Three NHL Defensemen Who Could Still Be Traded This Off-Season

While trade activity around the NHL has slowed down now that it's August, it should pick right back up again once training camp inches closer.

Teams will likely be more aggressive in doing business before the regular season, so it would not be surprising if more trades occur leading up to it.

Due to this, let's look at three NHL defensemen who could still be traded before the 2026-27 season begins.

Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Alexander Nikishin is the most notable trade-candidate defenseman at this stage of the summer. Questions about the 24-year-old defenseman's future in Carolina have come up often this summer as he remains a restricted free agent.

As a young defenseman with strong upside, Nikishin would be a strong addition for both a playoff-bound team looking to take the next step and solidify their blueline, or a non-playoff team looking to add youth to their lineup as they rebuild towards the playoffs. Because of this, he should generate plenty of interest around the league and be on every team's radar leading up to this season if he remains unsigned. 

Nikishin just had a solid rookie season with the Hurricanes, recording 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 81 games. Trading him would come with some real risk for Carolina, but he could also help them land an upgrade to their roster in another position.

Mason Lohrei was a very popular name in the Boston Bruins' rumor mill last season. He has struggled to find his fit with Boston and was notably scratched for all three of Boston's final playoff games this spring. As a result, it would not be surprising if he found a new home before the start of the season. 

Given that the Bruins have a surplus of NHL-caliber defensemen, Lohrei could be looking at another season in a lesser role. Because of this, Lohrei could be the kind of trade chip the Bruins use to improve their roster elsewhere. 

In 73 games this past season with the Bruins, the 25-year-old defenseman recorded seven goals and 26 points. With a 6-foot-5 frame and impressive skating metrics, Lohrei could be a player to blossom after a change of scenery.

While Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly could have been a good choice for our final pick, he seems far less likely to be traded this off-season than he did earlier this summer. As a result, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen seems like the better pick. 

Ristolainen has been discussed as a trade candidate for years now. This has only continued this summer, as he is entering the final season of his contract with the Flyers in 2026-27. With that in mind, it would make sense for the Flyers to sell high on him this summer. Given that Philadelphia owns several promising young right-shot defensemen like David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk knocking on the door, moving Ristolainen would free up that space. 

In 44 games last season for Philadelphia, Ristolainen posted one goal, 14 points, 48 hits, and a plus-10 rating. 

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