NHL Trade Speculation: 11 Best Defensemen on the Move at the Deadline

Defense wins. Defense wins championships. We’ve all heard that uttered time and time again, and for the most part it is true.  

Every year NHL teams are desperate to strengthen their defense. Part of a good defense is who you have between the pipes, but almost as important are the guys who play in front of the goalie. 

We are a still a ways away from the trade deadline but you can bet that contending teams will be looking to bolster their blue line where they can. You can never have enough depth at the back end.

So the following is a list of the best guys who may be available.  

Now, before that one vein in your forehead starts to twitch over the names on this list, do yourself a favor: Take a deep breath and realize that this is just speculation.  

We are not here to say that your favorite guy is getting shipped out of town. We’ll leave that kind of folly to people like Eklund. 

Besides, speculation is fun—it fuels us. We can only talk about last night's games for so long.

These are defensemen who may be on the block for various reasons. It could be that their contract is up and they play for a team that is rebuilding. That team might be willing to move them to pick up prospects.  

So here are the 11 best defensemen who may be on the move this season. 

Why 11? Because it is one louder.

Bryce Salvador

Bryce Salvador is not going to confuse anyone with Nick Lidstrom but he is a veteran blueliner with 10 years experience in the NHL.  

He is a stay-at-home defenseman who could provide some stability and depth to a contender that is thin on the back end.

Would New Jersey be willing to move him? A lot of that depends on how their season is going at the trade deadline. 

The Devils are paying Salvador $2.9 million this year and he is a unrestricted free agent after the season. If they are out of it and some team is offering anything for him, they might be willing to move him.

Johnny Oduya

The Jets are a long shot to make the playoffs and might be willing to part with the 30-year-old Johnny Oduya. 

Oduya came to the Jets franchise in the Kovalchuk-Thrashers trade from New Jersey and is in his last year of a $3.5 million contract. With him being an unrestricted free agent after the season, the Jets most likely won’t re-sign him next season. 

Oduya is an inconsistent player but has shown that he can move the puck and play physical. While the $3.5 million price tag is probably an overpay, any team picking him up would not have to pay him next season.

That makes him a candidate to be on the move.

Michal Rozsival

You would think that Phoenix might be more willing to move Michal Rozsival than other teams might want him. At $5 million a year, he is probably making more money than he is worth. 

Rozsival is a decent blueliner who has a lot of experience and could be a great depth addition to a contending team. Of course, if Phoenix stays in the race they are less likely to give up one of their top defenders. 

His contract amount and limited no-trade clause might make him a little difficult to move however. He can name eight teams that he is willing to be traded to.

One would guess that the eight teams he might select are good teams so a trade is not completely out of the question.

Bryan Allen

Bryan Allen is a big, physical defenseman who looks like he should be better than he has been. That potential might explain why he has been traded a couple of times already. 

While he is not known for his offensive skill, he could provide an already good team with another tough defensive presence. 

Carolina traded for him last season and if they are out of the race come the deadline, they may be willing to part ways with the free-agent-to-be. They can’t be that invested in him.

Kyle Quincey

Kyle Quincey is a young, puck-moving guy and prying him from the Avalanche might be a bit of a stretch. He is a $3.1 million cap hit and is set to become a restricted free agent after the season. 

If Colorado is out of it this year and feel Quincey will be difficult to sign, they might be willing to give him up.  

After losing some high draft picks in their trade for goalie Semyon Varlamov, moving Quincey might help them stock up on picks. While they would not get a first-rounder for him, they could get some later-round picks and build some depth. 

The right package might be enough for Colorado to move him.

Erik Johnson

The more-likely Avalanche defenseman to be moved is former St. Louis Blues No. 1 pick Erik Johnson.  

Colorado picked up Johnson last year in a trade and he has one more year on his deal. At only $2.6 million a year, he isn’t a burden to the Avalanche. However, if they don’t see a bright-enough upside to him, he might bring some value back. 

That being said, Colorado gave up a lot to get Johnson and they may hold onto him to try and make their investment pay off.

Tobias Enstrom

As the young Jets continue to build, Tobias Enstrom might be someone they could trade for more pieces. He has two years left on his $3.75 million deal which a contending team might be able to fit into their cap.

Enstrom is a small defenseman but he can skate, move the puck and would help many of the league's power plays.

He and the rest of the Jets blue line, are somewhat suspect in their own end but any team that wanted Enstrom would be looking for his offense.

With his skill set and production the Jets should be able to get a decent return on Tobias Enstrom.

Keith Ballard

On the surface it would seem unlikely that Vancouver would trade a guy they picked up only a year ago. Especially a defenseman who has shown that he can play some offense. 

For whatever reason, Keith Ballard has not clicked with Vancouver. He did suffer some minor injuries last year but more times than not, he found himself a healthy scratch. 

Does his style of play clash with the head coach’s philosophy? Did he spill his morning oatmeal on Alain Vigneault during training camp and the coach has never forgiven him? Your guess is as good as any. 

Ballard has a hefty contract that makes him a little harder to trade, but $4.2 million a year for a scoring defenseman isn’t the worst thing in the world.

The problem is that the way Vancouver has used him they are devaluing him, which could limit willing trade partners.

Mark Streit

Mark Streit of the Islanders could be an interesting player for some contending team to make a run at. Realistically he is probably not on the market and Islanders fans should remember that previously mentioned pulsing vein.

However, after coming off an entire missed season, free agency looming in a couple of years and his $4.1 million cap hit, the Islanders might be persuaded. 

Healthy now, Streit would be a great addition to a team looking for an experienced defenseman who can score goals, move the puck and is a leader. 

It might take a lot to pry him out of Long Island, but if New York is not in the race and with an unstable franchise situation, they may look to cash in on prospects before losing Streit in two years.

Ryan Suter

The Nashville Predators have an interesting dilemma facing them. They are a small-market team that has shown they are not willing to dish out the big contracts. 

Coming into this year they have some decisions to make with their three big defensive players. The general consensus is that they will not be able to keep Ryan Suter, Shea Weber and goalie Pekka Rinne. 

The first domino for the Predators fell on Thursday as they re-signed Rinne to a seven-year contract.  

With their goalie in the fold, what will happen with Suter and Weber remains to be seen. 

Suter is an excellent defenseman, and is an unrestricted free agent after this season. He will be free to sign with any team he wishes and there will be many suitors.

This will drive his price tag up. 

If the Predators feel that they can get Weber re-signed but not Suter, they may be willing to move him this year and get some return. Needless to say, there will be a lot of eyes on the Predators this winter.

Shea Weber

Shea Weber is the other big puzzle piece for the Predators. After winning his arbitration hearing this summer he was awarded a one-year, $7.5 million deal and will be a restricted free agent next season. 

Can Nashville afford to sign him long term? 

He is arguably the best defenseman in the league and trading him at the deadline could bring in a pretty good haul for Nashville. 

A lot of this hinges on which direction Nashville’s season turns. If they are out of it they will need to start thinking about their big contracts next season. 

With Rinne signed now, it may come down to a decision between Weber and Suter.