Auston Matthews, the Toronto Maple Leafs captain, is a notable star who could be on the move this summer, as the NHL offseason begins.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights starts on June 2, marking the beginning of the offseason.
What's driving trade activity?
The shallow depth of talent in this year's unrestricted free-agent market is expected to intensify trade activity, especially heading into the 2026 NHL Draft weekend in Buffalo on June 26 and 27.
Several stars who were on the previous NHL Trade Block Big Board didn't make the cut this time, including Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators.
Who else is on the trade block?
New names have surfaced in the rumor mill, including defenseman Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild and blueliner Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers.
Auston Matthews, along with St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas and New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier, are among the top trade candidates for June.
What comes next?
The top 15 trade candidates for June will be ranked based on skills, experience, contract status, and the likelihood of getting traded, as suggested by recent media rumors.
The ranking will consider players like Ross Colton of the Colorado Avalanche, who has a year remaining on his contract with a salary-cap hit of $4 million.
Other players, such as Sebastian Cossa of the Detroit Red Wings, may be trade candidates due to their team's goaltending depth chart.
The Vancouver Canucks' rebuilding efforts may lead to trades involving Jake DeBrusk and Filip Hronek.
The San Jose Sharks' William Eklund has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate, with the New York Islanders potentially acquiring him.
Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils and Devon Levi of the Buffalo Sabres are also worth watching as trade chatter picks up closer to the draft weekend.