LAS VEGAS — The only thing hotter than the “dry heat” the hockey world is being treated to this week here in Vegas is the increasing amount of trade chatter with NHL front offices gearing up for the draft and free agency.
This is a prime time to both move and acquire players, with picks at a premium heading into the Friday and Saturday draft at Sphere, and teams looking to clear out cap space in order to make a splash when the free-agent market opens Monday.
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That was the apparent motivation for the Detroit Red Wings’ decision to attach a second-round pick to Jake Walman in Tuesday’s deal with the San Jose Sharks — clearing $3.4 million off the Red Wings’ books for next season and the year after.
The trade market has already been unusually active, with four goaltenders changing teams this month: Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils, Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, Joonas Korpisalo to the Boston Bruins and Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings.
Expect the carousel to continue to spin, too.
We’ve got five more goaltenders featured on the latest edition of the Big Board of top targets to watch. Enjoy.
(Note: This story was updated on Thursday, June 27, after Juuse Saros re-signed with the Nashville Predators.)
1. Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
2023-24 stats: 26 goals, 85 points, 21:17 average time on ice, plus-21
Age: 27
Contract: $10.903 million through 2025 (UFA)
Previous: 1
The possibility of a Marner trade is the talk of the town in Toronto. With it being an offseason where “everything is on the table,” according to the team’s senior leadership, and with Marner eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1, there are multiple potential outcomes here. But the mere fact that the Leafs are willing to take calls on the one-time Selke Trophy finalist and perennial 90-plus-point man is a significant development. Marner holds the hammer with a no-movement clause and may need some cajoling or convincing to green-light a move out of his hometown. That makes it a delicate situation for all involved.
2. Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
2023-24 stats: 24 goals, 53 points, 17:21 ATOI, minus-9
Age: 25
Contract: 2024 RFA
Previous: 3
It’s no secret that the talented forward would welcome a change of scenery. Necas took a step back production-wise last season — going from 71 points to 53 — and he wasn’t too happy about how he was deployed. Now two years out from unrestricted free agency and needing a new contract this summer, he’s been made available on the trade market. The Hurricanes are working through concrete offers and hoping to get another roster player back in return, instead of a package built only around future assets. Necas has an enticing blend of size, speed and skill, and he showed extremely well while helping Czechia win gold at the IIHF World Hockey Championship in May.
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3. Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets
2023-24 stats: 25 goals, 61 points, 15:52 ATOI, Plus-27
Age: 28
Contract: $6 million through 2025 (UFA)
Previous: 4
A skilled offensive play-driver who consistently produces 20-plus goals and 60-ish points, Ehlers remains a polarizing figure among the Winnipeg hockey discourse. What’s not up for debate is that he’s now one year out from potential unrestricted free agency and there are only so many cap dollars to go around. Plus teammate Kyle Connor is up for an extension of his own two years down the road. As a result, the Jets are listening to interest in Ehlers to see if there’s something out there that makes sense for them to act on.
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4. Jakob Chychrun, Ottawa Senators
2023-24 stats: 14 goals, 41 points, 22:23 ATOI, minus-30
Age: 26
Contract: $4.6 million through 2025 (UFA)
Previous: 5
Something has to give on the left side of the Senators blue line, where Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot are already signed to significant long-term contracts and Chychrun is one year away from being in line for one. Not only is he coming off the first 82-game campaign of his career — notable given his lengthy injury history — but the fit has actually been pretty seamless since he was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes. His pending UFA status in 2025 complicates the picture, though.
5. Patrik Laine, Columbus Blue Jackets
2023-24 stats: 6 goals, 9 points, 15:13 ATOI, minus-10
Age: 26
Contract: $8.7 million through 2026 (UFA)
Previous: 6
The former 44-goal man has endured a tough couple of seasons in Columbus and would like a fresh start. Laine is currently under the care of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, which he entered in late January, and recently underwent a minor procedure on his left shoulder. While there is obviously uncertainty about where his game will be at, there’s also the possibility of a big payoff if a team can put Laine in the right position to succeed. Despite the ups and downs with the Blue Jackets, he still produced 0.79 points per game during his tenure with the team.
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6. Rutger McGroarty, Winnipeg Jets
2023-24 stats: 16 goals, 52 points for University of Michigan
Age: 20
Contract: 2024 RFA
Previous: Not ranked
The 14th pick from 2022 has yet to start his professional career and isn’t on the same page as the Jets about the best path for his development, which is why his name has started to circulate on the trade market. The University of Michigan forward is known for having strong puck skills and won a gold medal with Team USA at the world junior championship. At 20, he isn’t too far from being NHL-ready.
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7. Ilya Mikheyev, Vancouver Canucks
2023-24 stats: 11 goals, 31 points, 14:16 ATOI, plus-1
Age: 29
Contract: $4.75 million through 2026 (UFA)
Previous: 9
After watching Mikheyev put up an ugly playoff stat line — no points in 11 games — the Canucks can certainly find better ways to use the $4.75 million in cap space they’ve dedicated to him. He hasn’t lived up to expectations since signing in free agency two years ago and wasn’t helped by a knee injury during his first season in Vancouver. Add it all together and Mikheyev is a distressed asset, but he’s a distressed asset they’d like to move.
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8. Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
2023-24 stats: 20-18-4, 3.06 GAA, .899 save percentage
Age: 25
Contract: $3.75 million through 2026 (UFA)
Previous: 7
What’s that line about goalie being the hardest position to predict? After helping push the Wild into the playoffs in 2022-23, Gustavsson fell back to earth in a big way this season. Now he’s on the trade market. The Wild are operating with an extremely tight cap sheet and have Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings for NHL starts alongside veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. Those circumstances have made the Swede available.
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9. Kaapo Kakko, New York Rangers
2023-24 stats: 13 goals, 19 points, 13:17 ATOI, plus-6
Age: 23
Contract: $2.4 million through 2025 (RFA)
Previous: 11
When the playoffs ended, the 2019 No. 2 pick expressed a desire to remain in New York and quickly signed a one-year contract at the amount he would have been due on his qualifying offer — $2.4 million — rather than pushing for more money and term. That provided cost certainty for the Rangers, but it won’t guarantee him a future roster spot as the team enters an important summer for retooling.
10. Tanner Jeannot, Tampa Bay Lightning
2023-24 stats: 7 goals, 14 points, 12:01 ATOI, minus-10
Age: 27
Contract: $2.665 million through 2025 (UFA)
Previous: 8
At the outset of yet another summer with tight cap dollars, the Lightning are looking for ways to create space. Enter Jeannot, the hard-hitting winger who hasn’t ever been close to duplicating the 24-goal, 41-point season had in Nashville in 2021-22. It’s safe to say he’s one of the few big swings made by Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois that didn’t pay off, and he also happens to be one year out from unrestricted free agency. BriseBois has never shied away from a tough decision, and if he can find a way to get Jeannot’s cap hit off the books, it might not even be that tough for him to pull the trigger on the deal.
11. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
2023-24 stats: 13-27-2, 3.54 GAA, .888 save percentage
Age: 30
Contract: $6.4 million through 2027 (UFA)
Previous: 15
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Gibson has been a workhorse for a Ducks team that hasn’t qualified for the playoffs in six years and is likely still facing growing pains. With 23-year-old Lukas Dostal starting to bloom behind him, Anaheim is willing to clear some room in the crease by finding Gibson another opportunity. His numbers make that much easier said than done — Gibson’s yearly save percentage is going in the wrong direction, and he’s signed for three more seasons at a pricey cap hit — but there are also a lot of teams looking for goaltenders right now.
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12. Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins
2023-24 stats: 19-25-5, 2.91 GAA, .903 save percentage
Age: 29
Contract: $5.375 million through 2028 (UFA)
Previous: Not ranked
Alex Nedeljkovic usurped his net down the stretch this past season and recently signed a two-year extension in Pittsburgh, which could signal a shift in the Penguins crease. Jarry has been hampered by injuries in recent years and has gone through some highs and lows — with his high end being very good. His contract includes a 12-team no-trade list.
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13. Mike Matheson, Montreal Canadiens
2023-24 stats: 11 goals, 62 points, 25:33 ATOI, minus-24
Age: 30
Contract: $4.875 million through 2026 (UFA)
Previous: 19
With two years left on the contract of the left-shot defenseman, the Canadiens are in position to gauge the marketplace and see if anything out there makes sense. Matheson is a strong skater coming off a 62-point season, so they’d be selling high if they chose to do so. Montreal has several prospects in the pipeline who are defensemen and may not be on the same timeline as an organization with a player who is due to hit free agency at age 32 in 2026.
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14. Jacob Trouba, New York Rangers
2023-24 stats: 3 goals, 22 points, 21:15 ATOI, minus-4
Age: 30
Contract: $8 million through 2026 (UFA)
Previous: Not ranked
With his no-movement clause set to convert to a 15-team no-trade clause on July 1 and the Rangers believed to be looking at moving a defenseman, Trouba could be the odd man out. The right-shot defender plays a strong, physical game and is known for laying out opponents with punishing bodychecks. He’s coming off a difficult playoffs but would represent an upgrade for most teams. In New York, where they also have Adam Fox and Braden Schneider on the right side, Trouba may be a luxury at his cap hit.
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15. Pavel Buchnevich, St. Louis Blues
2023-24 stats: 27 goals, 63 points, 19:49 ATOI, plus-3
Age: 29
Contract: $5.8 million through 2025 (UFA)
Previous: Not ranked
Nearly a point-per-game player across the past three years with the Blues, Buchnevich is a big, strong winger who skates well and possesses a high-end shot. Better still is the fact he’s signed to an efficient contract where he’s delivered excess value. However, as a pending UFA in 2025, he’ll be due for a raise soon, so that needs to be factored into the cost of prying him out of St. Louis. Buchnevich’s current deal includes a 12-team no-trade list.
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16. Alexander Holtz, New Jersey Devils
2023-24 stats: 16 goals, 28 points, 11:38 ATOI, minus-15
Age: 22
Contract: $894,167 through 2025 (RFA)
Previous: Not ranked
A right-shot forward with a good release and knack for getting around the ice, Holtz is still looking to make good on the promise that surrounded his No. 7 selection in 2020. Playing his first full NHL season last in 2023-24 was a start, albeit one that saw him occasionally draw former coach Lindy Ruff’s ire for missed defensive assignments. Holtz still has considerable upside but may need a fresh start to blossom.
17. Torey Krug, St. Louis Blues
2023-24 stats: 4 goals, 39 points, 21:58 ATOI, minus-31
Age: 33
Contract: $6.5 million through 2027 (UFA)
Previous: 10
The veteran puck-moving defenseman would have been a member of the Philadelphia Flyers last summer had he not exercised his right to block the potential deal with a no-trade clause. Now another year on, the dynamics behind those discussions are unchanged and Krug is down to three seasons remaining on his $6.5 million annual contract. He also loses the full no-trade clause beyond this year. There may be slightly more room to maneuver a second time around.
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18. Mathieu Joseph, Ottawa Senators
2023-24 stats: 11 goals, 35 points, 16:28 ATOI, minus-4
Age: 27
Contract: $2.95 million through 2026 (RFA)
Previous: 12
His second full season in Ottawa went much better than the first, but he remains expendable on a roster stocked with young forwards. In fact, with an affordable cap hit for the next two years, Joseph may be able to bring back some value. His speed remains an asset, and there were teams that inquired about his availability during the season.
19. Arthur Kaliyev, Los Angeles Kings
2023-24 stats: 7 goals, 15 points, 11:48 ATOI, minus-3
Age: 22
Contract: 2024 RFA
Previous: 13
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Kaliyev didn’t play much more hockey than he watched this past season as a regular healthy scratch or fourth-line winger for the Kings. That represented regression for a player in his fourth professional season. An elite shooter who carried considerable promise after being a second-round pick by Los Angeles in 2019, Kaliyev is at the stage of his career where he needs to draw more results out of his attributes. He may need a fresh start to accomplish that.
20. Trevor Zegras, Anaheim Ducks
2023-24 stats: 6 goals, 15 points, 17:05 ATOI, minus-1
Age: 23
Contract: $5.75 million through 2026 (RFA)
Previous: 16
The 23-year-old forward oozes offensive talent and is coming off a season he’d just as soon forget. Zegras played only 31 games because of time missed due to a groin injury and surgery on a broken ankle, while also dealing with trade rumors in the months before the deadline. He even saw roommate Jamie Drysdale dealt away to the Philadelphia Flyers. There’s work to be done on repairing and building up the relationship between the team and Zegras if he isn’t traded this offseason. He’s piqued the curiosity of a couple of teams.
21. Reilly Smith, Pittsburgh Penguins
2023-24 stats: 13 goals, 40 points, 16:08 ATOI, plus-3
Age: 33
Contract: $5 million through 2025 (UFA)
Previous: 17
Smith arrived in a trade last summer just days after winning the Stanley Cup in Vegas and the fit never seemed right. He finished with his lowest per-game goal, assist and point totals since 2016-17 and heard his name in speculation leading up to the trade deadline. The veteran brings plenty of experience and a strong two-way game, and he is one year out from unrestricted free agency.
22. Jeff Skinner, Buffalo Sabres
2023-24 stats: 24 goals, 46 points, 16:00 ATOI, minus-2
Age: 32
Contract: $9 million through 2027 (UFA)
Previous: 18
A prime candidate for a buyout if a trade doesn’t materialize (or Skinner elects not to waive his no-movement clause), the 32-year-old appears headed for a fresh start. He’s seen a sharp decline in production, going from an 82-point campaign two years ago to 46 this past season, but he remains a good shooter and skater. The devil will be in the details of how the money gets moved around and what cap figure is attached to the player on the other side of a potential move.
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23. Timothy Liljegren, Toronto Maple Leafs
2023-24 stats: 3 goals, 23 points, 19:40 ATOI, plus-3
Age: 25
Contract: 2024 RFA
Previous: Not ranked
With the Leafs looking to revamp their blue line and Liljegren entering a summer where he’s likely going to have a strong arbitration case, the team is willing to listen on interest in its right-shot defenseman. Consistency has been an issue at times for Liljegren, who was a scratch for a game in the playoffs this spring. He’s a good skater and puck-mover and tracks as a solid top-four option if he can take the next step.
24. Jack Campbell, Edmonton Oilers
2023-24 stats: 1-4-0, 4.50 GAA, .873 save percentage
Age: 32
Contract: $5 million through 2027
Previous: 20
Campbell quietly joined the Oilers’ ride to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final — skating with the extras and keeping himself in playing shape just in case he was needed. The organization will explore options to move the veteran goaltender following a season where he went from opening-night starter to making 34 appearances for AHL Bakersfield. While a buyout is possible, a trade of his $5 million annual cap hit would be more palatable.
Note: This board is based on what we’re hearing from NHL sources and will be adjusted as new names enter the conversation or gain prominence, so check back.
Others we’re watching who don’t quite crack the top 25 at this point: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks; Andrew Mangiapane, Calgary Flames; John Marino, New Jersey Devils; Jean-Gabriel Pageau, New York Islanders.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic, with photos from Jeanine Leech, Jason Mowry and Josh Lavallee / Getty Images)
