NHL Trades Shake Up Rosters: Penguins-Canucks Deal, Golden Knights Sign Saad, Injury Updates, and Projected Salary Cap Increases

Recent NHL trades have made headlines, with the Pittsburgh Penguins shipping defenseman Marcus Pettersson and winger Drew O’Connor to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, prospect forward Melvin Fernstrom, and a conditional 2025 first-round pick. This deal comes after the Canucks traded J.T. Miller, indicating significant roster changes for the team.

In other news, the Vegas Golden Knights signed Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Saad, a 32-year-old winger, became a UFA after his deal with the St. Louis Blues was terminated. This move could boost the Golden Knights' offense and improve their chances in the upcoming playoffs.

Game recaps from Friday include the Columbus Blue Jackets' 3-2 overtime victory over the Utah Hockey Club, thanks to Zach Werenski's game-winning goal. The Blue Jackets overcame a 2-0 deficit, securing their third straight win and holding the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 59 points. The Dallas Stars also picked up their fourth straight victory by downing the Vancouver Canucks 5-3, with Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson each scoring two goals and an assist.

Injury updates include Utah sophomore center Logan Cooley being sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury, and Canucks captain Quinn Hughes being banged up during the game against the Stars. The Stars also placed defenseman Miro Heiskanen on injured reserve due to a knee injury.

Looking ahead, the NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced projected payroll ranges for the next three seasons. The upper limit is expected to reach $95.5 million for 2025-26, $104 million for 2026-27, and $113.5 million for 2027-28, indicating a significant rise in the cap after several stagnant years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the international front, the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off is set to take place from February 12-20, 2025, in Montreal, Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts. The tournament will feature NHL players from the US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, with each team comprising 23 NHL players selected by their respective National Associations.

In other professional hockey news, the Professional Women's Hockey League plans to add two expansion franchises for the start of the 2025-26 season. The league will begin sending requests for proposals to several markets, including potential candidates in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Denver, and Seattle.

Rumors surrounding the NHL trade deadline include speculation about the Canucks' future moves, particularly regarding Brock Boeser, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Contract extension talks between Boeser and management have been reportedly lukewarm, leading to speculation that he could be traded at the March 7 deadline.