NHL Trade Deadline: 11 Contenders That Could Trade Prospects

The NHL trade deadline is a week away, and the rumor mill is heating up fast.

Every year, we have contenders trade draft capital and future assets for players they hope can make an immediate impact.

This feels like a transitional year in a lot of ways, as many contenders from the last half-decade have fallen off, and young, exciting teams are in the playoff picture. This means that for every team like Colorado and Tampa Bay that wants to extend its window, there are teams like Montreal and Buffalo that could look to blow theirs wide open by adding at the trade deadline.

Draft capital is generally the No. 1 asset contenders move out at the deadline, but prospects and young NHL players are often equally as valuable.

Let's take a trip around the NHL's contenders, looking at their prospect pools and figuring out which prospect they are most likely to include in a deal.

The Lightning have one more shot at opening their window as true contenders. They lead the Atlantic Division, and they are getting classic performances from their stars, such as Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy.

With Brayden Point getting healthy and Victor Hedman returning from the Olympics ready to go, the Bolts are poised to continue their strong season. Adding depth will be their biggest goal at the deadline, whether it's up front or on the back end. 

With no first-rounder this year or next to trade, the Lightning must get creative and use their prospect pool.

While they don't have the strongest pipeline, one player who could draw considerable interest is Sam O'Reilly, the center they acquired when they traded Isaac Howard to the Edmonton Oilers.

The former first-round pick is an excellent two-way presence, and he's been a key piece of the London Knights over the last couple of years. He could be this year's Fraser Minten?

The Montreal Canadiens are in a very opportunistic position.

They are a young team with plenty of high-end talent already on the NHL roster, such as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov.

They are one of the best teams in the Atlantic Division, holding a divisional spot for much of the season.

Montreal could still use a consistent second-line center, though.

The Habs have ample picks and prospects to deal, but they will likely try to hold onto top prospects, such as Michael Hage and David Reinbacher.

Instead, they might look to their second tier of prospects, such as Owen Beck or defenseman Adam Engstrom.

Beck is a talented two-way center who has done very well in the AHL. Engstrom has been fantastic since being drafted, and he translated his game seamlessly to the AHL. Both have played NHL games, but neither has locked down a spot.

Beck is in the rumor mill a bit more, but Engstrom could be a nice piece for a team looking for a young blueliner.

It has been a while since the Winged Wheel was in the playoffs, but the team sits second in the Atlantic Division and looks to have a better chance of sticking around when the post-season arrives. But at 5-3-2 in their last 10 games, they might need to be a bit hotter.

The Red Wings have heavily relied on top players Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Sieder. They could use a bit of juice all over the lineup, but upgrading the second defense pair or the middle six at center could be a big boost. 

One of the nice things about the Wings' extended run at the bottom of the standings is they've built a robust prospect pipeline. They've also had a habit of drafting players who fit a similar archetype.

While Marco Kasper is already showing he can be an effective NHL player, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard started the year in the NHL and has since been strong in the AHL. 

That leaves Nate Danielson, who had an extended look in the NHL but ultimately returned to the AHL.

He's a solid two-way forward and has flashes of transitional offense, but he feels like the odd man out at the moment.

If he could be used in a deal to get a top-six center or top-four defender, it might be worth making the move and leveraging the future.

The Hurricanes have made plenty of moves over the last couple of years, whether it was acquiring and then trading Mikko Rantanen last season or bringing in defenseman K'Andre Miller in the summer.

The Canes are a strong team that looks as well-rounded as ever. But adding a bit more scoring punch and dynamism would help take them over the top. 

They have plenty of good prospects, but none that are truly great, since they traded Scott Morrow and graduated Alexander Nikishin to the NHL.

Carolina has some nice players on the back end, such as Noel Fransen and Dominik Badinka, but it will take a team that views them as a top-four option to make a deal.

The Canes are a contender, and they should be looking for punch at the deadline, but it may end up being draft picks over prospects.

It feels weird having the Sabres as a trade deadline buyer, but with a strong season at the end of February, they are in a playoff position at the moment.

Ending their historic playoff drought would be as significant for this franchise as anything, as it would show they are kicking their losing ways to the curb. 

The Sabres have a boatload of prospects in the pipeline, but Isak Rosen stands out as a prime trade candidate.

Rosen has excelled in the AHL, played with pace and skill and shown off a great shot. His stints with the Sabres this season are the best he's looked at the NHL level.

At 22, he would be the perfect player to step into the lineup of a team looking to get younger and bring in a bit more skill. Trading Rosen could be a win-win for the team and the player.

The Avalanche look like the closest thing the NHL has to a juggernaut this year.

They were dominant through the new year, and although they've come down to earth a bit, adding a piece to give them a bit more depth up front could be a big boost for this squad. It would help take some heat off the top players and diversify their attack. 

While they don't have many picks or prospects, they will look to make a move, and they'll have to leverage the limited assets they do have.

Mikhail Gulyayev hasn't had the best season in the KHL, but he's proven to be a very skilled puck-mover, and his defensive game has grown quite a bit.

The Avs will likely have to package picks from future drafts with a prospect or two, but they created cap space with the Sam Girard trade recently. 

The Wild already made what's likely the biggest move in the league this year in acquiring Quinn Hughes.

If they want to continue pushing all of their chips in, adding a forward with some dynamism and scoring punch could put them into the top-tier contender status.

As buyers, they could look at trading Charlie Stramel, who is having a breakout season in the NCAA in his fourth year. The big forward has played at center and on the wing, but he's primarily been down the middle this year.

The Wild could use his big season as an opportunity to sell high if they want to go on an extended Stanley Cup run in the spring.

Dallas has had a strong year, but because of the Avalanche leading the standings and the Wild acquiring Quinn Hughes, the Stars have played in their shadows.

The Stars' big move came last year when they acquired right winger Mikko Rantanen. That said, they could use another body on the back end this year. 

They don't have as strong a prospect pool as they used to in recent years. They've graduated some players and traded others.

Emil Hemming could be a valuable trade chip with some flashy scoring touch and great size. He's done well in the OHL this year, and he has been an important piece for Finland's junior team over the last couple of years. 

If you're a first-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, you've probably already been traded. The team has looked to bolster its lineup for a playoff run in nearly every year of its existence.

The one first-rounder they have left in their system is Trevor Connelly. His off-ice issues prior to the 2024 draft allowed the highly skilled forward to fall to Vegas, and he's since shown himself to be a model citizen.

Playing at nearly a point-per-game level in the AHL as a 19-year-old, Connelly has been excellent in his rookie pro season.

If the Golden Knights do look to go big-game hunting once again, Connelly could be the piece they use to add to the current roster. Vegas is sure to make some noise around the deadline.

The Oilers have been to the Stanley Cup final in each of the last two seasons, but they look like a shell of the team they were.

They need help in the depth scoring department, and they could use some help on the blueline. Ideally, finding a stud in net would go a long way as well, but they've already acquired Tristan Jarry, so they may opt to leave the crease alone. 

While they don't have many picks and prospects, dealing steady defensive blueliner Paul Fischer or more NHL-ready players, such as Isaac Howard or Matt Savoie, could be worth it for the Oilers, which are trying to get over the hump.

They may only have two more seasons after this one with Connor McDavid, so they need to take advantage of it and show him they are legit.

The Capitals have done an excellent job of building their pipeline while finding their way back into playoff contention over the last few years.

While they are on the outside looking in at the moment, the Caps seem to be one of the few non-playoff teams that might be looking to add. They could use some depth because injuries have hit them fairly hard at times this season. 

They aren't likely to move Cole Hutson or Ilya Protas. Andrew Cristall is an undersized, skilled player who probably wouldn't interest too many clubs.

That makes Ivan Miroshnichenko the next likely candidate to be used as a trade chip. His success at the AHL level hasn't quite translated to the NHL, but having just turned 22 this month, he is still a promising prospect who brings power and skill. 

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