Clutch Performers NHL Contenders Should Be Targeting at the Trade Deadline

With the NHL trade deadline approaching quickly, there will be plenty of chatter in the coming weeks about who could be moved. You'll hear about the impending unrestricted free agent candidates, like studly offensive defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk of the St. Louis Blues and starting Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop. 

However, you won't see those two on this list. This group of NHLers is, for the most part, filled with players who are a little less dynamic and on the downside of their careers. This is a list of clutch performers NHL contenders should target. 

First things first: The definition of clutch for this article is beyond metrics. Yes, these guys have to own a history of statistics that gives them value, but you can also factor in some of the intangibles that are impossible to measure, like veteran leadership or locker-room appeal. We'll call it the Ray Bourque factor. 

The league's general managers with a real shot at winning a Stanley Cup are challenged by things like the salary cap. Also, due to the unprecedented parity in the league, many teams are still contending for playoff spots, so it is tough to identify the real sellers—outside of the lowly Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes, of course. 

Putting the pending big-ticket UFAs aside, this is a bit of a value list of those with a realistic chance at being traded. There are many who will be motivated by a shot at a championship or a chance to redeem themselves in the playoffs and to show other teams they're not done just yet. 

There may also be a bonus pick or two who don't qualify for the over-the-hill club just yet. 

Read on to see who makes the cut, and leave your own targets in the comments to spark some conversation.

Kris Versteeg, Calgary Flames

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

For journeyman forward Kris Versteeg, the credentials aren't all obvious. He has two Stanley Cup wins on his resume with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 and 2015—after the team decided his grit and tenacity was a missing piece and reacquired him from the Florida Panthers a few years after dealing him to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's got some skill, too, as his 334 points in 590 regular-season games suggests. He's been effective in the playoffs, too, with 17 goals and 44 points in 89 games. 

He has that intangible edge and a work ethic that rubs off on teammates. He doesn't quit. For example, after no NHL teams bothered with him in free agency this summer, the 30-year-old reportedly failed a physical in Europe and then joined the Edmonton Oilers on a tryout before the Calgary Flames signed him a day before the regular season. And with 21 points in 41 games, Versteeg has arguably been the most consistent Flames player when healthy this season. He's used across the lineup as someone who sparks those in need of it. 

Why he could be traded

The Flames gave up nothing to get him and are in the midst of a major rebuild. Even if they manage to hang around in the playoff race, they're unlikely to do much damage in the Western Conference. If a team comes calling for the impending unrestricted free agent's services, it might be an easy deal to make, both to allow Versteeg to play for a contender in the playoffs and to get an asset in return for a savvy signing by general manager Brad Treliving in the fall. 

Shane Doan, Arizona Coyotes

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

Shane Doan ranks seventh on the NHL's active goal-leader list with 400 regular-season tallies to his credit, and 69 of them have been game-winners—including 11 in overtime. His value, though, similarly to Jarome Iginla's, comes in the form of a locker-room presence as well as the potential to make a third line more potent. 

The 21-season veteran has played for the Arizona Coyotes (and the former Winnipeg Jets franchise) for his entire career and has become one of the game's model citizens. He has 13 seasons with 20 or more goals and, even though he's struggled with just four this season, he netted 28 last year and may be re-energized by a change of scenery and a shot at a Stanley Cup. 

Why he could be traded

The 40-year-old is likely to retire at the end of the season and has never had a shot at the Stanley Cup. The Coyotes captain told Mark Spector of Sportsnet he'd consider waiving his no-trade clause to go to a contender, and the Coyotes may take those calls to gain an asset of some kind and to reward their longtime leader for his decades of service. According to Ryan Decker of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, those calls haven't come yet. 

Jarome Iginla, Colorado Avalanche

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

More than 10 years have passed since Jarome Iginla was the marquee power forward who was almost singlehandedly pushing the Calgary Flames toward the Stanley Cup Final back in 2004, but the big-bodied 39-year-old has scored nearly 620 regular-season goals in the NHL and another 37 in 81 playoff games spread out over the last two decades.

True, he's on pace for the lowest totals of his career with just six goals and 12 points so far this season, but in his last two playoff appearances with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013 and the Boston Bruins in 2014, Iginla accumulated nine goals and 19 points in a combined 27 games—with two of the five for the Bruins counting as game-winners. In the regular-season, he has scored a whopping 97 game-winning goals over his career. 

Why he could be traded

Iginla is in the final season of his three-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche and could fetch a draft pick for the cellar-dwellers. Compensation aside, the soon-to-be 40-year-old is a popular player the Avs would like to connect with a Stanley Cup contender—giving him what might be his last shot at the championship that has eluded him his entire NHL career. A new team with a Cup shot could spark the veteran, who indicated his desire to move in an interview with Puck Daddy's Josh Cooper.

Brian Gionta, Buffalo Sabres

Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

In his third season with the Buffalo Sabres, captain Brian Gionta is on pace for his best season since leaving the Montreal Canadiens in 2014. He might even reach 20 goals for the first time since 2011, when he cracked that mark for the seventh consecutive season.

The 38-year-old isn't going to wow anyone, but he is another guy who has come through with key goals in the past and has proven he has some gas in the tank while playing with a struggling young Sabres squad. His playoff performances with the Habs included 13 goals and 28 points in 45 games, and that's where his impact could come with a new team looking for depth and passion. 

Why he could be traded

The Sabres seem to have regressed a little this season after a solid performance in 2015-16, and Gionta is in the final year of his contract. His departure could bring in a pick or two, or a younger prospect, which would help the rebuilding Sabres. He's increasing his value with three goals and four points in his last four games and five goals and seven points in his last eight contests. 

Jaromir Jagr, Florida Panthers

Joe Skipper/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

Jaromir Jagr is a legend bound for the Hockey Hall of Fame the instant he decides to retire. The thing is, even at age 44, that doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon. His impressive resume includes 134 game-winners (19 in overtime) and 214 power-play goals. His standing as the NHL's second-leading scorer in history, his multiple Art Ross Trophy wins and his wins of the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Awards all speak for themselves. 

Maybe most impressive at the moment is how effective he remains in his mid-40s. Jagr is the third-best scorer on the Florida Panthers at the moment, and he's on pace for 47 points as one of the few members of the team to play every game so far. 

Why he could be traded

Playing on a year-to-year basis and set to become an unrestricted free agent again this summer, Jagr might be moved if the Panthers get a decent offer and fall too far behind in the extremely tight race for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. It wouldn't prevent him from re-signing with the Panthers in the offseason if southern Florida is again his preferred destination, although there are sure to be more suitors for his services come July 1 if he does get another shot at a Stanley Cup with a contender in the interim.

Patrick Sharp, Dallas Stars

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

His clutch credibility 

Patrick Sharp posted seven straight full seasons with at least 20 goals and scored more than 30 in four of them with the Chicago Blackhawks. He hit the 20-mark again last year in his first season with the Dallas Stars and has nearly 50 game-winning goals in fewer than 850 regular-season games. He's scored 47 times in 142 postseason contests.

He's been a big part of three Stanley Cup wins with the Blackhawks and has been heating up since Christmas, despite injuries this season. Five of his six goals and 10 of his 12 points have come since the calendar flipped to 2017.

Why he could be traded

Sharp is an impending unrestricted free agent, and the Stars are struggling mightily in the Western Conference this season after claiming the top playoff seeding a year ago while winning the Central Division crown. If things continue to keep them out of a playoff position by the dealing deadline, they should be able to cash in on a trade for the 35-year-old's services and might even be able to ship him back to the Blackhawks. 

Thomas Vanek, Detroit Red Wings

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

Somehow, even with 39 goals and 93 points in 154 games with the Minnesota Wild, Thomas Vanek was considered a massive bust as a free-agent signing and was bought out of the final year of his contract before joining the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year deal this season. Despite injuries that have limited his appearances with the Wings, Vanek has redeemed himself with 12 goals and 31 points in 38 games so far. 

Pro-rated over an 82-game season, he is on pace for 26 goals and 67 points, which would have been his best since a 32-goal, 73-point year with the Buffalo Sabres in 2010-11. He's a nice addition to any power play, and if you eliminate poor performances in his first and last playoff outings, he put up an attractive 18 goals and 28 points in 43 postseason contests. 

Why he could be traded

The Red Wings' impressive playoff streak could end this year, and the team is in need of a major rebuild. Vanek should make more on the open market next year, and so it makes little sense to re-sign with the Wings again. His $2.6-million cap hit is extremely friendly for a team looking to take on the remainder at the deadline. 

He's more attractive than, say, defenseman Mike Green and Henrik Zetterberg—who both have the skills teams covet but are at significantly higher salaries and with terms beyond this year. 

Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche

Kamil Krzaczynski/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

One of every five goals Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene has scored this season has been a game-winner. The 26-year-old leads his team in goals and sits second in points behind Nathan MacKinnon this season despite the constant swirl of trade rumours involving him. He has scored at least 20 goals and 50 points in all five seasons he's been able to dress for 70 or more games, and he netted a career-high 30 last year. 

His speed makes him deadly, and although his playoff appearances have been few and far between, he has six points in eight postseason contests. His shooting percentage the past two seasons has been over 15 percent. 

Why he could be traded

The Avs are the worst team in the league this season and in need of a major shakeup after their Hall of Fame head coach Patrick Roy walked out on them this summer. Duchene's name keeps coming up, and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggested on Calgary's Sportsnet 960 Radio that he thinks it's "just a matter of time" before a trade comes. 

Duchene still has two more years at $6 million on his current deal after this season (via CapFriendly.com), which makes him an attractive addition to pretty much every team in need of a top center. The asking price will be high for the same reason. 

Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

His clutch credibility

If game-winning goals and timely offensive outbursts are a good indication of a clutch NHLer, then Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks ranks right up there with the best. His 97 game-winners are tied with Jarome Iginla for sixth on the league's all-time list, and those game-winners make up nearly one-fifth of his 499 career regular-season goals.

Unimpressed? The 37-year-old has 18 goals this year and could crack the 30-goal mark for the eighth time in the last 12 seasons. 

As for the outbursts, he just recently put together a four-goal period to help the Sharks come back and beat the Colorado Avalanche, becoming the 12th player in NHL history to score four in a period and the first since Mario Lemieux 20 years ago.

Why he could be traded

The defending Western Conference champs are unlikely to let Marleau go until after their playoff run, but there is a slim chance that they fail to make it back to the postseason. In that case, they'd be looking at the possibility of losing both Marleau and Joe Thornton in free agency this summer. If they choose to focus on re-signing Thornton, they may move Marleau out for some additional youth.