5 Teams in Need a of a Game-Changing Trade After Missing out in NHL Free Agency
The 2024 NHL free-agent market opened at noon EDT on Monday with the usual flurry of activity as teams moved quickly to sign the best unrestricted free-agent talent. Once the dust settled, the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals were among the day's big winners in addressing their rosters' needs.
With most of the best UFAs now gone, several clubs could be forced to turn to the trade market for suitable talent to bolster their lineups for 2024-25.
Washington went that route leading up to free agency, sending goaltender Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings for center Pierre-Luc Dubois, acquiring winger Andrew Mangiapane from the Calgary Flames and goalie Logan Thompson from the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Capitals made a notable free-agent addition Monday by signing defenseman Matt Roy to a six-year contract. However, they also swung a significant trade that day, adding defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators.
A rebuilding team like the Montreal Canadiens could follow the Capitals' example and shop for more immediate roster help. Aspiring playoff contenders like the Detroit Red Wings could also look to the trade market after making marginal additions via free agency.
The Canadiens and Red Wings join three other NHL clubs on our list of teams that could use a game-changing trade after missing out in free agency. Read on as we explain why these teams must go the trade route to improve their rosters now that the free-agent market is tapped out.
Do you agree or disagree with our take? Is there a club we missed? Let us know in the app comments below.
Detroit Red Wings
1 of 5
On June 25, the Detroit Red Wings traded Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations. It was an obvious salary dump, clearing the 28-year-old defenseman's $3.4 million average annual value (through 2025-26) from their books. That move seemed to set the stage for a significant addition by the Wings.
The Wings had plenty of salary-cap space entering the free-agent market, but a big portion of it will go to restricted free agents Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Joe Veleno. They brought back Patrick Kane on a one-year deal but opted for smaller depth additions like goalies James Reimer, Cam Talbot, Jack Campbell and blueliner Erik Gustafsson.
That may be because the new deals for Seider, Raymond and Veleno will eat most of their remaining $21.5 million. Still, adding three fading goaltenders won't address their problems between the pipes. Trading Walman for nothing only weakens their blue line following the departure of Shayne Gostisbehere to the Carolina Hurricanes.
If Yzerman can get Seider, Raymond and Veleno under more affordable terms, it could give him the cap room to acquire a defenseman by peddling a high draft pick or a quality prospect. He was reportedly close to a trade for New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba, though complications appear to have scuttled that deal.
Los Angeles Kings
2 of 5
It wasn't that long ago that Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake was heralded for his roster-rebuilding efforts. His club drafted and developed promising young talent like Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte and Alexander Kaliyev. They also made notable veteran additions like Phillip Danault, Kevin Fiala and Pierre-Luc Dubois.
The bloom has since come off the rose for Blake. Byfield is blossoming into a star, but Kaliyev and Turcotte have struggled as NHLers. Danault and Fiala have worked out well, but Dubois was a disaster. Brock Faber, the defenseman they gave up in the Fiala deal, has become a star with the Minnesota Wild.
Blake cut his losses with Dubois, shipping him to the Washington Capitals for aging goaltender Darcy Keumper. He replaced defenseman Matt Roy with fading blueliner Joel Edmundson. Blake added forwards Warren Foegele and Tanner Jeannot via free agency, but they don't address their need for goalie depth and a top-four left-shot rearguard.
With $9.9 million in cap space and Byfield due for a big raise, Blake will have to turn to the trade market to address at least one of those roster issues. It won't be easy and could mean shopping one of his lower-cost forwards with a draft pick or prospect.
Montreal Canadiens
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The Montreal Canadiens finished near the bottom of the standings in part because of their lack of offensive depth. They landed a potential future scoring star in Ivan Demidov with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft but must find more immediate help before the 2024-25 season begins.
It wasn't for lack of trying in the free-agent market. The Athletic's Arpon Basu reported on July 1 that the Canadiens were in the running for 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault. However, he felt the fit was better with the Nashville Predators.
The Canadiens possess young scorers Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský on their top line. Healthy seasons from Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook should also provide an offensive boost, taking some of the burden off their top line. Nevertheless, an established top-six forward would significantly bolster their scoring punch.
Recent media rumors linked Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Nečas to the Canadiens. They've also been among several teams believed to be interested in Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras. The Canadiens possess considerable depth in draft picks and promising young defensemen to use as trade chips.
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Ottawa Senators
4 of 5
Steve Staios' first big offseason move as Ottawa Senators general manager was a success, acquiring 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. He also rid himself of the remaining four years of netminder Joonas Korpisalo's contract in that deal.
Staios followed up by trading defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Washington Capitals for rearguard Nick Jensen and a draft pick. His biggest free-agent signings were forwards David Perron and Nick Amadio. However, these moves didn't suitably address the Senators' ongoing need for quality right-side blue-line depth.
Jensen is a right-hand shot, but he's 33 and showed signs of decline last season, which explains the Capitals' willingness to part with him for Chychrun. The Senators carry just $1.9 million in cap space after re-signing center Shane Pinto on July 2.
With the free-agent market largely depleted of quality talent, Staios could once again turn to the trade market. Chychrun was the Senators' best trade chip, but with him now gone, Staios might have to get creative to address this issue.
Winnipeg Jets
5 of 5
After buying out Nate Schmidt and losing Brenden Dillon to free agency, the Winnipeg Jets need a top-four blueliner. The free-agent market has been largely picked clean as notable rearguards like Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Brandon Montour and Nikita Zadorov were quickly signed.
The Jets are set on their first defense pairing with Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo. Their current prospective second pairing would be Dylan Samberg and Neal Pionk. However, it could be worthwhile to add a more experienced and established blueliner to that pairing and move Samberg or Pionk to the third pairing.
Limited salary-cap space left Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff unable to win any free-agent bidding wars. He'll have to turn to the trade market to address this issue if his club is to build on last season's solid regular-season performance.
Cheveldayoff has a couple of trade chips that could be intriguing. Winger Nikolaj Ehlers has a year left on his contract and could decide to go to market next summer. The Athletic's Murat Ates reports they continue to shop prospect Rutger McGroarty as the 20-year-old winger no longer sees the Jets as his road to the NHL.
Stats via NHL.com, salary info via PuckPedia, line combination via Daily Faceoff, and prospect info via The Athletic.
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