The 5 NHL Players Who Could Request a Trade Next

This NHL offseason has seen Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Nečas and Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine frequently mentioned as trade candidates. Both are on our July NHL Trade Block Rankings.

One reason is their reported desire to move to another club. The Athletic's Harman Dayal and Shayna Goldman noted that Nečas reportedly sought a change of scenery due to dissatisfaction with his role on the Hurricanes. Their colleague Pierre LeBrun reported that Laine is looking for a fresh start with a new team.

Brian Dumoulin also requested a trade from the Seattle Kraken last month to an East Coast club. Instead, he was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks.

This got us wondering if other NHL players might ask to be moved between now and next offseason. Our choices are based on players who've appeared in trade speculation since last season. Some could be players a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility, while others could be young players struggling with their current clubs.

Do you agree or disagree with our choices? Is there someone we missed? Let us know in the app comments below.

Yaroslav Askarov, Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators signing Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension on July 1 ended months of trade speculation regarding the 29-year-old goaltender. However, it suggests that Yaroslav Askarov no longer fits within the Predators' long-term plans.

Askarov, 22, was chosen 11th overall by the Predators in the 2020 NHL Draft. A promising young goaltender, he spent the past two seasons with their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. The Athletic's Scott Wheeler ranked him No. 2 on his list of the top-20 drafted NHL goalie prospects.

It was thought that Askarov would be promoted to Saros' backup for 2024-25. However, the Predators signed veteran Scott Wedgewood to a two-year contract on July 1. With Wedgewood as Saros' understudy, Askarov will be returning to Milwaukee.

Askarov's path to the NHL remains blocked with Saros and Wedgewood around for the next two years. A strong performance in Milwaukee this season could tempt him to request a trade to a club where he'll have a better opportunity of becoming an NHL starter.

Morgan Frost, Philadelphia Flyers

A first-round pick (27th overall) of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2017 NHL Draft, Morgan Frost seemed poised for a breakout performance after tallying 19 goals and 46 points in 81 games during the 2022-23 season. However, he struggled through an inconsistent effort in 2023-24, finishing with 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games.

Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon wondered on July 11 if Frost might be traded this summer, pointing out the 25-year-old was the subject of trade speculation. At times, he was in head coach John Tortorella's doghouse but improved following a midseason meeting with Tortorella.

Frost has the opportunity to start this season as the Flyers' second-line center and could move up if captain Sean Couturier struggles or becomes sidelined by injury. He's also in the final season of his two-year contract and could land a lucrative new deal with a strong performance.

However, another sputtering start or more benchings by Tortorella will only stoke the trade rumors. It could also prompt Frost to request a trade where he'd have an opportunity for a fresh start.

Kaapo Kakko, New York Rangers

Entering the 2023-24 season, Kaapo Kakko seemed poised for a breakout performance following his 18-goal, 40-point effort in 2022-23. However, injuries and inconsistency limited the 23-year-old winger to 13 goals and 19 points in 61 contests.

The second-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kakko was projected to become a scoring right wing with the Rangers. He's shown flashes of potential but has yet to blossom as hoped. That gave rise to trade rumors despite signing a one-year, $2.4 million contract.

Kakko is entering his sixth NHL season facing considerable pressure to play up to expectations. He could draw inspiration from teammate Alexis Lafrenière, who also endured several struggling seasons before silencing his critics with his 28-goal, 57-point performance during the '23-'24 regular season and his 14 points in 18 contests during last spring's playoffs.

Another disappointing effort by Kakko will only stoke the trade speculation. In that instance, he might see the writing on the wall and ask for a trade where he can have a fresh start.

Trevor Zegras, Anaheim Ducks

A difficult contract negotiation followed by injuries made 2023-24 a season to forget for Trevor Zegras. It also made him the subject of trade speculation that has carried over into this offseason, putting him at No. 7 on our July NHL Trade Block rankings.

The ninth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Zegras burst onto the NHL scene with 61 points in 75 games in 2021-22. A dazzling playmaker, he was invited to the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills Competition and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

Zegras followed that with a 65-point sophomore performance but there was an expectation he would do better than that. He signed a three-year contract with the Ducks on the eve of last season but missed training camp and the preseason, setting the stage for his disappointing, injury-ravaged campaign.

Expectations for a bounce-back performance will be high this season for the 23-year-old Zegras. Any sign of difficulty on his part will stoke the rumor mill. If that scenario unfolds, he could submit a trade request if he feels he's not getting suitable playing time to reach his full potential with the Ducks.

Nazem Kadri, Calgary Flames

On Aug. 18, 2022, Nazem Kadri signed a seven-year contract with the Calgary Flames. At the time, he was coming off a Stanley Cup run with the Colorado Avalanche. Earlier in the summer, the Flames lost Johnny Gaudreau to free agency and traded away Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers but were still considered playoff contenders.

Things quickly went off the rails for the Flames, missing the playoffs the last two seasons. None of that was Kadri's fault, as his stats did drop from his career-high 86 points with the Avalanche in 2021-22 to 56 points in 2022-23 as he adjusted to his new club. Kadri rebounded last season with 75 points.

As the Flames traded away veterans like Elias Lindholm, Jacob Markstrom, and Noah Hanifin, there were reports about teams inquiring into Kadri's availability. However, the Flames see him as a big part of their rebuild, plus he likes living and playing in Calgary.