10 2024 NHL Free Agents Who Could Be Traded Next Season
The NHL's annual trade deadline is a time when teams out of playoff contention tend to trade unrestricted free agents they can't or won't re-sign to postseason contenders for the best possible returns.
Next summer's class of potential unrestricted free agents contains such notables as Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.
Most of those players are likely to sign contract extensions with their current clubs well before their UFA eligibility on July 1. Some, like Nylander, are currently the subject of trade speculation, but he plays for a club considered a playoff contender for 2023-24 and is likely to be retained for the playoffs.
Other noteworthy potential UFAs, however, could become trade candidates come deadline day. The following are 10 players who fit into that category.
Some, like Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, have already surfaced in this summer's trade rumors. Much will depend on the performance of their teams this season in determining whether they get moved before the 2024 trade deadline.
Others, such as San Jose Sharks winger Anthony Duclair, are skating on rebuilding clubs. They could be shopped by deadline day if they intend to test next summer's free-agent market or prove too expensive for their current clubs to retain.
Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
Corey Perry: Chicago Blackhawks
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Now in the twilight of his playing career after 18 seasons, Corey Perry is no longer the scoring star he was during most of his 14 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks.
Nevertheless, the 2010-11 winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Maurice Richard Trophy remains in demand for his experience, leadership and agitating style of play.
A Stanley Cup champion with the Ducks in 2006-07, Perry has helped the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning reach the Final since 2019-20. However, he'll be taking on a different role this season with the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks.
Perry inked a one-year, $4 million contract with Chicago on June 30, one day after it acquired his rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning. He'll be expected to fill the leadership void left by the departures of longtime stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. He will also mentor 2023 No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard.
This will provide a unique challenge for the 38-year-old as he's skating with a club that has little chance of qualifying for the playoffs. His presence and play this season with Chicago will not only benefit their promising young players, but it could also maintain his value as a playoff rental player.
Perry's reputation as a reliable playoff veteran is well-established even at this late stage of his career. He should draw plenty of interest at the 2024 trade deadline from postseason contenders.
Adam Henrique: Anaheim Ducks
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Approaching his sixth full season with the Anaheim Ducks, Adam Henrique has to know it's also likely his last with the franchise.
General manager Pat Verbeek has been rebuilding the roster for the past two seasons, and there's unlikely to be room for the 33-year-old in the club's long-term plans.
Henrique is entering the last season of his five-year contract with the Ducks. He carries an average annual value of $5.8 million along with a 10-team no-trade clause
Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli had Henrique sitting 17th on his June 20 list of his top 40 offseason trade candidates. He believes the veteran could have been moved by the March 3 trade deadline if not for an untimely injury. He also considers him a candidate to be moved by the 2024 deadline if he's not shipped out this summer.
Despite his age, Henrique could still draw interest in this season's trade market. A versatile two-way center who can also skate at left wing, he tallied 22 goals last season, marking the sixth time he's reached or exceeded 20 in his NHL career.
If Henrique can avoid injury and remain productive, he'll become an attractive target in this year's trade market. Verbeek could hang onto him up to deadline day in order to maximize his value.
Jason Zucker: Arizona Coyotes
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After two injury-shortened seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jason Zucker had his best performance in years during 2022-23.
Playing in 78 games for the first time since 2018-19, the 31-year-old scored 27 goals and 48 points to finish fifth among Penguins scorers.
That performance didn't earn him a new contract with the Penguins, though. Instead, Zucker inked a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the rebuilding Arizona Coyotes.
The winger indicated that the Coyotes were interested in him from the start of this year's free-agency period on July 1. He also admitted that, as a Las Vegas native, he loves the West Coast and the desert.
Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong welcomed Zucker, praising his offensive skills as a valuable addition to his club's forward lines.
A healthy and productive season from Zucker could help the Coyotes move closer to playoff contention this season. Should they fall short, though, he'll also become a valuable trade chip given his offensive abilities and his lack of no-trade protection.
Zucker's cap hit is a bit pricey with so many clubs carrying limited salary-cap space for this season, but he'll become more affordable for playoff contenders as they accrue cap room over the course of the season.
Armstrong could also agree to retain up to half of his cap hit to facilitate a trade for the right return.
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David Perron: Detroit Red Wings
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The Detroit Red Wings signed David Perron on July 13, 2022, to a two-year contract with an average annual salary of $4.75 million.
A 15-season NHL veteran by that point, with a Stanley Cup on his resume with the St. Louis Blues, the veteran winger was brought in to instil some leadership and scoring depth into the rebuilding Red Wings.
Perron rose to the challenge last season, scoring 24 goals and 56 points in 82 games to finish second among Wings scorers. It marked the seventh time he's tallied 20 or more goals and 50-plus points, and it was just the third time he played a full 82 games in a season.
Despite his age, the 35-year-old remains an effective top-six forward. His presence and production will be crucial to the Wings' hopes of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.
However, Perron's age and his UFA eligibility next summer could also turn him into a trade candidate this season. If the Wings are out of postseason contention leading up to the trade deadline, they could peddle him to a contender for the best possible return. He'll be 36 on May 28 next year and might not fit into their plans beyond this season.
Perron's cap hit would make him an affordable acquisition for clubs searching for a seasoned playoff scorer with Cup experience. His 10-team no-trade list could complicate things, but perhaps he'd waive it for the right club.
Anthony Duclair: San Jose Sharks
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The subject of trade rumors in late June, Anthony Duclair was traded on July 1 by the Florida Panthers to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Steve Lorentz. It was a cost-cutting deal that freed up $2 million for the cap-strapped Panthers.
Duclair, 28, acknowledged that he felt a trade could happen but was still shocked when it took place. Nevertheless, he accepted it as part of the business and is looking forward to playing a full 82-game season for the first time in his NHL career.
Going from a Stanley Cup finalist in Florida to a rebuilding club in San Jose could be considered a letdown for Duclair. But it also offers him an opportunity in his contract year to prove he can adjust and be productive anywhere.
After missing all but 20 regular-season games in 2022-23 with a torn Achilles, he can demonstrate that he's fully recovered from the injury and can play a full season.
Duclair is a year removed from his career-best performance of 31 goals and 27 assists for 58 points with the Panthers. He also played well during their 2023 playoff run with four goals and 11 points in 20 games.
With a cap hit of $3 million, he could prove to be an enticingly affordable trade target for clubs seeking speed and scoring on the wing. If he regains his 30-goal form with the Sharks, it will also boost his trade value.
Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Mikael Backlund: Calgary Flames
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Some big moves seemed to be in store for the Calgary Flames heading into the 2023 NHL draft on June 28-29.
As we noted at the time, they had four players—Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin and Tyler Toffoli—who were a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.
Lindholm and Backlund seemed to be leaning toward rejecting contract extensions, while Hanifin and Toffoli informed management they weren't interested in extending their deals. It seemed possible all four would be traded before the end of the month.
Toffoli was shipped to the New Jersey Devils Devils on June 27 for winger Yegor Sharangovich and a 2023 third-rounder. Since then, though, there's been no indication that Lindholm, Backlund or Hanifin will be moved anytime soon.
Hanifin remains the only one of the three to reject a contract extension. That's the reason he's on our July NHL Trade Block Big Board at No. 5. The rumors concerning the 28-year-old defenseman have largely died down entering the offseason dog days but could resurface as training camp approaches in September.
The Flames are still awaiting definitive word from Lindholm and Backlund regarding their intentions. If they reject contract extensions, Flames general manager Craig Conroy could put all three on the trade block before the start of the coming season.
On the other hand, Conroy doesn't have to rush into trading them. He can take his time and wait for the trade markets to improve as the coming season progresses, peddling them leading up to deadline day if the Flames are out of playoff contention by then.
Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele: Winnipeg Jets
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The futures of Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele have been the frequent subject of speculation during this offseason.
Both players featured prominently on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board, with Scheifele at No. 5 while the goaltender topped the list.
A month later, though, Hellebuyck slipped to No. 3 on our July Trade Block Big Board while Scheifele dropped off completely. With August approaching, there's no indication yet that either player will be moved during the offseason.
Hellebuyck, 30, won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender in 2019 and was a finalist for the award last season. He carries an average annual value of $6.2 million for 2023-24 but will be paid $7.5 million in actual salary. He also lacks no-trade protection.
Scheifele, also 30, carries an annual cap hit of $6.1 million but will be paid $6 million in actual salary. Unlike Hellebuyck, he carries a 10-team no-trade list.
On July 22, the Winnipeg Sun's Scott Billeck reported Hellebuyck is unlikely to sign a contract extension while Scheifele is uncertain to do so. With the trade market currently dried up, Billeck speculates the Jets could head into 2023-24 with both players on their roster.
Billeck believes Hellebuyck could draw interest later this season from clubs in need of goaltending, while Scheifele could be a solid trade deadline addition to a contender, especially if injuries start piling up.
If the Jets are out of playoff contention by midseason, one or both could be on the move to new clubs.
Stats via NHL.com and salary info via Cap Friendly.
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