NHL Top 10 Trade Block, September 2024

This year, however, saw a busy week in which five notable trades were made between Aug. 18 and 23.

Among the players on the move were winger Patrik Laine, goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, prospect winger Rutger McGroarty, and defenseman Cody Ceci.

A nearly constant fixture in the rumor mill since January. The 23-year-old Anaheim Ducks forward will likely remain the subject of media speculation, especially if his struggles and injury woes from last season carry over into 2024-25.

Zegras was linked to several teams leading up to last season's trade deadline and the June NHL Draft weekend. However, nothing came of the conjecture and he remains with the Ducks.

Entering the 2023 offseason, New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafrenière's future was the subject of speculation. The first-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lafrenière had yet to develop into the offensive star he was projected to become. However, a 28-goal, 57-point regular season performance followed by 14 points in 16 playoff games silenced the critics and the trade rumors.

This summer, it's Kaapo Kakko's turn in the Rangers' rumor mill. Chosen second overall in the 2019 draft, the 23-year-old right winger struggled through a disappointing injury-shortened 2023-24, making him a frequent subject of media trade chatter since February.

A first-round pick of the New York Islanders (11th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft, Oliver Wahlstrom netted 12 goals and 21 points in 44 games in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. However, he's had difficulty matching that promising NHL debut performance.

Wahlstrom managed 13 goals and 24 points in his sophomore season. His 2022-23 season was cut short by a knee injury and he was a frequent healthy scratch throughout 2023-24. The 24-year-old winger filed for salary arbitration on July 5 but settled on a one-year, $1 million contract. Nevertheless, his future with the Islanders remains uncertain.

Acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the Jack Eichel trade in November 2021, Peyton Krebs has struggled to establish himself with the Buffalo Sabres. The 23-year-old center played a career-high 80 games last season but netted only 17 points, spending most of his time seeing fourth-line duty.

A first-round draft pick (17th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, Krebs is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract. He's the only roster regular the Sabres have yet to sign to a new deal.

After spending the past four seasons bouncing between the Toronto Maple Leafs and their AHL club, winger Nicholas Robertson prefers a change of scenery. On June 30, the 22-year-old restricted free agent informed management he wasn't interested in signing an extension and requested a trade.

That earned Robertson a place on our August NHL Trade Block Big Board. The younger brother of Dallas Stars scorer Jason Robertson, Nicholas has grown frustrated with his handling by the Leafs. He's seeking a move to another team where he might have a better opportunity to play a larger role.

The Calgary Flames' roster retool sparked speculation earlier this summer about center Nazem Kadri's future in the Stampede City. Kadri, 33, is entering the third season of his seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million and also has a full no-movement clause through 2025-26.

That early conjecture came to naught but the Flames' roster changes since last season could force Kadri to reconsider his situation if they fail to show any significant improvement in 2024-25. We included him among our top five players who could request a trade next.

On Aug. 15, Ken Wiebe of The Winnipeg Free Press wondered if Kadri might ask to be moved depending on how this season pans out for the Flames. Despite the center's hefty contract and no-move limitations, Wiebe believes he'd be a perfect fit as a second-line center for the Jets.

Farabee's future in Philadelphia remains uncertain as the Flyers rebuild their roster. Another season of moving up and down their roster could prompt management to gauge his value before the trade deadline.

Approaching the 2023 NHL Trade deadline, David Savard was the subject of frequent trade speculation. The Montreal Canadiens weren't shopping the veteran defenseman but interest from contenders seeking experienced blue-line depth.

The Canadiens retained Savard, who will start the final season of his four-year contract. Given the Habs' status as a rebuilding team, he could end up on the trade block at some point as a playoff rental player. Savard missed 22 games last season due to injury but still logged a respectable 24 points with a plus-minus of minus-1 on the rebuilding Canadiens.

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy is retooling his roster by shipping out players in the final year of their contracts, replacing them with younger, affordable talent. Last season, he traded away three key defensemen, sending Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks, Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars, and Noah Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Rasmus Andersson has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $4.6 million and a six-team no-trade list. Nevertheless, some Flames fans wonder if the 27-year-old defenseman could follow Zadrov, Tanev, and Hanifin out of the Stampede City.

Since 2013-14, Brock Nelson has been a roster regular for the New York Islanders. He's also been among their most consistent scorers, exceeding 40 points eight times, including a career-best 75-point performance in 2022-23 and a 69-point effort last season.

Turning 33 on Oct. 15, Nelson is in the final season of his six-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million and a 16-team no-trade list. Eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July, this could be his final campaign with the Islanders.

Source: Bleacher Report
B/R NHL Trade Block Big Board: September 2024