The NHL commerce deadline could also be one month away, however that does not imply that some groups have not gotten an early begin in the case of enhancing their rosters for a possible Stanley Cup Playoff run.
The Vancouver Canucks made the primary large splash when it comes to the commerce market when the staff acquired heart Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames in an enormous deal. In alternate for Lindholm, the Flames acquired ahead Andrei Kuzmenko, defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz, defenseman Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round choose, and a conditional 2024 fourth-round choose.
Shortly after Lindholm was dealt, the Winnipeg Jets acquired heart Sean Monahan in a commerce with the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens landed a 2024 first-round choose and a 2027 conditional third-round choose in alternate for Monahan’s providers.
Within the span of some days in late January, two of the most important commerce targets have been off the board to groups that have been trying so as to add veteran facilities to assist cement themselves as Stanley Cup contenders. Even with Lindholm and Monahan being off the board, there’s nonetheless loads of expertise that’s up for grabs main as much as the NHL commerce deadline, which is on March 8.
Let’s take a better have a look at a number of the high commerce candidates main as much as the deadline.
1. Noah Hanifin (D, Flames)
The Calgary Flames made it clear that they have been sellers on the deadline after they unloaded Elias Lindholm earlier this month. Nonetheless, it is doubtless not going to be the final transfer that the Flames find yourself making.
It’s totally doable that Flames basic supervisor Craig Conroy will commerce a number of members of the staff’s blue line previous to the March 8 deadline. The largest identify that might be on the transfer is defenseman Noah Hanifin.
Hanifin, 27, had been negotiating with Calgary early within the 2023-24 season, and have been reportedly making progress in direction of an enormous contract extension. Nonetheless, Hanifin by no means ended up inking a brand new deal. It seems as if the Flames nonetheless want to re-sign Hanifin, but when they’re unable to within the subsequent week or two, the staff might transfer on from him contemplating that he is an unrestricted free agent this summer season.
In Hanifin, NHL groups can be getting a really offensive-minded defenseman who possesses a blistering level shot. Hanifin is among the many league leaders in objectives on the 12 months and is not afraid to leap into the play to offer offense. He is additionally a really bodily blue-liner on the defensive finish, so a staff is getting the entire package deal.
2. Jake Guentzel (F, Penguins)
Jake Guentzel can be the highest obtainable commerce candidate if there was a bigger risk that he was getting moved on the commerce deadline. The Pittsburgh Penguins are nonetheless inside placing distance of a Wild Card playoff spot with over two months remaining within the common season. The following month shall be very telling when it comes to how Kyle Dubas finally ends up dealing with his first deadline in Metal Metropolis.
If the Penguins fade out of playoff competition, it’s totally doable that Guentzel might be on the transfer. Guentzel is slated to be an unrestricted free agent this summer season, so the Penguins actually cannot afford to get nothing for him. Then once more, when it appeared just like the Penguins could also be blowing up their veteran core, they re-signed the likes of Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, so nothing might be dominated out in the case of a participant of Guentzel’s caliber.
The Penguins did reportedly extend an offer to Guentzel within the $50 million vary, however Guentzel declined. In response to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, that individual provide was a six-year deal that will’ve damaged all the way down to a yearly cap hit of $8.5 million.
Guentzel has actually thrived taking part in alongside Sidney Crosby in recent times and at the moment ranks second on the staff in objectives (22). If the Penguins do determine to commerce Guentzel, there are going to be a number of groups which are doubtless , and he might command fairly a big group of belongings.
3. Chris Tanev (D, Flames)
As was talked about above, the Flames aren’t going to cease working the telephones after the Elias Lindholm commerce. The Flames have an getting older roster and are clearly trying to get youthful by transferring their veteran items.
Defenseman Chris Tanev will not be flashy, however he is the kind of glue man that any contender might use of their high six. Tanev is a gritty defenseman who does the little issues which are essential on the defensive finish. The 34-year-old has confirmed that he is not afraid to get what it takes to assist his staff win. Tanev sells out to dam a ton of pictures, whereas additionally not hesitating to put an enormous hit on the opposition.
Contemplating his age, Tanev could also be extra prone to be dealt than Hanifin. Tanev is not the elite defenseman who’s going to place a contending staff excessive however supplies unbelievable depth for a staff that’s near having a whole roster.
4. Vladimir Tarasenko (F, Senators)
Over the previous couple of seasons, the Ottawa Senators have been a staff that was anticipated to take the following step and make a push for a playoff spot. Nonetheless, that hasn’t precisely come to fruition because the Senators discover themselves in final place within the Atlantic Division.
On account of the Senators being out of competition, the staff might elect to unload a few of their veterans, together with Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko signed a one-year deal within the offseason with Ottawa after receiving curiosity from the Carolina Hurricanes and some different groups. The veteran ahead will not be an elite winger at this stage of his profession, however continues to be a particularly productive winger that belongs within the top-six ahead group.
Might a possible reunion with the New York Rangers be a risk? It is positively one thing that might be on the desk given the Rangers’ want for some secondary scoring. If the Senators do not see Tarasenko re-signing with the staff, it could make a ton of sense to ship him out of city previous to the commerce deadline.
5. Jakob Chychrun (D, Senators)
It appears loopy to suppose that the Senators might transfer on from defenseman Jakob Chychrun only one 12 months after buying him. Nonetheless, that is a world that we might be residing in when the commerce deadline rolls round.
All of it comes all the way down to the Senators struggling and never trying like they’re wherever near being a contender within the close to future. In response to Day by day Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Chychrun has reportedly been inquired about by a number of groups, and the Senators have not mentioned he is untouchable at this stage. The Senators even have a surplus of left-handed defensemen within the type of Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson that they’ve already prolonged with $8 million cap hits.
Would the Senators be keen to cough up an enormous amount of cash for a Chychrun extension within the close to future? That is one thing that the Senators are going to want to determine, however it could actually make sense to maneuver on from the veteran blue-liner if they are not keen to sink extra money into their defensive core. It is protected to say that many groups will come calling if Chychrun is on the commerce block.
6. Adam Henrique (F, Geese)
With Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan off the board, there aren’t a ton of game-breaking facilities which are obtainable within the commerce market. That is actually excellent news for the Anaheim Geese, who might be offloading not less than one heart previous to the deadline.
It is doable that Trevor Zegras might be on the transfer for the suitable provide, however contemplating that he simply signed a three-year contract extension in October, it is doubtless a longshot that he will get traded. Nonetheless, it isn’t going to return as an enormous shock if heart Adam Henrique switches addresses over the following month.
Clearly, Henrique is not fairly the marquee choice that Lindholm and Monahan are, however he is a really strong choice that may function a second or third-line heart on a contender. Henrique will not be probably the most deadly objective scorer, however he actually thrives in entrance of the web. Whereas he is not fairly as quick as he was once, the Geese ahead is a particularly good hockey participant who can stickhandle when he must.
7. Pavel Buchnevich (F, Blues)
Very like a couple of gamers on this checklist, the supply of Pavel Buchnevich goes to return all the way down to the place the St. Louis Blues are at when the commerce deadline will get nearer. The Blues are at the moment within the second Wild Card playoff spot within the Western Convention, however quite a bit can change between now and March.
Buchnevich might be one of many extra gifted forwards that groups might purchase on the deadline. In spite of everything, Buchnevich has registered 25-goal seasons in every of the final two years since he was acquired in a commerce with the New York Rangers. Buchnevich at the moment has a $5.8 million cap hit within the third 12 months of a deal that he signed with the Blues again in 2021.
Contemplating he is beneath staff management via the 2024-25 season, that makes Buchnevich a really engaging choice that St. Louis might select to maneuver earlier than he will have to be re-signed to a bigger contract. Buchnevich might be one of many greatest offensive distinction makers within the commerce market if Blues basic supervisor Doug Armstrong decides to reap the benefits of his worth.
8. Scott Laughton (F, Flyers)
If a staff does not wish to purchase a rental like Adam Henrique, Scott Laughton might be the following most suitable choice. The previous Philadelphia Flyers first-round choose has spent his complete 11-year profession within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, nevertheless it’s very doable that the staff might elect to maneuver him for the suitable value.
Laughton is at the moment within the third 12 months of a five-year contract extension that he signed again in 2021. That implies that an buying staff would have two extra full seasons of management in the case of Laughton, plus his $3 million cap hit is not going to destroy any staff’s payroll.
Laughton isn’t going to be confused for being a flashy offensive ahead, however he is bodily and supplies a ton of grit. The 29-year-old did rating a career-best 18 objectives a season in the past, so the scoring numbers might be there at occasions. Laughton can slide into the center of a contender’s third or fourth line and actually make a distinction on a possible Stanley Cup run. Contemplating that the Flyers have overachieved as a rebuilding staff, it would not be stunning in the event that they took calls on Laughton.
9. Marc-Andre Fleury (G, Wild)
This can be a scenario the place you possibly can join the dots to see what might probably occur main as much as the commerce deadline. The Minnesota Wild aren’t at the moment in playoff competition and will they fall even additional heading into March, it could make a ton of sense to method Marc-Andre Fleury about being moved.
Fleury is 39 years previous and doubtless does not have a ton of run remaining in his Corridor of Fame profession. The veteran netminder does have a no-trade clause, so he can dictate the place he desires to be moved if he so choses. Whereas his days of being an elite goaltender are in all probability within the rearview mirror, Fleury nonetheless would deliver some terrific stability to a staff that could be a Stanley Cup contender.
Fleury continues to be a succesful beginning choice and would make a ton of sense for a staff just like the Colorado Avalanche. Starter Alexandar Georgiev might actually use a breather down the stretch, and having Fleury as an insurance coverage coverage come playoff time can be big. Fleury will doubtless wish to go someplace that he has an opportunity to play an honest quantity down the stretch, so there might solely be a couple of choices for him to go to.
10. Jake Allen (G, Canadiens)
There do not look like a ton of high-profile goaltenders that shall be obtainable main as much as the deadline. If Marc-Andre Fleury will get moved or does not change into obtainable, Jake Allen might be an choice for a staff that’s in search of assist in internet.
It is a logjam within the crease in the case of the Montreal Canadiens. Sam Montembeault signed a three-year contract extension in December 2023 and appears to be the goaltender of the longer term in Montreal. As well as, 24-year-old Cayden Primeau has additionally performed appreciable time in between the pipes this season. In consequence, that makes Allen expendable contemplating that Montreal does not want to hold three goaltenders going ahead.
Whereas his Canadiens tenure hasn’t been rousing, Allen had some very productive years with the St. Louis Blues earlier in his profession as he registered a 2.50 goals-against-average and a .913 save share in seven seasons with the staff. For a franchise that’s on the lookout for a veteran presence in internet, Allen might be their meal ticket. Allen can also be a really inexpensive cap hit and is beneath staff management for the 2024-25 season as nicely.
