Now that the NHL Draft has been completed and the top free agents have all mostly signed, the offseason is going to slow down a little bit. That does not mean the potential blockbuster moves are finished, as there are still some potential trade options out there that could be moved in the coming weeks and months.
Here are five players who could still be on the move this offseason.
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
After another playoff disappointment resulting in a seventh first-round exit in eight years, the Maple Leafs are at a point where they have to make some kind of major change to their roster. So far, that change has not happened.
Marner is the most likely core player to get moved given that he is in the final year of his current contract, is not a lock to re-sign and would also bring back the biggest return of their core players.
Marner took the bulk of the blame for Toronto’s latest postseason showing, but he remains a top-line scorer (85 points in 69 games this past season) while also playing excellent defense as a forward. The big hold up on a trade here — aside from Toronto getting fair market value — will be the contract situation (a $10.9M salary cap hit this season and then pending unrestricted free agency) as well as the fact he has a no-movement clause and could block any potential move.
Despite that, he remains a definite trade possibility.
Jacob Trouba, New York Rangers
Even though Trouba is the Rangers’ captain and has played a big role on their defense, the Rangers have been desperately trying to move him this offseason. That’s not only because his contract is a detriment to their salary cap situation ($8M salary cap number for two more years), but also because his play has deteriorated to the point where he has become a liability on the ice.
Trading him, though, is not going to be easy, not only for the contract and declining-play reasons, but also because he has trade protections in his contract and is not eager to move out of New York.
The Rangers need to dramatically overhaul their defense, and a Trouba trade would be a significant step toward that.
Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets
In an ideal world, the Jets would probably like to keep Ehlers because he is still only 28-years-old and a relative bargain at $6M against the salary cap this season given his production. When healthy, he is a 20-goal, 60-point scorer who has a strong two-way presence to his game.
But the Jets have to be realistic about whether or not they can re-sign him as he enters the final year of his contract, especially as teammate Kyle Connor has a new contract situation looming in the near future as well. The Jets may decide it is best to lose him a year early for a nice return than risk losing him for nothing next summer.
Patrik Laine, Columbus Blue Jackets
Technically speaking, Laine is not yet eligible to traded, as he remains in the NHL/NHLPA player’s assistance program. But as soon as he exits that program, it seems to be a matter of when, and not if, he gets moved out of Columbus.
He has a big salary cap number ($8.7M per year for another two years) and his game is very one-dimensional, but that one dimension is a very important one. He scores goals. A lot. Even during his down years, he is still capable of scoring 30 goals over 82 games and still has a pretty high peak.
He is also still only 26-years-old and should still have some prime years ahead of him. Get him into the right situation and he could rediscover the form that saw him reach the 44-goal mark a few years ago.
Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
Over the past two or three years, Necas seemed like he was going to be a key, cornerstone piece for a consistent contender in Carolina.
He has found his name in trade speculation this offseason, however, after a down year offensively in 2023-24 (53 points in 77 games, down from 71 points in 82 games the previous year). He is a restricted free agent and would reportedly be interested in a change of scenery, while the Hurricanes may not be comfortable meeting his contract demands.
It is the perfect storm for a trade.
Necas is still only 25-years-old and is a bonafide first- or second-line scorer who would be an ideal fit for any team in need of more offense, whether that team is rebuilding or contending.
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