Buying Or Selling Latest NHL Trade Rumors

It's been less than a week since the NHL free-agent market opened on July 1, and the top unrestricted free agents have already been snapped up. As the general managers try to find the best remaining affordable free agents, those seeking high-quality talent could return to the trade market.

Several players on our June 2024 NHL Trade Block Big Board, like Jakob Chychrun, Tanner Jeann, and Reilly Smith, were traded to new clubs. Jake Guentzel's signing rights were shipped to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who inked him to a seven-year deal. Meanwhile, Juuse Saros signed an eight-year extension with the Nashville Predators.

Nevertheless, others on our listing, such as Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Nečas, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine, and Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, remain available. They could prove enticing to clubs that missed out on the best talent during the free-agent signing frenzy.

Unsurprisingly, those three players surfaced in recent trade speculation. Follow along as we sift through that conjecture to determine whether it's worth buying or selling. As always, you can express your thoughts in our app comments below.

The Calgary Flames have moved out a lot of veterans in this calendar. Since January, they've traded away Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Jacob Markstrom, and Andrew Mangipane.

That's prompted some observers to wonder about Nazem Kadri's future in the Stampede City. The 33-year-old center signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Flames in August 2022 when that club was considered a playoff contender.

On June 27, Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star pondered where Kadri sees his role in their rebuilding plans. He suggested the possibility of the veteran center waiving his no-movement clause.

The following day, TSN's Darren Dreger reported teams were making inquiries about Kadri. However, he indicated the Flames see him as a big part of their roster reset. Dreger also cited Kadri's no-movement clause, adding that he likes Calgary.

Buy or Sell: Sell

Maybe the Flames change their minds if a rival club makes an irresistible offer. However, it sounds like they want to keep Kadri and he wants to stay put.

Sitting at No. 2 on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board, Nikolaj Ehlers seemed poised to be moved by the Winnipeg Jets. Uncertainty over whether the 28-year-old winger would sign a contract extension was one reason behind the speculation. He has a year remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $6 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

On June 29, The Athletic's Murat Ates reported Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had trade discussions involving Ehlers in the lead-up to the 2024 NHL Draft. However, Cheveldayoff later sang the winger's praises, calling him "a big part of our team."

Ates noted that Cheveldayoff could move Ehlers any time in the lead-up to next season's trade deadline. He could also find a way to sign him to an extension.

The Hockey News' Stefen Rosner suggested Ehlers would help the goal-starved New York Islanders. However, the New York Post's Ethan Sears pointed out the Jets aren't in a rush to trade him.

Buy or sell: Sell

It appears less likely that Ehlers will be traded than it was before the draft. Cheveldayoff might've found there isn't much of a market for the veteran winger. A more likely Jets trade candidate is prospect Rutger McGroarty, who is returning to college for his junior year amid reports he and the Jets don't see eye-to-eye on their development plan.

Patrik Laine sat third on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board after TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported the 26-year-old winger and the Columbus Blue Jackets agreed to seek a trade. He's been in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program since January dealing with mental health issues.

On June 30, The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reported the Jackets hadn't yet been informed if Laine had been cleared from the program. He noted the Blue Jackets could trade the winger while he's still in the program but interested clubs would want to speak with him first.

Portzline cited TSN's Craig Button suggesting Laine be traded to the Minnesota Wild. Button still considers Laine an elite scorer who hasn't had the opportunity to skate with a playmaking center in Columbus.

On June 30, The Seattle Times' Geoff Baker claimed trade talk linked the Kraken to Laine. Baker believed he'd be a high-upside gamble for the low-scoring Kraken without tying them to a long-term contract, noting Laine has two years on his deal with an annual cap hit of $8.7 million.

Buy or Sell: Sell

It seems unlikely any club will pursue a trade for Laine until he's cleared the player assistance program and they've had an opportunity to speak with him. Interested clubs could balk at taking on his full cap hit.

Reports of Martin Nečas' unhappiness about his role with the Carolina Hurricanes put the 25-year-old forward atop our June 2024 NHL Trade Block Big Board. There was media speculation entering the NHL Draft on June 28-29 suggesting the Hurricanes sought a significant return for him.

The draft is now history and Nečas remains with Carolina. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Hurricanes had serious discussions with the Columbus Blue Jackets about the fourth overall pick, reaching the point where Nečas was allowed to speak with the Jackets. However, the deal fell through and the Jackets kept the pick.

In his June 30th "32 Thoughts" column, Friedman wondered if Jake Guentzel's moving on prompted the Hurricanes to change their minds about moving Nečas. He suggested they could go to arbitration and accept the arbitrator's decision or negotiate a one-year contract.

The Hurricanes don't have to trade Nečas this summer. He's a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and is two years away from unrestricted free agent eligibility. With Guentzel gone, he'll have an opportunity to move up into full-time second-line duty, perhaps at center as the best years of Jordan Staal and Evgeni Kuznetsov are behind them.

Buy or Sell: Sell

We can't discount the possibility of the Hurricanes finding a suitable trade partner for Nečas. However, that now seems less likely as most teams have filled their needs via free agency. Unless the Hurricanes lower their asking price, they'll likely agree to a short-term contract with Necas and see how things go next season.

Trade rumors surfaced about New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba before his team was eliminated from the Eastern Conference Final last month. The chatter increased during the 2024 NHL draft as the New York Post's Larry Brooks reported the Rangers were attempting to trade the 30-year-old defenseman to the Detroit Red Wings.

According to Brooks, Rangers general manager Chris Drury attempted to free up salary-cap space before the free-agent market opened on July 1. The Blueshirts were willing to retain $2.5 million of Trouba's $8 million annual salary cap hit to facilitate the deal.

Complications surfaced as The Athletic's Arthur Staple reported the Rangers asked Trouba for his list of 15 no-trade destinations a week before his no-movement clause changed to a modified no-trade clause on July 1. Staple followed up on July 2 reporting Trouba waiting until the morning of July 1 to do so, affecting some of Drury's plans for free agency.

Brooks added that the three-year hospital residency of Trouba's wife, Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba, also complicated matters. Her residency was originally slated to end by July 1 but was deferred by a year. His colleague Mollie Walker speculates any additional efforts to reshape the roster might not happen this summer.

Buy or Sell: Buy on the attempt to trade, sell on it happening.

By all accounts, the Rangers made a genuine attempt to trade Trouba to Detroit. Given how everything's played out, it seems unlikely that the deal will occur. The Red Wings have made several forays into free agency and will use their remaining cap space to re-sign their restricted free agents Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Joe Veleno.

Salary cap info via PuckPedia.