The annual frenzy known as the NHL trade deadline arrives on March 8 this season. Already, two prominent players have been traded: the Vancouver Canucks acquired center Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames on Jan. 31 and the Winnipeg Jets picked up center Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 2.
With those two off the board, let’s look at the top 25 players who could be traded ahead of the 2024 NHL trade deadline.
25 – Mike Hoffman – F – San Jose Sharks
Need a power-play specialist? Hoffman is your guy. HIs numbers are way down but the 34-year-old could gat a second-wind playing on a better team.
24 – Tanner Pearson – F – Montreal Canadiens
Back from a broken hand, Pearson is in the final season of his contract making $3.25 million and a likely trade candidate for a Canadiens team that will not make the playoffs. There should be interest in the 2014 Stanley Cup champion, who’s twice scored 20+ goals.
23 – Jacob Markstrom – G – Calgary Flames
One of the best players on this list, Markstrom ranks so low because he likely will not be traded by the Flames. He’s having a strong bounce-back season for Calgary and still has two years at $6 million per on his contract. So, if he gets traded, it’s more likely to happen in the offseason.
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22 – Kaapo Kahkonen – G – San Jose Sharks
Considering how terrible the Sharks have been, Kahkonen’s metrics are actually pretty decent this season. The 27 year-old is a UFA when the season ends and could be a solid No. 2 goalie for most teams and possibly a 1a with others.
21 – Jordan Eberle – F – Seattle Kraken
Eberele, 33, has scored 20+ goals eight times and his scoring pace has picked up this season after a slow start. Though he’s a pending UFA, the Kraken may hold on to Jordan Eberle given their push to make the playoffs.
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20 – Morgan Frost – C – Philadelphia Flyers
Would the Flyers really move the 24-year-old, who was their first-round pick in 2017? Certainly Frost’s name has been prominent in trade rumors, even with the Flyers surprisingly in playoff contention this season.
19 – Alexander Barabanov – F – San Jose Sharks
Pretty much a sure thing to be traded, the 29-year-old is a solid middle-six forward with a small salary cap hit and who’s a UFA at season’s end.
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18 – Elvis Merzlikins – G – Columbus Blue Jackets
It’s been a rocky past two seasons for Merzlikins, who requested a trade in January. But it appears the Blue Jackets want to keep the 29-year-old, who’d be hard to move with three years at $5.4 million per left on his contract.
17 – Ilya Lyubushkin – D – Anaheim Ducks
Lyubushkin is a right-shot defenseman on an expiring, affordable contract, so there will be interest in him to play on some team’s third pair.
UPDATE: Lyubushkin was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 29
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16 – David Savard – D – Montreal Canadiens
Savard still plays 20+ minutes a night when healthy and would be a nice fit down the defense pairings for a contender. The 33-year-old has a Stanley Cup championship on his resume and is a pending UFA, two excellent selling points.
15 – John Gibson – G – Anaheim Ducks
It’d be hard to move Gibson during the season considering he has three years and $19.2 million remaining on his contract after this season. But there are several teams in need of a No. 1 goalie and the 30-year-old is certainly a good one.
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14 – Nick Seeler – D – Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers could hold on to Seeler since he’s played so well, makes only $775,000 and could help them in their drive to make the playoffs. But he might bring back a decent return in a trade, too, and is a UFA at the end of the season.
UPDATE: Seeler signed a contract extension with the Flyers on March 6.
13 – Marc-Andre Fleury – G – Wild
This one is completely Fleury’s decision. The future Hall-of-Famer has a complete no-trade clause and is likely playing his final NHL season. There’s certainly the chance he decides to chase his fourth Stanley Cup ring if a legit contender wants him.
12 – Pat Maroon – F – Wild
The Minnesota Wild forward was recently placed on Injured Reserve. But if healthy a contender will want the rugged forward, who’s won the Stanley three times in his career.
UPDATE: Maroon had back surgery and will be out until after the NHL trade deadline.
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11 – Tyson Barrie – D – Nashville Predators
His numbers are way down this season, but Barrie has four seasons with 50+ points on his resume, so there’ll be teams interested. Nashville might have to retain salary to trade the 32-year-old.
10 – Jake Allen – G – Montreal Canadiens
The No. 3 goalie now in Montreal, Allen will draw much interest to be somebody’s No. 2 or even 1a. He has another year on his contract worth $3.85 million.
9 – Jake Guentzel – F – Pittsburgh Penguins
Likely the best player to make this list, there’s no guarantee Guentzel will be traded. The Penguins would like to work out a new contract with the two-time 40-goal scorer, who helped the Penguins win their most recent Stanley Cup championship in 2017. But if not, let the frenzy begin.
UPDATE: Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 7.
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8 – Anthony Duclair – F – San Jose Sharks
Duclair is 28, on an expiring contract and scored 31 goals two seasons ago. His production is down this season, but he’s an excellent rental option.
UPDATE: Duclair was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 7.
7 – Frank Vatrano – F – Anaheim Ducks
An NHL All-Star this season, Vatrano has scored 20+ goals three times. Even though the 29-year-old has one season left at a modest ($3.65 million) salary cap hit, the Ducks will see how much they can get back if they move Vatrano.
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6 – Jakob Chychrun – D – Ottawa Senators
Chychrun is again on the block after being traded to the Seantors by the Coyotes before the 2023 deadline. Ottawa has a bunch of young defensemen, and likely could get a nice haul for the 25-year-old, who has one year left on his contract with a $4.6 million salary cap hit.
5 – Sean Walker – D – Philadelphia Flyers
A UFA at the end of the season, Walker is having a solid season and will generate a lot of trade interest. The 29-year-old is a right-shot defenseman, too, and they’re always a hot commodity.
Update: Walker was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on March 6.
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4 – Vladimir Tarasenko – F Ottawa Senators
Tarasenko has a no-trade clause, but would likely waive it to have a chance to win the Stanley Cup for a second time. He’ll be a highly sought after forward again after he was acquired by the Rangers at the 2023 trade deadline.
Update: Tarasenko was traded to the Florida Panthers on March 6.
3 – Noah Hanifin – D – Calgary Flames
Hanifin will be a UFA at season’s end and should cash in. The 27-year-old defenseman has played exceptionally well and is averaging more than 23 minutes in ice time for the first time in the NHL.
UPDATE: Hanifin was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 6.
2 – Adam Henrique – C – Anaheim Ducks
With Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan already traded, Henrique is the top center on the market. And he’s a good one, a solid two-way pivot, who’ll be a worthy rental at age of 34.
UPDATE: Henrique was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on March 6.
1 – Chris Tanev – D – Calgary Flames
There will be a lot of teams interested in Tanev, the right-shot defenseman who’s a UFA at the end of the season and still a solid player at 34.
UPDATE: Tanev was traded to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 28