Which Trade Deadline acquisition will be the missing piece of someone’s Stanley Cup puzzle?
Less than a week remains until the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, and we continue to provide at least one deadline-focused story every day at Daily Faceoff.
Today, the DFO Roundtable predicts which players will be the biggest difference makers if acquired before March 7 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
2025 NHL Trade Deadline Countdown: 6 days
Time for our final Roundtable before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
We know who the top trade candidates are, from the big names to the potential unsung heroes.
So the question is: Who will be the piece that puts someone over the top this year, and why?
MATT LARKIN: I have a gut feeling about Seth Jones – if and only if the conditions are just right. If the Chicago Blackhawks retain some salary on a deal – though they won’t go as far as 50 percent – he becomes intriguing. His 5-on-5 defense has been bad, but it’s hard to do anything well playing on that Blackhawks team, especially when he faces quality of competition in the 90th percentile. Jones is still a great skater, he drives offense and plays on both special teams…and if he were added to a Cup contender in more of an insulated role? He could be a real difference maker. Picture him as a second-pair guy in Dallas, for instance. I can see him moving the needle.
STEVEN ELLIS: I’m leaning Jake Evans here. The Montreal Canadiens might not be a playoff team this year, but Evans makes them so much more dangerous to play against. He’s one of the best penalty killers in the league, is defensively responsible and is on pace for the best numbers of his career. He’s always been solid in the dot and doesn’t seem to be afraid of anyone, ever. Evans is a pending UFA, so he’s going to want to capitalize on that – and if he’s truly available, he’s the guy I’d want centering my fourth line and killing penalties when the games start to matter.
PAUL PIDUTTI: My choice is another Chicago Blackhawk. Ryan Donato feels like a versatile player who could be the missing link on a contender. While he’s more a hustler with finish than a game-breaking talent, he’s certainly had a breakout year in Chicago. The pros? At age 28, he’s already set career highs in goals and assists while counting only $2 million under the salary cap. The cons? He’s goalless in 19 career playoff games — albeit in depth roles — and has no practical experience playing up the lineup on a contender. That said, Donato has found a new gear in The Windy City by seizing his opportunity in a bigger role. On a team like Edmonton or Toronto that has struggled to find consistency and chemistry in its top nine this year, Donato could be a relentless Swiss Army Knife that moves around the lineup and has a major impact in the postseason.
SCOTT MAXWELL: I’m going to go with Rickard Rakell, should the Pittsburgh Penguins decide to move him. Yes, his contract is a lot to take on and has a bit too much term for someone in his 30s, but he’s had a great season and would be an exceptional addition to any top six for a contending team. He’s having one of his more productive seasons in a while with 25 goals and 49 points in 60 games, and while a majority of that has come alongside Sidney Crosby, that at the very least indicates that he can play alongside elite talent and not hold them back. But where Rakell really gets a lot of credit from me is for his defensive game. He’s currently 14th among forwards in defensive GAR with 4.2, and only Sam Reinhart of those 13 ahead of Rakell has faced a higher quality of competition. Any team that can make the money work and needs a productive two-way winger should be targeting him, especially when he probably won’t come at as high of a price as some of the other wingers on the market, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays a big role in the playoff run of the team that acquires him.
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POST SPONSORED BY bet365
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