NHL Rumors Heat Up: Stunning Trade Talks Rock Blackhawks, Flyers, Devils, Mammoth, Canucks, and Sabres!

As the NHL’s buyout window swings open, whispers circle around the Chicago Blackhawks and one name seems to be capturing all the buzz: T.J. Brodie. The savvy defenseman could find himself on the chopping block early in the period, a move that might just lighten Chicago’s cap load by over half a million dollars next season. It’s a decision loaded with strategy and stakes, given Brodie’s considerable cap hits through 2026-27. Meanwhile, other teams are stirring, sniffing around the goalie market, and scouting promising talent like JJ Peterka and Bowen Byram as the offseason puzzles begin to take shape. The Blackhawks’ potential buyout isn’t just a roster tweak—it’s a chess move in a game of salary cap mastery and future planning. LEARN MORE

The Chicago Blackhawks could be looking to buyout T.J. Brodie

Ben Pope: With the NHL buyout period about to open, expect that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman T.J. Brodie will be part of the first buyout period.

Puck Pedia: If Brodie is bought out by the Blackhawks, he’s carry a $3.233 million cap hit this season and $258,333 cap hit in 2026-27. It would save the Blackhawks $516,667 next season.

The Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, and Utah Mammoth are monitoring the goalie market

Sportsnet: Frank Seravalli on the Halford & Brough Show on who is looking around the goalie market.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Mike Halford: “Have you heard anything on the (Thatcher) Demko case, or anything about anything Canucks wise? Because I’m just wondering when it’s all going to start to kick off here.

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Seravalli: “I think it’s kicked off. Not so much on the goaltending front. I do think that there’s a handful of teams that have been poking around on the goaltending market. The Flyers, the Devils, the Utah Mammoth, they’ve all been looking around.

The Vancouver Canucks called the Buffalo Sabres about JJ Peterka and have wondered about Bowen Byram

Sportsnet: Frank Seravalli on the Halford & Brough Show said the Vancouver Canucks have checked in with the Buffalo Sabres about forward JJ Peterka.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

“But in terms of what the Canucks are up to elsewhere, I mentioned with (Satiar Shan) and Dan (Riccio) earlier this week that I believe Vancouver is one of the teams that’s been closely following and has called the Sabres on the JJ Peterka file. At varying points, I think they’ve had some interest in what a Bowen Byron deal could look like. So that part has been ongoing.

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And other than that, how, I think we’ve all been yet to figure out or try and drill down on, how the Canucks solve for that 2C position, that is certainly a glaring hole.

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