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NHL Trade Talk Recap: Rangers, Kings, Oilers, Blackhawks

NHL Trade Talk Recap Feb. 26: Seth Jones call out Blackhawks, Rangers lose Fox, Kings and Byfield trade, Oilers claim Dermott.

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NHL Trade Talk
February 26, 2025

In today’s NHL Trade Talk Recap (Feb. 26), the New York Rangers have lost Adam Fox to an injury, while the Edmonton Oilers claimed Travis Dermott on waivers and are looking at their own blue line options. The Los Angeles Kings might make a surprising player available before the trade deadline, and Seth Jones called out the Chicago Blackhawks for not making any strides this season.

Top NHL Trade Talk Recap Story:

Seth Jones Frustrated with Blackhawks’ Lack of Progress

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones didn’t mince words following the team’s 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday. Expressing frustration with the Blackhawks’ lack of development, said they haven’t improved since the opening night of the season and hinted that’s why he’s looking to move on.

“We’re the exact same team right now as we were in Game 1,” Jones said. “It’s pretty evident out there. We haven’t made any strides to be a better, more simple hockey team, and it shows.”

With a $9.5 million cap hit, Jones is talking with the organization about moving him to a contender. It’s not clear if that trade will materialize, but he doesn’t seem hesitant to push the matter by calling out the team publicly.

Rangers Lose Adam Fox

Larry Brooks of The New York Post, among others, reported that Adam Fox exited Tuesday’s game against the Islanders after injuring his shoulder and he’ll be out for some time. It is believed he will be back before the end of the regular season, but he could miss serious time.

Read More Than the Recap Here

Oilers Claim Travis Dermott

The Edmonton Oilers reclaimed defenseman Travis Dermott off waivers from the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. It’s an interesting decision consider how poorly the Oilers have played of late and that their need on the blue line seems much more serious than the solution Dermott might be able to provide.

Meanwhile, we looked at four veteran defensemen the Oilers might consider if they’re looking to add experience at the trade deadline.

Read More Than the Recap Here

Could the Kings Trade Byfield?

According to Nick Kypreos’ the Los Angeles Kings might toy with the idea of trading a young star in Quinton Byfield for a proven playoff producer. It seems risky, but Kypreos writes, “The Kings have been knocked out three years in a row by Edmonton, finding a quicker way to elimination each time.”

Kypreos goes so far as to suggest the Kings are already exploring the possibilities and have spoken with the Buffalo Sabres. It’s not clear who the Kings are eyeing from the Sabres, but we wrote in another post that four members of the team are on Kypreos’ trade bait list. Tuch is among them, as are Dylan Cozens, Bowen Byram, and Mattias Samuelsson.