Three former Spartans that could be traded this NHL offseason
· Yahoo Sports
The NHL offseason is in full swing, with a ton of moves being made across the league, with blockbuster trades coming left and right. With the need to improve and overhaul rosters, no stone is going left unturned, and trades will continue being made into Friday's NHL Entry Draft.
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With the resurgence of the Michigan State hockey program, the Spartans are having more and more of an impact on NHL rosters, and thus, are potentially going to be involved in the madness that is occurring in the NHL offseason. Furthermore, a few Spartans have already been rumored to be in the midst of trade talks as the draft and free agency approaches.
Here are three former Spartans that could see themselves get traded this offseason:
Charlie Stramel
While he has yet to officially play with the Minnesota Wild, the 2023 1st round draft pick is a key trade piece the Wild are using as bait to improve their roster.
After a breakout year with Michigan State in 2025-26, the 6-foot-3 Stramel showed the potential to be a middle-six winger at the NHL level at some point, providing both scoring and physicality.
With the Wild needing to improve their top-six, Stramel and their 2027 1st round pick are being talked about together as potential trade pieces as the Wild inquire about adding a top level player like Dylan Larkin or Elias Petterson.
Isaac Howard
After trading Sam O'Reily for Howard last offseason, the Oilers could be looking to move the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner this offseason. With the Oilers having a desperate need to add goaltending help for 2026-27, Howard is one of the best trade chips they have in their system.
Howard appeared in 29 games for Edmonton this past season, scoring two goals and adding three assists. He was a star at the AHL level when playing for the Bakersfield Condors, notching 50 points in 47 games.
Howard is thought to have a bright future in the NHL, which makes him a very valuable trade piece if the Oilers intend to make a big splash this offseason.
Mason Appleton
It was another disappointing season for the Detroit Red Wings in 2025-26, with the team missing the playoffs for a tenth straight season. Another porous result from the team has led to the call for major shakeups needed this offseason.
With one more year left on his deal, Appleton could see himself on the move as part of that shakeup for the Red Wings. As a strong penalty killer that can provide a veteran spark on a team's bottom six, Appleton would have value to a number of franchises if the Red Wings decide to move on to get out from under his 2.9 million dollar cap hit for the upcoming season.
Appleton has had an 8-year NHL career predominately with the Winnipeg Jets, while also make a brief stint with the Seattle Kraken and last season with the Red Wings. He has played in 465 games, scoring 63 goals and adding 89 assists in his career.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Three former Spartans that could be traded this NHL offseason