5 NHL Players Likely to be Traded After Rasmus Andersson Deal

With the Olympic break sneaking up on us and the trade freeze that goes into effect around it, perhaps teams around the NHL are gearing up to get business done before the league's best players head to Milan Cortina.

Calgary pulled off the band-aid and traded soon-to-be unrestricted free agent defenseman Rasmus Andersson to Vegas for defenseman Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 first-round pick, and a conditional 2028 second-round pick that becomes a first if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup this year.

Andersson was heavily rumored to go to Vegas during the offseason, and while a trade didn't happen then, the Flames eating half the money and Andersson not agreeing to an extension as part of the deal helped get it done. That's the kind of creativity needed to move a big-name player with a presumably big-time salary cap hit, and it sets the table for a handful of other star players to move ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.

We've picked out a few of the biggest players we're keeping an eye on to be moved next, and if that holds true, it would be an exciting time for everyone in the race, contending for the Cup.

Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

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Arguably the biggest name out there in trade talk will be Artemi Panarin.

The Rangers winger is in the final year of his contract, and with GM Chris Drury virtually waving the white flag in a letter to fans, they're open for business.

Panarin is the Rangers' leading scorer with 54 points, and his 18 goals are second on the team behind Mika Zibanejad. He's a dynamic offensive talent who can score and set up teammates. He's been part of playoff teams in Chicago, Columbus and New York and was an MVP-level player multiple times in his career.

For a contending team in search of a top-six winger who could turn the tide of a playoff series, Panarin would be an intriguing addition.

It's hard not think of the arms race in the Western Conference between the top teams in the Central, but now that Vegas has jumped into the fire by adding Rasmus Andersson, you wonder if that encourages teams like Edmonton or Los Angeles to get bold.

Then again, there's any number of teams in the East who could better their own standing by adding Panarin as well.

Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils

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With Rasmus Andersson off to Vegas, teams in need of defensive help, particularly on the right side, may turn their attention to Dougie Hamilton.

Although Hamilton has a list of teams he'll allow a trade to, anyone that comes calling for his services would have to be one with designs on winning right now. We made a hit list of potential buyers, but you can probably scratch Vegas off now.

At 32, Hamilton has years of experience as a high-end two-way defenseman, and, unlike Andersson, he has a couple of years remaining on his contract, so he wouldn't be a rental. Teams in search of a stable addition to the blue line would do well to add him, though he's had a comparatively down season this year.

Although working a trade to add Hamilton has its potential roadblocks, what with the trade protection and the $9 million salary cap hit for two more years beyond this one, he's the rare player who's been an elite-level right-handed defenseman, and those are always in short supply.

Kiefer Sherwood, Vancouver Canucks

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No player has built up their résumé over the past couple of seasons the way forward Kiefer Sherwood has with the Canucks.

Sherwood is due to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he was able to earn everyone's attention last season through his physical play. Sherwood led the league with 462 hits delivered and had 156 more hits than Mathieu Olivier, who was second behind him.

This season, he's continued delivering the hits and added goal scoring to go with it, with 17 goals through 44 games (he had 19 a year ago). Although he's second in the league in hits so far this year, he's one of two players with more than 200 through a little more than half the season.

He's a physical forechecker, and he's developed a bit more of an offensive touch. If those aren't the kinds of qualities that make any coach's eyes light up, we don't know what would be.

With the Canucks buried at the bottom of the Western Conference and languishing, the time for them to strike a deal and move Sherwood is well at hand. Given his low cap hit and impending new contract, Vancouver is in a prime position to drive up the market for him because more than half the league is likely to come calling. e

Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers

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With the Rangers cashing out for the season and looking forward to retooling rather than rebuilding, they're in a position where they could take advantage of a buyer's market. Moving center Vincent Trocheck could net them the futures they're looking for.

Trocheck has been an outstanding two-way center throughout his career, but he's shone in New York, where he's third in scoring with 29 points, including 11 goals in 35 games. He's got a $5.625 million cap hit and has a 12-team no-trade list, so he's not obtainable by everyone, but with his skill set and all-around abilities, he's the perfect player for a team looking to go deep for years to come.

Trocheck has three more years left on his contract after this one, so he's not a rent-a-player at the deadline, but with his cap hit and the cap taking off in the years to come, he's ideally priced for his skill set, which makes him even better priced to move.

Trocheck is 32 years old, and while anyone over 30 can give a GM the chills, it's hard to argue with the kind of play he's provided over the years and not have interest.

Nazem Kadri, Calgary Flames

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After watching the Flames pull the trigger on moving Rasmus Andersson, there's another veteran they've got who would be of interest to teams looking to go all the way to the Stanley Cup this year in Nazem Kadri.

Kadri was part of the Colorado Avalanche title team in 2022, and his grit and offensive touch were vital to their success. Memories of what he did for the Avs hold strong when looking at how he's performed in Calgary. He has 33 points in 48 games this season and had 67 and 75 points in the previous two years with the Flames. He would be a great addition to a team in need of a veteran up the middle, but he won't be easy to move for a few reasons.

Kadri is 35 years old and has three more years left on his contract, with a $7 million cap hit. He also has a 13-team no-trade list as well.

There's also the added difficulty for the Flames: they're five points out of the wild card in the Western Conference, and even though they've moved Andersson, it doesn't change a whole lot for them in the playoff race. They're close and not in a position to mail it in just yet. This same kind of conundrum can be applied to other potential trade candidates in Nashville (Steven Stamkos, Ryan O'Reilly), and they're even closer to the playoffs.

But it's a buyer's market in the NHL, and if teams want to improve enough to secure a playoff spot or better improve their shot at a Stanley Cup, fortune favors the bold.