NHL Rumors: Top Trade Deadline Targets

The NHL Trade Deadline is less than a week away. Teams are already gearing up with the push to playoffs. Some of the contenders are even gearing up for a long playoff run. In this edition of NHL Rumors, we look at the top trade targets remaining out there and where they possibly could go. In addition, we tell you the deals that already went down.

NHL Rumours: Top Trade Targets

1. Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) (Traded To New York Rangers)

Most trade bait boards have Kane listed as two, but when there is smoke there is fire. We know the New York Rangers and Patrick Kane are in talks despite Kane not making a decision yet on whether or not he wants to move his no-trade clause (per Pierre LeBrun). It is no secret he wants to go to New York. And as we saw with Claude Giroux last year, when he only wanted to go to the Florida Panthers, the return for Chicago might not be as big as they thought. However, per Elliotte Friedman, it is not New York or bust. There are other teams like the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars calling on Kane.

2. Timo Meier (San Jose Sharks) (Traded To New Jersey)

Next on the list is Timo Meier, who could be one. Meier has 31 goals on the season for the Sharks and is coveted by the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, and St. Louis Blues. Meier is a power forward that is young with speed and skill. The price right now is high, but the Devils want to make this happen. Devils would like an extension to be involved, while other teams are not worried about it too much. Then there is the $10 million qualifying offer if Meier only re-signs for a year. It will cost teams a pretty penny to get him.

3. Jakob Chychrun (Arizona Coyotes)

We know Jakob Chychrun wants out of Arizona. He has wanted out since the start of last season. We thought there might have been a deal in place with the Los Angeles Kings two weeks ago. That is when the Coyotes held Chychrun out of the lineup for trade-related reasons. The asking price for Chychrun has not changed. GM Bill Armstrong is looking for three to four assets in return which includes a first-round pick and a piece equal to another first-round pick. Chychrun has two years left on his current deal. If a deal does not happen soon you have to wonder if Chychrun returns to the lineup quickly. There are several teams looking at Chychrun.

4. Vladislav Gavrikov (Columbus Blue Jackets) (Reportedly On the Move To LA)

Gavrikov is another player many thought a trade was imminent on. Like Chychrun he is being held out of the lineup and wants to contribute again. Boston looked like a pending landing spot for Gavrikov, but the two teams could not work out a deal and Boston went in another direction with Dmitry Orlov and Garnett Hathway. The Kings, Oilers, Flames, and Jets are interested in him as Gavrikov is a UFA at the end of the year.

5. Ivan Barbashev (St. Louis Blues) Update: Traded to Vegas

St. Louis is in sell mode as we have seen the Blues trade Vladimir Tarasenko to the Rangers and Ryan O’Reilly along with Noel Acciari to the Maple Leafs. The steam around Barbashev is picking up as the Devils would like to add some sandpaper to their lineup. Barbashev would be a perfect fit. A lot of other teams like the Lightning, Oilers, Hurricanes, Golden Knights, and others are looking at him which raises the stock price.

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Other Top Targets

Other top targets out there include defenceman Luke Schenn, who could be re-signed by the Canucks or dealt to teams like the Bruins still or the Lightning. John Klingberg‘s name is out there. We all knew he would get dealt once he signed that one-year deal in Anaheim. He could be a cheaper option for the Oilers and provide the same offence and defence as Duncan Keith did a year ago.

Brock Boeser and Erik Karlsson‘s names are out there. Boeser is more likely than not to go at the deadline, but like with Karlsson, that deal could wait until the offseason.

Other names include Max Domi, James van Riemsdyk, Jake McCabe, Shayne Gostisbehere, Nick Schmaltz, and Nick Ritchie, along with other depth players that are being brought up from teams near the bottom of the standings.

Trades That Have Happened

We have already seen Bo Horvat dealt to the Islanders, Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola and Tyler Motte to the Rangers, Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari to the Maple Leafs, Dmitry Orlov and Garnett Hathaway to The Bruins as Craigh Smith went back to Washington as part of the deal. Minnesota was involved in the Maple Leafs and Bruins deals retaining salaries. In addition, the Senators traded Nikita Zaitsev to the Blackhawks to free up cap space.

It will be interesting to see if there are any more pre-deadline deals as March 3rd is right around the corner. Teams are finally starting to get creative and it is generating a buzz around this year’s NHL Trade Deadline.

Be Sure to Keep Eyes on Full Press Hockey as we break down all the trades and will have coverage on the March 3rd NHL Trade Deadline.