What is NHLTrades?
NHLTrades is a database and research tool for National Hockey League transactions. It catalogs trades between teams — including the players, draft picks, conditions, and cash involved — and connects them so you can follow a single asset across every move it has been part of. You can browse by trade, player, team, or draft.
How far back does the trade data go?
Our records span the modern history of the league, with the deepest coverage of the draft era forward. Recent seasons are the most complete and are updated continuously; older deals are filled in over time as we verify them against multiple sources. If you spot a gap, the report button on any page lets us know where to look next.
What does a "conditional" pick mean?
A conditional pick is a draft pick that only changes hands — or changes in value — if a specific event 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 as part of a deal, or when a trade is completed for "future considerations," we record those as first-class parts of the transaction rather than hiding them in a footnote. That way the full shape of a deal — not just the headline names — is visible. Both terms are explained in the glossary.
Can I see a single player or team’s full trade history?
Yes. Every player and team has its own page with a complete, chronological transaction history. A player page shows every deal that moved them or their rights, plus their draft details and career stats. A team page shows every trade the franchise has made, its most frequent trade partners, the picks it currently owns, and its activity season by season.
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 ever used — you can follow it from the team that originally owned it, through each trade, to the team that ultimately made the selection and the player they took.
How often is the data updated?
Trades are added on an ongoing basis, with new deals reflected shortly after they are reported and officially confirmed. Pages refresh automatically, so the trade feed and team and player histories stay current without you needing to do anything.
Is NHLTrades free to use?
Browsing the site, including recent trades, player and team pages, and the draft tools, is free. A subscription unlocks the full historical archive of older deals and supports continued development of the platform.
I found something that looks wrong. How do I report it?
Please tell us — accuracy is the whole point. Most pages include a report button for flagging a specific issue, and the feedback option in the navigation menu sends general notes and suggestions directly to the team. You can also join the discussion in our community Discord.