NHL prospects find themselves traded every year before the trade deadline as playoff teams make a push. Tony Ferrari lists nine who could be trade options this year.

Every year at the NHL trade deadline, the contenders look to bolster their lineup, the pretenders try desperately to stay in the race, and the teams in the NHL’s basement move assets for futures as they build for the coming years.

This year is no different. We’ve seen Vancouver send Hunter Brzustewicz and other assets to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm deal. Prospects are excellent trade assets for this time of year, and Brzustewicz won’t be the last young player traded.

While there are plenty of big boards on who the top players are on the NHL trade market, the prospects who could be used as trade ammunition are just as intriguing. Filip Forsberg, Ben Bishop and Jake Walman have all been players who hadn’t established themselves in the NHL but flourished once traded.

Let’s look at some prospects from contending NHL clubs who could be of interest to rebuilding or retooling teams.

Fabian Lysell, RW, Boston Bruins

Trading Lysell would be a big swing for the Bruins, which may not want to get rid of too much young talent because they’ll need it sooner than many think. With no picks in the first three rounds this year and no second-rounder next year, the Bruins may need to part with a good prospect if they want to go and get a big fish as they often do at the trade deadline.

Fabian Lysell is one of the most attractive prospects in their system because he plays the game at 100 miles an hour, forechecks hard and loves to blend high-end skill into his game. He is starting to really figure out the pro game this year, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable for an acquiring team to give him a run in the NHL post-trade deadline. The Bruins will need young talent to help fill out their roster over the next couple of years, but they may need to give up the limited young talent they have if they want to load up this year. It's quite the conundrum.

Fraser Minten, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been such a weirdly mediocre team all season long, but when your best player is on pace for more than 70 goals, you just signed your Swedish superstar to a big contract and your captain isn’t getting any younger, you can’t waste these opportunities. 

Minten made his NHL debut at the start of the season before being sent back to major junior. He then captained Team Canada’s world junior team and has been a strong two-way presence in the WHL.

Minten isn’t an offensive dynamo by any means, but the gritty, hard-working style of game is what most NHL teams salivate over. Toronto needs help all over the ice, whether it’s depth scoring or help on the back end, and dealing Minten may ultimately be the way to get it. The Leafs have other options, such as Nicholas Robertson or Nick Abruzzese, but Minten ultimately holds the most value in a deal.

Jonatan Berggren, W, Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings aren’t a true contender just yet, but they’ve managed to accelerate their timeline by signing veterans. That has come at the cost of a few of their younger players not getting as many opportunities in the lineup. Berggren has shown to be a very good scorer at the AHL level and has had flashes of impressive play in the NHL, including last year when he had 15 goals and 13 assists in 67 games playing up and down the lineup.

The Red Wings could use Berggren in a deal at the deadline because, at 23 years old, he’s at the point where he should be in the NHL lineup if he’s ever going to reach his potential. He has earned a shot with an excellent AHL track record. Now, it’s just about opportunity for the highly skilled winger.

Scott Morrow, D, Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes struggled to start the season but turned things around. They're right where we all expected them to be, near the top of the NHL's Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference. The Canes don't always go for it at the deadline, but this could be the year with an Eastern Conference that looks a little less scary than in past years.

They have plenty of prospects in their system who could be trade assets. Very few (i.e.: Alexander Nikishin) are likely untouchables in just about any deal. 

Scott Morrow is a high-octane, smooth-skating blueliner who has built his game around his mobility. He’s playing at UMass in the NCAA, and with the logjam on the Hurricanes' back end, both in current NHL talent and prospects in the pipeline, Morrow may have a tough time establishing himself. Carolina could look to get the most value for him now, as he is having yet another very good college season.

Seamus Casey, D, New Jersey Devils

Casey has been one of the best players in college hockey this season. He has 35 points in 30 games for one of the top-scoring teams in college hockey and played a pivotal role for the Americans en route to a gold medal at the World Junior Championship. 

Casey’s possible future with the Devils is up in the air because of his former University of Michigan teammate Luke Hughes and the other highly skilled offensive defensemen that the Devils have, such as 2022 second overall pick Simon Nemec and even injured veteran Dougie Hamilton.

With Casey having no clear path to reaching his full potential in New Jersey, the Devils might be wise to try and get value out of the impressive college blueliner. The Devils are in need of goaltending and could use some depth in the forward corps, and Casey could be a big piece in getting those pieces for the NHL club this year.

Mavrik Bourque, C/W, Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars are among the NHL’s best teams this year, and no one is really talking about them. If they are looking to add for a long playoff run, they could look to their AHL club. They might even have a surplus of high-flying young talent. 

Bourque and Stankoven have been dominating the AHL this year and haven’t found their way into the Stars' NHL lineup until Dallas recalled the latter on Tuesday. Even if the plan is to incorporate them next year, it’s hard to imagine a Stanley Cup contender looking to bring in two undersized, dynamic wingers. It’s easier to do with one.

This could easily be Stankoven in this spot as well, but stylistically, Stankoven plays a bit more of a versatile game. Both are highly skilled offensive players, but Stankoven is a bit less reliant on his skill to find success. Bourque is the slightly more dynamic playmaker. Teams in a rebuild will be attracted to the upside Bourque brings to the table, and with two AHL seasons under his belt after this one, he could be an effective player on a rebuilding team next year.

Brad Lambert, C/RW, Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg has already made one sizeable move as we approach the deadline by snagging Sean Monahan from Montreal for their 2024 first-rounder. If they plan on making another move, they will need to use their future draft picks or a prospect in their system. 

The Jets have a solid squad from top to bottom, so they would likely be looking for an impact player, which means they’d have to give up a significant prospect.

Other teams may find Brad Lambert attractive as he always had a high upside and the skill that's wanted from a player projected to play a top-six role. His stock plummeted in his draft year because of many issues but largely because his production wasn’t up to snuff. Since coming to North America, the young Finn has been effective and showing all of the dynamism and offensive talent that were hoped for. He could wind up as this year’s version of Filip Forsberg more than just about any other player on this list.

Philip Broberg, D, Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers need some help to bolster a lineup that has been as hot as any in hockey and Broberg is looking for a fresh start. The former top-10 pick has been underwhelming at the NHL level in every chance he’s gotten. It’s been a bit of a poor match between team and player to this point, but the Oilers can still extract value.

The Oilers could certainly use some help on the back end, and depth scoring wouldn’t hurt either, so they might end up being quite active at the deadline in general. Broberg is a big defender who skates well and has previously flashed skill and puck-moving abilities. That kind of package is attractive to just about any team, and a fresh start with a new organization might be exactly what he needs to reach his potential.

Alex Turcotte, C/LW, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have been in a tailspin since before Christmas. Thanks to some fortunate results from everyone outside of the playoff spots, the Kings remain comfortably in a wild-card spot – for now. 

They must inject some life into the lineup, and the right trade might do it. They could certainly use something to help bolster the goaltending, and the possibility of inserting some game-breaking offensive talent in the middle six could make them a real threat.

Alex Turcotte is finally healthy, and although he hasn’t quite found his scoring touch in his limited NHL run recently, he remains a player of interest. His health has been a big concern the last few years, but the two-way talent that could make him a solid middle-six center down the road is all still there. Turcotte could be one heck of a steal for a team in a trade if he can stay healthy and get back on the right track.