The NHL Olympic Break is less than a week away, and that means another round of trades could be on the way before the roster freeze goes into effect at 3 PM on Feb. 4. We’ve already seen some action, with the New Jersey Devils trading Ondřej Palát to the New York Islanders for Maxim Tsyplakov, and there should be more to come.
Artemi Panarin won’t play in another game before the Olympic Break, with the New York Rangers holding him out for roster management purposes. With that, let’s fire up the trade machine for a second round of predictions.
Vincent Trocheck – Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have already made one significant move, acquiring Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks nearly two months ago. Next up for them, if they want to compete in the West with the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, is finding a center. Joel Eriksson Ek is one of the more underrated two-way centers in the NHL, but the Wild need more depth after including Marco Rossi in the Hughes deal.
We know Wild GM Bill Guerin has plenty of respect for Vincent Trocheck since he’s included him on Team USA’s 4 Nations and Olympic rosters. With the Rangers looking to sell, Trocheck could be someone they move, even though he’s under contract through the 2028-29 season.
Trocheck is not the elite 1C the Wild need to be true Cup contenders, but those are rarely available via a trade. Still, Trocheck has been quite productive in his time with the Rangers. He has 11 goals and 33 points in 40 games this season and has averaged 24 goals and 67 points per 82 games in his three-plus seasons with the Rangers. He’d be an ideal fit behind Eriksson Ek and would give the Wild a much-needed upgrade down the middle.
What could the Wild have to pay to acquire Trocheck? It’d likely take a first-round pick, another lesser draft pick, and a prospect or depth NHLer. Would the Wild be willing to move on from David Jiricek, who has had trouble establishing himself in the NHL? Either way, that should be around the price to acquire Trocheck, and Guerin probably won’t balk at paying it.
Evander Kane – Dallas Stars
The Stars likely want to add to their roster before the playoffs. After all, they’ll probably be going up against the Wild in Round 1 and will need to get through the Avalanche to win the Western Conference. However, they likely can’t add anyone with term until they figure out a resolution with Jason Robertson, who’s a restricted free agent this summer and will command a significant pay raise from his $7.75 million cap hit.
Could someone like Evander Kane, who’s in the final year of a contract that pays him $5.125 million, make sense for the Stars? He hasn’t had the most productive season, totaling nine goals and 24 points in 52 games, but who has had a productive season in Vancouver? That’s why a change of scenery to a team like the Stars could do him well.
Related: NHL’s 2026 Trade Deadline Predictor: Hamilton, Panarin & More
Kane should be relatively inexpensive to acquire, perhaps along the lines of a second- or third-round pick. The Stars have their second in each of the next two drafts, and they hold the Seattle Kraken’s third-round pick in the 2026 draft.
The Stars have just over $3.495 million in cap space, so they will need the Canucks to retain on Kane’s deal, but I can’t imagine that being an issue. If they get 50 percent retention on his cap hit for the remainder of the season, I like him as a fit. He’d give the Stars more scoring pop ahead of the playoffs, which they will need given their potential opponents.
Nazem Kadri – Carolina Hurricanes
What has prevented the Carolina Hurricanes from taking that next step forward in the Eastern Conference? They always seem to lack enough scoring punch. The East is wide open this season, and though the Tampa Bay Lightning look like the favorites, the Hurricanes aren’t far behind. Like the Wild, they could use another top-six center, and that’s where Nazem Kadri could be a fit.
Even at his age, Kadri remains a high-end scorer. He has 35 points in 52 games this season, putting him on pace to finish with 55 points, and that’s with him shooting just 6.3 percent. That’s well below his career average, so a change of scenery could do him well, too.
Kadri is under contract through the 2028-29 season at a cap hit of $7 million, so he won’t be cheap to acquire. His price would likely be similar to Trocheck’s: a first, another draft pick and a prospect or depth NHLer. Another option could be the Hurricanes trading Jesperi Kotkaniemi in a deal for Kadri, since they’re open to moving him, and the Flames still need to ice an NHL team to close the season.
One sticking point for the Hurricanes could be Kadri’s no-trade protection. He reportedly has the Hurricanes on his no-trade list, but perhaps he would change his mind to join a team that has a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup.
Jordan Kyrou – New Jersey Devils
What has plagued the New Jersey Devils most this season? They can’t score goals, specifically at five-on-five. They’ve been one of the worst finishing teams in the NHL, and it’s likely going to cost them a playoff spot. They shouldn’t be in the market for rentals, but if an opportunity to acquire someone like Jordan Kyrou comes along, they shouldn’t pass it up.
Kyrou’s counting totals are down this season. He has just 11 goals and 24 points in 43 games, but his underlying metrics are among the best in the NHL. Only Daniil But has an expected goals percentage (xG%) better than Kyrou (min. 250 minutes played). In case you’re wondering what that number is, Kyrou’s xG% is just above 62 percent.
Despite the dip in production, Kyrou has a proven track record as a goal scorer. From 2023-25, he averaged 35 goals and 71 points per 82 games. His underlying metrics suggest he can rebound to those totals, and playing alongside Jack Hughes or Nico Hischer should get the best out of him.
Kyrou is under contract through the 2030-31 season at a cap hit of $8.125 million. The Devils freed up cap space by trading Palát, even after taking on Tsyplakov, so they should have the money to fit in Kyrou. It won’t be cheap to acquire him. It’d likely cost the Devils a first-round pick, Dawson Mercer or Šimon Nemec (if not both players), but they desperately need scoring. Given his age (27), he might be the ideal fit for the Devils.
With the Olympic break nearing, there could be a flurry of action over the next few days. Teams may want to get business done before the roster freeze, especially since playoff races are so tight around the league.
Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick
