The Player Every NHL Team Should Shop at the Trade Deadline
The NHL trade deadline is just a few weeks away, and as buyers and sellers continue to separate down the stretch, odds are good that we'll begin to see deals forming and becoming official. There's plenty of smoke around the league, which B/R's own Lyle Richardson broke down recently, and for teams looking to add that last piece to their roster, there are options aplenty.
Looking for a top-six forward to boost your attack? How about Claude Giroux or Filip Forsberg? In need of a defenseman for your Stanley Cup run? There are plenty of those available, ranging from Mark Giordano to John Klingberg.
There are also a few reclamation projects presumed to be available, meaning there's a little something for everyone between now and the March 21 deadline.
You usually have to give to get when it comes to trades, however. It's not every day that teams give away a player like Mark Stone (though, as we know, that does happen on occasion). As such, each team has at least one asset that it should be looking to move in the coming days.
The reasons for this will vary, ranging from lack of a systemic fit to an abundance of depth at a particular position. Regardless, here we're going to examine one player in each team's system who should be considered trade bait.
We'll do our best to source rumors when possible. Some organizations keep things pretty close to the vest, however, and in those instances, we'll make our speculation clear.
Anaheim Ducks: Hampus Lindholm
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The Anaheim Ducks are at a bit of a crossroads. They have several important unrestricted free agents to think about, and if they were totally out of the playoff race by now, general manager Pat Verbeek's job would probably be a bit easier.
That hasn't been the case, however. Anaheim continues to hang around in the Pacific Division, even though MoneyPuck.com only gives them a 13.4 percent chance of making the cut. That's just enough of a chance that trading someone like Hampus Lindholm gets tricky.
There have been no reports to indicate the Ducks are actively shopping the veteran defender, but he recently made it clear to Eric Stephens of The Athletic that winning will be important to him as he considers his next contract.
Lindholm is 28 this year and will command a decent raise off of the $5.2 million cap hit he's carried since 2016. The Ducks will have the space to keep him if they want, but they'll also need to re-sign the likes of Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry in the next few seasons.
Verbeek also has to figure out just when he believes Anaheim's next Stanley Cup window will open. Does he want to tie up more than $6 or $7 million on Lindholm? For context, Dom Luszczyszyn's GSVA model has Zegras and Terry both pegged at cap hits north of $7 million. If those two players eat up more than $14 million in cap space two years from now, suddenly having Lindholm on the books might not be so desirable.
If Verbeek can't get the blueliner to re-up at a number that makes sense for the Ducks, then he should move Lindholm while he's able to do so.
Arizona Coyotes: Jakob Chychrun
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Jakob Chychrun has been the most intriguing player believed to be available for the majority of this season. And recent reports from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and Kevin Zimmerman of ArizonaSports.com indicate that interest in the Arizona Coyotes blueliner is still strong.
Sound arguments from analysts like Adam Gretz of NBC Sports call for the organization to hang on to the top-line defender, but it seems like there's been so much buzz surrounding Chychrun that something has to give.
If a team, contending or not, agrees to trade the Coyotes the kind of package they're looking for, then general manager Bill Armstrong has to pull the trigger. It seems like he's intent on stripping this organization down to the bare bones, which starts with trading Chychrun and his contract, which runs through 2025.
Arizona isn't under any pressure to do anything now, and maybe this is the kind of trade that we see happen closer to the draft when "hockey deals" are easier. This is the team's best and most valuable trade chip, however. Whenever the right deal hits Armstrong's desk, he would be wise to sign off and move on to the next phase of this rebuild.
Presumably with a bundle of prospects and picks tucked under his arm as he heads the other way.
Boston Bruins: Jake DeBrusk
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The phrase "strike while the iron is hot" comes to mind when discussing the Boston Bruins trading Jake DeBrusk. At the end of November, the forward made it clear he no longer wanted to be a member of the team, desiring opportunities that he wasn't getting in Boston.
And recent reports indicate that he still wants out.
Up to this point, dealing him has been difficult for a few reasons. For starters, he simply hadn't been playing well enough to warrant a particularly strong offer from a rival team. Then there's the fact that to retain his rights past this year, the acquiring general manager will need to qualify him for $4.4 million.
Since landing on a line alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, DeBrusk has erupted. In his first five games riding shotgun on one of the league's best units, he's been on a hot streak. He scored a hat trick on Feb. 28 and has looked like a legit game-breaker for the B's.
If Boston doesn't see him as a true part of the team's future and doesn't intend to keep him on the top line long term, then the time to shift him is now. DeBrusk has proven that he can skate alongside skilled players and has looked like a valuable contributor of late.
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Buffalo Sabres: Colin Miller
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After trading Jack Eichel, the Buffalo Sabres are a bit low on desirable NHL talent. That doesn't mean they don't have anyone worth a look from contending teams, however. If the Coyotes keep Chychrun and Lindholm sticks in Anaheim, suddenly the list of high-end defensive help looks pretty short.
And that would drive the price up for available players significantly. For a cost-conscious playoff team that is simply looking to add depth on the back end without selling the farm, Colin Miller could be a good fit. This means the Sabres should be proactively looking at moving him, keeping up with who's out on the better defenders and who might be looking for a bit of a bargain.
He's injured at the moment and is considered week-to-week, according to the Sabres. If Miller is able to get a few more games under his belt between now and March 21, however, he'd be a solid consolation prize for anyone who missed out on other options.
There's some value there for the Sabres as they continue to stock up on picks, prospects and young players. Odds seem good that they won't be re-signing the 29-year-old, so moving him now makes the most sense.
Calgary Flames: Sean Monahan
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It's honestly tough to imagine the Calgary Flames moving anyone off of their NHL roster. As such, this is pure speculation.
With their first-round pick already part of the package that landed them Tyler Toffoli, they don't have many assets they could receive value for either.
TSN's current version of the trade bait board features 50 picks and players. The Flames appear on the list exactly zero times, which is par for the course for just about any team that has Stanley Cup hopes. Richardson didn't have Calgary listed on his most recent big board either.
However, if the Flames are looking to shop anyone, center Sean Monahan comes to mind. He's skating on a stacked third line with Toffoli and Milan Lucic and provides Calgary with a tremendous amount of depth. It's also worth noting that he's worn a letter since 2015.
Yet his $6.4 million cap hit far outweighs his actual on-ice production. Luszczyszyn's model has him valued at roughly half of that ($3.1 million). As the Flames move to re-sign Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk this summer, every cent of space will need to make sense as they try to keep this contending core together.
A deal for Monahan seems much more likely to materialize over the summer, but general manager Brad Treliving should be gauging what the market for Monahan could look like.
Carolina Hurricanes: Jesperi Kotkaniemi
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Like the Flames, the Carolina Hurricanes are a team that is well constructed, and odds are good that they won't be looking to subtract from their NHL roster. This is a squad with legit Stanley Cup aspirations, and they have all the tools necessary to make a deep run this postseason.
If there's a player the Canes might want off the books, it'd probably be center Jesperi Kotkaniemi. He was never going to be able to live up to the $6.1 million offer sheet Carolina used to pry him from the Montreal Canadiens, but it's difficult to look at his output this year and not be disappointed.
The 21-year-old has been relegated to a depth piece, centering the fourth line when the Hurricanes are healthy. They're all in on winning the Cup this season, but Kotkaniemi is making around five times more than he should be based on his usage and on-ice impact.
Recent reports indicate that Carolina will try to avoid the issue of qualifying him at $6.1 million by offering him term, thus buying up his RFA years. If that's the case, then hanging on to the center makes sense, but if the Hurricanes believe they can get a big upgrade by moving Kotkaniemi, then it's something they need to consider.
Chicago Blackhawks: Marc-Andre Fleury
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It's almost a foregone conclusion at this point that the Chicago Blackhawks are going to trade Marc-Andre Fleury. If a playoff team has a questionable goaltending situation, their beat writers are suggesting the defending Vezina Trophy winner is the answer.
The Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons recently suggested Fleury could help the Toronto Maple Leafs given Jack Campbell's dramatic fall back to Earth since the calendar flipped to 2022. He also indicated the Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals could also be interested in acquiring Fleury.
The netminder landed at the top of Richardson's most recent trade big board for a reason: He's going to be one of the hottest commodities available in the next few weeks. Goalies who can make an impact and are available via trade are few and far between right now.
Alexandar Georgiev will also generate some interest down the stretch, but that would be a more long-term pickup for the acquiring team. For any organization that is looking for an immediate and definitive upgrade in goal, Chicago is really the first and only call that needs to be made.
Colorado Avalanche: Samuel Girard
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If the Avalanche are going to make any significant moves in the coming weeks—adding someone like Claude Giroux or Tomas Hertl, for example—then they'll need to shed significant salary space. That's why general manager Joe Sakic might need to move a roster player or two.
Mike Chambers of The Denver Post recently opined that if 20-year-old Bowen Byram is healthy and able to play soon, Samuel Girard might be a redundant piece on the blue line. And that redundant piece hits the salary cap for $5 million a season until 2027.
You want to talk about a cost-controlled young defenseman? Colorado has a good, albeit expendable one in Girard. He's been good enough for the Avalanche this season that a rebuilder in need of a left-shot blueliner might be willing to part with some futures in exchange.
That could be helpful for a Colorado team that has traded away its first-, second- and fourth-round picks in the 2022 draft. The Avalanche are also down their own fourth-round selection in 2023 and a third-rounder in 2024. Getting some of those picks back while clearing cap space would be a win for Sakic.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Max Domi
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What's the market for a 27-year-old forward who is making roughly twice as much as he should be and would be heading to his fourth team in seven years? The Columbus Blue Jackets are likely in the process of finding that out.
Of course, they've been one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the last few weeks and suddenly have the Washington Capitals, who have the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, sweating a bit. MoneyPuck.com still gives them less than a 5 percent chance of making the cut, though, meaning this is a team that should be in sell mode.
They aren't going to secure a bundle of first-rounders like they scored last season, but Domi is still young enough that he ought to be intriguing to some contenders. He's a feisty forward (wonder where he got that from?) who could be a useful middle-six option come playoff time.
There's virtually no chance he ends up making more than $5 million again on his next deal, but if he finds the right fit, like Anthony Duclair did in Florida, he could provide some nice value to an acquiring team.
Dallas Stars: John Klingberg
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Trading a player like John Klingberg while battling for a playoff spot isn't easy, but that's where the Dallas Stars find themselves now that we're in March. They haven't faded enough down the stretch to make moving the blueliner painless, and the pressure is on general manager Jim Nill to make the most out of these lemons.
Klingberg has been openly unhappy about how contract negotiations have gone with Dallas, and it seems like a forgone conclusion at this juncture that he won't be getting the deal he wants from the Stars. Yet this is an aging roster that might not get many more looks at the postseason as Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn continue their downward trajectory.
If you're Nill, you're looking at what the Blue Jackets received for David Savard at last year's deadline (a first- and third-round pick) and thinking you could acquire even more for Klingberg. You have to figure, though, that if there was a deal that good on the table, the blueliner would have been moved by now.
There are a handful of quality defensemen available this year, too, which makes the market a bit more friendly to buyers. Losing him for nothing would be a big blow, so the Stars should be doing everything they can to extract value here.
Detroit Red Wings: Nick Leddy
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When general manager Steve Yzerman acquired Nick Leddy from the New York Islanders for Richard Panik and a second-round pick in 2021, it was the first time he had moved a future piece for a win-now asset while in Hockeytown.
In hindsight, the deal hasn't really panned out for the Detroit Red Wings, as the veteran defenseman has seen his offensive impact drop in 2021-22. He's still provided an important presence on a relatively young blue line, though, and the Islanders clearly missed his ability to move the puck up ice earlier in the year.
For teams looking to stay away from the bigger fish like Klingberg, Leddy represents a solid if unspectacular checkdown. He's the kind of defenseman contenders love to add around this time of year, a consummate professional who can play up and down the lineup and help in transition.
It seems unlikely the Red Wings would be looking to re-sign Leddy this summer, so moving him now makes sense. They probably won't be able to get their second-round pick back, but you can't win them all. All things considered, Yzerman's tenure in Detroit so far has been pretty spotless otherwise.
Edmonton Oilers: Kailer Yamamoto
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Among playoff teams, the Edmonton Oilers have one of the most clear-cut needs: an upgrade in net. Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen predictably have been a weakness for this club, and wasting another year of Connor McDavid's prime on this duo is too risky.
As such, reporters such as Sportsnet's Mark Spector and Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli have weighed in on how Edmonton should address this issue. The former suggests moving a prospect like Dmitri Samorukov and a first-round pick for the likes of Fleury, while the latter lists Yamamoto as a player who could be dealt.
He's been playing on the second line alongside Evander Kane and Leon Draisaitl lately, but they haven't exactly been a force, with an expected goals percentage of 43.9 percent. And it's not like Yamamoto would be the one driving the bus on that line anyway.
If Edmonton is able to upgrade in goal and can package Yamamoto instead of Samorukov, that seems to be the way to go.
Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett
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Cracking elite rosters, even as a promising young player, is tough. Just ask Owen Tippett, the 10th overall pick in 2017, who's had a difficult time landing a prominent role with the Florida Panthers over the last two seasons.
Th 23-year-old has averaged less than 13 minutes a night so far in 2021-22 and has found himself both scratched and in the AHL this season. So it wasn't all that surprising when, in late January, insider Jeff Marek tweeted that the Panthers had made Tippett available.
For a team that is looking to add defensive depth, having a promising, big-bodied, hard-shooting forward to dangle as bait is a good thing. Tippett alone probably isn't enough to land the likes of Chychrun, but could he be of interest to a Seattle Kraken team that has plenty of space (read: opportunities) available in its top six?
That could bring Mark Giordano back, becoming a win-win situation for both player and team here.
Los Angeles Kings: Olli Maatta
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Among the teams that have emerged as front-runners for Chychrun, no one has the draft capital and prospect pool to hang with the L.A. Kings. If general manager Rob Blake wants to blow the Coyotes out of the water with an offer, he has the ability to do so.
The Kings will likely make the playoffs this season, and also have the second-best prospect group in the NHL, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. This combination of factors has analysts such as Pavel Maliouguine of Hockey Royalty dreaming up ways to get Chychrun to California.
Trading Olli Maatta wouldn't be necessary from a cap perspective, but it'd be a wise move nonetheless. His $3.3 million cap hit could certainly be used in other ways in Los Angeles, and offloading the blueliner would make taking on salary even easier for the Kings.
With Alex Edler returning by the end of March and Chychrun also playing the left side, there wouldn't be much space for Maatta to play important minutes during Los Angeles' unlikely push to the postseason. There are worse things than defensive depth come playoff time, but the cap space might benefit L.A. more than the extra body.
Minnesota Wild: A Defensive Prospect
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Few general managers in the NHL will tell you what they're thinking more clearly than Bill Guerin. He's generally been upfront about what is going on with the Minnesota Wild—except for that one time Kirill Kaprizov sneaked to Florida to re-sign his contract extension—and it's refreshing, to say the least.
Based on what he's said to this point, we shouldn't be expecting an eventful trade deadline for the Wild. There is a need at center here, though. Guerin can underplay that all he wants, but Minnesota has hit the skids recently and appears to be in need of an offensive boost.
With around $11 million to play with in cap space, it's hard to believe the Wild will just stand pat over the next few weeks. They probably aren't going to trade top prospects Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Jesper Wallstedt, but they have enough depth on the blue line to move someone like Calen Addison or Carson Lambos.
Both are promising defenders who have the tools needed to play in the NHL. Neither appears to be of the top-pairing variety, but that doesn't mean they don't hold plenty of value. Lambos, in particular, would be an attractive option for any organization that is in the middle of rebuilding.
If Minnesota can go get someone like Giroux with Lambos as a centerpiece, that's a deal Guerin has to consider.
Montreal Canadiens: Ben Chiarot
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There isn't a more divisive player on the big boards than Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. His physical brand of hockey is one that old-schoolers seem to gravitate toward, but his on-ice impacts are uninspiring.
The level of interest in him has been characterized as "baffling" which makes sense considering the Habs generally get outshot and outscored whenever he's on the ice. Still, he's a minute-munching defenseman who knows how to play physical and seems tailor-made for playoff hockey.
But in the right situation, he could turn out to be a solid addition. We like the idea of him landing with the St. Louis Blues, actually. Regardless of where he ends up, Chiarot is a player Montreal ought to be looking to move on from as they try to figure out exactly what went wrong this season.
He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he's shown that he's not the kind of defender who can carry a pairing by himself. Not all blueliners need to be able to do this, but the Canadiens would be best served by moving Chiarot for a package of prospects and picks.
They already have six selections in the first round of the 2022 draft, so maybe they go fishing for a few more picks in the loaded 2023 draft in this deal.
Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg
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Besides Hertl and his future in San Jose, Filip Forsberg and the Nashville Predators might have the most intriguing will-they-won't-they as the trade deadline draws closer. With the Hertl situation, he holds almost all of the cards, given the trade protection he has in his contract that allows the Sharks to trade him to just three teams.
Forsberg has no such protection, so the Predators hold much more power. In late February, Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest reported that the Predators were "actively shopping" the pending UFA. That was nothing short of shocking to some since Nashville is hanging around in the playoff race.
Mega insider Elliotte Friedman touched on the circumstances surrounding these rumblings in his 32 Thoughts column on Feb. 25, concluding that "[i]f we get to the deadline, and the Predators don't believe they can sign him, that's when a trade becomes possible.
He also noted that he believes there is a "will for both sides" to get an extension done between now and March 21. This will be one of the most fascinating stories to watch unfold in the coming days and weeks. Impact players and goal scorers like Forsberg almost never become available via trade. With Nashville perhaps punching above its weight a bit this season, there's an opportunity to add noteworthy futures in the name of a reload, as opposed to the dreaded full-on rebuild.
New Jersey Devils: Pavel Zacha
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If they navigate the next few months correctly, the New Jersey Devils could be the Kings of 2022-23; meaning that they may take a meaningful step forward in their rebuild after spending wisely on free agents to surround their core players with.
The Devils don't have veterans like Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar in place, but with the emergence of Jack Hughes as a legit superstar, Dougie Hamilton on the blueline and Nico Hischier centering the second line, there are anchors in New Jersey.
A player who has fallen by the wayside to some degree is Pavel Zacha. There's no indication that the Devils are actively shopping the forward, but it has been reported that teams do have interest in acquiring him. Perhaps this is a situation where it would behoove the Devils to be more proactive.
If they don't see him as a key cog moving forward, it might benefit the organization's long-term cap situation to cash in on the interest surrounding Zacha. He'll be an RFA this summer, and while it wouldn't take much to qualify him, he's seen his ice time drop a bit, and he's taking much fewer faceoffs than he has in the past. For a natural center, that might not be the best use of his talents, and a change of scenery may do him some good.
New York Islanders: Zdeno Chara and Zach Parise
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For the New York Islanders, both Zach Parise and Zdeno Chara were supposed to be the kinds of depth additions that benefitted them come playoff time. The moves made a ton of sense during the offseason, as they both signed as low-cost free-agent acquisitions.
However, the 2021-22 campaign simply hasn't been a good one for the Islanders. Now it would be in their best interest to shop both of these capable veterans in hopes of adding some decent prospect or pick capital.
Chara has been asked to do way too much this season, but in the right situation, the hulking, seen-it-all defenseman could be a marvelous pickup for a Stanley Cup contender. Protecting him on the third pair or rolling him out against more physical lines could be a boon.
Meanwhile, Parise is a known commodity when the pressure is on. He's scored 37 goals across 105 playoff games in his career and has spent time on Olympic rosters and teams that have made deep postseason runs. He's not a top-six wing at this juncture but would provide a nice depth piece for a team looking to add to their forward group.
This is an experiment that made a lot of sense at the time but just didn't work out for the Islanders. It doesn't sound like general manager Lou Lamoriello isn't quite ready to throw in the towel just yet, though, despite New York having a 5.3 percent chance of making the playoffs.
Nonetheless, they should try and get what they can for these two veterans and gear up for another go at it next season.
New York Rangers: Alexandar Georgiev
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A name that has been picking up steam in the rumor mill is Alexandar Georgiev. He's stuck playing behind Igor Shesterkin, who some believe is worthy of Hart Trophy consideration.
Georgiev would be a different kind of pick-up than, say, Fleury would be. With "Flower," the acquiring team would be looking for win-now help. That probably isn't what you're getting with Georgiev, who has had a tough time finding a groove given his sporadic workload.
When Shesterkin was injured towards the end of 2021, he had an opportunity to earn more playing time for the Blueshirts. Instead, he wound up showing the organization just how important Shesterkin is.
A deal for Georgiev, spiritually at least, would be similar to the Red Wings taking on Alex Nedeljkovic this past summer. There's some work to be done for sure, but Detroit is a team that can give him the time and space needed to develop.
With it clear that the Rangers could use an upgrade to the No. 2 goalie spot and Georgiev requiring nearly $2.5 million to qualify this summer, it's almost a certainty that New York will be shopping him in the coming weeks.
Ottawa Senators: Nick Paul
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There's still hope that the Ottawa Senators and pending UFA center Nick Pau can agree to terms on an extension in the next few weeks. The 26-year-old is a solid fit with the team, and it sounds like there is an appetite for both the player and team to get a new deal done.
If that doesn't materialize soon, however, general manager Pierre Dorion will likely shop Paul. He'd be a less flashy pick-up than a Giroux or Hertl, but he clearly wouldn't require as much to attain either.
If a team like the Wild decide that they don't want to go big-game hunting but still want to add center depth, Paul is a prime candidate. He averages more than 17 minutes a night, can play up the middle or left wing and kills penalties for the 12th-ranked PK.
There's a lot of value to be had here—value that Dorion should be trying to cash in on if a deal with Paul doesn't seem imminent in the coming weeks.
Philadelphia Flyers: Justin Braun
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Giroux's full no-move clause makes it difficult for the Flyers to actively shop him.
And recently, Pierre LeBrun spoke on Insider Trading about that situation and reported that the forward still hasn't waived that trade protection:
"We're less than three weeks out, and what I can tell you is that Claude Giroux still hasn't gone to the Flyers and said, 'OK, I'm ready. I'm ready to go.' That still hasn't happened, which tells you how difficult and emotional this decision is for Claude Giroux."
So while Giroux is clearly their biggest trade chip, someone like Justin Braun is a player they should attempt to trade. The 35-year-old has been logging just over 20 minutes a night for the Flyers, and while his results haven't been great, it's fair to assume that he'd perform better in a lesser role on a better team.
Braun blocks shots at a pretty high rate—a skill magnified come playoff time—and he's started nearly 70 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone this season. Those are the kinds of defenders contenders love to add at the deadline.
As such, general manager Chuck Fletcher should be looking to add a decent draft pick or B-level prospect for Braun.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Nathan Legare or Samuel Poulin
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The calls for the Pittsburgh Penguins to be aggressive at the trade deadline have been loud.
From Adam Gretz at SBNation to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, the notion seems to be that this team should be all-in on acquiring a wing who can help on the second or third line, with Gretz saying:
"If Jim Rutherford were still running the show, you know he would be cooking up something outrageous, like finding a way to fit Filip Forsberg's cap hit in or trying to find a third team to funnel Claude Giroux through."
Current general manager Ron Hextall has made it clear that he'd prefer to hold onto the team's top prospects—someone like Nathan Legare or Samuel Poulin—but if it makes the difference between taking a run at a championship and not, they absolutely should be available.
Poulin has emerged as one of the better wing prospects in hockey, and he could likely be at the center of a deal for a real game-changer.
Getting someone like Parise probably doesn't move the needle too much, but that could be a check-down we see. Acquiring a player like Forsberg would dramatically shift the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, though, perhaps even making Pittsburgh sleepers for the Stanley Cup Final.
You are never, ever going to have another core that features generational talents like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Take the shot while it's there to be taken, even if it means giving up a solid but unspectacular prospect like Legare.
San Jose Sharks: Tomas Hertl
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Is Hertl's future in California?
"I don't want to really get too deep … but there was some talks lately," Hertl said in early March, according to Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News. "So we will see in a couple weeks, but there [has started] to be some talking."
The pending UFA went on to characterize those talks as "positive," which is also noteworthy. In reality, though, we know as much about this situation now as we did during the offseason. Hertl can only be traded to three teams, the Sharks probably aren't going to contend anytime soon, and at 28, Hertl might not get another chance to sign on long-term with a Stanley Cup challenger.
For the Sharks, re-signing Hertl has always been the preference, but they are running out of time. Their prospect pool has improved dramatically over the last two seasons, and adding another strong draft class in 2022 would go a long way towards the effort to return to relevance.
Trading Hertl would bring back a boatload of draft capital, and if it becomes clear that the forward isn't going to re-up, the Sharks need to move him. Trading a magnetic and talented player like Hertl is never easy.
The NHL is a business, though, and sometimes you have to make tough transactions in business.
Seattle Kraken: Mark Giordano
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There are a lot of question marks as we head towards the NHL trade deadline, ranging from the Forsberg situation down to whether or not Giroux decides to leave Philadelphia. One thing that seems like a near certainty is that the Seattle Kraken will trade Mark Giordano.
Emily Kaplan of ESPN.com recently reported that the defenseman hasn't even submitted his 10-team no-trade list because he knows he'll be heading to a contender of some sort. Giordano knows it's coming. We know it's coming, and it seems like only a matter of time before general manager Ron Francis trades the first captain in Kraken history.
There are a few other players Seattle could move, but none carry the value that Giordano does. His days of swiftly carrying the puck up the ice himself are behind him, but he's a steady defender and holds his own blue line effectively.
Kaplan listed the Rangers, Maple Leafs, Panthers and Blues as teams that have inquired about Giordano. He'd fill similar roles for all four of those organizations, likely slotting in on the second pairing.
Francis needs to do all he can to extract as much value from Giordano.
Seattle isn't swimming in assets, as they aren't even done with their inaugural season yet. Adding some high-end prospects or young, NHL-ready players should be the top priority as the Kraken shop Giordano. The closer the help is to playing pro, the better.
St. Louis Blues: Ville Husso
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Jordan Binnington hasn't played up to his usual standards in 2021-22, and he knows it. Ville Husso has swiped the starting job from him and hasn't done much to relinquish the role.
"Yeah, it's on me," Binnington said recently after downing the Philadelphia Flyers, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. "I'm in this position. Just take care of myself, and it'll play out how it plays out. We're both great goalies, and I think as long as the team is winning, that's what our main focus is. You can't predict the future. You've just got to take it one day at a time, and that's the mindset."
If you're the St. Louis Blues, perhaps you're more interested in hanging onto Husso as a safety net. After all, the team might not be where they are in the standings if it wasn't for his ability to step up while Binnington struggled.
There's little chance the Blues can afford to re-sign Husso in the offseason, though. He's slated to become a UFA, and if St. Louis is looking to bring in some defensive help, shopping the netminder might be a great way to do it. His cap hit is just $750,000, making him the most affordable netminding upgrade available.
There is a tremendous amount of value there, and the Blues should be looking to maximize their assets. They committed to Binnington with a six-year extension less than a year ago. He's still the goalie they believed in at that point, and he'll emerge from this rough patch in time for the playoffs. The 28-year-old already has a Stanley Cup on his resume for a reason.
Tampa Bay Lightning: First-Round Pick(s)
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According to CapFriendly.com, the Tampa Bay Lightning will have $100,000 to work with at the trade deadline. To say they'd have to get creative to add an impact player would be a significant understatement.
Is anyone going to sleep on this team's ability to make a splash at the deadline, though? General manager Julien BriseBois is among the most crafty in the NHL, and if he sees a way to land someone like Hertl of Forsberg, he'll make it happen.
"Nothing is off the table in terms of improving our odds of winning a Stanley Cup," BriseBois told Joe Smith of The Athletic back in January. "If there is an opportunity for me to make a decision I feel will increase our odds of winning a Cup, I'll make that decision."
This is one of the most well-constructed rosters in the league, and it'll be interesting to see how Tampa Bay approaches the next few weeks. They have had their full roster on the ice and healthy just once this season, and they still have one of the highest point percentages in the NHL.
That makes shopping draft picks pretty close to a no-brainer. They haven't been shy about it in the past, and there's no reason to get conservative now.
If they can move a pick or two and land one of the bigger fish from the trade board, it's not something they should hesitate to do—something that BriseBois appears to be well aware of.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Prospects Besides Matthew Knies and Topi Niemela
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No team in the NHL is more top-heavy than the Toronto Maple Leafs. They pay a ton of money to their high-end forwards, with Mitchell Marner, Auston Matthews and John Tavares all hitting the cap for more than $10 million a season each.
As such, this is an organization that will need to lean on cheap, young talent to remain competitive in the coming seasons. If Toronto were a slam-dunk Stanley Cup contender like the Lightning, the idea of trading Matthew Knies and Topi Niemela would be more palatable. There's no question that they're one of the better squads in the NHL, but there's a gap between them and the creme de la creme.
That could change once Knies and Niemela reach Toronto, which is why they should be open to trading anyone besides these two standouts. The former is potentially a top-six power forward, while the latter appears to be a defenseman with a top-four upside.
Those are the kinds of players the Maple Leafs need to hang onto. Everyone else should be on the table, and Toronto should be shopping some of their other young players and possibly even their 2023 draft selections.
Vancouver Canucks: J.T. Miller
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This one might just be keeping Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Rutherford up at night. Deciding whether or not to trade heart-and-soul, point-per-game forwards who can play anywhere in the lineup isn't easy, and we'd be torn in this position.
Here's the thing, though: If the Canucks are ever going to trade Miller, they need to do it now. His value will never be higher, and the demand for him will never match where it is now. Even if Vancouver revisited trading the 28-year-old over the summer, he'd bring back less because the acquiring team would only get one playoff run out of him instead of two.
Vancouver is in the position where it needs to carve out cap space. Brock Boeser will require $7.5 million just to qualify, which will put the Canucks in the position where they have holes to fill and not a lot of room to do so.
Moving Miller and his reasonable $5.25 million cap hit would go a long way towards freeing up some flexibility in Vancouver. If the team was approaching a window of contention, then hanging onto Miller would be the easy call. That isn't where this organization is, though, so making the difficult decision to shop the veteran forward should be what Rutherford does.
Vegas Golden Knights: Reilly Smith
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Speaking of trading heart-and-soul, productive forwards, that's likely the route the Vegas Golden Knights are going to have to take in the coming weeks. Ever since they traded for Jack Eichel, it's been clear that a cap dump of some kind was coming.
This isn't like the Canucks trying to set themselves up for financial flexibility in the coming years, though. No, the Golden Knights need to make a move to simply get cap compliant. As it stands right now, they have $15.5 million sitting on LTIR.
That number could climb even higher, depending on how long Max Pacioretty is on the shelf. Health will play a crucial role in how Vegas approaches the March 21 deadline, but the odds are good that they won't be able to re-sign Reilly Smith this summer, no matter how things shake out on the injured reserve front.
As such, it might make sense to move the forward now. It'd alleviate at least some of the cap pressure, and Vegas could add a prospect or two to its relatively thin farm system. They haven't been shy about moving young players or draft picks to land star players.
Eventually, they'll need to flesh out their prospect pool, and trading Smith would help expedite that process.
Washington Capitals: Justin Schultz
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Things have gone sideways for the Washington Capitals since the start of 2022. They aren't the same team they were during the first few months of the season, which is something general manager Brian MacLellan recently admitted to Tom Gulitti of NHL:
"At the beginning of the year, I would say we're a legit contender. There's probably three, four teams that are at the next level, but we're not next level. We're at the high end of that next level of teams.
"Now I'd say that we're at the low level of that next level of teams, and we need to improve. We need to get back to where we were."
He added that the Capitals aren't likely to be as active as they have been in the past. One of the reasons for that is a lack of cap space. Shopping and trading defenseman Justin Schultz would be one way to ease some of that monetary pressure.
Schultz is skating on the third pair and could fall down to No. 7 on the depth chart if the Capitals ever get fully healthy. Clearing his $4 million cap hit would allow Washington to address its goaltending issues, and maybe even open the door for them to add a depth forward as well.
That would be a tidy bit of business for MacLellan.
Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Copp
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Andrew Copp might be one of the most slept-on possible trade deadline acquisitions out there. After signing a one-year deal to stick with the cap-strapped Winnipeg Jets this past offseason, the 27-year-old is now slated to hit the market as a UFA this summer.
The same cap issues that prevented the Jets from inking him long-term would likely prevent them from being able to do so again. As such, shopping Copp makes the most sense as Winnipeg tries to figure out where it is in its contention window.
It doesn't seem all that close to being a consistent playoff team, let alone on the level of a squad like the Lightning or Avalanche. It's unclear if general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is going to go full-blown rebuild, but Copp doesn't appear part of long-term plans in Winnipeg.
They should be able to recoup some of the 2022 draft picks that they've traded away while dealing their up-and-coming UFAs, and Copp would bring in the largest haul. This is the kind of middle-six forward who can play on almost any line and contribute in the offensive zone.
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