Happy Wednesday, Razzball faithful!
We’re smack-dab in the middle of Olympic chaos, and Wednesday’s playoff round looks like a doozy.
I’m not even sure which game I’m looking forward to watching more: David Pastrnak vs Team Canada or the Swedish berries/fish/meatballs vs Team USA.
Luckily, we don’t have to look into too much of that for right now, because it’s time to pair up last week’s trade deadline preview with the other side of the league. If you missed it last week, you can click the link here…
EASTERN CONFERENCE TRADE DEADLINE PREVIEW
For this week, it’s the best (and not-so-best) of the West.
The format will be the same as before. I’ll give you sellers, buyers, and teams that are buzzing around with that “contender vs pretender” identity crisis.
I included the UFA and RFA players so you can see who has a better chance of getting moved.
Then we’re into the nitty and/or the gritty. I’ll run through a handful of teams from each section with salary cap space, and most likely moves or roster decisions that could shape how you choose to beef up your own squad.
At the very least, it’s something to read while we wait for the NHL to get back to business. I’m hoping I can help with ideas for potential free agents to add in your leagues or what kind of players to target in those deadline deals for your own squad as we chase down that title!
Let’s get to it!
WESTERN CONFERENCE TRADE DEADLINE PREVIEW
SELLERS
VAN, STL, CGY, CHI
BUYERS
LAK, COL, DAL, VEG, MIN, EDM
CONTENDERS or PRETENDERS?
WPG, SJ, NSH, ANA, UTA, SEA
PENDING FREE AGENTS
I took a look at the list of players who will be UFAs and RFAs at the end of this season.
Some of these guys aren’t going anywhere. Most players who will stay put are already on contending teams, or mean too much to the squad to jettison them for future draft picks or prospects.
Pending UFAs – Nick Schmaltz, Jordan Eberle, Marcus Johansson, Rasmus Andersson, Mats Zuccarello, Vladimir Tarasenko, Eeli Tolvanen, Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Corey Perry, Brent Burns, Evander Kane, Jacob Trouba, Victor Olofsson, Jack Roslovic, Kiefer Sherwood, Ilya Mikheyev, Andrei Kuzmenko, Anze Kopitar, Jamie Benn, Nick Blankenburg, John Klingberg, Jaden Schwartz, Jonathan Toews, Matt Grzelcyk.
Pending RFAs – Jason Robertson, Connor Bedard, Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Dorofeyev, Leo Carlsson, Collin Graf, Brandt Clarke, Mavrick Bourque, Barrett Hayton, Jack Drury, Olen Zelwegger, Cole Perfetti, Phillip Kurashev, Pavel Mintyukov, Justin Barron.
SALARY CAP ISSUES
Last week I put numbers alongside each team that referred to their salary cap space. I decided to change that up for today because last week, I had the team’s projected cap space available at the end of the season and not for their current squad. Cap space RIGHT NOW will be a bigger determining factor in those trade deadline moves.
Any teams close to or “in the red” based on cap space could make adding to a roster more difficult for these teams, barring any kind of “phantom injuries”. I caught some flack last week for pointing out that some teams have sent players with large contracts to the regular season IR only to find that these guys are “magically healed” before Game 1 of the NHL playoffs when the salary cap no longer matters.
In other words, some teams are less likely to have room to make additions to the active roster without getting “creative”.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: BUYERS
COLORADO – $4.72 million in available cap space.
With just under $5 million in cap space wiggle room, the Avalanche are sitting pretty atop the Western Conference and in the trade deadline driver’s seat. They don’t own a draft pick in the first 3 rounds of the 2026 draft, but they stockpiled nine picks in Rounds 4 through 7.
Colorado could add a couple of those later round picks and a Victor Olofsson or Jack Drury in any trade offers for other team’s expiring contracts in order to beef up an already stellar group. If they can add an upgrade to Olofsson, and a better middle six center (Drury), this Western juggernaut could get even scarier.
MINNESOTA – $10.32 million in available cap space.
So, wait. The Wild traded for Quinn Hughes, didn’t insist that Vancouver retain any of his contract in the deal, and STILL have over $10 million in cap space available to add to the current roster? What?!
A bunch of the UFA names above are currently skating for Minnesota. That means next year’s group will likely look a lot different than this one, but GM Bill Guerin is only concerned with one thing and that’s reinforcing this group for a deep cup run.
There have been whispers that the Wild are at least open to listening to offers for their young star goalie, Jesper Wallstedt, but the return would have to be a significant one if the Wild are going to commit to Filip Gustavsson and try to cash in on the surplus. I don’t know if the Wild “need” to add anything, so I expect any moves they make will be to add depth and insurance in case of injury.
EDMONTON – $270K in available cap space.
Eek! The Oilers barely have enough cash left for a round of bottled water, let alone for a big addition at the deadline.
At this point, it’s tough to figure out where the Oilers go from here. The trade for Tristan Jarry was supposed to improve their goaltending trouble, but after winning his first three games in Edmonton, the former Penguin has gone 3-7-1.
Adam Henrique and Jack Roslovic are on expiring contracts, but Henrique is injured and any deal involving Roslovic would likely need a middle-6 forward coming back.
This feels like a “run it back” kind of year again for the Oilers with any major trade movement, if any, happening in the offseason. If it’s bridesmaid season in Alberta again this year, expect a guy like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Darnell Nurse to hear a lot of trade rumors swirling around July 1st.
LOS ANGELES KINGS – $3.44 million in available cap space.
This was a tough one to figure out. On one hand, the 60-point Kings aren’t even in a playoff position right now (three points behind Anaheim and four behind Utah). As for the other hand? Well, that one is filled with bread.
Artemi Panarin didn’t give the Rangers much of a choice when he said he’d only accept a trade to Los Angeles. It must feel pretty good when a superstar player says he will only sign off on a deal for one team…unless your team isn’t the one he wants to play for.
Kevin Fiala’s “lower leg fracture” put quite the wrench in the Kings’ hope for a playoff push, but adding one of the best available forwards in Panarin means L.A. can’t afford to play it safe anymore. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a move for another forward to replace Fiala’s scoring skill and try not to let the injury upset the Kings’ apple cart too much. Shipping a minor leaguer and a couple of draft picks out for a guy like Steven Stamkos or Evander Kane makes the most sense to me, and should be a real possibility.
Viz also mentioned in his bold predictions check-in that LA’s use of Brandt Clarke has been puzzling. It wouldn’t make much sense to trade away a young defenceman with a skill set like Clarke’s, but he’s an RFA and would bring back a considerable haul in playoff assets if he was dangled in front of the right “seller” from either conference.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: SELLERS
VANCOUVER CANUCKS – $3.99 million in available cap space.
It’s full out strip-down and gut mode for the Canucks ahead of the deadline. Things are so bad that they decided to not even wait to trade their biggest chip, and deal Quinn Hughes to the Wild on December 13th.
Evander Kane is a UFA and is guaranteed to move out. His scoring ability and penchant for physical play should net Vancouver a solid return with multiple pieces and/or picks. He’d make a great Victor Olofsson replacement if Colorado wanted to ship out one UFA for a better one. He’d also be a welcome addition to fill in for Kevin Fiala in Los Angeles, if we’re staying in the West. Really, any team with a strong enough culture wouldn’t need to worry too much about his history of attitude troubles. I’d be happy if the Bruins could swing a deal for him, that’s for sure.
Other UFA role players that should garner some interest: David Kampf, Teddy Blueger, Derek Forbort, and Jiri Patera. These guys won’t be much more than depth adds for teams still in the hunt, but stockpiling picks is the name of the game in Vancouver, and these names should net them a handful of mid-to-late round picks for the next two drafts.
ST. LOUIS BLUES – $4.56 million in available cap space.
“Give me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it”. That is an excellent trade deadline mantra. In reality, it’s just a lyric sung by Rob Thomas. The center with an $8 million cap hit who is currently on injured reserve with a leg injury? Uh, no. But it’s not going to take twenty boxes to find a match for the Blues if they’re willing to deal the 26-year-old center before the deadline. If St Louis commits to a rebuild, teams like Los Angeles would be a clear favorite (to replace Fiala). Utah might not have as much of a pressing need as the Kings do, but they have an abundance of picks that could help move along trade talks and give the Mammoth a bona fide star up the middle.
CHICAGO – $44.8 million in available cap space.
I’m sorry, what? I had to triple check that cap space number before I wrote it down here and I still don’t feel comfortable with it.
This is another team that is fully committed to the rebuild/retool. Chicago has three 1st round picks and FIVE 2nd round picks in the next two NHL entry drafts. Loading up on picks is the recipe for success when it comes to bottom feeding teams, and the more lottery tickets a team like Chicago can stockpile, the better the chances are of striking rich.
Ilya Mikheyev, Nick Foligno, Sam Dickinson, Matt Grzlecyk, and Connor Murphy are all UFAs after the season is over, and that group should be able to land Chicago a couple of younger players and a few more picks to add to the hoard.
The $44.8 million in cap space? How about using that to take on some dead contracts from teams in trouble if they’re willing to move early round picks?
And, of course, save a giant chunk of that $44 million to send in a fleet of Brinks trucks to Connor Bedard’s house with an RFA extension offer on July 1st.
CALGARY – $32.44 million in available cap space.
The writing has been on the wall for the Flames for a while now. They finally waved the red flag (no pun intended) when they dealt captain Rasmus Andersson to Vegas. It sounds like Nazem Kadri is headed out of town next.
The Flames don’t have a ton of pending free agents, and I’d say Jake Bean (UFA) could garner some trade interest from a contending team looking to add depth to their back end, but it sounds like his “indefinite” timeline for recovery from a lower body injury means no one would give up a bag of pucks for him.
Calgary will likely listen to offers for any or all players, but I’d be surprised if they moved a guy like Dustin Wolf or Matt Coronato. Anyone coming in via trade would be an interesting add if they’re getting an increase in ice time with the Flames (compared to their previous team), but if you’re in a plus/minus league you already know to stay far away from this club.
And as a quick aside with regard to Calgary Flames trades, Matthew Tkachuk should probably send a “Thank You” card to Calgary’s front office for that trade to Florida. I said it to a buddy last week when Tkachuk gave Leon Draisaitl the gears for “always being a bridesmaid”.
Buddy, if you were still in Calgary you wouldn’t even be invited to the wedding.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: CONTENDERS OR PRETENDERS?
WINNIPEG – $9.20 million in available cap space.
It was tough to not list these guys as flat out sellers, but they feel like the Western Conference’s version of the Florida Panthers.
Both teams were very successful last year, have a good portion of last year’s team back for this season, and are underperforming to the point where missing the playoffs is a real threat.
Viz mentioned it about the Panthers last week, and I think it bears repeating here with the Jets. There isn’t a sensible path to a rebuild or even a hard re-tool for this club. Hellebuyck would net them a ton in a trade, but he’s not going anywhere. A blueliner like Josh Morrissey is highly coveted by other teams, but there’s no reason to move a player like that out either.
If Winnipeg wants to shake things up to try to wake their team up, the most likely sacrificial Jet might be a guy like Cole Perfetti who is an RFA at the end of the year. Luke Schenn is a pending UFA who should have his bags packed and expect a move to a contending team that needs depth on the back end. I’d expect the Jets to get some calls on soon-to-be UFAs Tanner Pearson and Gustav Nyquist.
Jonathan Toews is a UFA, too, but he signed in Winnipeg to be close to home, so I doubt they move him out without his blessing.
SAN JOSE – $694K in available cap space.
These guys are second to Edmonton in the “poor team” race. The good news is the Sharks don’t have much to improve on. Starting goaltender Yaroslav Askarov had a rough streak heading into the Olympic break with one win in his most recent 7 starts, but outside of adding an upgrade in net and maybe a Top 4 defenseman, the Sharks aren’t likely to make much of a splash with their up-and-coming roster of superkids.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS – $22.86 million in available cap space.
Nashville is only 4 points out of a playoff spot, but the Predators are ready to ship out anything that isn’t nailed down.
Steven Stamkos is the biggest name on the trade market, and any buyer looking for a veteran presence with a bit of fire left in the belly would do well to check in with GM Barry Trotz about the cost for the former Lightning captain.
UFA names fill the rest of the list here. Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, and Nick Blankenburg could all be on the move as depth additions. Justin Barron is an RFA, but I can’t see them moving him unless a deal involves a considerable piece (or pieces) coming back to “Music City”.
UTAH MAMMOTH – $16.31 million in available cap space.
There’s not much to say here other than I’m fully on team “Please make the playoffs” when it comes to Utah. To be honest, I’d like to see both the Kraken and the Mammoth in the post season, but each team has its own issues to address.
With Utah, the forward group is solid, and the goals are there. The Top 4 D is as good as any team can ask for if you’re looking for defensive ability.
The goalies? That’s another story entirely. I can’t see Utah and Minnesota matching up well for a trade, and I also can’t see Minnesota dealing Jesper Wallstedt to a team they might end up having to face in the playoffs.
The good news for Mammoth fans is they have a TON of draft picks they can dangle in trade talks: One 1st rounder, three 2nd rounders, and two 3rd round picks. Parting with a couple of those should be enough to net them a considerable return from a seller.
SEATTLE KRAKEN – $14.67 million in available cap space.
This is a team that is actually IN a playoff spot. Alas, I don’t know if the Kraken are ready to “crack open” the cupboard and unload a bunch of futures to bolster this team for a long playoff run.
It’s a weird situation in Seattle. Guys like Jordan Eberle have been with the squad since Day 1, so it’s unlikely they’d move on from the pending UFA, especially when they’re in the running for a playoff position.
Their younger players would seem untouchable, but Seattle GM Jason Botterill made it widely known that their first round pick from 2022, Shane Wright, is available in trade. To say this is confusing is an understatement. Last week the Hockey News mentioned a rumor of Shane Wright to Winnipeg for Cole Perfetti. That kind of deal makes sense for both clubs if they think the player needs a change of scenery, but it’s hard to figure out Seattle.
The Kraken has their own first round pick AND Tampa Bay’s first round pick in the next two entry drafts, so they’re in good shape to ship out picks for players to add as supplements if they believe in the current group.
That’s all, folks! I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to drop any questions or comments below. I told Viz I’ll be back next week to recap the Olympic stats and have a look at some names to follow for the final 25 games of the season.
Follow me @marmosdad on Twitter/X and Bluesky @marmosdad.bsky.social
