There are no signs of the NHL’s trade market letting up.

Even after a busy week of wheeling and dealing in the rear-view mirror, the top of our latest big board is dotted with perennial All-Stars: Zach Werenski, Dylan Larkin, Jason Robertson and Connor Hellebuyck.

Werenski rockets to the top spot with news going public over the weekend that he’s unwilling to commit to the Columbus Blue Jackets beyond the end of his current contract in 2028. All signs point to him being traded this summer as a result.

Larkin continues to wait patiently for the Detroit Red Wings to honor his trade request, while Robertson might be forced to move on from the Dallas Stars after being stuck at a contract impasse. The Stars attempted to move him in a sign-and-trade to the Seattle Kraken last week.

Hellebuyck, meanwhile, would welcome a move from the Winnipeg Jets. But he’s not the only goalie near the top of the big board. Teams in need of help in net will be looking to the trade market with a lack of impact goalies available when free agency opens on Wednesday.

That’s true at every position with a weak free agent class, though, so expect the trade market is expected to remain busy.

Here’s the latest on the top targets. We’ve had some attrition since last time, with players (Mason McTavish, Brandon Carlo, JJ Peterka, Pavel Dorofeyev, Sebastian Cossa and, on Monday, Brendan Gallagher) and picks moved, so we’re down to 30. As always, players and assets are listed by how closely they demand watching, based on their potential impact and the current amount of buzz around them.

Winners and losers from the 2026 NHL Draft

Scott Wheeler

(Note: Contract details via PuckPedia.)

1. Zach Werenski

Team: Columbus Blue Jackets
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 22 goals, 81 points, 75 games
Age: 28
Contract: $9,583,333 AAV through 2028; no-movement clause becomes 10-team trade list for 2027-28

The Blue Jackets are in a difficult position with the reigning Norris Trophy winner, especially now that news of Werenski’s unwillingness to commit to Columbus long term is out in the open. The list of suitors includes the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and Philadelphia Flyers. Others may join the field, as well. However, so far the Blue Jackets have been slow-playing talks. Werenski is one of the best defensemen on the planet — an offensive driver who can dominate in tough minutes — so it may take some time to come to grips with moving him.

2. Dylan Larkin

Team: Detroit Red Wings
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 34 goals, 67 points, 74 games
Age: 29
Contract: $8.7 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2028-29

Larkin is a speedy two-way center who is an ever-present threat to score. He can handle big minutes and tough checking assignments and is known as a competitive player who battles his way to the difficult areas of the ice. While his playoff experience is limited to just five games, Larkin was a strong performer for Team USA at the Milan Olympics and 4 Nations Face-Off. His contract makes him an even more attractive asset because he’s locked in at a reasonable rate of $8.7 million for the next five seasons. The Vegas Golden Knights — one of his favored destinations — could be lurking in the weeds here.

3. Jason Robertson

Team: Dallas Stars
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 45 goals, 96 points, 82 games
Age: 26
Contract: Restricted free agent

The Stars pivoted to other suitors after the potential sign-and-trade deal with Seattle was shot down last week. There’s still a world where the RFA forward signs a long-term extension in Dallas, provided the team makes peace with the fact it will have to pay him more than teammate Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million annual salary. So far that’s been a stumbling block. Robertson is a big winger who consistently drives offense and still has prime years ahead. He’s coming off a 96-point season with the Stars and would instantly improve any team’s lineup in the league.

4. Connor Hellebuyck

Team: Winnipeg Jets
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 23-23-11, 2.86 GAA, .895 save percentage, 57 games
Age: 33
Contract: $8.5 million through 2031; no-movement clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2027-28

If the Jets are going to move Hellebuyck, the backbone of their team for a decade, they need to make sure they’re addressing another roster need (such as a second-line center) while creating another one in goal. After engaging in talks with the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the draft that didn’t produce a deal, the Jets may take another run at convincing Hellebuyck to stay. He’s the total package in the crease — an Olympic champion with size, durability and elite puck-tracking ability. It’s not often you can find a goalie this good on the trade market.

5. Kirill Marchenko

Team: Columbus Blue Jackets
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 27 goals, 67 points, 76 games
Age: 25
Contract: $3.85 million AAV through 2027 (RFA)

With one year remaining on his contract, and unrestricted free agency looming one year beyond that, Marchenko has started to draw attention beyond Columbus. He’s already informed the team he won’t be staying long term. Marchenko is a big, talented winger with a knack for putting the puck in the net — he’s scored 102 goals across his first four NHL seasons — and projects as a top-line winger with upside. The Blue Jackets will need to be blown away with an offer to move him now, but they may get one given how frothy the marketplace currently is.

6. Alexander Nikishin

Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 11 goals, 33 points, 81 games
Age: 24
Contract: RFA

After winning a Stanley Cup in his first full season with the Hurricanes, Nikishin is an RFA whose name has popped up in trade conversations. He’s a big man who skates well and scored 11 goals during the regular season. Carolina must weigh the merits of what he can bring back in a trade with what it’s going to cost to sign him to his next contract. He’s believed to be looking for a deal in the $8 million range annually.

7. Vincent Trocheck

Team: New York Rangers
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 16 goals, 53 points, 67 games
Age: 32
Contract: $5.625 million AAV through 2029; 12-team no-trade list becomes 10-team on July 1

The veteran center spent most of the season at or near the top of our trade board and he remains there now. After scratching Trocheck for roster management purposes prior to the trade deadline in March, the Rangers opted to hold on to him in anticipation of stronger offers in the summer. Those conversations have since resumed. Trocheck is an appealing target for teams looking to get stronger down the middle as a solid faceoff man and penalty killer who can handle heavy, difficult minutes. He’s one of the few impact players at that position who appears to be truly available right now.

8. Morgan Rielly

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 11 goals, 36 points, 78 games
Age: 32
Contract: $7.5 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause

The Maple Leafs’ longest-tenured player is open to moving on after 14 years with the organization and has submitted a list of four Western-based teams he’d play for. Rielly had previously been unwilling to consider waiving his no-movement clause but has softened on that stance. While Rielly’s skating isn’t the separator it once was, he possesses strong puck skills and can help drive a team offensively. He’s also a high-character player who should be viewed as a dressing room asset.

9. Darnell Nurse

Team: Edmonton Oilers
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 24 points, 82 games
Age: 31
Contract: $9.25 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause

Nurse requested a trade after spending the past 12 years in Edmonton. He’s a hard-nosed defenseman who blocks shots, logs minutes and plays with edge. The only problem? He’s paid like a cornerstone player, not just a really good one, and for an organization operating close to the salary cap in a narrow contention window, there’s a significant opportunity cost attached to Nurse’s inefficient contract. The player owns a no-movement clause and is believed to have the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on his list of desired destinations. If a deal doesn’t happen soon, will Nurse expand that list?

10. Adin Hill

Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 10-9-6, 3.04 GAA, .871 save percentage, 27 games
Age: 30
Contract: $6.25 million through 2031; 10-team no-trade list

Supplanted by Carter Hart during the Vegas Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final, Hill is a prime candidate to be moved with the team facing a tight cap situation. Big and experienced — Hill earned Conn Smythe Trophy votes when Vegas won the Stanley Cup in 2023 — he would represent an upgrade for several teams on their existing situation in the crease. Moving him would create the flexibility the Golden Knights need to take care of other business. Of note: Hill is owed a $7 million signing bonus payment as part of his compensation for the 2026-27 season and should have even more value if he’s traded after that’s already been paid out.

11. Jake DeBrusk

Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 42 points, 81 games
Age: 29
Contract: $5.5 million AAV through 2031; no-movement clause

A player who doesn’t fit the mold of the rebuilding efforts underway in Vancouver. DeBrusk is a strong skater with a nose for the net, having potted 28 and 23 goals during two trying seasons for the Canucks. There’s a lot of meat left on the bone, but there’s also a contract that includes a no-movement clause, which definitely complicates things. DeBrusk is at an age where getting back to a competitive team remains a priority.

12. Jordan Binnington

Team: St. Louis Blues
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 13-20-7, 3.33 GAA, .873 save percentage, 41 games
Age: 32
Contract: $6 million AAV through 2027; 14-team no-trade list becomes 10-team on July 1

One year out from potential unrestricted free agency, the Blues face a decision on Binnington. He’s coming off a season where his numbers cratered, but his reputation as a big-game goalie was still burnished during a strong performance for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Binnington should hold appeal for teams that can offer him a better playing environment and are looking for an experienced player in the crease to help push them over the top. His competitive nature remains a major asset.

13. Jacob Markstrom

Team: New Jersey Devils
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: 23-19-1, 3.07 GAA, .883 save percentage, 44 games
Age: 36
Contract: $6 million AAV through 2028; 20-team no-trade on July 1

The Devils are gauging the marketplace on the veteran goalie, who owns a 20-team no-trade list as of July 1. While Markstrom struggled last season — producing an .883 save percentage, the lowest of his NHL career — he’s got a strong track record of above-average results. He’s a big man who covers a lot of net and is considered elite at the position when he’s at his best.

14. Matthew Knies

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 66 points, 79 games
Age: 23
Contract: $7.75 million AAV through 2031

Knies tumbles down the board after the Toronto Maple Leafs were unable to deal him for a top-10 pick at the draft. Still, that doesn’t completely remove the possibility that he’s moved. Knies is a young power forward with an ideal blend of size and skill who is signed until his late 20s. He’s a rare commodity on the trade market, and Toronto seems focused on taking advantage of that scarcity.

15. Elias Pettersson

Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 15 goals, 51 points, 74 games
Age: 27
Contract: $11.6 million AAV through 2032; no-movement clause

The Canucks are still charting their direction under a revamped front office, but there can only be so much patience with Pettersson. While new GM Ryan Johnson has spoken about wanting to “wipe away all expectations,” the fact remains that the Swede is a long way off the performer he was when Vancouver signed him to a $92.8 million, eight-year extension in March 2024. And the Canucks are in the early stages of a rebuild. Pettersson has a massive amount of salary owing and a no-movement clause in his contract, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if a fresh start was in order here.

16. Pavel Zacha

Team: Boston Bruins
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 30 goals, 65 points, 78 games
Age: 29
Contract: $4.75 million through 2027; 8-team no-trade list

Zacha is fresh off his strongest NHL season, which included 30 goals and 65 points, and he holds the hammer with the possibility of hitting the free-agent market next summer. That’s forced Boston to at least listen to offers in the absence of an extension with its top center. Zacha is a big man (6-foot-4, 211 pounds) who is difficult to contend with in the offensive zone, and he’s consistently found the back of the net, even in seasons that don’t feature the kind of shooting percentage bender he enjoyed in 2025-26, when 22.9 percent of his shots went in. A late bloomer, he’s developed into a reliable faceoff man.

17. Ilya Lyubushkin

Team: Dallas Stars
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 1 goal, 9 points, 53 games
Age: 32
Contract: $3.25 million through 2027

With the Stars navigating a tight cap situation, Lyubushkin is a candidate to be moved for improved roster flexibility. He’s a physical defenseman best-suited for a third-pairing role. Lyubushkin kills penalties, finishes checks and keeps the play in front of him. He’s got one season remaining on his contract.

18. Rasmus Ristolainen

Team: Philadelphia Flyers
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 1 goal, 14 points, 44 games
Age: 31
Contract: $5.1 million through 2027

Ristolainen’s game has come a long way and included a standout Olympic performance for Finland earlier this year. A big right-shot defensemen who plays with some edge, Ristolainen has taken steps toward being more reliable on the defensive side of the puck since arriving in Philadelphia. Some scouts believe he could be a reliable second pair option if slotted into the right system. He’s a pending UFA.

19. Danila Yurov

Team: Minnesota Wild
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 27 points, 73 games
Age: 22
Contract: $2.95 million through 2028 (RFA)

The Wild have dangled Yurov as part of packages aimed at landing bigger fish. The No. 24 pick in 2022 is coming off his rookie NHL season and demonstrated deft stickhandling skills and strong instincts while lining up as a third-line center by the end of his first year in North America. Yurov is a shifty player with upside who is cost-controlled with an entry-level contract covering the next two seasons, which is an attractive set of attributes.

20. Rickard Rakell

Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 24 goals, 48 points, 60 games
Age: 33
Contract: $5 million AAV through 2028; 8-team no-trade list

With two seasons remaining on a contract where he’s delivered an outsized amount of production for the Penguins, Rakell’s trade value may never be higher. It also helps that his no-trade list is limited to eight teams. The right-shot winger is an above-average finisher who has a history of holding his own when playing alongside highly skilled linemates. While he hasn’t shown any apparent sign of slowing down, Pittsburgh is looking at the big picture.

21. Tomáš Hertl

Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 24 goals, 58 points, 82 games
Age: 32
Contract: $8.1375 million AAV through 2030; 3-team trade list becomes 15-team trade list in 2028

Hertl is another potential salary cap casualty in Vegas. However, he’ll have a huge say in whatever happens because of a three-team approved trade list. The veteran center is coming off an up-and-down season that saw him endure a 29-game goalless drought before rediscovering his touch in the later rounds of the playoffs. Hertl is a big man who protects the puck well and can create havoc around the net. His cap hit ($6.75 million) is lower than his AAV because the San Jose Sharks retained salary when they traded him to the Golden Knights.

22. Shane Wright

Team: Seattle Kraken
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 27 points, 74 games
Age: 22
Contract: $886,666 AAV through 2027

It’s still not clear what Wright’s high-water mark will look like as an NHL player, but there’s reason to believe he might help bring Seattle back the kind of scoring boost it’s looking for in a trade. For starters, he’s still got one year remaining on his entry-level contract and presumably levels of growth still to come in his game. And even coming off a dip in his offensive production — going from 44 points to 27 points — he profiles as an intriguing two-way center, which is a commodity in demand right now.

23. Blake Coleman

Team: Calgary Flames
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 20 goals, 35 points, 69 games
Age: 34
Contract: $4.9 million AAV through 2027; 10-team trade list

Coleman is another player who attracted interest ahead of the trade deadline that could still be moved this summer. The rebuild is on in Calgary — even if they’re not officially using the “R” word — after Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights), MacKenzie Weegar (Utah Mammoth) and Nazem Kadri (Colorado Avalanche) were dealt in-season, and Coleman has one year left on his existing deal. He’s an excellent skater and a defensively sound winger who usually sees the puck headed in the right direction when he’s on the ice. Coleman is also a 20-goal scorer who has been dangerous on the penalty kill over the years and ideally slots in on the third line of a top team, as he did for the Tampa Bay Lightning while winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021.

24. Connor Zary

Team: Calgary Flames
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 25 points, 74 games
Age: 24
Contract: $3.775 million AAV through 2028 (RFA)

A strong skater with high-end speed, Zary profiles as a depth forward who can chip in a little bit offensively at five-on-five. The Flames are shopping the 24-year-old for a future mid-range draft pick. Zary is under contract for the next two seasons.

25. Bryan Rust

Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 29 goals, 65 points, 72 games
Age: 34
Contract: $5.125 million AAV through 2028

Rust’s name has circulated again with the Penguins focused on getting younger and looking to build off a return to the playoffs. His speed, forechecking prowess and two-way ability have allowed his game to age gracefully, and the 34-year-old is playing on a cap-friendly contract. The fact that Rust scored 60 goals across the past two seasons should be appealing to rival teams.

26. Mason Lohrei

Team: Boston Bruins
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 7 goals, 26 points, 73 games
Age: 25
Contract: $3.2 million AAV through 2027

Lohrei’s name circulated in trade rumors when the Bruins engaged in discussions on Rasmus Andersson last season. He’s signed through next year at a reasonable cap number and has one year of team control remaining as a restricted free agent beyond that, making him an attractive asset. Lohrei is incredibly mobile for his size and will chip in with a bit of offense from the back end. He’s also made strides defensively.

27. Devon Levi

Team: Buffalo Sabres
Position: Goaltender
2025-26 stats: Played in AHL
Age: 24
Contract: $812,500 AAV through 2027

The Sabres used three goaltenders last season, and Levi wasn’t one of them. He’s been surpassed in the organization after making 23 NHL appearances in 2023-24. A 2020 seventh-round pick who had a stellar NCAA career at Northeastern, Levi is still viewed favorably by other NHL teams. While on the smaller side for a top-level goaltender, he compensates with agility and athleticism.

28. Ryan Hartman

Team: Minnesota Wild
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 23 goals, 43 points, 76 games
Age: 31
Contract: $4 million AAV through 2027; 15-team no-trade list becomes 10-team on July 1

The Wild are going to need to get creative to strengthen themselves down the middle, and it could mean parting with one of their existing centers. Hartman is a potential UFA in 2027 and should bring back value in a trade. He’s versatile, affordable, can handle top-six deployment and got his game back on the right side of the line last season after previously drawing attention from NHL disciplinarian George Parros. There’s a two-way element to his game as he can be trusted defensively.

29. Owen Tippett

Team: Philadelphia Flyers
Position: Winger
Shoots: Right
2025-26 stats: 28 goals, 51 points, 81 games
Age: 27
Contract: $6.2 million AAV through 2032; 10-team no-trade list

Signed for six more seasons to a positive-value contract, Tippett is not a prime candidate to be moved. But his name has started to appear in trade chatter because of the potential haul he could bring back to a Flyers team trying to take the next steps toward contention. Tippett’s biggest weapon is a lethal and accurate shot that’s had him knocking at the door of a 30-goal season. His contract includes a 10-team no-trade list that kicks in July 1.

30. Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
2025-26 stats: 2 goals, 9 points, 42 games
Age: 25
Contract: $4.82 million AAV through 2030; modified no-trade list

Kotkaniemi has fallen right off the map in Carolina, where he was a healthy scratch throughout the team’s entire run to the Stanley Cup. That followed a regular season in which a player once prized for his 200-foot game saw a big dip in his ability to drive play. Kotkaniemi’s typically inconsistent offensive numbers trended hard in the wrong direction, too. Still, he’s a reclamation project worth considering due to his age and ability to play a premier position. He still has four seasons remaining on his contract at a reasonable cap number if he can recapture his previous form.