The 2026-27 NHL season is shaping up with plenty of intrigue, and the trade market could be part of the action before long. Free agency is done, the season is on the horizon, and the league has already shown it can get loud fast - stars like Artemi Panarin were moved last year. With that in mind, there are a handful of big names who could wind up in new places during the season.
Dylan Larkin is one of the clearest names to watch. The Detroit Red Wings captain has requested a change of scenery, and multiple teams have already checked in. For now, he is still in Detroit, but his mix of speed, vision, scoring touch, and a big-bodied center frame makes him a major target if the Red Wings decide to move him.
Elias Petterson is another player whose future has become hard to ignore. He is the last remaining piece of Vancouver’s core still on the roster after Quinn Hughes was dealt to Minnesota and JT Miller went to the Rangers.
Petterson has not matched his elite level from earlier years, but a fresh start could change that. If a team can land him and get the version that produced 89 points in 2023, that would be a major win.
Kirill Marchenko also belongs on the list. Columbus has leaned on him as its leading scorer for three straight seasons, but the Blue Jackets still haven’t broken through to the playoffs. At 25 years old, Marchenko brings real offensive upside, and that makes him an appealing option for a contender looking to add scoring punch.
Ryan O’Rielly could become available as well. He had a strong season last year in Nashville and still has something left to give. If the Predators are not tracking as a playoff team, moving him would make sense, especially since he can still contribute in the postseason.
Connor Hellebuyck rounds out the group. The Jets had a difficult season, and Hellebuyck has already spoken about the team’s future in a way that suggests a possible trade.
Buffalo showed interest before but did not get a deal done. With the trade deadline approaching, that conversation could come back around, and landing Hellebuyck would be a huge boost for a team trying to make a deep playoff run.
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Why Steve Yzermans Red Wings Exit Suddenly Looks Very Different
Steve Yzermans exit from the Red Wings landed with the sort of timing that naturally invited questions, coming shortly after the NHL draft and after a busy stretch of roster work. Before he resigned as general manager and president of hockey operations, Detroit had already been active with several player signings and a major trade, giving the impression of a front office that had spent the early summer shaping the next phase of the roster.
Now the story around that departure has taken on a different edge. On his podcast, Sportsnet Insider Elliotte Friedman suggested the move may not have been as straightforward as a simple resignation, raising the possibility that Detroit may have decided it was time to move on. For a franchise still trying to push itself back into the playoff picture, the question is no longer just why Yzerman left, but who actually made the call. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans Can Relax About Simon Edvinsson After Latest Buzz
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Still, the chatter around Philadelphia potentially poking around Edvinsson via trade or an offer sheet looks more like outside noise than a real concern for Detroit. His camp has made it clear it intends to stay on a long-term track with the Red Wings, and there is no indication he is looking anywhere else, which should give fans a little breathing room as the organization sorts out its next steps. [Read more 🡒]
Albert Johansson Just Drew Unexpected Attention Back In Sweden
Albert Johansson found himself back on familiar ice in Sweden this week, skating with his former club Frjestad as the Red Wings defenseman helped them get through practice with a depleted blue line. It was a practical move more than a ceremonial one, but it still carried some resonance for a player who came through the organization and knows the rhythms of that dressing room and that rink.
Frjestad needed the help, and Johansson was in position to provide it, even if only for sessions on the ice rather than anything more permanent. The stopover also served as a reminder of how connected Johansson still is to the club, which he left for North America after helping it reach a major high point not all that long ago. [Read more 🡒]