NHL Trade Bait List for 2024 Trade Deadline

The commerce deadline is lower than a month away (March 8, 2024). And whereas there haven’t been too many important trades but, that ought to begin choosing up over the following couple of weeks. Trade boards from insiders like Chris Johnston (TSN, The Athletic) and Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff have acquired updates over the past couple of days. Using these commerce boards, let’s compile a listing of 30 gamers who might be commerce targets for playoff contenders.  

Flames’ Pending UFAs Lead the Way

The Calgary Flames have gotten themselves again within the playoff race, however it nonetheless appears like the very best path for their long-term future is changing into sellers at this deadline. Even with this replace, their pending UFAs could also be among the many most extremely sought-after on the 2024 commerce deadline.

The Flames had three pending unrestricted free brokers in defensemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin and middle Elias Lindholm. General supervisor Craig Conroy has already gotten to work, buying and selling Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks for a package deal that included Andrei Kuzmenko, knocking two of our prime 10 names off the commerce board.

Lindholm’s price ticket, which included two prospects and two draft picks along with Kuzmenko, may set the market for different facilities who may discover themselves on the transfer forward of the March 8 deadline. Could Adam Henrique go for one thing comparable? It’ll most likely value much less to amass him than Lindholm, however it doesn’t seem facilities shall be low cost.

Hanifin and Tanev must also have their fair proportion of suitors since protection is at all times a precedence for Cup contenders. Hanifin is extra of a puck-mover than Tanev, however he can play a top-four position on nearly any playoff staff. Tanev is without doubt one of the finest defensive defensemen within the NHL and is a right-handed shot, so anticipate him to be in demand, too. If the Flames do issues proper, they might be able to retool rapidly. 

Big Names Starting to Emerge on Trade Boards

When we initially printed our commerce board, there weren’t many massive names to observe. But issues have modified in latest weeks, as consumers and sellers turn into clearer, affecting what groups may do with a few of their pending UFAs. Among these massive names is Jake Guentzel, who enters the highest 10 of this most up-to-date commerce board replace and has moved up in The Athletic’s record. If the Pittsburgh Penguins commerce him, he may value round a first-round choose, an NHLer and a prime prospect.

Related: 9 NHLers Who Could Be Popular Trade-Deadline Targets

Also coming into the chat are a few Senators in Vladimir Tarasenko and Jakob Chychrun, who sit at No. 5 and No. 7 on this version of our commerce board. Seeing Tarasenko’s identify isn’t a shock. The Senators are out of the playoff race, and he’s a pending UFA. He’s been productive, with 14 objectives and 34 factors in 46 video games, so he ought to garner loads of curiosity.

It is stunning to see Chychrun, although. He’s an Ottawa native and was acquired by the Senators lower than a yr in the past. But according to reports, he might already need out. He’s one of many extra underrated two-way defenders within the league, and having an additional yr on his deal will assist the Senators maximize their return in the event that they commerce him since a playoff staff can get two runs with him.

There are additionally loads of groups trying for goaltenders. The goalie market was as soon as skinny, however a few larger names are beginning to emerge as being probably accessible. Flames’ Jacob Markstrom was near a transfer to the New Jersey Devils, according to Frank Seravalli. The Flames even approached Markstrom about waiving his no-move clause to the Devils, however the commerce fell via. He’s positively ready and strikes up in our up to date record beneath.

Elvis Merzļikins is one other identify to observe. It’s well-known at this level that he needs out of Columbus. The downside is his contract, which runs via the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $5.4 million. He’s had a bounce-back season, however this might be a commerce that occurs in the summertime quite than on the deadline. Still, it seems his identify is on the market.

Teams just like the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and Devils are ones to observe for goaltending assist, as Pierre LeBrun talked about in The Athletic in early December (From ‘LeBrun: Earlier-than-usual rumblings on NHL’s protection, goalie commerce markets’ – The Athletic, 12/8/2023). But the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings is also within the combine for a backup.

With the deadline quick approaching, we must always begin seeing commerce exercise choose up quickly. Until then, listed here are 30 names to control through Daily Faceoff, TSN and The Athletic (From ‘Chris Johnston’s NHL commerce board 4.0: As bubbles pop, greater than a dozen new names enter the fray – The Athletic, 02/12/2024). 

Top 30 Trade Bait for 2024 NHL Trade Deadline – Feb. 13