The NHL offseason excitement is down to the chase for the defensemen.
With the few notable unrestricted free agents already signed and the remaining transactions reduced to a trickle akin to a creek in the Arizona desert, the most intriguing action left involves the trade winds.
And the most likely candidates to be caught in the storm are a trio of veteran defensemen who could — or should — be on the move.
There may be bigger names rumored to relocate, but the spotlight shines brightest on Calgary Flames blueliner Rasmus Andersson. Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils and Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins also headline a group expected to be picked apart through the 2026 trade deadline.
Andersson, a 29-year-old pending unrestricted free agent likely to skate for Sweden at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, is entering the final season of a contract with a $4.55 million cap hit — a number most contending teams would find a way to absorb, even as a rental.
As much as the rebuilding Flames would love to keep Andersson in the fold for his entire career, a new deal doesn’t appear to be in the cards. He has become an extremely valuable trade chip, with a long list of teams lining up to make an offer. In the long term, a deal north of $8 million per season is the expectation for Andersson.
The Vegas Golden Knights are a strong possibility, especially with Alex Pietrangelo’s career likely over, but it would require some serious salary-cap maneuvering to make it happen.
Still, there are many other clubs in the queue looking to shore up their blue line.
The Dallas Stars are in desperate need of a defenseman to solidify their top four, and rumors abound that they may even be willing to trade offensively gifted forward Jason Robertson to fill the void that has kept them from reaching the Stanley Cup Final in recent seasons.
Speaking of teams falling short, the Detroit Red Wings are on a nine-year playoff drought and know the time is now to push back into relevance. The Red Wings have been aggressive, and Andersson could become a foundational piece to return them to the playoffs — and beyond.
Among the dark-horse clubs to watch: the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets. Both have cap space and a willingness to swing big. Carolina has championship aspirations, while Columbus is looking to build off a surprising playoff trip this past season.
The trade board doesn’t end with Andersson, who has been in the rumor mill since last season’s trade deadline. Hamilton’s future in New Jersey is growing murky, despite having three more years left on his deal. With Luke Hughes emerging as a franchise pillar, the Devils may look to reallocate Hamilton’s $9 million cap hit elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Penguins appear headed toward a full teardown, and Karlsson is nearing the twilight of his career with two seasons remaining on his deal. Although his defensive play can be (charitably) bewildering, Karlsson’s offensive gifts are being wasted — and have grown stagnant — on a moribund Penguins squad. A contender might be able to reignite that spark.
