This week, we are going to look at who might be on the trade block for each team in the West.

We have tried to focus on the impending unrestricted free agents for 2025-26 and see if teams might be sellers or not.

The next group are underachieving younger players, overpaid players and disgruntled players.

The two biggest pending UFAs are Mikko Rantanen in Colorado and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton. The other notable ones are Brock Boeser in Vancouver, Nikolaj Ehlers in Winnipeg and Shea Theodore in Vegas.

Anaheim Ducks

Trade Block

Robby Fabbri – F UFA

Frank Vatrano – F UFA

Brian Dumoulin – D UFA

Trevor Zegras – F

John Gibson – G

The Ducks will surely try to get some trade value from Fabbri, Vatrano and Dumoulin who are all set to become UFAs. They could extend Vatrano, but only at term and length which would make sense for them going forward (no more than five years at $5 million AAV). He had 37 goals in 2023-24, but they should sell at the height of his value and try to get a 1st round pick and/or equivalent. The other UFAs are unlikely to bring back anything more than a 3rd round pick.

Zegras had an injury-plagued 2023-24 where he managed to play just 31 games with six goals and nine assists. He struggled before he was hurt and averaged just over 17 minutes per game after being around 19 minutes in 2022-23.

Gibson has three years remaining at $6.4 million AAV and there were reports before 2023-24 that he wanted out of Anaheim. He has had five years in a row with a negative GSAA.

Calgary Flames

Trade Block

Andrei Kuzmenko – F UFA

Anthony Mantha – F UFA

Dan Vladar – G UFA

Jonathan Huberdeau – F

Nazem Kadri – F

I'd expect the Flames to move all three of Kuzmenko, Mantha and Vladar at some point before the trade deadline. Kuzmenko can score 25-30 goals but his game is pretty much one-dimensional. Mantha is a big body who can also score 20-25 goals. Both of them could bring back 2nd or 3rd round picks depending on how they do this year.

Kuzmenko waived his modified no-trade clause to go to Calgary from Vancouver and as I understand it, when a player waives, the clause is void at that point and doesn't carry forward.

Vladar struggled in 2023-24 and needs to battle Dustin Wolf for the starting role in 2024-25.

The Flames would love a re-do on offering the extensions to Huberdeau and Kadri but there is little chance of getting out from them in a trade (they both have a no movement clause). A buy-out is the only option at some point or severely limiting the Flames options on who to trade with and retaining a large portion of the salary for both.

Chicago Blackhawks

Trade Block

Taylor Hall – F UFA

Andreas Athanasiou – F UFA

Ryan Donato – F UFA

Alec Martinez – D UFA

Lukas Reichel – F

Philipp Kurashev – F

Seth Jones – D

If Hall has any type of resurgence in 2024-25, there might be a chance that Chicago keeps him, rather than trading him as they are looking for chemistry with Connor Bedard. The temptation is a 1st or 2nd round draft pick in return for Hall if he is healthy and playing well.

Athanasiou, Donato and Martinez should all be traded at or near the deadline. Martinez would get the most value back in return if healthy.

This might be Reichel's last chance in Chicago to show some progression after the disappointment of 2023-24 where he had just five goals and 11 assists in 65 games.

The question with Kurashev is whether his 54 points in 75 games in 2023-24 was a career-year or not? He is set to become a RFA after 2024-25 and perhaps the Blackhawks sell early and high.

With six years remaining at $9.5 million AAV, I'm sure Chicago would love Jones's contract to be about three or four years shorter with less money. Jones has a full NMC, so is only going where he wants and if he wants.

Colorado Avalanche

Trade Block

Jonathan Drouin – F UFA

Logan O'Connor – F UFA

Alexandar Georgiev – G UFA

Valeri Nichushkin – F

Sam Girard – D

Rantanen is set to become unrestricted after 2024-25 and has a value perhaps greater than $11.5 million AAV. The problem in Colorado is that they don't have that cap space available in 2025-26, unless Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog are both on the LTIR still. Colorado should do everything they can to keep Rantanen.

Drouin, O'Connor and Georgiev shouldn't be dealt during the 2024-25 season but might not be coming back for 2025-26.

It will be interesting to see what Colorado does with Nichushkin as they can't trade him while he is in the Player's Assistance Program. Will they be able to void his contract, or will they trade him once he is allowed back, or will they welcome him back to the roster?

I've had Girard on the block for a few years now and was surprised when the Avalanche traded Bowen Byram instead. I still think they need the $5 million AAV in cap space that Girard has for the next three years.

Dallas Stars

Trade Block

Nils Lundkvist – D

2024-25 could be the last year in a Stars uniform for Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Esa Lindell, unless they all do what Duchene has done the past two years and take significantly below market on one year contracts.

Dallas has some big restricted free agents to re-sign in Wyatt Johnston, Thomas Harley and Jake Oettinger as well after 2024-25. Johnson and Harley are worth about $6.5 to 7.5 million AAV and I'm guessing Oettinger will fetch above $8.5 million AAV.

Lundkvist is the only roster player who I can see the Stars trading at some point in 2024-25. His draft position (28th in 2018) has not translated to the NHL so far.

Edmonton Oilers

Trade Block

Cody Ceci – D UFA

Evander Kane – F

Darnell Nurse – D

Leon Draisaitl has to have a value between $12 and $13 million AAV and he is set to become unrestricted. This could be his last season in an Oilers uniform unless they extend him. Edmonton struggled with the salary cap with Draisaitl at $8.5 million AAV, so it will be even worse with another $4 to 5 million AAV.

Kane and Nurse both have a no movement clause, but Kane's $5.125 million in 2025-26 would help the Oilers pay for Draisaitl for at least one year. Nurse's $9.5 million AAV for the next six years would be the solution. Nurse is more likely to be bought out than traded.

Los Angeles Kings

Trade Block

Tanner Jeannot – F UFA

Vladislav Gavrikov – D UFA

David Rittich – G UFA

Arthur Kaliyev – F

Jordan Spence – D

The Kings should be in the playoff race, but if they fall off the pace, they should be able to trade Jeannot, Gavrikov and Rittich for 2nd or 3rd round picks.

This might be Kaliyev's last chance in a King's uniform to fulfill his promise and score more than 20 goals, while Spence might be expendable if Brandt Clarke can stay with the Kings full-time in 2024-25.

Minnesota Wild

Trade Block

Marcus Johansson – F UFA

Marc-Andre Fleury – G UFA

Frederick Gaudreau – F

Much like Los Angeles, the Wild should be in the playoff chase so shouldn't be sellers. I don't think Fleury or Johansson would accept a trade regardless as they both have NMCs.

Gaudreau has a limited no-trade clause and his role was reduced in 2023-24 and could continue to be reduced as younger players become regulars. He has four years remaining with a $2.1 million cap hit.

Nashville Predators

Trade Block

Gustav Nyquist – F UFA

Dante Fabbro – D UFA

Tommy Novak – F

Philip Tomasino – F

Juuso Parssinen – F

Cody Glass – F

The Predators have strengthened their roster for 2024-25 considerably and are unlikely to trade Gustav Nyquist who is set to become unrestricted after the season. The only trade scenario is if his production falls off because of the additions of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

They could trade Fabbro as there could be some teams who think that he still has some untapped potential and overpay.

It looks like Novak might get a chance to center one of the top two lines. He could have a short runway to succeed.

The Predators might look to move on from Tomasino, Glass and/or Parssinen. All three of these players regressed in 2023-24 and might need a fresh start.

San Jose Sharks

Trade Block

Mikael Granlund – F UFA

Jan Rutta – D UFA

Vitek Vanecek – G UFA

Mackenzie Blackwood – G UFA

Logan Couture – F

The Sharks have the greatest value in Granlund in trading him as a deadline rental for perhaps a 1st or 2nd round pick. They have both Vanecek and Blackwood destined for free agency and can trade both or the goalie who was better.

Rutta, Luke Kunin and Nico Sturm should be dealt as well, if they can get a return.

Couture has a very limited no-trade clause (three teams of his choice), but with three years remaining at $8 million AAV, he might want to move to a better team. The holdup in a trade for him is that the Sharks have three retained contracts in 2024-25 already, so would need a third-party team to retain for them.

Seattle Kraken

Trade Block

Yanni Gourde – F UFA

Brandon Tanev – F UFA

Adam Larsson – D UFA

William Borgen – D UFA

Joey Daccord – G UFA

Andre Burakovsky – F

The Kraken might be on the outside of the playoff bubble once again and could be one of the bigger sellers in the West.

Gourde, Tanev, Larsson, Borgen and Daccord are all set to become unrestricted free agents and all could bring the Kraken back pretty good value as deadline rentals.

Burakovsky has a modified no-trade clause and has three years remaining at $5.5 million. His two years in Seattle have been pretty disappointing as he has managed to play just 49 games in both seasons. They might look to move him.

St. Louis Blues

Trade Block

Radek Faksa – F UFA

Kasperi Kapanen – F UFA

Ryan Suter – D UFA

Scott Perunovich – D

The Blues were out of the playoff picture in 2023-24 and will hope to be in the playoffs in 2024-25.

They don't have much rental value to trade even if they fall off the pace.

Perunovich might get an early chance to produce if Torey Krug is still feeling the effects of his injury. Krug has a no-trade clause, so if Perunovich falters, it will be the minors or a trade.

Utah Hockey Club

Trade Block

Alexander Kerfoot – F UFA

Nick Bjugstad – F UFA

Michael Carcone – F UFA

Ian Cole – D UFA

Karel Vejmelka – G UFA

Barrett Hayton – F

Utah might very well challenge for a playoff spot in 2024-25 and could become buyers instead of sellers.

This list assumes that they will be sellers once again and they will need to trade Kerfoot, Bjugstad, Carcone, Cole and Vejmelka before or at the deadline.

Hayton was the 5th overall pick in 2018 and should get an opportunity to succeed in Utah. I'm just not sure that management will show him any more patience if he struggles again.

Vancouver Canucks  

Trade Block

Brock Boeser – F UFA

Nils Hoglander – F

Vasily Podkolzin – F

Depending on how negotiations go with Boeser to re-sign or if he chooses to hit free agency, he could be traded at some point in 2024-25. Vancouver could be reluctant to give him anything more than the $6.65 million he currently earns.

Hoglander scored a career-high 24 goals in 2023-24 which on the surface should cement his role on this team. He struggled mightily in the playoffs and had just one goal and one assist in 11 games and was a healthy scratch for two games. If management thinks that Hoglander isn't a useful player in the playoffs, then it won't matter how he does in the regular season. To be fair, it was his first appearance in the NHL playoffs and perhaps he will get another chance. It just might not be in Vancouver.

Podkolzin was the 10th overall pick in 2019 and played 79 games as a rookie in 2021-22. He has gone backwards since, playing just 39 games in 2022-23 and 19 games in 2023-24. In his past 58 games he has just four goals and five assists. 2024-25 might be his last chance to crack the roster on the Canucks and stay.

Vegas Golden Knights

Trade Block

Brett Howden – F UFA

Keegan Kolesar – F UFA

Victor Olofsson – F UFA

Shea Theodore – D UFA

Brayden McNabb – D UFA

Adin Hill – G UFA

Ilya Samsonov – G UFA

The Vegas roster has taken a hit after 2023-24 and with Howden, Kolesar, Olofsson, Theodore, McNabb, Hill and Samsonov all set to hit unrestricted free agency, this team could be a shadow of what it was, just a few months back.

The biggest pieces on this list are Theodore, McNabb and Adin Hill. Theodore will likely want $7.5 to 8.5 million AAV, while McNabb is 33-years old and is probably looking for a three- or four-year deal at over $4 million AAV. It will be hard for Vegas to justify the current $4.9 million that Hill makes as he has never played more than 35 games in a season and managed just three games in the 2023-24 playoffs.

Vegas should have no problems getting into the playoffs again, unless they run into a lot of injuries.

Winnipeg Jets

Trade Block

Nikolaj Ehlers – F UFA

Alex Iafallo – F UFA

Mason Appleton – F UFA

Vladislav Namestnikov – F UFA

Neal Pionk – D UFA

Cole Perfetti – F

Rutger McGroarty – F

The Jets had no problem getting into the playoffs in 2023-24, but they might have an issue in 2024-25. If that scenario happens, they will need to move on from Ehlers, Iafallo, Appleton, Namesnikov and Pionk who are all set to become UFAs.

Ehlers has been rumored to be on the block since well before the NHL draft, as well as Rutger McGroarty who was the 14th overall pick in 2022. McGroarty is rumored to be dissatisfied with the way that the Jets develop their young players.

There have also been rumblings about Cole Perfetti's overall game and how it might not be built for the playoffs. If there are issues in re-signing before 2024-25, he could be on the way out.

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Thanks for reading and if you have any questions or players you'd like me to look at please message or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15.