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The 2025 NHL trade deadline is over a month away, with plenty of time for big moves, yet we’ve already seen a splash that can’t be topped. The Colorado Avalanche traded superstar winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas in a move that will have massive ramifications this season and for years to come.
Related: Mikko Rantanen’s Contract & Trade Situation Unravel After Recent Finnish Interview
A handful of teams could make a run this season. With sixteen teams heading to the postseason, only 11 are built to win the Cup. The big question is what they should target at the trade deadline to round out their rosters.
Carolina Hurricanes: Bottom Six Playmaking
The Hurricanes look like they have a complete roster, especially after adding Rantanen. They now have star power with size in their forward unit to play with Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov in the top six. On top of that, the defensive unit is great from the top down while goaltending, with Pyotr Kotchetkov emerging as a reliable starter, is no longer a weakness. That said, they’ll want to round out the lineup.
The way to do that is by adding a bottom-six forward, specifically, one who can set up scoring chances. The Hurricanes defend with their third and fourth line while Jack Roslovic has stepped up as a scorer with 18 goals, but they need someone who can get him the puck.
Florida Panthers: Second Pair Defense
The defending Cup champion Florida Panthers will look to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the other Florida team did it in 2020 and 2021. Despite their highs and lows this season, they have proven that the Eastern Conference and the Cup go through them.
They have a complete roster with arguably the best top six in the NHL leading the way. The Panthers also know what it takes to make a deep playoff run after reaching the Final in 2023 and winning it all in 2024. That said, they have a glaring weakness. The Panthers lost Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the offseason, and it shows, with their defense allowing nearly three goals per game.
With Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad, and Niko Mikkola leading the top two pairings, the Panthers need another second-pairing option to shore up any weakness. Whether it’s a puck-moving defenseman or a stay-at-home blueliner, the team must add depth to their defense to make another playoff run.
New Jersey Devils: Middle Six Scoring
The New Jersey Devils are always trying to balance out their roster, which is a tough assignment with their speed and skill up front but not a lot of size or physicality. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are exceptional talents, but they both weigh only 175 pounds, and in the playoffs, teams can push them around. It’s why the Devils added bigger forwards like Paul Cotter and Stefan Noesen to the bottom six in the offseason.
However, they lack a scoring presence in the bottom six. The offense averages only 3.06 goals per game while only eight skaters have 10 goals or more, and only seven skaters have 20 points or more, a testament to the top-heavy group. So, they’ll want to add a scorer who can play on the third line to give them that extra boost in the playoffs.
The Devils might also want to add a forechecking forward with skill to the top six, especially since they will face the Hurricanes – the team that defeated them in the 2023 Second-Round series – in the First Round or possibly the Second Round. However, the goal is for Erik Haula to return from injury to fill that role while Timo Meier steps up as the power forward on the wing.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Physicality
This season looks like it could be the one when the Toronto Maple Leafs make a Cup run and snap the longest title drought in league history. They check all the boxes of a contender with a great offense, great defense, and a team that can win in multiple ways. Better yet, they have a coach (Craig Berube) who can get them over the hump.
The catch is if the game slows down and becomes physical, they’ll need players who can win that type of game. The Maple Leafs, assuming they win their First Round matchup (a big if, considering they’ve only done it once since 2004), will most likely play the Panthers in the Second Round. They need skaters who can go toe-to-toe with Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov. Sure, Auston Matthews can adapt, but they need another skater who can help fill that void.
The Maple Leafs also don’t have Anthony Stolarz in the lineup, and goaltending has become an issue. It’s why they might make a move for a backup, but the assumption is Stolarz will return for the playoffs. If not, the Maple Leafs might put their confidence in Joseph Woll, which isn’t the worst thing since he’s having a great season.
Washington Capitals: Forechecking
The Washington Capitals have been a pleasant surprise this season, looking like the best team in the Metropolitan Division. Everything has gone right, with the forward unit, defense, and goaltending playing well, while veterans have turned back the clock, and prospects are starting to make an impact. Things are going well for them now, but they must think ahead to win the Cup.
The easy target is a scorer – to make a good offense even better – but they’ll want to add a forechecking presence to the forward unit. They need a skater who can create turnovers in the offensive zone to allow the team to maintain possession and provide more scoring chances for Alexander Ovechkin and Dylan Strome.
Colorado Avalanche: Second Pair Defense
By trading Rantanen, the Avalanche have already started to pivot from being a top-heavy team to a roster with stars and depth. In recent seasons, they had glaring weaknesses across the board, but it didn’t matter when Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Rantanen led the way. The trade gave them Necas and Jack Drury to bolster the forward unit, and now, they must add depth to their defense.
The defense falls off after Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard, giving their goaltending no breaks and their forwards no scoring presence at the point. Yes, Makar’s ice time goes up in the playoffs, and he impacts the game across the board, but he can only do so much. They traded Bowen Byram last season to upgrade the forward unit, but they could use another Byram in their lineup or at least a stay-at-home option to play the second or third pair.
Dallas Stars: Middle Six Forward
The Dallas Stars are a super team, but they’ve lost an edge with two players out of their lineup who were key to their success last season. Chris Tanev rounded out the defense, making it one of the best in the NHL after the trade deadline, but he’s no longer on the team. Then there’s the Tyler Seguin injury, which has forced the Stars to play the season without a perennial 20-goal scorer.
The defense is a strength, with Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, and Esa Lindell leading the unit while Jake Oettinger is playing lights out in net. So, it’s not a pressing issue like it was last season. Adding a forward to the lineup is, and it’s why the Stars should make a significant trade to add to a forward group that already has Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, and Wyatt Johnston.
Edmonton Oilers: Forward Depth
After coming up one goal short of a Stanley Cup title last season, the Edmonton Oilers are on a mission and again look like the team to beat in the Western Conference. They have two of the best players in the game, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way, but as they’ve proven in recent seasons, they are a team beyond just their two stars. Zach Hyman is an elite scorer, and the defense, with Evan Bouchard continuing to improve, can shut down opponents.
The only lingering question (aside from whether Stuart Skinner can replicate his success from last season) is how their depth will hold up. Last season, the Oilers saw Ryan McLeod and Dylan Holloway step up in the middle, but they lost both of them in the offseason. The hope was that Jeff Skinner and Vasily Podkolzin would fill that void, but the Oilers will again be on the hunt for forwards to help out the third and fourth lines.
Minnesota Wild: Top-Six Playmaking
Like the Maple Leafs, the Wild are always in the playoffs but never seem to make it out of the First Round. Barring any moves, they’re on track for that result again. The Wild have a good team, good enough for the third or fourth-best record in the Central Division, but they’ll meet a complete team like the Stars or Winnipeg Jets in the postseason and get run over.
The Wild need a playmaker to get them over the hump. The offense goes with Kirill Kaprizov, who is out of the lineup with an injury, which should be a reminder that they need a dynamic forward who can create scoring chances. Sure, Kaprizov will likely return for the playoffs, but they need another great passer and possibly one who plays the center position as well.
Vegas Golden Knights: Depth
The Vegas Golden Knights are quietly putting together a great season. They are neck and neck with the Oilers for the best record in the Pacific Division and have elite talent leading them. Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, and Mark Stone anchor the forward unit, while Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo, and Noah Hanifin lead the defense.
That said, the team needs depth. Outside of the top six, the offense takes a nosedive, and the defense doesn’t have a great third pair. The Golden Knights are known for making a splash, but ironically, their biggest successes have been depth additions. In the 2022-23 season, they added Ivan Barbashev, Michael Amadio, and Paul Cotter, none of whom were big moves at the time, yet all three skaters played key roles in helping them win the Stanley Cup.
Winnipeg Jets: Scoring
The Winnipeg Jets are led by great defense and world-class goaltending. Connor Hellebuyck is the best goaltender in the NHL, and it’s not particularly close. They also have a deep forward unit, with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele leading the top six, while Cole Perfetti, Alex Iaffalo, and Mason Appleton round things out. What do they need? Like the Capitals, they must think ahead and set themselves up for a playoff run.
That means adding another scorer. The playoff exit against the Avalanche in the First Round last season is fresh on their minds, and they need an offense that can keep up with a team that runs up the score. If they can add more offense, even with plenty of scoring in the lineup, they’ll do it.
Which Players Can Be Moved To Cup Contenders
JT Miller is the player everyone wants. If not him, it’s Elias Pettersson. With Rantanen off the board, the Vancouver Canucks have the two biggest stars to move and will likely trade one of them. However, other players will likely make a bigger impact, considering they can fill a specific need for a contender.
The New York Islanders have turned a corner this season, but if they decide to sell, they could move Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, a center and a winger who can score. The Nashville Predators don’t have a lot of players they can trade, but keep an eye on Gustav Nyquist, who heads to free agency at the end of the season and is middle-six forward. If the Canucks trade Miller, Brock Boeser can be moved as well, and any team that needs a scorer on the wing will look to add him.
On defense, the player to watch is pending unrestricted free agent Marcus Pettersson, one of the bright spots on a Pittsburgh Penguins team going nowhere. Likewise, Mike Matheson is having an excellent season, and the Montreal Canadiens might look to move him, considering the young defensemen they have waiting in the wings.
Is there a move you see a contending team making? Let us know in the comments section below.
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