NHL Rumors: Larkin Frontrunner, Nurse Trade, Knies to Canadiens Deal Was Done

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there is big news on huge names over the past 24 hours. It started when it was learned that the Edmonton Oilers planned to meet with Darnell Nurse to discuss a trade. Then it was revealed that Dylan Larkin had requested a trade out of Detroit. To end the day, reports that a deal had been finalized for Matthew Knies by the Montreal Canadiens only fell apart because the Toronto Maple Leafs got the deal in past the deadline.

Oilers and Darnell Nurse To Meet About a Trade

“Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers are headed for a breakup,” wrote Mark Spector of Sportsnet on Thursday. The plan by Stan Bowman is to sit down with the defenseman this week and talk about a possible deal.

Spector adds, “If Nurse, 31, says he wants to be an Oiler for another season, then trade talk will be shelved and the team will welcome him back for one more year. But, if a trade is possible and Nurse is willing to accept one to a handful of teams, two sources have told Sportsnet that the Oilers’ preference would be to move Nurse before the start of next season.

Nurse has total control over where he goes and it’s not yet clear what the Oilers are trying to accomplish. Do they just want to clear out the $9.25 million? Are they looking for a player in return? Is this about cap space or trying to find a hockey trade?

Dylan Larkin Requests Trade Out of Detroit

Dylan Larkin has formally requested a trade, in a story that was first broken by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Friedman went on to say during his 32 Thoughts Podcast that the exact reason Larkin wants a trade is unknown, but the assumption is he wants to win and he doesn’t see it happening in Detroit.

There is also chatter that his relationship with GM Steve Yzerman hasn’t been great, dating back to 2023. The combination of things has the Michigan-born Larkin ready to move on from the only NHL team he’s ever known.

Friedman suggests this has the Minnesota Wild written all over it. He also wonders about teams like Tampa Bay or the Dallas Stars. Friedman wondered if teams like Chicago and San Jose would be interested, but he’s not sure Larkin would reciprocate.

Friedman suggested that Yzerman will be open to discussing a trade but won’t be pushed into a bad one. Opposing GMs are not going to be able to bully him into a deal and if Larkin has to sit as a result, that’s what the Red Wings are prepared to do.

Knies Deal to Montreal Was Done

According to several sources, the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs had a deal done late on trade deadline day, one that included Matthew Knies. Toronto agreed to the deal, but the trade was never finalized because it was not submitted to the league before the 3 p.m. ET cutoff. Sources like Elliotte Friedman and Marco D’Amico reported it was 3:01, to be exact.

The proposed return reportedly included highly touted prospect Alexander Zharovsky, another top prospect, and two first-round draft picks to Toronto. Reports also noted that neither Michael Hage nor David Reinbacher, two of the Canadiens’ more recognizable young assets, were ever offered in the trade.

Friedman hinted that the deal is no longer on the table, even though Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said last season he might want to revisit the talks. With new management in Toronto, it’s believed that John Chayka has no appetite for moving Knies.