Who or what will your NHL team be saying goodbye to before the league’s March 7 trade deadline? This week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for their expert picks and analysis on all 32 teams.
In response, we heard about veteran role players, expiring contracts, valuable picks and prospects.
Here are our writers’ picks for the most likely assets to be dealt.
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Anaheim Ducks
Brian Dumoulin, LHD
A recent surge moved the Ducks into the outer fringes of the Western Conference playoff race and Dumoulin has played a big role as a stabilizing veteran in the team’s defense corps. But they should keep their eye on the bigger picture. He’s an impending UFA and New England product who spent most of his career in the Eastern Conference, winning two Cups with Pittsburgh. The price for a minutes-crunching shutdown defender could rise in the days leading up to the deadline. Moving him would also get both Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger into Anaheim’s lineup. Having the developing youngsters rotate in and out isn’t an ideal setup. — Eric Stephens
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Boston Bruins
Trent Frederic, LW
Frederic is unsigned after this season, and the Bruins may not be interested in bringing him back for the price he wants. He is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury but when back will play a heavy and confrontational style that would reinforce a Stanley Cup contender’s third line and penalty kill. — Fluto Shinzawa
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Henri Jokiharju has plenty of reason to want to play elsewhere given his inconsistent role this season with Buffalo. (Timothy T. Ludwig / Imagn Images)
Buffalo Sabres
Henri Jokiharju, RHD
Jokiharju is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $3.1 million cap hit. The right-shot defenseman has been a healthy scratch at times this season but after scoring for Team Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, he now has goals in consecutive games for Buffalo coming out of the break. He’s only 25 and could be a useful addition for a team looking for depth. He also has plenty of reason to want to play elsewhere given his inconsistent role this season. — Matthew Fairburn
Calgary Flames
2026 third-round pick
The Flames have two third-round picks in 2026 — their own and the Canucks’. If the Flames are willing to buy low ahead of the deadline, it would be easy to make one of these draft picks expendable in a trade. — Julian McKenzie
Carolina Hurricanes
Jack Roslovic, RW
The Hurricanes look positioned to make some depth additions and nothing more, but if GM Eric Tulsky wants to add another significant player, it will require money going out. Roslovic has added needed secondary scoring (19 goals through 58 games) but has just two goals since the calendar flipped to 2025. If Carolina wanted to add another player, his $2.8 million cap could be the one to move out. — Cory Lavalette
Chicago Blackhawks
Ryan Donato, RW
Donato and Taylor Hall were considered the most likely players to be traded. Hall is gone. The question now is whether Donato will follow. It’s unlikely Donato will re-sign with the Blackhawks, but they may still keep him through the season. It all may depend on what teams are offering for him. — Scott Powers
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Colorado Avalanche
Casey Mittelstadt, C
If the Avalanche are looking to make a sizable move, it would likely come with a corresponding move to open up a bit more cap space. The most likely candidate has to be Mittelstadt, who still has two years left on his deal with a $5.75 million cap hit. Mittelstadt has played well for stretches, but it feels like moving that cap hit may be the easiest way for Colorado to improve elsewhere. — Jesse Granger
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Columbus Blue Jackets
2025 fourth-round pick or 2026 third-round pick
There’s a chance Don Waddell trades defenseman Ivan Provorov, right winger Mathieu Olivier or another prominent pending UFA if he gets a substantial offer, but it’s hard to see him messing with the core of this club after the season they’ve had. Think mid-round picks. He’s got two fourths this summer, so there’s some flexibility. — Aaron Portzline
Dallas Stars
2026 first-round pick
This is almost by default. With Logan Stankoven, Lian Bichsel and Mavrik Bourque unlikely to be made available, and a shallow prospect pool beyond them, a distant first-round pick is all the Stars really have to bargain with. They’ve already moved their first-, second- and fourth-round picks in the 2025 draft. — Mark Lazerus
Detroit Red Wings
2025 third-round pick
It remains to be seen how aggressive the Red Wings will be at the deadline — or if they’ll really add at all — but if they do, the Rangers’ 2025 third-round pick they got for Olli Määttä earlier this season gives them some bonus draft capital to work with that could suit their needs for a depth defender. Obviously, doing something more substantial would require a higher price (whether it’s picks or prospects) but having a surplus pick makes one of the 2025 third-rounders the most likely to move. — Max Bultman
Edmonton Oilers
2025 second-round pick
The Oilers have little to trade off the roster unless they jettison a goalie to upgrade the position. Their first-round pick was already conditionally dealt to Philadelphia at last year’s draft. There aren’t many prospects in the stable to move. Their best chip could be the second-rounder they received from St. Louis for not matching Philip Broberg’s offer sheet. That’s got a bit more value than theirs (which was dealt) would have, too. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman
Florida Panthers
2026 second-round pick
The Panthers, at the moment, won’t pick until the fourth round of the 2025 draft, and their prospect pool is brutal. So it goes; winning Stanley Cups is expensive. That does mean, though, that the most valuable trade asset they have is probably their 2026 first-rounder. It’s easy to imagine Bill Zito moving that if the right deal came around, but we’ll err on the side of caution. — Sean Gentille
Los Angeles Kings
2025 first-round pick
A few possibilities were considered. Would it be all that shocking if the Kings were to put one of Alex Turcotte, Brandt Clarke or Jordan Spence in a deal? Turcotte is healthy and could get more ice time elsewhere, Clarke is now the No. 7 defenseman after playing a lot early on and Spence is a viable asset to move if Clarke is the right-shot defender to keep long term. But with the 2025 draft not considered to be all that strong and the Kings in line to draft later in the first round, GM Rob Blake could use that toward getting another offensive threat. Especially with his unsettled future and L.A. needing to shake its first-round bugaboo. — Eric Stephens
Liam Ohgren has some NHL experience, a great shot and some upside in his 200-foot game. (Steve Roberts / Imagn Images)
Minnesota Wild
Liam Ohgren, LW
The Wild have already dealt their 2025 first-round pick (in the David Jiricek trade with Columbus) and would be reluctant to move their 2026 first. That means they’d likely deal from a prospect pool ranked No. 2 in NHL by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. Ohgren, a 2022 first-rounder, comes with some NHL experience (25 games). He has a great shot — 12 goals in 25 games for AHL Iowa this season — and some upside in his 200-foot game. — Joe Smith
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Montreal Canadiens
Jake Evans, C
Evans’ contract is set to expire, he and the Canadiens are far apart in negotiations and there are teams interested in acquiring his services. He is a right-shot center who is strong on faceoffs and one of the league’s elite penalty killers. The Canadiens are trying to package Evans with Joel Armia — his penalty-killing partner and fourth-line linemate — in a single trade to try and increase the return. But of the two, it seems Evans is more likely to move if the Canadiens can’t swing the package deal. That said, the Canadiens are not desperate to move him, or anyone really, and will expect a strong return for Evans. — Arpon Basu
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Nashville Predators
Gustav Nyquist, LW
This is virtually a lock. Nyquist, in the last year of a deal with a $3.2 million AAV, is a classic rental forward for someone looking for a bit more offense entering the stretch run and the playoffs. He has fallen off significantly from last season’s career-best production, but he’s a heady, skilled player who can help someone and will no doubt be glad to get away from all the losing. — Joe Rexrode
New Jersey Devils
2025 second-round pick
The Devils can get a helpful player by using a second-round pick, either alone or packaged with another player or pick. New Jersey has three second-rounders (its own, Edmonton’s and Winnipeg’s) in this summer’s draft. Flipping one or more could make a lot of sense to bring in some help at forward. — Peter Baugh
New York Islanders
Brock Nelson, C
Nelson is this year’s ideal trade chip: a high-performing center who plays in all situations on an affordable ($6 million cap hit), expiring deal. The perfect rental. If the Islanders pass up this chance, then what exactly is the trade deadline for? — Arthur Staple
New York Rangers
Reilly Smith, RW
Smith isn’t one of the top available forwards, but he can bring a contender a player with postseason experience (he won the Cup with Vegas in 2023) and some offense. The Rangers could probably get a mid-round pick for the veteran. — Peter Baugh
Ottawa Senators
Jacob Bernard-Docker, RHD
If the Senators are going to move for a piece, whether a player or a prospect, don’t be surprised if a draft pick or a young defenseman in Bernard-Docker gets dangled in exchange. As the Senators resume play, Bernard-Docker is at risk of being on the outside looking in with the emergence of Nikolas Matinpalo as a bottom-pairing defenseman. It could be time for the 24-year-old to experience a change of scenery. — Julian McKenzie
Rasmus Ristolainen could also be a target for teams that have difficulty luring free agents, because he’s signed through 2026-27. (Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)
Philadelphia Flyers
Rasmus Ristolainen, RHD
Big, physical right-shot defensemen are often coveted by teams looking to add at the deadline, and Ristolainen checks all of those boxes. Not only that, his skating has notably improved over the past couple of seasons, making him a much more effective 200-foot player than he was earlier in his career. Suddenly, Ristolainen’s $5.1 million AAV doesn’t look so bad. The 30-year-old could also be a target for teams that have difficulty luring free agents, because he’s signed through 2026-27. — Kevin Kurz
I’m told that the Flyers haven’t gotten many calls on defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Fewer than they expected. There is a decent chance now he sticks around post-deadline.
Things can change quickly. But that’s where it stands at the moment.
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) February 26, 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins
Anthony Beauvillier, LW
Beauvillier has been fine for the Penguins, moving up and down the lineup and chipping in with some goals. He’s fast. He plays hard. He has playoff experience. He’s on an expiring contract. He’ll be a nice depth addition for a team looking to fortify its forwards. — Rob Rossi
San Jose Sharks
Nico Sturm, C
The Sharks have already done their heavy lifting in trading Mackenzie Blackwood, Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci, so there isn’t a whole lot left to actively peddle. But the classy Sturm is a big-bodied fourth-line center who can win faceoffs and help on the penalty kill. The 29-year-old has a Stanley Cup with Colorado to his name and is on an expiring contract. He’s back in action after some injury time off and played a season-high 15:38 on Monday in Winnipeg. Feels like some showcasing is on tap. — Eric Stephens
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Seattle Kraken
Brandon Tanev, LW/RW
Brandon Tanev is 33 and on an expiring deal with a clear non-playoff team. Unlike Yanni Gourde, there’s no injury complications where Tanev is concerned. A lightning-quick skater with enough skill to punish opponents’ mistakes, Tanev is the perfect bottom-six add for just about any playoff team in need of wing depth. He’s going to have a robust market, and looks like the most straightforward deadline deal we’d expect from Ron Francis and the rest of the Kraken hockey operations. — Thomas Drance
St. Louis Blues
Zack Bolduc, RW
To be clear, I don’t think Bolduc will be traded before the deadline, or even this summer. But the Blues aren’t trading prospects Dalibor Dvorsky or Jimmy Snuggerud, and they don’t have many draft picks (only a first-rounder, a fifth and a sixth this year, and no seconds for the next three drafts). I don’t think the Blues want to move Bolduc, but he’s got potential and might be the player other clubs are asking about. It would make much more sense for the Blues to keep prospects such as Bolduc while the retool continues. — Jeremy Rutherford
Tampa Bay Lightning
2025 second-round pick (from Kings)
The Lightning’s prospect pool is pretty thin, so draft picks are their best trade assets right now. Tampa Bay is without its own first and second in 2025, but has two seconds to work with from Los Angeles and Toronto. The Kings pick is probably more valuable here, especially if they continue on their collision course to another matchup against Edmonton. — Shayna Goldman
Toronto Maple Leafs
2026 first-round pick
If the Leafs are going to make a splash, they are going to have to part with a premium asset. And while they could certainly opt to move a top prospect such as Easton Cowan or Ben Danford, moving this pick instead would allow them to hang onto those prospects, who aren’t far from becoming NHLers. I’d also circle the team’s third-round pick in the upcoming draft as one that could get moved. Thirds are often exchanged for depth rentals at the deadline, including Joel Edmundson last spring. — Jonas Siegel
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Utah Hockey Club
2025 first-round pick
It’s not the strongest draft class and Utah is trying to make a late push into the playoff picture. Draft picks should be expendable to the team, as they could help them help in the race to acquire players such as Brock Nelson, Brock Boeser, Rickard Rakell or any other high-end forwards available. — Shayna Goldman
Vancouver Canucks
Brock Boeser, RW
Boeser’s contract is expiring, there has been no meaningful progress in contract talks and the club is on the fringe of the playoff picture out West. As much as Boeser wants to stay and as much as Vancouver needs offense, we know how this sort of story usually plays out. — Thomas Drance
Vegas Golden Knights
2025 second-round pick
Vegas doesn’t have a first-round pick in 2025 or 2026 after trading them for Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, respectively, ahead of last year’s trade deadline, so this year’s second-round pick is one of their most valuable assets. It wouldn’t surprise me if we see the Golden Knights package this pick with another to bring in a winger to improve the depth scoring. — Jesse Granger
Washington Capitals
2025 second-round pick
The good news for the Caps if they want to make a relatively big move is that they’ve got plenty of draft capital, including their own second-round pick along with Boston’s in the 2025 draft. Top prospects such as Ryan Leonard, Andrew Cristall and Cole Hutson don’t seem to be in play. — Sean Gentille
Winnipeg Jets
Colby Barlow, LW
Winnipeg has traded a first-round pick in all three of its best seasons: the 2018 run to the Western Conference final, 2019’s attempt at an encore and last season’s Sean Monahan pick up. Combine that with contender status and ample cap space and it would be unusual if Winnipeg wasn’t willing to go that route — for the right player. At the same time, I think Jets management wants to give its scouts more to work with on draft day. Barlow could give the Jets a way to go big while keeping their first-round pick. It’s rare for the Jets to move top prospects, mind you, so it may have been safer to answer this question with draft capital. — Murat Ates
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(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Mike Stobe / NHLI via Getty Images, Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images, Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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