After the Vancouver Canucks pulled off a shocking Quinn Hughes trade, which other NHL teams at the bottom of the league – and the top of our Sour Rankings – should make trades?

It remains to be seen if more significant trade activity occurs this month, especially with the NHL's holiday roster freeze from 11:59 pm ET on Dec. 19, 2025, to 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28, 2025. Given those two recent major deals, we decided to see what each team would do if the trade deadline were today.

Who could trade for Predators center Ryan O'Reilly at the NHL trade deadline in March? He could be a pivot move for the Devils.

The New Jersey Devils are recalibrating their trade strategy after missing out on a major deal. With the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes concluded, the team is now reportedly exploring trades involving veteran players like Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat to gain financial flexibility.

The lack of available quality NHL centers makes Phillip Danault (Kings), Ryan Strome (Ducks) and Mason Marchment (Krakens) possible trade targets.

Alex Lyon's name has been floating around the rumor mill this season. If the Sabres make him available, these two clubs could be good fits.

Wyshynski highlighted Hughes’ value, citing his production since 2022 and placing him among the NHL’s best. Hughes won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2024 while making two All-Star appearances in his career. The ESPN analyst outlined four possible outcomes for the Canucks as they approach the March 6 deadline.