In today’s NHL rumors rundown, what is holding up a Dougie Hamilton trade out of New Jersey? Meanwhile, are the Pittsburgh Penguins on the verge of a blockbuster trade? How much are the Edmonton Oilers expecting their new acquisitions to impact the lineup, and today is the three-year anniversary of one of the most impactful trades in recent NHL history. How might the Stanley Cup results have changed if not for this deal?
Dougie Hamilton Trade Being Held Up
James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now says that a Dougie Hamilton trade out of New Jersey is potentially being held up by the uncertainty surrounding both Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Andersson.
Calling the two defensemen a pair of wild cards, it sounds like teams aren’t biting on Hamilton — whose contract recently shifted from full no-move to a 10-team trade list — until they know what’s happening with the other two blueliners. The Devils are tight against the salary cap, and want to sign Luke Hughes to an eight-year extension. They likely need to trade Hamilton first, which is posing a bit of an issue.
Penguins Close to Making a Big Trade?
Meanwhile, NHL insider Frank Seravalli revealed that the Carolina Hurricanes have shown interest in Karlsson. His $10 million cap hit is a problem that the two sides would need to sort out, but if Pittsburgh were willing to retain a significant portion of Karlsson’s salary — on the Steve Dangle Podcast, Chris Johnston said the Penguins aren’t going to retain half — there might be a pathway to a deal.
The Karlsson trade might not happen until the March trade deadline. He also holds a no-movement clause, giving him final say on any potential trade.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports the Penguins have set steep asking prices for both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. The ask on Rust is a first-round pick and a high-upside young player. The ask on Rakell is a B+ level prospect, a late first or early second-round pick, and a depth NHLer.
Oilers New Blood Expected to Play and Contribute
During an interview on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said that it would be ideal for the new arrivals in Edmonton to be in the opening night lineup. Knoblauch said he needs to find the right balance, but believes recent roster moves to acquire Matt Savoie, Ike Howard, and David Tomášek, will all pay dividends early in the season.
Related: Oilers News & Rumours: Pacioretty, Walman, Ekholm, McDavid & More
Knoblauch said, “We think highly of them—obviously one being a free agent and the other two, we traded high capital to get. We have a lot of belief they can help us in the short term and become important players in the long term.” He added, “We anticipate some ups and downs… but they’re only going to get better through playing time.”
3-Year Trade Anniversary Reminds Of What Might Have Been
A social media thread marking the three-year anniversary of a major 2022 NHL trade has led to questions about what could have been in Edmonton.
Frank Seravalli posted that today is the three-year anniversary of the Matthew Tkachuk trade to Florida, and Edmonton Sports Talk’s Dustin Nielson raised a bold question: would the Oilers be back-to-back Stanley Cup champions if that trade never happened?
The deal saw Calgary send the 100-point scorer to Florida, receiving Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a first-round pick in return. Since then, the Panthers have become a powerhouse, reaching three straight Finals and beating the Oilers in both 2024 and 2025.
As Florida celebrates its dynasty, Edmonton is still chasing for their first with Connor McDavid as the team’s captain.
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