NHL Teams Most Likely to Make a Trade Before the Holiday Freeze

The NHL trade market is heating up.

With just days to go until the annual holiday trade freeze comes into effect on December 19, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks struck the first player-for-player deal of the 2015-16 regular season on December 14.

Per NHL.com, defenseman Rob Scuderi was shipped to the Blackhawks in exchange for Trevor Daley, who had been acquired from the Dallas Stars during the offseason as part of the package received for Patrick Sharp.

Once upon a time, NHL general managers used to shake up their rosters with in-season trades on a fairly regular basis. Since the salary-cap era began, the action has dried up almost entirely, with deals clustered around the annual spring trade deadline and the summer amateur draft.

If Monday's trade is a sign of things to come, perhaps we'll see some other player movement before the end of the week. Plenty of teams are looking to deal—it's just a matter of finding the right partner and the right pieces to come back in return.

Here's a look at the teams that are most eager—or most desperate—to make immediate upgrades.

New York Islanders

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Cap Space Available: $6.3 million

What's Needed: Not much. The Islanders are 8-0-2 in their last 10 games and have now passed the New York Rangers to move into second place in the Metropolitan Division.

What Can Be Offered: Stud defenseman Travis Hamonic has asked to be traded closer to his family's home base in Manitoba. Islanders general manager Garth Snow has said that Hamonic will be accommodated, but he's in no rush and wants what has been called "ridiculous return," according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

Most Likely Deal: Hamonic could be offered to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for defenseman Jacob Trouba. The 21-year-old is one of several Jets looking for a big-money contract this summer, so Winnipeg could be tempted to deal its rising star for a steady defenseman like Hamonic, who also comes with a cap-friendly contract. 

Vancouver Canucks

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Cap Space Available: $2.2 million

What's Needed: The Vancouver Canucks have struggled with a 4-8-3 record since newly acquired center Brandon Sutter was sidelined with an abdominal injury on November 10. NHL.com reported that the 26-year-old was expected to be out of action for an additional four to six weeks after undergoing abdominal surgery on December 2.

Also missing from the Vancouver lineup—two defensemen. Luca Sbisa has a hand injury that's expected to keep him out until after Christmas, according for Canucks' play-by-play broadcaster Jon Abbott. After being hit in the face by a slap shot on December 9, Dan Hamhuis will be out at least two months, according to the Canucks' Twitter account.

General manager Jim Benning could use some veteran depth to help steady his team until the lineup gets a little healthier.

What Can Be Offered: Benning's best trade chips at this point are likely impending unrestricted free agents Radim Vrbata and Brandon Prust.

Vrbata's a proven goal-scorer and Prust's a gritty character player and solid penalty-killer. Either could be attractive to a team that's looking to go on an extended playoff run next spring.

Most Likely Deal: Vrbata could be a fit in Montreal, where Marc Bergevin continues to search for more offense. Versatile forward Lars Eller could fit the Canucks' needs up front; so could underutilized defenseman Jarred Tinordi on the back end. He has yet to play his first regular-season game of the year for the Canadiens.

Prust has been a good fit on the fourth line in Vancouver, but he was beloved during his three seasons in Montreal and his offseason trade for troubled Zack Kassian turned out to be a bust for the Habs. Bergevin could have a chance to reacquire the fan favourite for another playoff run before he hits free agency.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Cap Space Available: $1.3 million

What's Needed: The Columbus Blue Jackets have taken baby steps towards salvaging their season after new coach John Tortorella took over behind the bench on October 21.

Columbus was 0-7-0 at the time of the change. Tortorella's record with the team is 11-10-3, but the Blue Jackets remain 28th in the NHL in goals against. The team could use a steady defenseman but is much more likely to pull off a deal up front.

What Can Be Offered: It's not probable that we'll see Ryan Johansen moved before Christmas, but all signs indicate that his days in Columbus are numbered. After scoring 33 and 26 goals in his last two seasons, the 23-year-old has just six goals this year and quickly found himself in Tortorella's doghouse when the new bench boss took over.

Johansen's last contract negotiation with general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was contentious, and he'll be due for another deal at the end of the 2016-17 season, with the benefit of arbitration rights on his side in the year before he reaches unrestricted free agency.

The Jackets could be ready to cut ties with Johansen, especially if he can bring back some immediate defensive help in a trade.

Most Likely Deal: It's unlikely the Blue Jackets would give up Johansen for an impending UFA like Eric Staal or Steven Stamkos, but Jordan Staal is a responsible defensive center who's signed for the long term and might be available from the Hurricanes. The question—how would the Blue Jackets fit Jordan's $6 million cap hit into their already-tight salary structure?

Anaheim Ducks

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Cap Space Available: $7.8 million

What's Needed: Points in the standings—and goals. Predicted to be among the NHL's top teams this season, the Anaheim Ducks are currently languishing in 28th place in the NHL—yet need just three points to catch the second and third seeds in the weak Pacific Division.

Surprisingly, the Ducks rank last in the league in scoring. A little extra punch up front would be nice, but Anaheim's more in need of a tweak in team chemistry that will help get its established stars back on track.

What Can Be Offered: The offseason acquisitions made by general manager Bob Murray haven't blended with the Ducks' old guard to produce good results, so they should be the first names on the chopping block. 

Defenseman Kevin Bieksa has a no-trade clause, but forwards Shawn Horcoff, Chris Stewart, Mike Santorelli—even Carl Hagelin—could be moved to a team that's also looking to shake up its chemistry.

Most Likely Deal: Hagelin's $4 million cap hit makes him hard to deal, but the other three forwards are all on short-term deals for reasonable money. Pittsburgh looks primed to make more roster moves and the Ducks have enough cap space to take on additional salary if necessary.

Florida Panthers

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Cap Space Available: $5.3 million

What's Needed: Luke Fox of Sportsnet reports that Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon covets another high-end scorer for his team. The Panthers currently sit two points out of an Eastern Conference wild card spot and have scored two goals or less in all 12 of their regulation losses so far this season.

What Can Be Offered: After years of finishing near the bottom of the standings, the Panthers have accumulated a deep stock of promising young talent. 

"We’re getting more and more assets, and they’re not all going to play for us because there’s not enough room,” Tallon told Fox Sports Florida, per Fox.

"If we can maybe package a couple of those to get the right piece that'll help us long-term and really help us in the playoff run and get us deep in the playoffs, we'll look at it."

Nine young players on the Panthers' active roster will be restricted free agents at season's end: forwards Brandon Pirri, Aleksander Barkov, Quinton Howden, Corban Knight, Logan Shaw, Vincent Trocheck and Connor Brickley and defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Dylan Olsen.

Though they are currently all earning similar money, those assets are definitely not all of equal value. Lots of interesting pieces are available for Tallon to make his best move. 

Most Likely Deal: If Tallon's willing to settle for a rental player like Radim Vrbata or Loui Eriksson, he won't have to give up as much. But with so many teams looking for blue line help, Erik Gudbranson would be a hot commodity. A team like Edmonton or Columbus might consider giving up a foundation forward for a defenseman of Gudbranson's caliber.

Can Tallon afford to part with a young top-four blueliner and still make an aggressive playoff push?

San Jose Sharks

Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images

Cap Space Available: $367,503

What's Needed: Over the last 10 games, the San Jose Sharks have been the worst team in the Western Conference, with a 3-6-1 record. With new coach Peter DeBoer behind the bench, San Jose has been an up-and-down team in search of an identity so far this season.

The Sharks desperately miss center Logan Couture, who returned from a broken leg for two games on December 8 and 9 before heading back to the injured reserve list with an arterial bleed in his leg, per NHL.com.

What Can Be Offered: There's always Patrick Marleau. Still productive with 22 points in 29 games, the end may be drawing nigh for the lifelong Shark, who's now in his 18th NHL season. 

Most Likely Deal: In November, NHL.com reported that Marleau had said he'd waive his no-trade clause to go to the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings or New York Rangers.

The Ducks and Rangers are struggling enough offensively that maybe they'd consider a deal for the 36-year-old. If he's ready to consider the retirement lifestyle, Marleau might also fit the bill in Florida, where Jaromir Jagr discovered the fountain of youth after his trade from New Jersey last season.

All stats courtesy of NHL.com, current through games December 14. Salary cap information from General Fanager.