The LeafsNation has no direct affiliation to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA

Around the NHL: Minnesota Wild prefer Larkin over Trocheck; Kane, Tarasenko, Laine remain top free agents without deals

Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

By Jeremy Tingly

Jul 20, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 20, 2026, 08:48 EDT

Comments

Welcome back to another summer edition of around the NHL. Transactions across the league have slowed down to a snail’s pace in the hot summer, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t business left to take care of.

From blockbuster trade talks, arbitration cases, talented free-agents left unsigned, and some serious dough being passed around with new contract extensions, there’s still plenty of action going on throughout the league. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, things have been relatively quiet of late but based on John Chayka’s first few months on the job, perhaps this is just the calm before another storm.

Without further ado, here’s the very latest from around the NHL:

Minnesota Wild prefer Dylan Larkin over Vincent Trocheck

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is in the market for a top line forward, and if he had his way, Dylan Larkin would be a done deal.

According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith Guerin turned his interest into landing Larkin from the Detroit Red Wings, and even though the New York Rangers were dangling Vincent Trocheck, who would have also been a great addition for the Wild, Guerin chose to focus solely on acquiring Larkin, after the Red Wings’ captain put Minnesota on his approval list, and didn’t even make a trade offer to Rangers’ GM Chris Drury.

Trocheck has since been shipped off to the Utah Mammoth, meanwhile the Red Wings are going through a management change, and have moved Steve Yzerman from their general manager role, to more of an advisor role to senior leadership. The ‘Yzerplan’ is over and is the main reason why Larkin wants out of Motown, so it will be curious to see if once they name a new GM, if there’s a way for them to mend the relationship with the organization’s captain. If Larkin still wants out, then Guerin’s going to have to up his ante if he wants to finalize the deal.

Plenty of free agent forwards left unsigned

The free-agent market has slowed down considerably these past few weeks, but there’s still a few big names left on the open market.

Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Patrik Laine are still without contracts for next season. Recently, Anthony Mantha signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils worth $4.7 million AAV, and many feel it won’t be long before these three talented forwards sign on the dotted lines of their new deals.

Kane’s inner circle feels that he’s contemplating between signing with the Buffalo Sabres or Chicago Blackhawks. The Sabres have a giant hole within their top-six thanks to Alex Tuch moving on to the Washington Capitals. Kane is from the area and could close out his career as a hometown hero. The fit is there, the Sabres are starting to turn the corner, but losing Tuch will certainly provide a huge wrinkle that will be tough to overcome. Perhaps Kane doesn’t feel the Sabres will be a Stanley Cup Playoff team, so he’s having some doubts about the possibility of meaningful hockey.

The Blackhawks are reportedly the other team at the top of Kane’s list. The Blackhawks recently locked up their franchise, inking Connor Bedard to a five-year contract extension. With Bedard starting the season on the shelve, and with a lack of significant moves this offseason, you have to wonder if Kane’s worried about joining a non-playoff team this late into his career. Another sleeper team to considering? The Philadelphia Flyers. It’s obvious GM Daniel Briere is being aggressive this summer, and with close to $14 million left in cap space, there’s lots of money to get Kane’s deal done.

Vladimir Tarasenko remains on the best free-agent forward options available. The Russian winger is coming off a 23-goal, 47-point season with the Wild, in 75 games. Of all the free agents still on the open market, Tarasenko scored the most goals last season. The 34-year-old veteran has changed agents twice this offseason, so it’s obvious he isn’t happy with the traction he’s receiving. Tarasenko is likely to sign a one-year deal, and a few teams to consider would be the Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, and Flyers. All three teams are still searching for some help on the wing and have plenty of cap space remaining.

As for Patrik Laine, he’s likely in store for a one-year deal loaded with incentives, but it’s been a surprisingly quiet free-agent market for the former No.2 overall pick. Laine had a disastrous season last year in Montreal, and admitted after the year was over, he’s been healthy for months and the organization decided not to play him down the stretch, and into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Laine feels like the type of low-cost flyer a contending team adds right before training camp starts, so don’t be surprised to see the Carolina Hurricanes add Laine at some point this summer.

Quick hits from around the NHL

Besides Kane, Tarasenko and Laine, Michael Bunting, Evander Kane, James van Riemsdyk, David Perron, and Jeff Skinner are the best forwards on the market at this point.
On the back end, Logan Stanley, John Klingberg, Carson Soucy, and Jake Bean are among a group left unsigned. Some more signings will trickle in throughout the next few weeks, but we are getting closer to professional tryout agreement territory.
Stanley wanted to head back to Winnipeg, however, with Mario Ferraro landing a four-year deal a couple of weeks ago, that seems to have severed the potential of a Jets’ reunion.
Don’t be surprised to see Brendan Shanahan in the running for the Red Wings’ front office vacancy.
Seattle Kraken continue to talk Shane Wright trades, and reportedly, Wright prefers a deal to the Vancouver Canucks. So far, trade talks haven’t seem to advance at all.
Connor Ingram and Cam Talbot are the two best goaltenders available on the free-agent market.
Winnipeg Jets extended Cole Perfetti on a five-year deal at $6 million AAV. Perfetti scored just 12 goals, and 32 points in 68 games last season.
Montreal Canadiens inked Kirby Dach to a one-year contract at $3.6 million AAV.
Trevor Zegras is locked in long term in Philly, landing a four-year contract for $36.5 million.
As far as trade talks go, it’s been awfully quiet after a very chaotic start to the offseason. Larkin remains the top dog, but don’t be surprised to see the Canucks make a splash.
There’s been some chatter about the Pittsburgh Penguins having trade interest in Elias Pettersson from Vancouver, and Jason Robertson from Dallas.

Sponsored by bet365