5 Superstars Who Could Be Next to Move After Quinn Hughes Blockbuster

Everyone in the hockey world knew a Quinn Hughes trade was inevitably on the horizon, but seeing the news actually hit timelines Friday night, courtesy of Elliotte Friedman, was still shocking. Watching him suit up and score in his Minnesota Wild debut two days later was just as jarring.

A 26-year-old, top-10 player — and arguably the league’s second-best defenseman — being traded is something you rarely see in the NHL. That’s why Hughes’ situation dominated hockey discourse for months, as true blockbuster deals of this magnitude don’t come around often.

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That said, we do see some of the best players in the world traded on occasion. Mikko Rantanen was dealt twice in a matter of months last season, Matthew Tkachuk was famously swapped for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar in the summer of 2022, Jack Eichel was sent to Vegas the year prior, and Erik Karlsson was traded to San Jose right in his prime back in 2018.

Now that another mega deal is in the books, it only makes sense to dive into which five superstars around the league we should keep an eye on to to potentially be next on the move.

Noteables Who Didn’t Make the List

And we’re not just talking about anyone here — superstars only. Names like Nazem Kadri, Jordan Kyrou, Elias Pettersson, and Steven Stamkos have come up in rumors and would be fascinating to see dealt. Stuart Skinner was recently traded, and could be traded again. Rasmus Andersson talks have picked up in Calgary.

But players like Hughes and such are in a different category altogether, which, of course, makes any move involving them far less likely.

In today’s NHL, anything is possible, and there is a world where any of these five listed find a new home sometime in the future.

Tage Thompson (Sabres)

It’s well known that Tage Thompson is potentially going to be moved. So too, Rasmus Dahlin told the Sabres front office prior to the season that improvements had to be made — and fast. While a 14-14-4 record isn’t terrible, their 32 points are good for last in the Eastern Conference, so it’s hard to imagine either superstar is satisfied with how things are going.

Ownership finally took charge this week, firing GM Kevyn Adams and replacing him with Jarmo Kekalainen, known to be one of the more aggressive managers in hockey. Adams was the opposite, often overvaluing his own players, and while Kekalainen wants the Sabres to push for a playoff spot, if that doesn’t work, a teardown of sorts could become Plan B.

Reports have already surfaced about teams calling with interest in Thompson — and understandably so. He’s a 6-foot-6, 220-pound, two-time 40-goal scorer who’s on pace to do it again in 2025–26. A trade might not even have to come at his request if the Sabres receive an offer they can’t refuse, especially now that Kekalainen is at the helm.

Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres)

Now onto the second Sabre — the captain, Dahlin. Because of his leadership role and younger age, a trade out of Buffalo feels less likely than with Thompson. That being said, we just watched the captain of the Canucks from the same 2018 draft class force his way out of Vancouver — and they actually had recent playoff success.

Related: Alex Tuch’s Extension Ask Comes to Light After Sabres GM Is Fired

Dahlin’s eight-year, $88 million extension only kicked in during the 2024–25 season, so there’s no easy out for the 25-year-old. Still, it’s clear he’s grown tired of losing and everything that comes with it. If the Sabres bottom out yet again this season, the possibility of him demanding a move increases — something Buffalo fans have unfortunately seen far too often with elite talent over the past decade-plus.

Of everyone on the roster, Dahlin is the player Kekalainen should be doing everything humanly possible to keep. But there’s only so much one player can take. Dahlin is now in his eighth NHL season and, through no fault of his own, hasn’t even sniffed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If Buffalo’s worst nightmare were to come true, the lone silver lining would be the Hughes-esque haul they could command for a top-five defenseman in the world, squarely in the middle of his prime.

Sidney Crosby (Penguins)

Pittsburgh’s surprisingly solid start to the season quieted the noise surrounding their captain’s future, but that fire could very well reignite if they fall off in the coming weeks and months. In fact, that may already be happening, as the Penguins are 3-3-4 in their last 10 games and now sit outside a wild-card spot.

We know that Crosby has constantly shut down talk of leaving Pittsburgh to chase another Stanley Cup as he enters the twilight of his career. At the same time, he’s as competitive as they come, and continuing to miss the playoffs is something he clearly can’t stand — which appears to be the trajectory for the Pens over the next few years at a minimum.

Is his preference to get back into the dance as a Penguin? Absolutely. But let’s be realistic: it might never happen that way again, especially if the team continues to linger in the murky middle and fails to land a high draft pick. Because of that, if the 38-year-old ever decides he can’t go out like this and wants to give it a shot elsewhere, it would have to happen sooner rather than later — which is why he has to be included on this list, whether he hates the topic or not.

Jason Robertson

The Dallas Stars certainly won’t want to move Robertson, but his production in a contract year could force their hand. After being involved in a plethora of trade rumors last summer, the 26-year-old has exploded for 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in his first 34 games of the 2025–26 season, pacing toward his second career 100-point campaign.

That’s undoubtedly a positive for the Stars — for now, at least. Part of the reason Robertson was somewhat shopped over the offseason was due to Dallas’ cap situation and their potential unwillingness to pay what he’ll command on an extension. He’s only increased his value and asking price since then, and with seven other players already making $8+ million on long-term deals, fitting Robertson into the mix could become tricky.

If he truly just wants to stay in Dallas, there’s likely a deal to be made. On the other hand, if he’s looking to maximize his earnings, the Stars may simply not be able to accommodate that. Worst case, they’re forced to trade him — but his value around the league is higher than it was a year ago, so Jim Nill should be able to land a significant return if it does come to that.

Zach Werenski

Werenski is an interesting case — and one that very few, if any, would expect to be on the move anytime soon. That said, the superstar defenseman turns 29 in July, and while the Blue Jackets have some intriguing young pieces that offer hope for the future, it feels unlikely they’ll become true contenders during Werenski’s prime.

His six-year, $57.5 million contract ($9,583,333 AAV) runs through the end of the 2027-28 season, meaning discussions about an extension aren’t all that far off. If management gets any indication that Werenski is undecided about his future — or open to joining a contender — the smartest path forward would be to follow Vancouver’s lead and extract a massive return that better aligns with the timelines of Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Cayden Lindstrom, Denton Mateychuk, and whoever they select in the 2026 draft.

The reigning Norris Trophy runner-up is the only player among the five on this list who hasn’t been directly tied to rumors or speculation, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t worth monitoring. The Hughes situation has shifted the NHL landscape and could change how front offices handle elite players who aren’t fully committed long-term. Werenski may very well want to spend his entire career in Columbus — but after what we just saw go down in Vancouver, nothing can be ruled out.

Next: Latest NHL Trade Buzz: Oilers, Penguins, Quinn Hughes Fallout