Smell those NHL trade rumors, well, they’re beginning to boil. There is some activity around a couple of defensemen, including Darnell Nurse, but also some chatter surrounding goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The Toronto Maple Leafs made a Friday morning splash on the trade market, and then followed up the deft trade with a dismal contract. And the Pittsburgh Penguins bolstered their front office with a high-level reunion.

We also tackled some of the Nurse-Penguins trade chatter with some mock trades and an honest look at trade values. There is one trade rumor that I’m omitting from the Daily. I don’t usually admit to such, but as I read into the rumors and chatted with a few people who watched the player, I think I’m going to circle a potential new Penguins trade target. One who meets the mid-20s impact player requirement.

Have I appropriately whetted your appetite?

I appreciate your helping me out with the Q&A. I really hit a wall for new angles and stories. Fortunately, we’re about to hit peak action. It’s also nice to see the comments picking back up. They’ve been greatly reduced for months since our new folks couldn’t merge the old comments board with the new website. One of the many things I hope we can rectify.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: His time in Seattle had come to an end. After being forced upstairs to president of hockey operations, Ron Francis lasted just one more year of PoHO before resigning at the end of the year. Now, the former Penguins captain and two-time Stanley Cup winner is back, this time in the Penguins front office.

I was a bit stuck for a new story Friday. So, I turned it over to you, and you delivered some heavyweight questions, including a rationale Nurse mock trade and more about a potential trade, as part of our Penguins Q&A.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: Just before publishing Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired 30-year-old defenseman Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade. A little later in the morning, the deal was done, but the Maple Leafs delivered an EIGHT-year contract with a solid payday to a defenseman who had never before had more than 37 points. It was a whopper.

Leave it to Mark Madden to cut to the chase.

Only Leafs fans/stooge media could celebrate acquiring some ham&egger like he’s the second coming of Red Kelly. It’s a ***t organization &will never win. https://t.co/W8VCUCdmak

— Mark Madden (@MarkMaddenX) June 19, 2026

One interesting thing that is emerging is that Chayka has flushed a lot of the leaks in the organization and informed the media that he’d done so. That’s going to cripple Canadian media.

TSN Video: A lot of the video isn’t available to the American audience, but the Toronto media is roundly praising the trade and praising GM John Chayka. Toronto thinks the Raddysh trade was a home run.

NHL.com: He got to erase the disappointment of an early retirement, but now it’s time. Jonathan Toews retired.

Chris Johnston had a few updates on the NHL trade rumors, from the waning Matthew Knies talk to the exploding internal chatter about Winnipeg dealing Connor Hellebuyck. There are real talks happening.

Montreal Hockey Now: With the Maple Leafs getting Raddysh, to the Montreal Canadiens need to make a move? Marc Dumont circles a beefy defenseman who injured Sidney Crosby and could upgrade the Canadiens blue line.

Florida Hockey Now: Will Sergei Bobrovsky return to the Florida Panthers? The door isn’t closed, but Bobrovsky isn’t offering a hometown discount. Oh, he really wants another payday to re-sign with the Panthers.

NHLtraderumors.me: Jacob Trouba is following John Carlson out the door in Anaheim. The elder defensemen are bolting via free agency.

Perhaps the exodus will change the Ducks’ trade offerings, taking a young D-man off the market?

Tags: darnell nurse darren raddysh nhl trade Penguins Trade Pittsburgh Penguins

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