The NHL trade deadline is less than 24 hours away.

So far, the NHL season had two blockbuster trades before the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Mikko Rantanen was dealt by the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes and J.T. Miller was traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers.

Also this season, the Avalanche have changed up their goaltending, the Dallas Stars acquired Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks, the Florida Panthers added Seth Jones and the Tampa Bay Lightning added two forwards.

Other moves will be made in the next day as teams beef up for the playoffs or move veterans for draft picks and prospects.

Here is analysis on the deals that have happened leading up to the NHL trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET on March 7.

TRADE DEADLINE: Team needs | Who has signed extensions?

When is the NHL trade deadline?

The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7.

March 6: Mikko Rantanen in the lineup

Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen, who’s the subject of trade speculation, is playing Thursday night against the Bruins.

March 6: Rangers acquire Carson Soucy from Canucks

The Rangers acquire left-shot defenseman Carson Soucy from the Canucks for a third-round pick (originally from San Jose). Soucy, who’s 6-foot-5, has 10 points and 92 blocked shots in 59 games. He’s the fourth defenseman that GM Chris Drury has added this season, joining Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen and Calvin de Haan.

March 6: How a trade call works

The NHL posted video of a Central Registry trade call for the Devils’ acquisition of Brian Dumoulin from the Ducks.

March 6: Kraken hold Brandon Tanev out of lineup

The Seattle Times reports the move, which could indicate the Kraken are working to trade the pending unrestricted free agent. He’ll draw interest because he’s a high-energy player who kills penalties.

March 6: Panthers, Jets swap goalies

The Panthers send Chris Driedger to the Jets for Kaapo Kahkonen. This is the third Panthers goalie move in a week. They sent Spencer Knight to the Blackhawks in the Seth Jones trade, then acquired Vitek Vanecek from the Sharks to back up Sergei Bobrovsky. Driedger, a Winnipeg native, and Kahkonen have spent nearly all of the season in the American Hockey League.

March 6: Golden Knights acquire Reilly Smith

Smith was an original Golden Knights player and won a Stanley Cup there in 2023 before being traded to the Penguins. His numbers have dropped in Pittsburgh and with the Rangers. He had 10 goals this season. New York gets forward Brendan Brisson, son of super agent Pat Brisson, and a 2025 third-round pick, according to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. Smith had been held out of the lineup the last three games.

March 6: Thursday waiver claims

The Predators claim two players off waivers: forward Jakub Vrana (Capitals) and defenseman Jordan Oesterle (Bruins). The Blue Jackets also claim forward Christian Fischer, who had spent the last one-plus seasons with the Red Wings.

March 6: Panthers acquire Nico Sturm from Sharks

Sturm, who averages a little more than 10 minutes a night, leads the NHL with a 62.7 faceoff winning percentage. The Panthers rank 22nd in that category at 49.4. Florida gives up a 2026 fourth-round pick and also receives a 2027 seventh-rounder.

March 6: Devils acquire Brian Dumoulin from Ducks

The Ducks will retain half his salary and receive a 2025 second-round pick and prospect Herman Traff. Dumoulin, a pending unrestricted free agent, is a steady defensive-minded defenseman who kills penalties. He scored Wednesday night. Dumoulin won Stanley Cup titles with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. Traff, 19, is a winger playing in Sweden. The Ducks will receive the earlier selection of Edmonton or Winnipeg’s 2025 second-rounders, which New Jersey acquired earlier.

March 5: Lightning acquire Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde

The Lightning land forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde, plus a 2026 fifth-round pick, from the Kraken for forward Mikey Eyssimont, two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and a 2025 second-round pick. The Lightning’s depth has been thinned since their 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup win because of salary cap concerns. Gourde, a pending unrestricted free agent, was part of those Cup wins and Bjorkstrand is on pace to hit 20 goals for the sixth time in seven seasons. He can move onto the Lightning’s second line and has another year left on his contract.

The Lightning have won nine of their last 10, and this trade is a sign that they’re going for it. Tampa Bay is always willing to deal draft picks to keep the championship window alive. The first-rounders, which are top-10 protected, will help the Kraken long-term with the team out of the playoff picture. The Kraken retain 50% of Gourde’s salary and the Red Wings retain 25% in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

March 5: Panthers acquire Vitek Vanecek from Sharks

This deal is a follow to the Seth Jones trade, in which the Panthers sent goalie Spencer Knight to the Blackhawks. Vanecek, a pending unrestricted free agent, will fill the backup role behind Sergei Bobrovsky. The Panthers had the room to take on the remainder of Vanecek’s $3.4 million cap hit after they placed Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve. The Sharks get Patrick Giles, 25, a 6-foot-5 former Boston College forward who has played all but nine games of his professional hockey career in the American Hockey League.

March 5: Predators, Penguins make trade

Forward Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick go to Nashville for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn. This deal is obviously for the future because both teams are out of the playoff hunt. Plus Bunting (appendectomy) is on the injured list. He has another year on his contract, Novak has two and Schenn has one. Bunting, who has 14 goals, was acquired last season in the Jake Guentzel trade. Novak has 13 goals. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas also moved out defenseman Vincent Desharnais on Wednesday as he remakes the team.

March 5: Sharks acquire Vincent Desharnais from Penguins

The Penguins receive a 2028 fifth-round pick. The defenseman played only 10 games (no points) with Pittsburgh after arriving last month from the Canucks as part of the Marcus Pettersson trade. Desharnais played 16 games during the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He has another year left on his contract.

Also: Rangers forward Reilly Smith sat out a third consecutive game for trade-related reasons.

March 4: Oilers acquire Trent Frederic in three-team trade

The Edmonton Oilers acquired pending unrestricted free agent forward Trent Frederic from the Boston Bruins, with the New Jersey Devils getting involved to help retain part of his salary. Frederic’s offensive numbers have dropped this season, but he’s valuable in the playoffs because of his feisty style of play. Edmonton, which reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, has been missing that this season after Evander Kane had multiple surgeries. Frederic is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Boston gets two draft picks and defenseman Max Wanner, a 2021 seventh-round pick, in the trade.

Here are the details of the trade:

Trade 1: Boston Bruins trade Trent Frederic (50% salary retained) to New Jersey Devils in exchange for unsigned draft choice Petr Hauser.

Trade 2: New Jersey trades Trent Frederic (50% salary retained) to Edmonton in exchange for unsigned draft choice Shane Lachance.

Trade 3: Boston trades Max Jones and unsigned draft choice Petr Hauser to Edmonton in exchange for Max Wanner, St. Louis’ second-round pick in 2025 (owned by Edmonton) and Edmonton’s own fourth-round selection in 2026.

March 1: Panthers acquire Seth Jones from Blackhawks

The Florida Panthers send goalie Spencer Knight and a conditional 2026 first-round pick (which could move to 2027) to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Seth Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Blackhawks retain 26% of his salary. Jones’ recent comments expressing frustration with the team’s play essentially pushed the trade. The Panthers get a right-shot defenseman who plays big minutes after losing right-shot Brandon Montour to free agency last summer. Knight, who won’t be stuck behind Sergei Bobrovsky any more, gets a chance to prove he can become a No. 1 goalie. Knight and the first-rounder are a good return, considering trade demands usually put teams at a disadvantage.

TRADE GRADE: Who won Seth Jones trade?

March 1: Wild acquire Gustav Nyquist from Predators

The Minnesota Wild give up a 2026 second-round pick to the Nashville Predators, who retain 50% of pending unrestricted free agent Gustav Nyquist’s $3.185 million salary. Minnesota is in need of help at forward because of injuries to Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek. Though Nyquist has struggled along with the Predators this season, he had 75 points last season. This is the second time the Wild have made a deadline deal for Nyquist. They previously acquired him in 2023 and he had five points in three regular-season games plus five points in six playoff games. He signed with the Predators as a free agent in July 2023.

March 1: Avalanche acquire Ryan Lindgren from Rangers

The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Ryan Lindgren from the New York Rangers in a five-player deal involving two draft picks. The Rangers retain 50% of Lindgren’s salary. He plays a top-four role, which Colorado has needed after trading Bowen Byram last season, and kills penalties. Lindgren, who had two recent two-assist games but often seems to get hurt, and forward Jimmy Vesey are pending unrestricted free agents, so the Rangers get something in return. Juuso Parssinen, 24, is a pending restricted free agent who played a depth role in Colorado. This is his second trade of the season. Calvin de Haan is a pending UFA with 676 games of regular season experience.

Feb. 24: Red Wings trade Ville Husso to Ducks

The Detroit Red Wings get goaltender Ville Husso’s $4.75 million cap hit off their books. Husso has played only nine games with the Red Wings and had spent much of the season in the American Hockey League. Detroit receives future considerations in the deal. The Anaheim Ducks sent Husso to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, where goalie Calle Clang is out with an injury.

Feb. 1: Stars acquire Mikael Granlund, Cody Ceci from Sharks

The Dallas Stars give up a 2025 first-round pick and a conditional third-round pick for forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci. Dallas was short on both positions because forwards Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment are injured, as are defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundqvist.

Granlund led the Sharks with 45 points in 52 games and will add to a solid forward group, especially with Marchment getting closer to returning. Ceci led San Jose in ice time and blocked shots. Both newcomers are pending unrestricted free agents. The conditional third-round pick will be a fourth-rounder if the Stars don’t reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Jan. 31: Rangers acquire J.T. Miller in deal with Canucks

The New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, two teams in the midst of disappointing seasons, swung a big trade Friday night they hope will shake things up for the better.

Vancouver shipped center J.T. Miller along with Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington to the Rangers in exchange for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 draft, the teams announced. The pick is top-13 protected, according to multiple reports.

The Canucks weren’t done dealing Friday, either, flipping that first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a separate deal, along with Danton Heinen, Vincent Desharnais and Melvin Fernstrom. They got back Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor. – Jace Evans

ANALYSIS: Who won the trade?

Jan. 31: Flyers, Flames swap forwards in four-player trade

Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost went to Calgary and Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-rounder went to Philadelphia. The deal was announced early Friday morning following the two teams’ games.

Farabee, a two-time 20-goal scorer, and Frost, who has hit double digits three times, can give the Flames scoring depth as the team tries to hold on to a playoff spot. Farabee is signed through 2027-28 and Frost is a pending restricted free agent.

Kuzmenko, a pending unrestricted free agent, wasn’t going to be re-signed in Calgary after the former 39-goal scorer (with Vancouver) had four goals this season. But it gives the Flyers a chance to see how he fares with Russian rookie Matvei Michkov, a fellow former Kontinental Hockey League player. Pelletier can fit in the Flyers’ bottom six forward group and kills penalties. He’ll be a restricted free agent.

Jan. 31: Golden Knights sign Brandon Saad for rest of the season

Not a trade, but the Vegas Golden Knights made an addition ahead of the deadline. They signed forward Brandon Saad (pro-rated $1.5 million) for the rest of the season after he was cut loose by the St. Louis Blues. The Blues had waived the two-time Stanley Cup winner, but the sides agreed to terminate the rest of his contract so he could become a free agent. Saad’s numbers (seven goals) have dropped off this season, but he scored 26 last season.

Jan. 27: Islanders acquire Scott Perunovich from Blues

The New York Islanders give up a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick for Scott Perunovich to address another injury on their blue line. The trade was announced after Ryan Pulock (upper body) was placed on the injured list. Perunovich had six points in 24 games with the St. Louis Blues this season. Last week, the Islanders signed free agent defenseman Tony DeAngelo for the remainder of the season because Noah Dobson is out with a lower-body injury.

Jan. 24: Mikko Rantanen traded in blockbuster deal

The Colorado Avalanche no longer have to worry whether they can fit pending free agent Mikko Rantanen in their salary structure. The two-time 100-point scorer was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder. The Hurricanes also get Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks, who retained 50% of Rantanen’s salary.

The Avalanche pay MVP Nathan MacKinnon $12.6 million a year, and that was likely their top limit for Rantanen. Though Colorado loses a prolific scorer, Necas is the Hurricanes’ top scorer and is signed through next season. Drury is also signed through 2025-26 and will be a restricted free agent.

Last year, the Hurricanes were also aggressive before the deadline, but they lost in the second round and weren’t able to re-sign Jake Guentzel.

Dec. 28: Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche make trade

The Nashville Predators called up forward Vinnie Hinostroza, the American Hockey League’s leading scorer, then traded forward Juuso Parssinen to the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche also get a 2026 seventh-round pick and the Predators get back forward Ondrej Pavel and a 2027 third-round pick.

Hinostroza, a 374-game NHL veteran, signed a two-year deal with the Predators in the offseason but had spent the entire season in the AHL. So has Pavel. Parssinen had five points in 15 games with Nashville this season. The Predators and Avalanche swapped backup goaltenders earlier in the season.

Dec. 18: Rangers trade Kaapo Kakko to Kraken

The New York Rangers get back defenseman Will Borgen and 2025 third- and sixth-round picks in exchange for Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick of 2019. The trade happened less than a day after Kakko complained about being a healthy scratch. ‘It’s just easy to take the young guy and put him out,’ he said Tuesday. ‘That’s how I feel.’

Kakko, 23, has never matched the expectation of being that high a pick, getting 40 points in his top season in 2022-23. He has 14 points this season and was named by Finland to the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The trade is the second recent shake-up move by the sliding Rangers, who dealt captain Jacob Trouba, a defenseman, to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. Borgen, who was taken by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, had 20 or more points and averaged nearly 200 hits the past two seasons but has just two points and a minus-13 rating this season.

In other Dec. 18 trades:

The Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators swapped defensemen with Justin Barron, 23, heading to Nashville in exchange for Alexandre Carrier, 28. Carrier signed a three-year deal this offseason and gives the Canadiens a veteran right-shot defenseman. The Predators save $2.6 million in cap space.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman P.O. Joseph from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations. Joseph will help the Penguins with defenseman Marcus Pettersson out with an injury. Joseph played his first four NHL seasons with Pittsburgh.

Dec. 14: Blues acquire Ducks’ Cam Fowler in trade

The St. Louis Blues give up minor league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-round pick to land defenseman Cam Fowler, 33, who spent his entire NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks. St. Louis also gets a 2027 fourth-round pick and the Ducks retain about 38.5% of Fowler’s remaining salary.

The Blues, who will be without Torey Krug (ankle) this season, get a veteran defenseman who averages more than 21 minutes a game in ice time. Fowler was moved eight days after the Ducks acquired defenseman Jacob Trouba in a trade.

Dec. 9: Avalanche land Mackenzie Blackwood in goalie trade with Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche’s season-opening goaltending tandem of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen is out after a subpar start. Now they’re running with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood after separate trades with the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators, respectively.

The Blackwood trade is the latest one and includes forward Givani Smith and a draft pick going to Colorado, while forward Nikolai Kovalenko and two picks go to San Jose. Blackwood has a .904 save percentage to Georgiev’s .874, and he made 49 saves in his last game. Georgiev was pulled in his second-to-last start.

Dec. 6: Rangers trade Jacob Trouba, extend Igor Shesterkin

The sliding New York Rangers dominated the news Friday by trading captain Jacob Trouba and giving Igor Shesterkin an eight-year extension that makes him the highest-paid NHL goalie.

The Rangers officially announced the extension on Saturday.

The Trouba trade happened first Friday with the Rangers getting back defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. But the biggest part is the Anaheim Ducks took on Trouba’s $8 million cap hit, giving the Rangers flexibility. Trouba, who has struggled this season and didn’t waive his no-trade clause this summer, adds a veteran presence to the young Ducks. He and new teammate Radko Gudas are two of the hardest hitters in the league.

Shesterkin will average $11.5 million in his new deal, according to reports, moving him past Carey Price ($10.5 million) as the top-paid goaltender. The Rangers rely heavily on Shesterkin, who faces a lot of high-danger shots.

Also: The Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens pulled off a minor trade. Forward Jacob Perreault, son of former NHL player Yanic Perreault, heads to Edmonton for defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer.

Nov. 30: Wild acquire defenseman David Jiricek from Blue Jackets

The Minnesota Wild acquired former first-round pick David Jiricek, 21, from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a package that includes 22-year-old defenseman Daemon Hunt and a package of draft picks including a top-five protected 2025 first-round pick. Jiricek, a 2022 sixth-overall pick who had been sent to American Hockey League, will report to the Wild’s AHL team. The other picks heading to Columbus: 2026 third- and fourth-rounders and a 2027 second-rounder. The Wild get a 2025 fifth-round pick.

Nov. 30: Predators, Avalanche swap goaltenders

The Colorado Avalanche acquired backup goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators for backup goalie Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick. The Avalanche, who have the league’s third-worst team goals-against average, were expected to make some sort of goaltending move but not necessarily this one. Annunen, 24, has slightly better stats this season, but he’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Wedgewood, 32, who was signed in the offseason and played five games for the Predators, has another year left on his contract.

Nov. 25: Penguins acquire Philip Tomasino from Predators

Philip Tomasino (one point in 11 games) is the final year of his contract so the struggling Nashville Predators get something in return, a 2027 fourth-round pick. The equally struggling Pittsburgh Penguins get another person for their bottom six. The former first-round pick’s best season was 32 points as a rookie in 2021-22.

Nov. 12: Capitals reacquire Lars Eller in trade with Penguins

Center Lars Eller, 35, is a familiar face for the Washington Capitals after playing in Washington from 2016-23 and winning a Stanley Cup there in 2018. He kills penalties and is strong in the faceoff circle. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ side of the trade might be more interesting. They get a 2027 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder, and this also could be an indication that the Penguins are shaking up the roster after a disappointing start. Eller’s trade will allow the team to give more ice time to younger players. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent.

Oct. 30: Sharks acquire Timothy Liljegren from Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs get defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. Liljegren, 25, had been limited to one game in Toronto this season, and the Maple Leafs recently committed to blue-liner Jake McCabe with a five-year extension. But Liljegren should fit in well in San Jose, which is building around younger players. Benning, 30, and Liljegren are signed through 2025-26.

This is the second day with an NHL trade after none previously since the season opened in North America.

Oct. 29: Utah acquires defenseman Olli Maatta from Red Wings

The Utah Hockey Club gives up a third-round pick as it addresses a desperate need for a veteran defenseman. Sean Durzi and John Marino are out long-term after surgery. Utah has been leaking goals during a four-game losing streak, including blowing a 4-1 lead late in the third period against the previously winless San Jose Sharks. Maatta is solid defensively and has nearly 700 games of NHL experience.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ star pass rusher was given permission to seek a trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s the latest in a long line of disgruntled stars wearing tiger stripes.

After franchise tagging Tee Higgins for a second consecutive year earlier this week, the Bengals are now left to deal with the fallout from Hendrickson’s decision. The two sides have been unable to come to terms on an extension, leaving his future up in the air.

Joe Burrow has made his stance clear to the Bengals this offseason, saying he wants to keep the team together.

Cincinnati’s history would suggest otherwise, especially given the costly extensions their stars would receive. While Burrow secured his big-money deal last year, Higgins and Hendrickson are awaiting their slice of the pie in addition to Ja’Marr Chase, who is fast approaching a new contract of his own.

Someone was likely going to be the odd man out and it seems like Hendrickson might be that guy. While most teams across the league would want to acquire a player of Hendrickson’s caliber, here’s a look at some of the spots he could end up if Cincinnati opts to trade him.

Trey Hendrickson landing spots

Chicago Bears

The Bears are in the midst of a remodel this offseason, and so far, everything is going according to plan. They hired arguably the top available coaching candidate, Ben Johnson, and swung a pair of trades for offensive lineman. Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson should provide a nice boost up front to protect Caleb Williams in his sophomore season. Now Chicago can get to work on the other side of the ball.

Armed with cap space and a coaching staff that believes in building through the trenches, Hendrickson sets up as a perfect player to slot in on that defense. One year after acquiring Montez Sweat to help bolster their defensive front, the Bears could secure Cincinnati’s star to make the whole thing go.

Washington Commanders

The Commanders were one win away from an unlikely Super Bowl appearance, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game. They learned that the rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was anything but in his first season. While last year was a surprise, no one is going to overlook Washington in 2025.

Expect the Commanders to load up this offseason and with money to spend, this makes plenty of sense.

Philadelphia Eagles

From one NFC East team to another, the Super Bowl champions are a team that can never be discounted when star players become available. Howie Roseman is always in this conversation. With Philadelphia potentially losing Josh Sweat and Milton Williams to free agency, acquiring Hendrickson on a team-friendly deal for 2025 can’t be ruled out.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have no shortage of cap space, a defensive-minded head coach and a team seemingly stuck in the middle. Somewhat of a forgotten NFL franchise, acquiring Hendrickson would not only be a major boost to a defense in desperate need of some pass-rushers but could ultimately raise the ceiling of a franchise looking for a return to postseason contention.

They have just one winning season in the last nine years, meaning Jonathan Gannon might want to take a page out of his former employer’s book in Philadelphia and go after some stars.

Los Angeles Chargers

Fresh off releasing Joey Bosa, the Chargers have a mountain of cap space to work with. Entering Jim Harbaugh’s second season, Los Angeles can start building on their success from last year. There’s also no guarantee that Khalil Mack returns, opening the door for a pass-rusher to come waltzing through the door.

Acquiring Hendrickson would go a long way in rebuilding the Chargers’ defense, especially as they try to keep up in what is a very competitive AFC West.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Perhaps a surprise on the list, but the Jaguars are looking to build a solid foundation for their new head coach, Liam Coen. Jacksonville also recently hired James Gladstone to be their general manager, who comes from the Los Angeles Rams organization. Les Snead famously built the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning team by acquiring stars, which went on to beat Hendrickson’s Bengals.

Hendrickson is a Florida native, even attending college in the Sunshine State. With plenty of cap space to work with and a clear motivation to finally start winning, Jacksonville can’t be ruled out.

(This story has been updated.)

Wide receiver Christian Kirk has found a new home, but he’s staying in the neighborhood.

One day after announcing plans to release the 28-year-old receiver, the Jaguars are trading Kirk within the division. Their trade partner, the Texans, are also in the AFC South and will send Jacksonville a 2026 seventh-round NFL draft pick for the receiver, according to multiple reports.

Kirk was set to enter the final year of a four-year, $72 million contract that he signed ahead of the 2022 season. According to NFL Network, Houston will take on Kirk’s 2025 salary of $16.5 million as part of the trade.

The Texans’ trade for Kirk marks the second year in a row that the team brought in more pass-catching talent via trade. Last year, Houston traded for former Bills wideout Stefon Diggs to play in a receiving corps that already featured Nico Collins and Tank Dell.

With Diggs set to hit free agency and Dell coming off of a bad knee injury that ended his 2024 season prematurely, the Texans have started their offseason by acquiring another receiver to fill a need at the position.

After setting career-high marks in catches (84), yards (1,108) and touchdowns (8) in the first year of his contract, Kirk played in 20 games over his last two seasons in Jacksonville. The former second-round pick ended his Jaguars tenure with back-to-back years featuring a season-ending ailment: a core injury in 2023 and a broken collarbone last year.

In 2024, Kirk caught 27 passes for 379 yards and one touchdown in eight games.

He now becomes the latest addition to a Houston passing offense led by quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Christian Kirk trade details

According to reports, these are the full terms of the trade:

Texans receive: WR Christian Kirk
Jaguars receive: 2026 seventh-round pick (from Rams via Houston)

The Texans will trade Jacksonville the Rams’ 2026 seventh-rounder that they originally received as part of their 2024 trade to acquire receiver Ben Skowronek.

The deal gives Stroud another pass-catching option to work with and settles some uncertainty in the Texans’ wide receiver corps. Diggs is a pending free agent this offseason, and Dell could miss much – if not all – of the 2025 season after a serious knee injury he suffered late last year.

Jacksonville receives compensation for a receiver they had planned to release at the start of the new league year next week.

Christian Kirk contract

Kirk is entering the final year of the four-year, $72 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2022. The Texans will pay him the $16.5 million he’s owed this year, according to NFL Network.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Will Lionel Messi play as Inter Miami returns to action in the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament tonight?

Messi’s playing status is a topic of discussion as Inter Miami hosts Jamaican Premier League champions Cavalier FC on Thursday night at 8 p.m. inside Chase Stadium.

Here’s what we know: Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said Messi is healthy and practiced with his teammates, but did not divulge whether Messi would play. Messi’s status is essentially “the same as the rest of the players.” 

“We’ll see,” Mascherano said of Messi on Wednesday. “He’s in good health, but we’ll see what’s good for us.”

What’s good for Inter Miami is obviously Messi returning to action after he did not travel for last Sunday’s match against the Houston Dynamo. Inter Miami opted to rest Messi because of the congested start of the year where he predominately played in three matches during a six-day stretch from Feb. 19-26. Including five preseason matches Inter Miami played Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa Bay, Florida from Jan. 18 to Feb. 14, Messi has played eight matches in a 40-day span to begin 2025. 

“Obviously, with the matches, he has felt the fatigue, he has had an overload, but that’s why we decided he not go to Houston. That’s why,” Mascherano said of Messi. “We have already had some injuries, and we don’t want to fall back on a player so important to us, because what if we don’t give him a certain rest, he ends up injured and we don’t want to be out for a month.”

If Messi plays Thursday night, it will be his first match in nine days. However, it also begins another stretch of three matches in a week for Inter Miami. On Sunday, Inter Miami hosts Charlotte FC in an MLS regular-season match. Next Thursday, Inter Miami will complete its round-of-16 matchup with Cavalier FC at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica — where Messi is expected to play his first match in the country in front of an already sold out crowd of 35,000 ticket buyers.

Stay tuned here as USA TODAY Sports provides live updates from tonight’s match between Inter Miami and Cavalier FC.

Is Messi playing tonight? 

Messi’s status will be confirmed when Inter Miami announces its starting lineup, about an hour before the game begins. 

A pregame report from Deporte Total USA says Messi will not play or be available as a substitute to continue resting. 

What time is Inter Miami vs. Cavalier FC match? 

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina). 

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Cavalier FC match on TV?

The match will be available to watch on FS2 in English and ViX in Spanish. 

What to know about Cavalier FC? 

Cavalier FC is playing in the Champions Cup tournament for the second time in as many years. They qualified directly into the round of 16 by winning the Concacaf Caribbean Cup in December.

The matchup against Inter Miami will be the second time Cavalier has faced MLS competition. Cavalier lost to FC Cincinnati by scores of 2-0 and 4-0 in the first round last year. 

Cavalier FC coach and sporting director Rudolph Speid said Wednesday: “We’re really looking forward to doing well. I think it will inspire a generation of players in Jamaica itself, just because of what will happen. We’ll play them here. Everybody will be watching on TV. And, also in the return leg where we expect a packed stadium, and everybody just talking about the game. That inspiration is much more for the country than just our team.” 

Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami, Argentina

Messi could play in the following six matches with Inter Miami and the Argentina national team later this month: 

March 9: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte, 4 p.m. ET (MLS)
March 13: Cavalier FC vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ET (Champions Cup) 
March 16: Atlanta vs. Inter Miami, 7 p.m. ET (MLS)
March 21: Uruguay vs. Argentina, 7:30 p.m. ET (World Cup 2026 qualifier)
March 25: Argentina vs. Brazil, 8 p.m. ET (World Cup 2026 qualifier)
March 29: Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS)

As we approach the 2025 MLB season, one fact is abundantly clear: not everyone is going to compete for a World Series this season. That’s just how the sport is. Some teams are good, some teams are bad, and some teams are building something grand.

While some teams may not be in a position to compete for a championship this year, they’ve been able to build a team that will be ready to compete in a few short years. That said, other teams have sold all of their best young talent in an effort to push for a World Series now. They’ve given away all of the best prospects and their hope of a bright future in order to secure a coveted title as soon as possible.

Neither of these strategies are necessarily better or worse than the other. After all, how many years of sorrow is a championship really worth? However, it is clear which teams have a brighter future ahead of them thanks to the talent they’ve retained, acquired, and/or developed at the lower levels. Here’s every MLB team’s farm system ranked ahead of the 2025 regular season.

MLB Farm System Rankings:

*All top prospect rankings are provided by MLB.com

30) Toronto Blue Jays

SS Arjun Nimmala
RHP Trey Yesavage
2B/3B Orelvis Martinez
LHP Ricky Tiedemann
OF Alan Roden

Arjun Nimmala is the best this organization has going for it and he’s not even considered a high-end talent just yet. After three of the tam’s top-15 prospects were forced to undergo elbow surgery in 2024, and another was suspended for PEDs, it’s hard to feel good about this team’s future. Nay, it’s near impossible.

29) New York Yankees

OF Jasson Dominguez
SS/2B George Lombard Jr.
OF Spencer Jones
RHP Ben Hess
RHP Will Warren

Jasson Dominguez has been the No. 1 prospect in this system for forever it seems, and even he has his issues. He’s a switch-hitter who slashed .185/.264/.246 against lefties in the minors last year. He could be relegated to a platoon role at the major league level. If the Yankees had to wait so long just to bench Dominguez in certain situations, that would be a major blow to their World Series chances and shows just how poor the rest of their farm system is currently.

28) Houston Astros

3B Cam Smith
SS/3B Brice Matthews
OF Jacob Melton
C Walker Janek
3B/1B Zach Dezenzo

When your team’s top prospects like Jacob Melton, Brice Matthews, and Zach Dezenzo are all considered MLB hopefuls as platoon players, you know your farm system is in a rough spot. Outside of Cam Smith, the Astros don’t have much to brag about in their minor league affiliates, and even he only joined the club recently as part of the Kyle Tucker trade.

27) Atlanta Braves

C Drake Baldwin
LHP Cam Caminiti
RHP AJ Smith-Shawver
RHP Hurston Waldrep
INF Nacho Alvarez Jr.

Injury concerns, low ceilings, and long timetables are the most common issues with the Braves’ farm system. While Baldwin and Smith-Shawver could each be solid contributors for the club soon, the Braves don’t boast very many impact hitters or many top-line arms. Sure, there is depth on the mound, but that won’t help Atlanta take down the Phillies or Mets.

26) San Francisco Giants

1B Bryce Eldridge
LHP Carson Whisenhunt
SS Josuar Gonzalez
OF James Tibbs III
SS Jhonny Level

While Bryce Eldridge is a tremendous, enviable talent, the Giants don’t have much else going for them. Whisenhunt is expected to make his big league debut soon, but he’s not expected to be a top-of-the-rotation arm. Meanwhile, the Giants only have one other prospect in their top-ten expected to be ready for the majors in 2025.

25) Los Angeles Angels

2B Christian Moore
RHP Caden Dana
RHP George Klassen
SS Joswa Lugo
LHP Sam Aldegheri

For once, the Angels are not at the bottom of these rankings. That will likely change given their tendency to call up prospects long before they are ready, but as it stands, the Halos have a few solid players like Christian Moore and Caden Dana.

24) New York Mets

RHP Brandon Sproat
SS/OF Jett Williams
OF Carson Benge
1B/OF Ryan Clifford
RHP Nolan McLean

The Mets may have a deep farm system, but it’s littered with question marks. Most of the team’s top position prospects suffered injuries in 2024, including their top offensive prospect Jett Williams. As for the pitching side, the Mets do have a flurry of prospects ready to join the Major League club, but outside of Brandon Sproat, there isn’t much hope that any of them will develop into franchise cornerstones.

23) Arizona Diamondbacks

SS Jordan Lawlar
INF Demetrio Crisantes
OF Slade Caldwell
RHP Yilber Diaz
C Adrian Del Castillo

The Diamondbacks were expected to boast one of the best farm systems in baseball this year. However, after another injury to Jordan Lawlar and struggles from first-rounders Druw Jones and Tommy Troy, the Snakes have fallen down in the rankings. Even with breakouts from Yilber Diaz and Adrian Del Castillo, the consistency from their top prospects has not been there.

22) Athletics

SS Jacob Wilson
1B Nick Kurtz
OF Colby Thomas
RHP Mason Barnett
RHP Luis Morales

Jacob Wilson could be a future batting title champion. Nick Kurtz is a stud at the plate. That’s basically all the A’s have going for them though. If Kurtz and Wilson fail to live up to expectations, the Athletics don’t have a single other prospect expected to produce at an All-Star level.

21) Texas Rangers

SS/3B Sebastian Walcott
RHP Kumar Rocker
RHP Jack Leiter
C Malcolm Moore
RHP Winston Santos

The Rangers could end up being much higher on this list by the end of this season, depending on how their 2024 breakouts play this year. Winston Santos, Alejandro Rosario, and Emiliano Teodo all provided enormous, unexpected value in 2024, but if they can’t keep that momentum going into 2025, then the Rangers will be back to leaning almost entirely on Walcott and Rocker.

20) Colorado Rockies

RHP Chase Dollander
OF/3B Charlie Condon
OF/SS Cole Carrigg
OF Robert Calaz
RHP Brody Brecht

While Dollander and Condon are certainly huge gets, the Rockies have tricked people into thinking they have very solid pitching depth. However, given the fact that Coors Field is one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in America, the Rockies will need more high-end pitching talent to feel good about their future on the mound.

19) San Diego Padres

SS Leo De Vries
C Ethan Salas
LHP Kash Mayfield
RHP Humberto Cruz
LHP Boston Bateman

Outside of De Vries and Salas, this Padres’ farm is subpar to say the least. However, those two players are two of the top-33 prospects in baseball. That alone keeps them in the top-20.

18) Miami Marlins

LHP Thomas White
SS Staryln Caba
RHP Noble Meyer
C/1B Agustin Ramirez
SS Andrew Salas

The Marlins’ inability to hold onto talent, or even trade them for big prospect hauls has come back to bite them in recent years. They have only two top-100 prospects heading into 2025, and if they hadn’t added Starlyn Caba in the Jesus Luzardo trade, they’d be much lower on this list.

17) St. Louis Cardinals

SS JJ Wetherholt
LHP Quinn Mathews
RHP Tink Hence
C Jimmy Crooks
INF Thomas Saggese

Everybody agrees that the Cardinals were given a gift when JJ Wetherholt fell to them at No. 7 in the MLB draft. However, the lack of consistent, proven talent is what holds this farm back. Sure, there are prospects like Rainiel Rodriguez who have provided glimpses of greatness that could develop into franchise cornerstones, but until we see those glimpses come more consistently over a longer period of time, it’s hard to have a ton of faith that the Cardinals will develop any future All-Stars.

16) Kansas City Royals

1B Jac Caglianone
C Blake Mitchell
C Carter Jensen
RHP Ben Kudrna
LHP Noah Cameron

Undeniably top-heavy, the Royals are certainly praying that Caglianone and Mitchell live up to their expectations. Outside of them, though, there are several question marks.

15) Baltimore Orioles

C/1B Samuel Basallo
3B/1B Coby Mayo
OF Enrique Bradfield Jr.
RHP Chayce McDermott
OF Vance Honeycutt

It’s hard to maintain a top spot in the rankings when you graduate all of your top prospects. However, this team’s farm is still nothing to scoff at. Basallo and Mayo are widely regarded as two of the best bats in the minor leagues, and the Orioles have decent depth on the mound as well.

14) Milwaukee Brewers

C Jeferson Quero
SS/3B Jesus Made
SS Cooper Pratt
RHP Jacob Misiorowski
3B/1B Mike Boeve

The Brewers may have graduated several of their top prospects in 2024, but that hasn’t slowed their farm system down much. The team continues to boast one of the best international scout teams in the business with the addition of Jesus Made. That signing alone could keep them in the top half of the league in these rankings.

13) Washington Nationals

OF Dylan Crews
RHP Travis Sykora
RHP Jarlin Susana
3B Brady House
SS Seaver King

This farm system is obviously carried by Dylan Crews. While there is hope that Sykora and Susana can bring some much-needed pitching depth to the big league squad, the Nationals lack depth at the position beyond those two prospects.

12) Minnesota Twins

OF Walker Jenkins
OF Emmanuel Rodriguez
2B/OF/1B Luke Keaschall
3B Kaelen Culpepper
LHP Connor Prielipp

Walker Jenkins is the best prospect the Twins have had in years, but after him, it does take a bit of a tumble. Emmanuel Rodriguez is incredible but has faced some serious injury issues. Furthermore, their lack of a truly elite pitching prospects is troubling, but Minnesota has shown capable of developing late-round pitchers into solid MLB starters lately.

11) Pittsburgh Pirates

RHP Bubba Chandler
SS/OF Konnor Griffin
RHP Thomas Harrington
2B/SS Termarr Johnson
2B/OF Nick Yorke

We’ve seen the Pirates develop tremendous pitchers, and that’s no different with their 2025 prospect pool. Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington remain two of the game’s most coveted minor league arms. However, their lack of a truly talented homegrown hitter has led to some skepticism, with fans waiting to see whether or not Konnor Griffin can break the streak.

10) Cincinnati Reds

RHP Chase Burns
RHP Rhett Lowder
2B/3B Sal Stewart
3B Cam Collier
SS Edwin Arroyo

By the end of 2025, the Reds could very well have their entire starting rotation composed of homegrown arms. That speaks volumes to their development programs. However, their MLB roster does lack in the homegrown hitter department. We’re still a few years away from seeing Stewart, Collier, and Arroyo join the big league squad.

9) Cleveland Guardians

2B Travis Bazzana
OF Chase DeLauter
OF Jaison Chourio
INF Angel Genao
1B Ralphy Velazquez

The Cleveland Guardians were already a great farm system. Then they got the No. 1 overall pick and selected an absolute dawg at second base in Travis Bazzana. The Guardians are known for being able to develop their pitchers, yet each of their top-five prospects are hitters. That’s terrifying if you’re a fan of any other AL Central team.

8) Philadelphia Phillies

RHP Andrew Painter
SS Aidan Miller
OF Justin Crawford
C Eduardo Tait
RHP Moises Chace

While the Phillies have certainly gutted their farm to an extent in their quest for a World Series, they’ve still got a very solid top-end, headlined by top pitching prospect Andrew Painter. The Phillies could certainly use a little more depth, but it’s hard to deny their wealth in the minors with so many trusted prospects still available to them.

7) Tampa Bay Rays

SS Carson Williams
1B Xavier Isaac
INF Brayden Taylor
1B/OF Tre’ Morgan
OF Theo Gillen

The Rays’ decision to sell Randy Arozarena, Zach Eflin, and Jason Adam at the deadline has paid off in a huge way. Many fans believed the Rays’ well of prospects had finally started to run dry, but woah, Nellie, did it fill back up overnight? Not only did they refill their pools, but they’ve continued to see development at the lower levels from homegrown talents like Trevor Harrison and Gary Gill Hill, giving them a steady farm that will provide a solid influx of talent each year for years to come.

6) Seattle Mariners

SS/3B Colt Emerson
OF Lazaro Montes
SS/2B Cole Young
C Harry Ford
SS Felnin Celesten

Although there isn’t a single pitcher in the team’s top-five prospects, the Mariners have actually done a tremendous job balancing their focus between hitters and hurlers in recent years. The Mariners need hitting now, so their top prospects are hitters. However, they clearly focused on pitching in the 2024 draft, using 15 of their 20 picks on pitchers. They’re certainly not dying for mound talent at the lower levels.

5) Chicago Cubs

INF Matt Shaw
RHP Cade Horton
OF Owen Caissie
C/1B Moises Ballesteros
2B/OF James Triantos

While the loss of Cam Smith certainly hurts the Cubs’ prospect pool, this is still one of the deepest farm systems in the league, boasting seven top-100 prospects, tied for the most in MLB. The biggest issue is the lack of pitching. Outside of Cade Horton, the Cubs really don’t have a transcendent arm they can develop. They also only have one top-50 prospect. However, given the sheer volume of talent they can pick from, their approach of shotgunning a dartboard and hoping one or two darts hit the bullseye is arguably better than praying one or two elite prospects develop into the players you expect them to be. We’ve seen too many instances where players fail to live up to expectations they’d developed in the minors.

4) Chicago White Sox

LHP Noah Schultz
C Kyle Teel
LHP Hagen Smith
SS Colson Montgomery
OF Braden Montgomery

While Colson Montgomery experienced an underwhelming season a year ago, the White Sox have done a solid job building their farm system, especially after trading Garrett Crochet to Boston. Unfortunately, the White Sox are still a long way away from being a World Series threat, and even their abundance of high-end prospects may not be enough to help them in the near future.

3) Los Angeles Dodgers

RHP Roki Sasaki
C/OF Dalton Rushing
OF Josue De Paula
LHP Jackson Ferris
SS Alex Freeland

The Los Angeles Dodgers can do no wrong. Even if Roki Sasaki did not count as a prospect, the Dodgers would still likely have a top-10 or 12 farm system. However, adding the best international pitcher, who will be ready to join the Dodgers by opening day, is obviously a huge plus.

2) Boston Red Sox

OF Roman Anthony
2B/SS/OF Kristian Campbell
SS Marcelo Mayer
SS/2B Franklin Arias
RHP Luis Perales

This is really more of a 1A/1B situation between the Red Sox and our No. 1 team. The Red Sox have undoubtedly the higher-end, but are a little thinner, boasting just four top-100 prospects. That said, when your team holds three of MLB’s top-12, that’s a pretty impressive feat. When the 2024 Minor League Player of the Year isn’t even your top prospect, you know you’ve done a good job of building your farm. Even with the Red Sox dealing four solid prospects to the White Sox for Garrett Crochet, Boston still has a flurry of talent that will be game-changers in just a few years.

1) Detroit Tigers

RHP Jackson Jobe
OF Max Clark
SS/2B Kevin McGonigle
SS Bryce Rainer
C/1B Thayron Liranzo

Given that the Tigers were able to develop Tarik Skubal into arguably the best pitcher on the planet, the Tigers’ farm system is made even scarier by the fact that each of their top-three prospects will be ready to join the team by 2026. Jobe, Clark, and McGonigle all have tremendously high ceilings.