Each Pacific Division Buyer's Needs at Trade Deadline

The NHL's Pacific Division as of the current moment is wide open with the Vegas Golden Knights having the advantage at the Olympic Break with 68 points and a record of 27-16-14. But just because the Golden Knights are leading the Pacific Division at the break, does not mean they should be the only team in their division looking to make their team better.

They have some competition with the Edmonton Oilers, the Seattle Kraken, and the Anaheim Ducks. All four of these teams should be looking to make their teams better at this year's NHL Trade Deadline that is coming up soon in March.

With that being said, each team has a different area that they are looking to improve on with their roster before the deadline passes. All four teams have strengths and weaknesses that set each of them apart from the rest.

Vegas Golden Knights: Goaltender

Vegas's big strength when they are fully healthy is their forward lines and their top 4 defensemen. So the big thing that they should look at upgrading is goaltender.

They have Akira Schmid and Adin Hill as the current goalies, and both have not been that good so far this season. They both could be performing way better than they have and goaltender is the most important position when it comes to the playoffs.

Vegas is going to want to try to figure this out and try to make a move for a more proven goaltender before the deadline so they are set for the playoffs. Hill was good the last few times Vegas made the postseason, but has fallen off a bit as of late.

Edmonton Oilers: Top 6 Forward

It should come to nobody's surprise that the Oilers like to lean on superstars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid a lot, especially in the playoffs. And that is not a recipe for success as they cannot play all 60 minutes every single game.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisait — Nov 4, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and center Leon Draisaitl (29) prepare to go on the power play against the Dallas Stars during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

They are going to need help outside of them and Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. They need to scour the trade market for sellers that are looking to sell top 6 forwards that can score and see if it meets a price they are willing to pay.

Edmonton has lost the last two Stanley Cup Finals because they have had a lack of scoring outside of the usual suspects. That is not going to help them this year if they do not address it.

Seattle Kraken: Get Healthy

For Seattle, it is going to be like making a trade without making a trade. There is no need for them to spend extra assets on trying to upgrade their lineup. But they have been missing Jaden Schwartz and rookie Berkly Catton due to injuries lately.

If they can just wait until they get healthy, then this lineup can compete in the West. Seattle does not need to be trading high round picks for anything right now especially with the pieces that they currently have.

Anaheim Ducks: Get Healthy

The Ducks are currently in the same spot as Seattle that they have good enough rosters when healthy that they do not need to risk assets. They just need to wait for Frank Vatrano and Leo Carlsson to get healthy.

Once the Ducks get them back from injury, they should scare teams in the West when it comes to the playoffs in April. The Ducks played good hockey like Seattle before the break, and the break came at a good time with their injuries.

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