Professional North American hockey has seen quite an interesting set of developments this season. Alex Ovechkin is closing in on Gretzky’s all-time scoring record, the newly moved Utah team is in the middle of establishing both a brand and on-ice identity, and a slew of young stars are trying to make waves, chief among which happens to be Matvej Michkov, whose surge makes most of the team that passed on him look a bit cowardly.
However, the turbulent turnout in front office and roster construction that has characterized the NHL is in full bloom this season. The league is already in the middle of making all kinds of moves meant to take them over the hump. The Stanley Cup looks within reach for several teams, while others look to surface beyond their problematic losing seasons.
As the March 7, 2025, trade deadline is rapidly closing in, we’re in the position to ask plenty of questions about the direction of several franchises. We’ve selected 3 of the league’s most interesting cases while trying to make the most out of the current news set, results, and future outlooks!
Will the Chicago Retooling Continue?
One of the clearest takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ current performance is that they are an embarrassment. You can go esoteric and say that they’re merely paying for the years of misconduct they’ve allowed within their organization or just paying their due for landing Bedard in the middle of said scandal.
One of the most interesting narratives beyond the ‘overrated’ discourse was due to Bedard losing a stick-off against Florida’s Sam Reinhart. Some voices consider him disappointing, and others defend him for being very good, especially for his age. What’s beyond clear is that surprise, Connor Bedard is the Blackhawks’ franchise player in the future.
How do the Hawks tackle the fact that the team around him is atrocious? At the end of January, Taylor Hall’s stint ended after the Hawks traded him to the Hurricanes in a deal that included Colorado. As a result, the Hawks netted a third-rounder in the upcoming 2025 draft. The departure of Hall, whose absence last season didn’t do much to help Bedard’s rookie campaign, proves that the direction of this club is all about acquiring talent and building a respectable contender.
The strongest rumor about the team is that Ryan Donato is on his way out, with the Senators being the most interested party. His experience, versatility, and physicality make him a desirable trade asset. Add the $2 million cap hit, and you may convince yourself to fork up a new third-round pick.
The departure of Donato and further openings on the NHL roster would give prospects like Sam Rinzel, Ryan Greene, and even Oliver Moore. With Nick Lardis starting to make waves in the OHL, we may see a blossoming young core, led by Bedard, finally make something of the market, name, and history (marred, as it is) of the Chicago Blackhawks.
How will the Buffalo Conundrum Continue to Play Out?
The Buffalo Sabres are not in the best position either. While not as disastrous as the Hawks or the Sharks, they’re still the bottom-dwellers in the Eastern Conference as of February 4. They may not have had a terrible turnout of a season (despite their position), but the team is not a contender, nor are they close.
Given the situation, sources consider the Sabres prime candidates for a general sale before the deadline, even if they’re not necessarily in the position to give away talent for the sake of doing so. The pending free agency of some of the team’s core pieces (Greenway, Zucker, and Jokiharju) will surely look enticing for teams looking to consolidate their depth.
Despite his role in the team’s 4-win streak (as of this article), Bowen Byram’s defensive prowess may attract attention. The truth is that Byram seems to be leaving plenty of upside on the table in Buffalo, which brings out plenty of hard-to-answer questions in light of this pending free agency (although restricted). One of the most theorized trades would see him help the underwhelming Rangers, especially with their defensive woes.
Ultimately, the Sabres are in the same position of being stuck between having too much talent to launch another reset and needing help around the team. The conundrum in Buffalo’s hockey arc boils down to front-office inefficiency. They haven’t sniffed the playoffs for the last 13 years (going on 14), and the Kevyn Adams era hasn’t looked like the herald of a change in fortune.
Do the Kings Load up to Make More Noise?
As of February 4, the Kings are in the playoff picture with 27 wins in 50 games. The question is whether they surpass their own condition of first-round bounces. Some voices, including the bookies identified by slotscalendar.ca, look at them as bound to make some noise and possibly make a legitimate run.
However, it may be that what they currently have requires even more. We agree with the assessment that they need a scoring winger. Moore and Fiala are simply not performing at the top of their supposed ability and are making it hard for the Kings to continue basking in their outright dangerous consistency.
The Athletic’s assessment of possible forwards fit for the Kings has pointed to names like Rickard Rakell due to his versatility, not to mention his relatively safe contract. We agree it would be a good option with the Penguins having a bit of a grey area season. If the Kings want to go for an expiry, Kyle Palmieri is quite a name despite several financial and cultural implications.
One of the most interesting scenarios is if Buffalo decides to move the aforementioned free agent, Jason Zucker, to the Kings. Given the looming free agency, there would need to be some alignment for LA to move in such a direction.
Funnily enough, even Chicago’s Donato, a player quite clearly on the market, as we’ve mentioned, would be a good choice given his consistency. As we’ve settled, a 3rd round pick would probably bring about a deal that would see a relatively cheap veteran to a team with contending aspirations.