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NHL trade deadline preview for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, what teams should do
The 2024-25 NHL trade season began early, as the Carolina Hurricanes landed Mikko Rantanen and the New York Rangers secured J.T. Miller. But many big names remain on the board, raising the usual questions as we look ahead to the March 7 deadline:
Who are the contenders that could make a big push? Which teams are caught between either going for a wild-card spot or moving on from players to collect draft capital? And how can the teams that are destined for the lottery use the deadline to gain more draft picks for their rebuilds?
Here's a comprehensive look at what the trade deadline could mean for every team, complete with the players and picks that are expected to be in play, as well as the salary cap restrictions. Plus, we identify the moves we think each team should make.
Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. Cap space figures are per PuckPedia as of Feb. 23.
Sources: Vitor Roque loan to Palmeiras likely off
Vitor Roque's transfer from Barcelona to Palmeiras is set to fall through due to the Royal Spanish Football Federation's [RFEF] regulations which prevent Real Betis cutting his loan short, various sources have told ESPN.
Sources have told ESPN Brazil that Palmeiras are exploring workarounds, but there is pessimism about bringing the striker to the club before the transfer window closes in the country on Friday.
Palmeiras had agreed a 25 million fee with Barça for Roque, with the Catalan club maintaining 20% of any future transfer.
However, for the deal to be completed, Roque would have to return to Barça from his loan at Betis, where he has been playing since August, before being able to sign for Palmeiras.
Article 159 of the RFEF's general regulations explains that loans can be cut short if the two clubs and the player are all in agreement, but that the club where the player is set to return -- in this case Barça -- must be inside a registration period.
That is not the case after the transfer window in Spain closed earlier this month.
The same article also states that loans are un-transferable, ruling out the possibility of Roque going directly from Betis to Palmeiras on loan before finalising a permanent deal in the future.
As things stand, the 19-year-old will therefore remain at Betis until the summer, where he has scored seven goals in 33 appearances so far this season.
Roque joined Barça in January 2024 from Athletico Paranaense for an initial fee of around 30m with the same amount due again in potential add-ons.
He found appearances hard to come by at the Blaugrana, scoring twice in 16 games last season before heading out to Betis on loan.
He had previously made his name at Athletico Paranaense, where he scored 28 times in 81 games as a teenager, earning him his solitary Brazil cap in 2023.
ESPN Brazil's Francisco De Laurentiis contributed to this story.
Van Dijk wants to make Anfield 'horrible' in run-in
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has urged supporters to make Anfield "horrible" for opponents in the coming months as his team seek to get their Premier League title challenge over the line.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai helped Liverpool beat reigning champions Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad on Sunday, moving Arne Slot's side 11 points clear at the top of the table.
While second-place Arsenal have a game in hand, Liverpool are now the overwhelming favourites to get their hands on the trophy this season and have the added advantage of seven of their last 11 league games being at home.
Speaking to reporters after Liverpool's win in Manchester, Van Dijk said: "I mentioned it after that [Wolves] game, that obviously it's pretty normal to be [nervous] like that," he said. "It is a human [reaction] that there could be some anxious feelings kicking in, and that could still be the case.
"But I think it only helps us and them [the supporters] as well to make Anfield horrible for the opponent. Most of the time we have been doing that, and obviously the way we play helps with that as well.
"How many home games are left? Seven out of 11. So let's make sure those seven are going to be amazing, as loud as possible. I don't think we have to speak about it because normally that is the case.
"So let's go, enjoy, focus on Wednesday now, and then we'll see what happens after."
Liverpool's win against City marked the club's first Premier League victory at the Etihad in a decade. It was the fourth game in a testing run of five matches in 15 days for the league leaders, who host Newcastle United at Anfield on Wednesday night.
"This was a big win," Van Dijk said. "I told the guys, 'Don't take these wins for granted, but when you go home, recover and be ready for the preparation for Newcastle.'
"That's the only thing we have to do. Tunnel vision. Nothing else matters really. And we need our fans to be in great shape on Wednesday as well."
Van Dijk has played every minute of Liverpool's Premier League season so far, playing alongside Ibrahima Konaté, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah, all of whom have dealt with injury issues.
His contract situation with the Merseyside club remains unresolved, however, with his existing deal due to expire at the end of the season.
Galatasaray to report Mourinho for 'racist' remarks
Turkish Süper Lig leaders Galatasaray have said they will "initiate criminal proceedings" and report Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho to FIFA and UEFA over what they call "racist statements."
The move comes after the two sides played out a 0-0 draw in a tense league match in Istanbul on Monday night.
Mourinho had welcomed the appointment of a non-Turkish referee, with Slovenian Slavko Vinčić chosen to officiate. After the match, Mourinho made a point of praising the referee, highlighting the fact he was not from Turkey.
"The performance of the referee was a top performance," Mourinho told his post-match news conference.
"Anyone, not just from this country but also abroad, watched a big football match. I think the man responsible for that was the referee.
"I went to the referee's dressing room after the game. Of course the fourth official was there, a Turkish referee. And I told him [the referee], thank you [for coming] here.
"I turn myself to the fourth official and I told [him] this match, if you are the referee...would be a disaster. When I say him, I say the general tendency."
Mourinho was also asked about an incident early in the game involving his 19-year-old defender Yusuf Akcicek, to which he said: "Again, I have to thank the referee because with a Turkish referee after the big dive and the first minute and their bench jumping like monkeys on top of the kids.
"A Turkish referee would have [given Akcicek] a yellow card after one minute and after five minutes I would have to change him."
Galatasaray responded with a statement, saying: "Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Türkiye, Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people.
"Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric.
"We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.
"Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahçe -- an institution professing to uphold "exemplary moral values" -- in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager."
Mourinho has been critical of the officiating in Turkey this season. In January, he said there was a "toxic" environment around referees in the Süper Lig.
Manchester United have announced plans to make up to another 200 staff redundant as part of their continuing cost-cutting measures.
United announced their first wave of job losses last season with around 250 employees leaving in the summer. The latest cuts -- unveiled just days after the one-year anniversary of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's arrival as co-owner -- will be in addition to those redundancies and will affect between 150 and 200 club staff.
"We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men's, women's and academy teams," CEO Omar Berrada said in a statement released on Monday. "We are initiating a wide-ranging series of measures which will transform and renew the club.
"Unfortunately, this means announcing further potential redundancies and we deeply regret the impact on those affected colleagues. However, these hard choices are necessary to put the club back on a stable financial footing."
Sources told ESPN that staff will find out if they are affected by the cuts between April and June.
United have announced losses of more than 300 million ($379m) over the last three years.
Last week, the club issued their latest financial results which showed revenues have dropped to 198.7m for the final three months of 2024, down from 225.8m for the same period a year earlier.
"We have lost money for the past five consecutive years," Berrada added.
"This cannot continue. Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money."
In addition to further redundancies, United are planning to move some staff from offices at Old Trafford to their Carrington training ground. There will also be a "reduced presence" at their London office in Mayfair.
In a staff meeting on Monday, staff were also informed that free lunches at Old Trafford will come to an end. A source has told ESPN that bosses expect the move to save the club more than 1m every year.
Sources added to ESPN that the club will focus its charitable donations on the Manchester United Foundation (MUF) and Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association, with conversations ongoing with the MUF over the value of the contributions.
Nigerian singer Tems buying into San Diego FC isn't an African first
Nigerian musical artist Tems, the Grammy-award-winning and Oscar-nominated singer, songwriter and producer, recently joined the San Diego FC ownership group as a club partner ahead of their 2025 MLS expansion season.
While her move makes her the first African woman to own - in part or full - a professional team in the USA, it adds to the growing number of African women who are taking ownership roles in clubs outside Africa.
"We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner," SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
"Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us to reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which of course has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organization."
On Instagram the singer shared her excitement about her investment, expressing her deep connection to football.
"Hey San Diego, it's Tems, and I'm so excited to be a part of SDFC. I am thrilled to join San Diego FC's ownership group and be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and community. Football unites people in a powerful way, and I'm eager to help build something special in San Diego," she wrote.
She went further to reveal how her love for football goes back a long way: "I have always loved football. Growing up, I watched my brother play with his friends, and I was always intrigued."
Beyond her ownership ambitions, Tems is also committed to developing young football talents through a partnership with Right to Dream Academy, pointing to the parallels between music and sports in providing opportunities for young people.
Here are some other African women who have put their money behind their love of the beautiful game.
Akosua Puni Essien - FC Como - Italy
The wife of former Chelsea and Ghana star Michael Essien, Akosua Puni Essien became the first African woman to own a foreign football club when she bought Italian third division club Como at an auction in 2017. The club had gone into bankruptcy following financial issues and was auctioned for 237 000 Euros.
Essien put in the highest bid to beat out competition from over thirty buyers to gain ownership of the 100-year old club, and renamed it FC Como.
The purchase made her the first Ghanaian to own a European club, but more importantly, it made her the first African woman to do so and the first foreign female club owner in Italy.
Among the notable former players who have turned out for Como are Italy's 1982 FIFA World Cup heroes Paolo Rossi, who made six appearances on loan in 1975-76, and Marco Tardelli, who spent a season at the club before making his move to Juventus in 1976.
Legendary Azzurri full-back Gianluca Zambrotta, who won the FIFA World Cup in 2006 with Italy, and current Lazio and Italy midfielder Marco Parolo are products of the Como youth system.
Unfortunately, the club had their application to be Como's successor in Serie C rejected by the FIGC, the Italian Football Federation. Instead, another company, which was named Como 1907 S.r.l., were admitted and now compete in Serie A.
Eni Aluko - FC Como Women
In 2024, former England women's player Eniola Aluko joined the ranks of African women to own a football club when she acquired a major stake in FC Como women's team.
Nigeria-born Aluko announced that she was part of Mercury 13, a $100 million ownership group that secured a majority stake in the club, which was established in 2020 and competes in Italy's Serie A.
Aluko moved to England as child and went on to enjoy a successful career with the Lionesses before transitioning to broadcasting and sports management, serving as Sporting Director for Aston Villa and Angel City FC.
Speaking on the investment, Aluko said: "We bought the majority stakes in Como Women; it was the sort of play on how can we shift the narrative of women's football, how can we speak to a new audience, how can we create a new world in women's football by investing in it."
Nneka Ede - Lusitano SAD - Portugal
Three years after Essien's accomplishment, Nigeria's Nneka Ede became only the second African woman to take ownership of a foreign club when she purchased Portuguese third division club Lusitano Ginasio Club Futebol SAD in 2020.
Ede, a former semi professional footballer who was born in the UK, played in England and was the first diaspora player to try out for the Nigeria senior women's national team. She acquired a 100 percent stake in the century-old club.
At the time, she said her goal was not just to build the club, but to help create a pathway for young footballers. She said: "I am excited about this opportunity and I hope that this new chapter will deepen the already great sporting relations between Nigeria and Portugal, continue with the rich history of Lusitano club, and provide a pathway for young talent to develop and shine through."
Ede still currently owns the Evora-based club, which competes in the third division of the Portuguese league.
South Africa 'bullish' about their chances - like Australia always are
South Africa know better than to underestimate an Australian side at a major tournament, even one that is shorn of their entire World Cup-winning pace attack. They are, after all, a team that has won eight ICC white-ball trophies since South Africa's last (and only) one in 1998, and who seem to have mastered the formula for tournament success no matter which personnel they have at their disposal.
"South Africa are playing really good one day cricket at the moment and they look like they've got a great balance across their 11 players. We know they're a great team and they'll be strong throughout the tournament."
Alex Carey
Whether it's advisable to be so candid before playing the two former champions you've been grouped with is debatable but at least Bavuma isn't shying away from expectation. Instead, he is leaning into it in a way South Africans seldom do. And you could argue that South Africa's performances in the last two years across all cricket - they have been to the knockouts of every tournament across men's, women's and under-19 cricket since the Women's T20 World Cup in 2023 - has earned them some licence to dream, something Australia have always had.
You won't be surprised to hear that even without their regular captain Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc they still rate the confidence level as "really high", as Carey put it, and barely flinch by the magnitude of any task. On what is expected to be a run-fest in Rawalpindi, Carey casually threw in that since defending could be difficult, he hopes Australia will be able to score "400 if we bat first" because it's "always good to play one-day cricket when the scores are high".
NZ pick uncapped Illing, McLeod, Sharp for SL series; Plimmer back after injury
The experienced Suzie Bates will lead the side in the absence of full-time ODI captain Sophie Devine, who is on a well-being break and her T20I successor is yet to be named. Amelia Kerr will also miss the series as she is in India representing Mumbai Indians at the WPL.
The uncapped trio has come through the New Zealand Under-19 squads, with McLeod, 18, having just played her second Under-19 T20 World Cup, and Sharp, 20, the captain from the first tournament that was played two years ago. McLeod was picked after she tallied 300 runs for Central Districts in the ongoing domestic one-day competition, where she averages nearly 43 with two half-centuries.
"Emma, Bree and Izzy have been identified by Major Association and NZC coaches as players who have the desired competencies and skillsets to be effective in international cricket," head coach Ben Sawyer said. "Emma's been in good form in the HBJ Shield and her ability to hit through the off-side and run well between the wickets is really valuable.
"Izzy impressed us with how she attacks spin, which is something that will come in handy this series.
"The way Bree attacks the stumps and swings the ball back into the right-hander is really important in the international game."
Sawyer further said the games will be good to gain experience against spin keeping in mind the ODI World Cup in India in October this year.
"Sri Lanka's a tough opposition with a number of world-class spinners," he said.
"We will try different combinations this series, and I'm looking forward to seeing players adapt to different roles. It's an opportunity to test batters in different positions, and try different bowlers opening up and at the death."
The ODI squad will get together on March 2 in Napier following the HBJ Shield final on Saturday. The ODI series begins on March 4 in Napier before moving to Nelson for two more games on March 7 and 9. The T20Is will be played on March 14 and 16 in Christchurch and on March 18 in Dunedin.
New Zealand Women ODI and T20I squads for Sri Lanka
Suzie Bates (capt), Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing (ODIs only), Polly Inglis (ODIs only), Bella James, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair (T20Is only), Emma McLeod, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe (ODIs only), Izzy Sharp (T20Is only)
Ravindra, Latham and Bracewell book New Zealand's semi-final spot
New Zealand 240 for 5 (Ravindra 112, Latham 55) beat Bangladesh 236 for 9 (Shanto 77, Bracewell 4-26, O'Rourke 2-40) by five wickets
Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana raised Bangladesh's hopes with a fiery opening spell, rattling Will Young's stumps in the first over and snaring Williamson for a rare single-digit score. The infield was richly populated at that point. The whole atmosphere was buzzing, the crowd also getting in the act. Into this walked Ravindra. One of the best things about his batting is his touch. It's so pure. Down at No. 4 - he was brought into the XI to replace an ill Daryl Mitchell - there was possibly a risk that he wouldn't be able to take full toll of that. But as luck would have it, he began his innings within the field restrictions and that meant he could profit from his timing. His first five fours were all about finding the gap because his timing always took care of the rest.
Ravindra had to wait 11 overs since the field spread to find his next boundary but that didn't mean he was stagnant. His first 23 runs came off 21 balls with five fours. His next 28 runs came off 29 balls with one four. There was one chance in between all that. A mix-up with his Wellington team-mate Devon Conway could have resulted in him being run-out had Tanzid Hasan been able to get a direct hit in the 12th over.
Bangladesh also weren't able to rotate strike. New Zealand could. Those were the biggest points of difference between the two teams. The pitch did become much better for batting under lights though, a fact Mitchell Santner was looking forward to when he won the toss and decided to chase and of all people, Bracewell was his ace in the hole with the ball. The 34-year-old offspin-bowling allrounder himself couldn't believe he'd taken 4 for 26 off 10 uninterrupted overs. In the mid-innigs interview, he said "Funny one, once you let go [of the ball] you don't have much control what happens at the other end."
Bracewell contributed to his success by slowing his pace down. Bangladesh contributed considerably more. They exit the tournament having faced more than 50 overs of dot balls. Their decision-making left them so short on batting resources that they had Taskin on strike for the 45th over and it ended up as a maiden. The death overs were a total flex for the Black Caps. At one point, they were more than happy with just three fielders on the boundary, instead of the five allowed.
Bangladesh were reminded what could have been towards the end of the chase when there was sharp turn, leading edges, low-bounce and even a direct-hit run-out. The wicket merely added to their regret at the one that got away - Ravindra was 25 when Tanzid missed - and the runs that got away - 260 would've made this game so much more competitive.
New Zealand, India through to Champions Trophy semi-finals
Bangladesh and hosts Pakistan are out of the running. The two will play each other for consolation points - both are winless after two games each - in Rawalpindi on February 27.
"It's awesome to contribute to a win. The main focus was coming here and getting the win and securing that semi-final spot, and we were able to do that today," Bracewell said, adding about his learnings from the tri-series: "I think just keeping the stumps in play as long as you can [is important]. Looks like if you give a little bit of width [on these pitches], guys can free their arms and score pretty freely, so [I was] just trying to bowl as straight as I can, bring in that little bit of variable bounce [which the pitch offered]."
Australia and South Africa, who play at this same venue on Tuesday, might be taking note. They are in a tussle in Group B, which is still wide open. Both teams as well as Afghanistan and England are still in contention for a semi-final spot, although Afghanistan and England have little room left for error, both having lost their first game.
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