NHL trade targets: Rating the best young players contenders could make available

The 2026 NHL trade deadline is fast approaching. According to our insider Chris Johnston, the primary buyers this season are Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, Edmonton, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Vegas, with Montreal acting as a soft buyer.

What follows is a seller’s guide to the top young assets who could be made available by those teams. Young players in prominent roles are excluded. What’s clear is that Detroit and Montreal are in the driver’s seat when it comes to assets to move, but whether they want to push the chips in this season is something their management will have to determine.

Tier 1: Premium young assets

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Detroit Red Wings: Brandsegg-Nygård is a heavy winger with good offensive skills and a great shot. He projects as a middle-six forward who coaches will love.

Nate Danielson, C, Detroit Red Wings: Danielson is a quality two-way center with a legit combination of size, speed and hands. His scoring has been inconsistent, although he’s been quite good at the AHL level this season.

Michael Hage, C, Montreal Canadiens: Hage has been a top player this season in college and at the World Juniors. His skating and playmaking grade out at a top-six NHL level, making him a premium trade chip given he can play the middle as well.

Alexander Zharovsky, RW, Montreal Canadiens: The biggest riser on the board. After being selected 34th in 2025, Zharovsky has exploded in the KHL. He’s a high-end skill forward with legit tools to project into a top six.

Tier 2: Strong B-level assets

Carter Bear, C/W, Detroit Red Wings: Detroit’s 2025 first-round pick (13th) is a competitive winger with good feet and offensive skills and has been a prominent junior scorer with a game that should translate to the pros.

Sebastian Cossa, G, Detroit Red Wings: Cossa has been a top goalie in the AHL this season. He’s a huge goalie who can move, and while he’s been quite inconsistent over the years, if Detroit decides to dangle one of him or Trey Augustine, the 2021 No. 15 pick’s toolkit will be highly intriguing to teams.

Conor Geekie, C, Tampa Bay Lightning: Geekie has been very good at the AHL level this season. He’s a big, highly skilled center who can play in traffic, but his foot speed is an issue. He’s the clear best trade asset that Tampa has.

Eddie Genborg, LW, Detroit Red Wings: Genborg has been quite good in the SHL as an 18-year-old. He’s a tall, highly physical winger whose offense has surprised even some of his biggest backers.

David Reinbacher, RHD, Montreal Canadiens: I’d be quite surprised to see Montreal move their No. 5 pick from 2023, but his development since then has been up and down. He’s still a desirable piece as a 6-foot-2 right shot who can skate, make stops and move pucks, but the offense may not be top-end.

Charlie Stramel, C, Minnesota Wild: Stramel has been one of the very best players in college this season. A big, physical center with good feet and hands, Stramel projects as a hard-to-play-against middle-six center in the NHL.

Draft picks: Detroit and Montreal still have their 2026 first-round picks.

Tier 3: B-grade assets

Trey Augustine, G, Detroit Red Wings: Augustine, like Cossa, is a quality goalie prospect in the Wings system. He’s been great in college and has high-end hockey sense, but his pure tools don’t jump out at you.

Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal Canadiens: Fowler has been excellent as a rookie pro following a great collegiate career. He’s a super smart and polished goaltender, although he doesn’t have truly high-end athletic traits.

Matt Savoie, C/W, Edmonton Oilers: Savoie is a worker with excellent speed and skill. He’s quite small, though, and projects more as a secondary scorer in the NHL.

Bradly Nadeau, RW, Carolina Hurricanes: Possessing an NHL-elite shot, Nadeau is a talented scorer who could project to help a middle six and power play one day.

Ike Howard, LW, Edmonton Oilers: Howard is a talented scorer who has put up strong numbers for years, although his frame and off-puck play will be concerning for teams.

Max Curran, C, Colorado Avalanche: Curran has developed quite well for the Avs and was a top player for Czechia at the recent World Juniors. He’s a big pivot who can skate. His puck play is fine, but it’s good enough to project to help an NHL team.

Draft picks: Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, Edmonton, Minnesota and Montreal have their 2027 first-round picks.

Tier 4: Quality trade chips

Trevor Connelly, LW, Vegas Golden Knights

Adam Engstrom, LHD, Montreal Canadiens

Max Plante, LW, Detroit Red Wings

Emil Hemming, RW, Dallas Stars

Ben Danford, RHD, Toronto Maple Leafs

Sam O’Reilly, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Benjamin Rautiainen, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning

Draft picks: Edmonton, Dallas, Detroit, Montreal, Tampa Bay and Vegas have their 2026 second-round picks