What is NHLTrades?
NHLTrades is a research tool for NHL trades. Every trade is connected to the players, draft picks, conditions and cash in it, so you can follow a single asset across every move it has been part of. Alongside the trades are pages for players, general managers, coaches, teams and drafts, plus grades for each side of a deal. You can browse by trade, person, team or draft.
How far back does the trade data go?
To the league's early seasons: our records start in 1918 and run through today, more than 6,000 trades in all. New trades are added as they happen.
What does a "conditional" pick mean?
A conditional pick is a draft pick that only changes hands, or changes in value, if something specific happens, such as a team making the playoffs or a player re-signing. We track the condition itself, whether it has been resolved, and what the outcome was. See the glossary for the full definition and related terms.
How do you handle retained salary and "future considerations"?
When a team retains part of a player's salary, or a trade is completed for "future considerations," we record it as part of the deal itself rather than a footnote. That way you see the full shape of a trade, not just the headline names. Both terms are explained in the glossary.
How are trades graded?
Each side of a trade is graded on what it gave up and what it got back, using player value, contracts and draft pick value. Grades are part of All-Access.
How accurate are the grades and analytics?
Trade grades, Trade Value, WAR, archetypes and the other analytics are model estimates: our best read on the data, not official statistics. We check them against how real trades and careers turned out, and we keep refining them, so a number can shift as the models improve and as a season plays out. Scores, stats, contracts and the details of each trade are records, not estimates. If an estimate looks off to you, tell us through Feedback; that is how they get better.
Can I see a single player or team's full trade history?
Yes. Every player has a page with every deal that moved them or their rights, plus their draft details, career stats and contracts. Every team has a page with its notable trades, its most frequent trade partners, the draft picks it owns, its trades season by season, its staff history and its schedule.
What's on the GM and coach pages?
A general manager's page lists every trade they made and the contracts they signed, with a profile of how they like to deal. A coach's page covers their career behind the bench, with records, ratings and awards. The deeper analytics on these pages are part of All-Access.
How are draft picks tracked after they're traded?
Picks are tracked as their own assets with a full ownership chain. When a pick is dealt, sometimes several times before it is used, you can follow it from the team that originally owned it, through each trade, to the team that made the selection and the player they took.
How often is the data updated?
New trades are added as they happen. During the season, scores, stats and rosters are kept current, so the morning after a game everything is up to date.
Is NHLTrades free to use?
Yes. Trades, player, GM, coach and team pages, and the draft boards are free to browse. All-Access unlocks trade grades and the deeper analytics on people and teams, and it supports the site. See pricing for what's included.
I found something that looks wrong. How do I report it?
Please tell us, accuracy is the whole point. Use Feedback in the menu to send us a note from anywhere on the site. All-Access subscribers also get a flag button on trades, people and draft pages to report a specific item. You can also join the conversation on our Discord.