There may be no NHL games for another week with the 4 Nations Face-off taking place. However, the trade deadline is approaching, and deals could still be made over the next week before the NHL returns to action on Feb. 22.
Related: NHL Trade Bait List for 2025 Trade Deadline
There have already been a few big-name moves (J.T. Miller and Mikko Rantanen, to name a couple), but what about some potential bargain acquisitions that could make a contender better without giving up the farm? Let’s look at some potential under-the-radar pickups on the trade market.
Ryan Donato
Ryan Donato is having a career season, with 19 goals and 37 points in 53 games at the break — a 29-goal, 57-point pace over 82 games. He’s shooting 15.3 percent, about five percent above his career average, which explains some of the breakout season. But he’s also seen an increase in usage, with his average ice time increasing to a career-high 15:03 this season.
Even though Donato is scoring at nearly a 30-goal pace, I’d be surprised if he went for more than a couple of second-round picks, and even that could be a stretch. He’s a good player. Don’t get me wrong, but his deployment isn’t likely to be the same on a contender. Playoff teams likely know that, so they probably won’t be willing to give up their top assets for him. If you have a second-round pick or two to spare, he could be a great addition, especially since he only has a cap hit of $2 million.
Kyle Palmieri
Nobody seems to know what New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello will do ahead of the trade deadline. But if he does sell, Kyle Palmieri could be a sneaky good upgrade for a team in need of some middle-six scoring help.
Palmieri has 16 goals and 37 points in 55 games — a 24-goal, 55-point pace over 82 games. That’s top-six production on most teams, not just the Islanders, and he should not cost much to acquire. Tyler Toffoli went for second and third-round picks at last season’s trade deadline, and he had 26 goals when the New Jersey Devils traded him.
That’s probably the most Islanders can get for Palmieri, but his value is more likely to be closer to what the Ottawa Senators got for Vladimir Tarasenko last year — third and fourth-round picks. If you’re a contender who doesn’t want to pay top dollar to upgrade the middle of your lineup, Palmieri might be the perfect target.
Jake Evans
Based on what Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts earlier this week, it sounds like a Jake Evans trade is a matter of when and not if. Like Donato, he’s having a career season, pacing for 16 goals and 40 points. He’s shooting an unsustainably high 19 percent, so don’t expect the goal-scoring to continue at his shot volume. Still, he can help any team’s bottom six.
Evans skates well, is a solid playmaker, and is a generally well-rounded bottom-six forward. The Montreal Canadiens are likely looking for a second-round pick for him, and it could take another asset — such as a mid-round pick — to acquire him. He has a cap hit of just $1.7 million, which adds to his value. It’d be a surprise if he cost any team their top assets to acquire, and he would be an upgrade in most instances.
Gustav Nyquist
The Nashville Predators missed their chance to sell high on Gustav Nyquist after he totaled 75 points a season ago. He’s regressed significantly this season, with just 20 points in 53 games, but that could be more a product of his surroundings than his play. Overall, his impacts look solid at both even strength and the power play:
What’s the Predators’ loss could be another team’s gain, as Nyquist — a pending UFA — should not cost more than a fourth-round pick ahead of this season’s deadline (chances are he’ll cost less). If those impacts hold up on a new team, he could be a savvy addition for a team looking to upgrade their third line, especially with some retention on his $3.185 million cap hit.
Joel Armia
Joel Armia’s had some tough years in Montreal lately, with much of that being injury-related. But he’s having a bounce-back season, with 10 goals and 24 points in 56 games — a 15-goal, 35-point pace over 82 games. Fortunately for the Canadiens, he’s healthy and playing some of his best hockey at the right time.
Armia will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and if the Canadiens don’t intend to re-sign him, he could be a solid pickup for a team looking to upgrade their bottom six. He can score a bit, kill penalties, and is physical. His $3.4 million cap hit might be a bit pricey for some teams, but even with retention, I can’t imagine he costs more than a mid-round pick or two.
Alex Kerfoot
Utah HC is getting there, but it still looks like they’re one year away from being a real threat for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. If they sell, Alex Kerfoot could be a value buy for some teams, even though he’s having a down season compared to his career norms.
Kerfoot has just seven goals and 16 points in 56 games this season, but he’s only one year removed from a 13-goal, 45-point campaign. He’s not much of a shooter, but he is a good playmaker, is sound defensively, and is versatile enough to play center or left wing. He shouldn’t cost much more than a late-round pick with the season he’s having, but he might benefit from a change of scenery on a team with a deeper and more talented roster.
Justin Brazeau
The Boston Bruins are still in the wild-card race, but if they decide to sell, Justin Brazeau should be on most teams’ radars for a bottom-six upgrade. He’s quietly putting together a solid season, with 10 goals and 20 points in 53 games — a 15-goal, 31-point pace over 82 games.
Brazeau is not a high-volume shooter, but he seems to have a knack for converting the chances he does create. He’s 6-foot-6, 227 pounds, and what do NHL GMs love more than anything at the trade deadline? Adding size to their lineup. More importantly, he’s just a good hockey player:
Brazeau will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so the payday is coming, at least relative to what he is. But for now, his $775,000 cap hit will be extremely valuable for playoff contenders looking to add bottom-six depth to their lineup. Of course, the Bruins won’t get a first and blue-chip prospect for him, but a couple of mid-round picks would be fair value. Any team should be willing to pay that if he’s available.
Teams Should Be On the Prowl for Value
You never know who else is available, but there’s always value to be had on the trade market ahead of the deadline. These are just a few players who could be upgrades for playoff teams at a minimal cost, and there should certainly be more.
