2026 NHL Trade Deadline: The five buyer teams with the best prospect assets
Prior to the Olympics, we looked at five NHL teams with a boatload of seller assets ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
Today, we’re examining the opposite end of the spectrum. For teams looking to be buyers this year, the focus typically isn’t on the future. Many prospects have excellent trade value because their timelines might work better for rebuilding teams than for contending squads with no near-term space.
Every team listed below is listed as a buyer, in some form, in Matt Larkin’s Pressure Gauge piece. The number of quality prospects on each team varies a bit (you’ll especially notice that at No. 5). But each of them could move on from a future asset to snag immediate help.
Let’s look at five contending teams who could move a prospect or two prior to March 6th’s 3:00 PM ET deadline:
5. Vegas Golden Knights
Top prospects: Trevor Connelly, Carl Lindbom, Mathieu Cataford, Matyáš Šapovaliv, Jakob Ihs-Wozniak
Compared to the others, Vegas’ prospect pool is easily the worst. But we know their trade-deadline strategy – it’s always about winning now, by any means necessary. They have traded nearly every first-round pick in team history, with Trevor Connelly being a rarity at this point. In fact, he’s arguably the best player the team has ever developed, with the AHL rookie putting on a show in Henderson. But that’s also exactly why he’d be the perfect trade chip to bring in a big name this week.
For the rest of the farm system, there likely isn’t anyone who’s untouchable at this point. Carl Lindbom has looked good in the AHL the past two seasons but struggled with play reads during his limited time in Vegas’ crease. Lukas Cormier has been highly productive throughout his AHL career but has played only two NHL games over the past four seasons. At 23, he’s as ready as he’ll ever be, which could make him a nice trade chip if Vegas doesn’t see a path forward for him. Matyáš Šapovaliv might not have a ton of high-end upside, but he’s a big, smart, two-way forward, and teams could be interested in him as a future bottom-sixer.
While holding on to Connelly would be wise, he’s the only one with any notable trade value. Everyone else is expendable – which, given Vegas’ development methods, shouldn’t surprise anyone. They already moved a 2028 third-rounder and Christoffer Sedoff to get Cole Smith on Tuesday, but that won’t likely be the end of it.
4. Utah Mammoth
Top Prospects: Tij iginla, Daniil But, Dmitri Simashev, Caleb Desnoyers, Michael Hrabal
Utah is in the hunt for a playoff spot and will likely need to add just a little bit to keep its hopes alive. Will they go all-in on a big fish like Robert Thomas? Or focus on more role guys, such as a third-line forward or a penalty-kill specialist?
If it’s the former, it’s going to be expensive. At the very least, Tij Iginla and likely a first-round pick will need to be part of the asking price, plus a bit more to bring in the strong two-way center. Caleb Desnoyers’ name has been floated around a bit, but moving on from both him and Iginla would feel like a mistake.
One thing they definitely have: defensive depth. Dmitri Simashev is the cream of the crop, and Utah would be best set to keep him around. But Max Psenicka, Maksymilian Szuber, Maveric Lamoureux and Ludvig Johnson would all be interesting sweeteners. Tomas Lavoie’s value has likely skyrocketed after proving he can be productive yet again in the Q as a 6-foot-4 blueliner.
Utah’s pipeline isn’t particularly deep, but the top prospects are definitely notable. With this set to be an interesting deadline for the club, don’t be surprised to see at least one young gun moved out.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes never, ever get to draft high. Yet, many analysts gawk over the talent they manage to accumulate each year. Jackson Blake and Alexander Nikishin are two players with whom they absolutely struck gold outside the first round, for example. So it’s no surprise that the team’s top affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, has proven to be so fascinating this year. They’re loaded with young talent, and whether Hurricanes fans like to hear it or not, they can all be made expendable, too.
At a certain point, Carolina needs to find a way to jump over the hump and become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. If that means going all-in this year, so be it. Nadeau, who already has NHL experience, is the prized prospect right now. He’d be a primary piece in any deal because of his hockey sense and dominance with the puck as both a shooter and a passer.
Felix Unger Sorum has been such a force in the AHL and has a strong chance of becoming an impact middle-six winger sooner rather than later. Justin Robidas is Chicago’s top scorer this year, with some teams likely taking an interest in him. On the NCAA front, Jayden Perron, Charlie Cerrato, and Justin Poirier have all had breakout seasons. You could argue that every player in their pipeline is worthy of being trade bait, and yet, they’ll be fine no matter what happens.
2. Montreal Canadiens
Top Prospects: Michael Hage, Jacob Fowler, David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom, Alexander Zharovsky
For once, the Canadiens are in buyer mode. They’re just kicking off their contention window after making the playoffs last year, and look destined to return this spring. Making the post-season while having one of the NHL’s most envious pipelines is a double whammy most teams can’t claim, but that’s what makes Montreal so fascinating right now. The Canadiens seem, at least publicly, involved in just about every major trade rumor right now. Some have linked them to goaltenders, while others have them chasing after a big-fish forward like Robert Thomas.
The Canadiens have accumulated a large number of draft picks in recent years, with Ivan Demidov, one of the leading Calder Trophy candidates, as the team’s prized asset. Michael Hage has started to make scouts wonder if he’s a future No. 1 center with the floor of a No. 2 – he’s easily the team’s top trade target. Goaltender Jacob Fowler will likely be untouchable as Montreal’s goalie of the future, while Alexander Zharovsky has been a monster pick out of the 2025 draft.
So, what about David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom? Reinbacher simply hasn’t lived up to expectations (though much of that can be attributed to injuries and a terrible team situation in his Draft+1 year). Could a change of scenery be exactly what he needs? Engstrom, meanwhile, has been lights out in the AHL, but recently found himself on the sidelines with an injury. There’s also Owen Beck, who has a bit of NHL experience, but he could absolutely be used as a sweetener to land a big name this week. Don’t ignore Emmett Croteau, either.
1. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings boast a nearly decade-long playoff drought, and they’re going to want to do whatever it takes to change that this year. They have one of the best prospect pools in the NHL, and with the team chasing after one of the final spots in the East, they’re likely going to have to part ways with some of their young talent to make it work.
The name most people have circled is Nate Danielson, a smart, reliable two-way forward. He has a bit of NHL experience but has spent most of the year playing a dominant game with Grand Rapids in the AHL. His ceiling isn’t too high, but most scouts see a guy with the potential to become a strong No. 2 center, or a tremendous No. 3. Give him the right offensive support, and he’ll be good to go in just about any lineup. Carter Bear, Eddie Genborg, Max Plante, and Jesse Kiiskinen are among the other forwards who hold a lot of value, too.
Where things get really interesting, though, is in net. The Red Wings have two of the best goaltending prospects in the game in Trey Augustine and Sebastian Cossa. Many evaluators believe Augustine has a higher ceiling, but he’s also half a foot shorter. With teams craving size, could Cossa – one of the top goaltenders in the AHL this year – be an attractive trade chip? He’s essentially NHL-ready at this point, too. Michal Postava, Carter Gylander and Michal Pradel have all shown a lot of promise, too.
That’s some incredible goaltending depth, which makes moving on from one or multiple a little bit easier. But, to play devil’s advocate – maybe it’s best they keep as many around as possible, knowing how fickle goaltending can be. Why not have many high-caliber options in the stable, just in case?
For Grand Rapids Griffins fans, hopefully, whatever happens doesn’t prevent the team from finishing strong in what has been a truly incredible campaign for the franchise.
Other candidates: Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild
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