The moves that are made ahead of the NHL trade deadline will directly, and, in some cases, indirectly impact each of the 32 teams in the League. That impact will be felt the rest of this season and into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well down the road for seasons to come.
It doesn’t matter if a team is a Stanley Cup favorite or last in the standings, buyer or seller. Teams fortunes will be affected by what takes place between now and Friday.
Some from each side of the aisle are simply more interesting than others, though.
Let’s explore.
Related: 5 NHL GMs under most pressure ahead of trade deadline
5 most intriguing teams ahead of 2024 NHL trade deadline
Tampa Bay Lightning
Don’t ever underestimate Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois. Especially at this time of the year.
Few executives are able to deliver the goods like BriseBois ahead of the deadline when odds – and the salary cap – are stacked against them. And you can always count on BriseBois to make a splash of some variety before the deadline.
Even with their championship window closing, expect BriseBois to make something happen before Friday. With Mikhail Sergachev’s salary on LTIR, could the Lightning somehow find a way to land the big fish, defenseman Noah Hanifin, from the Calgary Flames? Even without a first-round pick in the next two drafts?
Doubtful. But don’t count the Lightning out here to try and make another run with Steven Stamkos before he becomes a UFA at season’s end.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins are in pretty much the worst place a team can be. They’re not very good. But they’re not terrible. They have Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang at the top of their roster and not much behind them.
Simply, they’re a middling team, likely to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season after making it 16 straight years, including three Cup championships.
They can’t full-on rebuild with Sidney Crosby still lacing them up. And that puts general manager Kyle Dubas in a very difficult spot.
But they have one massive chip to play ahead of the deadline. They can trade impending UFA Jake Guentzel, a two-time Cup champ and seven-time 20-goal scorer.
Without a first- or third-round pick in this year’s draft, the Penguins need an absolute haul in return for, likely, the best player on the market. And then with that, see if they can find some younger NHL talent to spin this roster forward instead of continuing its decline.
Related: NHL analyst Martin Biron breaks down goalie market ahead of trade deadline
Calgary Flames
A crazy thing is happening with the Flames. They traded top-six center Elias Linholm to the Vancouver Canucks. They traded top-pair defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars. They upset goalie Jacob Markstrom, who’s on the trade block, most notably with interest from the New Jersey Devils. And they still plan to trade Hanifin, the stud defenseman.
Yet, they’re on a heater.
The Flames have won five in a row entering play Monday and nine of 12 (9-3-0). They are seven points out of the second wild card in the Western Conference, but with two games in hand on the Nashville Predators.
Talk about retooling on the fly!
The Flames have gotten a haul back in their first two trades, managing to stay on the fringes of the playoff picture. What happens if they complete deals for Hanifin and Markstrom? That may finish their chances this season, but put them in good stead moving forward.
It’s quite the high-wire act being performed in Calgary. And fun to watch the success, too.
New York Rangers
The Rangers are on the short list of best teams in the NHL this season, first in the Metropolitan Division every day since late October and fresh off a recent 10-game winning streak. However, they need a top-line right wing to help jumpstart center Mika Zibanejad at 5v5 and third-line center.
Holes on the roster were created by season-ending injuries sustained by center Filip Chytil and forward Blake Wheeler. Though the Blueshirts have thrived without those two, they don’t want to take any chances in the postseason.
But GM Chris Drury doesn’t want to mess with their excellent chemistry either.
It’s another balancing act ahead of the deadline. But the Rangers certainly appear to be aggressive buyers before Friday and it’ll be fascinating to see how they bolster a roster that is already one of the best in the League.
Edmonton Oilers
That locomotive barreling down full speed at the Oilers is Connor McDavid and his eventual UFA status after the 2025-26 season. So, in other words, the Oilers have three chances to make a run at the Cup with the in-his-prime superstar before he can skip town.
Since the Oilers are healthy and thriving, second in the Pacific Division and buoyed by an epic 16-game winning streak this season, they must do everything in their power to load up for a run at the Stanley Cup. Another defenseman seems a start, perhaps even more scoring up front. And a backup to goalie Stuart Skinner is vital.
All that with limited salary cap space.
No excuses for the Oilers. That train is picking up speed and headed right towards them.