The 8 NHL Stars Who Could Request a Trade During the 2026-27 Season
Since June 21, two notable NHL players have been moved after requesting trades.
The first was winger Brady Tkachuk, shipped on June 21 from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers.
Defenseman Darnell Nurse was next, traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the San Jose Sharks on July 1.
Meanwhile, center Dylan Larkin continues to wait for the Detroit Red Wings to honor the request he made shortly after the Red Wings' season ended in April.
Those requests were made for various reasons.
Larkin has grown weary of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman's inability to build the team into a playoff contender. Tkachuk wanted to play alongside his brother, Matthew, on a Stanley Cup contender. Nurse grew tired of criticism about his play and his expensive contract from Oilers followers.
The 2026-27 regular season could see other stars longing to move on to greener pastures. Here's a look at eight potential candidates.
Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
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When Brock Boeser signed his seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.3 million on July 1, 2025, the Vancouver Canucks were a year removed from their third-best regular season in franchise history. Despite their disappointing 2024-25 campaign, there was hope that they might regain their previous form.
Instead, the Canucks endured one of their worst seasons, finishing last in the overall standings. Core players such as Quinn Hughes, Tyler Myers, Conor Garland, and Kiefer Sherwood were traded. Meanwhile, changes were made to the management and coaching staff as a full rebuild began.
Despite the upheaval of the past two seasons, Boeser was not among the players requesting a trade, nor does it seem that he was approached about waiving his no-movement clause.
Boeser has been very loyal to the Canucks since starting his NHL career with them in 2016-17. Despite the highs and lows and speculation about his future that have dogged him for the past two years, he hasn't indicated that he wants out.
However, another difficult season like the past one could change Boeser's mind. Now 29 and with the Canucks rebuilding, he could decide that his chances of playing for a winning club during the remaining six seasons on his contract would be better elsewhere.
Alex DeBrincat, Detroit Red Wings
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Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin's trade request last month surprised the hockey world, sparking speculation over where he'll end up and what type of return he might fetch. It also raised questions about Alex DeBrincat's future with the franchise.
DeBrincat joined his hometown club in July 2023 in a trade with the Ottawa Senators, signing a four-year contract as a restricted free agent. He quickly became one of their top scorers, finishing the 2025-26 campaign with a team-leading 41 goals and 85 points.
However, Larkin's trade request could leave DeBrincat questioning the direction of the Red Wings under general manager Steve Yzerman. It's been 10 years since they last made the playoffs. In each of the last three seasons, the Wings entered March holding a postseason berth, only to tumble out of contention.
Larkin has kept silent about his request, but it's believed to be based in part on his frustration over the Wings' playoff drought and tension between him and Yzerman. If he's traded, the Wings will lose their first-line center and best two-way forward.
DeBrincat is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. If the Wings are out of contention by the end of February, the 28-year-old winger could decide his future lies elsewhere and request a move by the March trade deadline.
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
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One of the NHL's best puck-moving defensemen, Adam Fox won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2021. He's been the linchpin of the New York Rangers' defense corps, but the club's collapse since its 2023-24 Presidents' Trophy season could have him pondering a change of scenery.
Fox raised eyebrows in February when he gave noncommittal answers to media questions about his long-term future with the Rangers. He claimed he was only focusing on the season, and those were questions best left for the offseason.
Signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $9.5 million, Fox is three years away from UFA eligibility. He also carries a full no-movement clause, so he's in no danger of being traded unless he wants out.
Nevertheless, Fox could be uneasy over the Rangers' direction under general manager Chris Drury. His efforts to retool haven't reversed the club's fortunes thus far, as they finished last in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26. Now 28, Fox could be getting concerned about his chances of playing for the Stanley Cup.
On Apr. 17, Fox told Vincent Z. Mercogliano that he was encouraged by promising signs of the Rangers' improvement. However, another disappointing effort in 2026-27 could put Drury's job in jeopardy. It could also lead to Fox deciding that his best years are being wasted on a club going nowhere fast.
Jack and Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils
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Talk of the Hughes brothers (Jack, Quinn, and Luke) reuniting with one NHL team arose last year. Uncertainty over Quinn's willingness to sign an extension with the Vancouver Canucks prompted then-Canucks president Jim Rutherford to say the defenseman wanted to play with his brothers one day.
Because of Quinn's unwillingness to sign an extension, the Canucks traded him to the Minnesota Wild last December. He helped the Wild reach the playoffs and win their first playoff series in 11 years.
Quinn said that he enjoyed playing for the Wild and was open to a contract extension. Wild owner Craig Leipold said his club would get him signed regardless of cost. If it doesn't happen, speculation will persist about Quinn joining Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils as a free agent next summer.
However, if Quinn re-signs with the Wild, that could stoke rumors linking Jack and Luke to Minnesota. Both players are under expensive, long-term contracts, making it difficult for the Wild to swing that deal. Nevertheless, if the Devils miss the playoffs again, the Jack-and-Luke-to-Minnesota buzz could begin next summer.
Granted, that scenario seems less likely than Quinn going to New Jersey, but you've got to admit, it would be a heck of a swerve. Besides, nobody foresaw him getting traded to Minnesota at this time last year, so anything is possible.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
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The Toronto Maple Leafs' nine-season playoff streak ended last season with a disappointing performance that left them sitting 28th in the overall standings. That prompted questions about Auston Matthews' future, making the Maple Leafs captain the subject of trade speculation.
Matthews, 28, is one of the NHL's top stars. He's won the Calder Memorial Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy. Matthews and Alex Ovechkin are the only players to win the Maurice Richard Trophy at least three times. He's arguably the greatest player in the Maple Leafs' long history.
The cause for concern was Matthews' contract, which is set to expire in 2028. Some observers wondered if he might request a trade if the Maple Leafs failed to improve their roster this summer. So far, there's no indication that Matthews wants out.
Matthews could be convinced to stick around based on the Maple Leafs recent roster additions. They won the draft lottery and selected promising winger Gavin McKenna. The Leafs also acquired goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, defenseman Darren Raddysh, and forwards Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, and Colton Sissons.
However, if the Maple Leafs stumble in 2026-27, Matthews could decide not to waste the final season of his contract with a club in need of a rebuild. A trade request before the March 2027 deadline wouldn't be out of the question, with the remaining year on his contract making him a more valuable trade target.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
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On Oct. 6, 2025, Connor McDavid signed a two-year contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers. He agreed to the same average annual salary ($12.5 million) as his previous contract, but the short tenure of his new deal put the Oilers on the clock in their quest to win the Stanley Cup.
When McDavid signed that contract, he and the Oilers were coming off their second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, coming up short both times to the Florida Panthers. While he believes the Oilers can still win the Cup, the short term of his contract revealed his concern that their window for contention is narrowing.
McDavid doesn't want to risk being tied too long to a franchise that could face a rebuild in the near future. The cost of remaining a contender could become expensive, as roster depth is gutted to retain core players who eventually age.
The Oilers made the playoffs last season, struggling to do so in a weak Pacific Division, a battle McDavid compared to a pillow fight. There would be no third trip to the Cup Final, as they were eliminated from the opening round by the upstart Anaheim Ducks in six games.
If the Oilers fail to improve or miss the playoffs, McDavid could decide that the writing is on the wall and request a trade. It would officially mark the end of their championship hopes and could force Oilers stars Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Zach Hyman to reconsider their futures in Edmonton.
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
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The hockey world was abuzz during the recent NHL Draft weekend when it was reported that Zach Werenski was reluctant to sign a contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets next summer. The 28-year-old is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in 2028, meaning the earliest he can re-sign is next July 1.
This news was a gut punch for Blue Jackets fans. Werenski has spent his entire 10-season NHL career with Columbus. He's their franchise player and one of the league's top defensemen. Werenski won the James Norris Memorial Trophy last season, becoming the first Blue Jacket to receive that honor.
Things came to a head on June 30 when it was reported that Werenski had used his no-movement clause to veto a trade to the Dallas Stars. The following day, he and Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell released statements saying he wouldn't be traded and wanted to stay in Columbus.
What was missing from those statements was any clarification about an extension, which started this mess in the first place. For now, Werenski is committed to helping the Blue Jackets get over the playoff hump this season.
If the Jackets fall short once again, Werenski could inform Waddell that he has no intention of re-signing. His full no-movement clause becomes a 10-team trade list next July 1, which would give the Blue Jackets GM a chance to generate a bidding war among those teams that could fetch the Jackets a solid return.
