The floodgates are open now.
After a day of ground-shaking offseason trades unlike any the NHL has seen in recent memory, the market is primed for more moves.
Top draft picks are changing hands. Big names are being discussed. Free agency isn’t stocked with other solutions.
Jason Robertson is suddenly in play with July 1 on the horizon and the Dallas Stars unable to reach an extension with the star winger. Robertson is a game-breaker in line for a major payday. Meanwhile, Connor Hellebuyck and Matthew Knies also find themselves in the middle of a swirl of chatter as talks heat up ahead of Friday’s NHL draft.
Amid a unique and exciting trade season, we refresh the big board.
As always, players and assets are listed by how closely they demand watching, based on their potential impact and the current amount of buzz around them.
Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers
Sean McIndoe and Sean Gentille
(Note: Contract details via PuckPedia.)
1. Jason Robertson
Team: Dallas Stars
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 45 goals, 96 points, 82 games
Age: 26
Contract: Restricted free agent
With the 11th hour approaching, it appears more likely than not that Robertson is moved. The Stars had hoped to sign the restricted free agent to a long-term contract, but the team’s concerns now shift to a possible offer sheet on July 1. Robertson has a case to exceed teammate Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million annual salary, given the 18 percent jump in the salary cap since Rantanen signed his deal, but Dallas doesn’t have much room to maneuver with a full cap sheet. The big winger is a major offensive driver coming off a 96-point season with the Stars.
2. San Jose Sharks’ No. 2 pick
In order to consider trading a pick this high in the draft — the likes of which hasn’t been dealt intentionally during the NHL’s salary cap era — San Jose needs to get a young top-pair defenseman or young top-line player back to replace what they’d be losing. In other words, a player or players in their prime or approaching it. While that’s a high bar to clear, it’s notable that multiple teams are still making aggressive plays for the No. 2 pick. After making top-four selections each of the past three drafts and building a team on the rise, the Sharks are open-minded to any idea that can improve their roster right now.
3. Matthew Knies
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 66 points, 79 games
Age: 23
Contract: $7.75 million AAV through 2031
The more his name works itself through the rumor mill, the more likely it seems that the Leafs have committed to moving on here. Knies is a young power forward with an ideal blend of size and skill who is signed until his late 20s. He’s a rare commodity on the trade market, and Toronto seems focused on taking advantage of that scarcity. While the Leafs want to downplay the likelihood of a trade, rival executives believe there’s a move coming here.
4. Morgan Rielly
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 11 goals, 36 points, 78 games
Age: 32
Contract: $7.5 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause
The Maple Leafs’ longest-tenured player is open to moving on after 14 years with the organization and has submitted a list of four Western-based teams he’d play for. Rielly had previously been unwilling to consider waiving his no-movement clause but has softened on that stance. While Rielly’s skating isn’t the separator it once was, he possesses strong puck skills and can help drive a team offensively. He’s also a high-character player who should be viewed as a dressing room asset.
5. Connor Hellebuyck
Team: Winnipeg Jets
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 23-23-11, 2.86 GAA, .895 save percentage, 57 games
Age: 33
Contract: $8.5 million through 2031; no-movement clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2027-28
The offers aren’t there yet to prompt the Jets to move on from a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, but minds are open to the possibility. It’s been in the air since an emotional end-of-season news conference saw Hellebuyck reveal that his belief in the Jets ability to compete for a Stanley Cup had been “challenged.” He’s the total package in the crease — an Olympic champion with size, durability and elite puck-tracking ability. It’s not often you can find a goalie this good on the trade market.
6. Dylan Larkin
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 34 goals, 67 points, 74 games
Age: 29
Contract: $8.7 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2028-29
Larkin is a speedy two-way center who is an ever-present threat to score. He can handle big minutes and tough checking assignments and is known as a competitive player who battles his way to the difficult areas of the ice. While his playoff experience is limited to just five games, Larkin was a strong performer for Team USA at the Milan Olympics and 4 Nations Face-Off. His contract makes him an even more attractive asset because he’s locked in at a reasonable rate of $8.7 million for the next five seasons. Larkin drops from the top spot on our watch list because it’s gone a bit quiet on his front while the assets above him look like they could move imminently.
7. Vincent Trocheck
Team: New York Rangers
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 16 goals, 53 points, 67 games
Age: 32
Contract: $5.625 million AAV through 2029; 12-team no-trade list becomes 10-team on July 1
The veteran center spent most of the season at or near the top of our trade board and remains there now. After scratching Trocheck for roster management purposes prior to the trade deadline in March, the Rangers opted to hold on to him in anticipation of stronger offers in the summer. Those conversations have since resumed. Trocheck is an appealing target for teams looking to get stronger down the middle as a solid faceoff man and penalty killer who can handle heavy, difficult minutes. He’s one of the few impact players at that position who appears to be truly available right now.
8. Darnell Nurse
Team: Edmonton Oilers
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 24 points, 82 games
Age: 31
Contract: $9.25 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause
Nurse requested a trade after spending the past 12 years in Edmonton. He’s a hard-nosed defenseman who blocks shots, logs minutes and plays with edge. The only problem? He’s paid like a cornerstone player, not just a really good one, and for an organization operating close to the salary cap in a narrow contention window, there’s a significant opportunity cost attached to Nurse’s inefficient contract. The player owns a no-movement clause and is working with the team to find a suitable landing spot.
9. Mason McTavish
Team: Anaheim Ducks
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 17 goals, 41 points, 75 games
Age: 23
Contract: $7 million AAV through 2031
This was not the kind of season McTavish or the Ducks had in mind when they agreed to a $42 million, six-year extension in September. Not only did the 23-year-old find himself an occasional healthy scratch, including during the playoffs, but he saw a decline in his average ice time and offensive production. The puck-handling skills, vision and shot that made McTavish a top draft pick remain, but so do some of the questions about his skating ability. A fresh start is likely coming.
10. Elias Pettersson
Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 15 goals, 51 points, 74 games
Age: 27
Contract: $11.6 million AAV through 2032; no-movement clause
The Canucks are still charting their direction under a revamped front office, but there can only be so much patience with Pettersson. While new GM Ryan Johnson has spoken about wanting to “wipe away all expectations,” the fact remains that the Swede is a long way off the performer he was when Vancouver signed him to a $92.8 million, eight-year extension in March 2024. And the Canucks are in the early stages of a rebuild. Pettersson has a massive amount of salary owing and a no-movement clause in his contract, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if a fresh start was in order here.
11. Valeri Nichushkin
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 17 goals, 49 points, 72 games
Age: 31
Contract: $6.125 million through 2030; 12-team no-trade list
A powerful skater with size and skill, Nichushkin saw his offensive production tail off last season. He’s on a reasonable contract but may be due for a fresh start as the Avalanche look for ways to refresh their program following a loss in the Western Conference final. Nichushkin’s deal was heavily front-loaded, meaning his remaining salary falls below his $6.125 million cap hit. He does have a 12-team no-trade list.
12. Pavel Zacha
Team: Boston Bruins
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 30 goals, 65 points, 78 games
Age: 29
Contract: $4.75 million through 2027; 8-team no-trade list
Zacha is fresh off his strongest NHL season, which included 30 goals and 65 points, and he holds the hammer with the possibility of hitting the free-agent market next summer. That’s forced Boston to at least listen to offers in the absence of an extension with its top center. Zacha is a big man (6-foot-4, 211 pounds) who is difficult to contend with in the offensive zone, and he’s consistently found the back of the net, even in seasons that don’t feature the kind of shooting percentage bender he enjoyed in 2025-26, when 22.9 percent of his shots went in. A late bloomer, he’s developed into a reliable faceoff man.
13. Danila Yurov
Team: Minnesota Wild
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 27 points, 73 games
Age: 22
Contract: $2.95 million through 2028 (RFA)
The Wild have dangled Yurov as part of packages aimed at landing bigger fish. The No. 24 pick in 2022 is coming off his rookie NHL season and demonstrated deft stickhandling skills and strong instincts while lining up as a third-line center by the end of his first year in North America. Yurov is a shifty player with upside who is cost-controlled with an entry-level contract covering the next two seasons, which is an attractive set of attributes.
14. Jake DeBrusk
Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 42 points, 81 games
Age: 29
Contract: $5.5 million AAV through 2031; no-movement clause
A player who doesn’t fit the mold of the rebuilding efforts underway in Vancouver. DeBrusk is a strong skater with a nose for the net, having potted 28 and 23 goals during two trying seasons for the Canucks. There’s a lot of meat left on the bone, but there’s also a contract that includes a no-movement clause, which definitely complicates things. DeBrusk is at an age where getting back to a competitive team remains a priority.
15. Blake Coleman
Team: Calgary Flames
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 20 goals, 35 points, 69 games
Age: 34
Contract: $4.9 million AAV through 2027; 10-team trade list
Coleman is another player who attracted interest ahead of the trade deadline that could still be moved this summer. The rebuild is on in Calgary — even if they’re not officially using the “R” word — after Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights), MacKenzie Weegar (Utah Mammoth) and Nazem Kadri (Colorado Avalanche) were dealt in-season, and Coleman has one year left on his existing deal. He’s an excellent skater and a defensively sound winger who usually sees the puck headed in the right direction when he’s on the ice. Coleman is also a 20-goal scorer who has been dangerous on the penalty kill over the years and ideally slots in on the third line of a top team, as he did for the Tampa Bay Lightning while winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021.
16. Adin Hill
Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 10-9-6, 3.04 GAA, .871 save percentage, 27 games
Age: 30
Contract: $6.25 million through 2031; 10-team no-trade list
Supplanted by Carter Hart during the Vegas Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final, Hill could find himself as a cap casualty in the offseason. Big and experienced — Hill earned Conn Smythe Trophy votes when Vegas won the Stanley Cup in 2023 — he would represent an upgrade for several teams on their existing situation in the crease. Moving him would create the flexibility the Golden Knights need to take care of other business. Of note: Hill is owed a $7 million signing bonus payment as part of his compensation for the 2026-27 season and should have even more value if he’s traded after that’s already been paid out.
17. Colton Parayko
Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 4 goals, 18 points, 77 games
Age: 33
Contract: $6.5 million AAV through 2030; no-trade clause
Parayko used his no-trade clause to block a potential move to the Buffalo Sabres in March, but that won’t keep his name out of discussions this summer. He is a minute-munching defensive defenseman who won a silver medal with Team Canada at the Milan Olympics and plays a premier position as a top-pairing right-shot D. He gets around the ice well for a man of his size at 6-foot-6.
18. Brandon Carlo
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 0 goals, 7 points, 55 games
Age: 29
Contract: $4.1 million AAV through 2027; 8-team no-trade list becomes 3-team no-trade list on July 1
The Leafs are seeking two mid-range picks in exchange for the veteran right-shot defenseman. Carlo has plenty of attractive attributes, including the fact that he’s 6-foot-5 and can kill penalties and help shut the game down. He’s not overly physical, but he’s no stranger to big-game hockey with 85 career Stanley Cup playoff games on his resume. He’s one year from being a UFA, too.
19. Rickard Rakell
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 24 goals, 48 points, 60 games
Age: 33
Contract: $5 million AAV through 2028; 8-team no-trade list
With two seasons remaining on a contract where he’s delivered an outsized amount of production for the Penguins, Rakell’s trade value may never be higher. It also helps that his no-trade list is limited to eight teams. The right-shot winger is an above-average finisher who has a history of holding his own when playing alongside highly skilled linemates. While he hasn’t shown any apparent sign of slowing down, Pittsburgh is looking at the big picture.
20. Owen Tippett
Team: Philadelphia Flyers
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 28 goals, 51 points, 81 games
Age: 27
Contract: $6.2 million AAV through 2032; 10-team no-trade list
Signed for six more seasons to a positive-value contract, Tippett is not a prime candidate to be moved. But his name has started to appear in trade chatter because of the potential haul he could bring back to a Flyers team trying to take the next steps toward contention. Tippett’s biggest weapon is a lethal and accurate shot that’s had him knocking at the door of a 30-goal season. His contract includes a 10-team no-trade list that kicks in July 1.
21. Alexander Nikishin
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 11 goals, 33 points, 81 games
Age: 24
Contract: RFA
After winning a Stanley Cup in his first full season with the Hurricanes, Nikishin is a restricted free agent whose name has popped up in trade conversations. He’s a big man who skates well and scored 11 goals during the regular season. Carolina must weigh the merits of what he can bring back in a trade with what it’s going to cost to sign him to his next contract.
22. Tomáš Hertl
Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 24 goals, 58 points, 82 games
Age: 32
Contract: $8.1375 million AAV through 2030; 3-team trade list becomes 15-team trade list in 2028
Hertl is another potential salary cap casualty in Vegas. However, he’ll have a huge say in whatever happens because of a three-team approved trade list. The veteran center is coming off an up-and-down season that saw him endure a 29-game goalless drought before rediscovering his touch in the later rounds of the playoffs. Hertl is a big man who protects the puck well and can create havoc around the net. His cap hit ($6.75 million) is lower than his AAV because the San Jose Sharks retained salary when they traded him to the Golden Knights.
23. Shane Wright
Team: Seattle Kraken
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 27 points, 74 games
Age: 22
Contract: $886,666 AAV through 2027
It’s still not clear what Wright’s high-water mark will look like as an NHL player, but there’s reason to believe he might help bring Seattle back the kind of scoring boost it’s looking for in a trade. For starters, he’s still got one year remaining on his entry-level contract and presumably levels of growth still to come in his game. And even coming off a dip in his offensive production — going from 44 points to 27 points — he profiles as an intriguing two-way center, which is a commodity in demand right now.
24. Jordan Binnington
Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 13-20-7, 3.33 GAA, .873 save percentage, 41 games
Age: 32
Contract: $6 million AAV through 2027; 14-team no-trade list becomes 10-team on July 1
One year out from potential unrestricted free agency, the Blues face a decision on Binnington. He’s coming off a season where his numbers cratered, but his reputation as a big-game goalie was still burnished during a strong performance for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Binnington should hold appeal for teams that can offer him a better playing environment and are looking for an experienced player in the crease to help push them over the top. His competitive nature remains a major asset.
25. Jacob Markstrom
Team: New Jersey Devils
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 23-19-1, 3.07 GAA, .883 save percentage, 44 games
Age: 36
Contract: $6 million AAV through 2028; 20-team no-trade on July 1
The Devils are gauging the marketplace on the veteran goalie, who owns a 20-team no-trade list as of July 1. While Markstrom struggled last season — producing an .883 save percentage, the lowest of his NHL career — he’s got a strong track record of above-average results. He’s a big man who covers a lot of net and is considered elite at the position when he’s at his best.
26. Bryan Rust
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 29 goals, 65 points, 72 games
Age: 34
Contract: $5.125 million AAV through 2028
Rust’s name has circulated again with the Penguins focused on getting younger and looking to build off a return to the playoffs. His speed, forechecking prowess and two-way ability have allowed his game to age gracefully, and the 34-year-old is playing on a cap-friendly contract. The fact that Rust scored 60 goals across the past two seasons should be appealing to rival teams.
27. Mason Lohrei
Team: Boston Bruins
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 26 points, 73 games
Age: 25
Contract: $3.2 million AAV through 2027
Lohrei’s name circulated in trade rumors when the Bruins engaged in discussions on Rasmus Andersson last season. He’s signed through next year at a reasonable cap number and has one year of team control remaining as a restricted free agent beyond that, making him an attractive asset. Lohrei is incredibly mobile for his size and will chip in with a bit of offense from the back end. He’s also made strides defensively.
28. Sebastian Cossa
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: Played in AHL
Age: 23
Contract: Restricted free agent
The top goaltender selected in the 2021 NHL Draft found himself struggling to get playing time at the end of the AHL season behind Grand Rapids teammate Michal Postava. With Trey Augustine, another top goaltending prospect, also in the pipeline and Cossa no longer exempt from waivers starting next year, the most prudent play for Detroit may be to deal him for other assets this summer. Cossa is a big, athletic goaltender who spent three seasons with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and is viewed as a potential trade target for the Oilers.
29. Devon Levi
Team: Buffalo Sabres
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: Played in AHL
Age: 24
Contract: $812,500 AAV through 2027
The Sabres used three goaltenders last season, and Levi wasn’t one of them. He’s been surpassed in the organization after making 23 NHL appearances in 2023-24. A 2020 seventh-round pick who had a stellar NCAA career at Northeastern, Levi is still viewed favorably by other NHL teams. While on the smaller side for a top-level goaltender, he compensates with agility and athleticism.
30. Brendan Gallagher
Team: Montreal Canadiens
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 23 points, 77 games
Age: 34
Contract: $6.5 million AAV through 2027
A heart-and-soul member of the Canadiens for 14 seasons, Gallagher is seeking a fresh start after being a frequent healthy scratch down the stretch. He’s an agitator who gets in on the forecheck, plays hard along the walls and can chip in with a little offensive production. Gallagher is also a first-class dressing room presence. If a trade can’t be found, he’s a potential buyout candidate.
31. Ryan Hartman
Team: Minnesota Wild
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 43 points, 76 games
Age: 31
Contract: $4 million AAV through 2027; 15-team no-trade list becomes 10-team on July 1
The Wild are going to need to get creative to strengthen themselves down the middle, and it could mean parting with one of their existing centers. Hartman is a potential UFA in 2027 and should bring back value in a trade. He’s versatile, affordable, can handle top-six deployment and got his game back on the right side of the line last season after previously drawing attention from NHL disciplinarian George Parros. There’s a two-way element to his game as he can be trusted defensively.
32. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 2 goals, 9 points, 42 games
Age: 25
Contract: $4.82 million AAV through 2030; modified no-trade list
Kotkaniemi has fallen right off the map in Carolina, where he was a healthy scratch throughout the team’s entire run to the Stanley Cup. That followed a regular season in which a player once prized for his 200-foot game saw a big dip in his ability to drive play. Kotkaniemi’s typically inconsistent offensive numbers trended hard in the wrong direction, too. Still, he’s a reclamation project worth considering due to his age and ability to play a premier position. He still has four seasons remaining on his contract at a reasonable cap number if he can recapture his previous form.
33. Zach Werenski
Team: Columbus Blue Jackets
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 22 goals, 81 points, 75 games
Age: 28
Contract: $9,583,333 AAV through 2028; 10-team trade list
The Blue Jackets are in an uncomfortable position with the reigning Norris Trophy winner. They’ve heard plenty of external discussion about his presumed unwillingness to extend beyond the end of his current contract in 2028, but they’ve yet to actually hear that communicated from the player himself. Werenski is one of the top players in the game, and he’s a heart-and-soul contributor for the Blue Jackets. If he officially asks out — still an if — he’ll jump straight to the top of this trade board.
