To Carolina: Max Domi (F)
To Florida: Sixth-Round Pick
To Columbus: Aidan Hreschuk (D)
Analysis: A bit of a tricky one with a three-way deal to make money work. While Domi had a promising start to his career in both Arizona and Montreal, the former first-round pick has struggled mightily in recent seasons, experiencing something of a comeback however in 2021-22 by racking up 32 points in 53 games on a fledgling Blue Jackets team. Despite his offensive resurgence, Domi has been logging the lowest average ice time of his career this season, seeing just over 13 minutes of work each night in decidedly sheltered minutes. In Carolina, he should be a decent scorer deeper down the lineup.
To Los Angeles: Nelson Nogier (D)
To Winnipeg: Markus Phillips (D)
Analysis: There’s no real NHL impact here. Two AHLers just looking for new opportunities. Nogier is a hard-nosed blueliner that can throw big hits and annoy opponents. Phillips is a mobile defender that can join in on the rush.
To NY Rangers: Nick Merkley (F)
To San Jose: Anthony Bitetto (D)
Analysis: This is solely a depth deal. Merkley has three points in nine games in the NHL this season and has played in 41 games with three teams since getting drafted in the first round in 2015. Bitetto has spent the entire season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack but has three goals and 31 points in 197 games between the Predators, Wild, Jets and Rangers.
To Tampa Bay: Riley Nash (F)
To Arizona: Future Considerations
Analysis: Nash is off to the AHL to play for Syracuse in his second go-ahead with the Lightning. He started the year in Winnipeg before heading to Tampa via waivers in December. He was then picked up by Arizona on waivers the next month, and he’s back now. Between the three NHL teams, Nash has four points in 49 games, with all four assists coming in 24 outings with the Coyotes.
To Calgary: Ryan Carpenter (F)
To Carolina: 2024 Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Carpenter has 11 points in 59 games this season, but his value is mainly in the faceoff dot, and can play on the wing. He’s a decent defensive player and has good size. Scoring isn’t really in the cards here, though.
To NY Rangers: Andrew Copp (F), 2023 Sixth-Round Pick
To Winnipeg: Morgan Barron (F), Two Conditional Second-Round Picks, 2023 Fifth-Round Pick
Analysis: Copp is among the more underrated players in the league at the moment, with the 27-year-old in the midst of a fantastic year with the Jets that has seen him establish himself as a legitimate top-six NHL option. In 56 games thus far, Copp has racked up 13 goals and 35 points, averaging nearly 20 minutes in ice time per night and winning 54 percent of his draws. With the Rangers in desperate need of secondary scoring behind Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider, Copp is a perfect addition to their roster ahead of the stretch run, with him capable of playing all throughout the lineup and giving New York another weapon at their disposal while the teams around them continue to load up, as well. The Jets, meanwhile, put the finishing touches on their plan to sell at this year’s deadline. With Copp on an expiring contract and set to hit unrestricted free agency this coming summer, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff did well to get some intriguing assets for a player that was likely going to walk for free.
To Edmonton: Derick Brassard (F)
To Philadelphia: Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Brassard, 34, has bounced around throughout his career, playing for nine teams in his career. Brassard last played in Canada during a two-year stint with the Ottawa Senators from 2016-18. Brassard had a career-high 60 points in 2014-15, highlighted by 41 assists. Today, the Oilers are getting depth scoring and leadership and a big body that’s hard to push off the puck.
To Pittsburgh: Rickard Rakell (F)
To Anaheim: Zach Aston-Reese (F), Dominik Simon (F), a prospect, 2022 Second-Round Pick
Analysis: Rakell has not performed as well in recent years as he did during Anaheim’s contention window in the mid-2010s, with the 28-year-old racking up 28 points in 51 points this season while averaging a touch above 18 minutes per night. Regardless, Rakell is still an effective middle-six scorer who will now be surrounded by far better teammates in Pittsburgh than he was with the Ducks, possibly factoring into one of the Penguins’ top two lines alongside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin as the team heads into the playoffs. Rakell was given heavily offensive-focused minutes with the Ducks this season, beginning 63.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. If dropped lower in the Penguins’ lineup, Rakell may be able to be sheltered to a similar degree, perhaps even maximizing his production thanks to the higher caliber of linemates he’s surrounded with.
To NY Rangers: Tyler Motte (F)
To Vancouver: 2023 Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Motte has 260 games to his credit, recording 35 goals and 62 points, including 15 points this season. Motte started his career with Chicago in 2016-17 before moving over to Columbus the next season. Motte later ended up in Vancouver, where he spent the past five seasons. Motte is good around the net and possesses a nice wrist shot, but he just hasn’t found a way to produce at a consistent level. But in New York, this will give him a chance to compete for a Stanley Cup, and he’ll be a decent addition to the team’s bottom six.
To New Jersey: Andrew Hammond (G)
To Montreal: Nate Schnarr (F)
Analysis: Hammond had a good run in Montreal after getting traded in mid-March, stealing a couple of wins for the last-place Canadiens. Schnarr has spent the entire season in the AHL with the Utica Comets, recording 13 goals and 26 points. A minor trade by all accounts.
To Winnipeg: Zach Sanford (F)
To Ottawa: 2022 Fifth-Round Pick
Analysis: Sanford, 27, joined Ottawa this season after four years with the St. Louis Blues. Sanford has nine goals and 17 points in 62 games, with 91 points in 271 career outings. Sanford is a big forward at 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds with the ability to chip in offensively in a minor role. At this price, this is a good pickup for the Blues.
To Washington: Johan Larsson (F)
To Arizona: 2023 Third-Round Pick
Analysis: Larsson will be an unrestricted free agent at year’s end, so he may be a pure rental. But Larsson’s positive underlying numbers and the relatively palatable asking price he’s expected to command, it wouldn’t be a major surprise to see the Capitals attempt to re-sign the Swede if he performs well in the playoffs.
To Colorado: Andrew Cogliano (F)
To San Jose: 2024 Fifth-Round Pick
Analysis: Cogliano, 34, quietly became a popular trade target over the past few hours due to his speed and veteran presence. Cogliano has four goals and 15 points in 56 games for the San Jose Sharks. A first-round pick in 2005, Cogliano had 18 goals and 45 points as a rookie in 2007-08, the highest output of his career. The Avalanche added Artturi Lehkonen earlier in the day to help address scoring depth. With Cogliano in the fold, the team has even more options to choose from.
To Montreal: Justin Barron (D), Second-Round Pick
To Colorado: Artturi Lehkonen (F)
Analysis: Lehkonen has 29 points in 58 games for the Habs, with a career-high of 31 in 2018-19. Lehkonen has 149 points in 396 career games, but his ability to score 12-plus goals a year with a good wrist shot does give Colorado some scoring options down in the lineup. Barron, 20, was drafted 25th overall in 2020 and has emerged as a solid defensive prospect. Barron has 20 points in 43 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles in his first pro hockey season.
To St. Louis: Nick Leddy (D)
To Detroit: Jake Walman (D), Oskar Sundqvist (F), 2022 Second-Round Pick
Analysis: The Red Wings, who sit very far out of the playoff picture and find themselves in the midst of a full-scale rebuild, manage to acquire a defense prospect in Walman and a second-round pick for a player they otherwise would’ve lost for free in a few months’ time. For the Blues, they add a veteran defender who brings impressive puck-moving skill to a veteran blueline ahead of their expected playoff run. Leddy is a complicated player, with terrific underlying numbers in transition, but is far less attractive analytically at either end of the ice. Leddy doesn’t produce much in the offensive realm of the game, having managed just a single goal and 16 points in 51 games this season, but logged upwards of 21 minutes per night for the Red Wings and will likely not be tasked with such high-stakes responsibilities on a far superior Blues roster. He seems to be a pure rental, with the Blues unlikely to sign the 31-year-old Leddy given the assets they already have. But Leddy has playoff experience from his time with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders, and could be a useful depth piece for a team that needs one.
To Edmonton: Brett Kulak (D)
To Montreal: William Lagesson (D),
Analysis: Kulak, 28, has 13 points in 56 games, four points shy of his career-high of 17 points in 2018-19. Kulak is more of a depth defender at this point in his career but has shown flashes of offensive brilliance and can play on the power play if needed. Kulak’s bread and butter is playing a steady game in front of the crease and can play 17 minutes a night without putting his team in a bad spot. Kulak is a pending UFA with a $1.85-million cap hit for the rest of the season. Lagesson has played three NHL seasons, totaling six assists in 57 games. He has mainly been a depth defenseman for the Oilers, sitting out some games recently as a healthy scratch.
To Boston: Zach Senyshyn (F), 2022 Fifth-Round Pick
To Ottawa: Josh Brown (D), 2022 Conditional Seventh-Round
Analysis: Senyshyn was one of the prospects selected before Mat Barzal in the 2015 draft that never panned out. Senyshyn only got into 14 games over four seasons with Boston, recording one goal and three points. He’s mostly just set for a career in the AHL, but he needed a fresh start and Ottawa must see something in him. Brown, 28, has six assists in 46 games with Ottawa this season and gives Boston some extra defensive depth for the post-season.
To Nashville: Alex Biega (D)
To Toronto: Future Considerations
Analysis: Solely to clear a roster spot. Biega is a decent AHL defenseman but doesn’t have much NHL potential other than for occasional call-ups. Nashville got Jeremy Lauzon yesterday, so this just adds to the team’s defensive depth.
To NY Rangers: Justin Braun (D)
To Philadelphia: Third-Round Pick
Analysis: The 35-year-old is a depth option at this point in his career regardless of how the Flyers have been pumping him full of top-four minutes in order to move him this season, with Braun taking a good chunk of Philly’s defensive zone starts and tough assignments to expectedly mediocre results. The Flyers have been out-scored and out-chanced this season across the board in Braun’s even-strength minutes, winning just 45.5 percent of the expected goals and surrendering 56.52 percent of the high-danger scoring chances.
To San Jose: Kaapo Kahkonen (G)
To Minnesota: Jacob Middleton (D), Fifth-Round Pick
Analysis: Kahkonen is an intriguing young netminder currently in his second full NHL season at the moment, and almost certainly wouldn’t have been dealt were it not for the acquisition of Fleury minutes before. The 25-year-old has a .910 save percentage in 25 appearances this season, splitting the Wild net with veteran Cam Talbot to encouraging results. Acquiring Kahkonen gives the Sharks another young netminder to pair with 25-year-old Adin Hill, hopefully adding stability to their depth in net that has been anything but in recent years, and likely meaning that veteran James Reimer is on his way out in a trade of his own. In Middleton, the Wild brings in a 26-year-old depth defender with a limited ceiling but a track record of encouraging underlying numbers in his own zone. Middleton provides little in the realm of offensive production, sitting with just four goals and nine points in 45 games this season, but has been logging close to 20 minutes per night for the Sharks in 2021-22, and will add a decent piece to Minnesota’s bottom-four.
To Minnesota: Marc-Andre Fleury (G)
To Chicago: Conditional 2022 Second-Round Pick
Analysis: Fleury has posted a 19-20-5 record with four shutouts on a Blackhawks team that hasn’t been in playoff contention since early in the season. Fleury will join Cam Talbot after the team moved Kaapo Kahkonen. The Wild hope to make noise in the post-season, but goaltending has been a mixed bag for them this year. This could be a big boost for a team that could make noise in the coming weeks. The move serves as a big investment payoff for the Hawks, who only had to give up minor leaguer Mikael Hakkarainen in return. Hakkarainen went over to play in the second Swedish league, meaning Fleury was essentially traded for absolutely nothing. The pick becomes a first-rounder if Fleury wins at least four playoff games and the Wild make it to the Western Conference finals.
To Arizona: Bryan Little (F)
To Winnipeg: Nathan Smith (F), Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Little’s NHL career is over due to an injury, so this is more just to move his $5.29-million cap hit through 2023-24. The big deal thing here, though, is Smith. Smith wasn’t going to sign with Winnipeg, but the Minnesota State University forward had 18 goals and 49 points in NCAA play this season and might not be far away from being NHL ready.
To Washington: Marcus Johansson (F)
To Seattle: 2022 Fourth-Round Pick, 2023 Sixth-Round Pick
Analysis: Johansson is no longer the player he was during his prior stint with the Capitals. The 31-year-old has seen his offensive production plummet over the past several years, with Johansson having not reached double-digits in goals since the 2018-19 season. As a depth piece, though, the Capitals could certainly do worse than their former first-round pick. Johansson put up decent possession numbers in offensively-focused minutes on the Kraken this season, and will almost certainly not be relied upon to the same degree in Washington that he was in Seattle.
To Arizona: Jack McBain (F)
To Minnesota: 2022 Second-Round Pick
Analysis: A big, strong, two-way center, McBain took a nice leap forward offensively as a senior with Boston College, leading the Eagles in scoring with 33 points in 24 games. He also got the unique chance to represent Canada at the Olympics as one of a handful of prospects taken to Beijing.
To Pittsburgh: Nathan Beaulieu (D)
To Winnipeg: Conditional Seventh-Round Pick
Analysis: There’s nothing wrong with low-cost defensive depth, and despite Beaulieu no longer being an everyday player in Winnipeg, he’ll have a shot at a decent playoff run with the Penguins. The 29-year-old is currently on LTIR and likely won’t return until next month. But he has over 400 games of NHL experience and didn’t cost anything, so it’s a net positive.
To Winnipeg: Mason Appleton
To Seattle: 2023 Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Appleton spent the first three years of his NHL career with the Jets, posting 20 goals and 43 points in a bottom-six role. He had a career-high 12 goals and 25 points in 56 games last year to finish eighth in team scoring. The pending RFA gives Winnipeg some flexibility with the expected trade of Andrew Copp before the deadline. It’s unlikely that Appleton will cost much during the summer, and the fact that they brought him back less than a year into his tenure in Seattle makes it seem like the Jets never wanted him to leave in the first place.
To Nashville: Jeremy Lauzon (D)
To Seattle: Second-Round Pick
Analysis: Nashville was rumored to have interest in some extra defensive depth and they’re getting it in Lauzon. The 24-year-old never could figure it out in Boston but has a career average ice time of 17:28, including a 17:49 in Seattle. So while Nashville might not need him to be a big contributor, the big, mobile blueliner has upside as a physical defender, something that might come handy during the post-season.
To Dallas: Scott Wedgewood (G)
To Arizona: 2023 Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Wedgewood, 29, was picked up on waivers early in the season from New jersey and posted a 10-12-2 record in 26 games with the Coyotes. Wedgewood has been a serviceable backup goaltender for Arizona and had previous experience with the team dating back to 2017-18. Despite moving around multiple times in his career, including AHL stints with the Buffalo Sabres’ and Los Angeles Kings’ organizations, Wedgewood has played the entirety of his 69-game career with Arizona and New Jersey over two stints with each team.
With Anton Khudobin on the sidelines, Wedgewood is an extra body for a Stars team that’s still trying to force its way into a playoff spot. For the cost, it’s a solid pickup for the Stars.
To Tampa Bay: Nick Paul (F)
To Ottawa: Mathieu Joseph (F), 2024 Fourth-Round Pick
Analysis: Paul is a big 6-foot-3 forward that works hard, hits hard, and kills penalties. While the offense will never be his specialty, the 27-year-old can terrorize opponents in a bottom-six and possesses a solid wrist shot. Consistency has been a problem in the past, but teammates love how hard he works and he’s the type of player teams want deep in the lineup. Joseph doesn’t have a big offensive ceiling either but has good speed, is good physically and in moderation, he can be a very impactful all-around player. Consistency has been an issue for the 25-year-old, though.
To Vancouver: Travis Dermott (D)
To Toronto: 2022 Third-Round Pick
Analysis: Dermott has the talent to be an impactful defenseman, but it never seemed to click in Vancouver. The Canucks needed some defensive help, and Dermott likely can evolve into an important piece of the team’s blueline. At $1.5-million, Dermott comes at a great price and with the potential to really figure his career out. The Canucks moved one of its two third-rounders to get him, so it’s a decent pickup for Vancouver.
To Los Angeles: Troy Stecher (D)
To Detroit: 2022 Seventh-Round Pick
Analysis: Los Angeles needed some extra bodies on the blueline for its playoff push and they got it. The 27-year-old doesn’t have much of an offensive impact with two assists in 16 games this year and 88 in 346 games with Vancouver and Detroit. Don’t expect him to play a ton when everyone is healthy, but at the cost, it’s not too tough to justify.
To Ottawa: Travis Hamonic (D)
To Vancouver: 2022 Third-Round Pick
Analysis: Ottawa gets cheap defensive insurance that can be used in a shutdown role and acquire some extra offense from the blueline from time to time. Vancouver gets its own third-round pick back and frees up $3 million in cap space.
To Toronto: Mark Giordano (D), Colin Blackwell (F)
To Seattle: 2022 Second-Round Pick, 2023 Second-Round Pick, 2022 Third-Round Pick
Analysis: Giordano is no longer the blueline stalwart he was in Calgary. But the Toronto-native still has plenty left in the tank, nearly drawing even in expected goals while playing top-pair minutes on a moribund Seattle Kraken roster while also generating 50.54 percent and 52 percent of the regular and high-danger scoring chances at even-strength, respectively. Factor in a decent 23 points in 55 games, and Giordano is the perfect “last piece” for a contender looking to shore up their blueline and locker room dynamic with one of the best assets available.
To Florida: Robert Hagg (D)
To Buffalo: 2022 Sixth-Round Pick
Analysis: After paying a heavy price to acquire Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, the Panthers seemingly felt as if there is no such thing as too much defensive depth, with Hagg projecting to land on the fringe of their lineup heading into the playoffs. Still, the 27-year-old has some value to bring, having been a key piece in the trade that sent Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers over the summer, and proceeding to log around 17 minutes per night in his 48 games with the Sabres this season.
With Ekblad on the shelf, Hagg can provide NHL quality minutes until the former is ready to return. And for the price of just a sixth-round pick, that’s not too steep at all.
To Florida: Claude Giroux (F), German Rubstov (F), Connor Bunnaman (F), 2024 Fifth-Round Pick
To Philadelphia: Owen Tippett (F), 2024 First-Round Pick, 2023 Third-Round Pick
Analysis: Florida gets a dream rental in Giroux, one of the best NHLers over the past 10 years. Many believe the 34-year-old still has a ton left in the tank but it just wasn’t working out anymore in Philadelphia with the group they had. With Giroux, Florida’s scoring depth expands in a big way without giving up any notable roster pieces. Tippett, once viewed as a top prospect, has struggled to land a full-time gig in the NHL. He has 14 points in 42 games with Florida this year but was pushed down to the AHL where he has proven his offensive prowess is too strong. Tippett should have a good chance to be an offensive leader with Philadelphia next year, assuming the 23-year-old can bounce back in a big way.
To Boston: Hampus Lindholm (D), Kodie Curran (F)
To Anaheim: 2023 First-round pick, 2023 Second-Round Pick, 2024 Second-Round Pick, Urho Vaakaneinan (D), John Moore (D)
Analysis: Lindholm is a minute-muncher, averaging upwards of 22 minutes per night throughout his nine-year NHL career. He’s also 28, smack-dab in the middle of his prime, and his style of play should allow him to continue as a solid top-four, top-two-in-a-pinch guy for the next four-to-five years. A change of scenery could likely help, too. The Bruins are banking on that.
To Minnesota: Nicolas Deslauriers (F)
To Anaheim: 2023 Third-Round Pick
Analysis: Now joining a playoff-bound team, Deslauriers will get a chance to compete for hockey’s ultimate prize, giving the Wild a decent penalty-killer who adds some defensive acumen to the bottom of their lineup.
