With the NHL trade deadline less than a week away, there should be an abundance of trade activity between now and Friday afternoon. We have already seen superstars get traded this season, with defenseman Quinn Hughes going from the Vancouver Canucks, to the Minnesota Wild, and Artemi Panarin getting traded from the New York Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings. Here are some notable players who could make an impact on a new team.
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Coming off a gold medal win for the US, Trocheck has expressed his desire to leave the Rangers. He has been solid for the Rangers this season, with 12 goals and 26 assists across 45 games. He can also execute at the face-off circle and the penalty kill, two qualities that will be crucial for a team looking to make a deep postseason run.
However, with Trocheck, there is a bit of a catch. He is 32 years old and has three years left on his 7-year $39.375 million contract. Yet for a team looking to make a playoff push, he could be the guy to help.
Pettersson has quickly become one of the more disappointing players in the league. He was once a 100-point player who received Hart Trophy votes in 2022-23, and now has become a burden for the Canucks over the past few seasons. It doesn’t help that the Canucks are also last in the league standings by 10 points.
With the team in a complete rebuild and already trading superstar defenseman Hughes, Pettersson seems to be the next one to go. He is currently under contract until 2031-32 and has an $11.6 million cap hit. However, a change of scenery could be exactly what Pettersson needs to catch a glimpse of his old self.
Patrik Laine, RW
The Montreal Canadiens have given Laine permission to seek a trade, however it could be difficult to trade him. His injury troubles this season and his $8.7 million cap hit are also not very appealing. Yet the Canadiens have there top six locked and are currently third in the Atlantic division.
The 2016-second overall pick has shown some flashes with the Canadiens, with 20 goals and 33 assists in 52 games last season. However, he has only appeared in five games this season and has one point. If will be interesting to see if the Habs will be able to make a trade happen.
With the St. Louis Blues at the bottom of the Central division, it may be time to consider to rebuild. The team has made the playoffs once the last four years, and has struggled under Jim Montgomery‘s second year with the team.
Thomas provides some high value. He had 60 assists in back-to-back seasons from 2023-25. Thomas does have a no-trade clause and has battled some injuries this season, however he could bring some major talent as a No.1 or 2 center.
With the Calgary Flames in full sell mode, it may only be a matter of time before they decide to trade Weegar. Despite the minus-26 goal differential this season, he still stands as a solid top-4 defenseman with 47 points last season. The 32-year old has five years left on his contract with a $6.25 million cap hit, which is a pretty reasonable price.
The only downside for Calgary, is that they already traded defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this season. If Weeger were to be traded, it would leave the defense in real rough shape. Yet if the deal is not fair, the Flames may wait until the offseason.
