It's August, which means we've reached the dog days of the NHL offseason. The summer's business has slowed considerably. The 2026 NHL Draft is history, along with the wheeling and dealing that occurs in the trade market during that period. The last significant trades involving NHL players occurred during the first two days of July. Despite the lull, the rumor mill continues to buzz about possible trade scenarios. Some of the chatter involves several players from our previous Trade Targets rankings, such as Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings, and Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Several other players who've appeared on our earlier lists and rankings also resurfaced in the rumor mill. They include Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, a handful of players who appeared in our previous ranking didn't make the cut this time. Some, like Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, were re-signed to new contracts. Others, like Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs, didn't appear in any recent media conjecture. Follow along as we examine the players we consider to be the top NHL trade targets for August. Our ranking is based on skill, contracts, experience, and, of course, the likelihood of getting traded. 15. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks Trade rumors have dogged Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson since 2024-25. His expensive contract (with a no-movement clause), his declining production, and the Canucks' rebuilding process landed him at the No. 10 spot among our previous Trade Targets ranking. Despite those issues, Pettersson continues to surface in trade rumors as some observers feel the rising salary cap could embolden a club to take a chance on him. There was some recent speculation linking the 27-year-old center to the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, on July 20, Josh Yohe of The Athletic dismissed that rumor, pointing out the Penguins would do so only if the Canucks retained a substantial portion of Pettersson's contract. He also noted that everything he'd heard about the struggling center suggested he had no interest in leaving Vancouver. Pettersson could resurface in the rumor mill in August. However, it seems increasingly unlikely that he'll be traded during this offseason. 14. Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins A frequent subject of trade speculation last summer, Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins seemed likely to face another offseason of trade speculation. However, on March 24, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas indicated he had no plans to trade the 36-year-old defenseman. Dubas has good reasons to retain Karlsson. The veteran puck-moving blueliner enjoyed a bounce-back performance last season, helping the Penguins exceed expectations and qualify for the playoffs. He also carries a full no-movement clause and has not indicated that he wants out of Pittsburgh. However, Josh Yohe of The Athletic stated on July 20th that he'd be surprised if the Penguins re-signed Karlsson before his UFA eligibility next summer. That had Jimmy Murphy of The Sick Podcast predicting Karlsson could be traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs or Ottawa Senators before the start of this season. The Penguins will likely retain Karlsson this season, but he could be moved if they struggle and fall out of playoff contention. His status will be worth monitoring in the coming months. 13. Alex DeBrincat, Detroit Red Wings Most of this summer's speculation concerning the Detroit Red Wings has focused on whether they'll honor center Dylan Larkin's trade request. However, their current efforts to replace Steve Yzerman as general manager have raised questions over Alex DeBrincat's future with the franchise. The 28-year-old DeBrincat is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Since being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in 2023, he's been among their most reliable scorers, including a 41-goal performance last season. He carries a cap hit of $7.9 million and a 16-team no-trade list. DeBrincat's scoring abilities would make him an enticing trade target if he becomes available. On July 15, Max Bultman of The Athletic speculated that DeBrincat would be among several trade candidates if the new Red Wings GM decides to rebuild the roster. On July 27, Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now felt that DeBrincat would stay put if the Wings offered him fair market value on his next contract, citing the winger's Michigan ties. Time will tell about that. For now, however, his future with the Red Wings will be worth monitoring as this season progresses. 12. Kent Johnson, Columbus Blue Jackets Questions about the futures of defenseman Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko dominated all other Columbus Blue Jackets news this summer. However, they weren't the only Blue Jackets to surface in the rumor mill. Kent Johnson has occasionally popped up as a trade candidate this summer. The versatile 23-year-old is coming off a difficult season that saw his production drop from a career-best 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points in 68 games in 2024-25 to seven goals and 22 points in 76 games last season. Chosen fifth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Blue Jackets, Johnson is in the final season of a three-year contract with a cap hit of $1.8 million. Some observers wonder if clubs seeking depth among their middle-six forwards might look into his availability. On July 15, Vincent Z. Mercogliano included Johnson on his proposed list of trade targets for the New York Rangers. Two weeks later, Marco D'Amico of The Starr & D'Amico Show dismissed speculation suggesting the Montreal Canadiens could target Johnson if their efforts to land Marchenko failed. 11. Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks' status as a rebuilding club made Brock Boeser the subject of trade rumors earlier this year. On Apr. 5, we examined potential trade destinations for the 29-year-old winger. Three months later, he made our list of 8 NHL stars who could request a trade this season. Boeser surprised the hockey world last summer by signing a seven-year contract following a season where he was dogged by trade speculation. Since then, the Canucks traded away several core players and overhauled their front office and coaching staff. On July 17, Patrick Johnston of The Vancouver Province reported that league sources claimed the Canucks ownership wanted to reduce its player payroll by $20 million, adding that they're already down $12 million from last season. Boeser has a full no-movement clause and an AAV of $7.3 million. Nevertheless, Ryan Lambert of The Hockey News suggested he'd make an ideal trade option for the Ottawa Senators if he's willing to move on. Vincent Z. Mercogliano included Boeser on his list of possible trade options for the New York Rangers. 10. Arber Xhekaj, Montréal Canadiens The Montréal Canadiens were expected to make a significant trade for a second-line center or winger this summer. So far, however, that deal hasn't happened yet. If it does, they could use defenseman Arber Xhekaj as part of a trade package. Xhekaj, 25, is a restricted free agent after completing a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $1.3 million. The 6'4
.jpg?w=1119&h=630)
