B/R NHL Trade Block Rankings for July 2024

The NHL's annual free-agent market opened on July 1 and was quickly picked clean of the top unrestricted free agents. Teams that failed to address their ongoing roster needs could return to the trade market.

Several notable players from our June NHL Trade Block Big Board were traded to new teams. They include defenseman Jakob Chychrun and forwards Jake Guentzel, Reilly Smith, and Tanner Jeannot.

Goaltender Juuse Saros also came off the board after signing an eight-year contract extension with the Nashville Predators.

We also removed Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore, Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson, and New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau as they're no longer the focus of media trade chatter. Theodore and Pageau were on the board as cost-cutting trade candidates while the Ducks don't seem in any hurry to move Gibson.

Nevertheless, several noteworthy players are available for our July NHL Trade Block Big Board.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Nečas and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner remain trade candidates. New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba is among the new names on our list. They're among the biggest names based on skill level, contracts, and the possibility of getting traded based on recent media conjecture.

Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in our app comments below.

Signed last July to a five-year contract, Tristan Jarry seemed secure as the Pittsburgh Penguins' starting goaltender. However, his inconsistent play last season and the Penguins re-signing Alex Nedeljkovic has made the 29-year-old Jarry the subject of recent media trade chatter.

On June 21, the day after the Penguins announced the Nedeljkovic signing, Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review felt that move could set the stage for trading Jarry. Two days later, TSN's Chris Johnston speculated the Penguins could try and move Jarry during the offseason.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman followed up on June 25 wondering if Jarry could be in play. On June 27, The Athletic's Rob Rossi reported the Penguins let teams know that their starter was available, though they were prepared to head into 2024-25 with a Jarry-Nedeljkovic tandem.

The recent free-agent signing frenzy has pushed the Jarry trade talk to the sidelines. It could also be because the Penguins couldn't find any suitors. His $5.4 million average annual value and a 12-team no-trade list would be significant stumbling blocks in the path of a deal;.

Nevertheless, the sudden burst of conjecture about Jarry's future in Pittsburgh is worthy of inclusion on our July trade block big board. We'll see if anything comes of it throughout the summer.

It was assumed the Toronto Maple Leafs could trade Mitch Marner this summer as part of a roster shake-up after making another painful first-round playoff exit. The rumors buzzing about the 27-year-old winger earned him the No. 6 spot on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board.

Entering mid-July, however, there's no indication Marner will be traded. That's hardly surprising given he carries a hefty $10.9 million cap hit for next season plus a full no-movement clause.

Marner frequently surfaced in the rumor mill for weeks throughout May and June. However, it became increasingly apparent that the Leafs weren't even close to shipping him out. Most of the Marner speculation now centers on whether they'll sign him to a contract extension, something Leafs general manager Brad Treliving won't discuss with the press.

The Leafs winger still occasionally surfaces in the rumor mill. On July 4, Toronto Star columnist Nick Kypreos reported Nashville Predators center (and ex-Leaf) Ryan O'Reilly lobbied Predators GM Barry Trotz to acquire Marner. That was before Trotz signed unrestricted free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei.

We're including Marner on our July trade board as it's still possible that he'll be traded this summer. However, that seems less likely now than it was in June.

The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Marc-André Fleury to a one-year contract, sparking rumors suggesting Filip Gustavsson was a trade candidate. With promising netminder Jesper Wallstedt expected to make his full-time NHL debut next season, the 26-year-old Gustavsson seems to be the odd man out, earning a spot on our June Trade Block Big Board.

Gustavsson has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $3.8 million. He struggled last season with a record of 20 wins, 18 losses, and four overtime losses with a goals-against average of 3.06 and a save percentage of .899. However, he had a 22-9-7 record in 2022-23 with a GAA of 2.10 and a save percentage of .931.

With Jacob Markstrom and Linus Ullmark off the trade block and Juuse Saros re-signing with the Nashville Predators, the trade market is thin on quality goaltenders. The pickings are also slim in the free-agent market. That could make Gustavsson enticing for clubs seeking help between the pipes.

Heading into the 2024 NHL Draft, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported the Wild were talking to teams about Gustavsson. However, they weren't going to give him away and were comfortable retaining him for 2024-25. They could return with Gustavsson and Fleury as their tandem with Wallstedt starting in the minors.

It could be difficult for the Wild to find a suitable trade partner with many teams having already used up their cap space or addressed their goalie needs. Perhaps a rebuilding team like the San Jose Sharks or a playoff club like the Colorado Avalanche will make inquiries.

It's been a quiet offseason thus far for the Anaheim Ducks.

Their biggest move was making Beckett Sennecke the surprise third-overall pick in the 2024 Draft. They also acquired depth defenseman Brian Dumoulin from the Seattle Kraken and winger Robby Fabbri from the Detroit Red Wings.

The Athletic's Eric Stephens wondered if Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek had a big move in store this summer that would significantly improve this rebuilding club. If he does, it might involve Trevor Zegras. The 23-year-old was the subject of trade speculation last season as questions arose over his future with the Ducks.

Sufficient speculation about Zegras carried over into the offseason to earn him a place on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board. He has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.8 million.

On June 25, The Athletic's Peter Baugh and Arthur Staple reported a rumor claiming the New York Rangers were among the clubs interested in Zegras. They noted that the Bedford, NY native regularly trains in the offseason with Blueshirts star Chris Kreider and has long had the Rangers as a destination of choice.

They also noted the Philadelphia Flyers had "decent interest" in Zegras. However, Verbeek is seeking an expensive return, which likely explains why Zegras remains a Duck. Still, there's always the chance that a rival club could agree to pay that price.

A report indicating the Columbus Blue Jackets and Patrik Laine mutually agreed to seek a trade put the 26-year-old winger at No. 3 on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board. He's been in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program dealing with mental health issues.

A 44-goal scorer earlier in his career with the Winnipeg Jets, Laine has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since getting traded to the Jackets in Jan. 2021 and is seeking a fresh start elsewhere. He has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8.7 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reported on July 7 that Laine hadn't been cleared yet from the player assistance program. The Blue Jackets can still trade him but interested clubs would want to speak with him first.

A week earlier, Portzline cited TSN's Craig Button suggesting the Minnesota Wild would be a good destination for Laine. The Seattle Times' Geoff Baker felt he'd be a high-upside gamble for the Kraken to bolster their offense without getting tied into a long-term contract.

The ongoing uncertainty over Laine's availability to return to action combined with his expensive cap hit could affect his trade value, dropping him in our rankings for July. Perhaps there will be further clarity on his situation as the offseason progresses.

We rarely include an NHL prospect on our Trade Block Big Board. However, there's been a lot of media trade chatter regarding Rutger McGroarty in recent weeks. The Winnipeg Jets hold the NHL rights to the 20-year-old University of Michigan forward. Earlier this year, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked him as the Jets' top prospect.

McGroarty stated his intention earlier this year to return to college for his junior year rather than sign his NHL entry-level contract. The Athletic's Murat Ates reported the Jets couldn't promise the youngster NHL playing time in 2024-25.

Ates indicated a disconnect existed between McGoarty and the Jets over the club's development plan for him. It's believed he no longer sees his path to the NHL running through Winnipeg. On the June 22 episode of Sportsnet's "32 Thoughts", Elliotte Friedman reported the Jets discussed trading McGroarty's rights with other clubs.

The Jets' lack of a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft prompted Ates to speculate they could shop McGroarty to a team with multiple first-rounders. However, no deal emerged and the youngster remains the property of the Jets.

McGroarty doesn't have to be traded this summer as the Jets still control his rights. They can attempt to work out a reconciliation or let things cool off for now. Nevertheless, we can't dismiss the possibility of the Jets finding a suitable trade partner willing to offer up a first-rounder, a top prospect, or a young NHL-ready player for McGroarty.

The New York Rangers signed Kaapo Kakko to a one-year, $2.4 million contract seemed to suggest the 23-year-old winger was sticking with the club for 2024-25. However, speculation that the Rangers could still peddle the young Finn earned him a spot on our June NHL Trade Block Big Board.

Chosen second overall by the Rangers in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kakko has struggled to reach expectations as a scoring winger. He had a promising 40-point performance in 2022-23. However, he struggled through an injury-hampered, inconsistent 19-point effort in 61 games last season. That sparked rumors that he could be on the trade block.

On June 24, the New York Post's Larry Brooks reported the Rangers were aggressively shopping Kakko leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft. Four days later, ESPN's Emily Kaplan also indicated the Rangers were talking with other teams about the young winger, whose new contract provided a measure of cost certainty.

Despite those efforts, the draft passed with Kakko still a member of the Rangers. On July 4, The Hockey News' Remy Mastey cited Lohud.com's Vince Mercogliano claiming that the Blueshirts were still attempting to find a trade deal to move the winger this summer.

Kakko could draw some interest from clubs seeking an affordable young winger with top-six forward potential. The Rangers could be flexible with the asking price as they need to free up some cap room to sign restricted free-agent defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider.

Debuting at No. 3 on our Trade Block Big Board, New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft. On June 29, the New York Post's Larry Brooks reported the Rangers were discussing a deal that would've sent the 30-year-old defenseman to the Detroit Red Wings.

Rangers general manager Chris Drury was attempting to free up salary-cap space. Brooks claimed he could retain $2.5 million of Trouba's $8 million cap hit. The blueliner had a full no-movement clause until June 30, when it became a 15-team no-trade list for the remaining two years of his contract.

The Athletic's Arthur Staple reported on July 2 that the Rangers GM sought Trouba's list a week before the change in his no-trade status. He claimed the blueliner waited until July 1 to submit it, affecting Drury's free-agency plans. Brooks added that family matters also played a part in this situation.

It appears the trade with the Red Wings is on hold or even off the table as the Wings have made other forays into free agency. The Rangers, meanwhile, are left with $8.1 million in cap space and restricted free agents Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider to re-sign. Even if they had more cap room, the best players in the UFA market were signed by other clubs.

The Rangers could face the awkward situation of returning next season with Trouba on the roster. Nevertheless, we cannot rule out the possibility that Drury finds a suitable deal with a team not on the blueliner's no-trade list. This situation will bear watching in the coming weeks.

For the second straight month, Nikolaj Ehlers holds the No. 2 position on our Trade Block Big Board. The 28-year-old Winnipeg Jets winger has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.

Ehlers netted 61 points last season, marking the third time he's exceeded 60 points in his nine NHL seasons. Uncertainty over whether the playmaking winger will sign a contract extension with the Jets fueled the trade speculation that emerged about him throughout June.

The Athletic's Murat Ates reported on June 29 that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had trade talks involving Ehlers leading up to the NHL Draft. However, Cheveldayoff later suggested that the winger remained a big part of the Jets.

Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News suggested Ehlers could be a good fit with the New York Islanders. However, the New York Post's Ethan Sears believes the Jets aren't rushing to move the winger. His cap hit would also be difficult for the cap-strapped Islanders to absorb unless they send a player of equal value to the Jets.

On July 6, Rosner reported the Carolina Hurricanes were very interested in Ehlers. They could see him as a possible replacement for winger Martin Necas if they should trade the latter.

Martin Nečas sat atop our June NHL Trade Block Big Board. The 25-year-old Carolina Hurricanes forward garners that honor again in July, especially after filing for salary arbitration on July 5. A skillful playmaker, he had 53 points last season and a career-high 71 points in 2022-23.

Nečas is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million. Reports emerged following the Hurricanes' elimination from the playoffs that he wanted a greater role than a third-line winger. It was rumored the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, and Winnipeg Jets were interested in him.

Following the NHL Draft, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Hurricanes had serious discussions with the Columbus Blue Jackets about the fourth-overall pick. Those talks reached the point where Nečas was allowed to speak with the Jackets but the deal fell through and the Jackets used that pick to select Cayden Lindstrom.

Nečas filing for arbitration will set a deadline for him and the Hurricanes to negotiate a new contract. Failing that, they'll go before an arbitrator to decide his next deal, after which the Hurricanes can agree with the result or walk away if the AAV is higher than $4.74 million. That's unlikely to happen as it would make Nečas an unrestricted free agent.

The arbitration process provides an additional level of intrigue to Nečas' situation. It would push the Hurricanes to try and trade him if they feel negotiations on a new deal could reach an impasse.

Salary info via Puck Pedia.