The 2022 NHL trade deadline is officially upon us! Coming later in the calendar year than usual, the NHL trade deadline will end at 3 p.m. ET on Monday, March 21.
So far, it’s been a pretty quiet deadline with very little in the way of tangible rumors to speak of. Even still, there’s time for the rumor mill to get churning as fans await news on where big-name players such as Claude Giroux and Marc-Andre Fleury could be headed before the week is out.
As such, let’s take a look at all 32 teams and what they should do at the trade deadline. Which teams should be buyers, which should be sellers, and who are the teams that should stand pat? Let’s dive in!
A playoff run is highly unlikely for this Ducks squad, despite a strong start to the season. And with that in mind, Anaheim made a splash late on Monday by trading defenseman Josh Manson to Colorado. The Ducks also have pending unrestricted free agents in Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell that are relatively tradable and would fetch solid returns.
Phil Kessel is the biggest draw on a floundering Coyotes squad. Sure, this is the season many expected from Arizona — though no one could have predicted their arena issues — but it’s still been a painful year nonetheless. Twenty-three year-old defenseman Jakob Chychrun had also been in the rumor mill as of late, but his recent injury likely takes him out of the running at this year’s deadline.
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Boston’s biggest needs are at center and at defense heading into the playoff push. The Bruins never found a real replacement for David Krejci, who they lost in the offseason to the Czech Extraliga, and the team has had a hole in its middle six ever since. Injuries haven’t been kind to Boston’s blue line this year, so it’s possible the team picks up some extra defensive depth before the playoffs begin.
Okay, hear me out. The Sabres should be buyers at this deadline not because they’re in a position to succeed (they’re not), but so they can snag a solid goaltender to set themselves up for the future. Youngster Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely get the goal crease in the final few weeks of the season, but the myriad of goalies behind him won’t be worth keeping after this year.
Think of this as a longer-term investment than what teams usually go after at the deadline. Plus, the Sabres do have the most available cap space coming into the day out of all 32 teams.
The Tyler Toffoli trade has paid off big time for Calgary, with the forward producing 13 points in 14 games played for the Flames. Don’t be surprised if the Flames go after another depth forward at the deadline to shore up their offense to withstand the playoff grind.
The Hurricanes are in a great position as the clear-cut No. 1 team in the Metropolitan Division, with hardly any challengers to their throne. Given Carolina’s pretty cap-strapped headed into the deadline, I’d expect them to stand pat unless they’re able to upgrade on the fringes for very little cost.
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All eyes will be on Marc-Andre Fleury ahead of the deadline, who has had a rough year in Chicago. But to be fair, who hasn’t? Goaltenders will likely be in high demand at the deadline and Fleury’s got the pedigree for a Stanley Cup contender to take a flyer on. Of course, it all depends on if Fleury wants to move at the deadline and if Chicago’s price isn’t too steep.
The Avalanche have been linked heavily to Claude Giroux for months now. Given how quiet the run up to the deadline has been, it wouldn’t shock me if this deal never comes to pass, but Colorado did just add Manson on defense late on Monday to bolster their blue line. Though they’re right up against the cap, the Avalanche should absolutely still be looking to add as the No. 1 team in the Central with a likely long playoff run ahead of them.
A team in the hunt for a goaltender may turn to the Blue Jackets and freshly returned from the injured reserve list Joonas Korpisalo, though he’s not having the best of seasons to date. Despite Patrik Laine’s restricted free agent status at the end of the season, I’d be shocked to see him moved at the deadline. Columbus has slim pickings for unrestricted free agents — Korpisalo along with Max Domi and Dean Kukan — but could flip a player if teams come calling.
The Stars are a mixed bag at the trade deadline. Between John Klingberg’s uncertain future and Braden Holtby a possible target for goaltender-hungry teams, Dallas could be sellers if the market falls on their side. Given the team’s status as a wild card contender, however, Dallas should be pondering upgrades to the team’s depth to bolster their chances in the last month of the season.
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Detroit’s rebuild plans took a step forward this year with the emergence of Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, but the team still has work cut out for them. Marc Staal and Nick Leddy are interesting defensive UFAs that could get looks by the deadline and also help the Red Wings pick up future assets going forward.
Mark the Oilers down as one of the top teams looking at goaltending this deadline. For a playoff hopeful team, a team save percentage of .900 isn’t going to cut it, as Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen, and Stuart Skinner are not a winning core. Given how contentious it’s been in Edmonton’s locker room this year, the Oilers should be very aggressive in their netminder search ahead of next Monday.
The Panthers are by far the NHL’s best offensive team this year and they could add more fire power by the deadline. Giroux’s been an often talked-about target, though the Panthers are also reportedly sniffing around on adding to their defense as well. As a contender in the NHL’s toughest division, Florida absolutely needs to make a splash at this year’s deadline.
I place the Kings in the “hold” category for one reason only: they have time. Los Angeles is emerging from its rebuild as a strong dark horse in the Pacific with a mix of a young core and aged veterans. By rights, the Kings should be buyers at this year’s deadline, as they have a legitimate opportunity to win a round in the playoffs.
However, the team should steer clear of dipping into its young core of players for trade bait to nab a rental at the deadline. Playing the long game should be the Kings’ biggest goal this year, and they shouldn’t rush into a move unless it’s the right one.
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The Wild need a breath of fresh air heading into the last few weeks of the season. Mathematically, Minnesota is still favored to make the playoffs, but the team’s been in a pretty big slump recently. The team will have cap space to make a big splash if they want to, but will they get a trade partner to dance with? Either way, keep an eye out for the Wild as potential big spenders as the deadline nears.
Defenseman Ben Chiarot is garnering the most attention ahead of the deadline from the Canadiens. As a pending UFA with a very tradable cap hit, Chiarot feels like a prime candidate to move before the week ends. Jeff Petry also could be a big get for a contending team, though his contract is hard to move. There are a lot of pieces Montreal could deal by Monday and outside of their young players, no one should be off the table for the rebuilding Canadiens.
The Predators have a bit of a conundrum on their hands. Filip Forsberg (31 goals, 23 assists) is one of the team’s best players, but rumor has it the team is looking to flip him due to his UFA status at the end of the season. I get wanting to get something for a player who could walk away for nothing, but if Forsberg goes the Predators playoff hopes sink drastically. Instead, Nashville should smartly buy at the deadline and possibly play spoiler to a team in the first round.
There’s not a lot of intriguing pieces the Devils can offer this year. P.K. Subban is an upcoming UFA, but his $9 million contract is a tall order for a player of his declining caliber. It doesn’t make much sense for the Devils to move on from some of their younger pieces, so while general manager Tom Fitzgerald should be looking to sell, he’s likely going to find it hard to do so.
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It’s safe to say this is not the way this season was supposed to go for the Islanders. It’s clear, however, that the team needs to overhaul some of its roster in the hope of future success. The good news though is that the Islanders have a lot of UFAs available should teams come calling, from Cal Clutterbuck and Zach Parise on offense to Andy Greene on defense.
Zdeno Chara’s name also has been tossed around as of late, as the 44-year-old blue liner could get moved to chase a Stanley Cup one last time.
Riding high thanks to Igor Shesterkin’s Hart-worthy season in net, the Rangers should look to add at the upcoming deadline to bolster their playoff chances. Especially on offense, as the Rangers have some great star talent but need a bit more firepower in the depth department to really make a run at things this year.
Despite what general manager Pierre Dorion said before the season began, the Senators are still a team in the rebuilding phase. And what better way to continue to reshape this roster than by trading players away at the deadline? Notable upcoming UFAs that could be moved if there’s interest include Tyler Ennis, Nick Paul, and Zach Sanford, though none of these three would likely move the needle much for a contending team.
It feels like a near certainty that Giroux will be moved by the deadline, as long as he wants to go. At 34-years-old, Giroux is still an incredibly smart hockey player that could be a real boon to a team’s middle six on the wing. Plus, of course, it’d make a great story if he could finally win a Stanley Cup away from a middling Flyers team that’s squandered his prime.
Outside of Giroux, defenseman Justin Braun will likely get a lot of looks from teams seeking a veteran blue liner who plays tough minutes.
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The Penguins are always sniffing around for deals to be made at the trade deadline. Though it seems Ron Hextall might stand pat this year, Pittsburgh should be looking to upgrade where they can if there’s a good enough deal. Especially in the depth forward department if the Penguins want to continue to keep pace with the top teams in the East.
Pending UFA Tomas Hertl is having a great year (25 goals, 21 assists) on a below average Sharks team, making him a prime candidate to be courted by contenders looking for offense. Since San Jose’s contending window has shut, it makes all the sense in the world for the team to sell high on Hertl while he’s having another incredibly effective season.
Given the Kraken’s lackluster expansion draft last summer, their performance in their inaugural season shouldn’t be a surprise. The team has a bunch of expiring contracts they could move, from Calle Jarnkrok to Marcus Johansson. The real question, however, is if they’ll trade away captain Mark Giordano, whose UFA status could be a draw for a team looking for a stout defender.
The Blues’ biggest need headed into the deadline is defensemen. Expect St. Louis to be in on any major blue liner as Monday gets closer, from Chiarot to Giordano and Braun. Given that the Blues are pretty close to the cap, their trade partner would likely need to retain some salary or St. Louis would need to move a player of comparable value in return. Given the state of their defense this season, it’d be well worth the price.
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The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions won’t be engaging in salary cap shenanigans this year, that’s for sure. General manager Julien BriseBois will no doubt be looking for ways to make his team better, but it’s hard to imagine how the Lightning could do it given… they have no cap space. If Tampa Bay finds a way to manipulate the salary cap boundaries to make themselves better, they’ll do it, but I just don’t see it happening.
My god do the Maple Leafs need help in net in a bad way. Toronto is one of the best offensive teams in the league and is being helmed by Hart Trophy candidate Auston Matthews, but they cannot buy a save right now. Kyle Dubas has to swallow the price, no matter how hefty, and trade for a goaltender before the deadline or the Maple Leafs will likely be facing yet another disappointing first round exit.
This is a tough one for a Canucks team in the midst of a playoff race, but given the team’s cap crunch ahead of them, Vancouver has to be looking at selling off some pieces at the deadline. J.T. Miller is the big prize here, should the Canucks want to part with their best player by far this season. Whether it be now or at the end of the season, however, the Canucks have to get themselves more cap room and start working their way out of the contract hell former general manager Jim Benning put this team in.
The Golden Knights have next-to-no room to work with at the deadline, which is an issue given the team is floundering in a big way. So much so that Vegas might drop out of the playoff race entirely should this skid continue. It’d take salary cap tomfoolery of epic proportions for the Golden Knights to make a big splash at this deadline, which is why I think Vegas needs to find a way to right the ship on their own terms.
Plus, the Golden Knights have been dealing with injuries to key pieces in Mark Stone and Alec Martinez for some time now. If the team’s injured players can be ready by playoff time, and with Jack Eichel’s recent return, the Golden Knights should be more than fine. However, the team has to stabilize themselves first to even make the playoffs, and that’s a pretty tall order right now.
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Washington is falling backwards a bit into the playoffs this year. Though the team’s been playing better as of late, they’ve certainly fallen behind the other major players in the Eastern Conference. With the team’s contending window nearing its inevitable close, the Capitals are in prime position to add at the deadline, especially at the goaltender position with which the team is in need of some assistance.
Though the Jets are five points out of a wild card spot, they’re facing down long odds to make the playoffs considering the teams in contention around them. As such, it’d make more sense for the Jets to start selling some of their expiring contracts such as Andrew Copp and Paul Stastny in the midst of a surprisingly disappointing season for the team overall.
The 2022 NHL trade deadline is officially upon us! Coming later in the calendar year than usual, the NHL trade deadline will end at 3 p.m. ET on Monday, March 21.So far, it’s been a pretty quiet deadline with very little in the way of tangible rumors to speak of. Even still, there’s time for the rumor mill to get churning as fans await news on where big-name players such as Claude Giroux and Marc-Andre Fleury could be headed before the week is out.As such, let’s take a look at all 32 teams and what they should do at the trade deadline. Which teams should be buyers, which should be sellers, and who are the teams that should stand pat? Let’s dive in! A playoff run is highly unlikely for this Ducks squad, despite a strong start to the season. And with that in mind, Anaheim made a splash late on Monday by trading defenseman Josh Manson to Colorado. The Ducks also have pending unrestricted free agents in Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell that are relatively tradable and would fetch solid returns. Phil Kessel is the biggest draw on a floundering Coyotes squad. Sure, this is the season many expected from Arizona — though no one could have predicted their arena issues — but it’s still been a painful year nonetheless. Twenty-three year-old defenseman Jakob Chychrun had also been in the rumor mill as of late, but his recent injury likely takes him out of the running at this year’s deadline. Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports Boston’s biggest needs are at center and at defense heading into the playoff push. The Bruins never found a real replacement for David Krejci, who they lost in the offseason to the Czech Extraliga, and the team has had a hole in its middle six ever since. Injuries haven’t been kind to Boston’s blue line this year, so it’s possible the team picks up some extra defensive depth before the playoffs begin. Okay, hear me out. The Sabres should be buyers at this deadline not because they’re in a position to succeed (they’re not), but so they can snag a solid goaltender to set themselves up for the future. Youngster Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely get the goal crease in the final few weeks of the season, but the myriad of goalies behind him won’t be worth keeping after this year. Think of this as a longer-term investment than what teams usually go after at the deadline. Plus, the Sabres do have the most available cap space coming into the day out of all 32 teams. The Tyler Toffoli trade has paid off big time for Calgary, with the forward producing 13 points in 14 games played for the Flames. Don’t be surprised if the Flames go after another depth forward at the deadline to shore up their offense to withstand the playoff grind. The Hurricanes are in a great position as the clear-cut No. 1 team in the Metropolitan Division, with hardly any challengers to their throne. Given Carolina’s pretty cap-strapped headed into the deadline, I’d expect them to stand pat unless they’re able to upgrade on the fringes for very little cost. Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images All eyes will be on Marc-Andre Fleury ahead of the deadline, who has had a rough year in Chicago. But to be fair, who hasn’t? Goaltenders will likely be in high demand at the deadline and Fleury’s got the pedigree for a Stanley Cup contender to take a flyer on. Of course, it all depends on if Fleury wants to move at the deadline and if Chicago’s price isn’t too steep. The Avalanche have been linked heavily to Claude Giroux for months now. Given how quiet the run up to the deadline has been, it wouldn’t shock me if this deal never comes to pass, but Colorado did just add Manson on defense late on Monday to bolster their blue line. Though they’re right up against the cap, the Avalanche should absolutely still be looking to add as the No. 1 team in the Central with a likely long playoff run ahead of them. A team in the hunt for a goaltender may turn to the Blue Jackets and freshly returned from the injured reserve list Joonas Korpisalo, though he’s not having the best of seasons to date. Despite Patrik Laine’s restricted free agent status at the end of the season, I’d be shocked to see him moved at the deadline. Columbus has slim pickings for unrestricted free agents — Korpisalo along with Max Domi and Dean Kukan — but could flip a player if teams come calling. The Stars are a mixed bag at the trade deadline. Between John Klingberg’s uncertain future and Braden Holtby a possible target for goaltender-hungry teams, Dallas could be sellers if the market falls on their side. Given the team’s status as a wild card contender, however, Dallas should be pondering upgrades to the team’s depth to bolster their chances in the last month of the season. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Detroit’s rebuild plans took a step forward this year with the emergence of Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, but the team still has work cut out for them. Marc Staal and Nick Leddy are interesting defensive UFAs that could get looks by the deadline and also help the Red Wings pick up future assets going forward. Mark the Oilers down as one of the top teams looking at goaltending this deadline. For a playoff hopeful team, a team save percentage of .900 isn’t going to cut it, as Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen, and Stuart Skinner are not a winning core. Given how contentious it’s been in Edmonton’s locker room this year, the Oilers should be very aggressive in their netminder search ahead of next Monday. The Panthers are by far the NHL’s best offensive team this year and they could add more fire power by the deadline. Giroux’s been an often talked-about target, though the Panthers are also reportedly sniffing around on adding to their defense as well. As a contender in the NHL’s toughest division, Florida absolutely needs to make a splash at this year’s deadline. I place the Kings in the “hold” category for one reason only: they have time. Los Angeles is emerging from its rebuild as a strong dark horse in the Pacific with a mix of a young core and aged veterans. By rights, the Kings should be buyers at this year’s deadline, as they have a legitimate opportunity to win a round in the playoffs. However, the team should steer clear of dipping into its young core of players for trade bait to nab a rental at the deadline. Playing the long game should be the Kings’ biggest goal this year, and they shouldn’t rush into a move unless it’s the right one. Photo by David Berding/Getty Images The Wild need a breath of fresh air heading into the last few weeks of the season. Mathematically, Minnesota is still favored to make the playoffs, but the team’s been in a pretty big slump recently. The team will have cap space to make a big splash if they want to, but will they get a trade partner to dance with? Either way, keep an eye out for the Wild as potential big spenders as the deadline nears. Defenseman Ben Chiarot is garnering the most attention ahead of the deadline from the Canadiens. As a pending UFA with a very tradable cap hit, Chiarot feels like a prime candidate to move before the week ends. Jeff Petry also could be a big get for a contending team, though his contract is hard to move. There are a lot of pieces Montreal could deal by Monday and outside of their young players, no one should be off the table for the rebuilding Canadiens. The Predators have a bit of a conundrum on their hands. Filip Forsberg (31 goals, 23 assists) is one of the team’s best players, but rumor has it the team is looking to flip him due to his UFA status at the end of the season. I get wanting to get something for a player who could walk away for nothing, but if Forsberg goes the Predators playoff hopes sink drastically. Instead, Nashville should smartly buy at the deadline and possibly play spoiler to a team in the first round. There’s not a lot of intriguing pieces the Devils can offer this year. P.K. Subban is an upcoming UFA, but his $9 million contract is a tall order for a player of his declining caliber. It doesn’t make much sense for the Devils to move on from some of their younger pieces, so while general manager Tom Fitzgerald should be looking to sell, he’s likely going to find it hard to do so. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports It’s safe to say this is not the way this season was supposed to go for the Islanders. It’s clear, however, that the team needs to overhaul some of its roster in the hope of future success. The good news though is that the Islanders have a lot of UFAs available should teams come calling, from Cal Clutterbuck and Zach Parise on offense to Andy Greene on defense. Zdeno Chara’s name also has been tossed around as of late, as the 44-year-old blue liner could get moved to chase a Stanley Cup one last time. Riding high thanks to Igor Shesterkin’s Hart-worthy season in net, the Rangers should look to add at the upcoming deadline to bolster their playoff chances. Especially on offense, as the Rangers have some great star talent but need a bit more firepower in the depth department to really make a run at things this year. Despite what general manager Pierre Dorion said before the season began, the Senators are still a team in the rebuilding phase. And what better way to continue to reshape this roster than by trading players away at the deadline? Notable upcoming UFAs that could be moved if there’s interest include Tyler Ennis, Nick Paul, and Zach Sanford, though none of these three would likely move the needle much for a contending team. It feels like a near certainty that Giroux will be moved by the deadline, as long as he wants to go. At 34-years-old, Giroux is still an incredibly smart hockey player that could be a real boon to a team’s middle six on the wing. Plus, of course, it’d make a great story if he could finally win a Stanley Cup away from a middling Flyers team that’s squandered his prime. Outside of Giroux, defenseman Justin Braun will likely get a lot of looks from teams seeking a veteran blue liner who plays tough minutes. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports The Penguins are always sniffing around for deals to be made at the trade deadline. Though it seems Ron Hextall might stand pat this year, Pittsburgh should be looking to upgrade where they can if there’s a good enough deal. Especially in the depth forward department if the Penguins want to continue to keep pace with the top teams in the East. Pending UFA Tomas Hertl is having a great year (25 goals, 21 assists) on a below average Sharks team, making him a prime candidate to be courted by contenders looking for offense. Since San Jose’s contending window has shut, it makes all the sense in the world for the team to sell high on Hertl while he’s having another incredibly effective season. Given the Kraken’s lackluster expansion draft last summer, their performance in their inaugural season shouldn’t be a surprise. The team has a bunch of expiring contracts they could move, from Calle Jarnkrok to Marcus Johansson. The real question, however, is if they’ll trade away captain Mark Giordano, whose UFA status could be a draw for a team looking for a stout defender. The Blues’ biggest need headed into the deadline is defensemen. Expect St. Louis to be in on any major blue liner as Monday gets closer, from Chiarot to Giordano and Braun. Given that the Blues are pretty close to the cap, their trade partner would likely need to retain some salary or St. Louis would need to move a player of comparable value in return. Given the state of their defense this season, it’d be well worth the price. Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions won’t be engaging in salary cap shenanigans this year, that’s for sure. General manager Julien BriseBois will no doubt be looking for ways to make his team better, but it’s hard to imagine how the Lightning could do it given… they have no cap space. If Tampa Bay finds a way to manipulate the salary cap boundaries to make themselves better, they’ll do it, but I just don’t see it happening. My god do the Maple Leafs need help in net in a bad way. Toronto is one of the best offensive teams in the league and is being helmed by Hart Trophy candidate Auston Matthews, but they cannot buy a save right now. Kyle Dubas has to swallow the price, no matter how hefty, and trade for a goaltender before the deadline or the Maple Leafs will likely be facing yet another disappointing first round exit. This is a tough one for a Canucks team in the midst of a playoff race, but given the team’s cap crunch ahead of them, Vancouver has to be looking at selling off some pieces at the deadline. J.T. Miller is the big prize here, should the Canucks want to part with their best player by far this season. Whether it be now or at the end of the season, however, the Canucks have to get themselves more cap room and start working their way out of the contract hell former general manager Jim Benning put this team in. The Golden Knights have next-to-no room to work with at the deadline, which is an issue given the team is floundering in a big way. So much so that Vegas might drop out of the playoff race entirely should this skid continue. It’d take salary cap tomfoolery of epic proportions for the Golden Knights to make a big splash at this deadline, which is why I think Vegas needs to find a way to right the ship on their own terms. Plus, the Golden Knights have been dealing with injuries to key pieces in Mark Stone and Alec Martinez for some time now. If the team’s injured players can be ready by playoff time, and with Jack Eichel’s recent return, the Golden Knights should be more than fine. However, the team has to stabilize themselves first to even make the playoffs, and that’s a pretty tall order right now. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images Washington is falling backwards a bit into the playoffs this year. Though the team’s been playing better as of late, they’ve certainly fallen behind the other major players in the Eastern Conference. With the team’s contending window nearing its inevitable close, the Capitals are in prime position to add at the deadline, especially at the goaltender position with which the team is in need of some assistance. Though the Jets are five points out of a wild card spot, they’re facing down long odds to make the playoffs considering the teams in contention around them. As such, it’d make more sense for the Jets to start selling some of their expiring contracts such as Andrew Copp and Paul Stastny in the midst of a surprisingly disappointing season for the team overall.