season begins, assuming the Red Wings have hired a new GM by then.

On Aug. 28, NHL Network's Mike Johnson suggested the Montréal Canadiens as a trade destination if Larkin wants to play for a Stanley Cup contender. He noted that the Canadiens are loaded with young talent to be a contender for several years. They can draw on some of it to make a tempting offer to the Red Wings.

Larkin's list of landing spots is all American-based teams. He's unlikely to join the Canadiens or any other Canadian franchises. If he has to widen his trade list, it probably won't include clubs north of the border.

Will the Minnesota Wild Trade Quinn Hughes If They Can't Re-Sign Him?

The uncertainty over Quinn Hughes' future with the Minnesota Wild earned him the No. 13 spot on our September NHL Trade Targets Big Board . As training camp approaches without a contract extension for the 26-year-old superstar defenseman, trade speculation continues to brew about his future.

On Aug. 31, Wild general manager Bill Guerin acknowledged that defenseman Cale Makar's record-setting contract with the Colorado Avalanche set a bar for Hughes. However, he also said Hughes was a different personality who wanted different things out of life. "Who knows what he's gonna want in the end," Guerin said.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli told Sportsnet that he felt the Wild should sign Hughes soon or move on from him. He suggested the New Jersey Devils as a potential trade or free-agent destination, citing that Hughes' brothers, Jack and Luke, play for the Devils.

The Athletic's Michael Russo reported that Guerin remained confident he can get Hughes re-signed. However, while the blueliner still believes in the Wild and praised Guerin and the team, he won't be rushed into signing an extension, saying he wants to make the right decision for everyone involved.

The longer Hughes goes without an extension, the more questions will be raised about whether he really wants to stay in Minnesota. If his reluctance stretches into the New Year, Guerin could feel the pressure to move him before the March 1 trade deadline.

Could the Winnipeg Jets Have Difficulty Trading Connor Hellebuyck?

Perched atop our September NHL Trade Targets Big Board , Connor Hellebucyk's days with the Winnipeg Jets appear to be numbered. He revealed last month that he requested a trade this spring and still believes it would be best for him and his family to move to another NHL city.

Hellebuyck, 33, should attract plenty of interest in the trade market. An elite goaltender, he's the league's only active three-time Vezina Trophy winner. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2024-25 and backstopped Team USA to gold in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

While Hellebuyck has a full no-movement clause , Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported on Aug. 27 that he's willing to waive it for "a variety of teams". His colleague, Pierre LeBrun, reported that the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, and Utah Mammoth are among the possibilities.

However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman told NHL Network last Friday that the trade options open to the Jets earlier this summer are no longer available . He also noted that some players who may have been available before July 1 may no longer be because their no-trade clauses had changed.

Friedman believed the Florida Panthers were interested in Hellebuyck but used most of their trade capital to acquire Brady Tkachuk. The Jets discussed a deal with the Buffalo Sabres, but Friedman said a disagreement about swapping 2026 first-round picks scuttled that plan.

Salary cap and contract info via PuckPedia .