NHL trade board 2024-25: The latest on all the top targets from Chris Johnston

The alarm bells started to sound when Hall was scratched for a game last week. He’s struggled to regain form after missing most of last season due to a knee injury, but NHL Edge data shows that one of his strongest attributes — his powerful skating stride — remains. Hall’s top speed of 22.46 miles per hour is well above league average. With the Blackhawks on a trajectory for another spin in the draft lottery and Hall a pending UFA in the later stages of his career, the veteran winger will likely be on the move again.

Producing at nearly a point per game across the past two seasons in San Jose, the biggest question for any potential suitor here is fit. As in: Where does Granlund fit on a deeper roster? He’s been the Sharks’ top-line center. Still, there isn’t much risk with a rental on an expiring contract who boasts more than 50 games of playoff experience. Granlund is a versatile forward with good vision who not only has a strong track record of power-play production but also kills penalties.

The goals have been much harder to come by this season for a guy coming off a career-best 37-goal season, but a look under the hood suggests that Vatrano’s luck should eventually change. He’s still generating more than three shots on goal per game. Vatrano has always had a nose for the net and carries a competitive toolbox that makes him useful no matter where he’s deployed in the lineup. He’s also playing on an affordable, expiring contract.

Something might eventually have to give here. The Ducks are demanding more attention to detail from the offensive specialist, and they’re getting it, but Zegras is still searching for a way to hang on to the parts of his game that once separated him. Remember that he already has two 60-point campaigns under his belt at age 23. The production has dried up, as has some of the player’s enthusiasm.

This is not a player we expected to find on the Big Board, even if he’s currently playing out the final year on his contract. But as a league source noted this week, “I don’t think anyone in Boston thought this is where they’d be at.” If the decision to replace Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco behind the Bruins bench doesn’t produce the desired results, some difficult personnel decisions will almost certainly follow. Marchand has had a slow start to the season after a summer during which he underwent multiple surgeries, but he remains a high-end winger who can contribute offensively, kill penalties and, yes, get under an opponent’s skin.

You can add his name to the long list of underperforming Bruins, but it’s worth noting that Frederic is only months removed from an 18-goal, 40-point breakout campaign. He’s a big man who skates well and can effectively be deployed as a checker. Boston’s not in sell mode yet, but should it reverse course later this season, Frederic would be a valuable trade asset.

A rough-and-tumble winger who boasts an impressive fight card, Olivier has caught the attention of at least a couple of NHL teams currently eyeing potential depth forward options. The 27-year-old pending UFA has even managed to chip in more than his share of expected goals early this season. But what makes him most attractive is his size, strength and willingness to embrace an energy role. Olivier is built for playoff hockey.

A shutdown forward who can be trusted in bottom-six duty, Faksa is typically reliable in the faceoff dot and as part of the penalty kill. While he doesn’t bring much offensive pop at even strength, he holds appeal as a rental option who has experienced a couple of long playoff runs in the past.

What he lacks in size he makes up in tenacity and feistiness. Gourde is a strong skater and two-way player who owns a couple of Stanley Cup rings from his time with Tampa Bay. His offensive numbers are down to start this season, but he’ll draw attention if Seattle fades from the playoff picture as we get closer to the trade deadline.

While certainly not a player the Wild are under pressure to trade, they are facing a decision on Rossi. He’s a pending restricted free agent, and Minnesota needs to determine if it’s ready to commit long-term to a diminutive winger with elite offensive instincts and playmaking abilities. Rossi is off to a strong start this season for a Wild team punching above its weight class. He’s a candidate to be included in a player-for-player swap.

Off to a reasonably good start for the underperforming Penguins, Rakell has strong finishing ability and can hold his own alongside highly skilled linemates. The challenge in moving him comes in the form of a contract that extends three years beyond this one — albeit at a reasonable price in a rising cap environment.

Unless Nashville can pull itself out of a significant hole, Nyquist will become a trade chip of note. He’s coming off a 75-point season at age 34 — the most productive year of his NHL career — and playing on an expiring contract. Nyquist is a talented playmaker who remains a strong skater and isn’t showing any obvious signs of slowing down.

Nelson is a big, sturdy forward who has scored at a 35-goal pace across the past three seasons. He can be slotted as a second-line center or slide into a wing spot on the top line. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he’s exactly the kind of difference-maker contending teams would be falling over themselves to get their hands on if — and it remains a massive if — the Islanders fade from the playoff picture and choose to move him before the trade deadline. That organization has a healthy track record of keeping its own. Stay tuned.

Power forwards with strong playoff resumes don’t grow on trees. Saad’s best days may be behind him, but he still profiles as a complementary winger who can chip in with a little offense and handle a hard game. He’s got one season beyond this one remaining on his contract, but he seems better suited for a Cup-chasing team than the retooling Blues.

Reliable right-shot centers who can fill a depth role always have currency come deadline. Bjugstad has shown that before — getting traded in 2022 from Arizona to Edmonton in a deal that brought back a third-round pick and defenseman Michael Kesselring — and he’s trending toward being that kind of asset again for Utah HC. He’s reliable play driver who profiles as an ideal bottom-six utilityman.