Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche
Team overview: The Avalanche made a significant move when they acquired Mackenzie Blackwood earlier this season, addressing their biggest need. Since then, he has been one of the best goalies in the league, and Colorado has been performing well, going 8-2-1 in games Blackwood has started. With another overtime win in relief against Buffalo, the Avalanche have been doing well since the trade.
The Avalanche are in an interesting position in the competitive Central Division. Gabriel Landeskog could be a big “trade deadline acquisition” for them, as he has started skating, but there’s no set date for his return. Valeri Nichushkin had a setback in his injury recovery, so the team is missing two of their top six forwards. If both players return healthy for the playoffs, the Avalanche are in a good spot. If not, they still have prospects to help improve their lineup.
Prospect pool: Cal Ritchie and Ivan Ivan are two forwards attracting attention, and both have had some NHL experience. The Avalanche are not looking to trade either player.
The team is also not keen on trading skilled defenseman Mikhail Gulyayev, who is performing well in the KHL. Unless the Avalanche can acquire a player like Brock Nelson or J.T. Miller, they’re unlikely to trade any of these three.
Maximillian Curran and William Zellers are young forwards who have shown good promise in junior hockey and could be part of a deal if Colorado wants to make a big acquisition. Both players are still a few years away but have the potential to make it to the NHL. If the Avalanche want to add depth, Oskar Olausson, Sampo Ranta, or Jean-Luc Foudy could be moved for a middle-six forward or depth defenseman.
Dallas Stars
Team overview: The Stars are another elite contender in the Central Division. They’ve been great at drafting, which has helped them keep their championship window open for years. Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven, and Mavrik Bourque are young players who are now key parts of the team as older players like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin get older.
Because many of their prospects are already in the NHL or AHL, the Stars have fewer prospects than other teams, but they still have a few players that are getting attention. With Seguin’s contract available to use (once he’s placed on long-term IR), GM Jim Nill has shown he’s willing to spend money to acquire a top defenseman, like when they traded for Chris Tanev in 2024.
Prospect pool: Defenseman Lian Bichsel is considered untouchable because he’s expected to be in the NHL next season. Teams like him, but unless the Stars are trading for a top player, he’s not going anywhere.
Christian Kyrou and Aram Minnetian are young defensemen attracting interest. Both are good at moving the puck and are expected to become NHL players. Kyrou has been good in the AHL and could be called up later this season. Minnetian is still in college and likely needs another year before being ready for the NHL. If the Stars want a top defenseman, they might use one of these players in a trade.
At forward, Emil Hemming is a player the Stars want to keep, but teams are still interested in him. Antonio Stranges is a point-per-game player in the AHL and could be part of a trade to bring in more scoring. Ayrton Martino and Matthew Seminoff are two forwards drawing interest, but both need more development and are expected to be bottom-six NHL players. While they wouldn’t be key pieces in a big trade, they could be traded for a depth player with an expiring contract.
Edmonton Oilers
Team overview: Any season the Oilers have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they must go all-in. This is especially true this season because it’s the last one where both players are being paid significantly less than their value. Starting next season, Draisaitl’s extension will raise his salary.
Prospect pool: Given their current situation, there is only one player in their prospect pool who should be untouchable unless they are acquiring a current star, which is unlikely due to their cap situation: Matthew Savoie. He has the potential to be a dynamic, point-producing player and is the Oilers’ highest-rated prospect by far, projected to be a potential second-liner.
The Oilers do have other prospects that interest other teams, and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Beau Akey or Paul Fischer were traded to help the current roster. Both are 19 years old, and Akey is considered the better prospect because he’s a strong skater and a right-handed defenseman, which is important in the NHL.
If the Oilers want to acquire a second-pair defenseman for their NHL lineup, Akey or Sam O’Reilly would likely be involved in the trade. O’Reilly is known for his strong off-puck play and is close to being ready for the NHL, expected to be a reliable third-line center. To acquire a top defender for another playoff run, the Oilers would have to trade one of these top prospects.
Los Angeles Kings
Team overview: The Kings are in a great position: they have too many right-handed defensemen. The team needs a left-handed defenseman and would prefer one who plays on the left side instead of a righty playing out of position. They could likely trade one of their right-handed defensemen for a left-handed one and still benefit from the deal because right-handed defenders are usually in high demand.
Prospect pool: The Kings have a lot of depth in one area: goaltending. Carter George impressed at the World Juniors, and he’s joined by Hampton Slukynsky and Erik Portillo. While they can’t all play for the Kings, having too many good goalie prospects is a great problem to have. Other teams value top-tier goalie prospects, like the excitement around Yaroslav Askarov.
When the Predators knew Askarov wasn’t happy, they traded him for a first-round pick and another player. The Kings could trade one of their goalies for a good left-shot defenseman, and GM Rob Blake is likely considering that option.
Outside of goaltending, the Kings have graduated many of their top prospects to the NHL. Liam Greentree is the only forward who still holds significant NHL value and should be kept. Koehn Zimmer and Francesco Pinelli are two other forwards who could be moved for depth, but if the Kings want an impactful defender, they should use their goalie surplus in a trade.
Minnesota Wild
Team overview: Thanks to the excellent work of Judd Brackett and his team, the Wild have a lot of great young talent. Marco Rossi is already an impactful NHL player and will soon need a new contract, which will likely be more expensive than if the Wild had signed him last summer.
Marat Khusnutdinov has impressed in his first season as a depth player. The Wild used their prospect depth to acquire David Jiricek from Columbus, and he’s expected to be a second-pair defenseman behind Brock Faber for years.
The Wild have quietly stated that they want a player who isn’t just a rental but can contribute long-term. They have a lot of cap space coming in the offseason, and with a massive cap hit from Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s buyout coming to an end, they’ll have room to add players. The Wild are interested in players like Brock Nelson and Brock Boeser, who are expected to want a long-term deal with the team.
Prospect pool: Up front, Liam Ohgren, Riley Heidt, Danila Yurov, Hunter Haight, and Ryder Ritchie are highly valued. If the Wild go after Boeser and Nelson, it’s likely Rossi would be included in the deal.
If not, these five forward prospects are expected to be solid middle-six NHL players, with Ohgren, Heidt, and Ritchie looking like potential second-line players. Ohgren and Haight could make the NHL next season given their performance in the AHL. Ohgren plays a power forward style that many teams like. Ritchie and Heidt are performing well in the WHL but are likely still a few years away from being impactful in the NHL.
On defense, it’s unlikely the Wild will trade Jiricek or Zeev Buium. Buium is a top NCAA defenseman and could be a mainstay on the second pair alongside Jiricek next season. Carson Lambos, Jack Peart, and Ryan O’Rourke are all solid defenders who could be ready for the NHL next season. They’re not big offensive contributors but are strong in their own zone, playing solid defense. The Wild have been hesitant to trade these players in the past.
The Wild have a strong prospect pool and can trade from it to acquire a big player. With their excellent recent drafting, they are well-positioned to make such a move and still have the depth to replace anyone they trade away.
Vegas Golden Knights
Team overview: The Golden Knights are leading the Pacific Division thanks to strong performances from Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore. Since the beginning, their strategy has been clear: they will trade any player, prospect, or draft pick if they believe it will help them win the Stanley Cup.
Because of this approach, no player is off-limits, and a few players have attracted interest from other teams. While the Golden Knights are strong on defense, they could use more scoring depth on the wings. They are set at center with Eichel, Tomas Hertl, William Karlsson, and Nicolas Roy.
Prospect pool: Several prospects have caught the attention of other teams, including Brenden Brisson, Mathieu Cataford, Tuomas Uronen, Matyas Sapovaliv, and Lukas Cormier. Trevor Connelly, their first-round pick this past summer, is a bit different. He was passed over by other teams during the draft because of off-ice concerns, and some teams still consider him “untouchable.”
Brisson is a scorer who has had trouble sticking with the NHL team despite being able to play both wings. A fresh start might help him reach his potential. Cataford and Uronen both played in the World Juniors and are expected to be third-line energy players who contribute modestly. Sapovaliv is the closest to being ready for the NHL after Brisson and offers a combination of size and playmaking ability. He’s finding his rhythm in the AHL and is expected to become a middle-six winger at the NHL level.
If the Golden Knights want to make a big move, they should have the cap space to do so without needing to make major roster changes. They haven’t hesitated to make bold moves in the past, and this trade deadline is expected to be no different. With their prospects, they could trade for a middle-six winger to improve their offense and remain a top contender for the Cup.
Winnipeg Jets
Team overview: Could Connor Hellebuyck win the Hart Trophy? It’s hard to ignore the possibility, as he’s dominating the Vezina race. While the Jets don’t have the playoff experience to prove it, like the Leafs, they are true contenders. Their style of play is sustainable, their goaltending is the best in the league, and their star players are performing well. The Jets do have a clear need for a second-line center, as Mark Scheifele is on the top line and Adam Lowry is on the third.
Prospect pool: Brayden Yager, acquired in a trade for Rutger McGroarty, is not likely to be moved by the Jets. He has the potential to be a solid two-way, second-line player. Kieran Walton and Kevin He are playing well in junior leagues, and more teams are showing interest in them.
Colby Barlow is a big winger who can find scoring opportunities in different situations, but his production has dropped. He could be a useful third-line player with physicality. Walton and He are probably a few years away from making an impact in the NHL, but they have the potential to be middle-six players.
Brad Lambert and Chaz Lucius are farther along in their development, with Lambert having already had some NHL experience. Both could become middle-six NHL players as soon as next season if given the right chances. There’s interest in them, and if included in a trade, it might reduce the need for a high draft pick. On their own, a third-line winger or depth defenseman could be a fair return.
Alfons Freij and Elias Salomonsson are young defensemen the Jets are eager to keep but have attracted interest. If the Jets move a defenseman, it would most likely be Ville Heinola or Simon Lundmark, as neither has found a permanent role with the NHL team. However, they could be useful NHL defenders for another team.
