Five potential unsung heroes of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline
Though hockey fans have been spoiled these past two years by earth-shaking blockbusters like the Mikko Rantanen and Quinn Hughes deals, it’s not terribly common for such excellent players to change hands via trade.
Unprecedented parity and a skyrocketing salary cap that has given GMs license to hold onto their guys long-term means there won’t be as many deadline fire sales as we’re accustomed to. With the LTIR loophole that helped Tampa, Vegas, and Florida load up ahead of their Cup runs gone, the buyers (literally) can’t afford to be as aggressive, either.
The key players who move this deadline might look more like Josh Manson and Blake Coleman than Hughes or Rantanen, but they’re still out there if contenders are willing to look hard enough. Read on for breakdowns of the strengths, availability, and potential fits for five under-the-radar players who could contribute for the stretch run.
Andrew Peeke, RHD, Boston Bruins
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 214 lbs
Age: 27
Contract: $2.75 million, pending UFA
Trade Clause: None
Why he could be available: The Bruins’ mini-rebuild has shown far more promise in year one under Marco Sturm than most would have expected. Still, owing much of their success to star goalie Jeremy Swayman and a top-six power play, Boston can fall out of a crowded Eastern playoff race at any time. Piecing together another contender around Swayman, Charlie McAvoy, and David Pastrnak in the medium term will require cashing in on non-core players in the present, and Peeke could return strong value based on his position and handedness. After Jonathan Aspirot’s recent extension, the B’s already have six other NHL defensemen under contract for 2026-27.
What he brings: Peeke’s meat-and-potatoes game has earned him tough deployments and defensive zone starts throughout his career, which can have a devastating effect on a player’s numbers (career -82) when he’s only suited up for one playoff team in five full seasons. As such, you have to trust the eye test a bit with the former Blue Jacket, a brave shot blocker and crease clearer whose 19 minutes of career ATOI have left him a bit overexposed. He would be more likely to thrive as a top-tier bottom-pair defender and penalty killer who can slide up the lineup under the right circumstances. As a bonus, Peeke, who doesn’t turn 28 for another two months, will be auditioning for an extension should he find a new team.
Who might be interested: Given the steep dropoff of available blueline righties beyond Rasmus Andersson, Justin Faulk and Dougie Hamilton, Peeke will surely garner serious interest as a consolation prize; the native Floridian is a better bet for teams with minutes to burn than beat-up vets like Connor Murphy and Luke Schenn. One such club, the playoff-hopeful Detroit Red Wings, will have noticed the Bruins’ willingness to do business within the Atlantic Division last season. The Wings have long sought stability on their bottom pair and could stand to scale back talented but turnover-prone rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka’s even-strength ice time.
Viktor Arvidsson, RW, Boston Bruins
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 181 lbs
Age: 32
Contract: $4 million, pending UFA
Trade Clause: No-movement clause
Why he could be available: See above. The Bruins are more concerned with the future than the present, and Arvidsson, nearly 33, is only a part of the latter. With younger players Alex Steeves and Marat Khusnutdinov earning extended run in the top nine, the veteran Swede, though still effective, is expendable in Boston. Though Arvidsson’s injury history and veto power will drive down his value somewhat, he could be amenable to doing the B’s a solid after Bruins GM Don Sweeney rescued him from an ugly stint in Edmonton.
What he brings: Arvidsson’s game is well-known at this stage: he skates fast, shoots hard, and is always seeking the shortest path to the goal. His production has rebounded (9 G, 22 P in 34 GP) even though his ice time in Boston (14:22 ATOI) is actually down from his ill-fated Oilers’ stint. Without playing across from David Pastrnak (they’ve shared the ice for all of 84 seconds at 5-on-5), Arvidsson’s contributed to nearly 74% of the Bruins’ points during his minutes at even strength. Shades of Arvidsson’s dynamic prime (29 G, 58.6 P per 82 GP from 2017-24 for NSH, LAK) have become more frequent (8 P in 9 GP) since he returned from his most recent injury absence.
Viktor Arvidsson with an absolute rip for his 400th NHL point! 🚀
Who might be interested: Arvidsson hasn’t needed favorable usage to pop up on the scoresheet, which would make him a desirable sparkplug for any team struggling to jolt its bottom six or a useful stopgap further up the lineup. The middling Utah Mammoth, determined to win a lackluster Western Wildcard race and make their playoff debut, could use a shooter to place opposite captain Clayton Keller. If elite teams like Tampa Bay or Dallas come calling for Arvidsson in a depth role, salary retention could become necessary.
Alex Nedeljkovic, G, San Jose Sharks
Height: 6’0
Weight: 205 lbs
Age: 30
Contract: $2.5 million, pending UFA
Trade Clause: None
Why he could be available: The Sharks are A) in the thick of a feel-good playoff hunt behind the production of boy wonder Macklin Celebrini and B) fresh off extending veteran culture setter Alex Wennberg. Those factors might slow down hyperactive GM Mike Grier’s tendency to trade everyone over the age of 25, but Grier will still be keen to maximize value where he can. If freshly acquired veteran shotstopper Laurent Brossoit continues to look sharp in AHL action after more than a year on the shelf, Grier could take calls on goalie-of-the-future Yaroslav Askarov’s current backup, Nedeljkovic.
What he brings: In a word, competence. Nedeljkovic isn’t going to transform into a worthy full-time starter at age 30. He’s consistently shown an ability to battle behind overmatched teams since leaving the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2021 offseason, nonetheless. Nedeljkovic has scraped together an .898 SV% and .503 QS% since then, respectable marks behind rosters that only once finished outside the bottom-eight in expected goals allowed at 5-on-5. He’s an affable teammate who has started 33+ games during three different seasons, and his composure in netfront scrambles and elite puck playing (he has famously scored goals at the ECHL, AHL, and NHL levels) cover for an undersized frame.
Who might be interested: The NHL is critically low on capable goaltenders. The Mammoth and Flyers have seen their backup play veer dangerously close to “scheduled loss” territory, the Ottawa Senators are already there, and a half-dozen other teams with workhorse goalies are one ill-timed injury away from needing a steady hand in net. There’s no shortage of potential destinations for Nedeljkovic, including a surprise reunion with Carolina. With Pyotr Kochetkov done for the year and Frederik Andersen just done (6-10-3, .863 SV%), AHL success story Brandon Bussi could use a reliable ‘1B.’ The Canes were dismissive of ‘Ned’ the first time around, but he’s had success against the low volume of shots their defensive system allows before.
Brett Kulak, LHD, Pittsburgh Penguins
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 192 lbs
Age: 32
Contract: $2.75 million, pending UFA
Trade Clause: None
Why he could be available: Improving the Penguins’ future outlook without disrespecting Sidney Crosby’s on-ice efforts to keep the team competitive in the present has at times been tricky for GM Kyle Dubas, who’s done an admirable job under the circumstances. The team’s success under first-year coach Dan Muse will complicate, if not outright halt, any trade discussions involving Crosby’s linemates, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, let alone slam dunk Hall-of-Famer Evgeni Malkin. Want to pile up assets without running afoul of Sid the Kid? It doesn’t get much easier than trading a playoff-proven, 32-year-old UFA whose readymade replacement (Ryan Shea) is already on the roster. Brett, we hardly knew ya.
What he brings: Kulak’s usual reliability as a low-maintenance No. 4 defenseman who can patrol either side made his uneven play at the end of his Edmonton tenure all the more bizarre. Though the Oil allowed just 2.39 expected goals per 60 minutes during Kulak’s 5-on-5 minutes, they were hemmed in for nearly 60% of the scoring chances during that time. That the veteran is back on the front foot in Pittsburgh beside Kris Letang (55.17% expected-goal share as a pair) suggests Kulak’s recovery speed and shot-blocking are still plenty useful beside a gifted puck mover. Kulak’s 98 games of playoff experience, 17th-most among active defensemen, add a layer of value.
Who might be interested: Kulak notably partnered Darnell Nurse on his off right side during Edmonton’s back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final, which makes him another option for teams that either whiff on Faulk and Andersson or can’t stomach their respective cap hits. The Dallas Stars, who have plenty of firsthand scouting on Kulak from consecutive Western Conference Final losses to Edmonton, have had a miserable time finding a caddy for Thomas Harley on their second pair. They could become interested if they’re priced out of the Andersson sweepstakes. Another ex-rival, the Florida Panthers, have never been shy about pursuing veteran help on ‘D,’ either. Detroit, once again, should be exploring all possible avenues to shore up its defensive depth.
Erik Haula, C/LW, Nashville Predators
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 191 lbs
Age: 34
Contract: $3.15 million, pending UFA
Trade Clause: 6-team no-trade list
Why he could be available: Take a look at the most recent Daily Faceoff trade board. It’s littered with Predators, including a 600-goal scorer (Stamkos) and a couple of Conn Smythe winners (O’Reilly, Marchessault), for a reason. The Preds have done well to revive their season (13-7 since Dec. 1), but they’re not fooling anyone; surrounding fading superstar Roman Josi with more 30-somethings than the cast of Friends was always a risky plan for building a contender, and it hasn’t worked. Haula doesn’t have the name value of Stamkos, O’Reilly, or even Michael Bunting. He can still return value for a franchise that’s going to have to start worrying more about Brady Martin and Matthew Wood’s futures than Josi’s.
What he brings: Haula is back in Nashville, back at center, and playing better than a cap exile on the doorstep of his 35th birthday has any right to. The crafty Finn’s respectable production (23 P in 45 GP) is a tick ahead of his career averages, and he isn’t selling out for offense, either; Haula still controls the lion’s share of scoring chances and expected goals during his minutes, if only by a hair. Haula is second in ice time among forwards on Nashville’s respectable penalty kill, and his defensive metrics and matchup potential could improve in more specialized deployment. He’s coped well with surprisingly high ice time (16:38 ATOI) for the shorthanded Preds, but he shouldn’t expect top-six minutes on a playoff team.
WHAT. A. PASS. 🤩 Erik Haula feeds Steven Stamkos in @Energizer OT and the @PredsNHL win their third straight!
Who might be interested: If you need evidence of how scarce centers have become in the 32-team NHL, look no further than the second-round pick the Canadiens forked over to get Phillip Danault back from Los Angeles amid a zero-goal season. Though he’s older than Danault by two years, Haula has provided considerably more speed and danger down the middle this season and will have no shortage of suitors. The Capitals will be virtually all-in as Alex Ovechkin nears retirement; they could use cover at center as Pierre-Luc Dubois convalesces and support in the bottom-six once he’s back. The Wild, Haula’s former and “hometown” (he played for the Golden Gophers in college) team, need both help in the faceoff dot and down-lineup scoring. Surprise playoff contenders like the Sharks and Kraken, meanwhile, could ask about Haula as a low-cost, out-of-contract “reward” for their team’s efforts so far.
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