Which NHL teams should be sellers at this trade deadline — and why it matters right now?
With the March 6, 3 p.m. cutoff looming, a clear group of sellers has already formed.
Some clubs are too far from the playoff line, others have cap headaches, expiring deals, or aging cores to flip for picks.
This post ranks the teams most likely to sell — from Vancouver and Nashville to Winnipeg, the Rangers, Leafs, Senators, Panthers and Blue Jackets — and explains the numbers and motives behind each move.
Ranking the NHL Teams Most Likely to Sell at This Trade Deadline
The trade deadline hits Friday, March 6 at 3:00 p.m., and a clear group of sellers has already formed. Some teams sit too far out of the playoff picture to justify holding their roster together. Others are stuck with cap problems, expiring contracts, or aging cores that make unloading depth pieces the smartest move.
- Vancouver Canucks — Stanley Cup odds +50000; shortest odds to finish last in the league
- Nashville Predators — Stanley Cup odds +25000; 42 points, −18 goal differential, 5th in Central Division
- Winnipeg Jets — 34 points, bottom of Western Conference standings, fifth-fewest goals scored in the West
- New York Rangers — Stanley Cup odds +6600, playoff odds +200; 20–18–6 record, second-to-last in Metropolitan
- Toronto Maple Leafs — Stanley Cup odds +5000, playoff odds +240; tied for second-fewest points in Eastern Conference
- Ottawa Senators — Stanley Cup odds +4000; 20–16–5 record, last in Atlantic Division
- Florida Panthers — 8 points behind final playoff spot at Olympic break, lost eight of past 10
- Columbus Blue Jackets — ample cap space, minimal playoff contention
These rankings look at where teams stand in the standings, their playoff chances, goal differential, recent performance, and whether they’ve got veterans they can actually move. Sellers usually check three boxes: they’re at least four points out with fewer than 30 games left, they’re carrying expiring contracts or overpaid vets, and they’ve either admitted they’re in evaluation mode or already made moves that signal a reset. The further below the playoff line, the more urgent it gets to flip short-term pieces before they lose all value at season’s end.
Why These Teams Are Positioned as Sellers
Playoff separation has gotten wider in both conferences since the Olympic break. Eastern teams trailing by eight or more points are facing elimination odds over 80 percent based on history. Western teams more than six points back have similar math working against them.
Cap pressure makes it worse. Teams near the upper limit can’t retain salary on multiple contracts at once, which makes multi-player swaps harder to pull off and forces tough calls on which veterans to move now versus losing for nothing in July.
The numbers back it up. Teams with negative goal differentials after 40 games almost never make late runs. Clubs carrying three or more pending UFAs over 30 convert those pieces into draft picks about 70 percent of the time. This deadline’s following that script pretty closely.
It’s also a seller’s market structurally. Fewer teams started the season expecting to compete, so there haven’t been many surprise collapses. That means buyer demand will squeeze into a smaller group of available assets. Scarcity drives up the asking price for proven depth forwards, shutdown defensemen, and backup goalies, all of which this seller group has plenty of. Teams that move early, before Friday’s 3:00 p.m. cutoff, usually get better returns because buyers still have roster flexibility and haven’t locked up their cap space yet.
Team‑Specific Breakdowns: Top Seller Candidates
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver’s got the shortest odds to finish dead last and already moved Quinn Hughes last month. Full teardown mode. The Canucks are chasing a top lottery pick instead of some impossible wild-card push, and management’s been clear they’re building for 2025–26, not trying to salvage this mess.
They’ll probably move 30-year-old Kiefer Sherwood, 23-year-old Lukas Reichel, and maybe 34-year-old Evander Kane, though bigger names like Elias Pettersson or Brock Boeser could go if the right offer shows up. Kane’s got a hefty cap hit but brings playoff experience, so a contender might bite if Vancouver retains some salary. Sherwood and Reichel are easier flips for mid-round picks.
Vancouver can retain on one contract, giving them room to make a Kane trade work by eating half his remaining cap. With no playoff window anywhere in sight and a clear reason to tank, they’ll be the busiest seller before the deadline.
Nashville Predators
Nashville’s at 42 points with a −18 goal differential. Fifth in the Central. Bottom five league-wide by most advanced metrics. They went 7–3–0 in their last 10, but they’re still eight points out with time running out, and management’s shifted into retool mode for next year.
Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly are the hottest names on their roster. Both are vets on expiring or final-year deals who can slot into top-nine roles for playoff teams. They’ll probably keep 35-year-old Steven Stamkos even though his name keeps popping up on trade boards. His 18 goals in 41 games are the kind of production they want to rebuild around.
Cap’s not an issue. Nashville sits well below the upper limit and can retain if they need to sweeten a package. Most likely they move Marchessault and O’Reilly for a mix of second-rounders and mid-tier prospects, keep the Stamkos-led core, and stack picks for the next window.
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg went from President’s Trophy contender last season to the basement of the West with 34 points. Fifth-fewest goals in the conference. Connor Hellebuyck’s gone from Vezina-level to league-average, sitting outside the top 10 in both goals saved above average and goalie point shares.
Most likely trade pieces are 32-year-old Alex Iafallo and 36-year-old Luke Schenn. Both are depth vets who bring playoff experience without demanding big returns. Iafallo’s a penalty-killing bottom-sixer. Schenn’s still a physical shutdown option for teams wanting blue-line toughness. Neither’s part of the long-term core, and both have manageable cap hits that don’t need retention.
Winnipeg’s front office is deciding between a quick retool or a full teardown. With playoff odds at +400, selling depth now makes sense to avoid losing them for nothing while picking up picks for a summer rebuild. Expect them to be quiet but deliberate, targeting second-rounders and B-level prospects for veteran depth.
New York Rangers
Rangers are 20–18–6 with +200 playoff odds. Second-to-last in the Metro despite switching to Mike Sullivan mid-season. That change hasn’t solved their roster problems, and their heavy reliance on Igor Shesterkin, who’s leading the league with 7.6 goalie point shares, shows the rest of the roster’s underperforming and maybe expendable.
Big name to watch is 22-year-old Brennan Othman, ranked #31 on a major trade board. Young asset the Rangers could flip for immediate help or future picks. His age and entry-level deal make him attractive to rebuilders, while his limited NHL time keeps the price reasonable.
New York’s cap is tight. They’re near the upper limit and can’t retain on multiple deals. That’ll force them to either move guys with tiny cap hits or bundle retention with a prospect to make bigger trades work. Realistic outcome is a smaller sell-off, moving fringe pieces and prospects while keeping the Shesterkin-led core for another run next season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto’s tied with Ottawa for second-fewest points in the East. They’ve gone 5–3–2 in their last 10 but still face +240 playoff odds. Losing Mitch Marner to injury basically doomed the season, taking away their most dynamic scorer and exposing depth issues that star power was covering up.
They won’t blow it up, but they’ll move depth to get something back before the deadline. Biggest name is 29-year-old Brandon Carlo, who they grabbed earlier this season for prospect Fraser Minten. That trade’s been questioned internally, and flipping Carlo now lets them salvage something from a deal that didn’t work out.
Cap’s moderately tight, and their ability to retain is limited by existing retained contracts from old deals. Expect small, targeted moves aimed at clearing roster spots and grabbing mid-rounders, not wholesale changes. The Leafs are still built around Auston Matthews and William Nylander, so any selling happens on the edges.
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa’s 20–16–5 but last in the Atlantic and second-to-last in the East. Some sportsbooks have them at −110 to make playoffs, which feels way too optimistic. Management’s probably weighing whether a realistic playoff push justifies holding onto expiring contracts.
Smart move for Ottawa is smaller seller activity, stacking future assets instead of risking a first-round exit that doesn’t help the franchise timeline. Pending UFAs and depth vets are the logical chips. The young core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, and Jake Sanderson stays put.
Ottawa’s got cap flexibility to retain if needed, and the front office has shown they’ll take calculated bets on futures over short-term playoff hopes. Most likely they move one or two depth guys for second-rounders, keeping options open for summer while avoiding the risk of losing assets for nothing if the push falls short.
Notable Trade Assets These Seller Teams Could Move
Buyers usually hunt three types of deadline pieces: pending UFAs who can help right away without long-term baggage, cost-controlled depth guys who fill third-line or bottom-pairing roles, and high-upside prospects or young players who haven’t locked down full-time NHL spots. The sellers above have plenty across all three categories, making this a good deadline for buyers to add quality without giving up premium futures.
- Jonathan Marchessault (Nashville, pending UFA) — veteran forward with playoff experience, top-nine scoring ability
- Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville, pending UFA) — two-way center, faceoff specialist, playoff-tested
- Jeff Petry (Florida, pending UFA) — right-shot defenseman, power-play contributor
- Kiefer Sherwood (Vancouver, depth forward) — penalty-killing specialist, cost-controlled contract
- Alex Iafallo (Winnipeg, 32 years old) — bottom-six forward, penalty-killing depth
- Luke Schenn (Winnipeg, 36 years old) — physical shutdown defenseman, playoff veteran
- Brennan Othman (New York Rangers, 22 years old) — young winger on entry-level deal, upside play
- Brandon Carlo (Toronto, 29 years old) — defenseman acquired mid-season, available after underwhelming fit
Contract type matters a lot for trade value. Pending UFAs like Marchessault, O’Reilly, and Petry get lower returns because teams know it’s a two-month rental, but they attract the most interest since there’s no long-term risk. Cost-controlled guys like Sherwood and Othman fetch higher prices because they offer team control past this season, making them useful for contenders and rebuilders. Players on longer deals like Carlo need retention or contract swaps to move, which limits the buyer pool.
Possible Surprise Sellers
Surprise sellers pop up when teams expected to compete hit extended losing streaks, lose key guys to injury, or watch their goaltending collapse and fall out of playoff position faster than anyone saw coming. These teams usually start the season with playoff odds above 50 percent but drop below the cut by mid-February, forcing management to decide whether to double down or cut losses.
- Florida Panthers — Lost eight of their past 10, sitting 8 points out; carrying pending UFAs like Jeff Petry and Tomas Nosek
- Columbus Blue Jackets — Plenty of cap space but no realistic playoff shot; could move vets to younger rebuilding teams on similar timelines
- Detroit Red Wings — Recent slide pushed them toward the wild-card bubble; might pivot to selling if the next week doesn’t turn around
- Carolina Hurricanes — Unlikely but not impossible if goaltending stays broken; holding veteran depth that could flip for futures
Teams that refuse to sell when they’re outside the playoffs risk losing pending free agents for nothing in July. They forfeit the picks or prospects they could’ve gotten. And they hurt their credibility with players who see management clinging to false hope. The worst scenario is finishing ninth or tenth, missing playoffs by a few points, and having zero assets to show for the failed season. Surprise sellers who move decisively at least walk away with futures to reinvest, even if giving up mid-season stings.
Potential Market Impact and Deadline Outlook
Rental prices should stay high this cycle because buyer urgency’s outpacing seller supply. Colorado, Edmonton, and Dallas are hunting for final pieces to lock in Stanley Cup runs, and competition for the best depth forwards and shutdown defensemen will push up asking prices. A proven penalty-killing center on an expiring deal could go for a second-rounder plus a B-level prospect. A right-shot defenseman with playoff experience might fetch a first if multiple contenders start bidding against each other.
Positional demand favors defensemen and goalies over forwards this year. Several contenders already have deep forward groups but need blue-line help or backup goalie insurance. That creates scarcity and inflates value. Vets like Jeff Petry and Luke Schenn could see bidding wars just because there aren’t many quality defensemen available. Goalies with starter experience remain nearly impossible to grab mid-season.
Buyers should get more aggressive in the final 48 hours before Friday’s 3:00 p.m. cutoff. Historically about 60 percent of deadline deals happen in the last two days as teams finalize playoff rosters and make last-minute cap moves. The seller group, especially Vancouver, Nashville, and Winnipeg, will probably see most of their action crammed into that window, creating a flurry of moves that reshape both the playoff race and next season’s draft boards.
Final Words
In the thick of the deadline scramble, we ranked the teams most likely to sell, explained why they’re sellers, and gave team-by-team profiles, tradeable assets, surprise candidates, and a market outlook.
We used standings, playoff odds, cap flexibility, and contract timelines to sort teams and highlight the players buyers want. That gives a clear short list and quick reads for each club.
If you’re wondering which nhl teams are most likely sellers this trade deadline, watch the low-odds, cap-strapped clubs. Expect fast deals and smart value moves for buyers.
FAQ
Q: What teams are buyers at the NHL deadline?
A: The teams that are buyers at the NHL deadline are typically playoff contenders with cap space and clear needs (scoring, defense, goalie), chasing rentals and deadline additions to strengthen a postseason push.
Q: Who won the Quinn Hughes trade?
A: As of now, Quinn Hughes has not been traded, so no team “won” a trade; Hughes remains with the Vancouver Canucks and any winner question is moot until a deal happens.
Q: What did the Bruins get for Brad Marchand’s trade?
A: As of now, Brad Marchand hasn’t been traded, so the Bruins received nothing in return; any trade claims should be checked against official team announcements.
Q: What college sends the most players to the NHL?
A: The University of Michigan is frequently the top college producing NHL players, though programs like Minnesota, North Dakota, and Boston University also consistently send many players to the league.