Dylan Larkin heads Chris Johnston’s 2026 NHL trade board at number one with his $8.7 million AAV deal running through 2031.
Centers Driving Market Value
Dylan Larkin ranks first on the board because his $8.7 million AAV through 2031 gives any acquiring team a proven 2C locked in for five seasons. Detroit’s willingness to move him stems from their rebuild timeline, which favors futures over immediate contention.
Vincent Trocheck sits at number three with a $5.625 million AAV through 2029 and a 12-team no-trade list that tightens in 2026-27, making him an attractive middle-six option for teams seeking cost-controlled production.
Mason McTavish at number seven carries a $7 million AAV through 2031, contrasting sharply with Pavel Zacha’s shorter $4.75 million deal through 2027 at number 13, highlighting how contract length influences trade currency.
Shane Wright ranks 24th at just $886,666 AAV through 2027, offering a low-risk bridge option that teams can flip for future assets after one season.
Robert Thomas closes the list at 34 with an $8.125 million AAV through 2031 and a no-trade clause, showing how even established centers carry movement restrictions that limit bidding wars.
Defensemen and Goaltenders Reshaping Blue Lines
Bowen Byram ranks second at $6.25 million AAV through 2027, giving Buffalo leverage to extract a first-round pick or top prospect from teams needing left-shot depth immediately.
Darnell Nurse at number five carries a $9.25 million AAV through 2030 with a no-movement clause, contrasting Morgan Rielly’s similar $7.5 million AAV through 2030 at number six where the no-movement clause also applies but salary differs by nearly $2 million.
Connor Hellebuyck sits at number 10 with an $8.5 million AAV through 2031 and a no-movement clause that becomes a 10-team no-trade list in 2027-28, positioning Winnipeg to demand significant returns before his clause activates.
Adin Hill at number 11 holds a $6.25 million AAV through 2031 with a 10-team no-trade list, creating a clear tier gap below Hellebuyck for teams seeking backup stability rather than starter upgrades.
Jordan Binnington ranks 23rd at $6 million AAV through 2027 with a 14-team no-trade list that shrinks to 10 teams in 2026-27, illustrating how goaltender protection clauses compress trade windows for sellers.
Wild Assets and Draft Capital Opportunities
The Minnesota Wild hold Danila Yurov at number 14 on a $2.95 million AAV through 2028 as an RFA, giving them a cost-controlled center they can package with Ryan Hartman at number 32 on a $4 million AAV through 2027 to target top-six help.
Ottawa’s number nine pick ranks fourth overall, ahead of San Jose’s number two pick at 16 and Chicago’s number four pick at 31, demonstrating how early draft capital outranks many established players when teams rebuild prospect pools depleted by prior trades.
Teams eyeing Larkin could counter with Hartman or Yurov plus futures, yet other clubs hold superior prospects according to the board rankings, forcing Minnesota to overpay or pivot toward lower-tier names like David Spacek or Hunter Haight from their second tier.
The board structure reveals that 12 of the top 15 names carry AAVs above $5 million, concentrating value in a narrow window before July 2026 free agency opens new options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.