Trade Targets: Final Top 50 on the Move

Credit: Tyler Toffoli (© David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports)

Cue up Europe, because It’s The Final Countdown. We made it to Deadline Day 2024.

2024 NHL Trade Deadline Countdown: Today

Trade Targets has taken a beating in the run up to Friday’s deadline with 16 players moving off the board. There are still plenty left to be dealt before 3 p.m. in what is turning into a buyer’s market. Here are 50 names in play, with a ranking which always seeks to blend a player’s impact with his likelihood of a trade:

Trade Targets 🎯

1. Tyler Toffoli
Right Wing, New Jersey Devils
Age: 31
Stats: 61 GP, 26 G, 18 A, 44 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.25 million AAV
Scoop: The New Jersey Devils had desperately been trying to avoid sell mode but Toffoli is a quintessential deadline pickup. He’s also been hot over the last month or so. Since Jan. 20, Toffoli has racked up 10 goals in 18 games (15 points), which is tied for 13th in the NHL over that time span. Toffoli is a consistent scorer with a clutch gene in him, dating back to helping the Los Angeles Kings win their second Stanley Cup in 2014. The Devils traded a second-round pick and Yegor Sharangovich for Toffoli last summer, and he could fetch first-round value now to recoup their losses.

2. Reilly Smith
Left Wing, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 32
Stats: 55 GP, 11 G, 18 A, 29 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: Interestingly enough, the Penguins have more teams calling about Smith than they did about Jake Guentzel. For whatever reason, Smith hasn’t worked out as intended in Pittsburgh. The Pens took on Smith’s full $5 million salary from Vegas as a cap casualty and only gave up a third-round pick to get him. It was a worthy gamble but hasn’t paid off. Now, the Penguins could leverage their salary cap space and retain half on Smith to make him a quality addition (with term) that nearly every team in the league could afford. One of the original Golden Misfits, Smith was a horse for Vegas in the playoffs last year, racking up 14 points on the way to their first Stanley Cup win.

3. Max Pacioretty
Left Wing, Washington Capitals
Age: 35
Stats: 26 GP, 3 G, 12 A, 15 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2 million AAV
Scoop: The Caps signaled that they’re throwing in the towel by moving Anthony Mantha on Tuesday. Outside of Alex Ovechkin, Pacioretty is the first and only player in Capitals franchise history to sign a deal with a full ‘no-move’ clause, which gives him complete and total control when it comes to the deadline. Pacioretty has gotten going of late, scoring power play goals in back-to-back games last week. Two teams to watch: the Florida Panthers and the Connecticut kid’s hometown New York Rangers. He has earned $2 million in performance-based bonuses coming off of his Achilles tears, and that part of his deal will remain with the Caps since it was accrued with them. But at just $2 million on the salary cap, if the Caps retain half, a contending team could be acquiring a goal-scoring playoff difference maker who is just hitting his stride at a bargain price.

4. Jordan Eberle
Right Wing, Seattle Kraken
Age: 33
Stats: 58 GP, 14 G, 23 A, 37 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: Eberle and the Kraken had been grinding on a contract extension believed to be in the neighborhood of two years at $4.5 million, but that wasn’t enough to get it done. Eberle was seeking a third year, though his preference is to stay in Seattle. Without a new contract, the Kraken will be moving Eberle, who has been pretty productive with 144 points in 219 games for Seattle as one of their original Expansion Draft picks. Perhaps more importantly, he has shed the label of being a poor playoff performer. Since being jettisoned by the Oilers as a scapegoat in 2017, Eberle has 45 points in just 63 postseason games, which is a significantly higher pace than his career regular season totals. Take that, Peter Chiarelli.

5. Pavel Buchnevich
Left Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 28
Stats: 61 GP, 24 G, 24 A, 48 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5.8 million AAV
Scoop: The Blues are willing to “get creative” and retain half on Buchnevich, which is tantalizing. Is there a more unheralded point-per-game player in the league than Pavel Buchnevich? Hard to imagine. Buchnevich has 191 points in 197 games since arriving in St. Louis. It was a shrewd move then by GM Doug Armstrong to seize on the New York Rangers’ inability to pay him as an RFA. He cost just a second-round pick and Sammy Blais. Now, the prevailing thought among rival GMs is that Armstrong might cash in on Buchnevich before having to give him the next big raise. Because Buchnevich has played himself into a longer-term deal in the $7.5 to $8 million range per season. In the meantime, he’s more valuable to a team for two playoff runs at just $5.8 million than he is the Blues.

6. Nic Dowd
Center, Washington Capitals
Age: 33
Stats: 45 GP, 8 G, 8 A, 16 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $1.3 million AAV
Scoop: We recently explained why Dowd could be this year’s version of Barclay Goodrow in 2020. Dowd has been out since Feb. 20 but is expected to return to the lineup in the coming days. To casual fans, Dowd will feel like a nerdy addition to the Trade Targets board. But not to close Capitals observers. Dowd is a coach’s dream. He’s reliable, has great attention to detail in his game, and his work rate and work ethic are off the charts. He squeezes every drop out of his game. He’s hit double-digit goals each of the last three seasons. You can pencil him in for 25 points a year. And he’s chipped in a couple clutch playoff goals, too. For GMs, the interest will be strong, but the extra year on his deal at $1.3 million has them salivating.

7. Ryan Johansen
Center, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 31
Stats: 63 GP, 13 G, 10 A, 23 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4 million AAV
Scoop: Ah, Torts and Joey, reunited? Think again. Flyers GM Danny Briere said on Thursday – just one day after taking on Johansen’s contract from Colorado – that Johansen isn’t part of the team’s future plans. He was officially assigned to AHL Lehigh Valley after clearing waivers, but he hasn’t reported as the Flyers are trying to move him again before Friday’s deadline. Philadelphia is willing to retain half on Johansen to knock him down to $2 million per season, but it’s the extra year on his deal that is problematic to teams. What the Flyers will have to weigh is what’s better for their bottom line – an asset back for Johansen and one more season at $2 million on their books? Or to buy him out in the summer for $1.3 each of these next two seasons?

8. Matt Dumba
Right Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 29
Stats: 58 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $3.9 million AAV
Scoop: The Coyotes were unrealistically asking for a first-round pick for Dumba and that price has plummetted. Now back from injury, Dumba had four points in eight games in a recent stretch, and you can add him to the list of rental, depth defensemen available ahead of the deadline. The Coyotes aren’t going to make the playoffs despite their best efforts, and they aren’t in a position where they can pass up any assets in return for their free agents. Dumba has been fine in the desert, if not unexceptional. A few teams kicked tires on him last year at the deadline in Minnesota, but his contract largely prevented a move. He lingered on the free agent market until Aug. 6, but Dumba could be a nice third pair addition on a contender at the right price.

9. Frank Vatrano
Left Wing, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 29
Stats: 62 GP, 29 G, 20 A, 49 Pts
Contract: One year remaining, $3.65 million AAV
Scoop: Ducks GM Pat Verbeek was at Madison Square Garden last Wednesday night, sparking rumors of a Rangers reunion with Vatrano. The truth is the Ducks really aren’t looking to move Vatrano, their All-Star this year, who has had a tremendous season approaching 30 goals for the first time in his career. The flip side to that scenario is also true: At that production and salary cap hit, Vatrano is probably worth more to a contending team than the Ducks, who don’t have any cap limitations or even real expectations. The only exception to that is now that Anaheim has used all three of its salary retention slots after the Henrique and Carrick deal.

10. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Ottawa Senators
Age: 25
Stats: 61 GP, 9 G, 22 A, 31 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4.6 million AAV
Scoop: Chychrun is maybe the biggest wild card of the deadline. Does Ottawa want to make a splash on Deadline Day? The Sens are examining their core to see who will be there for the long haul. Multiple teams have inquired about Chychrun, acquired from Arizona a year ago, and they haven’t been told that Chychrun is unavailable. This still feels like a summer deal. But the truth is, the Senators have a logjam on the left side of their defense. Although Chychrun can play the right side, Thomas Chabot ($8 million) and Jake Sanderson ($8.05 million extension) are also both left-shooting defensemen. That’s $20.65 million in left-shooting defensemen, nearly a quarter of the total cap, and the question about an (expensive) extension for Chychrun will come up this summer. Ottawa has some important decisions to make.

11. Tyson Barrie
Right Defense, Nashville Predators
Age: 32
Stats: 35 GP, 1 G, 11 A, 12 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.5 million AAV
Scoop: The Calgary Flames are one of a handful of teams with the potential to trade for Barrie on Friday. He won’t cost much, but he’s looking to play. Barrie has been grinding through a tough year in Nashville. He’s been a healthy scratch for a big chunk of the year and he’s been given permission to seek a trade. Put simply: When he does play, one of the best power play defensemen of his generation isn’t getting much of a look to create and increase his trade value. Barrie’s agent has been working the phones to try and find a fit at the deadline, so far to no avail. The good news for Barrie is he’s incredibly well respected as a locker room influence, one of the most connected players in the game, and every day that passes he gets just a little bit less expensive on the salary cap.

12. Jason Zucker
Left Wing, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 32
Stats: 51 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.3 million AAV
Scoop: The Coyotes reached a bit with Zucker last summer, paying him a premium to take a one-year deal after a 27-goal season in Pittsburgh. Last year was a bit of a statistical outlier for Zucker, his best year since 2017-18, which also coincided with his best year for health in a while. Zucker has seen mostly middle six action with the Coyotes. The plus side to the premium of a one-year deal is that now Arizona can try to recoup some of that by moving him ahead of the deadline. Zucker does not have any no-trade protection. The down side is Zucker has struggled to produce in 46 career playoff games.

13. Erik Brannstrom
Left Defense, Ottawa Senators
Age: 24
Stats: 55 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $2 million AAV
Scoop: The Sens have been fielding calls on Brannstrom for the last couple months. It’s no guarantee he moves, but he’s certainly available as a bottom pair, undersized defenseman that team still see as having some upside. Brannstrom shoots left but has been playing on the right side with Jakob Chychrun, which underlines the problem Ottawa is facing with a logjam on the left side of their defense. Brannstrom was the centerpiece of the 2019 trade that sent Mark Stone to Ottawa.

14. Jake Allen
Goaltender, Montréal Canadiens
Ages: 33
Stats: 21 GP, 3.65 GAA, .892 Sv%
Contracts: 1 year remaining, $3.85 million AAV
Scoop: With Jacob Markstrom sliding back, Allen could be the goalie most likely to move. After trading Sean Monahan, the Canadiens have been making the rounds on Allen to size up the goalie market. One of the key aspects of the Monahan trade was not retaining any salary, keeping one slot open to either retain on Allen – or to use later at the deadline as a third-party broker. The Habs know it isn’t ideal to go through the entire season with three goalies. They like the growth in Cayden Primeau’s game. Allen is a calming veteran influence and well-respected teammate and tandem-mate. Now with Sam Montembeault extended, it is clear the crease is his for the longer view, and that makes Allen expendable to a team looking for experience and consistency.

15. Jacob Markstrom
Goaltender, Calgary Flames
Age: 34
Stats: 40 GP, 2.62 GAA, .911 Sv%
Contract: 2 years remaining, $6 million AAV
Scoop: While the Flames were busy celebrating one of their top goaltenders in franchise history in Miikka Kiprusoff, Markstrom sprinkled a little chaos into the mix when he voiced his frustration about the way his trade situation was handled. That led some to speculate it was directed at GM Craig Conroy, but we don’t believe that to be true. Sources say it was team president Don Maloney who nixed an agreed-upon trade on behalf of ownership, not Conroy, who had extracted the price he felt was fitting for Markstrom. Nonetheless, the Flames are in an absolute Prime A No. 1 position on Markstrom. New Jersey could rekindle those talks and the mafioso-loving Devils make GM Craig Conroy a Godfather offer he cannot refuse. Or, the Flames can hang onto Markstrom, potentially still challenge for the No. 8 seed in the West and then cash in this summer with what is expected to be a very weak free agent goaltending class. The Flames could have as many as four or five teams clamoring for Markstrom then, as opposed to a limited market right now.

16. Alex Nedeljkovic
Goaltender, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 28
Stats: 20 GP, 2.85 GAA, .910 Sv%
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.5 million AAV
Scoop: The man they call ‘Ned’ has held up his end of the bargain in the Steel City this season, posting quality numbers in a backup role for the Penguins. He figures to be one of the goalies that will generate some interest on the free agent market this summer. Will someone step up on Friday to jump the market? It stands to reason that he would make sense as a lower-cost backup option for Alexandar Georgiev in Colorado, but it seems like the Avalanche are pretty content with the steps Justus Annunen has taken over the course of this call-up. If called upon, Nedeljkovic does have nine games of Stanley Cup playoff experience and was excellent for Carolina in 2021.

17. Alexandre Carrier
Right Defense, Nashville Predators
Age: 27
Stats: 59 GP, 4 G, 15 A, 19 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.5 million AAV
Scoop: With the Preds holding down a playoff spot, Carrier has slid down the board a bit, as Nashville may even decide to add a piece or two or keep Carrier as an own rental. He checks all the boxes when it comes to a trade deadline acquisition. We called him a “no-maintenance” addition in our breakdown of his game. He’s a rental who has been molded into a reliable, steady defender that can be a positive contributor at both ends of the ice, and he isn’t going to cost too much to add to your blueline. He is a plus-40 player for his career and has two Stanley Cup playoff series under his belt. The bigger question might be: Will the juice be worth the squeeze for Nashville? Or are the Preds better off keeping him relative to value in return?

18. David Savard
Right Defense, Montréal Canadiens
Age: 33
Stats: 41 GP, 5 G, 10 A, 15 Pts
Contract: One year remaining, $3.5 million AAV
Scoop: There’s been no shortage of teams calling and kicking tires on Savard, but no real action yet for the Canadiens to chew on. The hulking, right-shooting blueliner is in the penultimate year of a four-year, $14 million deal signed by then-GM Marc Bergevin, and the Habs have no disillusions about what they are and aren’t right now. If they get a solid enough offer, they will move Savard, who does not have any ‘no-trade’ protection. But they’re certainly not going to give him away, because they need someone to show the young kids the way – especially one who speaks the right language.

19. Kyle Okposo
Right Wing, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 35
Stats: 61 GP, 12 G, 10 A, 22 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.5 million AAV
Scoop: The Sabres’ captain has acknowledged the last couple weeks have been rough, not knowing whether he will be staying or going in Buffalo. He does not have any ‘no-trade’ protection, meaning the Sabres can deal him freely, but there is a close relationship between GM Kevyn Adams and his captain, so you can bet that Adams will bring him into the process if talks progress. At this stage of his career, Okposo is a third-line center who plays responsibly and can reliably chip in double-digit goals. He hasn’t tasted the playoffs since 2016. How focused is he on a chance to win the Stanley Cup? He has a $500,000 bonus in his contract for a Cup win, something an acquiring team would only smile about if they end up paying it out in what could be Okposo’s last season.

20. Pat Maroon
Left Wing, Minnesota Wild
Age: 35
Stats: 49 GP, 4 G, 12 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $800,000 AAV
Scoop: Maroon is working his way toward the lineup recovering from a Feb. 7 back surgery that pegged his timeline at four-to-six weeks. The later end of that projection would put him back on the ice around March 20, or approximately 12 days after Friday’s deadline. That’s plenty of time to get up to speed ahead of the playoffs. And once there, there are few better guys to have around than Maroon, who won’t three Stanley Cups in a row between St. Louis and Tampa Bay. He was acquired for a seventh-round pick last summer, so he won’t cost much and could provide depth scoring and leadership if the Wild are inclined to give him a shot at a fourth Cup.

21. Connor Dewar
Center, Minnesota Wild
Age: 24
Stats: 57 GP, 10 G, 4 A, 14 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $800,000 AAV
Scoop: Teams have been ringing GM Bill Guerin on Dewar over the past few days as they’re scouring the market for fits. Dewar stands out as a younger guy, a pending RFA who can skate and impact the game in the bottom-six. The Pas, Manitoba native would be an unreal addition to a team like the Winnipeg Jets: a player they can keep under team control, is responsible in different facets of the game, and has the versatility to play center but also move to the wing. The Wild don’t need to trade Dewar. You’re going to need to bring a solid package to pull him out of the Twin Cities.

22. Mikael Granlund
Center, San Jose Sharks
Age: 32
Stats: 49 GP, 9 G, 29 A, 38 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: Teams have kept a close eye on Granlund, who returned from a one-month injury layoff a few weeks ago. GM Mike Grier has spoken highly of Granlund since he arrived from Pittsburgh as a cast-off in the Erik Karlsson trade. He really struggled with the Pens after being traded for a second-round pick last year, collecting just five points in 21 contests. Granlund looked a lot more like himself this year, netting 16 in his first 20 games as a Shark, and had eight even-strength points in one week in December. The Sharks only have one salary retention slot left, and they’re comfortable keeping him, but Granlund might bring the best trade return on their roster. If something gets in the way, it will be Granlund’s contract.

23. Scott Perunovich
Left Defense, St. Louis Blues
Age: 25
Stats: 37 GP, 0 G, 14 A, 14 Pts
Contract: Pending Group VI UFA, $775,000 AAV
Scoop: GM Doug Armstrong had a line about Perunovich a couple years ago that I can’t get out of my head: “You can’t make the club from the tub.” It’s been an absolutely brutal stretch of injuries over the last few years for Perunovich, the 2020 Hobey Baker Award winner as the top player in college hockey. He is extremely talented, which is obvious for any undersized player, but he’s struggled to stay on the ice. Is Perunovich interested in a change of scenery? He is a pending Group VI UFA, meaning that he’s on track to hit free agency since he would have to play 25 more NHL games this season for the Blues to retain his rights, and St. Louis only has 19 games remaining on their schedule. Perunovich would be a great fit for a non-playoff team with opportunity.

24. Alexander Barabanov
Left Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 29
Stats: 38 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.5 million AAV
Scoop: Add Barabanov to the list of Sharks players interested in a change of scenery. He’s struggled mightily this season, but what stands out is a 15-goal, 47-point campaign last year in San Jose. The impressive thing is 34 of those 47 points last year were scored at even-strength. Why did the wheels fall off this season? That is less than clear, as injury certainly played a part in it, as he was out for a while from Oct. 24 to Dec. 3. He’s never really gotten going. He should be a very inexpensive deadline add for a team that could use some pop.

25. Warren Foegele
Left Wing, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 27
Stats: 61 GP, 13 G, 18 A, 31 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.75 million AAV
Scoop: That the Oilers got through the Henrique trade on Wednesday without moving a roster piece was a positive sign for Foegele. If they continue to add, though, they may have to start deleting. And the Oilers have been gauging the market on what it will cost to dump a contract or two in a trade independent of whatever deadline deals they’re going to make. That includes Foegele, who started the season on the Trade Targets board and then played his way off it as he climbed up the lineup. He’s tied his career high in goals (13) and already set a new career-high in points (31), so his contract isn’t out of whack at $2.75 million. He’s fine insurance to keep, but as a free agent the Oilers won’t be re-signing, he is the easiest piece to part with in order to make room for upgrades.

26. Erik Johnson
Right Defense, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 35
Stats: 50 GP, 3 G, 0 A, 3 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $3.25 million AAV
Scoop: Johnson has been out recovering from a flu bug that infiltrated the Sabres. Buffalo brought in Johnson as a free agent for veteran leadership and support on their back end. His game has certainly slowed, but there’s no reason he can’t be a solid insurance piece if he wants to chase a second Stanley Cup, though Buffalo may leave part of that up to him.

27. Mike Hoffman
Left Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 34
Stats: 60 GP, 10 G, 12 A, 22 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.5 million AAV
Scoop: The Sharks took on Hoffman’s contract as a salary cap dump in the Erik Karlsson trade (from Montréal) with the express intention of acquiring a flippable asset ahead of the March deadline. After a solid start to the season, that part is looking a bit in doubt now. He recently snapped an ugly 28-game scoring drought and has scored in three games since Nov. 25. He’s on track for 13 goals this year, and six of those came in a six-game stretch. The bright side: with the amount remaining on his deal, teams might not even need San Jose to retain salary to bring him in. Hoffman has limited playoff experience but he’s scored at a slightly better rate in the postseason than the regular season.

28. Arthur Kaliyev
Left Wing, Los Angeles Kings
Age: 22
Stats: 45 GP, 6 G, 8 A, 14 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $894,167 AAV
Scoop: The Kings are caught between a rock and a hard place with Kaliyev, who was an early second round pick in 2019. He’s clearly an NHL player – as evidenced by his 27 and 28-point seasons – but he’s mostly been on the outside of Jim Hiller’s lineup card since taking over. He’s also played too many games to be waiver eligible. So, he sits. Kaliyev was a healthy scratch for five of seven games before finally starting to draw into the lineup regularly again in the past couple weeks – and then went back to a healthy scratch for three more games. He wants to play and feels like he deserves an opportunity to play. The tough part for the Kings is because he has been sitting a lot, he is a distressed asset, and they’re sledding uphill to try and find value in return. It might take a healthy dose of patience for all involved, or another player on another team who is in a similar situation.

29. Colin Blackwell
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 30
Stats: 33 GP, 5 G, 3 A, 8 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.2 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks have received some cursory interest in Blackwell, who could be a Deadline Day depth purchase for a team looking for insurance down the middle. He was traded two years ago at the deadline to Toronto from Seattle and played in all seven of the Leafs’ first-round games – and that’s the extent of his playoff experience. Blackwell is relatively limited in offensive production but is a predictable NHL player, who for a mid-to-late round pick, might come at the right price.

30. Scott Laughton
Center, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 29
Stats: 64 GP, 10 G, 22 A, 32 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $3 million AAV
Scoop: The market seems to have cooled significantly on Laughton with his high asking price. We did a deep dive on Laughton’s game. Three years ago, as the final minutes ticked down to the trade deadline, it was touch and go as to whether Laughton’s career with the Flyers would continue. He received significant interest on the market as a pending UFA, but the Flyers ultimately re-signed him to a five-year, $15 million extension. He still has two years left, but the Flyers have realized that the center market has gotten thin in a hurry with Lindholm, Monahan and Henrique off the board. But the Flyers have set a high price – reportedly a first-round pick. Will anyone pay it?

31. Jack Roslovic
Right Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 40 GP, 6 G, 17 A, 23 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4 million AAV
Scoop: Roslovic returned on Dec. 29 from an ankle injury that kept him out six weeks since mid-November. He had been quiet in the games that followed but has shown signs of life with 13 points in his past 12 games. He was off to a decent start to this season on a pure point production basis, though not sure anyone in Columbus feels particularly good about this year. Roslovic is a clearly talented player who has struggled to find consistency on a nightly basis in the NHL. Many thought a return home to Columbus would be the answer. At 27, some wonder if what he is now is set in stone, or whether someone can pull more out of him.

32. Dominik Kubalik
Left Wing, Ottawa Senators
Age: 28
Stats: 57 GP, 10 G, 4 A, 14 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.5 million AAV
Scoop: Woof, it’s been a relatively tough year for the entire Senators roster – but especially Kubalik. He was part of the package from Detroit last July in the deal that sent Alex DeBrincat to the Red Wings. The idea for the Sens was easy offense. They plug in Kubalik, who was coming off a 20-goal and 45-point season, for some instant point production – and that hasn’t presented itself. He is thought of by opposing teams as an ’empty calorie’ point producer, someone who routinely piles up a half point-per-game but isn’t impacting the game when he isn’t scoring. That’s been especially true this season as the points have dried up.

33. Ivan Provorov
Left Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 63 GP, 5 G, 22 A, 27 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $6.75 million AAV
Scoop: With president of hockey operations John Davidson taking over as interim GM in the wake of Jarmo Kekalainen’s long-overdue firing two weeks ago, it remains unclear just how active the Blue Jackets will be at the deadline. They’ve got other fish to fry first. But Provorov certainly hasn’t been the answer in Columbus. The Blue Jackets gave up first and second-round picks to get him in the summer. It’s probably likely that they push the Provorov issue to whomever takes over next, but it can’t entirely be ruled out that a team likes Provorov and wants to make a play for him now.

34. Jordan Greenway
Left Wing, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 27
Stats: 52 GP, 9 G, 12 A, 21 Pts
Contract: 1 more year, $3 million AAV
Scoop: It’s been a tough go in Buffalo for Greenway, who was acquired last year on Deadline Day from Minnesota in exchange for second and fifth-round picks. Greenway has posted 13 goals in 69 total games with the Sabres. He’s missed chunks of time due to injury – and also missed a couple games this year for personal reasons. Nonetheless, teams are tantalized by his 6-foot-6 frame and a guy who put up some decent numbers in two shortened seasons with the Wild. He has a year left on that deal originally signed in Minnesota.

35. Alexandre Texier
Left Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 24
Stats: 59 GP, 9 G, 14 A, 23 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $1.525 million AAV
Scoop: The Blue Jackets were publicly critical of Texier in discussing their brutal start to the season, lumping him in with a group of players they needed to see more from. He’s on the list of “change of scenery” players. A couple years ago, a few teams were interested when he had 20 points in 36 games, an intriguing name who then missed time with an injury and for personal reasons. Last season, Texier was loaned to Zurich in the Swiss National A league, and it tolled a year on his contract – which makes this year the final year of his deal.

36. Kaapo Kahkonen
Goaltender, San Jose Sharks
Age: 27
Stats: 31 GP, 3.81 GAA, .895 Sv%
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.75 million AAV
Scoop: Kahkonen’s stat line has taken a beating in the last week, dropping from .905 all the way to .895 on the season. Still, the fact it was .905 previously speaks to how well he played for the 31st place Sharks. The 27-year-old is also a pending UFA and likely to be one of the more in-demand netminders on the free agent market this summer, which means someone (even a non-playoff team) can give him a test drive now to see if he is a fit. The Sharks should be willing to consider any interesting offer that comes down the pike.

37. Elvis Merzlikins
Goaltender, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 29
Stats: 35 GP, 3.21 GAA, .904 Sv%
Contract: 3 years remaining, $5.4 million AAV
Scoop: Did he? Didn’t he? It’s been a bizarre turn of events for Merzlikins in Columbus, who said that he requested a trade, and then the team said he did not. Semantics aside, the easiest way to explain it: Merzlikins needs a change of scenery. The Blue Jackets are keen to grant him one. However, his availability coincides with a market correction, which will likely see pay for mid-tier goalies squeezed considerably. Where does that leave Merzlikins with three years left? Not with much of a market to move, let alone for Columbus to extract value.

38. Tony DeAngelo
Right Defense, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 28
Stats: 27 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.675 million AAV
Scoop: DeAngelo has languished has a healthy scratch as the Canes have opted for Jalen Chatfield. With Chatfield injured, DeAngelo jumped back into the lineup last month, played well in five games and scored, but then was back out of the lineup again. Carolina likes Chatfield, who isn’t as offensive but seen by the team as a better defender and is a less expensive option on the right side. Chatfield earns less than half what DeAngelo does on the salary cap. DeAngelo has lingered for a while now on the trade market without much activity, which is interesting because other teams have selected less impactful defensemen off waivers, despite the fact that Carolina isn’t looking for anything in return for DeAngelo.

39. Connor Brown
Right Wing, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 30
Stats: 52 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $775,000 AAV
Scoop: Thursday night’s healthy scratch in Columbus just felt different for Brown. Yes, he had been scratched before in this disastrous season, but now behind both Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, there doesn’t seem to be much of a path to get back into Kris Knoblauch’s Top 12 forward group. Right now, Brown’s on the outside and looking in, and he is frustrated. He’s gone two calendar years without a goal in the NHL. If Edmonton has to move out money on Friday, is he the most likely candidate? Either way, his $3.225 million bonus will apply to the Oilers’ cap next season as a bonus overage, since it was attained with and paid by Edmonton this season. That hurts more than his goalless drought.

40. Luke Kunin
Right Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 26
Stats: 57 GP, 8 G, 4 A, 12 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $2.75 million AAV
Scoop: Two years ago, Kunin was on the upswing in his career, a 2016 first-round pick who appeared to have found himself in the NHL. He hit double digit goals for the third year in a row and even had a 31-point campaign in a shortened season. But San Jose has been almost no fun for anyone one the Sharks’ depleted roster, and Kunin has felt the brunt of that. Could he rekindle some bottom-six magic in another lineup?

41. Jon Merrill
Left Defense, Minnesota Wild
Age: 32
Stats: 46 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $1.2 million AAV
Scoop: He’s one of hockey’s true characters, and the Wild would like some salary cap flexibility heading into next season since Merrill still has one year left. A trade from Detroit to Montreal in 2021 helped put Merrill on the path to rejuvenating his career. He went for a fifth-round pick and Hayden Verbeek at the deadline, then helped the Habs reach the Stanley Cup Final. That earned him a shot in Minnesota, which he parlayed into a three-year extension that is probably one year too long for the Wild. Merrill is back to being an occasional healthy scratch. He’s a decent depth addition for an inexpensive price – and he’s rarely rattled under pressure.

42. Andrew Peeke and/or Adam Boqvist
Defensemen, Columbus Blue Jackets
Ages: 25 / 23
Stats: 23 GP, 1 G, 7 A, 8 Pts / 32 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 Pts
Contracts: 2 years remaining, $2.75 million / 1 year remaining, $2.6 million (Boqvist RFA on expiration)
Scoop: The Blue Jackets have been looking to move a defenseman since training camp broke. Here’s the problem: neither Peeke nor Boqvist has much (if any) value. And Columbus is trying to clear a logjam on the back end. The Blue Jackets have hesitated to put either player on waivers, but even that might not clear up the problem. With term on both deals, it’s not likely either gets claimed. Peeke has been a healthy scratch for the bulk of the year and was a minus-41 last season. He could be trending toward an offseason buyout.

43. Kevin Hayes
Center, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 63 GP, 11 G, 12 A, 23 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $3.57 million AAV
Scoop: After getting acclimated in St. Louis, Hayes has been a pretty impactful player for the Blues, including an excellent December. Here’s where things get interesting: If the Blues are willing to retain half on Hayes’ contract, they could net a significant asset, with Hayes only counting as $1.785 million on the books for the next two years. He is on track for 30 points. He kills penalties. He is strong in his own end defensively. The Blues traded just a sixth-round pick to Philadelphia to get Hayes last summer. They could get back a lot more now for a relatively inexpensive, ideal third line center on a contender.

44. Brett Kulak
Left Defense, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 30
Stats: 61 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $2.75 million AAV
Scoop: The Oilers like Kulak. The Stony Plain, Alta., native likes playing in Edmonton. Full stop. It’s just that if the Oilers are going to manufacture salary cap space to make a big trade deadline acquisition, Kulak might have to be the casualty. Warren Foegele is also a candidate. Kulak does not have any trade protection. And swapping 22-year-old Philip Broberg with Kulak represents an immediate $2 million in savings on the cap. Broberg has played big minutes since going down to the AHL and has collected 20 points in 31 games. He’s ready to be in the NHL. And we know the Oilers are willing to make tough deadline decisions (Tyson Barrie) to improve.

45. Kaapo Kakko
Right Wing, New York Rangers
Age: 23
Stats: 41 GP, 7 G, 4 A, 11 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $2.1 million AAV
Scoop: Was it serendipitous timing or a planned showcase when Kakko was vaulted up the lineup last week against Columbus with Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek taking in the game at the Garden? He played on the first line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad and remained there on Saturday night in Toronto. The 2019 No. 2 overall pick has struggled this season with just seven goals and 11 points in 41 contests. The Rangers don’t want to sell low on Kakko, especially after it looked like he was turning the corner last season, but sometimes you have to give to get.

46. Kevin Labanc
Right Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 28
Stats: 38 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.725 million AAV
Scoop: It’s been an absolute slog in San Jose for Labanc, who began the season as a healthy scratch for consecutive games. Even when he’s been in the lineup, opportunity to produce has been scarce, seeing less than 10 minutes of ice time on 10 occasions. It appears from the outside like Labanc’s confidence has been shattered. A fresh start is desperately needed. Will he get one? Tough to say a team is going to take a flier right now even with half retained – and the Sharks only have one salary cap retention spot left.

47. Nick Jensen
Right Defense, Washington Capitals
Age: 33
Stats: 59 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $4.05 million AAV
Scoop: Jensen was in-demand at last year’s trade deadline as a pending free agent, but then the Caps re-signed him to a three-year, $12.15 million deal on Feb. 28 – just a few days before the deadline. Jensen’s offensive production has cratered since then and his value has flip-flopped, though still not incredibly out of whack at $4.05 million. He will be playing through his 35-year-old season which would have to be weighed for any acquiring team. But if teams don’t like the rental prices, Jensen is an interesting check down option from a Capitals team that craves to get young.

48. Justin Holl
Right Defense, Detroit Red Wings
Age: 32
Stats: 35 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $3.4 million AAV
Scoop: Steve Yzerman doled out more than $19 million on his blue line last summer and it’s pretty fair to say not all of it was well spent. Fresh off signing a three-year, $10.2 million deal, Holl didn’t make it out of the month of October before Derek Lalonde made him a healthy scratch. He also dealt with an undisclosed injury but has frequently been in and out of the lineup this year, playing just 35 of 61 games. When he is in the lineup this season, he’s played 5 fewer minutes per night than he was the last number of years. The Wings need to find a path to move on, and so does Holl.

49. Linus Ullmark
Goaltender, Boston Bruins
Age: 30
Stats: 31 GP, 2.77 GAA, .910 Sv%
Contract: 1 year remaining, $5 million AAV
Scoop: Sounds crazy? The last reigning Vezina Trophy winner traded the following season was … Marc-Andre Fleury moving from Vegas to Chicago in 2021. That wasn’t long ago. It seems odd that the Bruins would tinker with the best goalie tandem in the league, and a big reason why they were able to maintain another excellent season despite their offseason departures. Plus, Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman clearly love each other. Swayman is well younger and the Bruins are reportedly working on an extension for him. Here’s the truth: Boston has limited assets. And cap space. And if they’re going to try to improve elsewhere, Ullmark is one valuable asset to move to make something happen.

50. Trevor Zegras
Center, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 22
Stats: 20 GP, 4 G, 3 A, 7 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $5.75 million AAV
Scoop: To say that this season has been bumpy for Zegras would be kind. He missed most of training camp after the Ducks played hardball with his bridge deal, opting to pay him $5.75 million per year for three years, sending a message to the rest of the league that maybe they weren’t believers in him after back-to-back 60-point seasons. He scored just once in his first 12 games. Then Zegras missed the next six weeks (from Nov. 7 to Dec. 23) with a lower-body injury. And shortly after the holidays, one of his closest friends in Jamie Drysdale, was shipped off to the Flyers. Is Zegras next? He’s hurt again now, but Zegras is a name to watch this summer.

Under Consideration: Colin Miller and Brendan Smith (New Jersey).

Traded: No. 1 Elias Lindholm; No. 1 Jake Guentzel; No. 2 Noah Hanifin; No. 2 Sean Monahan; No. 2 Chris Tanev; No. 4 Sean Walker; No. 5 Adam Henrique; No. 8 Brandon Duhaime; No. 9 Andrei Kuzmenko; No. 10 Anthony Mantha; No. 12 Alex Wennberg; No. 13 Vladimir Tarasenko; No. 13 Joel Edmundson; No. 18 Anthony Duclair; No. 22 Ilya Lyubushkin; No. 29 Sam Carrick.

Re-signed: No. 13 Nick Seeler (Philadelphia); No. 33 Zach Bogosian (Minnesota).

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Get ready for the Daily Faceoff Live Trade Deadline Show, coming to you on March 8th LIVE from 11 AM to 3 PM EST!! Join Tyler Yaremchuk, Frank Seravalli and friends for 4 hours of non-stop action as they dive deep into the heart of the trade deadline. They will be breaking down every trade, discussing the impact on teams, predicting the playoff picture, and giving you the inside scoop on all the wheeling and dealing happening around the league. Tune in live on March 8th from 11 AM to 3 PM EST for the The Daily Faceoff Live Trade Deadline special you won’t want to miss!

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