BS Meter on the Latest NHL Trade Rumors 2 Weeks from the Trade Deadline

The NHL's March 7 trade deadline (3 p.m. ET) is less than two weeks away. With the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament over and the regular-season schedule resumed, activity in the trade market should resume and intensify as the deadline approaches.

Some big trades have already taken place since the calendar flipped to 2025. The most notable were the Colorado Avalanche shipping Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers acquiring J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks.

Several multi-player deals also took place, with the Pittsburgh Penguins sending Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor to the Canucks, the Philadelphia Flyers shipping forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames, and the Dallas Stars acquiring Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks.

Trade activity tailed off as the schedule paused for the 4 Nations Face-Off, but the rumor mill continued to churn. During that period, notables like St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn, New York Rangers winger Alexei Lafrenière and Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson were mentioned in trade speculation.

It's time to break out our trusty BS meter to determine which rumors could pan out and which are fiction.

Alexis Lafreniere for Trevor Zegras

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New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafrenière

The New York Rangers have been among the busiest teams in this season's trade market. Since Dec. 6, they traded Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, sent Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken for Will Borgen, and acquired J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks.

On Feb. 15, Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggested the Rangers consider a bold move by shipping Alexis Lafrenière to the Ducks for Trevor Zegras. He believes the 23-year-old forwards have struggled to meet expectations with their current teams and might benefit from a change of scenery.

Lafrenière is in the final year of his current contract and signed a seven-year, $52.15 million contract extension last October with the Rangers. Zegras is in the second year of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $5.8 million.

Brooks pointed out that Lafrenière has failed to build on his promising 2023-24 performance which earned him his extension. Over the past two years, Zegras has been hampered by injuries and playing with a rebuilding team in Anaheim.

BS Meter: It's BS

Brooks was merely suggesting the Rangers look into making this move. There is no indication the two teams are discussing such a deal.

Are the Philadelphia Flyers Reluctant to Move Scott Laughton?

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The Philadelphia Flyers made a significant trade on Jan. 31, shipping forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames forwards Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier and two draft picks. Some pundits believe general manager Daniel Brière could have other moves in store for the trade deadline.

On Feb. 8, Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco reported trade talks were heating up involving Scott Laughton. The 30-year-old two-way Flyers forward plays center or wing and has a year left on his contract with an affordable annual cap hit of $3 million. He also lacks no-trade protection.

Di Marco claimed the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets were among several clubs interested in Laughton to address their center-ice needs. The Hockey News' Sammi Silber suggested he could address the Washington Capitals' need for depth at center.

The Athletic's Kevin Kurz reports Brière isn't shopping Laughton and has set a high asking price, citing his importance to the rebuilding Flyers. If the Leafs are pursuing the Toronto-area native, Kurz suggested they'd have to part with their 2026 first-rounder and one of their top prospects.

BS Meter: Not BS

Laughton could be moved by the trade deadline if Brière receives a significant offer that would accelerate the Flyers' rebuild. However, he appears to have set the asking price so high to discourage teams from calling.

Could the Vegas Golden Knights Pursue St. Louis Blues Center Brayden Schenn?

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The St. Louis Blues are poised to miss the playoffs for the third straight year. They could become sellers by the March 7 trade deadline, which could see them move some of their core players as they prepare to retool their roster in the offseason.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported there was potential for Blues captain Brayden Schenn to be traded. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic believes the well-respected center could draw lots of interest in the trade market.

Schenn, 33, has three years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. He also has a full no-trade clause until July 1, when it becomes a 15-team no-trade list.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman thinks the Blues will set a high asking price for Schenn. He said the Vegas Golden Knights sprang to mind as a potential destination if they could find a way to make it work.

BS Meter: It's BS,

The Golden Knights are renowned for their bold trades, but Schenn appears out of their price range. Assuming he agrees to waive his no-trade clause, they could try to get the Blues to retain half of his cap hit, but that could drive up their asking price.

Could the Chicago Blackhawks and Seth Jones Agree to a Trade?

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Mired near the bottom of the NHL standings, the Chicago Blackhawks will be sellers again at the trade deadline. While they're expected to peddle UFA-eligible players like Ryan Donato and Pat Maroon, they could also listen to offers for defenseman Seth Jones.

On Jan. 16, TSN's Darren Dreger reported Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson wasn't shopping Jones but was receiving calls from clubs inquiring about the 30-year-old blueliner's availability. On Feb. 19, Jones told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he and his agent discussed trade options with Davidson.

Jones said he hasn't formally requested a trade. He also acknowledged that his contract would be difficult to move. He's in the third season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $9.5 million plus a full no-movement clause.

“If it happens, it happens,” Jones told Pope. “Obviously, while I'm here with the Blackhawks, they have my full effort (and) attention to this team to try to get this team better”.

BS Meter: Not BS

Davidson has received enough calls from other clubs about Jones that he felt it worthwhile discussing with him. While he's not asking to be traded, the veteran blueliner said he wants to give himself a chance to win. Despite his contract, we can't dismiss the possibility of a March 7 deal.

Could Erik Karlsson's Trade Value Improve Following the 4 Nations Face-Off?

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Sweden fell short in its quest to qualify for the championship game in the 4 Nations Face-Off. However, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson performed well in the tournament, leading the Swedes in scoring with a goal and two assists while garnering praise for his performance.

With the Penguins retooling their roster, some observers wonder if Karlsson's play in the tournament might improve his trade value. The Athletic's Josh Yohe believes it could, pointing out the 34-year-old blueliner was Sweden's best player during their 4-3 tournament-opening loss to Canada.

The Penguins acquired Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks in Aug. 2023 but the addition of the skilled puck-moving blueliner failed to improve their aging roster. They missed the playoffs in 2023-24 and poised to do so again this season.

Karlsson is signed through 2026-27 with the Penguins carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value. He still has a full no-movement clause.

BS Meter: It's BS

Karlsson is a skilled mobile defenseman but turns 35 on May 31 and his contract remains very expensive even with the salary cap poised to rise substantially over the next three years. The Penguins must retain a healthy chunk of his annual cap hit to move him, which they could be reluctant to do.

Stats and standings via NHL.com and Quant Hockey. Salary info via PuckPedia.