5 Potential NHL Cap Casualties Who Could Be Steals for Other Teams in 2025

Even though the NHL salary cap is set to significantly rise this offseason after several years of being stagnant, there are still a handful of teams facing some serious cap-crunches heading into the offseason.

That means trades are necessary to ensure they can be cap-compliant for the 2025-26 season and for required changes to their rosters.

When teams have to make trades under a salary-cap crunch, they tend to lose some leverage and have to take on some smaller returns. That can be beneficial for other teams around the NHL.

Let's take a look at five players who could be salary-cap casualty trades over the coming weeks and end up as potential steals for their new teams.

Martin Necas, Colorado Avalanche

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It was only a few months ago that Martin Necas was one of the key players in the return for star forward Mikko Rantanen.

At the time, Necas looked like he was going to be a key part of Colorado's medium-term outlook and give it a cost-controlled forward for at least one more year.

After re-signing veteran forward Brock Nelson to a $7 million salary-cap hit, though, the Avalanche are facing a situation in which they are going into the offseason with only $1.2 million in available cap space to work with.

They still have to fill out the remainder of the roster, improve some depth, and they must do so with almost no salary-cap space, a depleted farm system and little draft-pick capital.

The Avs have no picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts and only two total selections in 2025 (a fourth- and seventh-round pick).

They need to replenish some of that.

Necas, 26, could be one of their more attractive trade pieces. And with his willingness to re-sign in Colorado open to debate, he could be on the way out almost as quickly as he arrived.

Necas is probably not a centerpiece, but he is still a very good offensive player who could be had given his contract situation and Colorado's cap issues.

Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

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Given the way the 2024-25 season went for both the New York Rangers and Chris Kreider, it seems to be a matter of when, and not if, the veteran forward gets traded this offseason.

The Rangers need to shake up their core and roster, get some younger forwards on the ice and shed some salary to help make all of that happen.

Given Kreider is coming off a down year, and with the Rangers' presumed desire to shake things up, the return for the 34-year-old may not be all that steep.

A team that needs some secondary scoring or a veteran winger might still be able to find some use out of Kreider.

He probably won't be a 40-goal scorer again, but 20 or 30 goals could be in play, and his $6.5 million salary-cap number over the next two seasons wouldn't be outrageous given how expensive free agents are going to be on the open market.

Ivan Barbashev, Vegas Golden Knights

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The Vegas Golden Knights have mastered the strategy of "acquire big-money players now, figure out the rest later."

They would rather spend to—and, if possible, above—the salary cap and give up assets in an effort to win right now and then deal with the consequences of having to shed players in the offense, even if they don't get a huge return back.

They might have to do that again this offseason.

If so, Ivan Barbashev figures to be a good option to trade and should have plenty of suitors.

The 29-year-old has become a 20-goal, 50-point winger and is a strong top-six forward who can play up and down the lineup. He is still signed for $5 million per season for another three years, which might be a little too expensive for a Vegas team that is again pressed against the salary cap and has to worry about filling out the remainder of its roster and a Jack Eichel extension before the end of next season.

A team in need of top-six scoring is unlikely to find a better option in free agency for a cheaper price against the salary cap this summer. If Vegas is willing to shop Barbashev, teams should be interested.

John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks

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Could this be the year when John Gibson finally gets moved after years of speculation and trade talk?

It seems like it could be as good a time as any.

Not only has Lukas Dostal emerged as the Anaheim Ducks' long-term goalie of the future, but Gibson is also coming off a strong bounce-back season, has only two years remaining at $6.4 million against the salary cap, and there is a staggering lack of goaltending options available this offseason on the trade and free-agent markets.

The Ducks would almost certainly like to shed that salary, and Gibson, 31, would probably like a fresh start. There are also enough teams in need of a veteran goalie that his remaining contract might finally be tolerable with only two years remaining and some better recent play.

Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins

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Erik Karlsson's time with the Penguins has not gone as expected over the past two seasons.

His arrival was supposed to keep Pittsburgh's window for Stanley Cup contention open for a little longer, but all it has done is close even faster with each year.

The Penguins are now facing the start of a rebuild and would almost certainly like to shed the remainder of Karlsson's contract that still has $11.5 million salary-cap hits over the next two seasons.

While that is pricey, the Penguins still have some salary retention spots they could use. The Swede's actual dollars owed are also $9 million this season and only $7.5 million next year. That gap between actual salary and salary-cap hit could make him a more attractive trade option for a team that needs some offense from its blue line.

For as flawed as Karlsson's game has been, he remains an outstanding offensive presence and would probably welcome the opportunity to take another run or two at the Stanley Cup. He is not likely to get that opportunity with the Penguins over the next two seasons.

Pittsburgh's rebuild, combined with its desire to shed some salary, could make Karlsson an affordable trade option in terms of assets, even if the Penguins retain some of that remaining contract.