The busiest time of year for general managers in the National Hockey League is now and there have been no shortage of deals being made among clubs before Friday’s trade deadline.
Back in January, DailyMail.com highlighted seven players who could move on or before time is up. Since publishing, five of those names have found new homes.
Canucks captain Bo Horvat moved to Long Island. The St. Louis Blues moved both forward Vladimir Tarasenko and their captain, forward Ryan O’Reilly. San Jose wished Timo Meier well as he was shipped off to New Jersey. And just on Tuesday, Patrick Kane left Chicago to join the Rangers.
With all those names already off the board, DailyMail.com has analyzed the rest of the trade market to see which other players could be packing their bags soon.
As some teams look to load up for a run in the playoffs, and others try to tank for a shot at generational prospect Connor Bedard, these are some players to keep an eye on in the coming days.
Some teams are fighting for the playoffs and others hope to draft top prospect Connor Bedard
Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes and John Klingberg, D, Anaheim Ducks
Keep an eye on the two pieces yet-to-be-moved from last month, as both Jakob Chychrun and John Klingberg are yet to find homes.
Chychrun has been kept out of the lineup for multiple weeks as ‘Yotes GM Bill Armstrong tries his hardest to find someone to rescue the defenseman from the hell of the Arizona desert.
As for Klingberg, his offensive output may have improved, but his defensive abilities have stalled – and in some cases fallen off further.
He averaged the second most time-on-ice-per-game of any other player behind captain Cam Fowler, but has a plus/minus rating of -28.
Klingberg is known for being a good puck-mover, but this season has him on track for some of his lowest offensive output in his career.
Where could they go?
For Chychrun, deals are on the table to be made with teams like Edmonton – who remain the best positioned to acquire the Florida native. But new teams have joined the fray – with the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, and Pittsburgh Penguins in the hunt for his services.
As for Klingberg, he’s poised to have one of the worst defensive seasons in his playing career – but his environment isn’t currently the best for winning. Teams like the Buffalo Sabres could fight with the Capitals and Hurricanes for his signature. However, an argument could be made that the Ducks hopes for a tank could be better served with Klingberg on the team.
Neither Jakob Chychrun (left) or John Klingberg (right) have been traded since January
Forwards on The Vancouver Canucks
Just in general, the Canucks franchise seems to be on the precipice of an abyss considering how their season has gone under president Jim Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin.
From beginning the season – with some of the worst play in team history – to the clown show that was their handling of the Bruce Boudreau situation, the Canucks might do well by blowing it all up now.
There are two players in particular to keep an eye on: Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller.
The 25-year-old Boeser has two years left on a deal earning him $6.65m a year. He’s struggled to find consistency in the Pacific Northwest, but maybe a move to greener pastures could be what he needs.
Other players like Conor Garland and J.T. Miller have had trade rumors tossed around their heads, but while Garland’s movement isn’t likely, Miller seems to be drawing at least some interest from his hometown team: the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Where could they go?
For Boeser, rumors of the Burnsville, Minnesota native returning to his home state to play for the Wild have percolated for years. Now might be the time that turns into a reality.
As for Miller, if the Penguins deal doesn’t turn into anything, it might be due to a lower-body injury that has him listed as week-to-week by the team. Nonetheless, he might attract interest from teams like the Vegas Golden Knights or Winnipeg Jets – who are looking to build momentum towards a cup run – or teams that want him for the core of a rebuild, like the Nashville Predators.
As the organization burns all around them, Brock Boeser (L) & J.T. Miller (R) could move on
Vladislav Gavrikov, defenseman, Columbus Blue Jackets
It almost seemed like a perfect deal was in place to send 27-year-old Russian defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov from Columbus to the league-leading Boston Bruins.
However, Boston decided to turn their attention elsewhere to a more proven commodity – swinging a trade for Dmitry Orlov on the Washington Capitals.
That’s left Gavrikov in the equivalent of hockey purgatory. Much like fellow defenseman Chychrun, Gavrikov has been sidelined for a while in order to prevent injuries before a potential trade.
With Boston off the table, the fires on a Gavrikov trade have dimmed – which isn’t good news for the Blue Jackets. Columbus is close to the bottom of the league and if they want a good chance at getting Bedard, they could do well by moving the Russian for draft capital.
Where could he go?
Gavrikov is still believed to have plenty of potential suitors – with the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and Carolina Hurricanes all interested in him. However, GM Jarmo Kekalainen may have placed too steep a price on Gavrikov, meaning either he’ll have to come down from that point or be forced to keep him.
With Boston going in another direction, will Vladislav Gavrikov move on from Columbus?
James van Riemsdyk, forward, Philadelphia Flyers
JVR has seen his trade value skyrocket within the last week or so, as teams look to pick over the second-worst team in the Metropolitan Division.
Philadelphia has been in need of a rebuild for a number of years now, after being fooled by a decent playoff run in the bubble in 2020.
Now, GM Chuck Fletcher is in the position to potentially sell off a number of his best performing players and Van Riemsdyk is no exception.
While his numbers have slumped this season (9G/14a for 23 points in 40 games), he still provides veteran leadership on an expiring contract.
Where could he go?
JVR’s pedigree argues that he could fit in either on the second line of a team fighting for a spot or on the third line of a team which already booked their playoff travel plans. In the former category, we have teams like Minnesota, Dallas, and Colorado. In the latter, we have Vegas and Carolina. Wherever he goes will gain a valuable veteran two-way presence.
James van Riemsdyk could be a great veteran presence on any playoff contender
Joonas Korpisalo, goaltender, Columbus Blue Jackets
It was just announced that the top goalie on the market would be held out for the Blue Jackets, pending a potential trade.
Korpisalo currently boasts a 3.17 GAA and a .913 save percentage across 28 games – totaling 845 saves.
While that GAA is high, it should be noted that the Blue Jackets are one of the worst teams in the league and are very compromised defensively.
Columbus will be hoping for a tank in their midst and there are plenty of teams in playoff spots that are in dire need of good goaltending options.
Where could he go?
Vegas. Vegas is in desperate need of goaltending right now with injuries to Logan Thompson and Adin Hill recently. Other options include Los Angeles and Seattle.
Joonas Korpisalo (70) could boost the goaltending reserves for a number of playoff hopefuls
Tyler Bertuzzi, forward, Detroit Red Wings
This is a bit of a wildcard, because while Bertuzzi will be an attractive piece to many teams, Detroit might still need him.
For starters, Bertuzzi has been missing a lot of games this season – putting up only four goals and ten assists for 14 points in 28 games played. His -10 rating is also not doing him any favors.
However, his body of work proves that the 28-year-old Sudbury, Ontario native can score after putting up 62 points in 68 games last season.
While Bertuzzi could be a buy-then-sign option for a number of teams, Detroit is at a bit of a crossroads in the standings. They currently have 64 points – just three back of a Wild Card spot. Detroit does have games in hand on teams ahead of them in the wildcard race, so they could still be up for competing.
It’ll be a tough call for GM Steve Yzerman to make in the coming days, but trading Bertuzzi doesn’t necessarily mean the team is fully unfurling the white flag on the season.
Where could he go?
The rumors of Bertuzzi’s movement have only started to come alive within the last 24-to-36 hours, so teams that just acquired pieces could still be in for him. Carolina, Edmonton, and Winnipeg could all be interested in his talents both now and for the future.
Even though he’s played in just 28 games, Tyler Bertuzzi is a solid option for the present
Others to keep an eye on
- Erik Karlsson, defenseman, San Jose Sharks: San Jose is busy trying to race to the bottom for Connor Bedard, but moving Karlsson could prove to be tricky. He’s in the middle of an amazing season and has four years at a steep price of $11.5m a year. However, if a team wants him, Karlsson could waive his no-trade clause to go there and the Sharks would get back a lot in return. While Karlsson himself said it isn’t likely, this deadline season has proven to be wild enough for a move to Edmonton or Seattle.
- Jordan Greenway, forward, Minnesota Wild: The Wild are in a weird spot this season. They’re in striking distance of a playoff spot, but keep retaining salary from teams like Boston in the Orlov deal and New Jersey in the Meier deal. With younger players fighting for top-line minutes, Greenway could be moved. It’s likely he could go to Vancouver as part of a trade for the aforementioned Boeser, but teams like the Sabres, Islanders, and Jets could be interested.
- Forwards on the Arizona Coyotes: There might not be any team embracing their tank harder than the Coyotes, so there are many players that could be on the move from their forward ranks. Two names in particular come to mind. Nick Bjugstad is a reliable two-way forward who has 23 points in 59 games. Teams like Boston, Tampa Bay, Edmonton, New York, and Toronto have all been linked with moves for him. Nick Schmaltz could also be moved – with 39 points in 43 games this season. Strong links to Carolina have been tossed out, but other squads like Detroit could be in the mix.
While a trade isn’t likely, it’s worth keeping an eye on players like Sharks D Erik Karlsson
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