With the NHL trade deadline one-and-a-half months away, it’s time for teams to start thinking about what they need to gear up for a run at the Stanley Cup.
The competition is as close as ever this year – with many teams in striking distance of a playoff spot, if they aren’t in one already. However, that could lead to many clubs choosing to hold on to their current crop of players in the hope that they’ll be in the hunt.
On top of that, a rigid, inflexible salary cap has left many teams without room to spend on players. That hurts the teams at the top and at the bottom, as weaker franchises try to improve their odds in the draft lottery in an attempt to land a generational talent in the form of Connor Bedard.
So, with just a few weeks until the deadline, Dailymail.com looks at the names to watch out for on March 3.
With the NHL’s trade deadline coming up, contenders will look to add players to help improve their chances in their quest to win hockey’s ultimate prize: the Stanley Cup.
At the same time, those out of the running will sell players to improve their chances of earning the top pick in the NHL Entry Draft – with the belle of the ball coming in the form of Connor Bedard.
Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes: Let’s start off with a simple one and a name that’s been fodder for trade rumors for what seems to have been an eternity.
The Arizona Coyotes are very bad at hockey. They’re surprisingly not the worst team in the league, but they’re miles from being good and playing at a college hockey arena, so it’s not a good idea to try and make the playoffs right now.
Chychrun is a great two-way defenseman who spent a chunk of time this season recovering from a wrist injury. He has two years left on his contract at an affordable cap hit of $4.6m – so contenders will be interested in him.
Where could he go? The 24-year-old Chychrun will be a valuable addition for a number of teams either needing a final piece to contend or looking to upgrade their d-corps. There hasn’t been one team that he’s been heavily linked with, but teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, or Edmonton Oilers fit the profile.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun is one of the rare players here with multiple years still left on his contract, making him a very attractive trade candidate for many teams.
Patrick Kane, LW, Chicago Blackhawks: Already a Chicago legend, Patrick Kane is one of the final pieces of the dynasty that won three cups between 2009 and 2015.
The 34-year-old is putting up points, but his goal scoring touch has fallen off significantly this season.
Still, Kane adds a strong offensive mind and a great veteran presence to any team interested in him.
That being said, Kane’s current contract has two things that automatically harm the chances of a trade: 1) he has a full no-movement clause, meaning Chicago can’t trade him, cut him, or demote him unless he agrees to it, and 2) he carries a cap hit of $10.5m
Where could he go? Kane’s situation is tricky. Wherever he goes, that team needs to have room for him on one of their top-two lines and room in their salary structure to stay under the cap. While a move to his hometown of Buffalo sounds like an interesting prospect, it’s more likely Kane goes to a solidified contender like the New York Rangers or the Carolina Hurricanes.
At 34-years-old, the opportunities for Patrick Kane to win another Stanley Cup are dwindling
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, St. Louis Blues AND Ryan O’Reilly, C, St. Louis Blues: These next two are both tricky because St. Louis currently sits four points out of a Wild Card spot with a game in hand over the two teams in the Western Conference that currently sit there.
But things could change quickly, and if the Blues stumble more, they’d have to look for potential trade partners for the expiring contracts of both Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly.
Tarasenko reportedly requested a trade in the summer of 2021 and rumors of him moving have continued to swirl ever since. St. Louis left him unprotected for the Seattle Kraken to take in the 2021 expansion draft, but Seattle foolishly passed on him.
Meanwhile, O’Reilly has struggled to put up points this season, but he’s still got a lot left in the tank at age 31. He’s a solid two-way forward that backchecks well and wins faceoffs – making him a valuable commodity.
Where could they go? Starting with Tarasenko, teams that are currently on the outside looking in like the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings could bolster their ranks by adding him. Other teams that are in Wild Card positions like the Rangers and Washington Capitals might also be interested.
When it comes to O’Reilly, his veteran presence could be key for younger top contenders like the New Jersey Devils. His defensive presence could also be attractive to teams that lack defensive forwards like Edmonton.
If the Blues fall out of the playoff race, they should trade Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko
John Klingberg, D, Anaheim Ducks: It’s been a rough season for the Ducks, who left last season just missing out on the playoffs. Their response was to load up for a run this season, but they fell further back in their pursuit of a cup.
One of those big name acquisitions was John Klingberg from the Dallas Stars, who has not panned out in Anaheim – posting an appalling plus-minus rating of -25.
Even Klingberg’s noted puck moving and scoring abilities have been lacking, as the Swede has put up only 15 points in 38 games this season.
The move to Anaheim is a bad marriage and it seems that both parties may be keen on ending things now. Just days ago, Klingberg submitted a list of ten teams he’s open to being moved to.
Where could he go? The Toronto Maple Leafs are in need of a defenseman soon, as Jake Muzzin remains on long-term-injured-reserve recovering from an October spinal injury. That seems to be the most logical place for him to go. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Edmonton is one of ten places on his list.
The John Klingberg experiment has not worked in Anaheim and both parties seem to want out
Timo Meier, LW/RW, San Jose Sharks: This next player is a piece that serves teams well now, while also setting those clubs up well for the future.
San Jose is one of the teams that are on pace in the race for Bedard, so trading Timo Meier could help their pursuit of that top draft pick.
The Sharks are a team with a bloated salary situation and very little to show for it. So, now could be the time to move some big contracts or cash in on players with expiring deals, like Meier.
While a trade is possible, there are rumors that Sharks GM Mike Grier and Meier’s representation are working on hammering out a deal – so there’s the possibility that he won’t be going anywhere at all.
Where could he go?: The Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets seem like a great landing spot for someone like Meier, as do the three New York-metropolitan area teams: the Devils, Islanders, and Rangers. Dark horses could include Buffalo, Detroit, and Seattle.
Even though other parties are working on a contract to keep him in San Jose, Timo Meier is still a trade candidate for a number of teams such as Winnipeg, Buffalo, Detroit, or Seattle.
Bo Horvat is the perfect trade candidate for the league leading Boston Bruins at the deadline
Bo Horvat, C, Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver is a city that takes its hockey very VERY seriously, and the current state of the team has fans calling for heads.
They could find some redemption if they land the pick that gets them Bedard, but to necessitate that, they need to start selling players as soon as possible.
Team captain Bo Horvat is a free agent this offseason and he has likely seen enough to move on from the Pacific northwest.
At 27-years-old, he’s a great two-way forward that has more than a point per game and could become the top line center of the future for any franchise lucky enough to get him.
Where could he go?: Boston is the perfect destination for Horvat. Sure, the Bruins are the best team in the league and scoring isn’t exactly a problem for them, but the team lacks longevity at the center position. The Bruins persuaded both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to return to the NHL for one more season this summer, but it’s likely they’ll retire this offseason. Acquiring Horvat boosts their lineup now while securing their future. It’s time to make Bo to Boston ([Bo]ston, if you will) happen.
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