Some eyebrows were raised this week by the fact that Vincent Trocheck has hired veteran agent Pat Brisson of CAA to help guide his career out of limbo.
The Olympic champion and big board mainstay would welcome a move from the New York Rangers and remains committed to finding a new home. While he’s largely been focused on landing in the East, there are teams in the West that could be in play because they’re not included in his 10-team no-trade list.
Brisson also happens to represent Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, the only player ranked ahead of Trocheck on our latest list. Larkin recently requested a trade from Detroit and is waiting to see where that goes. The word around his situation is that it’s going to be a process to find him a new home.
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However, trade talk is clearly picking up around the league with the Stanley Cup Final in the rear-view mirror and the draft and free agency immediately ahead.
With that in mind, we reboot the big board.
As always, players and assets are listed by how closely they demand watching, based on their potential impact and the current amount of buzz around them.
(Note: Contract details via PuckPedia.)
1. Dylan Larkin
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 34 goals, 67 points, 74 games
Age: 29
Contract: $8.7 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2028-29
Larkin is a speedy two-way center who is an ever-present threat to score. He can handle big minutes and tough checking assignments and is known as a competitive player who battles his way to the difficult areas of the ice. While his playoff experience is limited to just five games, Larkin was a strong performer for Team USA at the Milan Olympics and 4 Nations Face-Off. His contract makes him an even more attractive asset because he’s locked in at a reasonable rate of $8.7 million for the next five seasons.
2. Vincent Trocheck
Team: New York Rangers
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 16 goals, 53 points, 67 games
Age: 32
Contract: $5.625 million AAV through 2029; 12-team no-trade list becomes 10-team in 2026-27
The veteran center spent most of the season at or near the top of our trade board and remains there now. After scratching Trocheck for roster management purposes prior to the trade deadline in March, the Rangers opted to hold on to him in anticipation of stronger offers in the summer. Those conversations have since resumed. Trocheck is an appealing target for teams looking to get stronger down the middle as a solid faceoff man and penalty killer who can handle heavy, difficult minutes. He’s one of the few impact players at that position who appears to be truly available right now.
3. Darnell Nurse
Team: Edmonton Oilers
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 24 points, 82 games
Age: 31
Contract: $9.25 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause
Nurse requested a trade after spending the past 12 years in Edmonton. He’s a hard-nosed defenseman who blocks shots, logs minutes and plays with edge. The only problem? He’s paid like a cornerstone player, not just a really good one, and for an organization operating close to the salary cap in a narrow contention window, there’s a significant opportunity cost attached to Nurse’s inefficient contract. The player owns a no-movement clause and is working with the team to find a suitable landing spot.
4. Morgan Rielly
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 11 goals, 36 points, 78 games
Age: 32
Contract: $7.5 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause
The Maple Leafs’ longest-tenured player is open to moving on after 14 years with the organization. Rielly had previously been unwilling to consider waiving his no-movement clause, but has since softened on that stance. While Rielly’s skating isn’t the separator it once was, he possesses strong puck skills and can help drive a team offensively. He’s also a high-character player who should be viewed as a dressing room asset.
5. Matthew Knies
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 66 points, 79 games
Age: 23
Contract: $7.75 million AAV through 2031
A young power forward with an ideal blend of size and skill who is signed until his late 20s, Knies is the kind of player NHL teams rarely, if ever, trade. Yet his name continues to circulate loudly in the rumor mill. The Leafs seriously considered moving Knies ahead of the March trade deadline and have picked up some of those discussions even after a recent change in management. The only way they’ll pull the trigger is if they receive a haul of assets to reboot a program short on prospects and draft picks.
A fresh start is likely coming for Mason McTavish. (David Berding / Getty Images)
6. Mason McTavish
Team: Anaheim Ducks
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 17 goals, 41 points, 75 games
Age: 23
Contract: $7 million AAV through 2031
This was not the kind of season McTavish or the Ducks had in mind when they agreed to a $42 million, six-year extension in September. Not only did the 23-year-old find himself an occasional healthy scratch, including during the playoffs, but he saw a decline in his average ice time and offensive production. The puck-handling skills, vision and shot that made McTavish a top draft pick remain, but so do some of the questions about his skating ability. A fresh start is likely coming.
7. Jordan Kyrou
Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 18 goals, 46 points, 72 games
Age: 28
Contract: $8.125 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause
Kyrou is a highly skilled winger who possesses an enviable toolkit: blinding speed, high-end vision and creativity to spare. However, he was far from his best this past season. Kyrou’s offensive production cratered during a trying season that included a healthy scratch in November. A strong desire for change in St. Louis, plus Kyrou’s dip in performance, has renewed the on-again, off-again trade talk that has surrounded his name for at least the past 18 months. Kyrou is signed through 2031 and owns a no-trade clause.
8. Colton Parayko
Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 4 goals, 18 points, 77 games
Age: 33
Contract: $6.5 million AAV through 2030; no-trade clause
Parayko used his no-trade clause to block a potential move to the Buffalo Sabres in March, but that won’t keep his name out of discussions this summer. He is a minute-munching defensive defenseman who won a silver medal with Team Canada at the Milan Olympics and plays a premier position as a top-pairing right-shot D. He gets around the ice well for a man of his size at 6-foot-6.
9. Šimon Nemec
Team: New Jersey Devils
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 11 goals, 26 points, 68 games
Age: 22
Contract: Restricted free agent
The 2022 No. 2 pick is a restricted free agent who will be seeking the kind of payday teammate Luke Hughes got coming out of his entry-level contract ($63 million over seven years). It’s going to be a challenge for the Devils to find that kind of cap space on a blue line that’s already loaded with financial commitments. Even though a recent report out of Slovakia about Nemec requesting a trade was immediately shot down, he remains a big potential chip to play, especially if recently hired Devils GM Sunny Mehta goes shopping for more help up front.
10. San Jose Sharks’ No. 2 pick
It’s been more than 20 years since an NHL team knowingly traded a top-three draft selection. So, with that important caveat in mind, it’s critical to emphasize that it’s going to take a massive offer to entice Sharks general manager Mike Grier to move this pick. However, after making top-four selections each of the past three seasons and building a team on the rise, he’s willing to listen. And given the lack of consensus among scouts about how the top of this draft class will unfold, it’s possible the Sharks get an offer that will be difficult to refuse.
11. Adin Hill
Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 10-9-6, 3.04 GAA, .871 save percentage, 27 games
Age: 30
Contract: $6.25 million through 2031; 10-team no-trade list
Supplanted by Carter Hart during the Vegas Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final, Hill could find himself as a cap casualty in the offseason. Big and experienced — Hill earned Conn Smythe Trophy votes when Vegas won the Stanley Cup in 2023 — he would represent an upgrade for several teams on their existing situation in the crease. Moving him would create the flexibility the Golden Knights need to take care of other business. Of note: Hill is owed a $7 million signing bonus payment as part of his compensation for the 2026-27 season and should have even more value if he’s traded after that’s already been paid out.
12. Jordan Binnington
Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 13-20-7, 3.33 GAA, .873 save percentage, 41 games
Age: 32
Contract: $6 million AAV through 2027; 14-team no-trade list becomes 10-team in 2026-27
One year out from potential unrestricted free agency, the Blues face a decision on Binnington. He’s coming off a season where his numbers cratered, but his reputation as a big-game goalie was still burnished during a strong performance for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Binnington should hold appeal for teams that can offer him a better playing environment and are looking for an experienced player in the crease to help push them over the top. His competitive nature remains a major asset.
13. Jason Robertson
Team: Dallas Stars
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 45 goals, 96 points, 82 games
Age: 26
Contract: Restricted free agent
The closer Robertson gets to July 1 without a new contract in place, the more likely a trade becomes. The Stars have been adamant about their desire to sign the prolific scoring winger to a long-term extension, but finding the right number hasn’t been easy. Robertson has a case to exceed teammate Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million annual salary, given the 18 percent jump in the salary cap since Rantanen signed his deal, but Dallas doesn’t have much room to maneuver with a full cap sheet. The Stars are operating against the clock, too, since Robertson has the ability to elect salary arbitration this summer and could set himself up for a reward that walks him directly to unrestricted free agency.
14. Valeri Nichushkin
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 17 goals, 49 points, 72 games
Age: 31
Contract: $6.125 million through 2030; 12-team no-trade list
A powerful skater with size and skill, Nichushkin saw his offensive production tail off last season. He’s on a reasonable contract but may be due for a fresh start as the Avalanche look for ways to refresh their program following a loss in the Western Conference final. Nichushkin’s deal was heavily front-loaded, meaning his remaining salary falls below his $6.125 million cap hit. He does have a 12-team no-trade list.
15. Jake DeBrusk
Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 42 points, 81 games
Age: 29
Contract: $5.5 million AAV through 2031; no-movement clause
A player who doesn’t fit the mold of the rebuilding efforts underway in Vancouver. DeBrusk is a strong skater with a nose for the net, having potted 28 and 23 goals during two trying seasons for the Canucks. There’s a lot of meat left on the bone, but there’s also a contract that includes a no-movement clause, which definitely complicates things. DeBrusk is at an age where getting back to a competitive team remains a priority.
16. Blake Coleman
Team: Calgary Flames
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 20 goals, 35 points, 69 games
Age: 34
Contract: $4.9 million AAV through 2027; 10-team trade list
Coleman is another player who attracted interest ahead of the trade deadline that could still be moved this summer. The rebuild is on in Calgary — even if they’re not officially using the “R” word — after Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights), MacKenzie Weegar (Utah Mammoth) and Nazem Kadri (Colorado Avalanche) were dealt in-season, and Coleman has one year left on his existing deal. He’s an excellent skater and a defensively sound winger who usually sees the puck headed in the right direction when he’s on the ice. Coleman is also a 20-goal scorer who has been dangerous on the penalty kill over the years and ideally slots in on the third line of a top team, as he did for the Tampa Bay Lightning while winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021.
17. Mason Lohrei
Team: Boston Bruins
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 26 points, 73 games
Age: 25
Contract: $3.2 million AAV through 2027
Lohrei’s name circulated in trade rumors when the Bruins engaged in discussions on Rasmus Andersson last season. He’s signed through next year at a reasonable cap number and has one year of team control remaining as a restricted free agent beyond that, making him an attractive asset. Lohrei is incredibly mobile for his size and will chip in with a bit of offense from the back end. He’s also made strides defensively.
18. Dougie Hamilton
Team: New Jersey Devils
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 39 points, 77 games
Age: 33
Contract: $9 million AAV through 2028; 10-team trade list
Hamilton’s game is viewed favorably by the new regime in New Jersey, but that hasn’t completely quieted the trade talk. He’s a mobile right-shot defenseman who logged more than 21 minutes per night last season. Hamilton’s offensive prowess isn’t what it once was, but the puck still tends to be moving in the right direction when he’s on the ice. As a bonus, the actual dollars owing on Hamilton’s contract are less than the cap hit attached to the deal.
There are presumably levels of growth still to come in Shane Wright’s game. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
19. Shane Wright
Team: Seattle Kraken
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 27 points, 74 games
Age: 22
Contract: $886,666 AAV through 2027
It’s still not clear what Wright’s high-water mark will look like as an NHL player, but there’s reason to believe he might help bring Seattle back the kind of scoring boost it’s looking for in a trade. For starters, he’s still got one year remaining on his entry-level contract and presumably levels of growth still to come in his game. And even coming off a dip in his offensive production — going from 44 points to 27 points — he profiles as an intriguing two-way center, which is a commodity in demand right now.
20. Tomáš Hertl
Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 24 goals, 58 points, 82 games
Age: 32
Contract: $8.1375 million AAV through 2030; 3-team trade list becomes 15-team trade list in 2028
Hertl is another potential salary cap casualty in Vegas. However, he’ll have a huge say in whatever happens because of a three-team approved trade list. The veteran center is coming off an up-and-down season that saw him endure a 29-game goalless drought before rediscovering his touch in the later rounds of the playoffs. Hertl is a big man who protects the puck well and can create havoc around the net. His cap hit ($6.75 million) is lower than his AAV because the San Jose Sharks retained salary when they traded him to the Golden Knights.
21. Bryan Rust
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 29 goals, 65 points, 72 games
Age: 34
Contract: $5.125 million AAV through 2028
Rust’s name has circulated again with the Penguins focused on getting younger and looking to build off a return to the playoffs. His speed, forechecking prowess and two-way ability have allowed his game to age gracefully, and the 34-year-old is playing on a cap-friendly contract. The fact that Rust scored 60 goals across the past two seasons should be appealing to rival teams.
22. Robert Thomas
Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 25 goals, 64 points, 64 games
Age: 26
Contract: $8.125 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause
While the Blues seem less inclined to pursue a Thomas deal than they were at the trade deadline, it hasn’t stopped other teams from trying. It would take a monster offer to pry him free. Centers signed to positive-value contracts for several more years don’t come available too often — especially those with multiple 80-point seasons on their resumes. Thomas is at an age where he should still have strong years ahead of him and possesses strong puck skills and vision. Plus, he can handle the challenge of facing tough competition every night.
23. Elias Pettersson
Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 15 goals, 51 points, 74 games
Age: 27
Contract: $11.6 million AAV through 2032; no-movement clause
The Canucks are still charting their direction under a revamped front office, but there can only be so much patience with Pettersson. While new GM Ryan Johnson has spoken about wanting to “wipe away all expectations,” the fact remains that the Swede is a long way off the performer he was when Vancouver signed him to a $92.8 million, eight-year extension in March 2024. And the Canucks are in the early stages of a rebuild. Pettersson has a massive amount of salary owing and a no-movement clause in his contract, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if a fresh start was in order here.
24. Devon Levi
Team: Buffalo Sabres
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: Played in AHL
Age: 24
Contract: $812,500 AAV through 2027
The Sabres used three goaltenders last season, and Levi wasn’t one of them. He’s been surpassed in the organization after making 23 NHL appearances in 2023-24. A 2020 seventh-round pick who had a stellar NCAA career at Northeastern, Levi is still viewed favorably by other NHL teams. While on the smaller side for a top-level goaltender, he compensates with agility and athleticism.
25. Sebastian Cossa
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: Played in AHL
Age: 23
Contract: Restricted free agent
The top goaltender selected in the 2021 NHL Draft found himself struggling to get playing time at the end of the AHL season behind Grand Rapids teammate Michal Postava. With Trey Augustine, another top goaltending prospect, also in the pipeline and Cossa no longer exempt from waivers starting next year, the most prudent play for Detroit may be to deal him for other assets this summer. Cossa is a big, athletic goaltender who spent three seasons with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and is viewed as a potential trade target for the Oilers.
26. Chicago Blackhawks’ No. 4 pick
Similar to the scenario with the Sharks at No. 2, the prospect-rich Blackhawks are open to the possibility of moving off a valuable pick if they can get something back that improves them in the present. Given the expected unpredictability at the top of this class, it may not be a deal that comes together until draft night, when it becomes apparent which top prospect will still be on the board at No. 4.
27. Ryan Hartman
Team: Minnesota Wild
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 43 points, 76 games
Age: 31
Contract: $4 million AAV through 2027; 15-team no-trade list becomes 10-team in 2026-27
The Wild are going to need to get creative to strengthen themselves down the middle, and it could mean parting with one of their existing centers. Hartman is a potential UFA in 2027 and should bring back value in a trade. He’s versatile, affordable, can handle top-six deployment and got his game back on the right side of the line last season after previously drawing attention from NHL disciplinarian George Parros. There’s a two-way element to his game as he can be trusted defensively.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a reclamation project worth considering due to his age and ability to play a premier position. (James Guillory / Imagn Images)
28. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 2 goals, 9 points, 42 games
Age: 25
Contract: $4.82 million AAV through 2030; modified no-trade list
Kotkaniemi has fallen right off the map in Carolina, where he was a healthy scratch throughout the team’s entire run to the Stanley Cup. That followed a regular season in which a player once prized for his 200-foot game saw a big dip in his ability to drive play. Kotkaniemi’s typically inconsistent offensive numbers trended hard in the wrong direction, too. Still, he’s a reclamation project worth considering due to his age and ability to play a premier position. He still has four seasons remaining on his contract at a reasonable cap number if he can recapture his previous form.
29. Nico Hischier
Team: New Jersey Devils
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 28 goals, 66 points, 82 games
Age: 27
Contract: $7.25 million through 2027; 10-team no-trade list
The Devils seem to be making progress on a Hischier extension that would take effect in 2027, so the odds of him being moved are diminishing. Hischier is an elite center known for his strong two-way play and still has productive years ahead of him. A good skater who is strong in the faceoff dot, he’s a player capable of making an impact on the game in a number of different ways. The fact that he wears the captain’s “C” in New Jersey speaks to his off-ice leadership qualities as well.
30. Connor Hellebuyck
Team: Winnipeg Jets
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 23-23-11, 2.86 GAA, .895 save percentage, 57 games
Age: 33
Contract: $8.5 million through 2031; no-movement clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2027-28
An emotional end-of-season news conference saw Hellebuyck reveal that his belief in the Jets’ ability to compete for a Stanley Cup had been “challenged” — and it prompted other teams to start making inquiries on one of the league’s best goaltenders. There’s currently no indication it has gone any further than that. Still, the mere possibility of a Hellebuyck trade, unlikely as it may be, warrants his inclusion here. He’s a three-time Vezina Trophy winner with size, durability and elite puck-tracking ability. The total package in the crease.
