NHL trade targets: Which player should each team pursue after the holiday freeze?

Following the blockbuster Quinn Hughes trade, two players on Chris Johnston’s trade board, Phillip Danault and Mason Marchment, were traded on Friday, moments before the league’s holiday roster freeze went into effect.

Now, with the holiday freeze over in just a few hours (12:01 a.m. local time Sunday) and the trade deadline just over two months away, it’s a good time to start thinking about which players make sense for different teams.

Who should each club target from the list of possible candidates?

The Athletic asked its NHL staff to pick one target from the trade board for each team.

Here’s what they said.

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Anaheim Ducks

No one

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has history with both Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat from his days in the Tampa Bay Lightning front office, and while another winger with proven playoff production would give their lineup added heft, I think the smarter play right now would be to bet on the continued progression from within. If they were one step closer to serious Stanley Cup contention, then I think it would be worth it. — Eric Stephens

Boston Bruins

Matias Maccelli

The left-shot winger would give the Bruins some offensive help in their top nine. He is also 25 years old, which fits the Bruins’ cycle in terms of building for the future while going for a playoff spot. — Fluto Shinzawa

Buffalo Sabres

Yegor Chinakhov

The Sabres are a wild card on the trade market with new general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen. Veterans such as Blake Coleman, Boone Jenner and Bryan Rust would be worthwhile targets. But Chinakhov feels more realistic, considering Kekäläinen drafted him and the cost to acquire him would be lower. — Matthew Fairburn

Calgary Flames

No one

The Flames have a handful of players on CJ’s trade board that should make them a seller come trade deadline day in March. And with no enticing star target between the ages of 18 and 23 that they’d feel would help their rebuild/retool on the board, the Flames shouldn’t be looking to buy. — Julian McKenzie

Carolina Hurricanes

No one

The Hurricanes look set on defense, and the forward options — particularly the centers that could be of the most use to Carolina — are all flawed. Whether it’s the age, amount of term and contract remaining or the ability to keep up with the Hurricanes’ pace, the top center options, including Nazem Kadri and Ryan O’Reilly, have noticeable blemishes. Carolina won’t be quiet — it has the cap space and desire to get better — but I don’t think the fit resides in this list. — Cory Lavalette

Chicago Blackhawks

No one

The Blackhawks weren’t likely to be buyers at the trade deadline before their series of injuries, and they’re definitely not going to be after all those. With Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar out, the Blackhawks’ season is spiraling downward and they’re likely back into the draft lottery discussion. Between a number of expiring contracts and a continued effort to build from within, the Blackhawks won’t be acquiring anyone of note this season. — Scott Powers

Colorado Avalanche

Ryan O’Reilly

What a full-circle moment this would be. Not only would it bring O’Reilly back to the place his career began, but he would also solidify the Avalanche down the middle of the ice, perhaps better than any other available player. Jack Drury and Ross Colton have been solid bottom-six centers, but O’Reilly would give Jared Bednar another option to create matchup problems for the opposition in the playoffs and make the best team in the league even scarier. — Jesse Granger

Columbus Blue Jackets

No one

A week ago, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell sent a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick to the Seattle Kraken for Mason Marchment, hoping to jolt his underperforming club. But he’s got to be careful about committing too many resources to this current Blue Jackets club. The Eastern Conference has been a traffic jam, but it’s starting to loosen and the Blue Jackets are the team falling behind. If there’s a prospect that excites him — Brennan Othmann, Brad Lambert or perhaps Lukas Reichel — and the price is low, why not? But unless the Blue Jackets turn it around, and quickly, this season may be a lost cause. — Aaron Portzline

Dallas Stars

Rasmus Andersson

The Stars’ greatest need is on the right side of the blue line, where the drop-off after Miro Heiskanen is precipitous. Jim Nill is never shy about making big additions, so he’ll go right to the top and take a look at Andersson, No. 1 on CJ’s big board. There’ll surely be competition for Andersson, so the offensive-minded Dougie Hamilton or defensive-minded Connor Murphy could be solid fallback options. — Mark Lazerus

Detroit Red Wings

Justin Faulk

The Red Wings’ biggest need is to deepen their blue line, where their third pair has been a liability. Justin Faulk is playing 23 minutes a night in St. Louis, and you wonder if the veteran could improve his territorial numbers in easier deployment. He’s still productive, has an extra year on his contract (so he’s not just a rental) and could provide more support for Albert Johansson. Plus, he would be a playoff-ready second-pair option, so Detroit can shelter Axel Sandin-Pellikka a bit if the Red Wings make the postseason. — Max Bultman

Edmonton Oilers

Alex Tuch

Tuch is a big power winger with speed who can thrive with elite skill. The Oilers could use him on the top line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, allowing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to center the third line. Tuch’s size is ideal for the rigors of playoff hockey and Edmonton doesn’t have that kind of presence on the roster currently. A perfect plug-and-play for the Oilers. — Allan Mitchell

Florida Panthers

Alex Tuch

Big, fast, physical and loves the hard areas of the ice: sounds like a Florida Panther. His reasonable cap hit would fit nicely into the Aleksander Barkov LTIR space and he can help improve a power play that’s been struggling at times. Only question is, do they have the future assets to pull it off? — James Mirtle

Los Angeles Kings

Alex Tuch

Big and fast with skill, Tuch would be an immediate boost to the Kings’ offense as a top-six right wing to go with leading scorer Adrian Kempe. The 29-year-old’s $4.75 million cap number is extremely appealing. But Tuch, a pending UFA, would be a tricky acquisition as he’s reportedly seeking a contract more lucrative than the eight-year, $85 million deal Kempe signed to stay in L.A. And the cost for him as a rental could be too prohibitive for the Kings, who don’t have a ton of prized assets and are more than one piece away from legitimate Stanley Cup contention. — Eric Stephens

Minnesota Wild

Ryan O’Reilly

It sure feels like the Wild are a center from true contender status and O’Reilly could be the perfect fit. Perennially, the Wild are one of the NHL’s worst faceoff teams, and they’re tied for 28th this year. O’Reilly’s tremendous in the circle. The Wild also rank 25th on the penalty kill, an area he can help. He can score and he’s incredibly disciplined, so he’d fit in (the Wild have been short-handed second-fewest times in the NHL at 93). Plus, it’d be a reacquisition technically, since the Wild were the middleman when it came to salary retention when O’Reilly — the brother of former Iowa Wild captain Cal O’Reilly — was originally traded from St. Louis to Toronto in 2023. — Michael Russo

Montreal Canadiens

Blake Coleman

The Canadiens nabbed No. 9 on the list when they acquired center Phillip Danault from the Kings one hour before the holiday trade freeze, but they still have trade capital and Coleman plays a hard game, kills penalties, can pitch in on the power play and has Stanley Cup pedigree. But the real beauty is he has one year left on his contract after this one, same as Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson. By 2027-28, the Canadiens should be ready to truly hand the team over to their youngest players. Until then, players such as Coleman and Danault can help serve as a veteran bridge. — Arpon Basu

Nashville Predators

No one

Several Predators appear on the list, as it should be. And Preds general manager Barry Trotz should be ready to move at least a couple of those players and bolster the future of the franchise. He must not be swayed by the team’s recent resurgence, which has put the Preds in the range of a playoff spot and lifted them from the cellar. If he is swayed by that, mediocrity is officially the ceiling on his watch. And new minority owner Nick Saban can’t like that! — Joe Rexrode

New Jersey Devils

Ryan O’Reilly

O’Reilly would have been a capable second-line center when Jack Hughes was out, and now he’d be able to slot in as a perfect third-line center. He can play a responsible two-way game and has shown he contributes to winning. He might not be the Conn Smythe winner he was in 2019, but he’s more than capable of helping the Devils. — Peter Baugh

New York Islanders

Yegor Chinakhov

The Islanders may be exceeding expectations, but the big picture still has to stay in focus. This is a retool, so management should not be buying for a playoff run. But there may be up-and-coming players whose timelines align with the Islanders’ plans. So someone such as Chinakov should be on their radar — he would fit in with the team’s rush-based style this season, and has the offensive ability to add another scoring punch to the middle six. — Shayna Goldman

New York Rangers

Yegor Chinakhov

There’s an obvious connection to make with Bryan Rust, a favorite of Rangers coach Mike Sullivan from their time together in Pittsburgh, but a 33-year-old winger isn’t ideal for a team that already relies too heavily on 32-and-up forwards. Tuch would be intriguing, as well, but the acquisition cost will be high and general manager Chris Drury has burned too many assets on rentals in recent years. New York should be targeting young players with scoring upside, speed and years left of team control. Chinakhov is a bit of a reclamation project, but at least he checks all of those boxes. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano

Ottawa Senators

Rasmus Andersson

If it were up to me, I’d call Craig Conroy and try to sell him on the idea of landing Andersson. An all-situations defenseman who seems healthier after some previous seasons battling injury. His snarl and ruggedness would fit perfectly on a Senators team seeking to be tougher to play against. The biggest hurdle is figuring out whether or not the Senators are on Andersson’s no-trade list and if the Sens have the assets to make a move work. — Julian McKenzie

Philadelphia Flyers

No one

The Flyers are seeking a depth center, but I’m not sure any of these guys on the list would or should be targets. O’Reilly or Brayden Schenn would give the Flyers a huge boost, but I doubt that they’re going to be willing to part with the sort of future assets necessary to make that deal. Perhaps Alexander Wennberg is a player who could be traded out of San Jose, but I could also see the Sharks keeping him around if they remain in the playoff race. — Kevin Kurz

Pittsburgh Penguins

No one

“No one” isn’t the most enticing answer, but I think it’s prudent for the Penguins. I don’t particularly think they’re in a spot where adding anyone makes sense. They probably aren’t a playoff team, and if they do pull off a surprise and make it to the postseason, it will be because some of their talented young players in the system — such as Sergei Murashov and Tristan Broz — are recalled and make a real difference, as opposed to giving up an asset for short-term gratification. — Josh Yohe

San Jose Sharks

No one

An elite No. 1 defenseman such as Quinn Hughes would have been ideal for the Sharks, but many other teams could desire that. A blue-line upgrade or a true No. 2 center would be more pressing needs, but filling those would be more prudent if San Jose were a year or two further into a build where the full payoff could come in 2027 or 2028. You could look at a Brandon Carlo on defense, but there’s no point in blocking Michael Misa with any one of Nazem Kadri, Ryan O’Reilly, Brayden Schenn or Boone Jenner right now. Those are endgame pieces. — Eric Stephens

Seattle Kraken

No one

The Kraken are fading quickly, and that’s not a surprise to anybody who’s watched them. While there’s some intriguing talent in Seattle, this is a club utterly devoid of elite talent. They should be selling, tanking and crossing their fingers that they can get a top-three pick at the 2026 draft. A superstar winger is what the Kraken need, of the caliber that is only available at the top of the draft order. — Thomas Drance

St. Louis Blues

No one

CJ’s trade board is full of Blues, so the options are limited. Of the 32 players, the Blues have Justin Faulk at No. 7, Jordan Binnington at No. 8 and Brayden Schenn at No. 13. After that, there are some good names on the list, but the Blues just aren’t in a position where many of them make much sense. If anybody, they should make a deal for Blues killer Kiefer Sherwood (seven goals, five assists against St. Louis in 12 career games), or Nazem Kadri, so that Binnington can throw water bottles at him in the locker room. — Jeremy Rutherford

Tampa Bay Lightning

Rasmus Andersson

J.J. Moser has absolutely thrived in Victor Hedman’s absence, and a shift back to his natural side, the left, may be a big reason for that. So maybe the Lightning should consider adding a right-handed defenseman to play with Hedman, so Moser and Darren Raddysh can stay together and cook on the third pair? Right-handed defensemen are not cheap on the trade market, so this is going to be tricky for a team without a ton of trade assets. But his reasonable cap hit and his overall step back this season could work in Tampa Bay’s favor. — Shayna Goldman

Toronto Maple Leafs

No one

I’m going off board here to former Leaf Michael Bunting. Unlike some of the other names on CJ’s board who would absolutely help the Leafs, Bunting shouldn’t cost much (for a team that doesn’t have much to trade), and his contract expires after the season. The other thing: He has a past connection with Auston Matthews and could slip right back into top-line duties with the Leafs. He would also bring his hometown team some much-needed spunk and pushback. — Jonas Siegel

Utah Mammoth

No one

With Barrett Hayton struggling and Logan Cooley injured, the dream scenario would be Utah landing a top-six center. The problem is true second-line centers are scarcely available on the trade market and exorbitantly expensive to acquire. While Nazem Kadri, for example, would be a sweet short-term fit, his age (35) and the steep acquisition cost to lure him from Calgary don’t align with the Mammoth’s timeline, especially with how stacked the Central Division already is. — Harman Dayal

Vancouver Canucks

No one

The Canucks can’t overreact to an uptick in form and results since executing the Quinn Hughes trade. This is a team that’s years away from competing in any relevant fashion in the NHL and needs to fundamentally rebuild its forward group and reimagine its overall priorities and team-building approach. Vancouver, in other words, needs to sell. It needs to sell aggressively. And target draft picks and futures in return, not NHL players. If trading Hughes — and his reluctance to remain in Vancouver — isn’t a wake-up call for this franchise, nothing ever will be. — Thomas Drance

Vegas Golden Knights

Kiefer Sherwood

I’m not expecting a blockbuster deal out of the Golden Knights this deadline, but Kiefer Sherwood would be an excellent addition. He does a lot of things Vegas desperately needs out of its wingers at the moment. He’s big, strong, good on the forecheck and drives the front of the net. For all of the playmakers the Golden Knights have up front, they could use some brute force. Sherwood has all of that, plus the ability to score. — Jesse Granger

Washington Capitals

Ryan O’Reilly

Any top-nine center would make sense for the Caps, especially with Pierre Luc-Dubois on the shelf for a couple more months, but O’Reilly seems like a particularly good fit. His offensive output (2.71 points per 60, 73-point pace) has rebounded after last season’s dip, and his plus-3.0 Defensive Rating is second overall among centers. That kind of two-way substance would fit right in with Washington. — Sean Gentille

Winnipeg Jets

No one

Winnipeg is six points out of the playoffs, with six teams to pass. Which is possible with Connor Hellebuyck, but not worth betting on in the form of large trade assets. The Jets’ first-round pick sits fourth overall. Their second-round pick would be in the top 40 if they hadn’t traded it in a package for Luke Schenn. They need to be recouping assets, not moving them, and that means shopping pending UFAs Schenn, Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson and Jonathan Toews to playoff-bound teams. Winnipeg bet and missed, and it will hurt less if the picks it recoups are gathered and moved later, for future Jets. — Murat Ates