9 Teams That Should Trade Their 1st-Round Pick at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline

When it comes to NHL teams making trades, there are no easier, but difficult assets to part with than first-round draft picks.

They're tantalizing because they're lottery tickets of hope and an opportunity for a team's scouting department to come up big for the franchise for years to come down the road.

And while the draft and developing consistently are how good teams stay good, a first-round pick may not help a team for a few seasons, if ever. That aspect makes it easier for a team that's ready to win now to part with one in a trade to better itself immediately.

While there are great players in every draft, mortgaging one top pick to get the player who could put a team over the top in the Stanley Cup Final is a price worth paying, and there are a few teams that have a first-round pick (or two) that could use them to help them improve immediately.

We've picked out nine teams around the NHL that have first-round picks they could (and should) use to better secure their immediate future and give them the best chance possible to go deep into the playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers

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ANAHEIM, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on February 9, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams in the league with the most win-now mindsets.

They have dithered enough during the Connor McDavid era, and the fact that they've yet to get over the hump and play in the Cup Final with him is rather embarrassing.

After all, when you've got McDavid and Leon Draisaitl dominating the league in scoring, you should go deep every year. And yet, since those two have been in the league they've made the conference finals once.

Last season, the Oilers used a first-round pick and acquired defenseman Mattias Ekholm from Nashville. The impact he had on their defensive unit was immediate and the improvement was impossible to ignore.

Although things have been going well for the Oilers of late, they're not without flaws and if there's a player who can help put them into the Cup Final for the first time since 2006, their 2024 first-round pick shouldn't stand in the way of that.

Oilers general manager Ken Holland has a lot of pressure to get the Oilers their first Stanley Cup since 1990 and while it would be nice of them to build up their prospect pipeline, wasting more of McDavid and Draisaitl's best years to do it would be malpractice.

Toronto Maple Leafs

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OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 10: Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe on the bench during first period National Hockey League action between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators on February 10, 2024, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Speaking of Canadian teams that need to win now, here's the Toronto Maple Leafs.

They got one monkey off their back last year when they escaped the first round of the playoffs for the first time in nearly 20 years, but their meek defeat to Florida in the second round made it just as disappointing as their brutal playoff series-losing streak.

The Leafs have definite flaws and their pace in recent weeks has them in a wild-card spot in the middle of a wicked fight for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Toronto doesn't only need to go deep in the playoffs, but it's also got to get there in the first place.

Nothing should stand in the way of GM Brad Treliving from making the moves necessary to get the Leafs over the top. They've got some of the best scoring talent in the NHL, and with goalie Joseph Woll nearing a return to action, even Morgan Rielly's impending suspension can't derail them.

If Toronto can pull a trade to better its forward or defensive depth, using its first-round pick to get it done should be an easy decision.

Dallas Stars

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MONTREAL, CANADA - FEBRUARY 10: Tyler Seguin #91 of the Dallas Stars celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period of Montreal Canadiens and the Dallas Stars at the Bell Centre on February 10, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images)

There's an arms race in the Central Division and for good reason.

The Dallas Stars are in a three-way dance with Colorado and Winnipeg to see who can finish on top, and the Jets have already used their first-round pick to acquire Sean Monahan to make themselves deeper through the middle.

Dallas was in the Western Conference Final a year ago and while they've got some of the best depth in the league and don't have any obvious holes, that puts them in a good position to make a big move should the opportunity arise.

They hunted around for forward depth a year ago when they were in pursuit of Patrick Kane, and it stands to reason that forward is a spot they may look to strengthen again.

Should Stars GM Jim Nill come across a deal that would give Dallas the edge to winning the Central Division and getting away from facing either Colorado or Winnipeg in the first round, it shouldn't be a problem for them to move its first-round pick to make it happen.

Making a deal to better support Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski up front or Miro Heiskanen on the blue line makes sense, and we know Nill won't hesitate to pull out a trade if there's one to be had.

New Jersey Devils*

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 30: Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils prepares for a face-off during the second period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on December 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images)

We had to throw an asterisk on this one because, if things broke right, the Devils' 2024 first-round pick might already be headed to San Jose.

When New Jersey acquired Timo Meier from the Sharks a year ago, one of the parts of the deal was a conditional 2024 second-round pick; the condition being if the Devils made it to the Eastern Conference Final in 2023 with Meier playing 50 percent or more games to get them there. That didn't happen, but if New Jersey makes the conference final this year, with or without Meier, that pick becomes a first-rounder.

The Devils are in the middle of a major battle to get into the playoffs in the East and although they've got a lot of young talent on their roster, they're in a spot to win now rather than later. They were a Stanley Cup favorite coming into the year only to see injuries and poor goaltending put them in a hole they're still trying to climb out of.

If there's a goalie to take over for Vitek Vanecek as the No. 1 in New Jersey, spending a first-round pick to acquire them is a no-brainer.

Vanecek and Akira Schmid hit the wall in the playoffs a year ago. And if they make the postseason again this year with the same plan of attack in goal, it's hard to see that paying off well for them.

The hardest part of making this kind of deal, though, is finding the goalie who would fit the bill and which team would be eager to part with its own top netminder to do it. Giving up a first to add them is the easy part.

Philadelphia Flyers

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 10: Sean Couturier #14 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates his third period goal against the Seattle Kraken with Travis Sanheim #6, Travis Konecny #11, Rasmus Ristolainen #55, and Owen Tippett #74 at the Wells Fargo Center on February 10, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Flyers being one of the more pleasant surprises this season has made the conversations about them vastly more interesting as the trade deadline approaches.

They are in a rebuild of sorts, but they're also playing extremely well for John Tortorella and have taken advantage of teams that don't put in the same effort as them on a given night.

Philadelphia has players it can deal at the deadline who could land them another first-round pick or two, but it's already got two firsts in 2024 and using one of those to add a player who could help them right now and beyond would be a deft move.

Flyers GM Danny Brière has a bit of flexibility in how he handles the trade deadline but given they've got their own first as well as the Florida Panthers' 2024 first-round pick (which is top-10 protected otherwise it becomes a 2025 first) their ability to get shifty with deals is full of potential.

The Flyers could deal defenseman Sean Walker and get a first-round pick from another team, but they could use either of the two they've got to improve now while also making sure to not undercut their rebuild by taking away first-round talent.

It's a great position for the Flyers because this way they can continue rebuilding and make a deep run in the playoffs.

Colorado Avalanche

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NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 06: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) celebrates with Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) after scoring a goal during a game between the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils on February 06, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Much like the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars, the Colorado Avalanche can assert themselves by using their first-round pick to make a trade happen.

With the Jets landing Sean Monahan already, they've made a key move in their battle with the Stars and Avs. Colorado's having a great season as well, but there are areas it could address to make itself stronger.

Whether that's more firepower at forward, deepening their defense or giving Alexandar Georgiev a backup who can help keep him better rested for the playoffs, the Avalanche aren't in a position to let a first-round pick be a deal-breaker.

Given Colorado won the Cup two seasons ago, it's clearly targeting getting back there and winning it all again. It's not in a place where worrying about prospects down the road should be its mindset. It's about trying to win the Central Division, being better than their division rivals as well as Vancouver, Vegas, Edmonton and whoever comes out of the East.

If finding that piece to put them over the top costs a first-round pick, just put a bow on it when you ship it out of town.

Carolina Hurricanes

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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat the New Jersey Devils at PNC Arena on February 10, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)

We're kind of guilty for harping on about this, but the Hurricanes (should) have a world of pressure on them to get to the Stanley Cup Final and they're at the point now where first-round picks aren't going to help them get there any faster.

Although Carolina had a slow start to the season, it's right back in the mix and gearing up for the postseason and making a deep run is an absolute must. If the 'Canes need more depth up front or a boost in goaltending to protect against injuries, securing those positions using their first-round pick should be a simple decision.

Carolina could have a brutal path in the playoffs if it's unable to catch the Rangers atop the Metropolitan Division. Facing off with Philadelphia, the Islanders, New Jersey, or even Pittsburgh in the first round seems less than ideal. The Rangers had struggled recently, but a five-game winning streak has New York in command of the Metro.

Using a first-round pick to catch the Blueshirts and go on a run would be wise.

Los Angeles Kings

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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Quinton Byfield #55 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Edmonton Oilers at Crypto.com Arena on February 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Kings' cool-down that led to Todd McLellan being fired during the All-Star Break was warning enough to everyone that they're beyond serious about regaining their early-season form and being one of the toughest teams in the West.

However, it's clear the Kings have flaws and while some of that will be alleviated when Viktor Arvidsson returns from injury, they'll need more help.

L.A. using its first-round pick to shake things up and improve some areas that have slipped a bit makes too much sense. The Kings' top players are older (Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty) and while there are some younger players there as well, the team is good right now and could be a lot better with some help from elsewhere.

If that means finding a way to improve their goaltending or forward depth by using that pick to do it, GM Rob Blake's decision should be relatively easy to make. If the Kings are going to be an honest-to-goodness threat in the West, they may just have to do it.

New York Rangers

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CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 09: Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers celebrates with teammates Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers and Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers after scoring a goal during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on February 9, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It might be the doldrums of the NHL season and the Rangers' recent run of play might reflect that a bit, but it's not as if they are low on options to find ways to improve the roster.

Not only do they have young players they could use to land a big fish via trade, but their first-round pick is also the best chip they'd have to make a deal.

Depending on how teams view some of the Rangers' younger players (Kaapo Kakko for instance) using their 2024 first could net them the help they'll need to make the Cup Final.

After all, the Rangers are without Filip Chytil and could stand to use some help at forward, particularly up the middle (Adam Henrique maybe?). And if they're going to add a veteran who can take care of business and have some of the experience, they may seek to help their chances and using their first-rounder to do it is an easy call for GM Chris Drury.

The time for the Rangers to win is right now.