The NHL trade deadline is just a few days away, and that means that many of the league's teams have been evaluating their respective rosters.
Several teams are capable of contending for a Stanley Cup this year, while others will be selling their finest assets in preparation for the future. While some big names like J.T. Miller and Seth Jones have already been moved, plenty more capable veterans will be switching addresses to help franchises with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Let's take a closer look at which teams will be buyers and sellers as the March 7 trade deadline draws closer.
Buyers
Washington Capitals
Many eyes have been on the Capitals as star forward Alex Ovechkin purses Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. However, that's not the only reason that Washington has been worth keeping an eye on this season.
The Capitals own a 38-14-8 record (84 points) and sit atop the Metropolitan Division. In fact, only the Winnipeg Jets have tallied more points than the Capitals throughout the regular season. As a result, the Capitals could be one of the top buyers prior to the trade deadline.
Washington certainly has a very strong back end after landing the likes of Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy this past offseason. If the Capitals do end up making a move, it will likely be to improve their forward group. With Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie on LTIR, the Capitals really do have a ton of capability when it comes to the money that they could take on. While Washington probably won't acquire a superstar forward, a veteran that can slot in its top six wouldn't be a huge surprise.
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have been the class of the league throughout the season. Winnipeg possesses a lethal scoring attack, while having the Vezina Trophy favorite in the form of Connor Hellebuyck.
While the Jets could easily make a deep playoff run as is, this is a group that could stand to add a little bit more depth. A second-line center is a need that could be worth addressing with Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders or Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers coming to mind. It's also not crazy to think that Winnipeg could choose to strengthen its blue line behind Josh Morrissey.
The Jets certainly don't need to do anything drastic considering they already have plenty of star power in the form of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. Still, more depth is never a bad thing for a Stanley Cup contender.
Vegas Golden Knights
It's impossible to talk about the trade deadline and not mention the Golden Knights.
In 2024, the Golden Knights came out of nowhere to acquire veteran forward Tomas Hertl from the San Jose Sharks. It's possible Vegas doesn't make a splash at quite that level, but it wouldn't be shocking to see the Golden Knights working the phones all the way up to the Friday's deadline.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche shook up their roster at the 2024 trade deadline when they swapped defenseman Bowen Byram for center Casey Mittelstadt with the Buffalo Sabres. Just one year later, neither player has really delivered a big return on each team's investment.
Mittelstadt is currently penciled in as Colorado's second-line center, but it's hard to imagine the Avalanche being content with their top six the way it's currently constructed. After all, it's unclear when or if Gabriel Landeskog will return to the ice after missing the past two seasons. Perhaps the Avalanche make a move to acquire an upgrade up the middle and could even part with Mittelstadt in the process.
Sellers
Pittsburgh Penguins
It seems fairly cut and dry that the Penguins should be sellers at the trade deadline. The only question is whether general manager Kyle Dubas will pull the trigger when it comes to the team's veteran assets.
As long as Sidney Crosby remains in Pittsburgh, it's hard to see the Penguins completely becoming sellers. Forwards like Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust would definitely fetch strong returns at the trade deadline, but Crosby also might have a say in pieces like that being shipped out of town.
The most logical trade chip might be defenseman Erik Karlsson. Since being acquired in the 2023 offseason, Karlsson's tenure in Pittsburgh has been up-and-down. If the Penguins receive a decent offer, it's going to be tough to turn down getting some of Karlsson's massive salary off of the books.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are one of the more interesting teams when it comes to the trade deadline. Entering Monday, Philadelphia is just four points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and have been playing quite well lately to the tune of four wins in five games.
Make no mistake about it, this probably isn't a team capable of a deep Stanley Cup Playoff run. With that in mind, selling off a veteran or two for the right price tag wouldn't be shocking. Forward Scott Laughton has been a highly coveted piece for Cup-contending teams in recent years, but general manager Danny Briere has balked at moving him in the past. If a team offers a first-round pick, it's likely Briere would consider moving Laughton.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is another player that could be on the move. Ristolainen was acquired via trade from the Buffalo Sabres back in 2021 and has been a fixture on Philadelphia's blue line ever since. The veteran defenseman still has two more years of team control, so that's an attractive caveat for a team attempting to trade for his services. If another team is willing to absorb the majority of his $5 million annual price tag, the Flyers might be willing to move on.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 13 consecutive seasons dating back to 2011. Buffalo currently has the fewest points (53) in the East and will likely suffer a similar fate again this season.
The Sabres may not be close to contending, but the team certainly has plenty of pieces that could net a strong return. Forward J.J. Peterka (17 goals, 28 assists) and Alex Tuch (22 goals, 24 assists) are likely Buffalo's most attractive trade chips, and they could make a huge difference for a contending team. In addition, 2024 trade deadline acquisition Bowen Byram could be on the move for the right price.
Buffalo is clearly building this roster around a core featuring Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. Other than those two stars, it's hard to imagine the Sabres wouldn't kick the tires on most players on the roster.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks have already confirmed they will be sellers at the trade deadline by moving defenseman Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers over the weekend. In doing so, Chicago may have filled a big need by acquiring goaltender Spencer Knight in that deal.
Jones was definitely the team's biggest trade chip, but there's still a few players the Blackhawks could ship out of town. Center Ryan Donato is in the midst of a career season as he ranks third on the team in points (43). Perhaps the Blackhawks try to cash in on his big season by moving him for significant draft capital.
