Three NHL Clubs That Made The Best Of A Seller’s Market
Fabian Zetterlund and Evgeni Malkin (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)The NHL trade deadline saw contenders mortgage their future by trading future first-round picks and top prospects to add players to help in their pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
The sellers cashed in on their opportunity to take advantage of these contenders and rake in a slew of assets to help their long-term success.
Here are three NHL teams that reaped big rewards before the deadline:
Pittsburgh Penguins
OUT: Luke Schenn, Cody Glass, Michael Bunting, Anthony Beauvillier, Jonathan Gruden, 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick
IN: Tommy Novak, Connor Dewar, Conor Timmins, Chase Stillman, Max Graham, 2025 second-round pick (WSH), 2026 second-round pick (WPG), 2027 fourth-round pick (WPG)
With the trades made by Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh now has 18 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, including two first-rounders in the 2025 draft and three second-rounders in the deeper 2026 draft. The deftest move was acquiring Schenn along with Novak from Nashville. Dubas flipped the veteran blueliner to Winnipeg for a second and fourth-round pick while also adding a former first-round pick in Stillman in a swap with the Devils for Cody Glass. The Penguins want an urgent turnaround – the prospects and draft picks can either rejuvenate their prospect pool or be used as trade assets for players who can help Pittsburgh win now.
San Jose Sharks
OUT: Fabian Zetterlund, Nico Sturm, Luke Kunin, Tristen Robins, Jake Walman, 2025 fourth-round pick, 2027 seventh-round pick
IN: Carl Berglund, Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk, 2025 second-round pick (OTT), 2025 fourth-round pick (STL), 2026 first-round pick (EDM) and 2026 fourth-round pick (FLA)
Sharks GM Mike Grier made the most of a limited amount of tradeable resources, dealing Walman (who he got a second-round pick to take off of Detroit's hands last June) to Edmonton for a first-rounder, converting Zetterlund into a 2025 second-rounder and the expiring contracts of Kunin and Sturm into a pair of fourth-rounders. Add this to the 2025 first-rounder San Jose received in the Mikael Granlund deal, and the Sharks have massive opportunities in the next two drafts to build on an elite prospect pool.
Boston Bruins
OUT: Trent Frederic, Brandon Carlo, Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Justin Brazeau, Max Jones, 2026 fifth-round pick
IN: Casey Mittelstadt, Henri Jokiharju, Jakub Lauko, Max Wanner, Fraser Minten, William Zellers, Marat Khusnutdinov, 2025 second-round pick (CAR), 2025 second-round pick (STL), 2026 first-round pick (TOR), 2026 fourth-round pick (EDM), 2026 sixth-round pick, 2027 second-round pick (FLA-conditional)
The late decision to become sellers by GM Don Sweeney caught most of the NHL by surprise, as the Bruins shipped off three of the club's veteran core group.
Coyle had one year remaining on his contract but brought back a younger center in Casey Mittelstadt, young USHL left winger William Zellers and a second-rounder.
With two years left on his deal, Carlo brought back the Maple Leafs' 2026 first-rounder and one of their top prospects in Minten. The injured Frederic yielded a second-round pick, and the surprising trade of Marchand could result in another first-rounder if Florida wins two playoff rounds and Marchand plays in at least half of the games.
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