Montreal Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom could be on his way elsewhere, The Athletic's Arpon Basu reports. "It is no secret Engstrom's name is floating around out there," Basu wrote. "Teams have asked about him in trade discussions, and the Canadiens are open to those discussions." Engstrom is a highly rated defensive prospect who appeared in his first 15 NHL games last season. He didn't make a significant impact, but Engstrom also had a very limited role, averaging 13:03 of ice time. The Swedish blue-liner boasts impressive scoring numbers in the minors, with 61 points (15 goals, 46 assists) in 111 appearances. He's a pending restricted free agent, finishing a three-year, $2.69 million deal in 2026-27.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly expects to stay with the team for the start of the 2026-27 season, Dave McCarthy of NHL.com reports. Questions have lingered about Rielly's future after Toronto's miserable 2025-26 campaign. Yet he appears set to remain part of the team's core. The 32-year-old has spent his entire 13-year NHL career with the Maple Leafs. Next season, Rielly will aim for a bounce-back campaign after a mediocre 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 78 games. That was his lowest-scoring year since 2020-21. With Darren Raddysh in town, it may be hard for Rielly to reach his previous offensive levels.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby is currently on track to enter the 2026-27 campaign with an expiring contract. But The Athletic's Josh Yohe reports that Crosby's agent, Pat Brisson, has contract talks planned with the team before the offseason ends. "When I recently spoke with Crosby's agent, Pat Brisson, he said he hadn't discussed the contract with Crosby yet, indicating he was letting his most famous client enjoy his summer before getting back to business," Yohe wrote. "Brisson said there's an understanding that they'll discuss the contract before summer is over. The Penguins' first preseason game is Sept. 21." Crosby signed his previous extension - a two-year, $17.4 million deal - in September 2024, shortly before training camp opened. The legendary forward is entering his 22nd NHL campaign and said at the end of last season that he wants to keep playing for "as many years as possible."

Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson hopes to sign an eight-year contract extension, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. The Senators have until Sept. 15 to sign Batherson to an eight-year deal. When the new collective bargaining agreement takes effect on Sept. 16, the maximum contract length for players signing with their current teams will drop to seven years. Garrioch reported last month that Batherson and the team aren't close to agreeing on a new deal. Batherson is a pending unrestricted free agent. The upcoming campaign will be the final season of his current six-year deal, worth $4.95 million annually. He is likely seeking a significant raise after becoming a 30-goal scorer and posting a career-high 71 points in 2025-26.