The NHL has the 2024-25 trade deadline and other important dates set, with the last day players can swap teams and be playoff eligible for March 7th.
And much like other years, the time to hit zero for trades will be 1:00 PM MST.
Of course, that isn’t the only important date this season. It’s expected that the Oilers will have few players play in the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will be played from Feb. 10-21. Hopefully, the Oilers will be in the Stanley Cup Finals again, and if it reaches Game 7, the latest possible date would be Jun. 23.
Looking at the deadline, it’s pretty easy to see that the Oilers will need to make an upgrade or two with how the roster is constructed. Specifically, the right side of their defence could need improvement, and the deadline is likely when they’ll make that move.

Former Oiler Adam Larsson signs extension with the Kraken

One player who would’ve been a great fit for the Oilers’ right side was former Oiler, Adam Larrson.
Not only is he a great shutdown defenceman, but he was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season. The keyword is “was,” as Adam Larsson and the Seattle Kraken agreed to a four-year extension worth $5.25 million annually.
Larsson spent five seasons with the Oilers after they acquired him for Taylor Hall at the end of the 2015-16 season, a swapped that ended up helping the team in the long run. At the end of the 2020-21 season, Larsson agreed to terms with the new expansion team, the Seattle Kraken. In 2022-23, he posted a career-high eight goals and 33 points in 82 games, helping the Kraken make the postseason for the first time in franchise history.
His extension will kick in at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Recent professional tryouts

With the 2024-25 season rapidly approaching, there have been some veterans that have signed professional tryouts in recent days.
Former Seattle Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, signed a tryout with the Colorado Avalanche. Last season, the 39-year-old scored four goals and seven points in 40 games. Prior to signing with the Kraken, he had played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, losing to the Avalanche in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. If he makes the team, this will be his second stint with the Avalanche.
The New York Rangers signed right-shot defenceman Madison Bowey to a professional tryout on Wednesday. The 29-year-old was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, but hasn’t played a full season in the National Hockey League since 2019-20 with the Detroit Red Wings. Bowey most recently played with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the Kontinental Hockey League.
On Wednesday, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported that three players were signed to professional tryouts by the Anaheim Ducks – Mark Pysyk, Boris Katchouk, and Gustav Lindstrom. Pysyk hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since 2021-22, spending the last two seasons in the American Hockey League. Katchouk spent 21 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, scoring two goals and four points. Lindstrom played for the Ducks last season, picking up six assists in 32 games.
The most notable PTO signing was Max Pacioretty, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pacioretty, 35, spent the early part of his career with the Montréal Canadiens, before a trade saw him head to the Vegas Golden Knights, where he spent four seasons. After playing just five games for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022-23, Pacioretty played with the Washington Capitals in 2023-24 where he scored four goals and 23 points in 47 games.

Leafs sign Jani Hakanpää to a one-year deal

Speaking of the Toronto Maple Leafs, they furthered their defensive depth on Wednesday as they signed right-shot defenceman Jani Hakanpää to a one-year, $1.47 million deal.
Last season with the Dallas Stars, Hakanpää  scored two goals and 12 points in 64 games, down from the six goals and 16 points in 82 games the season prior. Moreover, he didn’t play in a postseason game with the Stars.
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