NHL Rumor Roundup: Canadiens Still Seek A Top-Six Forward, And Tarasenko To The Oilers?

The Montreal Canadiens continue seeking a top-six forward to pair with Ivan Demidov on their second line, with reported interest in Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets, though the Jackets are unwilling to trade Marchenko at this time. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Canadiens made numerous calls about Marchenko and dismissed speculation about an oversized trade proposal, while also refuting reports that the team pursued Pavel Zacha from the Boston Bruins. Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken has been suggested as an affordable target, though the Canadiens' pursuit of more established young talent like Knies and Marchenko suggests they are not focused on Wright.