Islanders enter Draft Day with No. 1 pick and No. 1 Trade Target in Noah Dobson

We made it. Welcome to NHL Draft Day, with Round 1 festivities set to tip off just after 7 o’clock ET on Friday night. While the top prospects are nestled inside Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the brass of the NHL’s 32 clubs will be hunkered down in the war rooms in their home markets, ready to pounce on a potentially chaotic draft board. There may well be fireworks leading up to Round 1, with multiple first-round picks available.

Here are a fresh 40 names in play on our Trade Targets board, with seven defensemen filling out the Top 10:

Trade Targets 🎯

1. Noah Dobson
Right Defense, New York Islanders
Age: 25
Stats: 71 GP, 10 G, 29 A, 39 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA
Scoop: Is it going to be extension or trade for Dobson? Critical decision for first-time GM Mathieu Darche, who has engaged with multiple suitors on Dobson in recent days, including St. Louis and Montréal, among others. The conundrum for those teams is the acquisition cost coupled with the new contract for Dobson. His initial ask with the Islanders was $11 million per year, and that was apparently even conveyed to Buffalo as the Sabres expressed interest. That makes both ends of this equation tough for Darche, who has a massive Draft Day ahead.

2. Bowen Byram
Left Defense, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 24
Stats: 82 GP, 7 G, 31 A, 38 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA
Scoop: Sabres GM Kevyn Adams was crushed for what Buffalo fans felt like was an underwhelming return for previous No. 1 on our board: JJ Peterka. But before anyone passes judgment, let’s see what the Sabres look like by July 4. Adams got his right-shot defenseman in Michael Kesselring. Byram has been available for months and contract talks haven’t been productive recently. If he were to move Byram for an impact forward, would that make up for losing Peterka? Let’s see what happens.

3. Rasmus Andersson
Right Defense, Calgary Flames
Age: 28
Stats: 81 GP, 11 G, 20 A, 31 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4.55 million AAV
Scoop: The Flames and Andersson’s camp traded initial numbers last week on a contract extension and it’s fair to say that they did not see eye-to-eye. That was also not unexpected. As a result, Andersson is squarely in play. There has been significant interest. GM Craig Conroy is sensitive to having his a player’s trade talk dominate headlines into a new season, he’s lived that before, so the preference would be to move him now. Andersson presents great trade value, even after a relatively down year, for a right-shooting defenseman with an edge, double-digit goal scoring ability and a very reasonable cap hit. But the Flames aren’t in a rush. He’d be arguably the premier chip available at next season’s deadline. Look out for the Dallas Stars, who are a near perfect fit.

4. K’Andre Miller
Left Defense, New York Rangers
Age: 25
Stats: 74 GP, 7 G, 20 A, 27 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA
Scoop: One of the biggest lingering questions for GM Chris Drury is the makeup and foundation of the Blueshirts’ blueline. It’s no secret the Rangers have not defended well enough in front of Igor Shesterkin, and that spans multiple head coaches now. It’s on the personnel. Miller is just 25 and skates so effortlessly and efficiently, he should be part of the solution. But he’s also due a sizable raise and a contract that will have to buy UFA years. That’s expensive. There have been 12-15 teams in the mix on Miller in recent weeks.

5. Marco Rossi
Center, Minnesota Wild
Age: 23
Stats: 82 GP, 24 G, 36 A, 60 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA
Scoop: Well, it’s been a bit of a grind for GM Bill Guerin trying to make something happen with Rossi, and he’s faced with the reality that he may have to put it all back together again and sign him to a bridge deal. That might still be a pretty expensive bridge. Teams are interested in Rossi’s skill and production but wary of his size, same reason why the Wild see him as more of a 3C than a top six center. He’s had offers for futures (Vancouver) and made a few pitches to move Rossi elsewhere, to little avail so far.

6. Erik Karlsson
Right Defense, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 34
Stats: 82 GP, 11 G, 42 A, 53 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $10 million AAV
Scoop: League sources are expecting Karlsson’s name to percolate as GM Kyle Dubas spools up a retool or rebuild to get Pittsburgh back on track. Karlsson has played two seasons in the Steel City and this one was better than the first. That $10 million cap hit will be difficult to navigate. But is there someone willing to give their blueline a shot in the arm with a capable quarterback? Karlsson turned back the clock at the 4 Nations Face-Off. How much would the Penguins be willing to retain to make a deal work?

7. Jordan Spence
Right Defense, Los Angeles Kings
Age: 24
Stats: 79 GP, 4 G, 24 A, 28 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $1.5 million AAV
Scoop: Spence appears to be the odd-man out as incoming GM Ken Holland shapes the right-side of the Kings‘ defense. It’s Drew Doughty, Brandt Clarke and then the Kings would like to fill that third spot with a veteran presence as opposed to playing 22 (Clarke) and 24-year-olds in those spots. And it won’t be Clarke, the No. 8 overall pick in 2021. So do the math. Spence has posted 52 points over the past two seasons and could thrive with more opportunity.

8. John Gibson
Goaltender, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 31
Stats: 29 GP, 2.77 GAA, .912 SV%
Contract: 2 years remaining, $6.4 million AAV
Scoop: Is this the year? Feels that way. This is the fourth offseason Gibson has been readily available on the trade block, but everything seems to be lining up for both Gibson and the Ducks this time. There are only two years left on his deal. He is coming off a strong season, even if he ceded the starter’s job to Lukas Dostal. And the goaltending market is very thin this summer. Jake Allen is the big name free agent. Gibson should still have plenty left in the tank at age 31. Ducks are willing to retain but it’s going to add to the price.

9. Bryan Rust
Right Wing, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 33
Stats: 71 GP, 31 G, 34 A, 65 Pts
Contract: 3 years remaining, $5.125 million AAV
Scoop: There’s zero doubt that Rust has more than lived up to his end of the bargain on his deal. With the roster crumbling around him, Rust put up a career year in goals, assists and points last year. The Penguins are one of the few teams in the NHL open to shifting their roster to be better for the long haul and not today. Doesn’t it then make sense for GM Kyle Dubas to get out from under Rust now while the gettin’ is good? There’s definitely interest. Rust’s trade protection expires on June 30.

10. Jamie Oleksiak
Defense, Seattle Kraken
Age: 32
Stats: 82 GP, 4 G, 13 A, 17 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4.6 million AAV
Scoop: The Jason Botterill Era begins in Seattle and it will be fascinating to see how he remakes the Kraken. He has decisions to make, and one of the most pressing is what to do with a player like Oleksiak. He is eligible for an extension on July 1, but reaching an age that isn’t in sync with where Seattle is heading, so that would seem to suggest a trade is in order. But it doesn’t have to be this summer, he could be a trade deadline haul. The Kraken are looking to boost their top six forward group and would move Oleksiak if he could aid in that endeavor.

11. Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Center, New York Islanders
Age: 32
Stats: 79 GP, 14 G, 28 A, 42 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: It’s amazing how quickly things change in the NHL, eh? One year ago, Pageau was on our Targets board as a possible salary cap dump as Lou Lamoriello was looking to free up space. Now? He had a strong season in a down statistical year for most Islanders. Pageau’s got legitimate positive trade equity in an incredibly thin center market. They’re all drying up on the UFA front: Nelson, Duchene, Donato, Gourde, now Toews. If the Islanders are keeping Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, which seems like the plan, then they can cash in on Pageau and use that ammo to fill other holes. 

12. Viktor Arvidsson
Right Wing, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 32
Stats: 67 GP, 15 G, 12 A, 27 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4 million AAV
Scoop: Maybe this is one of those situations where it is mutually beneficial to move on. The Oilers will undoubtedly be trying to move Arvidsson, who became a spare part in the postseason – at a salary cap hit for next season that throws their books out of whack. But maybe heading into another contract year, it’s also better for Arvidsson to go to a place where he’ll get more opportunity.

13. Vladimir Tarasenko
Wing, Detroit Red Wings
Age: 33
Stats: 80 GP, 11 G, 22 A, 33 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4.75 million AAV
Scoop: There was word that Tarasenko wasn’t thrilled with his arrangement in Detroit, leaving open the possibility that he’s on the move this summer for a better fit. His production dropped to a career-low 11 goals. He had that many in a 43-game run in Florida that saw him contribute to the 2024 Stanley Cup champs. When everything clicks, there are few better natural goal scorers in the game.

14. Charlie Coyle
Center, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 33
Stats: 83 GP, 17 G, 18 A, 35 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5.25 million AAV
Scoop: Outside of Dallas, which has taken steps to remedy the situation with a Mason Marchment trade, there is arguably no team in a more precarious salary cap position than the Avalanche. They’re up against it. Down the middle, they have Nathan MacKinnon at $12.6m, now Brock Nelson locked up at $7.5m. Does that make Coyle a luxury at $5.25m playing in the 3C role? Many see it that way, which is why Coyle’s name percolated at the Scouting Combine in Buffalo. He is one of three Avs on the board as they look for flexibility.

15. Rights to Isaac Howard
Left Wing, Tampa Bay Lightning
Age: 21
Stats: 37 GP, 26 G, 26 A, 52 Pts (NCAA)
Contract: None
Scoop: The reigning Hobey Baker Award winner as top player in college hockey and the Lightning haven’t seen eye-to-eye, with both sides now acknowledging this is likely to end in a trade. Howard was drafted 31st overall in 2022. That means the clock is ticking on his rights being held exclusively by Tampa Bay, until Aug. 15, 2026. The Bolts will want to move him this summer before entering the final year of that exclusivity, when his rights potentially become less valuable as he’s months away from total free agency with the ability to sign anywhere.

16. Rickard Rakell
Right Wing, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 32
Stats: 81 GP, 35 G, 35 A, 70 Pts
Contract: 3 years remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: Rakell is no stranger to the Targets board, having spent the run up to Deadline Day on the list. GM Kyle Dubas apparently turned down some pretty significant offers to keep Rakell in the fold, which was interesting. Rakell turned in a career year, setting new highs in goals and points a full seven years after his previous high-water marks in Anaheim in 2017-18. Was that production one moment in time? Or the sign of a rejuvenated player? Because his contract could make him a real bargain add, though the acquisition cost will be high.

17. Lukas Reichel
Forward, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 23
Stats: 70 GP, 8 G, 14 A, 22 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $1.2 million AAV
Scoop: The market has heated up a bit of Reichel in recent days, with teams qualifying their interest in Reichel as a secondary item on their shopping lists. Nonetheless, he seems like a guy that could be destined to move. Speed to burn. Lot to learn. Consistency desired. There are moments when you watch Reichel play that you can’t believe he hasn’t strung it all together on a night-to-night basis in the NHL. He’s got some fantastic traits and could be an ideal contributor. And then there are moments where you aren’t sure if he was actually in the lineup or not. Some team has to be able to pull it out of him.

18. Connor Murphy
Right Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 32
Stats: 68 GP, 2 G, 17 A, 19 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4.4 million AAV
Scoop: And suddenly, the Blackhawks have too many defensemen. They might have even more if somehow Matt Schaefer falls to No. 3 in the Draft. With Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov holding down the back end for the foreseeable future, Murphy could well be on the move. He is a steady and reliable veteran presence who can play physical – and he’s on the perfect contract.

19. Mattias Samuelsson
Defense, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 25
Stats: 62 GP, 4 G, 10 A, 14 Pts
Contract: 5 years remaining, $4.29 million AAV
Scoop: Well, this is spicy. Samuelsson is two seasons into a massive $30 million wager by GM Kevyn Adams that he’d pan out to be a bona fide top-four defenseman through 2030. That is not working out so far. Samuelsson is now under 20 minutes per night and the Sabres still struggle to defend as a team. Adams blasted the notion of Samuelsson as a buyout candidate, calling it “ridiculous” and saying it was never discussed internally. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t trade Samuelsson.

20. Jonathan Marchessault
Right Wing, Nashville Predators
Age: 34
Stats: 78 GP, 21 G, 35 A, 56 Pts
Contract: 4 years remaining, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: After a disastrous, 28th place finish, the Predators need to get younger. In a hurry. They got a little bit older this week in bringing back 34-year-old Erik Haula. And they’d be smart to also shed one of their long-term commitments to older players, too. The belief is Marchessault is open to moving on after one year in the Music City. His production dipped, like everyone’s, as Nashville struggled to score. But he’s eminently capable of bouncing back with a 30-goal season with strong value to the cap.

21. Samuel Girard
Defense, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 27
Stats: 73 GP, 3 G, 21 A, 24 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: The Avalanche have had on-again, off-again conversations with Girard in trade talks going back three years now. Most teams have drawn a line at having no more than one undersized defenseman in their lineup, and for the Avs, that would mean Girard is the odd man out. The tricky part is the Avs struggled for depth on their blue line this season, particularly on their third pair, so they’ve got some work to do to fill out a more complete group with very limited cap space.

22. Matias Maccelli
Left Wing, Utah Mammoth
Age: 24
Stats: 55 GP, 8 G, 10 A, 18 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $3.425 million AAV
Scoop: In like a lion, out like a lamb? Maccelli burst onto the scene a few years ago as a 22-year-old fourth round pick who found near immediate success at every pro level. He racked up 49 points in 64 games in his first full NHL season, then improved with 17 goals and 57 points in his sophomore year. Last year, as the Yotes moved to Utah, not so much. He was on the outside looking in at a now-named Mammoth lineup, sitting for big chunks as a healthy scratch, an undersized winger who struggled to get to the middle. Now the Mammoth are considering alternatives.

23. Morgan Rielly
Left Defense, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 31
Stats: 82 GP, 7 G, 34 A, 41 Pts
Contract: 5 years remaining, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: The Leafs need a puck-moving defenseman, someone who can help get them out of trouble efficiently and exit the zone with more ease. Rielly isn’t that anymore. He’s been a fine playoff contributor, surprisingly enough, but he isn’t an effective quarterback on the first power play unit and his game showed significant signs of slowing down this season. Should the Leafs make a move before that contract becomes onerous?

24. Ilya Lyubushkin
Right Defense, Dallas Stars
Age: 31
Stats: 80 GP, 1 G, 13 A, 14 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $3.25 million AAV
Scoop: One of the blunders of GM Jim Nill’s build last summer was handing out term and dollars to Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba to band-aid the right side of their defense. They were forced to support that unit with the addition of Cody Ceci at the Deadline, but it wasn’t enough. Now, the Stars are in cap hell and they’re trying to unload both Dumba and Lyubushkin, but a buyout may be the best option for Dumba. What can they get for Lyubushkin? And who can they replace him with on the back end?

25. Brandon Carlo
Right Defense, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 28
Stats: 83 GP, 1 G, 11 A, 12 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $3.485 million AAV
Scoop: Carlo’s name has popped up in conversation in recent days, even though he was just acquired on Deadline Day from Boston in exchange for first and fourth round picks plus Fraser Minten. To be blunt: Toronto really isn’t itching to move Carlo. He is a big man who adds reliable depth at a reasonable cap hit and he’s in the prime of his career. But the Leafs may be able to parlay Carlo, at a premium position, into a higher-end forward to add to the lineup. Few things are off the table at this point for GM Brad Treliving.

26. Carson Soucy
Defense, New York Rangers
Age: 30
Stats: 75 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 13 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $3.25 million AAV
Scoop: Soucy is no stranger to the Trade Targets board, staring down the potential of becoming the first player traded off the board twice in the same season. He agreed to waive his full ‘no-trade’ on March 6 to go from Vancouver to New York, a cross-continent swing that saw him get even less ice time (16:14) than he had in the Lower Mainland (18:22). That ‘no-trade’ remains, at least until July 1, so the pride of Irma, Alberta will have some say in what happens next.

27. Jordan Kyrou
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 27
Stats: 82 GP, 36 G, 34 A, 70 Pts
Contract: 6 years remaining, $8.125 million AAV
Scoop: Kyrou was featured prominently on our Targets board on Wednesday, and that might be one moment in time as they considered a swap for JJ Peterka. But he may still be up for grabs, just days away from his full ‘no-trade’ clause kicking in on July 1. He’s been a very productive player, averaging 35 goals and 71 points over the last three seasons. So why would the Blues move him? That’s a big commitment remaining. Plus the calculus that rival teams have made is that GM Doug Armstrong will see rookie Jimmy Snuggerud as a player who can effectively soon replace Kyrou.

28. Matt Dumba
Right Defense, Dallas Stars
Age: 30
Stats: 63 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $3.75 million AAV
Scoop: With Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene re-signed, the Stars still have their work cut out for them to reshape the right side of their blue line. Dumba was an obvious buyout candidate, an option to clear out $2.3 million in cap space with the stroke of a pen, but the Stars haven’t executed on that so far. That means their preference is obviously to move him off the books entirely, likely alongside Ilya Lyubushkin, who has more trade value. Dumba was a healthy scratch for all three playoff rounds and his cap hit is not insignificant, making him difficult to move.

29. Elvis Merzlikins
Goaltender, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 31
Stats: 53 GP, 3.18 GAA, .892 SV%, 1 SO
Contract: 2 years remaining, $5.4 million AAV
Scoop: Are the Blue Jackets going to shake up their crease? They traded Daniil Tarasov on Thursday, clearing a path for Jet Greaves. What about Merzlikins? When you look at Columbus’ season, they were felled not by their offense (eighth in goals) but by their inability to keep pucks out of the net. They ranked 25th in goals against – giving up exactly as many as they scored. Part of that is on what happened in front of Merzlikins. Part of that is on Merzlikins. He holds a 10-team, no-trade list.

30. J.T. Compher
Center, Detroit Red Wings
Age: 30
Stats: 76 GP, 11 G, 21 A, 32 Pts
Contract: 3 years remaining, $5.1 million AAV
Scoop: Compher has been linked to a couple teams as GM Steve Yzerman attempts to reimagine his roster to end a lengthy playoff drought. It’s fair to say Compher hasn’t exactly worked out as planned, like many of Yzerman’s free agent signings. His production has waned pretty significantly, down 40 percent from his final season in Colorado in 2022-23. It’s now out of whack with his salary cap hit, which makes movement difficult. But the center market is really thin, and perhaps that’s Yzerman’s get-out-of-jail-free card.

31. Pavel Zacha / Morgan Geekie
Center/Left Wing, Boston Bruins
Age: 28
Stats: 81 GP, 14 G, 33 A, 47 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $4.75 million AAV
Scoop: On the whole, Zacha has done just about everything the Bruins could’ve hoped since they acquired him from New Jersey for Erik Haula. He’s nipped at 60 points twice. He’s played admirably at center when called upon. He has an appealing value relative to the cap. Geekie had a true breakout season with 33 goals, nearly doubling his previous career high. And he’ll need to be paid. Boston is in an interesting summer of transition.

32. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Center, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 24
Stats: 78 GP, 12 G, 21 A, 33 Pts
Contract: 5 years remaining, $4.82 million AAV
Scoop: Kotkaniemi remains the cautionary tale of the unmatched offer sheet, the retribution gone wrong when they plucked him out of Montréal. His game has not progressed in a couple seasons. The cap hit will always look fine – and actually get better with age. But Kotkaniemi isn’t a difference maker, and he’s nearly 500 games into his career already unbelievably enough. Teams have called Carolina about his availability but nothing has progressed to the point yet that they’ve taken any of those discussions seriously.

33. David Kampf
Center, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 30
Stats: 59 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $2.4 million AAV
Scoop: With a late-season injury, Kampf really faded into the background, with coach Craig Berube opting to keep him out of the lineup for most of the Stanley Cup playoffs as a healthy scratch. Now, Kampf has two years left at a number that isn’t problematic but probably still less than ideal for the Leafs. He is a quality utility player who competes, so they should be able to find a taker.

34. Damon Severson
Right Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 30
Stats: 70 GP, 6 G, 19 A, 25 Pts
Contract: 6 years remaining, $6.25 million AAV
Scoop: This one was a bit of a surprise, admittedly, for a guy with six years left on his deal. He also has a full ‘no-trade’ clause and can veto any deal. But Severson’s name has popped up in recent discussions. In the grand scheme with the salary cap rising, his AAV is definitely reasonable and will continue to look better and better over the next few seasons. It’s the term that might make teams wince. Nonetheless, the big question is… if Severson is in play, what are the Blue Jackets up to?

35. Thatcher Demko
Goaltender, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 29
Stats: 23 GP, 2.90 GAA, .889 SV%, 1 SO
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: The Canucks have made progress on extension talks with Demko in recent days. But if he’s not signed, he probably won’t be entering the season with the Canucks. He battled through a significantly uncomfortable knee injury and put up respectable numbers, and looked great on some nights. But the Canucks also re-signed Kevin Lankinen to a five-year extension. And Demko’s deal is up after one more. If they don’t re-sign him, he’s likely to be on the move by Tuesday.

36. Nick Leddy
Left Defense, St. Louis Blues
Age: 34
Stats: 31 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4 million AAV
Scoop: Blues GM Doug Armstrong hasn’t bought out a player during his tenure, so that means he’s likely looking to move Leddy on this summer. Leddy’s game fell off significantly last year, down almost four minutes per night in average ice time year-over-year and was limited to only 31 games. For the right team – one with oodles of cap space that can’t possibly be spent – Leddy might make sense to help nurture young defensemen around him in the final year of his deal.

37. Martin Necas
Right Wing, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 26
Stats: 79 GP, 27 G, 56 A, 83 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $6.5 million AAV
Scoop: And just like that, the Avalanche are back in the same spot now with the player they acquired for Mikko Rantanen that they were with Rantanen one year ago. Quality player. Needs new contract. Going to be expensive. What do we pay him? Here’s the thing: there’s a thought around the league that Necas might not sign for a $9 million AAV right now, hoping to potentially duplicate a season north of a point-per-game. Now what? And if Necas wouldn’t sign for $9m, wouldn’t they just have been better off keeping Rantanen at $12 or $12.5m?

38. Rights to Mitch Marner
Right Wing, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 28
Stats: 81 GP, 27 G, 75 A, 102 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA
Scoop: Neither side appears to be very willing to assist the other at this exact moment in time, a frosty relationship between team and player filled with finger pointing. But it might be mutually beneficial to come together. Marner could jump the market with a preferred destination and work a sign-and-trade that gets him an eighth year on a deal, if interested. The Leafs could help orchestrate and recoup an asset, potentially as much as a second-round pick. Neither part is a game-changer, but could be helpful.

39. Jason Robertson
Left Wing, Dallas Stars
Age: 25
Stats: 82 GP, 35 G, 45 A, 80 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $7.75 million AAV
Scoop: The Stars have some franchise-altering decisions to make this summer. Is Robertson one of the foundational pillars? Or is he a player they can live without? His season was down then up. The first half cost him a roster spot on Team USA at the 4 Nations. The second half he was one of the best players in the league, finishing with 28 goals and 57 points in 48 games. And then, on a team with limited cap space and a roster to fill out, what will that next contract cost? And are the Stars willing to meet it? Players like Robertson don’t come around often, which is why their preference appears to be to get a deal done with him.

40. Elias Pettersson
Center, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 26
Stats: 64 GP, 15 G, 30 A, 45 Pts
Contract: 7 years remaining, $11.6 million AAV
Scoop: We’re coming down to the wire on July 1, when Pettersson’s full ‘no-trade’ clause kicks in on Canada Day. The belief is more teams have followed up with the Canucks in recent days to see whether Vancouver will blink and attempt to cut bait with EP40. If they hang onto him into next week, they’ll lose some flexibility in eventually moving him if he doesn’t put his game back together. Will they roll the dice and hope his game rebounds to where it was two seasons ago?

So far, 36 players have been traded off the Trade Targets board this season:

Traded: No. 1 Mikko Rantanen; No. 1 JJ Peterka; No. 1 J.T. Miller; No. 1 David Jiricek; No. 2 Chris Kreider; No. 2 Brock Nelson; No. 2 Scott Laughton; No. 3 Brandon Tanev; No. 4 Taylor Hall; No. 5. Brad Marchand; No. 5 Seth Jones; No. 5 Marcus Pettersson; No. 5 Reilly Smith; No. 6 Carson Soucy; No. 6 Jacob Trouba; No. 7 Evander Kane; No. 7 Casey Mittelstadt; No. 8 Joel Farabee; No. 12 Luke Schenn; No. 14 Trent Frederic; No. 14 Gustav Nyquist; No. 15 Cam Fowler; No. 18 Yanni Gourde; No. 18 Alexandre Carrier; No. 19 Erik Haula; No. 20 Oliver Bjorkstrand; No. 20 Brandon Carlo; No. 22 Cody Ceci; No. 23 Ryan Lindgren; No. 24 Morgan Frost; No. 24 Brian Dumoulin; No. 27 Dylan Cozens; No. 28 Andrei Kuzmenko; No. 32 Justin Brazeau; No. 34 Petr Mrazek; No. 38 Andrei Kuzmenko.

Re-Signed: No. 4 Jake Evans; No. 5 Frank Vatrano.

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POST SPONSORED BY bet365

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