Aube-Kubel has 80 points (32G / 48A) in 301 career NHL games but has spent a sizeable portion of the 2024-25 season in the AHL. The 28-year-old forward has eight points (4G / 4A) in 12 games with the Rochester Americans this season.
Erik Brannstrom has been acquired by the Buffalo Sabres, joining his third new club in the last two seasons. The 25-year-old Brannstrom was a 15th overall pick of the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft but has not live up to expectations. He has spent most of the 2024-25 season n the AHL, scoring 16 points (3G / 13A) in 14 games.
Gregor has become a solid bottom-six forward over the previous four seasons and will add some depth to the Sharks' lineup. The 26-year-old Gregor scored six points (4G / 2A) in 40 games with the Senators this season.
Ostapchuk was a second-round pick, 39th overall, of the Senators in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old has played a career-high 43 games with Ottawa this season, scoring four points (1G / 3A) in 43 games.
Robins was a second-round pick, 56th overall, in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old has spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, scoring 18 points (7G / 11A) in 41 games with the San Jose Barracuda.
The acquisition of Zetterlund caps a busy trade deadline for the Senators. Zetterlund has been an effective secondary scorer for the Sharks the previous two seasons, including scoring 36 points (17G / 19A) in 64 games this season.
Soderstrom was the 11th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has 11 points (1G / 10A) in 53 career NHL games. He is a restricted free agent, currently playing for Brynas IF Gavle (SweHL), where he has 36 points (9G / 27A) in 47 games this season.
Raty was a fifth-round pick, 151st overall, of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old has spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, tallying 19 points (4G / 15A) in 50 games with the Tucson Roadrunners.
Kunin was held out of San Jose's lineup on Thursday in anticipation of a trade and has ultimately been dealt to the Blue Jackets on Friday. Kunin is an impending UFA and has 18 points (11G / 7A) in 63 games this season.
Zellers was a third-round pick, 76th overall, of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old forward is currently played for the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) and has 58 points (37G / 21A) in 40 games this season.
Colorado acquired Mittelstadt in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres last season but has not lived up to expectations and has been dealt to the Boston Bruins. The 26-year-old Mittelstadt scored 34 points (11G / 23A) in 63 games this season. He only had five points (2G / 3A) in his last 16 games.
Coyle will likely be Colorado's third-line center, a role more suited for the 33-year-old forward than he was deployed this season as a Boston Bruin. The 13-year veteran forward averaged 17:38 time-on-ice and scored 22 points (15G / 7A) in 64 games with Boston this season.
Veleno was a first-round pick, 30th overall, of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 25-year-old averaged 11:57 time-on-ice this season, scoring 10 points (5G / 5A) in 56 games.
Smith has been traded to the Red Wings, joining his fifth club in the past three seasons. The 35-year-old veteran forward had 16 points (9G / 7A) and averaged 11:39 time-on-ice in 40 games with the Blackhawks this season.
Mrazek began his career in Detroit and will return to the Red Wings after being acquired in a trade on Friday. The 33-year-old Mrazek has a 3.46 GAA and .890 SV% in 33 appearances this season (10-19-2). He has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4.25 million.
Stankoven is the main piece returning to Carolina in a trade sending Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars after a brief 13-game stint with the Hurricanes. The 22-year-old Stankoven was the 47th overall pick of the Stars in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Stankoven will likely get better deployment than he did in Dallas, where he was often seeing third-line minutes. He scored 29 points (9G / 20A) and averaged 15:06 time-on-ice in 59 games with Dallas this season.
After a short 13-game stint in Carolina, scoring only six points (2G / 4A), the Hurricanes have flipped Rantanen to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Logan Stankoven and several high-end draft picks. The 28-year-old superstar forward is coming off consecutive 100+ point seasons in Colorado and instantly makes the Dallas Stars a Stanley Cup favorites. Rantanen is poised to suit up on the Stars' top line with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz.
Grebenkin was a fifth-round pick, 135th overall, of the Maple Leafs in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old forward made his NHL debut this season, scoring zero points in seven games, but has been much more productive at the AHL level, scoring 21 points (9G / 12A) in 39 games with the Toronto Marlies.
The Flyers have retained 50% of Laughton's contract in a trade sending him to the Maple Leafs. Laughton adds some depth down the middle of the ice for the Maple Leafs, providing some grit and timely offensive contributions. The 30 year-old Laughton registered 27 points (11G / 16A), 33 blocks, and 129 hits in 60 games with the Flyers this season.
Seattle kept Tanev out of the lineup on Thursday, anticipating a trade of the impending UFA, and have dealt him to Winnipeg on Friday. The 33-year-old Tanev has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 60 games this season.
NHL trades are decided between two or more team general managers. The front office’s job is building a winning team. Building a winning team means discussing trades with other general managers across the league.
During the NHL regular season, players can be traded up until the trade deadline. The deadline is the official cutoff point for when teams can no longer make moves between each other. Players can also be traded throughout the offseason.
Teams trade players in hockey for a variety of reasons, but generally, it is done to find success, whether that is in the short term or long term. Teams may trade their top players in search of draft picks if they are undergoing a rebuild, whereas contending teams may look to acquire talent to boost their playoff chances.
Trades are a common occurrence throughout the NHL and happen often. Some years feature less trades than others, it all depends on each teams needs and the availability of attractive talent.
