Players to watch ahead of NHL Trade Deadline include Gibson, Nelson, Provorov

The 2025 NHL Trade Deadline is 3 p.m. ET on Friday and the list of players who could be moved prior to it is extensive.

The race for a berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs is tight, particularly in the Eastern Conference where there are a number of teams still in the running. The next two weeks should give a clearer indication of the teams that will be buyers and those that are willing to sell.

The separation in the Western Conference is more defined with several teams falling back of the pack and expected to be sellers.

Here are some of the top goalies, defensemen and forwards who could be moved prior to the deadline.

Goalies

John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks

Gibson is in his 12th season in Anaheim and in the sixth of an eight-year contract with $6.4 million average annual value. The 31-year-old has a lifetime goals-against average under 3.00 and save percentage above .910 in more than 500 games and would be a good option for a team looking to upgrade its goaltending heading into the playoffs. Gibson is on a rebuilding team that hasn't clinched a playoff berth since 2017-18. He is sharing the workload this season with Lukas Dostal, who is 24 years old and the future of the franchise. The Ducks might be convinced to retain a portion of his salary if they can get assets back to help them in the future. Gibson would have to approve the trade with a modified no-trade clause in his contract.

Dan Vladar, Calgary Flames

Dustin Wolf is having a strong rookie season for the Flames and has taken over the No. 1 role, making Vladar expendable in the final season of his two-year contract with a $2.2 million AAV. He can become an unrestricted free agent. Vladar, 27, can be a reliable backup if a contending team feels it needs to upgrade in that position. Calgary is making a playoff push, so its not desperate to move Vladar, but he could be used to upgrade another position for the stretch drive.

Anton Forsberg, Ottawa Senators

Forsberg is in the last of a three-year contract with an AAV of $2.75 million and will likely not be back in Ottawa with Linus Ullmark as the undisputed starter and both Leevi Merilainen and Mads Sogaard waiting in the wings. Forsberg has been a reliable backup for the Senators, who are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. If a playoff-contending team is looking to add goaltending depth, the 32-year-old could be an option. Ottawa could also use him to try and upgrade its blue line or bottom six forwards for the stretch drive and into the playoffs.

Other possibilities: David Rittich, Los Angeles Kings, Ivan Fedotov, Philadelphia Flyers

Defensemen

Ivan Provorov, Columbus Blue Jackets

In the final season of his six-year contract with a 6.75 million AAV, Provorov would be a good option for a team looking add offense on its back end. The 28-year-old has had at least 25 points in each of his nine NHL seasons. Columbus is in the thick of the playoff chase, so it would take a good offer to pry Provorov away. Yet, considering he can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, the Blue Jackets may listen to offers.

David Savard, Montreal Canadiens

A right-shot defenseman, Savard is in the final season of a four-year contract with a $3.5 million AAV. An experienced stay-at-home defenseman, the 34-year-old would be a good addition for a playoff contender to add depth and won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. With the Canadiens falling back in the Eastern Conference playoff race, they might be open to moving Savard for an asset. Right-shot defensemen are always a high commodity as the Deadline approaches.

Radko Gudas, Anaheim Ducks

Gudas would be a good addition to any team looking to go on a long playoff run and needing defenseman depth. The Anaheim captain has one season remaining on his contract ($4 million AAV) after this one. The 34-year-old went to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final with the Florida Panthers and would add physicality to any team; he's had more 250 hits seven times and is well on his way to the mark again this season.

Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks

Ferraro is in the third of a four-year contract with a $3.25 million AAV. The 26-year-old would be an attractive defenseman for a playoff-contending team or one hoping to go on a long postseason run. Ferraro will be an unrestricted free agent following next season and San Jose may be open to moving him if the price is right. He has played close to 400 NHL games but has yet to play in a game in the playoffs.

Carson Soucy, Vancouver Canucks

With the signing of defenseman Marcus Pettersson to a six-year contract ($5.5 million AAV) starting next season, Soucy has fallen down the depth chart in Vancouver and could be expendable, even in the middle of a playoff race. Soucy has one year left on his contract after this season ($3.25 million AAV) and the 30-year-old could be considered an upgrade as a top-four defenseman for a team hoping to go on a long playoff run.

Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres

Byram has played predominately on the Sabres' top defense pair with Rasmus Dahlin and can become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. He is in the second of a two-year contract with a $3.85 million AAV and due for a significant raise, which Buffalo may not be able to afford. The Sabres have Dahlin ($11 million AAV), Owen Power ($8.35 million AAV) and Mattias Samuelsson ($4.29 million AAV) signed to long-term contracts on the back end and need help up front. Buffalo is last in the Eastern Conference and Byram, 23, would be a great fit on any team. However, it would take a lot to get him and he would command the salary of a top-pair defenseman next season.

Other possibilities: Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers; Brian Dumoulin, Anaheim Ducks; K'Andre Miller, New York Rangers; Jamie Oleksiak, Seattle Kraken; Connor Murphy, Chicago Blackhawks

Forwards

Brock Nelson, New York Islanders

Nelson might be the most appealing forward on the trade market for a team looking to upgrade its top six. The 33-year-old is in the final season of a six-year contract with a $6 million AAV, and had at least 34 goals and 59 points in each of the past three seasons prior to this one. The Islanders could be willing to move the pending unrestricted free agent for future assets depending on how far out of a playoff spot they are.

Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins are falling out of the race and may be willing to trade high-end talent for future assets as they are expected to go into a full rebuild mode. Rakell, 31, has three years at $5 million AAV after this season, so may be too expensive for some contenders at the upper end of the salary cap, but could be a good fit for a team battling for a playoff spot. A six-time 20-goal scorer, Rakell would be an excellent top six addition for a team with room for him on the roster.

Nick Bjugstad, Utah Hockey Club

Bjugstad has been a trade-deadline pickup in the past, acquired by the Edmonton Oilers from the Arizona Coyotes on March 2, 2023, to be a depth forward for a playoff run. The 32-year-old forward can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Bjugstad could again provide depth for a contending team and at $2.1 million AAV, is affordable.

Ryan Donato, Chicago Blackhawks

Donato would be an attractive option for a team looking to upgrade their top six forwards. The 28-year-old is in the last of a two-year contract with a $2 million AAV and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. He has had double-digit goals each of the past four seasons.

Ryan Strome, Anaheim Ducks

Strome could be an option for a team looking to upgrade its top two lines but would come at a price. The 31-year-old has two years left on his contract after this season at $5 million AAV. The veteran of more than 800 NHL games and 37 playoff games would be a fit in a top-six role.

Ryan O'Reilly, Nashville Predators

The Predators were hoping O'Reilly would be a big piece of a winning team when they signed him to a four-year contract with a $4.5 million AAV as an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2023. He still has two years remaining on his contract after this season and could be expendable with Nashville not within striking distance of the playoffs. A Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy winner with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, the 34-year-old would bring a winning pedigree for a team looking for an experienced center.

Brandon Tanev, Seattle Kraken

Seattle will have to make a decision on Tanev whether he will be a part of their future moving forward. The Kraken are a long shot to make the playoffs this season, and the gritty forward is in the final season of a six-year contract with a $3.5 million AAV. Tanev, 33, can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and if Seattle does not see him as part of its future plans, it might be inclined to move him.

Scott Laughton, Philadelphia Flyers

In the fourth of a five-year contract with a $3 million AAV, Laughton is an attractive option as a top-six forward for a playoff contending team. The Flyers may be willing to move the 30-year-old considering they are in a tough spot to qualify for the playoffs this season and may be looking to get younger.

Other possibilities: Brayden Schenn, St. Louis Blues; Justin Brazeau, Boston Bruins; Jordan Greenway, Buffalo Sabres; Dylan Cozens, Buffalo Sabres; Kyle Palmieri, New York Islanders; Joel Armia, Montreal Canadiens; Josh Anderson, Montreal Canadiens; Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks; Nicholas Robertson, Toronto Maple Leafs; Casey Mittelstadt, Colorado Avalanche; Trevor Zegras, Anaheim Ducks