Greg WyshynskiFeb 26, 2026, 07:30 AM ETCloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.Follow on XMultiple Authors
Which players can be on the move ahead of the NHL trade deadline? (1:47)Greg Wyshynski spotlights three players that headline his trade board with the deadline approaching. (1:47)
play0:18Jordan Eberle tallies goal vs. DevilsJordan Eberle tallies goal vs. Devils
play0:48Nazem Kadri tallies goal vs. Maple LeafsNazem Kadri tallies goal vs. Maple Leafs
The NHL needs two things for an entertaining trade deadline: demanding contenders who have delusions of Stanley Cup grandeur, and enough teams willing to part with their current players to provide supply.
There are roughly eight teams that are probably out of the playoff hunt as the March 6 trade deadline approaches.
The New York Rangers already sent their letter to fans signaling a “retool” and traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. Teams around the league are waiting to see how dramatically the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks compensate for disappointing seasons.
Meanwhile, a change in recent fortunes for some teams might change their thinking. Take the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have surged up the standings under new coach Rick Bowness. A month ago, players like Boone Jenner and Charlie Coyle would have been found in the trade tiers below. Now, it sounds like there’s a better chance they could be extended than moved — or at least kept around for a playoff push.
This list was compiled through conversations with league executives and other sources, as well as media reports. ESPN insiders, including Emily Kaplan, added their input as well. Salary figures are from PuckPedia.
With huge names such as Quinn Hughes and Panarin already off the board, let’s start with some other shocking possibilities before diving into pending free agents, players with term left on their deals and some glue guys.
Jump ahead: Shockers Elite pending free agents Elite forwards with term Elite D-men with term 25-and-under tier Goalies | Glue guys
The Panthers had an 18% chance of making the playoffs coming out of the break, according to our latest NHL Bubble Watch. Much of that depends on if and when star center Aleksander Barkov returns, and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions can put together a run to make the postseason, where they’ll remain inherently dangerous thanks to a deep roster and, of course, “Playoff Bob” Bobrovsky.
What do the Panthers want to do here? A short-term contract to backstop a veteran team that’s back to full strength next season would seem like one avenue. But they do have 26-year-old Daniil Tarasov — who, for what it’s worth, has outplayed Bobrovsky this season. As Weekes said, this is something to watch.
It’s hard to gauge how deep Blues GM Doug Armstrong is willing to cut into his roster during a disastrous season. Is Thomas’ name in circulation only because other teams hope that the 26-year-old No. 1 center might become available? Or would the Blues offer up Thomas, provided he waives his trade protection, for the kind of package that could launch a retool? Thomas’ contract has an $8.125 million average annual value, but his annual salary declines or plateaus every season after this one.
Then there’s Tuch. The Sabres are in a playoff seed after 57 games. Tuch has 22 goals and 26 assists in 56 games, playing in every situation and is an absolute catalyst for the team. He’s saying things like, “We’re not just going to go for the playoffs, we’re going to go for the Cup.”
It’s hard to imagine Buffalo trading that kind of player while seeking their first postseason berth since 2011, but Tuch and the Sabres have been talking contract for a long, long time with no long-term extension to show for it: first with former GM Kevyn Adams, now with Jarmo Kekalainen. Even without that extension, one assumes the Sabres would be comfortable keeping Tuch through the deadline with the playoffs in reach. But Kekalainen has always been a pragmatist.
Kane is going to be traded, and the Canucks are going to gobble up a chunk of his $5.125 million AAV to make it happen. He has a 16-team no-trade list, but the only requirement for Kane to agree to a move to his sixth NHL franchise is that it’s a playoff team. The Dallas Stars have been a frequently mentioned fit, but don’t discount a move back East for Kane, either.
Jordan Eberle tallies goal vs. DevilsJordan Eberle tallies goal vs. Devils
What is Laine’s value right now? He was limited to five games this season due to injury after a nice comeback season in 2024-25 with Montreal (20 goals in 52 games). The Canadiens would obviously have to pick up part of his $8.7 million AAV to facilitate a trade. Laine is nearing a return from the IR. Is there someone who believes in a potential return to form enough to overlook his inability to remain in the lineup?
You could build two pretty good center groups with the players available in the middle at this deadline — in theory, at least.
Trocheck wasn’t here in our last trade board because the Rangers were still feigning to be a contender at that point. Now that they’re in the retool again, it’s hard to imagine they won’t move Trocheck for the benefit of both parties. He’s as versatile a player as you’ll find: someone who can average 0.76 points per game over the past two seasons, but also be a key defensive player, a role he served well in helping the United States win Olympic men’s hockey gold.
Speaking of which: More than a few observers around the NHL believe Trocheck will end up with the Minnesota Wild, a team with a need in the middle and a general manager in Bill Guerin who built the aforementioned Team USA. Trocheck has a 12-team no-trade list.
The Predators have two other big names in the middle. Marchessault has a full no-movement clause and makes $5.5 million against the cap annually through 2028-29. He has 17 points in 38 games and has skated to a minus-18 in 38 games. His defensive game has deteriorated in Nashville, but the 2023 Conn Smythe winner can add some offensive pop to a contender.
O’Reilly, Nashville’s other Conn Smythe winner, has a friendly cap hit ($4.5 million AAV) on a contract with two years left on it. While the 2019 Cup winner doesn’t have trade protection, GM Barry Trotz will work with O’Reilly on finding a preferred destination. O’Reilly has been awesome this season: 20 goals and 36 points in 57 games, winning 55.3% of his faceoffs, on par with his career mark. He’s 35 years old but could be a “final puzzle piece” guy for the right contender.
Kadri is another “last piece” guy as a second-line two-way center with snarl, which is what he provided the Colorado Avalanche in winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. The 35-year-old makes $7 million against the cap annually through 2028-29. He has a 13-team no-trade list but didn’t exactly shoot down reports that he would be open to working with the Flames to facilitate a swap. Calgary loves what Kadri brings to the team, but the time might have come to maximize his return.
Nazem Kadri tallies goal vs. Maple LeafsNazem Kadri tallies goal vs. Maple Leafs
Schenn has a 15-team no-trade clause, making $6.5 million against the cap annually through 2027-28. He has been in St. Louis for nine seasons and has 24 points in 57 games this season, skating to a ghastly minus-25. That said, the 34-year-old Stanley Cup winner is a coveted player around the league for his leadership, toughness and offensive upside. Assuming the Blues are in seller mode, he’ll have plenty of attention and the Blues could get a hefty return for him.
Depending on how deep the trading goes in Vancouver, Garland and DeBrusk could be part of it. Garland hasn’t even started the six-year, $36 million deal he signed in July. He has 25 points in 46 games for Vancouver. DeBrusk, 29, has a full no-move clause and five more years on his contract at $5.5 million AAV. He’s not having the offensive season he had in 2024-25 (28 goals), but he’s a solid winger that can slide into a team’s middle six.
Is Tippett’s name being out there just noise or something more palpable? His trade protection kicks in during the 2026-27 season. He makes $6.2 million against the cap annually through 2031-32. He has had three straight 20-plus-goal seasons and has 19 goals in 56 games this season. Everything we’ve heard is that the Flyers might move him in the right “hockey trade” to help the club.
Whenever a veteran’s ice time dramatically falls, one assumes a trade can’t be too far off. Strome, the 32-year-old who has another year left at $5 million AAV, averaged 16:41 last season and is down to 12:05 this season, with eight points in 32 games.
Justin Faulk, D, St. Louis Blues Dougie Hamilton, D, New Jersey Devils Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Philadelphia Flyers MacKenzie Weegar, D, Calgary Flames Tyler Myers, D, Vancouver Canucks
The Devils were poised to trade Hamilton before Luke Hughes went down with an injury in late January — please recall Hamilton being scratched in favor of defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic earlier in the month. With their season all but over and Hughes nearly back, one assumes Hamilton Watch begins again.
He has a 10-team trade list and a $9 million cap hit that the Devils probably have to keep a portion of to facilitate a deal. (Although he’s only owed $13.65 million in real dollars over the last two years of his contract.) Hamilton isn’t the offensive player that he once was, but he could easily fill someone’s need for a veteran puck-moving defenseman on their second pairing. One intriguing possibility: a reunion with the Carolina Hurricanes, whom Hamilton left as a free agent in 2021.
Ristolainen might be an alternative to Weegar. The 31-year-old right defenseman has no trade protection and two years left on his deal at $5.1 million AAV. Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reports an uptick in interest for the Flyers defenseman during the Olympic break, as he was doing his thing for Team Finland.
Myers is signed through next season with a minuscule $3 million annual cap hit, but has a no-movement clause that he’s reportedly not keen on waiving. One wonders if that would include a potential trade to the Flyers and a reunion with former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet.