Transactions 2025: 30 players on the market in the NHL

With less than two months until the NHL trade deadline, our colleague Steve Dryden of TSN has revealed the first list of the year 2025 of the 30 best players available on the market.

Recent years have shown that the most important transactions that are made during the season are often done well before the deadline, while negotiations are already well underway between several teams.

Unsurprisingly, the conflicts that would take place in the Vancouver Canucks locker room fuel the greatest speculation.

Vancouver forwards Elias Pettersson and JT Miller, who are apparently feuding, are at the epicenter of major trade speculation.

Last year, the Canucks were one of the first teams to hit the trade market, trading Elias Lindholm from Calgary on Jan. 31, 38 days before the deadline.

Will history repeat itself this year, with another early move by the Canucks?

Pettersson and Miller share the top spot on TSN’s list of players available in the market.

That’s not to say that both Canucks will be traded or, for that matter, that it’s guaranteed that either will be, but as of right now, they’re at the top of the list in discussions.

Pettersson has been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes, among other teams. The silky Swede has been injured this season, but with 10 goals and 28 points in 34 games, he hasn’t lived up to his $11.6 million-per-year contract, which expires in seven years.

Miller took a leave of absence from the Canucks for personal reasons that extended from the second half of November to the first half of December, but he is back and has accumulated a total of 29 points in 30 games.

Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders completes a trio of centers in TSN’s top three and is on track for a ninth 20-goal season, with 11 goals in 41 games.

John Gibson of Anaheim is the only goalie to make the list, at No. 4. Gibson, who seems to have been in the rumor mill for several seasons, has an efficiency coefficient of .916, his best since 2018-19.

Defenseman David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens completes the top 5 and occupies first place among defensemen.

Thursday, informant Pierre LeBrun noted that the Edmonton Oilers could have an interest in the veteran right-hander, who can still provide proud service on defense and on the penalty kill.

This doesn’t mean Savard is the best guard on the board, but it does mean he is a very capable veteran considered very likely to be traded.