The NHL trade deadline will have come and gone before any of us know what’s been happening. So, we may as well get a head start in trying to predict this all now, especially since quite a few players will find themselves on the move before March 7th hits.
Earlier, we talked about three players from the Atlantic Division who will most likely end the 2024-25 season in a different uniform. Now, let’s talk about three from the Metro Division who will swap sweaters at some point before or on the 7th.
One player’s been in the rumor mill for a while now, and there’s a strong likelihood the other two will also hear their names circulating often over roughly the next 40 days.
Brock Nelson, NY Islanders
Yeah, it’s surprising Brock Nelson hasn’t been traded yet, considering how long he’s been in the rumor mill. And it’s gotten to the point where, if the Isles traded Nelson tomorrow, we’d all just shrug our shoulders and say, “Yep, we saw that one coming.”
Still, any team interested in acquiring Nelson would need to bank on the possibility that he’d regain his old form, something that’s been a struggle this season. So far, in 48 games, Nelson has just 31 points and 15 goals, which has been nowhere near his best outing in recent seasons.
But if Nelson can get back on form for good, anyone bold enough to make that inevitable trade with the Islanders would have acquired one heck of a potential depth scorer, if not a top-six player who would provide a larger-than-life boost toward a Stanley Cup run.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Rasmus Ristolainen’s enjoyed a resurgent season in Philadelphia, so it’s not surprising to see there’s been a series of calls for Flyers general manager Daniel Briere regarding the blueliner’s availability. It seems like the Flyers are waiting for the right deal to spring up, and if it does, expect a trade.
While moving Ristolainen may not make sense to some, considering the Flyers current spot as a fringe contender in the Metro Division, it also feels like we just read this story. Just last season, Philadelphia looked like they were bound to surprise all of us and end up in the postseason, only to prove they were probably better off sticking to their retool.
Retool is the key word here, as the Flyers still look like an adequate team that just can’t climb above a certain threshold. When that proves to be the case near the deadline, look for a contender to overpay for Ristolainen and he’ll be sent elsewhere at the benefit of all parties.
Chris Kreider, NY Rangers
Yeah, Chris Kreider’s been one of the more disappointing acts out there, but then again, so have the New York Rangers for a significant portion of the year. Still, Kreider may be the disappointment of disappointments in New York, with a solid 15 goals but just 17 total points.
Much like Nelson, we also know what Chris Kreider’s capable of, judging from his 52, 36, and 39-goal seasons, respectively. This means Kreider’s got the ability to turn on the jets at any time and start finding the back of the net more consistently.
Still, he may not factor in as much more than a depth-scorer now that he’s in his age-33 season, but chances are, he’ll be one of the league’s best in that particular niche. Look for a serious contender in the Western Conference to overpay for him.