Trade Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Red Wings.
Although they’ve gotten frustratingly close the past two years, the Red Wings are wholly poised for postseason competition for the first time in a decade. Not only are they projecting toward making the playoffs, but there’s a decent chance they’ll have home-ice advantage in the first round. There are noticeable flaws in the roster, raising concerns that the team’s success relies heavily on John Gibson‘s remarkable performance since early December. Regardless, given the ridiculous amount of cap space available to him, general manager Steve Yzerman has the opportunity to turn this team into a formidable playoff opponent.
Record
33-19-6, 3rd in the Atlantic (78% playoff probability)
Deadline Status
Conservative Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$59.38MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, CBJ 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, CGY 7th, DET 7th
2027: DET 1st, DET 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th
Trade Chips
The Red Wings have selected at least one player in the first round for 13 consecutive years. Not all of those have landed, though it has been enough for Detroit to restock its cupboards. Assuming an acquiring team wouldn’t expect the Red Wings to reach the Stanley Cup Final or even the Eastern Conference Final, their first-round selection this year could have significant value with the expectation that it falls around the 20 to 25 mark.
With their numerous first-round picks, Detroit can trade some prospects, depending on the magnitude of additions they want to make. The Red Wings’ biggest trade chips come from between the pipes. A few days ago, we peddled the idea of Detroit trading Cam Talbot to a desperate team around the deadline, with the idea they would call up prospect Sebastian Cossa in his stead. Cossa, being the heir-apparent, wouldn’t affect Talbot alone, however.
Detroit has one of the best goaltending prospects not currently in professional hockey. Trey Augustine, 20, is in his third year at Michigan State University, managing a 20-6-0 record with a .932 SV% and 1.96 GAA. Coupled with his pair of gold medals from the World Junior Championships, Augustine could fetch a massive return at the deadline. Famously, the Florida Panthers used Devon Levi and Spencer Knight to acquire Sam Reinhart and Seth Jones, respectively, each of whom had a hand in their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
While the Red Wings will likely want to retain prospects such as Carter Bear, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and Nate Danielson, some lower-level prospects may be traded. While circumstances may change, Amadeus Lombardi, Carter Mazur, and Shai Buium don’t seem likely to have a long-term future in Detroit, making them potential candidates in trade packages for acquiring high-level talent.
Team Needs
Top-Four Defenseman: Of all the playoff-bound teams, Detroit has one of the most obvious flaws. After Simon Edvinsson suffered a lower-body injury on January 22, the Red Wings concluded play before the Olympics with a record of 2-3-1. Even before losing Edvinsson, the need was obvious. It’s clear that head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t trust rookie Axel Sandin Pellikka (yet) in high-leverage situations, and veteran Ben Chiarot is a better fit for strong bottom-pairing play. Throughout the season, Detroit has been loosely connected to top-four defenseman such as Dougie Hamilton and Justin Faulk, both of whom make sense to fill the need. Even if a player like Morgan Rielly becomes available, or another top-four blue liner with term, the Red Wings should be the first team calling.
Some Jam Up Front: This is one of the more obscure talking points of the Red Wings’ makeup. As of now, the leading forwards on the team in hits are Marco Kasper (131) and Emmitt Finnie (86). This is not an argument that Detroit needs to pursue a punch-heavy forward like Ryan Reaves or Matt Rempe, but they should aim to become nastier to play against, especially with an eye on playoff competition. Coupled with their need for an additional boost of offense, Kiefer Sherwood would have been the ideal fit had he not already been dealt to the San Jose Sharks. Still, would a player like Evander Kane make sense? He’s scored nine goals and 25 points in 56 games for the Vancouver Canucks this season, and has only failed to clear the 100-hit mark twice throughout his 16-year career. He would help provide the Red Wings with a mild boost of offense, playoff experience, and much-needed grit.
Image courtesy of Robert Killips of Lansing State Journal.
Evening Notes: Team France, Sharangovich, Lund
Hockey France announced earlier today that defenseman Pierre Crinon will meet with Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, president of the FFHG and deputy head of the delegation. Crinon will be summoned “to shed full light on this incident”. In other words, he will need to answer for his actions and may face discipline.
Crinon, a 30-year-old 6’4” defenseman who made stops in the USHL and NAHL over a decade ago, has since played professionally in France. He has been a controversial player, punching an opposing goaltender earlier this season in Ligue Magnus. In the midst of a resounding 10-2 defeat to Team Canada today, Crinon delivered a high hit on Nathan MacKinnon, and more notably, fought Tom Wilson late in the contest.
It was already revealed that Wilson will not face suspension for his role in the incident, but Crinon may have a different fate as he’s brought unwanted negative attention to the French team. While making his way off the ice after the fight, the defenseman was seen egging on the crowd. The Olympics allow for a one-of-a-kind event in which players such as Crinon have the opportunity to compete against the best NHL players in the world. Doing so in honor of their countries, naturally such lesser heralded players want to make a mark, but incidents such as today’s are never a good look.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Calgary Flames may have trouble finding a new home for forward Yegor Sharangovich, as reported by David Pagnotta on February 13’s episode of The Sheet with Jeff Marek. As the team works through what could be a heavy sell-off, Pagnotta says Sharangovich’s name is the least mentioned. On paper, the 27-year-old should have interest in a change of scenery deal, as a former 30-goal-scorer. The Flames were right to lock him up after such a great first campaign in Calgary, but unfortunately things have soured since. The forward has just 20 points on the season, in the first year of a five year contract worth $5.75MM per season. Sharangovich still has strong metrics; a 53.5% corsi for in all situations, and a 87.5% corsi for on the man advantage. His struggles are indicative of a weaker Calgary team, but regardless, it appears he’ll be a Flame for the near future as he works to get back on track.
- San Jose Sharks prospect Cameron Lund will miss multiple weeks due to an upper-body injury, reported by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. The 2022 second rounder has 25 points in 37 games with the San Jose Barracuda, in his first full professional season after three years at Northeastern University. Lund jumped right into the NHL last year after college, making 11 appearances for San Jose and recording three points. In such a deep prospect pool, Lund is a bit overshadowed, but he has size (6’2”) with enough scoring touch and speed to be a future complementary scorer. The tenth-ranked Barracuda will move forward without Lund having won seven of their last 10 games.
Kings’ Kevin Fiala Sustains Multiple Left Leg Fractures, Out For The Season
Sunday: The Los Angeles Kings updated today that Fiala underwent successful surgery due to fractures in his lower left leg. As expected, he will miss the remainder of the season, and will be reevaluated in the spring.
Saturday: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Fiala is having surgery today. There still is no word on the precise nature of the injury but Friedman adds that it is indeed season-ending, a significant blow for both Switzerland and the Kings. Fiala will now be eligible to be placed on LTIR but with Los Angeles having ample cap space, it’s unlikely they’ll need to put him there.
Friday: One of the main reasons NHL teams opposed player participation in the Olympics was the concern over injuries that could be avoided. That fear has come to fruition for the Los Angeles Kings. Toward the end of today’s game between Canada and Switzerland, Kevin Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice due to an apparent leg or knee injury.
As mentioned, the injury happened with approximately three minutes left in the game. Fiala absorbed a hit from Tom Wilson and was in immediate pain on the ice. Although the hit was leveled, the incident causing the injury seemed accidental, and more like a freak play. According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, after the game, Wilson said, “It’s the Olympic Games and I feel terrible that he may not be able to keep playing. Just sending his family and him my best. You never want to see a guy go down, in a tournament like this, especially.”
Still, accident or not, it doesn’t make the situation any easier for the Kings. Fiala is the team’s second-highest scorer with 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Considering how starved Los Angeles is for offense, it’s a worst-case scenario. The team recently acquired high-scoring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but that didn’t relieve all of the team’s goal-scoring woes. No, the Kings haven’t yet played with Panarin on the ice, but losing a player with Fiala’s goal-scoring capabilities will objectively make it more difficult for them to put the puck in the net.
There haven’t been many updates regarding Fiala’s immediate status. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that Fiala has been taken to a local hospital, and there are concerns that the injury could be season-ending. If that’s the case, the Kings’ uphill climb toward playoff contention just became remarkably more difficult.
Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Oilers.
Coming up just short of the Stanley Cup in the last two seasons, the Edmonton Oilers have had an up and down season so far but the door is as open as ever. 2025-26 marks a decade since the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era began, and although the franchise is facing mounting pressure, it’s not like they haven’t been close, simply running into a buzzsaw in the Florida Panthers. Back in October, the Oilers locked up McDavid on a two year extension, meaning until at least 2027-28, it’s all systems go. GM Stan Bowman was busy in December, finally addressing goaltending, acquiring Tristan Jarry, as well as depth offensive defenseman Spencer Stastney. Jarry has not fared much better than the off-cast Stuart Skinner so far, but Edmonton hopes he can hold things down behind a dynamic group. Firmly in the playoff hunt yet again, with their nemesis in Florida possibly out of the picture, the Oilers will look to return to the Finals for a third straight time.
Record
28-22-8, 2nd in the Pacific (74.9% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$2.88MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2027: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 5th, BOS 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
Trade Chips
With limited draft capital and salary cap limitations, Edmonton will primarily look at moving out roster players to iron out their group. The most obvious candidate is Andrew Mangiapane, who has been subject of rumors all year, most recently linked to Ottawa as well as Anaheim, Detroit, and Winnipeg. With just 12 points in 49 games, the usually dependable secondary scorer has not been a fit with the Oil, and it seems all but guaranteed he’ll be moved before March 6. The only issue besides his struggles; the 29-year-old is signed through next year at $3.6MM and has trade protection, although he’d surely welcome a fresh start.
Elsewhere it’s not as clear. Mattias Janmark, a key role player over the past several seasons, has just one goal all year. The veteran’s possession metrics have steadily declined, currently at a 39.4% corsi for in all situations, a career-low at age 33. Similar to Mangiapane though, he’s signed through 2026-27, coming in at a $1.45MM cap hit. Janmark’s value would likely be limited to a 1-1 player swap for another comparable bottom sixer with a similar contract.
As their 2026 first round pick is expected to end up in the hands of San Jose from the Jake Walman deal, if Bowman decides it’s essentially now or never, he could tap into a prospect pool which is not surprisingly bottom ranked, but offers some interesting names. On the defensive side, Beau Akey stands out, the 2023 second round selection a righty with raw offensive potential, just 31 games into his professional career with AHL Bakersfield. NCAA standout Paul Fischer, a lefty, figures to have more of a path forward in the organization, assuming the team locks him up on an entry-level contract this spring.
Expected to search for supporting cast rather than big game hunting, top prospect Isaac Howard is still a name hard to ignore in any trade speculation. The 21-year-old has 31 points in 24 AHL games this season, also making 28 appearances at the highest level in his first pro season. Seemingly a full time NHLer as soon as next year, where his energy and skill are exactly what the team needs, the Oilers would be showing keen patience by holding onto the youngster, rather than falling into the classic short term gains trap. Regardless, if Bowman were to pull off a surprise splash, Howard, along with their 2027 first round pick, would be in the conversation.
Team Needs
1) Third-line Center: Having just turned 36, Adam Henrique is no longer a viable option at 3C, should Edmonton make another deep run. The respected veteran has just 10 points all season. Henrique is still dependable at the faceoff dot, but he is currently on LTIR with an undisclosed injury. Even once healthy sometime post-Olympics, an upgrade would be beneficial. Columbus captain Boone Jenner would be a tremendous acquisition, but in the midst of a remarkable turnaround, the Blue Jackets may be content to hold onto their longest tenured player. Even so, the team also offers Charlie Coyle as an intriguing higher end rental candidate, but his $5.25MM cap hit would be difficult to sneak in even if Bowman put together a compelling trade package. Elsewhere, Winnipeg offers two viable options, the club already being linked to Mangiapane. Vladislav Namestnikov emerges as a capable center with similar contract term in a possible swap. Bowman could also try to bring in his former Chicago captain in Jonathan Toews, but the 37-year-old is clearly not ring chasing at this stage, and may be hesitant to depart his native Jets in a sentimental final chapter. The future Hall-of-Famer firmly holds all cards in terms of his future.
2) Middle-Six scoring depth:
Somewhat surprisingly it came out just yesterday that the team is not likely to target defense, so besides an anchor down the middle in Henrique’s mold, Edmonton also could use a winger to bring what Mangiapane was signed for. If Nashville holds onto their bigger ticket veterans, they could retain on Michael Bunting’s expiring $4.5MM, the 30-year-old already known to have a skillset complementary of elite centers from his time in Toronto. Speaking of the Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann and his highly manageable $1.35MM cap hit would be a huge addition by the Oilers, filling a Corey Perry-type void. However, Toronto will not part with their surprise 20-goal-scorer easily, and Edmonton’s limited offerings make a deal difficult to pull off. Finally, Calgary’s Blake Coleman would thrive wearing the blue and orange, but he would require salary retention along with Edmonton likely having to move out Henrique’s $3MM cap hit, not to mention the two clubs being divisional rivals. Dealing Henrique would be difficult as he holds trade protection, and Bowman has limited draft capital sweeteners to work with. Whatever the case, the Oilers have no shortage of names to pursue as they work toward a seventh straight playoff berth.
Image Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Trade Deadline Primer: Montreal Canadiens
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Canadiens.
After an unexpected playoff appearance last season, expectations were a little higher heading into this season in Montreal. So far, they’ve lived up to them as they’re well ahead of their standings pace from a year ago, giving them a bit of a leg up in a very tight Atlantic Division. But with the team still taking a longer-term view, they might not be inclined to take a big swing just yet. Instead, they could shop for some help around the margins and look to make their next significant move in the offseason.
Record
32-17-8, 2nd in the Atlantic Division (83% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers with an eye on the longer-term
Deadline Cap Space
$1.49MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, NJD 4th, MTL 6th, CAR 7th, MTL 7th
2027: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, MTL 5th, MTL 6th, MTL 7th
Trade Chips
This is an odd situation where arguably their worst contract is also their biggest trade chip. Patrik Laine is in the final season of his contract with an $8.7MM cap charge. He also hasn’t played since mid-October due to an abdominal injury although he’s expected to be activated after the Olympic break. A high-end scoring threat earlier in his career, he has done okay on that front in Montreal with 20 goals in 57 games over parts of two seasons but on the surface, it appears he’s lost his spot in the lineup. It will take full retention and perhaps taking a contract back to move him but if GM Kent Hughes wants to add to his roster, he needs to free up some cap space first and that means getting at least some of Laine’s contract off the books.
The Canadiens have really cut the playing time for both Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble as of late. Xhekaj has played below 10 minutes in 12 of his last 18 games while Struble has been below that mark in six of his last 10 outings. It’s fair to suggest they’re starting to fall out of favor. However, they’re still just 25 and 24, respectively, with cap hits below $1.5MM apiece; Xhekaj is a pending restricted free agent while Struble has another year on his deal. A rebuilding team could potentially have a spot to give them a bigger opportunity, especially if they have a defender to spare that head coach Martin St. Louis might trust more.
On the prospect side of things, NHL readiness is an attribute that’s always sought after at the trade deadline. Defenseman Adam Engstrom fits that bill. He is within striking distance of the point-per-game mark in the minors and held his own in a pair of stints with Montreal this season, spanning 11 appearances overall. He’s probably ready for a longer look at the top level and considering he has another year left on his entry-level contract, the 22-year-old should be garnering some attention on the trade front.
Up front, Joshua Roy is in the final season of his entry-level pact and has seen some NHL time in all three of his professional campaigns. However, given Montreal’s depth up front and in the system, it seems unlikely that he’s a long-term fit on the roster. Roy is waiver-eligible next season so there are teams that might want to get a look at him beforehand. Owen Beck is having a tough year in the minors but has some NHL-ready attributes as a center with a high floor which should be appealing to some teams. Jared Davidson got his first NHL look earlier this season and has a profile of being an energetic fourth liner down the road; again, the Canadiens’ forward depth could make him expendable as well.
Team Needs
1) Top-Line Winger: Let’s use one of their reported wants to start this section off. With Juraj Slafkovsky anchoring the second line, there’s an opening on the top trio with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. It’s clearly not going to be Laine filling that spot. Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, and Kirby Dach have all seen time up there with varying degrees of success and Alex Newhook could land there when he comes back from his ankle injury. But none of those players are optimal fits for a number one line at this point of their respective careers. This would be a bigger swing
2) Improved Goal Prevention: The Canadiens are 23rd in the league terms of goals allowed with a penalty kill that ranks 25th. Given the limited goaltending options out there, it’s unlikely they’ll make a move on that front and will hope for more consistency from Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. But they can certainly try to upgrade on Xhekaj and Struble for that sixth defenseman spot while adding another defensive forward (they picked up Phillip Danault to help on that front earlier this season) could help get them closer to the middle of the pack defensively which would help their late-season push to hold onto a playoff spot.
Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.
Canada’s Tom Wilson Will Not Face Suspension For Olympic Fight
There will be no supplemental discipline for the fight between Team Canada’s Tom Wilson and Team France’s Pierre Crinon at the end of Canada’s 10-2 win on Sunday per Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Olympic rulebook has long been strict about fighting, even calling it out as “not part of international hockey’s DNA”. Fighting majors result in automatic match penalties and are reviewed for supplemental discipline after the game. In this case, neither player will face a suspension for their actions, keeping two of the top enforcers in the tournament on the ice.
Wilson has been strategically rotated onto Canada’s top line for much of the tournament. His intense physicality has filled a gap next to superstar Connor McDavid and Canada’s youngest player, Macklin Celebrini. Wilson has earned three points in three games in that role, though he’s averaged less than 12 minutes of ice time a game – partially thanks to an ejection in the third period on Sunday.
Crinon has long been known as a bruiser. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound defenseman currently has 66 penalty minutes in 29 games in France’s Ligue Magnus, the country’s top league. He served a seven-game suspension earlier in the league’s season for knocking out an opposing goalie with a punch during a scrum. Cronin racked up 95 penalty minutes in only 36 games of the 2023-24 Ligue Magnus season.
This decision will allow Wilson to stick with Canada as they head into the quarterfinals. At their current pace, Canada seems likely to face one of Germany, Latvia, or Czechia. Crinon will bring his enforcer presence to the qualifying rounds against Italy and Denmark.
Latest On Eemil Vinni
Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Eemil Vinni was loaned to a different team in Finland’s second-tier league today, according to an official announcement. The 2024 second-round pick has thus far spent the entire season with Mestis side JoKP, and has now been loaned to Ketterä.
Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Oilers’ system entering the season by the team at Elite Prospects, Vinni has had an uneven 2025-26 season. He got into 37 Mestis games for JoKP in 2024-25, but has just 17 this season. His .884 save percentage across those 17 contests ranks last among the three goalies who have seen time for JoKP this season, behind 27-year-old Juho Ahopelto (.891) and former AHL All-Star Kasimir Kaskisuo (.888).
Vinni has not played since Jan. 10, so this loan should give him the chance to get into games on a more regular basis, a key factor in the development of goaltenders.
While Vinni is unlikely to challenge incumbent starter Reima-Ville Roos, whose .917 save percentage ranks No. 2 among all goalies in Mestis, he should be an upgrade over backup Väinö Tanninen. Tanninen, 21, has gone 2-6-3 with an .865 save percentage in 13 games this season.
Since Vinni is playing out a contract that only runs through the end of the season, his development path should open up this summer. Vinni will likely have several options to choose from when it comes to continuing his hockey journey. While staying in his native Finland appears to be the most likely choice, the possibility that Vinni takes an alternative development path cannot be ruled out.
Sharks Notes: Musty, Bystedt, Lund
San Jose Sharks 2023 first-round pick Quentin Musty returned to the AHL ice after missing a month with a lower-body injury. While he was unable to land on the scoresheet during the San Jose Barracuda’s loss to the Henderson Silver Knights last night, his return from injury puts him in a position to resume his AHL rookie season and continue to make his case for an eventual NHL recall.
Unfortunately for Musty, missing time is something he’s had to get used to over the last two seasons. Last year, he didn’t begin his OHL season until November, sitting out in hopes the Sudbury Wolves would fulfill his trade request. (They did not.) Then, he suffered a hand injury, and was limited to just 33 games in 2024-25. With that year behind him, Musty has had a decent rookie campaign in the AHL. Through 33 games, Musty has 24 points, which is a 52-point 72-game scoring pace. He’s widely considered to be among San Jose’s top prospects, ranking No. 4 in their system entering the season by Elite Prospects, and No. 5 by Daily Faceoff.
Other notes from the Bay Area:
- The Sharks have been without 2022 first-rounder Filip Bystedt for the last two games due to a lower-body injury, and according to independent reporter Madison Montez, he is expected to be sidelined on a week-to-week basis. Bystedt’s injury cost him the chance to compete in the AHL’s All-Star Classic, and could unfortunately impact his odds of making his NHL debut at some point this season. The 22-year-old center leads the Barracuda in scoring with 36 points in 40 games, but has yet to receive an NHL recall to this point in his young career.
- 2022 No. 34 overall pick Cam Lund is currently being evaluated for an injury after missing the last two periods of the Barracuda’s most recent game, reports Montez. The 21-year-old replaced Bystedt at the AHL’s All-Star Classic and has 25 points in 37 games in what is his first full season playing pro hockey. Lund spent 11 games with the Sharks after signing his ELC last season, and scored two goals and three points in his first taste of pro hockey.
Trade Deadline Primer: Vegas Golden Knights
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Golden Knights.
Heading into the season, Vegas was viewed as one of the two contenders in the Pacific Division. But while they hit the break with the division lead, it has been a bit of a bumpy road so far. They’ve been hit quite hard by the injury bug, helping lead to a pair of five-game losing streaks (and an overall losing record) with an offensive and defensive output that’s closer to the middle of the pack than the NHL’s best. Nonetheless, with a quality veteran core group and a management team that’s willing to take some swings (including one to add a defenseman last month), it’s quite clear that they’ll be aiming high on the trade front over the next few weeks.
Record
27-16-14, 1st in the Pacific (93.2% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers
Deadline Cap Space
$4.653MM on deadline day (all LTIR space), 0/3 retention slots used, 50/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: VGK 2nd, VGK 3rd, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
2027: VGK 2nd, SJ 3rd, VGK 4th, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
Trade Chips
Being a team that’s likely to be buying, it’s quite possible that there won’t be any more players moved off the NHL roster. But one player who could be worth keeping an eye on is goaltender Akira Schmid. Adin Hill is back from his long-term injury and Carter Hart is due back sometime after the break as well. While Hart has struggled this season, the extra year on his deal suggests that he’s viewed as a part of the picture beyond 2025-26. Schmid, meanwhile, is a pending RFA due a sizable raise in the midst of a good showing this season that has seen him post a 2.53 GAA and a .895 SV% in 29 games. With a lot of teams believed to be looking around for goaltending options and an affordable contract at $875K, Schmid should generate some strong interest.
A lot of their current cap space is inflated by LTIR placements for William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb. Once they return, they’ll be much closer to a money-in, money-out situation. Accordingly, defenseman Jeremy Lauzon could be a casualty. His $2MM price tag isn’t particularly prohibitive but if they need a money balancer or simply need to spend less on the third pairing, he’s another NHL piece who could be in play. On an expiring contract, he’d have some standalone interest if they need to clear his salary.
As a result of trading away a lot of draft picks and prospects, the Golden Knights don’t have a particularly deep system to further deal from. But one player who would garner some inquiries is winger Trevor Connelly. Injuries have limited the 2024 first-rounder to just 17 games in his first full professional campaign but he has done relatively well when healthy and is still viewed as carrying NHL upside. Braeden Bowman has spent the bulk of the year in Vegas and is establishing himself as a full-timer so he’s someone they won’t necessarily be looking to move but will receive inquiries on. Kai Uchacz recently made his NHL debut and is the type of secondary piece that could be moved in a trade to add a depth piece to the roster as well.
One of the more intriguing wild cards for Vegas this deadline is winger Alexander Holtz. The seventh-overall pick in 2020, he has not lived up to that billing with both New Jersey and now Vegas; he has been in and out of the lineup this season with limited results. On the other hand, he just turned 24 a few weeks ago and has another cheap year on his contract after this one with an AAV that will be below the minimum salary next season. The demand probably won’t be too high but it’s possible that a rebuilding team or two might want to take a look at him and would accept him instead of an equivalent draft pick or prospect in a deal.
Team Needs
1) Contract Space: The Golden Knights are the only team in the NHL with the maximum of 50 active contracts. San Jose was in a tight spot earlier this year and had to take a draft pick downgrade to clear a slot. If GM Kelly McCrimmon wants to add a piece or two, they will need to open up some contract space first, either by including a player in a trade or moving someone else out elsewhere.
2) Improve Depth Scoring: Assuming that Andersson is the key move on the back end, their next need to fill is probably up front. Their top six has been productive this season with all players having at least 16 goals and 41 points. But the output drops off quickly after that. No other forward has 10 goals yet while Bowman is the only one with 20 points (and he’s just at 20). Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad have underwhelmed, in particular, while Karlsson’s injury has limited him to just 14 games so far. A player who could play on the third line to start but move into the top six when needed would give their attack a nice boost. That, and Karlsson’s possible return closer to the playoffs, could be enough of an improvement to their scoring to get them back near the top of the league in that department.
Photo courtesy of Brett Holmes-Imagn Images.
Finland’s Anton Lundell, Oliver Kapanen Miss Game Due To Illness
Team Finland managed an 11-0 win over Team Italy early on Saturday morning without one of their top centers. Florida panthers center Anton Lundell missed the heyday matchup due to illness per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Lundell’s roomate in the Olympic villiage, center Oliver Kapanen, was also scratched. Kapanen was rostered but benched in Finland’s second game – a 4-1 win over rival Sweden. Lundell played nearly 19 minutes and scored one goal in that game, after going scoreless in the Olympic opener.
Finland kept Colorado Avalanche winger Joel Kiviranta and Ottawa Senators defender Nikolas Matinpalo in the lineup against Italy. Kiviranta scored on both shots he took in 11 minutes of ice time. Matinpalo recorded a plus-one and two shots in eight minutes, but didn’t make the scoresheet. He did score a goal in Finland’s win over Sweden – a surprise for a defender who only has one goal in 75 career NHL games.
Of note, Team Finland’s women’s team contracted noravrius – a common and contagious stomach virus – per ESPN. It was not made clear if this bug spread to Lundell. Finland will hope he can rebound quickly either way, as Lundell held down the team’s second-line center position before going down. He has scored 16 goals and 40 points in 54 games in the NHL. That is a 61-point scoring pace, which would shatter Lundell’s previous career-high of 45 points, set last season. His ramped up scoring has coinceded with a boost to Florida’s top-line where he is filling in for injured compatriot Aleksander Barkov.
Kapanen’s availability will be less certain. It was not clear if he was scratched as a precaution, or to continue his route out of the lineup after seeing no ice time in Finland’s last game. The NHL rookie has 18 goals and 31 points in 57 games with the Montreal Canadiens this season. He was a standout in both Finland’s Liiga and Sweden’s SHL before moving to North America. Kapanen scored 34 points in 51 games of the 2023-24 Liiga season and 35 points in 36 games of the 2024-25 SHL season. He will rotate onto the team’s fourth-line, and fill a shoot-first role, if he’s slotted back into the lineup.