Wyshynski's NHL trade tier rankings: Which big names could bring a Stanley Cup?
Greg WyshynskiFeb 26, 2026, 07:30 AM ET Close Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Multiple Authors The NHL needs two things for an entertaining trade deadline: demanding contenders who have delusions of Stanley Cup grandeur, and enough teams willing to part with their current players to provide supply. There are roughly eight teams that…
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Greg Wyshynski
Multiple Authors
The NHL needs two things for an entertaining trade deadline: demanding contenders who have delusions of Stanley Cup grandeur, and enough teams willing to part with their current players to provide supply.
There are roughly eight teams that are probably out of the playoff hunt as the March 6 trade deadline approaches.
The New York Rangers already sent their letter to fans signaling a “retool” and traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. Teams around the league are waiting to see how dramatically the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks compensate for disappointing seasons.
Meanwhile, a change in recent fortunes for some teams might change their thinking. Take the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have surged up the standings under new coach Rick Bowness. A month ago, players like Boone Jenner and Charlie Coyle would have been found in the trade tiers below. Now, it sounds like there’s a better chance they could be extended than moved — or at least kept around for a playoff push.
This list was compiled through conversations with league executives and other sources, as well as media reports. ESPN insiders, including Emily Kaplan, added their input as well. Salary figures are from PuckPedia.
With huge names such as Quinn Hughes and Panarin already off the board, let’s start with some other shocking possibilities before diving into pending free agents, players with term left on their deals and some glue guys.
Jump ahead: Shockers
Elite pending free agents
Elite forwards with term
Elite D-men with term
25-and-under tier
Goalies | Glue guys
Shocking possibilities tier
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
Jordan Kyrou, RW, St. Louis Blues
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues
Alex Tuch, RW, Buffalo Sabres
The Panthers had an 18% chance of making the playoffs coming out of the break, according to our latest NHL Bubble Watch. Much of that depends on if and when star center Aleksander Barkov returns, and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions can put together a run to make the postseason, where they’ll remain inherently dangerous thanks to a deep roster and, of course, “Playoff Bob” Bobrovsky.
But what if, by the deadline, they decide the math isn’t “mathing”? Is it possible Bobrovsky becomes someone else’s playoff hero? ESPN’s Kevin Weekes said it’s a situation worth watching, particularly because Bobrovsky is a pending unrestricted free agent who has yet to receive a contract extension. He has two Vezina Trophies and two Stanley Cup wins to his credit. He makes $10 million against the salary cap, but only $6 million actual dollars this season, with trade protection. He’s also 37 years old.
What do the Panthers want to do here? A short-term contract to backstop a veteran team that’s back to full strength next season would seem like one avenue. But they do have 26-year-old Daniil Tarasov — who, for what it’s worth, has outplayed Bobrovsky this season. As Weekes said, this is something to watch.
It’s hard to gauge how deep Blues GM Doug Armstrong is willing to cut into his roster during a disastrous season. Is Thomas’ name in circulation only because other teams hope that the 26-year-old No. 1 center might become available? Or would the Blues offer up Thomas, provided he waives his trade protection, for the kind of package that could launch a retool? Thomas’ contract has an $8.125 million average annual value, but his annual salary declines or plateaus every season after this one.
Kyrou would only be shocking because the window seems closed on when the Blues could deal the 27-year-old winger. His no-trade clause started this season, and he remains in St. Louis despite some reports about his availability heading into last season’s draft. Kyrou is signed at $8.125 million annually through 2030-31.
It would be shocking if the Canucks finally did trade Pettersson considering his contract AAV ($11.6 million through 2031-32) and protection (full no-move), as well as the fact that he may no longer be considered an offensive star in the NHL. Even after Vancouver removed the friction of the J.T. Miller situation, Pettersson still hasn’t hit his marks: His past two seasons were his lowest in points per game for his career.
Rielly is one of several Maple Leafs with trade protection, in his case a full no-movement clause. He’s signed through 2029-30 at a $7.5 million AAV. He has 31 points in 54 games, skating 21:34 of ice time per game. Could the Leafs decide to reshape their blue line by convincing the 13-year veteran it’s time to move on, as another member of the “Core Four” leaves Toronto? As Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley told season-ticket holders on Wednesday in a letter: “We will do whatever is needed for this team to make the next step.”
Then there’s Tuch. The Sabres are in a playoff seed after 57 games. Tuch has 22 goals and 26 assists in 56 games, playing in every situation and is an absolute catalyst for the team. He’s saying things like, “We’re not just going to go for the playoffs, we’re going to go for the Cup.”
It’s hard to imagine Buffalo trading that kind of player while seeking their first postseason berth since 2011, but Tuch and the Sabres have been talking contract for a long, long time with no long-term extension to show for it: first with former GM Kevyn Adams, now with Jarmo Kekalainen. Even without that extension, one assumes the Sabres would be comfortable keeping Tuch through the deadline with the playoffs in reach. But Kekalainen has always been a pragmatist.
Elite pending free agent tier
Jordan Eberle, RW, Seattle Kraken
Patrik Laine, LW, Montreal Canadiens
Evander Kane, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Nick Schmaltz, C, Utah Mammoth
Jaden Schwartz, F, Seattle Kraken
Kane is going to be traded, and the Canucks are going to gobble up a chunk of his $5.125 million AAV to make it happen. He has a 16-team no-trade list, but the only requirement for Kane to agree to a move to his sixth NHL franchise is that it’s a playoff team. The Dallas Stars have been a frequently mentioned fit, but don’t discount a move back East for Kane, either.
The Kraken’s playoff bubble is starting to burst, with a 41.2% chance of making the cut in the latest Bubble Watch, buoyed by Money Puck’s outlier of a 68.4% probability. So what then happens to their unrestricted free agents, as GM Jason Botterill attempts to put his stamp on the team? Eberle ($4.75 million AAV, no-trade clause) and Schwartz ($5.5 million AAV, limited no-trade clause) seem primed for a move to a contender seeking scoring help on the wing. Eberle is the team captain and leading scorer through 54 games, with 20 goals and 38 points.
Schmaltz is a funny one. He has clearly endeared himself to Mammoth fans and has played a huge role in their push for a playoff seed with 53 points in 57 games, centering star Clayton Keller. But the 30-year-old is in line for a significant raise from his $5.85 million AAV, and talks haven’t exactly been sunshine and roses in the past. Dave Pagnotta of Daily Faceoff noted that last summer, Schmaltz and the Mammoth discussed possible trade destinations where he’d be willing to sign an extension. Given Utah’s playoff potential, it likely only makes sense to deal Schmaltz in a “hockey trade” for a significant roster upgrade.
What is Laine’s value right now? He was limited to five games this season due to injury after a nice comeback season in 2024-25 with Montreal (20 goals in 52 games). The Canadiens would obviously have to pick up part of his $8.7 million AAV to facilitate a trade. Laine is nearing a return from the IR. Is there someone who believes in a potential return to form enough to overlook his inability to remain in the lineup?
Elite forwards with term tier
Blake Coleman, C, Calgary Flames
Jake DeBrusk, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Conor Garland, RW, Vancouver Canucks
Nazem Kadri, C, Calgary Flames
Jonathan Marchessault, C, Nashville Predators
Ryan O’Reilly, C, Nashville Predators
Brayden Schenn, C, St. Louis Blues
Steven Stamkos, C, Nashville Predators
Ryan Strome, C, Anaheim Ducks
Owen Tippett, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Vincent Trocheck, C, New York Rangers
You could build two pretty good center groups with the players available in the middle at this deadline — in theory, at least.
Trocheck wasn’t here in our last trade board because the Rangers were still feigning to be a contender at that point. Now that they’re in the retool again, it’s hard to imagine they won’t move Trocheck for the benefit of both parties. He’s as versatile a player as you’ll find: someone who can average 0.76 points per game over the past two seasons, but also be a key defensive player, a role he served well in helping the United States win Olympic men’s hockey gold.
Speaking of which: More than a few observers around the NHL believe Trocheck will end up with the Minnesota Wild, a team with a need in the middle and a general manager in Bill Guerin who built the aforementioned Team USA. Trocheck has a 12-team no-trade list.
The biggest name here is Stamkos, the 36-year-old star who started the season horrifically (one goal in 14 games) and then caught fire right as the Predators started moving up the standings. He had 16 points in 13 games leading up to the Olympic break and now has 28 goals on the season, proving his worth both to Nashville and the rest of the league. Complicating things is his contract: $8 million annually through 2027-28. “I have a full-move clause, so I get to make a decision whenever it comes down to that. But I haven’t had any conversations about that,” he told The Athletic recently.
The Predators have two other big names in the middle. Marchessault has a full no-movement clause and makes $5.5 million against the cap annually through 2028-29. He has 17 points in 38 games and has skated to a minus-18 in 38 games. His defensive game has deteriorated in Nashville, but the 2023 Conn Smythe winner can add some offensive pop to a contender.
O’Reilly, Nashville’s other Conn Smythe winner, has a friendly cap hit ($4.5 million AAV) on a contract with two years left on it. While the 2019 Cup winner doesn’t have trade protection, GM Barry Trotz will work with O’Reilly on finding a preferred destination. O’Reilly has been awesome this season: 20 goals and 36 points in 57 games, winning 55.3% of his faceoffs, on par with his career mark. He’s 35 years old but could be a “final puzzle piece” guy for the right contender.
Kadri is another “last piece” guy as a second-line two-way center with snarl, which is what he provided the Colorado Avalanche in winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. The 35-year-old makes $7 million against the cap annually through 2028-29. He has a 13-team no-trade list but didn’t exactly shoot down reports that he would be open to working with the Flames to facilitate a swap. Calgary loves what Kadri brings to the team, but the time might have come to maximize his return.
Complicating things: The Flames have only one slot to retain salary, after keeping a percentage in the Rasmus Andersson and Jacob Markstrom trades. If they use that for Kadri, they couldn’t use it on Coleman. The 34-year-old forward has two years left at $4.9 million annually, and a 10-team no-trade clause. He has 13 goals in 44 games and can help kill penalties, having won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning.
Schenn has a 15-team no-trade clause, making $6.5 million against the cap annually through 2027-28. He has been in St. Louis for nine seasons and has 24 points in 57 games this season, skating to a ghastly minus-25. That said, the 34-year-old Stanley Cup winner is a coveted player around the league for his leadership, toughness and offensive upside. Assuming the Blues are in seller mode, he’ll have plenty of attention and the Blues could get a hefty return for him.
Depending on how deep the trading goes in Vancouver, Garland and DeBrusk could be part of it. Garland hasn’t even started the six-year, $36 million deal he signed in July. He has 25 points in 46 games for Vancouver. DeBrusk, 29, has a full no-move clause and five more years on his contract at $5.5 million AAV. He’s not having the offensive season he had in 2024-25 (28 goals), but he’s a solid winger that can slide into a team’s middle six.
Is Tippett’s name being out there just noise or something more palpable? His trade protection kicks in during the 2026-27 season. He makes $6.2 million against the cap annually through 2031-32. He has had three straight 20-plus-goal seasons and has 19 goals in 56 games this season. Everything we’ve heard is that the Flyers might move him in the right “hockey trade” to help the club.
Whenever a veteran’s ice time dramatically falls, one assumes a trade can’t be too far off. Strome, the 32-year-old who has another year left at $5 million AAV, averaged 16:41 last season and is down to 12:05 this season, with eight points in 32 games.
Elite defensemen with term tier
Justin Faulk, D, St. Louis Blues
Dougie Hamilton, D, New Jersey Devils
Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Philadelphia Flyers
MacKenzie Weegar, D, Calgary Flames
Tyler Myers, D, Vancouver Canucks
The Devils were poised to trade Hamilton before Luke Hughes went down with an injury in late January — please recall Hamilton being scratched in favor of defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic earlier in the month. With their season all but over and Hughes nearly back, one assumes Hamilton Watch begins again.
He has a 10-team trade list and a $9 million cap hit that the Devils probably have to keep a portion of to facilitate a deal. (Although he’s only owed $13.65 million in real dollars over the last two years of his contract.) Hamilton isn’t the offensive player that he once was, but he could easily fill someone’s need for a veteran puck-moving defenseman on their second pairing. One intriguing possibility: a reunion with the Carolina Hurricanes, whom Hamilton left as a free agent in 2021.
Speculation around Weegar has really heated up, as Calgary has reportedly fielded calls about the defenseman but has yet to approach him about a trade. The 32-year-old blueliner is signed through 2030-31 with a $6.25 million annual cap hit and he has a full no-trade clause. He has 20 points in 56 games this season, skating 23:10 per game on average. The Ottawa Senators were rumored to be in the market for Weegar, but he might want someone a bit closer to Cup contention in order to waive for them.
Ristolainen might be an alternative to Weegar. The 31-year-old right defenseman has no trade protection and two years left on his deal at $5.1 million AAV. Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reports an uptick in interest for the Flyers defenseman during the Olympic break, as he was doing his thing for Team Finland.
Faulk has been in St. Louis for seven seasons. He has two years left at $6.5 million AAV (with some trade protection), but his front-loaded contract means he’s making $4.5 million in actual dollars this season and next. He has 30 points in 57 games, skating 22:29 per game on average. Three teams to wonder about there: Boston, Detroit and Dallas.
Myers is signed through next season with a minuscule $3 million annual cap hit, but has a no-movement clause that he’s reportedly not keen on waiving. One wonders if that would include a potential trade to the Flyers and a reunion with former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet.
The 25-and-under tier
Brad Lambert, C, Winnipeg Jets
Alexis Lafreniere, LW, New York Rangers
Mason Lohrei, D, Boston Bruins
Pavel Mintyukov, D, Anaheim Ducks
Brennan Othmann, LW, New York Rangers
Nick Robertson, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Braden Schneider, D, New York Rangers
Jesper Wallstedt, G, Minnesota Wild
Shane Wright, C, Seattle Kraken
Some of these players aren’t likely to move unless it’s to bring something significant back to their teams. Players such as Lohrei, Wallstedt and Wright — whose availability has been trumpeted by Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet — fit that description.
It gets a little more complicated for Lafreniere and Schneider, who could end up being part of the solution for whatever the Rangers’ retool produces. Schneider is a restricted free agent this summer — please recall the team traded defenseman K’Andre Miller last summer before having to do the RFA dance with him. Lafreniere, the first overall pick in 2020 who has yet to find another level in his NHL career, is in the first year of a seven-year extension that carries a friendly cap hit ($7.45 million AAV) and an eight-team no-trade list. Othmann is also in this boat.
Lambert and Mintyukov have both expressed a desire for a change of scenery. Robertson’s tenure has always been tenuous.
The goalie tier
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
Michael DiPietro, Boston Bruins
Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets
Sam Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens
Alex Nedeljkovic, San Jose Sharks
Stuart Skinner, Pittsburgh Penguins
Think about this: Canada lost in the gold medal game to the United States — and no one was saying it was Jordan Binnington’s fault? Not many would have predicted that, given all the hand-wringing over the Canadian goaltending depth and Binnington’s putrid season in the NHL, where Money Puck had him at minus-24.9 goals saved above expected in 32 games.
He’s a big-game goalie. The Blues won’t be playing any of those this season. But teams like the Hurricanes, Oilers, Golden Knights, Canadiens and Ducks all might. Binnington has a 14-team no-trade list and a $6 million AAV. He has one more year on his deal after this one, with his salary dropping to just $4.5 million.
Montembeault could move in a trade and has one more year on his contract. Nedeljkovic is a pending UFA for the Sharks and makes $2.5 million.
One of the most interesting names here: Skinner, whom the Penguins acquired from the Oilers in the Tristan Jarry swap. Does Pittsburgh keep him around for their playoff push or do they trade the pending UFA, hoping that his extensive playoff experience outweighs other concerns for acquiring teams?
Help up front tier
Michael Bunting, F, Nashville Predators
Paul Cotter, F, New Jersey Devils
Jason Dickinson, C, Chicago Blackhawks
Warren Foegele, F, Los Angeles Kings
Ryan Hartman, C, Minnesota Wild
Erik Haula, C, Nashville Predators
Calle Jarnkrok, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Carolina Hurricanes
Andrew Mangiapane, F, Edmonton Oilers
Matias Maccelli, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ilya Mikheyev, LW, Chicago Blackhawks
Gustav Nyquist, F, Winnipeg Jets
Evan Rodrigues, C, Florida Panthers
Yegor Sharangovich, F, Calgary Flames
Eeli Tolvanen, F, Seattle Kraken
Three players in particular getting buzz lately:
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Haula had an outstanding Olympic tournament for Finland, with three goals and three assists in six games, including a big one against Canada in the semifinal. The 34-year-old has a six-team no-trade list and can be a boon to someone’s bottom-six forward group.
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Kings GM Ken Holland basically said that he would “work the phones” for Foegele, a nine-year veteran whose been scratched this season a bunch. He had back-to-back 20-goal season prior to this one. He has a 10-team no-trade list and a $3.5 million AAV through next season.
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Rodrigues was a solid player on the Panthers’ back-to-back Stanley Cup winning teams. He has no-trade protection and a $3 million AAV through next season. Sportsnet speculated that the veteran forward could be moved so Florida can create cap space, should the Panthers believe they still have a shot at the playoffs this season.
Help on the blue line tier
Brandon Carlo, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ian Cole, Utah Mammoth
Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks
John Klingberg, San Jose Sharkss
Timothy Liljegren, San Jose Sharks
Connor Murphy, Chicago Blackhawks
Jamie Oleksiak, Seattle Kraken
Luke Schenn, Winnipeg Jets
Brady Skjei, Nashville Predators
Zach Whitecloud, Calgary Flames
It wouldn’t be a proper trade deadline if Schenn’s name wasn’t floated. The 18-year NHL veteran has played for nine teams in his career, including five since 2021, because he’s a quintessential defensive defenseman with two Stanley Cup rings from the Lightning.
Another strong defensive defenseman is Carlo, whom the Maple Leafs acquired last trade deadline when … well, when Toronto was in a different mode of contention. Carlo has an eight-team no-trade list with a $3.485 million AAV through next season. They’ve checked the market on him.
Ferraro used to be in our elite tier until enough people told us that was a misclassification. He’s likely to remain in San Jose, but he’s a pending free agent with a $3.25 million cap hit.
One more defenseman to watch: Whitecloud, whom Calgary acquired from Vegas in the Rasmus Andersson deal. There’s probably a market for a 29-year-old right-shot defenseman with a Stanley Cup ring and a $2.75 million AAV through 2027-28 if the Flames want to explore it.
Bargain-beauty contracts tier
Simon Benoit, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
Teddy Blueger, C, Vancouver Canucks
Erik Gustafsson, D, Detroit Red Wings
David Kampf, C, Vancouver Canucks
Scott Laughton, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ryan Lomberg, LW, Calgary Flames
Bobby McMann, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Lukas Reichel, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Logan Stanley, D, Winnipeg Jets
Kevin Stenlund, C, Utah Mammoth
Oskar Sundqvist, C, St. Louis Blues
All the players in this tier make $2 million against the cap or less. Their king, Kiefer Sherwood, was traded earlier this season by the Canucks. But Vancouver has three more low-AAV forwards to offer up at the deadline: Blueger ($1.8 million), Kampf ($1.1 million) and Reichel ($1.2 million), who is buried in the AHL but played well for Germany in the Olympics.
The Leafs have three interesting options, too. Laughton was sought after last trade deadline for having a low cap hit ($1.5 million) with term; now, he’s got a low cap hit with an expiring contract. Benoit is a big, physical defenseman who is signed through next season at a $1.35 AAV. But it’s McMann who has gotten the most attention. The late bloomer (age 29) is on the verge of a second straight 20-goal season. The versatile forward makes just $1.35 million on an expiring contract. That could help a contender.
And there are so many contenders right now. But as the tiers above indicate, there is plenty of supply to meet their demand.
