Sharks’ Timo Meier is the new No. 1 on Daily Faceoff’s Trade Targets board

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Finally. Thanks to the New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks, we landed our first significant trade of the season with resident No. 1 on the Trade Targets board Bo Horvat heading to the Island. That means we have a new No. 1 on the board.

And while the Horvat deal will likely have little impact in cajoling the market, the clock is ticking. We’re exactly one month out from Deadline Day.

2023 Trade Deadline Countdown: 28 Days

Today is our third Trade Targets board of 2023 with 35 names in play, including eight newcomers. Reminder, the board is a blend of a player’s potential value with his likelihood of a trade:

Trade Targets 🎯

1. Timo Meier 📈
Left Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 26
Stats: 51 GP, 28 G, 20 A, 48 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $6 million AAV (due $10 million Qualifying Offer)
Scoop: Start spreading the news. The New York Rangers have set their sights on Meier as the No. 1 target leading up to the deadline. Keep in mind: Sharks GM Mike Grier knows the Rangers organization inside and out, so they’d make great trade partners. And across the Hudson River, the rival New Jersey Devils would love to land him as well and create a timeless Swiss connection between Meier and Nico Hischier. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald wasn’t exactly cryptic when he said he’s looking for a “top six winger under team control.” For the rebuilding Sharks, Meier is one of the few assets they can move freely for a massive return. While the qualifying offer due will diminish San Jose’s return, most teams believe they can negotiate a long-term deal and keep Meier in the fold. For more detail, read Meier’s Trade Deadline player profile.

2. Ryan O’Reilly 📈
Center, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 37 GP, 10 G, 6 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: O’Reilly is in the process of working his way back from a broken foot and should have two weeks or so of games under his belt before the March 3 deadline. Contract extension talks between O’Reilly’s camp and the Blues have been cordial, but there isn’t much hope for a deal at this point in time. That means the smart money is still betting on the 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner being on the move. His injury may actually enhance his value since teams know they’d been acquiring a well-rested player. This has not been O’Reilly’s best season. The entire Blues team has been inconsistent. But the Blues’ captain is a true competitor, still has plenty of game left and is the quintessential deadline add for a team looking to get over the hump.

3. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 24
Stats: 34 GP, 5 G, 20 A, 25 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $4.6 million AAV
Scoop: Give him credit: After this saga has dragged on for more than a calendar year, Chychrun has held up his end of the bargain since returning on Nov. 21. His point production has been outstanding, on track for a 60-point season over a full 82 games and his mobility has been impressive. Arizona’s asking price has remained high in two first-round picks (or equivalents) plus a prospect. Will a team step up before March 3 to make a deal? Or will this drag into the summer? For more on Chychrun and his game, including a full scouting report, read Chychrun’s Trade Deadline player profile.

4. Patrick Kane
Right Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 45 GP, 9 G, 25 A, 34 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: Kane has been banged up, dealing with a nagging injury that required him to sit out for three games. To this point, it’s not expected to have any lingering effect or impact his trade value. Where does that stand? The Blackhawks and Kane’s camp, led by CAA Sports’ Pat Brisson, have yet to engage in any sort of meaningful dialogue about Kane (and Toews’) future. That’s expected to pick up in mid-February. It’s still early. And ‘Showtime’ holds all the cards with full ‘no-move’ and ‘no-trade clauses. If you’re looking for a potential style of deal in both managing it and potential return package, look back on how Claude Giroux departed Philadelphia last spring. Giroux only provided one potential destination. Will Kane and Toews offer more options? For a current evaluation of his game, read Kane’s Trade Deadline player profile.

5. Jonathan Toews
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 46 GP, 14 G, 14 A, 28 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: Like Kane, Toews will determine his future with an identical contract and clauses. They also share the same agent, who will be working very closely with Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson as the process heats up. The difference is Kane has always been a sought after commodity, a player who makes teams drool. Toews used to be there – as a stingy, difficult to play against center and unshakeable leader. He looked like he had gotten back closer to the level that we last saw from him in 2019-20 before the pandemic, but he’s slowed down a bit of late. There will still be interest, for sure, given his pedigree, track record and the odds that a new environment will provide him a shot in the arm. For a deeper dive on his game, read Toews’ Trade Deadline player profile.

6. Jake McCabe
Left Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 29
Stats: 45 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $4 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks have received a number of calls on McCabe and teammate Connor Murphy in recent weeks. Why? They’re two cost-controlled defensemen with reasonable cap hits. Edmonton, Los Angeles and Toronto are believed to be among the interested teams. Complicating factors include 1) McCabe has a seven-team ‘no-trade’ list that word is includes all seven Canadian teams with the exception of the Maple Leafs; and 2) McCabe does have a questionable injury history, but he’s been healthy this season. Where it gets really interesting on McCabe is if a team is willing to pay Chicago to leverage their cap space and retain half on him. All of a sudden, McCabe for two more seasons at a bargain $2 million cap hit will warrant a juicier return. For more, read McCabe’s Trade Deadline player profile.

7. Vladislav Gavrikov
Left Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 50 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.8 million AAV
Scoop: Everything has gone so wrong in Columbus that the Blue Jackets have reached the proverbial “Our pets’ heads are falling off” stage. For a team that spent $80 million this offseason, they’re suddenly leading the Bedard Watch. Injuries have mounted. Structure has been lacking. And Gavrikov is sitting there as a nice potential trade chip. Gavrikov is a strong defender, a true defense-first defenseman, and nearly every team can maneuver his cap hit. What does the package look like? The Blue Jackets received first and third-round picks for David Savard in 2021. Gavrikov is probably a better player and definitely younger. A haul for Gavrikov would be the one bright spot in a sad season for the CBJ. For a breakdown of Gavrikov’s game, read his Trade Deadline player profile.

8. Brock Boeser 📈
Right Wing, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 25
Stats: 41 GP, 9 G, 21 A, 30 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $6.65 million AAV
Scoop: With Horvat traded, Boeser is on the clock. With the desire and need to create salary cap flexibility, the Canucks have somehow only added upwards of $10 million in wingers to their cap in the last 10 days, by re-signing Andrei Kuzmenko and acquiring Anthony Beauvillier. That spells the end of Boeser’s run in Vancouver, as he’s already been given the ability to seek a trade through his representative. Boeser hasn’t scored at his typical rate this season, but he’s still at 0.73 points per game, and he does have value as a scoring winger. The issue is the term. Will the Canucks be willing to retain a portion of his salary? If not, would they be willing to take a contract back? Or, would Vancouver simply be willing to take a little less on the return in order to move on? Those are questions the Canucks are asking themselves now.

9. Ivan Barbashev 📈
Left/Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 27
Stats: 51 GP, 9 G, 15 A, 24 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.25 million AAV
Scoop: Barbashev’s camp has already received word that he will not be receiving a new contract in St. Louis and is likely to be traded before the deadline. There is no doubt the Blues are in the process of showcasing Barbashev ahead of that trade – he’s played almost 19 minutes a night the last handful of games, where he has picked up four points in his last five. There is interest with teams hoping to rehabilitate a player who collected 26 goals and 60 points last year for the Blues. The biggest question surrounding his game is the consistency of his compete level, but his talent has never once been in question. He’s an intriguing deadline pickup for anyone on an inexpensive, expiring deal.

10. John Klingberg
Right Defense, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 30
Stats: 42 GP, 6 G, 11 A, 17 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Scoop: This was always the plan when Klingberg signed in Anaheim: Check out the fit, see how the season started, and if things go sour, he’d be on the move as a flippable asset for the Ducks. It seemed to be a smart play at the time. Klingberg would put $7 million in his pocket for the season, shoulder the security risk, and hope to cash in again next summer. The problem is: Klingberg has struggled this season. His stock has fallen. But it’s also been a mostly miserable start for all involved with the rebuilding Ducks and Klingberg’s full ‘no-trade’ clause expired on New Year’s Day, so he’s not long for Anaheim. The bigger question is the interest level and potential return.

11. Erik Karlsson
Right Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 32
Stats: 51 GP, 16 G, 50 A, 66 Pts
Contract: 4 more seasons, $11.5 million AAV
Scoop: Every night, Karlsson does something that makes your jaw hit the floor. He’s third in the league in assists, on pace to become the NHL’s first 100-point defenseman since Brian Leetch. And his general manager, Mike Grier, is more than ready to field offers. A few weeks back, word leaked that the Sharks’ asking price was reported as three first-round picks and San Jose would be willing to retain 18 percent of his salary. Grier responded by saying that report was not “totally accurate.” Either way, what is clear is the Sharks aren’t willing to give Karlsson away. But with that cap hit and that term, the ask is either going to have to plummet, or Kane will be in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future. For more on Karlsson, read his in-depth Trade Deadline player profile.

12. Sam Lafferty 🆕
Center/Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 27
Stats: 42 GP, 8 G, 9 A, 17 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $1.15 million AAV
Scoop: Given the way Lafferty departed his hometown Pittsburgh Penguins, traded for AHL contract burden Alex Nylander, few could’ve seen his resurgence into a hot trade commodity. But his elite speed has turned heads – particularly on the penalty kill, where Lafferty has scored three shorthanded goals. That’s one off the league-lead, second only to Vegas’ Reilly Smith. Here’s the rub: the Blackhawks don’t have to move Lafferty. Teams would have to make it worth Chicago’s while to move on – and the return is going to surprise someone, because it has the potential to surprise.

13. Matt Dumba
Right Defense, Minnesota Wild
Age: 28
Stats: 46 GP, 4 G, 8 A, 12 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $6 million AAV
Scoop: It’s been a rough few weeks for Dumba, who was made a healthy scratch in back-to-back games, a couple days after Matt Boldy’s extension officially spelled out the end of his run in Minnesota. There’s simply no room to re-sign him. His healthy scratch was purely play related – and that can either diminish his trade value, or potentially spur movement. It’s important to keep in mind that the Wild won’t be rushed. If the price isn’t right, they are more than willing to keep him for a playoff run before letting him walk. Dumba is a classic boom or bust addition. His play has seen a dip in recent months, his point production is well down from the 50-point guy he was five years ago, but he has been lauded for his locker room presence and positivity. For a breakdown of Dumba’s game, read his in-depth Trade Deadline player profile.

14. Luke Schenn
Right Defense, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 33
Stats: 49 GP, 2 G, 14 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $850,000 AAV
Scoop: GM Patrik Allvin didn’t rule out the possibility that the Canucks re-sign Schenn. But the much more likely move is Vancouver seeks to maximize the return on Schenn. They like what he’s brought to the lineup in his two seasons back in Vancouver. Word is the Canucks actually turned down a second-round pick for Schenn in last year’s deadline period. He’s a proven winner with Stanley Cup pedigree on an expiring, inexpensive deal. Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Boston are just a few of the teams Schenn has been linked to, but others have also expressed interest. They say you can never have too many defensemen on a playoff run and Schenn is a fit for just about every team, particularly as a right-shot who can also play the left if needed. For more, peruse Schenn’s Trade Deadline player profile.

15. James van Riemsdyk
Left Wing, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 33
Stats: 31 GP, 8 G, 13 A, 21 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Scoop: Death, taxes and ‘JVR’ scoring at a 20-plus goal clip in the NHL. Those are three things you can bank on. Van Riemsdyk has rebounded from a fractured finger earlier this season into his usual form. He’s never been fleet of foot, so his speed isn’t a concern, because he has a knack like few others to find the puck at the exact right moment. It’s for that reason that ‘JVR’ is the 12th-best net-front scorer in the NHL, according to our Archetype Rankings series. If the Flyers are willing to retain half, which every indication is they would be willing to do, they can salvage a nice asset from a most disappointing season. That’s a long way from having to pay to move him last summer.

16. Vladimir Tarasenko
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 38 GP, 10 G, 19 A, 29 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: Tarasenko returned to the ice on Jan. 24 for the first time in 2023 after a hand injury and has been held off the scoresheet in four games. No doubt, teams will want more time to see that there are no ill effects on the sniper’s shot. The good news is that he will have plenty of time before the deadline to prove that he is back to full strength. The Blues are undoubtedly willing to move on from Tarasenko as their season has swirled. That would be fine with him. His standing 2021 trade request has never been rescinded. He holds the keys on his next destination by virtue of a full ‘no-trade’ clause and that may complicate matters on his end, depending on how choosy he wants to be.

17. Noel Acciari 🆕
Center, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 51 GP, 10 G, 8 A, 18 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.25 million AAV
Scoop: Acciari is one Blues player who has played up to his expectation this season. The one-time 20-goal scorer is enjoying the second-best season of his career, making it the perfect time for the Blues to cash in. He isn’t a big, flashy name but his hockey intelligence and awareness, coupled with his sneaky production, means that he almost always provides surplus value above his cap hit. He makes sense in Vegas, where he could be reunited with coach Bruce Cassidy. Acciari plays an important role and he plays it well, also appearing in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.

18. Gustav Nyquist 📈
Left Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 33
Stats: 48 GP, 10 G, 12 A, 22 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: This is going to sound crazy, but the Blue Jackets announcing earlier this week that Nyquist will miss the remainder of the regular season – that has actually increased his likelihood of a trade. He is essentially a FREE addition. The return may have been diminished for Columbus, of course. But think back to what the Toronto Maple Leafs did a few years back with Riley Nash. They traded a sixth-round pick for him (also from Columbus). He never appeared in a regular season game, but returned from his injury for the playoffs. There was no risk. He was no salary cap consequence since he was on LTIR for the duration of the regular season. And Nyquist is a much better player than Nash. For more on how he can boost a third line, read Nyquist’s Trade Deadline player profile.

19. Max Domi
Center/Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 27
Stats: 48 GP, 14 G, 21 A, 35 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $3 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks aren’t in a position to say no to any asset harvest, though Domi and Andreas Athanasiou have been exactly what they were signed to be. Smart bets. They’ve both fit in well on a line with Patrick Kane – and all three players are on the Trade Targets board. Domi has delivered for Chicago in an impressive way, certainly better than some of the bigger name top-six forwards on this board who would theoretically be more expensive. Keep in mind: Domi netted a game-winner for the Hurricanes last year in the playoffs. One playoff contribution like that, winning one postseason game, would be enough to justify an acquisition.

20. Jesse Puljujarvi
Right Wing, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 24
Stats: 46 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $3 million AAV
Scoop: The injury to Kailer Yamamoto bought the Oilers some time, kicking their cap constraints down the road a few weeks with Evander Kane back in the lineup. But prior to Yamamoto returning, Oilers GM Ken Holland sent a note to all 31 other clubs advising them that Puljujarvi was available for trade. A handful of teams reached out with interest. They ended up not needing to pull the trigger. Yamamoto is eligible to return to the lineup on Feb. 12 and once that happens, provided that everyone else is healthy, they will likely need to execute a trade. If he doesn’t go then, the 2016 No. 4 overall pick will likely need to be included in any sizable trade at the deadline in order to make the money work. In other words, Puljujarvi’s tenure in Edmonton is on borrowed time. For more on his potential, read Puljujarvi’s Trade Deadline player profile.

21. Shayne Gostisbehere 📉
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 29
Stats: 45 GP, 9 G, 19 A, 28 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.5 million AAV
Scoop: Argh, tough break for Gostisbehere and the Coyotes. Arizona announced that Gostisbehere will be out four-to-six weeks with an “upper-body” injury. He was trending toward being a solid deadline addition and this injury will hurt his value. Gostisbehere found his confidence again in the desert after it crumbled under coach Dave Hakstol in Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, the former 65-point defenseman can still play. He’s rejuvenated his game and was on track to hit 50 points again before the injury. He’s very efficient moving the puck and a solid addition to any power play. And this isn’t a recent phenomenon: Ghost’s underlying metrics were damn good last season. For more detail, see Gostisbehere’s trade deadline player profile.

22. Joel Edmundson
Left Defense, Montreal Canadiens
Age: 29
Stats: 39 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $3.5 million AAV
Scoop: With one year remaining on his contract, Edmundson might not be at the top of the Habs’ list of players to move, but as teams scour the market for defensemen, he will have value with both Stanley Cup pedigree and cost certainty. The Canadiens have taken a beating in the standings, which hasn’t been pretty for anyone, but teams have plenty of tape on Edmundson to understand his value and contribution to a contending team.

23. Conor Garland 🆕
Right Wing, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 26
Stats: 48 GP, 9 G, 15 A, 24 Pts
Contract: 3 more seasons, $4.95 million AAV
Scoop: For all of the hemming and hawing about the money the Canucks have spent on wingers, Garland quietly lived up to his end of the bargain last season with 19 goals and 52 points. He burst onto the scene under Rick Tocchet in Arizona, the guy who gave him his shot. Nonetheless, the fact remains the Canucks committed $10 million more to wingers for next season in Anthony Beauvillier and Andrei Kuzmenko. And Garland has never fit quite right in Vancouver, signed by the previous regime. He is a prime candidate to try and create salary cap flexibility for the Canucks, but the term is a sticking point.

24. Nick Seeler
Left Defense, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 29
Stats: 48 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $775,000 AAV
Scoop: Seeler is a human nail gun. He’s tough, physical and has flown under the radar as a late-blooming, late-round pick. The Flyers have raved about Seeler’s competitive drive, ability to make a simple outlet pass and patience with the puck. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher drafted Seeler in Minnesota and brought him to Philadelphia. Now he may have to part with him as Seeler has some real value on the trade market with one more season remaining at league minimum. He is a similar story to Jacob Middleton, who was in the second-round pick return range last year in San Jose.

25. Mattias Ekholm 📉
Left Defense, Nashville Predators
Age: 32
Stats: 48 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 Pts
Contract: 3 more seasons, $6.25 million AAV
Scoop: This is a tough call for David Poile. His team is hanging tough in the playoff race, and whenever they seem to be left for dead in the standings, they bounce back. But they’re still not in the driver’s seat and not really even viewed as a threat, given the teams they need to jump over. We’re told Poile began to peruse the market for Ekholm earlier in January. He did that before with Mikael Granlund and Calle Jarnkrok, but pulled them back when his team went on a run. Will he do the same here? Or does this team have some uncomfortable decisions to make with expensive, term-laden contracts? For more detail, read Ekholm’s in-depth Trade Deadline player profile.

26. Niko Mikkola 📉
Left Defense, St. Louis Blues
Age: 26
Stats: 50 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.9 million AAV
Scoop: It’s no secret that Blues GM Doug Armstrong is exploring the market for all of his UFAs, Mikkola included. He’s a big boy at 6-foot-4 who doesn’t provide much by the way of offense, but is a solid defender. Mikkola got some valuable playoff experience last spring, appearing in all 12 of the Blues’ postseason contests. He’s beaten the odds to carve out a career for himself as a fifth-round pick. He could be flipped for another project-type player if the Blues aren’t able to find the draft pick capital in return that quite suits their needs. For a breakdown of his game, head over to Mikkola’s Trade Deadline player profile.

27. Jaycob Megna
Left Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 30
Stats: 48 GP, 1 G, 11 A, 12 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $762,500 AAV
Scoop: We’ve seen this movie before from the Sharks. Last year, they flipped another older, inexpensive, left-shot defenseman in Jacob Middleton at the deadline. They traded Middleton to Minnesota in exchange for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen and a 5th round pick. Like Middleton, Megna was on track for his first full NHL season and on a value contract. Unlike Middleton, Megna is viewed as more of a third pair depth defenseman, while Middleton had more upward lineup mobility. They were both playing around 19 minutes a night in San Jose. To Megna’s advantage, he also has next season remaining at essentially league minimum salary. A number of teams have expressed interest to this point.

28. Karel Vejmelka 🆕
Goaltender, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 26
Stats: 35 GP, 3.19 GAA, .907 Sv%
Contract: 2 more seasons, $2.75 million AAV
Scoop: Aside from having one of the great nicknames in the league, “Veggie” also is perhaps one of the best goaltenders available on the market. He’s closing in on almost 100 career NHL games played and has a .902 save percentage over the last two years on some pretty putrid Coyotes teams. His high-danger and shorthanded save percentages are pretty strong. And he’s signed for the next two years at high-level backup money, making him an affordable 1A or 1B tandem option for a team looking to right its goalie situation. The Coyotes are listening to understand the market on him, but there are only so many teams in the goalie carousel come this deadline – even though Vejmelka could be a longer-term solution.

29. Nick Bjugstad 🆕
Center, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 30
Stats: 50 GP, 11 G, 10 A, 21 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $900,000 AAV
Scoop: Arizona has been the land of opportunity for Bjugstad, who has cashed in on more ice time with his best offensive season since 2018-19 in Florida. His ice time is up more than six minutes from last year. By now, we probably have a pretty complete picture of what Bjugstad is at the NHL level – a big body with skill but lacking the consistent competitiveness to be a difference maker. The Wild made him a healthy scratch for all six of their first-round games last year against St. Louis. Still, at that contract and relatively low acquisition cost, a GM will always be willing to take a flier on a 6-foot-6 center.

30. Sean Walker or Matt Roy
Right Defense, Los Angeles Kings
Ages: 28 | 27
Stats: 46 GP, 2 G, 7 A, 9 Pts | 53 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 16 Pts
Contracts: Both 1 more season, $2.65m | $3.15m AAVs
Scoop: It’s a bit of a logjam on the right side of the Kings’ blueline, which is typically a good problem to have. The problem is that neither one of Walker or Roy is really moving Los Angeles in a contending direction, they both have one more year on their contracts, and Jordan Spence is waiting in the wings in AHL Ontario. There is no guarantee that one of them will move, but the Kings have a surplus, and there is room for improvement. The deal may wait until the summer, but it’d be a surprise to see both back in a Kings uniform next season.

31. Jack Roslovic
Center, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 25
Stats: 48 GP, 4 G, 23 A, 27 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $4 million AAV
Scoop: There have been some rumblings that the Blue Jackets are curious about the market for Roslovic, who was a big part of the deal for Pierre-Luc Dubois back in 2021. Was he part of a potential push for Bo Horvat? Unlike rentals Gavrikov and Nyquist, Roslovic would represent a hockey trade. Roslovic’s point production has been solid, touching 20 goals for the first time last year, but his effort and work rate have been described as inconsistent. The difficult part for Columbus is they’d be trading when his value is low – and he’s a homegrown Columbus kid.

32. Andreas Athanasiou
Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 28
Stats: 47 GP, 10 G, 16 A, 26 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $3 million AAV
Scoop: Feels like we’re a long ways away from Feb. 2020, just before the pandemic hit, when Athanasiou garnered two second-round picks from Edmonton. He struggled with injury in L.A. Now, he’s back to flying around again in Chicago with incredibly valuable speed. He was among the league leaders in breakaways earlier this season, according to Stathletes, and generates a league-leading number of scoring chances off the rush. He is the perfect flippable asset for Chicago.

33. James Reimer 📉
Goaltender, San Jose Sharks
Age: 34
Stats: 28 GP, 3.331 GAA, .895 Sv%
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.25 million AAV
Scoop: It’s still a little early to map out the goaltending market, but if any team runs into a pinch with goaltending, Reimer is the perfect solution. He’s as rock solid as they come in the most fickle position in pro sports. Here’s an incredible stat: In 13 full seasons in the NHL, Reimer has never finished a season with a sub-.900 save percentage. This would be the first if it holds up. But it’s hard to place the blame at his feet with the group in front of him. Reimer is steady, durable and comes with a cap hit and contract that make him no-risk. Other netminders potentially available: Alex Stalock, Cam Talbot.

34. Florida Panthers Forward * 📉
Scoop: While Anthony Duclair and Patric Hornqvist slowly make their way back from injury, one Panthers player must be traded in order to be cap compliant once everyone on the roster is healthy. Or, maybe that should say if everyone gets healthy. It’s been a long road back for Duclair from a July Achilles tear. Hornqvist has been out indefinitely with a concussion. Can the Cats avoid a trade of significance? Maybe. But the Panthers are flying close to the sun with the cap. They had to play with a short bench a few times earlier this season. Since there is no one to send down, a trade is necessary (barring other injury) to make room for Duclair and Hornqvist when both are ready. Keep an eye on Sam Bennett and/or Sam Reinhart.

35. Teddy Blueger
Center, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 26
Stats: 34 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.2 million AAV
Scoop: If the Penguins are looking to make a move at the deadline to bolster Sidney Crosby’s squad, they’re going to have to get creative. They have no salary cap space and limited prospects of interest. It’s unlikely a team is willing to take on Kasperi Kapanen unless the Penguins pay to do so. That might mean someone like Blueger could be on the move to clear space. GM Ron Hextall is loathe to part ways with centers, but Blueger’s ice time is down almost three minutes from last season and teams would find his versatile skillset valuable. He is smart, but has struggled at even-strength this season.

TRADED: No. 1 Bo Horvat; No. 18 Ryan Reaves; No. 30 Ryan Merkley.

Next up: Sean Monahan, Montreal Canadiens.

Previous versions: Jan. 20, Jan. 3, Nov. 22.

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