5 1-for-1 NHL Superstar Trades That Just Make Sense

Forgive us for looking ahead to the NHL offseason when we've got the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the near horizon. We're not wishing away the greatest postseason in sports to get to the transactions this summer, but we're allowing our imaginations to run wild today by thinking big.

Really big.

It takes a lot for superstars to get traded, and it takes a lot more for one superstar to be traded for another. It's not like it hasn't happened before. Think back to summer 2016 when Shea Weber and P.K Subban were traded for each other, and the deal was one-for-one.

That's the kind of inspiration we're using for these plausible-yet-not-at-all-probable trade ideas. A lot of teams have clear weaknesses and a whole bunch of them are going to miss the playoffs and, ideally, they're going to want to make sure it doesn't happen again next year.

That's how we're going to put together our trade pitches. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll curse us for suggesting them, and that's OK.

The big idea the Pittsburgh Penguins had when they added Erik Karlsson was to spur them on to more playoff appearances and a shot at one more Stanley Cup.

That plan hasn't happened, and the organization is staring a full rebuild in the face. If the Penguins want to keep that dream alive and lean into their offensive superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, moving Karlsson for a super goal-scoring weapon like Patrik Laine would give them one big gun to work with for at least a year.

The Canadiens are on the rise and in the heat of a playoff race. Laine has been superb this season, but this Habs team is built around Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson.

Laine would give them a power-play monster to contend with, but having Karlsson on board on the blue line to team up with Hutson, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle and Alexandre Carrier would provide another puck-moving maven and power-play specialist in his own right, just from the blue line.

A straight-up goalie swap? Yeah, let's get nuts.

The Oilers were rumored to be one of two teams Anaheim Ducks veteran star John Gibson would've happily gone to in a trade this year (Carolina the other). Gibson lost the starting job to rising young star Lukáš Dostál, and the veteran has been in trade rumors for years.

Goaltending was a strong point during the Oilers' run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final a year ago, but it's been a little bit shakier this season despite the numbers leveling out to a more normal range. Stuart Skinner hasn't been as rock-solid this season, and with the Oilers firmly in their window to win the Cup, another season falling short would be brutal.

Maybe this was a deal that should've been done at the deadline, but if the Oilers bow out early in the playoffs this year, it's one to consider for summertime.

This trade idea might've been a bit more exciting a few years ago, we admit, but sending Chris Kreider to Detroit for Vladimir Tarasenko does a few things that could help both teams.

Kreider would give the Red Wings a power forward presence their lineup is sorely lacking. They're loaded with skill players, but they lack guys who go hard to the net, knock people around and win battles along the walls. Kreider would be just one guy, but he'd be able to set the tone for what it takes in Motown.

Tarasenko was a Rangers forward for a short time, and while he could've signed back with them, his career went other places since. He's got one year left on his contract after this season at $4.75 million, which is one year fewer than what's left on Kreider's deal that comes with a $6.5 million cap hit.

The Rangers could use a little more salary freedom, and the Wings have enough of their own to be able to take on that extra money.

We can only imagine how David Pastrnak is feeling about seeing the Bruins going from Presidents' Trophy winners two years ago to being in last place in the Eastern Conference. He's 28 years old, and the team that looked so close to being back in the Stanley Cup Final is suddenly looking at an uncertain future.

Pastrnak is a goal-scoring fiend and one of the most entertaining characters in the league. Swapping him for Adrian Kempe would allow Pastrnak to shine a little brighter in Hollywood playing alongside Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Quinton Byfield. With Kopitar's career getting closer to the end, adding Pastrnak would help fill the superstar quotient in L.A.

Kempe is two years away from potentially becoming a UFA and is one of the best-valued scorers in the league. He's an annual 30-goal player, and his $5.5 million cap hit makes him a steal, which he won't be for much longer.

Freeing up Pastrnak's $11.25 million cap hit and getting a player who can produce close to what he does in Kempe helps Boston in its effort to get out of this mess.

Pastrnak has a no-move clause and Kempe has a 10-team no-trade list so we can keep this one in the "pipe dream" pile, but it's food for thought.

This summer, Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson will be a restricted free agent, as will Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi.

Dobson has been a star on Long Island when it comes to moving the puck and creating offense from the blue line. Vilardi has been an offensive star in his own right with the Jets and is pushing close to 30 goals this season. Both guys are due for raises and extensions this summer, and both of their teams should be able to afford them.

However, the Islanders could stand to use more offensive talent at forward to join Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. They probably wouldn't want to lose a player like Dobson on the blue line, but to add a player who can fill the net and create offense up front the way Vilardi can would be a good reason to do it.

Same goes for the Jets. Giving up Vilardi would take away a great weapon, but with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele along with Cole Perfetti, they can afford the hit if it means making their blue line deeper and more talented around Josh Morrissey.