Trade talks heating up with Canucks’ Bo Horvat, No. 1 on latest Trade Targets

Credit: © Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

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Six weeks. That’s all that remains until the NHL’s trade deadline on March 3. Teams are wrapping up their internal pro and amateur scouting meetings, which have set the blueprint for the run up to Deadline Day.

With many of those meetings in the rearview mirror, managers have their marching orders and talks are beginning to heat up – particularly around Canucks captain Bo Horvat, who has been the No. 1 player on our Trade Targets list for the entirety of this season.

The belief is the Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild are among the teams who have inquired about Horvat with Vancouver, with varying levels of interest.

Even a team like Carolina, which was once thought to be out on Horvat given the high price, may have seen a change in the last 24 hours with it looking like Max Pacioretty may miss the remainder of the season with another significant injury on Thursday night. That would leave Carolina with $7 million in additional space for a premier center, which is their primary trade deadline objective.

While a trade does not appear to be imminent on Friday, with a coaching change reportedly coming, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Canucks pull the trigger on a Horvat trade before the All-Star break and provide everyone with a clean start.

2023 Trade Deadline Countdown: 42 Days

We’ve got you covered over the next six weeks at Daily Faceoff with one trade deadline-focused story each day. Today is our second Trade Targets board of 2023 with 30 names who are in play, including five new ones:

Trade Targets 🎯

1. Bo Horvat
Center, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 27
Stats: 44 GP, 30 G, 19 A, 49 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: Trade talks have intensified since Canucks president Jim Rutherford all but sealed Horvat’s fate in Vancouver on Monday when he said they’ve already made their best offer to their captain. That wasn’t a shock to anyone in Horvat’s camp or close to him, as a trade has felt like an inevitability since the preseason. What was intriguing about Rutherford’s comments was that they clearly aren’t willing to pay current market value after he’s hit a grand slam, upper-deck home run in his contract year: “The contract we have on the table for Bo right now, I think, is a fair contract for what he’s done up until this year. But it’s certainly under market value for what he’s done this year,” Rutherford said. For more detail, see Horvat’s Trade Deadline player profile.

2. Timo Meier 📈
Left Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 26
Stats: 46 GP, 26 G, 20 A, 46 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $6 million AAV (due $10 million Qualifying Offer)
Scoop: We reported the New York Rangers’ interest in Meier this week. For all of the media buzz Erik Karlsson has generated, Meier is the way more likely Shark to be on the move. San Jose signed Tomas Hertl in a similar spot last season, but after yet another tough start, it’s pretty clear the direction new GM Mike Grier wants to take this team. That means it’s unlikely the Sharks sink more money into a new deal with Meier. He is one of the few assets they can move freely. With the gigantic qualifying offer due to him at the end of the season, some teams may view and pursue him as a pending UFA rather than an RFA. His massive qualifying offer will diminish the return for San Jose. For more detail on why, read Meier’s Trade Deadline player profile.

3. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 24
Stats: 29 GP, 5 G, 18 A, 23 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 more than held up his end of the bargain since returning on Nov. 21. His point production has been outstanding, on track for a 67-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: 40 GP, 8 G, 21 A, 29 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 the next few weeks. 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?

5. Jonathan Toews
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 42 GP, 13 G, 14 A, 27 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. For a deeper dive on his game, read Toews’ Trade Deadline player profile.

6. Vladislav Gavrikov
Left Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 44 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.

7. Jake McCabe 📈
Left Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 29
Stats: 40 GP, 2 G, 11 A, 13 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.

8. John Klingberg
Right Defense, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 30
Stats: 39 GP, 6 G, 9 A, 15 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 was a smart play for all sides after he lingered on the market. He’ll 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.

9. Matt Dumba 🆕
Right Defense, Minnesota Wild
Age: 28
Stats: 43 GP, 4 G, 8 A, 12 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $6 million AAV
Scoop: It’s been a rough week for Dumba, who was made a healthy scratch on Thursday, 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. But 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.

10. Erik Karlsson
Right Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 32
Stats: 46 GP, 15 G, 47 A, 62 Pts
Contract: 4 more seasons, $11.5 million AAV
Scoop: Every night, Karlsson does something that makes your jaw hit the floor. He’s leading 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 ready and willing to listen to offers. Last week, 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.

11. Luke Schenn 🆕
Right Defense, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 33
Stats: 44 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $850,000 AAV
Scoop: On the heels of Jim Rutherford’s press conference this week, the Canucks are looking 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.

12. 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: Oddly, the Blues have hung tough in the playoff race since the team announced early in the New Year that O’Reilly (and Vladimir Tarasenko) would miss a significant chunk of time. That has called into question as to what GM Doug Armstrong will do at the deadline, in particular with their heartbeat in O’Reilly, if they’re still in the race when he’s ready to return in mid-February. The smart money is still betting on the Conn Smythe trophy winner being on the move. But it’s not set in stone. His broken foot may in fact enhance his trade value since teams know they’d be acquiring a rested player. There’s no doubt O’Reilly has struggled this season. The entire Blues team has been inconsistent. And now, an uncomfortable conversation around the captain is on tap.

13. James van Riemsdyk
Left Wing, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 33
Stats: 26 GP, 7 G, 12 A, 19 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Scoop: Death, taxes and ‘JVR’ scoring at a 23-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.

14. Vladimir Tarasenko
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 34 GP, 10 G, 19 A, 29 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: Tarasenko has been on the ice and closing in on a return from his hand injury. No doubt, teams will want to see that there are no ill effects on the sniper’s shot when he does hit the ice. The good news is that he should have plenty of time before the deadline to prove that he is back to full strength. Unlike O’Reilly, the Blues would likely be ready to move on from Tarasenko regardless of their playoff positioning. If the playoffs are a coin flip, might as well harvest as many assets as possible. That would be fine with him. His 2021 trade request has never been rescinded. He holds the keys on his next destination by virtue of a full ‘no-trade’ clause.

15. Mattias Ekholm 📉
Left Defense, Nashville Predators
Age: 32
Stats: 45 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 Pts
Contract: 3 more seasons, $6.25 million AAV
Scoop: Man, with each passing game, the decision gets a little bit tougher for Preds GM 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 – including Colorado. 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 off the market 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 contract? For more detail, read Ekholm’s in-depth Trade Deadline player profile.

16. 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 with Yamamoto being placed on LTIR. He 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.

17. Niko Mikkola 🆕
Left Defense, St. Louis Blues
Age: 26
Stats: 45 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.

18. Brock Boeser
Right Wing, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 25
Stats: 36 GP, 9 G, 17 A, 26 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $6.65 million AAV
Scoop: Canucks president Jim Rutherford said if this season continues to swirl down the drain, they will be forced to unload larger contracts. Outside of pending UFA Horvat (No. 1), Boeser is perhaps most moveable of those deals. He certainly hasn’t scored at his typical rate this season, but Boeser started slow and finished stronger last season with 29 points in 43 games. His contract probably has him overpaid by approximately $1 million, which devalues the return in a trade, but if the Canucks are looking to create salary cap space then Boeser is certainly an avenue.

19. Joel Edmundson
Left Defense, Montreal Canadiens
Age: 29
Stats: 36 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 over the last month, 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.

20. 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: Remember when the Flyers had to trade a second and seventh round pick to Arizona in order to get out from Gostisbehere’s contract? That hurts. He’s 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 is on track to hit 60 points again. 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.

21. Anthony Duclair * 📉
Left Wing, Florida Panthers
Age: 27
Stats: 74 GP, 31 G, 27 A, 58 Pts (2021-22)
Contract: 1 more season, $3 million AAV
Scoop: Duclair has an asterisk because he is representative of a trade the Panthers must make in order to be cap compliant once everyone on the roster is healthy. Or, maybe that should say if everyone gets healthy. Duclair is possible to return before the All-Star break off a July surgery to repair an Achilles tear. Patric Hornqvist is also out indefinitely with a concussion. Can the Cats milk these injuries a bit to avoid a trade of significance? Maybe. But the Panthers are flying close to the sun with the cap. They’ve had to play with a short bench multiple times. Since there is no one to send down, a trade is necessary (barring other injury) to make room for Duclair and Hornqvist when ready. But Duclair might not be the one that goes keep an eye on Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett.

22. Gustav Nyquist
Left Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 33
Stats: 45 GP, 9 G, 11 A, 20 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: Nyquist is in the second tier of scoring wingers available, a player who quietly and reliably collects his half-point-per-game numbers without much fanfare. Four years ago, Nyquist was acquired by the Sharks for second and third-round picks, and he delivered with 11 points in 20 playoff games as San Jose advanced to the Western Conference Final. He signed a four-year deal in Columbus and has delivered on basically the same production level, just a consistent producer. His salary cap hit is manageable when halved by the Blue Jackets and could provide a decent return.

23. Jaycob Megna 🆕
Left Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 30
Stats: 43 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 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.

24. Ivan Barbashev
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 27
Stats: 46 GP, 6 G, 14 A, 20 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.25 million AAV
Scoop: With Tarasenko and O’Reilly out, Armstrong mentioned it was a “tremendous opportunity” for other players to step up – and Barbashev is undoubtedly one of the recipients of that opportunity. He hasn’t quite taken advantage of it yet. He collected 26 goals and 60 points last season and also saw a chunk of time at center. He’s playing on the first unit power play now and has a chance to get back on the type of pace he was playing at last season. That’s a tall ask, given his start to the season. But he’s a talented player on an inexpensive, expiring contract that could have real value for the Blues.

25. Max Domi
Center/Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 27
Stats: 43 GP, 13 G, 17 A, 30 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 an OT 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.

26. Jack Roslovic
Center, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 25
Stats: 42 GP, 4 G, 21 A, 25 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $4 million AAV
Scoop: There have been some rumblings of late 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. Unlike 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 has 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.

27. Andreas Athanasiou
Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 28
Stats: 42 GP, 9 G, 14 A, 23 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 is tied for second in the league with five breakaways 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.

28. James Reimer 📉
Goaltender, San Jose Sharks
Age: 34
Stats: 25 GP, 3.23 GAA, .897 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 makes him no-risk. Other netminders potentially available: Karel Vejmelka, Alex Stalock, Cam Talbot.

29. Teddy Blueger
Center, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 26
Stats: 29 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.

30. Ryan Merkley
Right Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 22
Stats: 0 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $863K AAV
Scoop: The Sharks recently sent a note to all 31 teams letting them know that Merkley is available. The 2018 first-round pick requested a trade and the Sharks are trying to accommodate his wishes. Merkley played 39 games last year for the Sharks, but hasn’t made it back to the NHL this year, playing the entire season to this point with the San Jose Barracuda. Merkley has 44 points in 93 career AHL games and has waiver eligibility through the end of this season.

TRADED: No. 18 Ryan Reaves.

Next up: Sean Monahan, Montreal Canadiens.

Previous versions: Jan. 3, Nov. 22.

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Trade talks heating up with Canucks’ Bo Horvat, No. 1 on latest Trade Targets

2023 Trade Deadline Countdown: 42 Days

Trade Targets 🎯

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