Players to watch ahead of Deadline include O'Reilly, Stamkos, Myers

It's the middle of one of the hardest weeks of the season for NHL players and their families.

The NHL Trade Deadline is Friday at 3 p.m. ET. 

"There's just so much uncertainty around this week around the whole league," New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "We understand it. It's what we sign up for, but it doesn't make it any easier. We're all human beings. These times are uneasy for players, families, etc. It affects people's lives. It's just part of it."

Some players have already changed teams, most notably Artemi Panarin from the Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 4. 

There will be more trades in the next two-plus days when the buyers and sellers iron out the key details.

It's being billed as a buyer's market this season because of a surplus of impact players who could be on the move, especially centers, but the standings are also tight so it's not really clear which teams are willing to sell even if they have valuable assets to move.

It's all led to a logjam that many believe will loosen by Friday.

Here's a list of 20 players who likely will, certainly could or maybe just might be changing addresses before the clock runs out:

FORWARDS 

Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers

Contract situation: Signed through 2028-29, $5.625 million AAV

The Rangers are sellers and Trocheck is prepared to be traded. The 32-year-old center talked about it at length Monday, saying he's also prepared his family for the possibility, if not likelihood at this point, that the Rangers will trade him. He has a 12-team no-trade list and has made it clear that West Coast teams are on that list, and his preference is to stay on the East Coast or as close to it as possible. The Rangers are retooling and Trocheck is their best asset to use in a trade after sending Panarin to the Kings a month ago. The fact that he has term remaining on his contract and isn't a strain on a team's salary cap makes him arguably the most valuable player on the market.

Nazem Kadri, Calgary Flames

Contract situation: Signed through 2028-29, $7 million AAV

A close second to Trocheck with the difference being he's three years older and has played nearly 200 more regular-season games. Kadri, though, is a Stanley Cup champion (2022, Colorado Avalanche) and a productive No. 2 center. He is also signed for three more seasons, giving the team acquiring him cost certainty at the position beyond this season. The Flames are not in a position where they have to trade him or risk losing him for nothing, but his value might never be higher.

Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues

Contract situation: Signed through 2030-31, $8.125 million AAV

Thomas is in the third season of an eight-year, $65 million contract he signed July 13, 2022. The fact that he's on this list shows where the Blues are now, a team that is last in the Central Division and possibly in need of a roster revamp. This would be a monster trade if it happens because players like Thomas don't come along often in a Deadline market. He's a 26-year-old No. 1 center with a reasonable contract, a Stanley Cup champion (2019) and coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 80 points. Thomas is just one of several Blues players who are potential targets in this market.

Ryan O'Reilly, Nashville Predators

Contract situation: Signed through next season, $4.5 million AAV

The Predators can hold onto O'Reilly and push for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth this season, or turn into sellers and trade their leading scorer, a 2019 Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner with the Blues, to a team that needs help down the middle. With Trocheck, Kadri and potentially Thomas, it's already a strong center market. O'Reilly adds to it if it comes to that.

Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks

Contract situation: Signed through the 2031-32 season, $11.6 million AAV

It's almost unfathomable to think Pettersson is on this list considering he signed an eight-year contract with the Canucks on March 2, 2024, but the Canucks are at the bottom of the League standings and unafraid to make bold changes like trading defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12. The problem is Pettersson is in the second season of his contract and has not lived up to it. He is three seasons removed from 102 points, had 45 points in 64 games last season and is on a near 50-point pace this season. It's a hard trade for the Canucks to make because of Pettersson's performance and his contract, but teams that might be interested are likely thinking the 27-year-old center will flourish with a change of scenery.

Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues

Contract situation: Signed through 2030-31, $8.125 million AAV

Kyrou, like Thomas, is in the third season of an eight-year, $65 million contract he signed Sept. 13, 2022. It's hard to envision a scenario that includes the Blues trading Thomas and Kyrou, but pending the return one of them could certainly be moved. Any team acquiring Kyrou, 27, if he's traded, would be doing so expecting to get the 30-goal scorer from the past three seasons, not the player who has scuffled offensively this season.

Steven Stamkos, Nashville Predators

Contract situation: Signed through 2027-28, $8 million AAV

Stamkos has already said he would not waive his full no-movement clause to be traded this season, making it clear to The Tennessean that the intention is to try to help the Predators make the playoffs, but what if the Predators go the other way and turn into sellers? Would Stamkos change his stance at that point? That's the unknown right now and what is keeping the 36-year-old on this list.

Blake Coleman, Calgary Flames

Contract situation: Signed through next season, $4.9 million AAV

Coleman has already talked publicly about the potential of being traded and the expectation in Calgary is that it will happen. The 34-year-old won the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021) and remains a reliable middle-six forward and penalty killer. The Lightning acquired him before the 2020 Deadline, and he became one of the key contributors in their back-to-back championship runs. He's done it before and can do it again, this time with term left on his contract.

Evander Kane, Vancouver Canucks

Contract situation: UFA after this season, $5.125 million AAV

Kane is one of the few potentially impactful rental players on the market. He played in the Stanley Cup Final the past two years for the Edmonton Oilers. He has skated in 97 postseason games. He seems like a good fit for a contender that needs an additional scoring threat in its top-nine forward group. It would seem logical that the Canucks would be willing to retain some salary to increase the return since Kane is a pending UFA.

Jake DeBrusk, Vancouver Canucks

Contract situation: Signed through 2030-31, $5.5 million AAV

DeBrusk is in the second season of a seven-year, $38.5 million contract he signed with the Canucks on July 1, 2024. He has a full no-movement clause, but the Canucks are rebuilding and DeBrusk told The Province in Vancouver that he's neither OK nor accepting of being on a rebuilding team. The question then becomes is there interest in DeBrusk and would he be willing to waive his no-movement clause. The 29-year-old forward had an NHL career-high 28 goals and 48 points in 82 games last season. He has scored at least 20 goals four times.

Bobby McMann, Toronto Maple Leafs

Contract situation: UFA after this season, $1.35 million AAV

The Maple Leafs might be far enough away from a playoff position to be sellers, which means McMann could be on the move even if he said he likes it in Toronto and could be willing to sign with the Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent. The Maple Leafs, though, are looking at asset management and if making the playoffs is a longshot, they should be looking to trade McMann and then attempt to bring him back on or after July 1. They are reportedly seeking a first-round pick for the 29-year-old.

Kiefer Sherwood, San Jose Sharks

Contract situation: UFA after this season, $1.5 million AAV

The Sharks acquired Sherwood from the Canucks on Jan. 19, giving up two second-round picks and minor-leaguer Cole Clayton to get him. Sherwood has played only four games for the Sharks because of an injury. They have not been able to re-sign the 30-year-old forward, who scored 17 goals in 40 games before the trade, so they could be ready to trade him, hoping to recoup what it gave up to get him.

DEFENSEMEN

Justin Faulk, St. Louis Blues

Contract situation: Signed through next season, $6.5 million AAV

Faulk is a 33-year-old right-shot defenseman with more than 1,000 games played on his NHL resume. He is playing more than 22 minutes per game this season and could continue to do that on a different team. He has always been a big-minute defenseman, but his ice time would be dictated by his role if he's traded. He turns 34 on March 20. He would be a big add to a contending team that needs a steadying presence on its blue line. He is adept at playing both sides.

Tyler Myers, Vancouver Canucks

Contract situation: Signed through next season, $3 million AAV

Myers has been a healthy scratch for roster management purposes since Feb. 4 and before the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, an obvious indication that the Canucks are actively trying to move him before the Deadline. He has a no-movement clause, so he has control of where he could wind up. The 36-year-old has played more than 1,100 NHL games and made a career out of being a rugged, physical right-shot defenseman with a long reach thanks to his 6-foot-8 frame. Any team looking to add a lockdown defenseman on its right side is likely looking into Myers.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers

Contract situation: Signed through next season, $5.1 million AAV

Ristolainen is similar to Myers in that he's a big (6-foot-4) right-shot defenseman, but he is five years younger than Myers, which could make him a more enticing option if the Flyers decide now is the best time to trade him. Teams interested in Myers are also likely checking with Philadelphia on Ristolainen and what it would cost to acquire him.

Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils

Contract situation: Signed through 2027-28, $9 million AAV

Hamilton's name has been in trade talk seemingly all season with the Devils scuffling and likely looking to shed his $9 million salary cap charge for other moves. The emergence of Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, and the presence of Brett Pesce, Johnathan Kovacevic, Jonas Siegenthaler and Brenden Dillon, make Hamilton expendable from the Devils' point of view., but nothing has materialized yet and it's not clear if it will before the Deadline. The obstacle is likely the AAV and the Devils' willingness, or more likely lack thereof, to retain salary in a trade. Hamilton, 32, remains a mobile right-shot defenseman who chips in on the offensive side and can skate on the power play.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs

Contract situation: Signed through 2027-28, $3.5 million AAV

Ekman-Larsson played 24 minutes in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Flyers on Monday. He can still be a big-minute defenseman on a contending team. The Maple Leafs are looking less and less like a contending team, which opens the door to check the value on the 34-year-old who has played more than 1,100 NHL games and won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers two seasons ago. He has two years left on his contract and is a proven high stakes defenseman.

Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks

Contract situation: UFA after this season, $3.25 million AAV

Ferraro is a rugged 27-year-old left-shot defenseman in the last season of a four-year contract and playing for a team on the playoff bubble. The question for the Sharks now is can they and/or do they want to re-sign Ferraro? If they believe they can and would like to, keeping him makes sense. The Sharks are in the playoff race and keeping players who would help them play meaningful games down the stretch would benefit their young players, including Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, Collin Graf, William Eklund, Sam Dickinson and Shakir Mukhamadullin. If the Sharks can't or don't want to sign Ferraro, then it makes sense to see what the market is for him. It's the same situation for Sherwood.

GOALIES

Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

Contract situation: UFA after this season, $10 million AAV

It seems crazy to have Bobrovsky on this list considering everything the 37-year-old has done for the Panthers, helping them to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and three straight appearances in the Stanley Cup Final. Yet the Panthers have not made the post-Olympic break push they were hoping to make and may be far enough out of a playoff spot to consider their options with Bobrovsky, who is in the last season of a seven-year contract. Teams with goaltending questions like the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights could be calling the Panthers to find out what it would take to get Bobrovsky. It just makes sense.

Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues

Contract situation: Signed through next season, $6 million AAV

It's been an obviously challenging season for Binnington in St. Louis, but he is just over a week removed from a standout performance for Team Canada at the Olympics, where he had a 1.78 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in five games to take home a silver medal after a 2-1 overtime loss to Team USA in the gold medal game Feb. 22. The 32-year-old has one season remaining on his contract and there are teams that should or could be looking for a No. 1 goalie this season and going forward. Binnington is eligible to sign a new contract July 1. His performance at the Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off last season showcase his continued ability as a big-game goalie, a reputation he gained in 2019 when he helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup with a 4-1 victory in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in Boston.