The NHL trade deadline is this Friday, and everyone has a wish list for the week. The buyers want to come away from this week knowing they added the missing piece or two to fuel a Cup run. The sellers want to know they have enough pieces to build around for the future. So, let’s look at what every team ideally should have by the end of the week.
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Carolina Hurricanes – A Scoring Center
The Carolina Hurricanes, in the big picture, will run into a team in the playoffs that will dare them to match their firepower. The Hurricanes added scoring in the summer with the Nikolaj Ehlers signing but they need another scoring presence up the middle, one who can possibly play a physical game as well. Maybe Nazem Kadri checks that box?
Columbus Blue Jackets – Second Pair Defenseman
The Columbus Blue Jackets have turned their season around and put themselves in the playoff race. To secure a playoff spot, they’ll need a reinforcement on the defense and possibly a middle-six winger as well. It’s where general manager (GM) Don Waddell can make some savvy depth additions that make all of the difference.
New Jersey Devils – Prospects
This team has a depleted farm system, and it explains the stagnation, at least somewhat, in the Jack Hughes era. If they can move Dougie Hamilton and a few other veterans in a retool on the fly, they ideally land a few prospects to inject some youth into the lineup for next season.
New York Islanders – Scoring
The vibes are good on Long Island with Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin leading the way. The New York Islanders are one of the surprises of the NHL season. That said, they average only 2.88 goals per game and can use another depth scorer. Ondrej Palat helps but maybe the Islanders look at a replacement for Kyle Palmieri.
New York Rangers – Pieces for a Rebuild
The New York Rangers need help just about everywhere. They traded Artemi Panarin to get things going but might start tearing things down and building around a new core. That new core requires young NHLers, prospects, and draft picks. By the end of the week, the Rangers should have all of that, especially if they trade Vincent Trocheck, Braden Schneider, and other veterans on the roster.
Philadelphia Flyers – A First Round Pick
Between Ramsus Ristolainen, Owen Tippett, and any other players the Philadelphia Flyers might move, the ideal is for them to land a first round pick. It will be at the end of the round but it’s a big step for them to build for the future and specifically, add star caliber player to their roster.
Pittsburgh Penguins – Better News on the Injury Front
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a tough spot with the Sidney Crosby injury. Losing the superstar usually signals that the team needs to sell at the deadline, yet they keep winning. That said, they won’t trade away prospects or depart for the long-term plan GM Kyle Dubas has. They might hold at the deadline, and the best thing is for them to know that Crosby will be ready for a playoff run.
Washington Capitals – Top Six Talent
If this is Alexander Ovechkin’s last season in the NHL, the Washington Capitals should want him to go out with a bang. They have prospects on top of prospects that they can group together to add a top-six forward, and should do so to set this team up for the playoffs.
Boston Bruins – Center
The Boston Bruins are another team shaping up as buyers at the deadline. They won’t make a splash trade but can add a middle-six center to round out the roster for the playoffs. Otherwise, the Bruins have done a great job retooling the farm system, and they might just wait until the prospects join the team (looking at you, James Hagens).
Buffalo Sabres – Clarity on Alex Tuch
By the end of the week, the Buffalo Sabres should either have Alex Tuch extended to a long-term deal or traded for a significant haul. Having him still on the team and heading to free agency puts them in no-man’s land. Considering the Sabres are in a playoff push, they’ll likely add at the deadline as well, and the question for them is how big a move they make and which prospect they would part with to make it work.
Detroit Red Wings – Another Star Player
The Detroit Red Wings are in a spot to make a splash, and with the playoffs and the Cup run in sight, they should. They need a second-line center to help out Dylan Larkin up the middle, and could be in the market for Elias Pettersson or Robert Thomas. If they land a star, the conversation changes around this team, going from a playoff team to a Cup-caliber one.
Florida Panthers – A Clear Direction to Finish the Season
The Florida Panthers are another team in a tough spot. Yes, they want to make a playoff push and another Cup run but aren’t in a spot to do so. If they buy in, they’ll look for third-line scoring or a second-pair defenseman. If they sell, it’s about adding young NHLers for another run next season. Either way, the Panthers want to know what the final few weeks will look like.
Montreal Canadiens – A Veteran Scorer
The Montreal Canadiens are a team that can make a splash. They have the farm system to move some prospects for an elite talent, and with the team entering its contention window, it could be in the works. At the very least, they should add a veteran scorer with a playoff-proven track record. Jonathan Marchessault checks these boxes.
Ottawa Senators – Depth
Five points out of a playoff spot leaves the Ottawa Senators in a tough spot. They have a team built to contend that hasn’t played that way, with goaltending particularly letting them down. If they make a playoff push, they must add depth but otherwise, they can use a prospect or two to prepare for next season.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Second Pair Defenseman
With Victor Hedman’s status up in the air, the Tampa Bay Lightning must add reinforcements to the defense. JJ Moser and Darren Raddysh are pleasant surprises but they need one more player to round out the unit. Otherwise, the move they make is boosting the third line; it’s what worked when they won back-to-back Cups in the earlier part of the decade.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Young NHLers
The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking at a retool on the fly, where they add pieces to help them turn things around for next season (you can waste another prime year of Auston Matthews or William Nylander). Young NHL-caliber players fit this bill. If they don’t land at least one this week, it’s a disappointing trade deadline.
Chicago Blackhawks – Future Assets To Believe in
The Chicago Blackhawks will probably sell again, and it’s the same story. They move out veterans for draft picks or prospects. At this point, they have plenty of picks and prospects. It’s about adding young building blocks to add to the Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar core.
Colorado Avalanche – Middle Six Scoring
The Colorado Avalanche already made their move to improve the defense with the Brett Kulak trade. Their next target will probably be in the forward unit. They have a dynamic top six but need a third line that can overwhelm opponents. The only question is whether they add a center or trust Jack Drury and add a winger for a lower price.
Dallas Stars – Physicality
The Dallas Stars will want ot add a physical presence to their lineup for the playoffs. They are a great roster from the top down but might look for a hard-hitting player who can play on the second or third pair of the defense.
Minnesota Wild – Center
The Minnesota Wild are going all in after the Quinn Hughes blockbuster. Yet, they don’t have the centers to go up against the best teams in the Western Conference. All eyes are on Vincent Trocheck but the Wild must add someone at that level to call this trade deadline a success.
Nashville Predators – Prospects
The Nashville Predators are within striking distance of a playoff spot. That said, this team needs a reset, and with a depleted farm system, adding more prospects will help. A Marchessault or Steven Stamkos trade should land them a few to build for the future.
St. Louis Blues – Future Pieces
Like the Nashville Predators, the St. Louis Blues can use first round picks and prospects. If they trade Robert Thomas, the expectation is to land both, and similarly, Jordan Kyrou should get them a significant return. Oddly, the Blues are in a spot where they can sell and be in a good spot because of the players they can move.
Utah Mammoth – Center
The Utah Mammoth are borderline playoff team and needs that one player to get them over the hump. A center will help but they can also look at making a splash to get over the hump and go from a rebuilding team to a contender.
Winnipeg Jets – Prospects
The Winnipeg Jets might retool with the season going as poorly as it has. That means making one or two trades and turning around quickly for next season. The Jets can restock a depleted farm system and add a few prospects, especially if they find a way to trade Dylan DeMelo, a shutdown defenseman that contending teams will want.
Anaheim Ducks – Shutdown Defenseman
The Anaheim Ducks enter this trade deadline with a house money mentality. They don’t need to make a move but anything will help them in a playoff run, and barring a collapse, they’ll be in the playoffs. The Ducks, while an exciting team to watch, allow 3.5 goals per game, so they can target another stay-at-home defenseman to fix that.
Calgary Flames – Young Forwards
The problem with the Calgary Flames rebuild is that they don’t have elite forward talent. That should change come draft time but until then, they still must add forwards and scoring to build around. They have Dustin Wolf and a handful of defenseman already. The next thing to add is scoring.
Edmonton Oilers – Shutdown Defenseman
It’s becoming an annual tradition for the Edmonton Oilers, where they need a stay-at-home defenseman to round out the unit, and they go out and get one. They can also use a third-line scorer but the defense, especially based on recent play, is a more urgent fix.
Los Angeles Kings – Scoring
Some fans will look at how the season has unraveled and demand that the Los Angeles Kings recoup some of their assets. That’s not the way GM Ken Holland sees things, and after making a coaching change, it’s clear he’s doubling down on making this team playoff caliber, if not better. Losing Kevin Fiala for the season makes the wing top six a glaring need for a team that already struggled on the offensive end.
San Jose Sharks – Defense
The San Jose Sharks are providing their fans with plenty of optimism. That said, the defense can use some help. Even if the Sharks aren’t making the playoffs, they need a steady presence on their blue line for the future. Maybe they’ll draft an elite two-way defenseman but trading for one isn’t a bad idea either.
Seattle Kraken – Top-Line Scoring
It’s hard to figure out which direction the Seattle Kraken will head in and whether they’ll buy or sell. Regardless, they can use an elite scoring presence, something they hoped Matty Beniers and Shane Wright would become.
Vancouver Canucks – Everything to Help A Rebuild
The Vancouver Canucks need building blocks for the future. At this point, they are ready to do a fire sale, and the big key is finding young players to become their new core down the road. The Hughes trade gave them Marco Rossi and Zeev Buium but they need a lot more than that and trading other veterans should help.
Vegas Golden Knights – Depth
The Vegas Golden Knights need help in the net but adding a goaltender at the deadline is tricky. So, the next best thing is depth. Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner lead a great top six but the Golden Knights need help on their later lines to beat a team like the Oilers or a top team in the Central Division.
