2024 NHL Trade Deadline: 10 prospects who could be on the move

Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

With less than two months until the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline March 8, we’re delivering at least one deadline-focused story every day at Daily Faceoff.

Today, we’re taking a close look at 10 prospects who might be on the move this year.

2024 NHL Trade Deadline Countdown: 34 days

There are few better sweeteners in any major NHL trade than ones involving high-end prospects.

The formula is simple: trade a future asset, get your win-now piece. Nothing is guaranteed in sports, especially in a game that can be as random as hockey. Many GMs aren’t too worried about what the club’s going to look like in five years given turnover rates, so you might as capitalize when you can.

But you’re treading in dangerous territory when sacrificing long-term success for short-term gain. Good teams decimate their prospect pools all the time – just ask Tampa Bay, Colorado, Vegas and Pittsburgh. It’s paid off for all of them, but the comedown can really, really hurt.

That’s not the case for every team listed below – some midpack clubs could be just looking to cash out – but here’s a look at 10 prospects that could be involved in trades come March 8:

Philip Broberg, D, 22 (Edmonton Oilers)

Drafted eighth overall in 2019, the pick was puzzling at the time, and it hasn’t aged all too well – especially with Trevor Zegras going ninth. He’s a talented two-way defenseman with a big 6-foot-3 frame and an excellent AHLer with Bakersfield. But he hasn’t figured how to stay relevant in the NHL, bouncing between the two leagues over the past three seasons. Defensively, Broberg’s game has seen some improvement over time, but I’m not sure it’s enough to get too excited about.

The Oilers are the hottest team in the NHL right now. I don’t see a situation where Broberg becomes a long-term solution on the blueline. He could be a trade chip, allowing Broberg to get a fresh start somewhere else. There’s potential for him to become an everyday NHLer sooner rather than later, but it might not be in Alberta.

Edmonton needs to go all-out to get Connor McDavid a Stanley Cup. Leave no stone unturned here.

Alex Turcotte, C, 22 (Los Angeles Kings)

It’s easy to feel bad for Turcotte, who was taken fifth overall by the Kings in 2019. The skill was evident from a young age, but injuries plagued the first few years of his pro career. He only has two NHL points to his credit, but he’s having his best AHL season to date with 23 points in 28 games.

A high-end playmaker in the minors, Turcotte doesn’t seem to have a path to making the Kings full-time this year. Like Broberg, if he’s going to make it work, it will be elsewhere. The Kings are still a playoff spot, holding the top Wildcard spot with 54 points – but in a three-way tie with St. Louis and Nashville. They’re 2-5-3 over the past 10 games and 6-9-6 since Dec. 15, placing them 27th in the league in that span. A Cup isn’t in the cards, but they’re still likely to make a move at the deadline. Giving Turcotte a chance to thrive elsewhere seems like an easy decision if it means finding immediate help.

Ville Heinola, D, 22 (Winnipeg Jets)

Heinola took a huge blow during the preseason, missing 40 games with a left ankle fracture. He’s back with the Manitoba Moose for a fifth year now, and he’s playing well for someone who missed so much time. Few AHL defenders have been as effective as Heinola over the past few years, but he hasn’t managed to snag a full-time gig with the Jets.

After all this time and false starts, will the Jets finally move Heinola to bring in some help at the deadline? He’s a young, skilled two-way defender that could find work elsewhere, but is stuck in Winnipeg’s defensive logjam. With the club playing as well as they have been, could Heinola be used to bring in some extra depth at the deadline? He’s still the team’s top defensive prospect, but time’s ticking here.

Yaroslav Askarov, G, 22 (Nashville Predators)

Barry, buddy. Don’t do it. Don’t be tempted. Unless you’re getting an absolute diamond here, do not trade Askarov – a goaltender with serious future Vezina Trophy potential. If anything, trade Juuse Saros, who has significant value after establishing himself as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL over the past half-decade – there’s no shortage of teams that could benefit from Saros in the short-term.

Still, Askarov holds some value on the trade front, if the team was to explore the option.

Keeping Askarov in the AHL for another year while working with long-time AHL star Troy Grosenick was always the right call. But the 2024 AHL All-Star is one of the best in the league this year, which included a stretch of three shutouts in a four-game span. His last loss came over a month and a half ago.

Cash out on Saros and go all-in on Askarov next year. Seriously.

Johnny Beecher, C, 22 (Boston Bruins)

If the Bruins will empty the pipeline to address depth needs at the deadline, Beecher could be tantalizing. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound forward had five goals and seven points with the Bruins before being sent back to Providence in mid-January. It was inevitable, given he only surpassed the 10-minute mark once over his final nine games. But this year was about adjusting to the fast pace of the NHL, and he brought value as a bottom-six big-bodied center.

But guys like that can be valuable as an extra chip-in piece to bring in immediate depth, especially down the middle. Beecher is a solid prospect but one the team could easily move past. You want guys like him in the lineup because he wins faceoffs, hits guys and plays with confidence, but that might come useful in trade talks – especially if they can hold on to Matt Poitras, Mason Lohrei and Fabian Lysell.

Oskar Olausson, LW, 21 (Colorado Avalanche)

Like Boston, Colorado’s prospect pipeline is… bare. Olausson is one of the bright spots, showing promise as a potential bottom-six scorer with a 6-foot-2 frame. He’s an excellent skater who handles the puck well and likes to get physical, and his offensive confidence is starting to show a bit more, too. In the right role in the right situation, Olausson could be a valuable piece.

But it doesn’t have to be in Colorado. And the Avs will want to do whatever it takes to keep their Cup contention window alive. They don’t have many assets to spare, but Olausson could be an enticing piece in a package to bring in some extra depth.

Matyas Sapovaliv, C, 19 (Vegas Golden Knights)

The Golden Knights have made it clear they’re not too concerned about the future and are willing to move picks at any cost. That’s why Sapovaliv would be an interesting chip to dangle, given his big 6-foot-4 frame and his love for generating chances around the net. He’s difficult to push around in front of the crease, but he has the skill to show he’s more than just a big man doing things.

Big centers that score and move are difficult to come by, and he could become one of the more notable names moved this year. Vegas could look to capitalize on that if they can make the cap space work – likely through LTIR – but he could be one of the key pieces in making a trade work. There’s a bright future here for Sapovaliv, whether it be in Vegas or elsewhere – it just depends on what room GM Kelly McCrimmon has to work with.

Jonatan Berggren, RW, 23 (Detroit Red Wings)

After playing 67 games with the Wings last year, it’s looking like Berggren’s time in Michigan could be coming to an end. He has spent most of the season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, producing at more than a 70-point pace for the first time in his career.

Berggren’s name has been floated in trade rumors for most of the season, especially since there doesn’t seem to be a proper fit for him in Detroit. But what are the Red Wings? Will they just squeak into the postseason and be the first team out? Are they going to fall flat down the stretch run? Is moving one of the best young players in the system worth it if they can get an impact player right now? GM Steve Yzerman has a few interesting weeks ahead of him.

Seamus Casey, D (New Jersey Devils)

In Matt Larkin’s recent piece looking at Juuse Saros’ potential destinations, he mentioned Casey as a potential return. It makes sense: the Devils have some good young defense, and Casey would be perfect for the Preds long term. And they’re not alone: a lot of teams would be interested in a hard-hitting, creative, dynamic two-way threat like Casey. The 20-year-old defenseman is undersized at 5-foot-9, but he has a penchant for putting opponents through the boards.

The Devils don’t lack in the offensive defenseman department. Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec are two of the best young blueliners in the game today. Beyond that, though, they lack quality defensive depth. They moved Shakir Mukhamadullin in the Timo Meier trade last year, which could be what keeps the Devils from moving Casey. But it might be worth moving Casey to shore up goaltending if they’re looking to make an immediate push.

Scott Morrow, D (Carolina Hurricanes)

Morrow is running out of things to prove at UMass. He’s been one of the NCAA’s top offensive defensemen, he has a Hockey East title to his credit, has been on the HE all-star team twice and has started to look like a good bargain pick at No. 40.

You can never have enough quality right-handed defensemen, but with the Hurricanes boasting a bit of a logjam at the point, Morrow could be a valuable trade piece. He’d be enticing for a team with a solid goaltender up for grabs, or even another game-changing forward. The Canes have the pieces for a run, but they need help. Shipping out Morrow can make that happen.

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