5 NHL Trade Chips: The Best Bang for the Buck?

Watching the NHL trade market unfold, the key to a good trade is finding the best player to fit your team’s needs. One great player might be wrong for one team, but perfect for another.

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A case in point is Quinn Hughes. Who wouldn’t want him? A Norris Trophy winner two seasons ago? The answer is that he fits the way the New Jersey Devils play far better than he fits the way the Toronto Maple Leafs play. If the Devils got him, he would push the team further along the path that they want to play. Yet for the Maple Leafs, he’s the exact opposite of coach Craig Berube‘s style of play. With the Maple Leafs, he creates chaos with his constant waterbugging around seeking a perfect breakout.

To make a trade work well, the buyer has to think about what each move really means—not just on paper but on the ice, in the locker room, in the heart of a team.

Looking at Five Players Who Are Likely on the Trade List

In this post, I’ll look at five players who many believe are up for the taking. These include Quinn Hughes, Steven Stamkos, Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, and Kiefer Sherwood. Each player brings a variety of things to a new team, and some more than others.

Trades are messy, emotional things. Some lift a locker room; some won’t. Chemistry is unpredictable. How might each fit? What might they bring?

Here’s a quick look at five intriguing trade chips, what they bring, and how they stack up against each other.

The Player Profiles & Rankings

Player	Leadership	Heart	Compete Level	Scoring Ability	Cap/Contract	Talented winger, needs the right system, injury concerns
Quinn Hughes	5/5	5/5	5/5	5/5	$7.9M	Superstar on defence, franchise cornerstone, game-changing presence
Alex Tuch	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	$4.8M	Top-six winger, versatile, bargain-level cap hit
Steven Stamkos	5/5	4/5	3/5	4/5	$8M*	Veteran leader, finishing still strong, playoff injection
Jordan Kyrou	3/5	3/5	4/5	4/5	$8.1M	Talented winger, needs right system, injury concerns
Kiefer Sherwood	4/5	5/5	5/5	3/5	$1.5M	Physical, energetic, plug-and-play, perfect playoff role

*Assumes 50% salary retained by the Nashville Predators

Ranking Each Player by His Overall Trade Impact

I’ve been thinking a lot about the trade market lately, and there’s a clear pecking order when it comes to the kind of players who can really tilt a team’s fortunes.

Quinn Hughes makes a difference every time he steps onto the ice. It’s not the points he stacks up; the guy is an assist machine. It’s how he controls the play speeds things up and elevates everyone nearby. You watch a shift, and it’s clear that he alters the matchup simply by skating. Any team would be lucky to land him. Instantly, they’d be competing on a new level. It’s that simple.

Then there’s Alex Tuch. I like this guy because he can slide into almost any situation and deliver. He doesn’t demand you rearrange your whole lineup to fit him in. He’s versatile, doesn’t break the bank, and the moment he steps on the ice, he makes a difference. Quick fix, immediate impact—that’s the kind of guy a team can plug in at the deadline and feel like they actually got something done.

Steven Stamkos is an interesting one. Don’t get me wrong—he’s not the same player who dominated with Tampa Bay in the 2010s. Stamkos… man, you know the deal. He’s not a spring chicken anymore, but he’s been through the wars, seen it all, and people around him notice. In the locker room, on the bench, even out on the ice—he… sets a tone. Yeah, it’s a short-term lift, but sometimes short-term is what a team needs to push over the edge. Remember Brad Marchand last year, landing in Florida? Not every veteran looks like he’s past his prime when he hits the right locker room.

Jordan Kyrou is a wild card. He has talent and the potential to score and create. Still, injuries, inconsistency, and a few healthy scratches in St. Louis make him iffy. If he clicks in the right system, he can be brilliant. If not…well, you hope you didn’t give up too much for him.

And Kiefer Sherwood. He won’t blow the roof off the building every night, and he isn’t a flashy pick. But grit, heart, playoff instincts? This guy has it in spades. Depth piece, reliable in any role you throw at him, and he rarely lets the team down. He might cost a bit more than you like to give up in prospects, but the cap hit is modest, and the kind of steady, scrappy presence he brings is gold come April. In the end, trades are weird beasts.

Some of these players would fit wherever they go. Others are riskier. But some could be under-the-radar gems. But if I’m ranking this bunch? Hughes is the crown jewel, Tuch and Stamkos are immediate helpers, Kyrou’s the gamble, and Sherwood? He’s the heartbeat you want behind the scenes.

Why Each Player Would Matter to a Team

Hughes will only move if you pay a king’s ransom. He tilts the ice, drives play, and makes his teammates better. Every shift he plays feels meaningful.

Tuch is a top-six winger with defensive instincts and finishing ability. He’s salary-cap-friendly and ready to plug in. He’d be a smart buy for teams in a playoff window.

Stamkos’ veteran leadership still delivers in the clutch. Leadership is his main selling point; you know what you’re getting in the room and on the ice.

Kyrou has obvious speed, scoring, and skill. But injuries, coach friction, and ice-time cuts add risk. Still, a new environment could rejuvenate him.

Sherwood brings heart, grit, and effort. He’s not flashy on the scoresheet, but he changes momentum and brings that edge a contending team needs.

Final Thoughts About Each Player on the Trade List

Trades are strange little beasts. They’re part math, part psychology, part gut instinct. Hughes is the clear crown jewel, Tuch is a sneaky smart bet, Stamkos and Kyrou bring upside and risk in different ways, and Sherwood is that plug-and-play heartbeat you need on a deep run.

Watching these rumours unfold is part of the fun—imagining where they’ll land, how they’ll tilt a team’s fortunes, and what each GM will gamble for. These five players are a master class in different kinds of value: superstar talent, leadership, scoring, and heart. And as always, the thrill is in the uncertainty—the whispers, the calls, and the “he’s on the block” moments that keep us watching.

Related: How a “What If” Maple Leafs Trade Made Nazem Kadri Grow Up