6 NHL Teams That Will Need One Key Roster Piece Before the Trade Deadline to Compete for the Cup
Teams with the most to gain at the trade deadline.
Even following the major festivities of the offseason and free agency, there are teams with Stanley Cup aspirations still lacking at a certain spot.
Fortunately, the trade deadline can be their friend. They have the talent to flourish until then, but may require one last move to get over the hump for the Cup.
Which teams are these, and what positions do they need to address?
Carolina Hurricanes Need: Top-Six Center
With their excess cap space entering this offseason, the Carolina Hurricanes did a good job of adding stars: K’Andre Miller and Nikolaj Ehlers were welcomed. But they still have a center depth, beyond Sebastian Aho, that could use an upgrade.
Carolina’s winger and defensive cores are very deep, to be clear. But this team can’t expect to go from swift Eastern Conference Final exits to a championship with just this.
We don’t see top-six centers traded at the deadline too often, but the Hurricanes have the assets to make it happen. With a prospect pool still boasting some good talent and a ton of draft picks, they can make it work. To win a Cup, they might have to.
Dallas Stars Need: Top-Four Defenseman
As they proved in last year’s playoffs, the Dallas Stars have talent up front that can take over a series. Being decimated by the Edmonton Oilers can’t help their spirits, but if players like Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen can take control, they should be fine on this front.
The biggest upgrade here can be on their blue line. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley are elite top-pairing guys—both have finished top seven in Norris Trophy voting despite being under 26. Still, they could use some more help.
