2025 NHL Trade Deadline: The five buyer teams with the best prospect assets

Feb 4, 2025

2025 NHL Trade Deadline: The five buyer teams with the best prospect assets

Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

With just over a month until the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline March 7, we’re delivering at least one deadline-focused story every day at Daily Faceoff.

Today, we’re looking at five NHL teams with solid future assets they might be willing to part with to chase a Stanley Cup:

2025 NHL Trade Deadline Countdown: 31 days

Last week, we looked at the seller teams with the best veteran assets. Since then, the Vancouver Canucks sent J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, who didn’t trade anyone off Frank Seravalli’s trade board at the time.

This week, we’re looking at teams at the opposite end of the spectrum – the clubs with prospects and draft picks they could use to snag some quality help immediately. Many prospects often have excellent trade value because their timelines might work better on a rebuilding team than a contending squad with no space in the near future.

Let’s look at five contending teams who have valuable assets they might be able to use to their benefit before the deadline hits:

5. Carolina Hurricanes

Top Prospects: Alexander Nikishin (LHD), Scott Morrow (RHD), Bradly Nadeau (LW), Nikita Artamonov (LW), Felix Unger-Sorum (RW)
2025 Draft Picks: 1/3/3/4/6/7
2026 Draft Picks: 1/2/5/6/6/7
2027 Draft Picks: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

The Hurricanes already made a huge splash by acquiring Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall late last month. So while going all-out to bring in another asset seems unlikely, you have to imagine they’ll still snoop around wherever they can. If they can sign Rantanen long-term, it shows they’re in it for the long haul – and keeping some valuable prospects around would be the smart play. But with an abundance of options at their disposal, both on the wings and on the back end, the Hurricanes could dangle some future assets to clear a bit of a logjam and maybe get some immediate, high-impact instead.

For starters, Aleksi Heimosalmi could be the odd man out due to having Nikishin, Morrow, Dominik Badinka, and Noel Fransen ahead of him on Carolina’s depth chart. He’s having a so-so AHL campaign, but the 21-year-old is a skilled skater who might have a bit more untapped offensive potential. There’s no shortage of teams who would love having Unger-Sorum on the wing – he’s an absolute workhorse – but he’d come at a hefty price. So it depends on what the Hurricanes want, but if they feel they need to snag a defenseman or another goalie, they have the future assets – including their next three first-rounders – to make it work.

4. Vegas Golden Knights

Top Prospects: Trevor Connelly (LW), Mathieu Cataford (C), Carl Lindbom (G), Lukas Cormier (LHD), Brendan Brisson (LW/RW)
2025: 2/3/3/4/5/6/6
2026: 2/3/5/6/7
2027: 1/2/3/3/4/5/6/7

Between trading first-round picks (they already moved theirs for 2025) and other top prospects, GM Kelly McCrimmon likes to get aggressive when the deadline rolls around. Don’t be surprised if that’s the case again this year, with Connelly being the team’s top prospect. Previous character concerns could make him a difficult asset to move, but teams definitely love his skill and ability to drive a play. Brisson might be an attractive asset, as well – the 23-year-old already has some decent NHL experience, but it just doesn’t seem like it’s going to work out in Vegas. A change of scenery is needed for all parties involved.

The Golden Knights also have two legit goaltending prospects in Carl Lindbom and Pavel Moysivich – and Cameron Whitehead is no slouch, either. A seller without much goaltending help could look to snag one of them and hope for the best – both look good in the European pro ranks. Overall, don’t be surprised if multiple prospects are moved – the Golden Knights want to keep themselves in contention, and all of their prospects should be made available for the right price.

3. Minnesota Wild

Top prospects: Jesper Wallstedt (G), Zeev Buium (LHD), Danila Yurov (RW), Caedan Bankier (C), Liam Ohgren (LW)
2025 Draft Picks: 2/4/5/6
2026 Draft Picks: 1/2/3/4/5/5/6/6/7
2027 Draft Picks: 1/3/4/5/6/7

This might not be Minnesota’s year, but they’ve got plenty of assets they can use to get some long-term help and make this a multi-year thing. The one untouchable, no question about it, should be Buium, who just won his second consecutive gold medal at the World Juniors. He’s going to be such a force for the Wild down the line and we could see him challenging for a roster spot as soon as next year. Wallstedt shouldn’t be going anywhere, either, even though some scouts are not as high on him now as they were before he made the trek to North America. Filip Gustavsson’s resurgence this year could hurt Wasllstedt’s potential as a starter, but he’s still so young at 22.

So, where does that leave the rest? Yurov has seen a downturn in offense with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL, but he has still been one of the team’s better players in a difficult campaign for the club. His deal in Russia ends this spring, so we could see him make the move over quite soon – could that interest potential suitors? Bankier is a bit older at 22 and in his second WHL season. He won’t wow you with his point totals, but he’s a strong, defensive forward with a great shot. There’s legit bottom-six potential there. Ohgren, meanwhile, has hovered around a point-per-game with Iowa this year and has seen plenty of NHL action, as well. Teams should be interested in the goal-scoring winger.

2. Winnipeg Jets

Top prospects: Brad Lambert (C), Elias Salomonsson (RHD), Brayden Yager (C), Kieron Walton (C), Chaz Lucius (C)
2025 Draft Picks: 1/3/5/6/7
2026 Draft Picks: 1/2/3/5/6/7
2027 Draft Picks: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

After starting the season with a perfect record, the Jets still hold the top spot in the NHL standings and have a near 10-point cushion over the rest of the West. Right now, the Jets are one of the hottest teams in the league, and there might be some hesitation in making a big move. But one thing remains true: they could use some help down the middle, especially in the No. 2 spot. Mark Scheifele is an excellent No. 1, and Adam Lowry is a great No. 3. However, they could use an upgrade from Vladislav Namestnikov on the second line.

The Jets have a log jam of center prospects they could look to swap out for some immediate help and become this year’s Sean Monahan. If Walton is the real deal like he’s showing in the OHL, that could make Lambert, Yager or Lucius a bit more expendable. Lambert already has some NHL experience and will be the team’s most powerful asset, but that’s one they’d probably like to keep around. They also have their next three first-rounders, which could prove valuable.

1. Washington Capitals

Top Prospects: Ryan Leonard (RW), Cole Hutson (LHD), Andrew Cristall (LW), Terik Parascak (RW), Ivan Miroshnichenko (RW)
2025 Draft Picks: 1/2/2/3/4/5
2026 Draft Picks: 1/2/4/4/5/6/7
2027 Draft Picks: 1/2/4/5/6/7

The Capitals should be all-in this year. Alex Ovechkin is 39 and isn’t getting any younger. You might as well capitalize on his huge season, because it’s not crazy to think he might tone things down a bit next year if he already owns the all-time goal-scoring record heading into what could potentially be his final NHL season. The Capitals were in a weird spot before Spencer Carbery took over as coach, but now many think the 2018 Stanley Cup champions might have enough to go for it all once more.

The Capitals have a solid pipeline with a couple of players who aren’t sure bets but have the potential to be significant NHLers if everything pans out. Leonard is the big fish, but barring an absolute no-brainer of a deal to land someone massive, he’s not going anywhere. Everyone else, though? For the right price, maybe the Caps could move on from someone like Cristall, Hutson, or Parascak to get immediate help. All three are still a few years away – definitely after the Ovi era – but they still hold a ton of value. Miroshnichenko has an NHL-ready frame and tons of skill but hasn’t made it click early on with the Caps. All four options would be ravishing for a seller, especially if they need more wing depth.

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