8 Goalies Who Could Be in Play at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline
Good goaltending is a must for any NHL team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Several of this season's contenders, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils, have been plagued by inconsistent performances or a lack of depth between the pipes.
Some of those clubs could go shopping for help before the March 8 trade deadline. Meanwhile, a team that has fallen out of playoff contention by then could opt to put a goalie on the trade block.
The netminders on this list have at times surfaced in the rumor mill. Some, such as the Anaheim Ducks' John Gibson, have frequently been the subject of trade conjecture in the media.
Contract-wise, these goaltenders run the gamut from pending unrestricted free agents to those carrying expensive contracts with several years remaining.
Most could still end up finishing this season with their current clubs. Many have various issues such as an expensive contract or performance concerns that could hurt their value in the trade market, but it doesn't mean they won't be available or their respective teams won't listen to offers.
Do you agree or disagree with this compilation? Is there someone we missed that you think should be here? Let us know in the app comments section.
Jake Allen, Montreal Canadiens
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The Montreal Canadiens have been carrying three goaltenders this season instead of two as Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau have split the duties.
That's because the Canadiens can't send Primeau to their AHL affiliate in Laval. After all, they don't want another club plucking him off waivers.
Montembeault has established himself as the Montreal starter, earning himself a three-year, $9.5 million contract extension. Primeau has steadily improved following a slow start, making a solid case to become his full-time backup.
That leaves Allen as the odd man out. Signed through 2024-25 with a $3.9 million average annual value and a seven-team no-trade list, he has the worst record of the trio with four wins, eight losses and two overtime losses with a 3.52 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
As a result, the 33-year-old has become a frequent subject of media trade speculation. That's earned him a spot on our January NHL Trade Block Big Board. It's believed several clubs have expressed an interest in him.
The Canadiens could shop Allen before the trade deadline if they remain out of playoff contention, especially if Montembeault and Primeau continue seeing more playing time. He has plenty of playoff experience, including a Stanley Cup win with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and could be a reliable backup for a contending club.
Jack Campbell, Edmonton Oilers
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Signed to a five-year, $25 million contract as a free agent in July 2022 by the Edmonton Oilers, Jack Campbell was coming off a couple of decent seasons as a starter with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He was expected to provide stability in goal for the Oilers in their quest for the Stanley Cup.
Campbell wound up losing the starter's job midway through 2022-23 to an inexperienced Stuart Skinner, who went on to become a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy.
However, Campbell performed well spelling off Skinner when he struggled in the heat of playoff competition.
Things got off to a rocky start this season for Campbell. By November, he had a record of one win and four losses with the league's second-worst goals-against average (4.50) and the fifth-worst save percentage (.873) among goalies with at least five games played. The Oilers placed him on waivers and sent him to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.
Campbell's struggles have continued in the AHL, making it unlikely that Edmonton will recall him for the remainder of this season. It could make him available in the trade market if any club is willing to gamble that they could help him get his career back on track.
On Jan. 11, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun expressed doubt that the Oilers would find any takers for Campbell, citing his flagging performance and his contract. Nevertheless, they could be willing to listen to offers.
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
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A frequent subject of trade speculation over the past year, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson is likely to resurface in media rumors leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.
Whether he gets moved remains to be seen, but Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek could be open to offers.
Gibson's contract is considered the main sticking point. The 30-year-old goaltender carries an expensive $6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27 with a 10-team no-trade list.
Playing behind a rebuilding Ducks roster in recent years hasn't helped Gibson's stats. However, he has improved this season with a 3.13 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage through a team-leading 27 games played this season.
While there could be clubs that believe Gibson's performance would improve with a playoff contender, it's doubtful any of them will take on his contract during this season. Such a move might have to wait until the offseason when the salary cap is projected to jump by $4.2 million for 2024-25.
Still, the possibility exists for a Gibson trade if the Ducks are willing to retain some of his cap hit. It will likely take the addition of sweeteners such as a first-round draft pick and a top prospect to convince Verbeek to do that.
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Kaapo Kähkönen, San Jose Sharks
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It's been a dismal season for the San Jose Sharks. The rebuilding club is mired at the foot of the NHL standings, and it's expected general manager Mike Grier will become a seller by the trade deadline.
Goaltenders Mackenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kähkönen have struggled behind the porous Sharks defense. While their stats have suffered as a result, they could be good low-cost backup options for a contender seeking affordable depth between the pipes.
Blackwood is signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $2.4 million. Kähkönen, however, seems the more likely trade candidate. While his $2.8 million AAV is slightly more expensive than Blackwood's, he's slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and might not fit into the Sharks' long-range plans.
One knock against Kähkönen is his lack of playoff experience. Still, as a playoff rental backup, the 27-year-old could have the advantage of being a more affordable acquisition than others on this list.
A move to a club with a deeper roster in front of him could improve Kähkönen's performance. In turn, that could improve his chances of landing a better contract this summer on the free-agent market.
Jacob Markström, Calgary Flames
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The Calgary Flames have dominated the rumor mill this season as such notables as Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev have become noteworthy trade candidates. Eligible for UFA status on July 1, the trio made the top five in our January NHL Trade Block Big Board.
Jacob Markström has also recently come up as a trade option for clubs in need of a reliable starting goaltender. On Jan. 8, Kent Wilson of the Calgary Sun suggested this could be a good opportunity for the Flames to move an aging, expensive asset to make room for promising netminder Dustin Wolf.
A Vezina Trophy finalist in 2021-22 and named to that season's second All-Star team, Markström struggled to replicate that performance last season. The decline in his play contributed to the Flames' missing the 2023 playoffs.
The 33-year-old is enjoying a bounce-back performance this season with a record of 13 wins, 11 losses and two overtime defeats with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. That could make him an enticing target for playoff contenders.
Markström's contract is a major stumbling block, though. He's signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $6 million and a full no-movement clause. Still, he might be willing to waive it to join a Cup contender if one came calling with a creative way to take on his deal.
Elvis Merzļikins, Columbus Blue Jackets
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Elvis Merzļikins entered this season considered the Columbus Blue Jackets' starting goaltender. He'd bested Joonas Korpisalo for the role, resulting in the latter getting traded last season to the Los Angeles Kings.
Merzļikins is in the second season of a five-year contract with a $5.4 million average annual value and a 10-team no-trade clause.
Eyebrows had been raised, however, as the 29-year-old hadn't played since Dec. 29. On Jan. 11, Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent told the media that the decision was made to give promising Daniil Tarasov more playing time to evaluate his performance and potential as a future starter.
The following day, Merzļikins told the press that he'd been stripped of the starter's role. While he hadn't requested a trade, he said his agent spoke with management about the possibility of getting moved to another club.
The Latvian still considers himself a No. 1 goalie and wasn't happy with moving behind Tarasov and Spencer Martin on the depth chart.
Merzļikins is having a bounce-back season after struggling with a career-worst 4.23 goals-against average and .876 save percentage with a record of seven wins, 18 losses and two overtime losses. This season, he has a record of 8-8-6 with a 3.22 GAA and .906 SP.
The Blue Jackets could find it difficult to move Merzļikins given his contract. They could be forced to retain some salary and perhaps package him with a draft pick or a prospect. Nevertheless, he's available for clubs seeking an experienced starter with term remaining on his contract.
Petr Mrázek, Chicago Blackhawks
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It's been another difficult season for Chicago.
Despite the addition of rookie star Connor Bedard and veterans such as Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, this rebuilding club has been walloped by injuries to several core players, including Bedard, Hall and Foligno. As a result, they're near the bottom of the NHL standings.
One bright spot, however, is the play of Petr Mrázek. After two injury-ravaged seasons threatened to derail the 31-year-old's career, he's performed well for his talent-thin club, sporting a record of 10 wins, 16 losses and an overtime loss with a 3.13 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
NBC Sports Chicago's Charlie Roumeliotis took note of Mrázek's performance. On Jan. 8, he speculated that the veteran could become the subject of trade speculation. Teams in need of goaltending help could come calling.
With a salary-cap hit of $3.8 million and a 10-team no-trade clause, the Czech is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson could be willing to entertain trade offers if unable to reach an agreement with him on an extension.
Mrázek has an injury history of his own which could make some clubs wary of pursuing him. Nevertheless, his 29 games of playoff experience could make him an attractive option for clubs in need of experienced goalie depth.
Karel Vejmelka, Arizona Coyotes
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The Arizona Coyotes' Karel Vejmelka began this season as his club's starting goaltender. However, he lost playing time this season to backup Connor Ingram, who is playing a key role in the team's pursuit of a Western Conference wild-card berth.
That prompted some media rumors suggesting Vejmelka, 27, could be garnering some interest in the trade market. The speculation earned him a place on our January NHL Trade Block Big Board.
With the Coyotes jockeying for a wild-card spot, it's unlikely they'll break up their current goaltending tandem. They need Vejmelka to spell off Ingram during back-to-back games as well as insurance in case the latter struggles or is sidelined by injury.
Nevertheless, Vejmelka could become available if the Coyotes have tumbled too far out of contention by the March trade deadline. With a $2.7 million average annual value through 2024-25, he could become an affordable option for a cap-strapped contender seeking inexpensive goalie depth.
Vejmelka's downside is that he's never played a single NHL playoff game. That might not help his stock for clubs in the market for a starter, but he could prove useful as a backup option.
Stats via NHL.com. Salary info via CapFriendly.
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