NHL Trade Deadline: 3 Teams That Need to 'Change It Up' to Improve Playoff Chances

(Photo : Derek Leung/Getty Images) CALGARY, CANADA - Nikita Zadorov (#16) of the Calgary Flames celebrates with his team after scoring against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period of an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome.

The NHL trade deadline may be months away, although some teams may need to consider tweaks in their rosters this early.

The 2023-24 NHL season is already at the halfway point, and teams who are not exactly doing well and have their eye on the playoffs must decide on their team composition soon.

Some teams have already started with changes, such as the Minnesota Wild. They completed two deals last November 8. One was the acquisition of Zach Bogosian from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 7th-round pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, per NHL.com.

The other transaction was sending Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks for Adam Raska and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Other teams are likely to follow the lead. Here are three teams who could be involved in NHL trade deals soon.

Calgary Flames

One player who requested a trade from the Flames is Nikita Zadorov, Kevin Weekes of ESPN reported. He is the team's key trade chip right now, as the team needs a serious rebuild.

With "Big Z" set to become an unrestricted free agent in July, the Flames are ready to deal him off when they feel like it. Among the teams interested in Zadorov include the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and the New Jersey Devils, per Darren Dreger of TSN.

Columbus Blue Jackets

After winning just four of 16 games, the Blue Jackets need to figure out their path. They have promising players such as Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, and David Jiricek on the roster. There is also Johnny Gaudreau, Ivan Provorov, and Damon Severson.

From those names, the goal of the Blue Jackets seems unclear. Marchenko appears to be the player that may be on the move soon. Scouts from the Philadelphia Flyers and the Winnipeg Jets were spotted at a Blue Jackets game, hinting that the Russian winger could be headed to one of those two NHL teams.

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers have a long climb ahead, falling to 31st place as of this writing. They changed head coaches, firing Jay Woodcroft and replacing him with Kris Knoblauch.

The Oilers need a goalie following the demotion of Jack Campbell recently. So far, the goalie search has not gained ground.

The names linked to the Oilers include St. Louis Blues' Jordan Binnington, Montreal Canadiens' Jake Allen, the Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros, and New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin, per the Bleacher Report.

Given the importance of these players with their current clubs, a move to Edmonton holds no promise. Hence, the goalie search continues for the Oilers.