The NHL News cycle on Sunday, August 9, 2026, might look quiet on the transaction wire, but underneath the surface several potentially significant stories are developing. Detroit is preparing to ramp up interviews for its next hockey operations leader, Zach Werenski’s name has resurfaced in connection with the Dallas Stars, and the Montreal Canadiens continue to face a difficult decision involving Samuel Montembeault.
There is also an interesting development in the remaining free-agent market. Several veteran NHL forwards, including Evander Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, are now reportedly attracting attention from the KHL as their NHL options remain unresolved.
For me, the biggest takeaway from today’s NHL News is that we are entering the part of the summer where pressure starts creating movement. Training camps are no longer far away. General managers know what their rosters look like, unsigned veterans have to consider alternatives, and teams with unresolved trade situations are quickly approaching decision time.
Latest NHL News and Trade Rumors for August 9, 2026
Detroit Red Wings GM Search Could Start Moving Quickly
One of the NHL’s biggest front-office stories appears ready to enter its next stage.
The Red Wings officially announced on July 15 that Steve Yzerman would transition out of his role as executive vice president and general manager, remaining with the organization as a senior advisor. Detroit confirmed at the time that both internal and external candidates would be considered.
Now the process appears to be accelerating.
Reporting cited by Elliotte Friedman expects Detroit’s interview process to ramp up over the coming week. Possible names mentioned include internal candidates Kris Draper, Shawn Horcoff and Niklas Lidstrom, along with external possibilities such as Scott White and Ryan Martin. Friedman also raised the fascinating possibility of Detroit Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg being considered.
My read is that Detroit cannot treat this as a conventional GM hire.
The next person walking into that office also inherits the unresolved Dylan Larkin situation, a roster that has missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, and enormous expectations from a fan base that has waited long enough for the rebuild to produce postseason results. NHL.com reported that Larkin requested a trade following last season, which makes the direction of the new management group even more important.
Detroit needs someone willing to make difficult decisions quickly rather than simply continuing the existing timeline.
Zach Werenski-to-Dallas Trade Rumor Isn’t Completely Dead
Here is the story I would watch most closely.
Earlier this summer, the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets had a verbal agreement involving Zach Werenski, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Thomas Harley was expected to be the centerpiece of the return before Werenski exercised his full no-move clause and vetoed the trade.
That seemed to close the door.
Maybe it didn’t.
Jeff Marek was recently asked whether Dallas should still be considered a possibility and indicated he did not believe the option was completely dead. There is no report today that Columbus and Dallas are actively negotiating another trade, which is an important distinction, but the Stars apparently shouldn’t automatically be crossed off the list if Werenski eventually decides his future lies outside Columbus.
Werenski is exactly the type of player capable of reshaping a contender’s blue line. He finished the 2025-26 season with 22 goals and 59 assists for 81 points, finishing second among NHL defensemen in points.
The complicated part is Dallas’ potential return package. The original framework reportedly centered around Harley and included Mavrik Bourque, but Bourque has since been moved to Nashville. Any renewed discussions would therefore require a different structure.
That is why I would call Dallas a possible destination, not an imminent trade partner.
Canadiens Still Have a Samuel Montembeault Decision to Make
Samuel Montembeault is back in the NHL trade rumor conversation, but there is an important distinction here too: today’s chatter is largely about what Montreal should do rather than confirmation that Kent Hughes is actively negotiating a trade.
Montreal Gazette columnist Brendan Kelly argued that the Canadiens should move on from Montembeault after his difficult 2025-26 campaign. Montembeault has one season remaining on the three-year contract that carries a $3.15 million annual cap hit.
The numbers explain the concern.
Montembeault went 10-8-4 with a .872 save percentage and 3.43 goals-against average in 25 appearances last season.
Meanwhile, Montreal has Jakub Dobes and highly regarded Jacob Fowler pushing for playing time.
I would be reluctant to sell Montembeault simply because his value is currently depressed. Montreal has enough organizational flexibility to let the situation play itself out. If Montembeault rebounds early in the season, his expiring contract could suddenly become significantly easier to trade.
Trading an asset when almost every buyer knows you’re trying to get rid of him usually isn’t how you maximize value.
NHL Veterans Could Start Looking Toward the KHL
Another story worth watching involves the NHL’s remaining unsigned veterans.
Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL has reportedly shown interest in Evander Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko and Evgenii Dadonov. Dadonov is still listed among the NHL’s unrestricted free agents.
This doesn’t necessarily mean any of them are leaving the NHL.
What it does create is leverage and an alternative.
The closer we get to training camp, the more important those alternatives become. Veteran players can wait for injuries, PTO opportunities or cap space to open up, but eventually they have to decide whether holding out for an NHL contract is worth passing on guaranteed opportunities elsewhere.
Tarasenko is particularly interesting because he still carries name recognition and scoring pedigree. A contender could decide later this summer that a short-term, low-risk contract makes sense.
Other NHL News: Devon Levi Gets His Fresh Start in Edmonton
The Edmonton Oilers‘ goaltending situation remains another storyline worth monitoring.
Edmonton acquired Devon Levi and a 2028 seventh-round pick from Buffalo for a 2028 third-round selection on July 1. Levi went 23-20-9 with a 2.83 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in the AHL last season.
Reporting this weekend indicates Levi is looking forward to the opportunity for a fresh start in Edmonton.
This is a move I like more than it may appear on the surface.
Instead of paying heavily for another established goalie, Edmonton has taken a chance on a 24-year-old who was once considered one of hockey’s better goaltending prospects. If Levi finds another level, this could become one of those low-cost moves that looks very different a year from now.
| NHL Story | Current Status | Key Data | What to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Wings GM Search | Confirmed | Interviews expected to increase | Candidate shortlist |
| Zach Werenski/Dallas | Rumor | 22 G, 59 A, 81 P | Whether Werenski reopens trade discussions |
| Samuel Montembeault | Trade speculation | .872 SV%, $3.15M cap hit | Montreal’s opening-night goalie plan |
| KHL Interest | Reported interest | Kane, Tarasenko, Dadonov | Whether NHL offers materialize |
What Today’s NHL News Really Tells Us
The important thing about today’s NHL News isn’t that a blockbuster trade is about to happen. It is that several situations are reaching the point where decisions will eventually have to be made.
Detroit needs new leadership. Columbus needs clarity on Werenski’s long-term intentions. Montreal needs to determine how three goaltenders fit into two NHL jobs. And unsigned veterans need to decide how long they’re willing to wait for NHL opportunities.
Those pressure points are usually where late-summer NHL movement begins.
From my perspective, Werenski remains the biggest potential domino. Elite, minute-eating defensemen rarely become available, and if his position on Columbus changes, there would be no shortage of contenders interested. Dallas may still be somewhere on that list, but today’s reporting should be viewed as renewed possibility rather than evidence that a trade is close.
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