What’s at the top of your favorite NHL team’s holiday wish list?
Is it a trade to fill a need? Or a star player to find his game? Or, the classic: health in the new year?
The Athletic asked its NHL staff for one last-minute gift idea per team. Here’s what they said.
Trevor Zegras looking like his old self: It’s ridiculous to think we’re talking about an inventive 23-year-old playmaker whose star should still be on the rise. Zegras has run into tough luck on the injury front, as he’s recovering from knee surgery after a 2023-24 season wrecked by groin issues and a broken ankle. When he’s been healthy over the last two years, Zegras has averaged only 0.45 points per game after putting up points at an 0.81 clip in his first two full seasons. Though inroads have been made toward the Ducks’ wanting him to be a more responsible player, the offensive creativity that was at the heart of his game doesn’t surface as often as it did as a rookie. — Eric Stephens
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No. 1 center: The Bruins invested $54.25 million in Elias Lindholm with hopes he would be a good top-line center for David Pastrnak. So far, this has not been the case. Lindholm has been centering the No. 2 line. Even there, the first-year Bruin’s offense is muted. Pavel Zacha has more chemistry with Pastrnak than Lindholm, but he is not a dynamic first-line center. — Fluto Shinzawa
Leadership: The Sabres’ 11-game winless streak (now 12) recently prompted Lindy Ruff to call this the “toughest solve” he’s been around. Owner Terry Pegula spoke to the team this week and expressed confidence in the group assembled by general manager Kevyn Adams. But the Sabres are in a funk that has dropped them to last place in the Eastern Conference. The words of their owner, GM and coach haven’t snapped them out of it. It’s going to take on-ice leadership, and Rasmus Dahlin’s return should help. Outside help would be beneficial, too. — Matthew Fairburn
An NHL youngster 23 and under: It’s been on Craig Conroy’s wish list for some time. A young, budding NHL talent with untapped potential who can be part of the Flames’ solution. There are a handful of reclamations they could invest in, with varying asking prices. The Flames have some draft capital to play with to get that piece. The question is, who? Trevor Zegras (when healthy)? Dylan Cozens? Marco Rossi? Nick Robertson? — Julian McKenzie
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Stability in net: It’s not even January and the Hurricanes have already matched their franchise record for goaltenders played in a season with five. Frederik Andersen, Pyotr Kochetkov, Spencer Martin, Yaniv Perets and Dustin Tokarski have all seen time in the Carolina crease, and it’s still unclear who the two goalies will be come the postseason. More than anything, the Hurricanes need Kochetkov and Andersen to get healthy and stay that way — if that’s possible. — Cory Lavalette
Connor Bedard’s play improving: The Blackhawks’ rebuild is centered on Bedard. As far as he improves, the Blackhawks will likely improve. He had a strong rookie season, but his second year hasn’t gone as many, including him, expected. After a recent dip, he seems to be finding his game again. The Blackhawks have to hope he continues trending in that direction under interim coach Anders Sorensen. — Scott Powers
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Saves: That’s all the Avalanche want for Christmas. The Avs have already climbed out of the NHL’s bottom spot for team save percentage since acquiring Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood, but they still have quite a way to go. The two new netminders have a .934 save percentage since joining Colorado. They won’t stay that hot, but if they can maintain anything close to it, the Avalanche will be among the favorites to win it all. — Jesse Granger
Improved defensive play: The Blue Jackets have to get better in their own end. That includes but is not limited to, the goaltending, which has the second-lowest team save percentage (.882, through Thursday’s games) in the NHL. But the tandem of Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov could use some help, too. The Jackets have allowed 328 high-danger scoring chances this season, according to Natural Stat Trick, the third-highest figure in the league (through Thursday). Some of it is the Blue Jackets’ getting used to new coach Dean Evason’s aggressive system. Some of it is the relative youth of the Blue Jackets roster, which is dotted with players under age 25. We know this team can score goals. Can they prevent them? Please, Santa, send a little help.— Aaron Portzline
A return to form for Jason Robertson: Robertson has been producing more as of late, but he still has just four goals in his last 24 games. This is a two-time 40-goal scorer on pace for just 19, a 109-point guy on pace for just 56. The Stars are a top-10 team in goals per game and comfortably in a playoff spot, so it’d be a case of the rich getting richer, but imagine where they’d be if Robertson (and Wyatt Johnston, for that matter) was on top of his game. — Mark Lazerus
A long-term second pair D: The Red Wings appear to have found their top defense pair for the next decade in Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider, who have been excellent together this season. But there’s still plenty of questions behind them, both this season and for the future. Swedish RHD prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka could be part of the answer in a couple of years, but Detroit has work to do to identify at least one more two-way building block on the back end. — Max Bultman
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Continued good health: It’s not like the Oilers haven’t had their share of injuries. Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse, Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson have all been sidelined. But they’ve been a fairly healthy crew and are at full strength now that Arvidsson’s back from a 15-game absence. The Oilers could benefit from the status quo extending for a few more weeks. They’re trying to accrue as much cap space as possible ahead of the trade deadline to help facilitate improving the roster. Keeping a lean roster without injuries is how they’ll stay out of long-term injured reserve. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman
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Something from the bottom of the lineup: The Panthers needed to steady the ship after a rough start to their western swing, but things are generally going according to plan. Their primary issue remains a general lack of quality minutes from their fourth line and third pair; none of the players who’ve taken regular shifts in those spots has done much, and all of them have negative overall Net Ratings. The big guys shouldn’t have to do it all, night in and night out. — Sean Gentille
A more potent power play: The Kings are solidly in playoff position thanks to some solid goaltending that has backed a team-wide defensive effort good enough to put them first in the NHL with the fewest goals per game allowed. But they’re at the middle of the pack offensively, even after scoring seven in Philadelphia on Thursday. Any improvement for a disappointing 28th-ranked power play would make them more dangerous and push them closer to elite status. Though they’ve done well to cover for Drew Doughty’s absence defensively, Brandt Clarke hasn’t impressed in the quarterback role after some early success. Perhaps Doughty could help there when he returns to action from a broken ankle. — Eric Stephens
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Better health: An incredible run of injuries has finally caught up to the Wild as they’re patching together a lineup on a nightly basis right now, currently involving Brendan Gaunce, Travis Boyd, Ben Jones, Devin Shore and Jesper Wallstedt. For a team that previously had the best record in the league, the result was losing four of six heading into Friday’s game against Utah. With so many missing bodies, the Wild have lost their mojo, and even when they get bodies back, they’ll have to rediscover their style and structure. — Michael Russo
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Playing to potential: It has been the dominant storyline of the first half of the season, how Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovský, two players vital to the rebuild, are underperforming. Both players have talked endlessly about it because both have been asked endlessly about it, and both know talking about it is not the solution. Perhaps the Christmas break will provide a valuable little reset for both Dach and Slafkovský, allowing them to come back focused on playing to their identities and doing the things necessary to produce consistently. — Arpon Basu
A do-over: Maybe if the Preds, who are finally showing faint signs of improvement, could go back to the start of the season they’d have ideas to compete from the jump. Or if general manager Barry Trotz could go back to the summer, he’d avoid this mix of players. As is, this team is going to have to perform Santa-like feats to even be relevant in March. — Joe Rexrode
Jacob Markstrom to keep it up: In Markstrom’s first seven games with the Devils, he had an .891 save percentage. In the 17 games since, he is 13-3-1 with a .918 save percentage. With him playing like that, the Devils are formidable. They have a young, vibrant core complete with star players, and GM Tom Fitzgerald supplemented the roster with good pieces over the summer. — Peter Baugh
Health: Anthony Duclair is the last of four important regulars (Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech and Alex Romanov) to return this week after missing significant time. Backup goalie Semyon Varlamov is still out, forcing Ilya Sorokin into a too-long run of starts. There are plenty of other issues with this team, but if the Islanders can get healthy, it might not be too late for them this season. — Arthur Staple
An easier schedule: The Rangers are going through it right now. They were 3-11-0 in their previous 14 games heading into Friday night, and the team has been spiraling since Chris Drury told other GMs he was open to moving roster players, mentioning captain Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider by name. The Rangers ultimately traded Trouba and Kaapo Kakko, and they might not be done. Starting with Dallas on Friday, they have seven consecutive games against teams currently in playoff spots. That’s not a good recipe for them considering their free fall in the standings. — Peter Baugh
Right-shot defenseman and/or scoring winger: The Senators have looked better as of late. But they’re still one player away from solidifying themselves as a playoff contender. Whether it’s acquiring a player for their back end or a top-six scoring winger who can help Tim Stützle, Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson and company, the Senators still need some help to reach their elusive playoff goal. But you have to give to get. — Julian McKenzie
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A center for Matvei Michkov: The rookie winger has already shown he has a bright future, but he hasn’t developed enough chemistry with any of the Flyers’ centermen on a consistent enough basis. Coach John Tortorella has lately had Michkov with Morgan Frost, but acknowledged recently he’s not sure whether “that’s the right marriage.” Perhaps Michkov’s unexpected early arrival this season will hasten general manager Daniel Briere’s attempt to fix what is the Flyers’ biggest positional issue. If he can find the right center it could speed up Michkov’s development, too. — Kevin Kurz
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Goals from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin: The Penguins are on an 8-2-1 run and received a grand total of three goals from Malkin and Crosby during that stretch. Those two remain the Penguins’ best and most dangerous players, but they haven’t been scoring goals at anywhere near their career paces. That’s probably going to change soon. The Penguins’ Two-Headed Monster is generating scoring chances and going to the hard areas, but they’re not reaping the rewards. That tends to happen as even iconic players age. Crosby and Malkin have aged better than most all-time scorers. They’re going to get going in the goal-scoring department — but puck luck makes a nice gift. — Rob Rossi
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Continued good health for Macklin Celebrini: The 12-game injury absence after his terrific NHL debut is probably the only thing keeping Celebrini from being out in front in the rookie scoring race and the Calder Trophy front-runner. Even so, the 18-year-old looks like he’ll be in a duel with Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov for the league’s top rookie honor. (We get it, Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson and Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf are in the mix as well.) Celebrini was the no-doubt No. 1 pick last summer and has already looked every bit like the franchise player he appears destined to be. — Eric Stephens
A reliable backup goaltender: The Kraken have won only three of Philipp Grubauer’s nine starts this season, and though a team’s record isn’t a stat that necessarily reflects the performance of a goaltender, in this case, Grubauer’s play is the reason. Grubauer is struggling enormously, with a save percentage under .880. Even more troubling, he has one of the lowest save percentages in the NHL on low-danger shots this season, according to Clear Sight Analytics. At this point, if the Kraken are going to catch up to Utah, Calgary, Vancouver and Colorado and make a realistic push for a playoff spot, they’re going to need to find a relief starter to back up Joey Daccord. Hopefully, they find one under the tree. — Thomas Drance
Dalibor Dvorsky proves he’s ready to shine: By all accounts, Blues prospect Dvorsky’s first season in the AHL is going well. The 19-year-old center, who was the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, was leading Springfield in goals (11) and points (20) through Thursday. The Blues desperately need a No. 2 or 3 center but understandably don’t want to rush him. If fans had a wish list, it would be that Dvorsky has a dynamic World Juniors for Slovakia, continues to play well in the AHL and his performance gives the parent club no choice but to call him up. — Jeremy Rutherford
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A healthy blue line: JJ Moser’s game isn’t flashy or eye-catching, but his presence has helped solidify Tampa Bay’s top four. The Lightning have earned a 57 percent expected goal rate with Moser and Victor Hedman paired together, with even better results to match. Darren Raddysh should be a fine temporary injury replacement for Moser who is out for the next eight to 10 weeks. But any further injuries could strain this team, which would be really discouraging considering how well they have hit their stride at five-on-five lately. — Shayna Goldman
Better health: If we’re talking about additions to the roster, it’s another center. What this team could use in the interim is a healthier group. It’s been one thing after another, from a lengthy Auston Matthews absence to injuries to a whole bunch of forwards, plus top-four defender Jake McCabe and now 1A goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Now the lead guy in the crease, Joseph Woll, also missed some time to start the season. What the Leafs would love is a chance to see their team in full. — Jonas Siegel
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Utah Hockey Club
A return to full health: Utah has been red-hot lately, pulling off a 7-1-2 run to get back into playoff contention in the West after a very tough first 20 games. They’re scoring a lot, getting great goaltending and strong special teams, despite a pile of injuries. If they can play like this and then get reinforcements when John Marino, Sean Durzi and Connor Ingram are healthy, they could really surprise in the second half. The good vibes are back in Salt Lake City. — James Mirtle
A puck-moving defender: The Canucks have struggled more than any other NHL team to generate offense five-on-five over the past month — a 17-game stretch in which they’ve managed a measly 22 shots on goal per hour at five-on-five. No matter how good your goaltending is or how stout your defensive structure, that isn’t going to get it done. That the Canucks’ issues offensively have accelerated in the absence of Filip Hronek (and with the downturn in the form of Erik Brännström) is a telling indicator of what the real issue is. As much as Vancouver’s top forwards have struggled, the primary concern has to be its inability to move the puck well enough to control play and generate looks five-on-five. — Thomas Drance
A time machine to mid-April: The Golden Knights have looked like a true contender lately, going 10-2-1 since Nov. 21, and seem to have found their strong, defensive structure that has made them such a formidable playoff opponent for years. The penalty kill has rounded into form and the power play is still humming along at the best rate in franchise history. Everything is clicking. If they could just start the playoffs now, with the team mostly healthy, that would be an excellent Christmas gift. — Jesse Granger
A hot stick for Connor McMichael: McMichael’s production helped fuel the Caps’ early-season run. They’ve kept it going overall, looking like one of East’s best teams on most nights, but he has tailed off, with 12 goals in his first 16 games and three in the ensuing 15 through Thursday. McMichael’s expected goal total, ironically, was about the same in both chunks. His shooting percentage, though, swung from incredibly high (about 26 percent) to disappointingly low (about 7 percent). Settling in the middle would be a good thing for Washington. — Sean Gentille
The ghost of Dustin Byfuglien past: The ghost of Byfuglien past could play so many roles for the Jets, who are just 5-4-1 in December after a record-setting start to the season. He could show the Jets what they were capable of in October and in most of November, when they usually controlled flow of play and scored a lot of timely goals, or take the Jets on a tour of Byfuglien’s historical highlight reel — wherein one player dominated the game and its physical battles, too. Honestly, the idea of a brand new Byfuglien sounds like the dream acquisition for this Jets roster. One problem? Players like him are rare at the best of times (and the worst of times) so Winnipeg will need to shop in another, more realistic aisle. — Murat Ates
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(Top photos of Jason Robertson and Connor Bedard: Jerome Miron / Imagn Images and Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
