Insider Makes 3 Fascinating Additions to Latest Trade Board

It’s that time of year around the hockey world when the same names are talked about for weeks on end, with twists and turns in their sweepstakes leading up to the NHL trade deadline.

For 2025–26, much of that attention has centered around Artemi Panarin, with other pending UFAs and veterans on teams near the bottom of the standings also drawing plenty of interest. However, as we know, every year brings several surprise deals that few see coming, and insider Nick Kypreos’ latest trade board features a few fascinating names joining the mix.

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While the entire board is littered with intriguing trade candidates, let’s dive into the three that stood out most and could send shockwaves around the league if moved ahead of the deadline.

Matty Beniers

Rumors of the Seattle Kraken being open to moving former fourth-overall pick (2022) Shane Wright in exchange for a star forward have picked up steam in recent weeks. That said, Kypreos wonders whether Seattle could instead shift its focus to floating Matty Beniers if Wright doesn’t fetch the return they’re looking for.

The 23-year-old is having his most productive season since his rookie 2022–23 campaign, recording 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) through 54 games. While Beniers hasn’t quite lived up to his status as a second-overall pick (2021) just yet, his two-way game is already well established, so if another team can unlock more offense, watch out.

Seattle moving him would require a true star coming back in return, though it’s fair to wonder who they could realistically target. Could the New Jersey Devils grow frustrated enough with Jack Hughes’ injury history to consider a shakeup? What are the Toronto Maple Leafs’ plans as they appear poised to miss the playoffs? And how about the St. Louis Blues — particularly Robert Thomas, the next name on our list?

Robert Thomas

It’s been a disastrous season in St. Louis, who currently sits second-last in the NHL standings, and GM Doug Armstrong seems open to exploring just about every option — including trading Thomas, whose name has swirled around the rumor mill of late.

Though currently injured, Thomas is one of the most underrated players in the league and a legitimate top-line center, so any team looking to acquire him would have to pay a massive price.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Utah Mammoth are just a few destinations that would make plenty of sense for the two-time 80-point forward.

Jesper Wallstedt

Lastly, there’s Jesper Wallstedt, whose name has also surfaced in trade chatter as GM Bill Guerin looks to improve other areas of Minnesota’s roster and could consider dangling the young netminder with Filip Gustavsson already entrenched as the Wild’s starter.

Like Beniers and Thomas, moving Wallstedt would require a significant haul coming back in return, though plenty of teams in need of help in goal would be more than willing to pay that price.

Montreal, Philadelphia, Ottawa, Carolina, and Buffalo all stand out as potential fits, having struggled at the position either this season or in years past. There’s also the pipe dream scenario for Edmonton Oilers fans, who would love to see GM Stan Bowman right the wrong of former GM Ken Holland, who traded the pick that ultimately became Wallstedt back in 2021.

Next: Insider Hints at the Idea of a Patrik Laine-for-Andrew Mangiapane Swap