NHL trade deadline season is officially here!
Ahead of the 3 p.m. ET deadline on March 3, there’s been some big transactions already as the days slowly tick off the calendar. Right now, much of the movement has come from the Eastern Conference amidst a competitive playing field. The New Jersey Devils made a big splash after trading for Timo Meier while the New York Rangers swung big by acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko.
With the number of high quality players left on the board, there are still a lot of moves to be made as trade deadline madness has only just begun.
As the NHL trade deadline draws near, let’s take a look at the playbooks for each team. Which teams should be buyers? Who are the sellers? And which clubs should stand pat at the 2023 NHL trade deadline? Let’s dive in!
Anaheim Ducks: Sell
No surprise here, as the Ducks have been one of the NHL’s worst teams all season long. With nearly $14 million in cap space, the Ducks will likely be active at the deadline as a possible middle man in bigger deals to acquire assets. John Klingberg is an interesting piece that could be traded by Anaheim, as his one-year, $7 million deal signed last July is easily flippable to a team in need of a puck-moving defenseman. As long as you’re not essential to the rebuild in Anaheim, your name is likely on the trade block for the Ducks.
Arizona Coyotes: Sell
Jakob Chychrun already has one foot out the door in Arizona. The defenseman has been held out of games due to “trade related reasons” since mid-February, with Los Angeles the most likely landing spot come deadline day. Shayne Gostisbehere’s name has also been talked about in trade rumors as a backup for teams that fail to nab Erik Karlsson from San Jose. Another trade deadline, another year of the Coyotes being sellers.
Boston Bruins: Buy
The Bruins bided their time while the rest of the Eastern Conference made moves around them. That was until they made a deal with Washington to acquire Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway for their lineup, a perfect fit for Boston’s style of play. The Bruins are the best team in the NHL this year, so don’t be surprised if they make another splash at the trade deadline. Or, general manager Don Sweeney could decide to continue to add around the fringes of the team to shore up its depth for a deep playoff push. Either way, the Bruins should be active at the deadline as this Last Dance run for this core continues.
Buffalo Sabres: Buy
Oh boy, do the Sabres have cap space to spare coming into the 2023 trade deadline. And as a team in the mix for a playoff spot, why not go for it if you’re Buffalo? As long as the Sabres don’t ship out any important pieces for their future, general manager Kevyn Adams should have carte blanche at this deadline to help propel the Sabres to their first playoff appearance since 2011.
Calgary Flames: Buy
I’m not sure whether a trade or a coaching change will fix the Flames, but Calgary has to do something or they’ll miss the playoffs entirely. The 2022-23 NHL season has not been kind to the Flames, who have looked middling in all aspects of the game. Expect the Flames to be in on the big-name forwards as they look to bolster their offensive production in hopes for a late playoff push. It might even behoove the Flames to look at goaltending depth, as Jacob Markstrom has had a disappointing season in net thus far.
Carolina Hurricanes: Hold
As the top team in the Metropolitan Division, the Hurricanes are in a great spot headed into the trade deadline. Carolina’s bread and butter has always been smart trades and there’s no reason for general manager Don Waddell to stray from that path. The Hurricanes’ biggest need this season is what it’s always been: scoring. If Carolina sees a smart way to add at the deadline, they will, but there’s no need to rush into a bad deal given their position.
Chicago Blackhawks: Sell
It’s no secret that the Blackhawks are going to sell hard at the deadline. Patrick Kane’s bags are already packed as is. Pretty much anyone not named Jonathan Toews — who is dealing with long COVID symptoms — is a possible trade chip as March 3 approaches. The Blackhawks already tore things down to the studs last summer to begin their rebuild in earnest, so why not rip out the foundation too while they’re at it.
Colorado Avalanche: Hold
The biggest trade deadline acquisition the Avalanche can make is getting Gabriel Landeskog back from Long-Term Injured Reserve. The reigning Stanley Cup champions have had a rough season injury-wise, with Cale Makar and Erik Johnson also missing some significant time recently as well. And yet, despite the injuries, the Avalanche have played really well over the last month and have put themselves back in playoff position. Above all else, getting healthy should be the Avalanche’s top priority this trade deadline.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Sell
As much as it would be fun to see Johnny Gaudreau traded, the Blue Jackets are better off building around him in the short term to get back to the playoffs. Columbus has been one of the worst teams in the NHL this season and as such are ripe for the picking for contending clubs. Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov has been held out of games ahead of an inevitable trade, and more players are sure to follow for the Blue Jackets in the coming days.
Dallas Stars: Buy
If Kane isn’t in the cards for the Stars, someone like Tyler Bertuzzi could fit the bill for Dallas. The Stars already snagged Evgenii Dadonov, after all, so it’s clear Jim Nill is working to fill that niche on this team. It’s hard to see the Stars standing pat at the trade deadline, as their recent skid has put their No. 1 spot in the Central in jeopardy. The team is still in a good spot overall, but the Stars can definitely make some improvements to their roster ahead of the upcoming playoff push.
Detroit Red Wings: Hold
Outside of entertaining the idea of trading Bertuzzi, the Red Wings should probably hold off at this year’s deadline. Detroit may be a few points out of a playoff spot thanks to a recent hot streak, but gambling on a big asset to help their odds doesn’t seem like Steve Yzerman’s kind of move. The Red Wings are better served by letting the season play out and continuing to work their rebuild magic in the offseason.
Edmonton Oilers: Buy
The Oilers are for sure hovering around the Kanes and Karlssons of the trade deadline. Given Edmonton’s salary cap restrictions, Jesse Puljujarvi has been a player talked about as a possible trade chip in return should the Oilers pull the trigger on a move. Expectations are high for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the rest of this Oilers team after making it to the Western Conference Final last season and any boost they can get from the trade deadline will surely help.
Florida Panthers: Hold
The Panthers currently don’t have a first round pick over the next three years, making their trade deadline plans that much more difficult. Usually a team in the Panthers position — fighting for a wild card spot — would leverage an asset or two for help at the deadline, but Florida’s kind of stuck unless they can move out money while having a team retain some salary. Bill Zito would have to get super crafty to make any major noise for the Panthers at the deadline, so expect them to be quiet as a result.
Los Angeles Kings: Buy
The Kings have been linked heavily to Chychrun, which would help shore up their left side defense easily. Many would be surprised if Chychrun isn’t donning a Kings jersey by March 4 and the fit does make sense. Los Angeles could very well add more by the deadline, but at the very least Chychrun will be a huge boon for a Kings team looking to win a round after bowing out to the Oilers in seven games last year.
Minnesota Wild: Buy
Brock Boeser’s agent has reportedly been trying to work out a trade to send the Canucks forward to the Wild ahead of the deadline. Minnesota has the cap space to work with but have usually been risk-averse when going all-in this time of year. That being said, the Wild are currently playing for their playoff lives and any boost to their lineup would be helpful to fend off challengers to their playoff position.
Montreal Canadiens: Sell
After trading Dadonov, Jonathan Drouin is another upcoming UFA the Canadiens will likely be shopping up until the deadline. With Montreal still in rebuild mode, any future draft picks or assets the Canadiens can acquire will be extremely helpful to the cause. As of now, the Canadiens have 11 draft picks ahead of the summer, but they could very well add more — or shop some as sweeteners for other assets — by deadline’s end.
Nashville Predators: Sell
The Predators already shipped out Nino Niederreiter to the Jets, signaling that this is the year they finally lean into being sellers. One of their only other major upcoming UFAs that could be shopped is Kevin Lankinen, who could be a good pickup for any team looking for backup goaltending. Nashville has been better in the second half of the season, but it seems as if soon-to-be-retired general manager David Poile has pulled the plug on the season. The most drastic option the Predators could make? Trading star goaltender Juuse Saros away and completely embracing the tank.
New Jersey Devils: Buy
Given how good the Devils have been this season — and with them facing their first playoff berth since 2017–18 — the team is definitely set up to buy at the deadline. And what do you know, they did! Acquiring Timo Meier from the Sharks has addressed their biggest area of need: a top-six forward to take pressure off of Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt to drive the offense. This is definitely the biggest move the Devils could make, but don’t be surprised if they’re still in on some names before the deadline closes.
New York Islanders: Buy
Bo Horvat was quite the pickup by the Islanders and since joining the team he’s put up five goals and eight points in 11 games. The problem? Mathew Barzal is out with injury for at least a few weeks, meaning the Islanders will need someone to step up big time as New York sits in a wild card race. The smart play here probably is to hold onto as many assets as possible while looking for some small additions at the fringes. A bandage effort, to be sure, but Lou Lamoriello is in quite the tough spot here.
New York Rangers: Buy
The Rangers don’t have a ton of cap space, but have draft picks to play with as the team is in their win-now era. A deal for Kane, which seemed impossible a week ago, is nearly assured after a lot of chatter over the weekend. Given how stacked the Eastern Conference is this year, the Rangers are going to do whatever they can to make another long run and it seems Kane and Tarasenko fit those plans.
Ottawa Senators: Sell
Moving Nikita Zaitsev’s beefy contract gives the Senators nearly $18 million in cap space ahead of the deadline. With Ottawa being well out of the playoff race, they definitely feel like a team that could play third party to a big trade to get some assets out of it. Or they could surprise and make a trade for a player to help them next season and beyond. Still, it definitely behooves the Senators to sell at the deadline rather than make a play when the offseason is right around the corner.
Philadelphia Flyers: Sell
Fans may want general manager Chuck Fletcher gone, but he’s set to helm another trade deadline with the Flyers once again in no man’s land. James van Riemsdyk is probably the most likely piece to move by the deadline, especially now that Travis Konecny has been placed on injured reserve. This season has not gone the way many hoped it would in Philadelphia, but getting solid returns on some of their movable assets would be a good start to moving forward.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Buy
Ron Hextall needs to do something — anything — with this Penguins team. Pittsburgh fans have been begging for some sort of action from the Penguins’ general manager for months and now it’s crunch time. The Penguins have sputtered in and out of a playoff spot, with the team’s fourth line and injured goaltenders doing them no favors as the weeks wind down on the season. Hextall’s entire modus operandi is to play it safe with his moves as a general manager, but if the Penguins don’t want to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06, something has to give.
San Jose Sharks: Sell
With Meier already gone, Karlsson is the biggest name left that is likely headed out of town for the Sharks by deadline’s end. General manager Mike Grier is going to be one busy man as the Sharks look to get key assets in return for their biggest players. While a larger teardown is hopefully in the works for San Jose in the offseason, the Sharks should look to sell off as much as possible now so they can look to building a brighter future.
Seattle Kraken: Buy
The Kraken have a real shot to make the playoffs this season for the first time in franchise history. Their offense has been stellar this year — helped out a ton by their league-leading shooting percentage — so honestly, looking for goaltending help might be the play here for Seattle. Philipp Grubauer has been better of late, but Martin Jones is not the backup you want to go into the playoffs with. Joonas Korpisalo out of Columbus might be an interesting name to keep an eye on as the deadline draws near.
St. Louis Blues: Sell
Now that the Blues’ dream of being buyers for Meier is dead, St. Louis can fully embrace the seller’s life. Not only are O’Reilly and Tarasenko gone, Ivan Barbashev has also been traded after a busy weekend of deals. While there might not be a lot left for the rest of the field, the Blues should try to deal more of their upcoming UFAs — Tyler Pitlick, among others — for assets and reassess things come summer time.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Buy
The Atlantic Division is no joke this year and the Lightning are no doubt headed to a showdown with the Maple Leafs in the first round. With Toronto’s more recent moves, Tampa Bay will definitely be looking to respond with some acquisitions of their own. Tanner Jeannot is one such player, who fits Tampa Bay’s mould to a T. Sure, the Lightning paid a lot for him, but Julien BriseBois knows what he’s doing after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Buy
The Maple Leafs already made a huge splash acquiring O’Reilly and Acciari in a huge blockbuster trade, but they likely aren’t finished just yet. General manager Kyle Dubas knows this is a make-or-break year for the Maple Leafs after the long list of playoff disappointments and is going all in accordingly. Given how desperate the Maple Leafs — and their fans — are for winning a playoff round, Dubas will likely still be wheeling and dealing until the deadline comes due.
Vancouver Canucks: Sell
Horvat was shipped out to Long Island in late January and he’s surely not going to be the last Canucks player moved before the deadline. Rumors around Luke Schenn have also been heating up, as the defenseman has been healthy scratched leading up to March 3. While the Canucks don’t have any other major UFAs of note, Vancouver should still look to move on from as much dead weight as possible if the price is right.
Vegas Golden Knights: Buy
The Golden Knights have always been active at the trade deadline, sometimes too much so for their own good. That doesn’t seem like it’ll change this season, with Vegas sitting at the top of the Pacific Division and looking to take advantage of a weaker West. The Golden Knights already made one move by adding Barbashev from the Blues, but with Mark Stone hitting LTIR, Vegas will have more cap space to work with this deadline to go after some heavy hitters. General manager Kelly McCrimmon likely sees this as a big opportunity to make some noise and it’s hard to blame him.
Washington Capitals: Sell
The Capitals feel cooked headed into the trade deadline. A 3-7-0 record in their last 10 games has thrown them out of the playoff picture, with their play deteriorating just as quickly alongside their slide. And general manager Brian MacLellan seems to know the end is near, as the team has already moved on from some of their 11 upcoming unrestricted free agents ahead of the deadline. Washington is the oldest team in the NHL and has made the playoffs eight years in a row, but now may be the time to start looking ahead toward the future.
Winnipeg Jets: Buy
The Jets have one more full season with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele as the core of this team before they become UFAs. Does Winnipeg pull out all the stops to try to make a deep run this season? That’s the question Kevin Cheveldayoff will have to find an answer to headed into the trade deadline. The Jets have already added Niederreiter to their lineup, so now it’s just a matter finding out how many more players Winnipeg decides to go after.
