by The busiest time of year for general managers in the National Hockey League is now, and there has been no shortage of deals being struck between clubs ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.
In January, DailyMail.com singled out seven players who could move on or ahead of time. Since publication, five of these names have found new homes.
Canucks captain Bo Horvat moved to Long Island. st. The Louis Blues moved forward with both Vladimir Tarasenko and their captain forward Ryan O’Reilly. San Jose wished Timo Meier the best as he was sent to New Jersey. And just today, Patrick Kane left Chicago to join the Rangers.
With all these names off the charts, DailyMail.com decided to analyze the rest of the trading market to see which other players might pack in soon.
While some teams scramble to brace themselves for the playoffs and others scramble to tank up for a try for generational contender Connor Bedard, here are some players to keep an eye on in the coming days.
Some teams are battling for the playoffs, while others are hoping to draft top contender Connor Bedard
Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes & John Klingberg, D, Anaheim Ducks: Keep an eye out for two items not yet carried over from our last article as both Jakob Chychrun and John Klingberg have yet to find homes.
Chychrun has been kept away from the roster for weeks because “Yotes’ GM Bill Armstrong is doing his best to find someone to save the defender from the hell of the Arizona desert.
As for Klingberg, his offensive performance may have improved, but his defensive prowess has stalled – and in some cases, dropped even further.
He averaged the second best time on ice per game of all players behind captain Cam Fowler, but has a plus/minus rating of -28.
Klingberg is known to be a good puck mover, but this season he is on track to reach the lowest offensive record of his career.
Where could they go?: In the case of Chychrun, there are deals on the table to be made with teams like Edmonton – who remain best placed to sign 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 facing one of the worst defensive seasons of his career – but his environment isn’t the best to win at the moment. Teams like the Buffalo Sabers could battle the Capitals and Hurricanes for his signature. However, it could be argued that Ducks hopes the tank will serve better with Klingberg on the team.
Neither Jakob Chychrun nor John Klingberg have been mentioned since the DailyMail.com article
Vancouver Canucks forwards: Overall, the Canucks franchise seems to be on the brink of collapse given how their season went under President Jim Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin.
From the start of the season – with some of the worst performances in the team’s history – to the clown show that relied on how they handled Bruce Boudreau’s situation, the Canucks might do well to blow things up now.
Two players in particular are worth noting: Brock Boeser and JT Miller.
The 25-year-old Boeser has two years left on his contract, which earned him $6.65 million a year. He’s been trying to find consistency in the Pacific Northwest, but maybe a move to greener pastures might be what he needs.
Other players such as Conor Garland and JT Miller have been rumored to be traded, but while Garland’s move is unlikely, Miller seems to have at least some interest in his hometown team: the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Where could they go?: In the case of Boeser, rumors of the Burnsville native of Minnesota returning to his home state to play for the Wild have been circulating for years. Now may be the time to turn into reality.
As for Miller, if the Penguins deal doesn’t change anything, it could be down to a lower-body injury that the team trades him on a week-to-week basis. Nevertheless, he could pique the interest of teams like the Vegas Golden Knights or Winnipeg Jets – who are looking to build momentum towards the Knockout Round – or teams who want him as the core of a rebuild like the Nashville Predators.
As the organization burns around them, Brock Boeser (left) and JT Miller (right) can move on
Vladislav Gavrikov, Defender, Columbus Blue Jackets: It seemed like sending 27-year-old Russian defender Vladislav Gavrikov from Columbus to the league-leading Boston Bruins was almost perfect.
However, Boston decided to turn its attention elsewhere, to more proven stuff – putting Dmitry Orlov on the Washington Capitals.
This left Gavrikov in the equivalent of hockey purgatory. Like fellow Chychrun defender, Gavrikov was sidelined for a while to prevent injury prior to a potential replacement.
With Boston’s departure, the fire in Gavrikov’s trade has dimmed – which is not good news for the Blue Jackets. Columbus is near the bottom of the league and if they want a good chance of signing Bedard, they can do well to move the Russian into the draft.
Where could he have gone?: Gavrikov is still believed to have many potential suitors – the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets and Carolina Hurricanes are all interested in him. However, GM Jarmo Kekalainen may have set the price too high for Gavrikov, meaning he will either have to step down from that point or be forced to keep him.
As Boston heads in a different direction, will Vladislav Gavrikov leave Columbus?
James van Riemsdyk, striker, Philadelphia Flyers: JVR has seen a surge in trading value over the past week as teams battle to pick the second-worst team in the Metropolitan Division.
Philadelphia has been in need of rebuilding for many years after being fooled by a decent playoff performance in the 2020 bubble.
Now GM Chuck Fletcher has the potential to sell many of his best players, and van Riemsdyk is no exception.
Although his performance has declined this season (9G/14a for 23 points in 40 games), he still provides the veteran with leadership on his expiring contract.
Where could he have gone?: JVR’s pedigree proves he could fit into either the second line of a team battling for a spot or the third line of a team that has already booked their playoff travel plans. In the first category, we have teams like Minnesota, Dallas and Colorado. In the latter we have Vegas and Karolina. Wherever he goes, he will gain valuable two-way veteran presence.
James van Riemsdyk could be a great veteran in any playoff contender
Joonas Korpisolo, Goalkeeper, Columbus Blue Jackets: It has just been announced that the top goalkeeper on the market would be fielded for the Blue Jacketspending a potential replacement.
Korpisalo currently boasts a 3.17 GAA and 0.913 percent save across 28 games – a total of 845 saves.
While the 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 the playoffs that are in dire need of good goalkeeping options.
Where could he go? Las Vegas. Vegas is in desperate need of a goalkeeper right now with injuries to Logan Thompson and Adin Hill. Other options include Los Angeles and Seattle.
Joonas Korpisolo (70) could add to the goalkeeper reserves for many playoff contenders
Tyler Bertuzzi, forward, Detroit Red Wings: It’s a bit of a wild card because while Bertuzzi will be an attractive element for many teams, Detroit may still need him.
Firstly, Bertuzzi has missed a lot of games this season – he scored just four goals and had ten assists, taking him to 14 points from 28 games played. His -10 rating also does him no favors.
But his record proves that the 28-year-old Sudbury, Ontario resident can score after scoring 62 points in 68 games last season.
While Bertuzzi may be a buy then sign option for many teams, Detroit is at a crossroads in the standings. They currently have 64 points – just three behind the wildcard slots. Detroit has games in hand against the teams ahead of them in the wildcard race, so they can still compete.
It will be a tough challenge for GM Steve Yzerman in the coming days, but Bertuzzi’s replacement does not necessarily mean the team is fully rolling out the white flag this season.
Where could he have gone?: Rumors about Bertuzzi’s move only started to come to life in the last 24-36 hours, so teams that just won pieces can still look for him. Carolina, Edmonton and Winnipeg may be interested in his talents both now and in the future.
Despite having only played in 28 games, Tyler Bertuzzi is currently a solid option
Other things worth paying attention to
- Erik Karlsson, Defender, San Jose Sharks: San Jose is busy racing to the bottom for Connor Bedard, but transferring Karlsson could prove difficult. It’s in the midst of an amazing season and four years old for a hefty price tag of $11.5 million a year. However, if a team wants him, Karlsson could waive his no-trade clause to go there and the Sharks would get a lot back in return. While Karlsson himself said it was unlikely, this final season turned out to be crazy enough to move to Edmonton or Seattle.
- Jordan Greenway, forward, Minnesota Wild: The Wild are in a strange place this season. They are a striking distance from a playoff spot but still receive wages from teams like Boston in the Orlov deal and New Jersey in the Meier deal. As younger players compete for the best minutes, Greenway may be moved. It’s likely he could go to Vancouver in a trade for the aforementioned Boeser, but teams like the Sabers, Islanders and Jets could be interested.
- Arizona Coyotes forwards: Perhaps there is no team that holds their tank tighter than the Coyotes, so there are plenty of players who can be on the move from their front ranks. Two names in particular come to mind. Nick Bjugstad is a reliable two-way forward with 23 points in 59 games. Bands such as Boston, Tampa Bay, Edmonton, New York and Toronto were associated with his movements. Nick Schmaltz could have been carried over as well – with 39 points in 43 games that season. Strong links to Carolina have been dropped, but other teams like Detroit could be in the mix.
While a trade is unlikely, it’s worth keeping an eye out for players like Sharks D Erik Karlsson
