Sportsnet's 25 NHL trade candidates to watch two months from the deadline

On Jan. 9, we're now less than two months to the NHL's trade deadline, which this year lands on March 8. We're also nearing the halfway mark of the NHL season, far enough along for teams to be getting an idea for how they might act in the market — buyer, seller, something in between?

Monday's Cutter Gauthier-Jamie Drysdale trade between Anaheim and Philadelphia was a surprising swap of youngsters that came out of the blue and could start the momentum for other moves. While plenty of dealing will be left for the final days of trading, some GMs are known for acting early and getting ahead of the market.

So with the market beginning to take shape, we're presenting our first list of trade candidates — a collection of 25 players to watch as the trade winds pick up around the NHL. With files from Sportsnet insiders Luke Fox, Eric Engels, Iain MacIntyre, Mark Spector and Eric Francis, and scouting reports and cards from scout Jason Bukala, here is a look, in alphabetical order.

Jake Allen: In a goaltending market somewhat saturated with either unproven or overrated talent, Allen offers a reliability factor most others don’t; a safety net for any contender currently dealing with injuries or depending on a questionable tandem or a young goaltender. And with the Montreal Canadiens giving Samuel Montembeault a three-year, $9.45-million extension earlier this season and feeling more and more comfortable with how the young Cayden Primeau is proving his NHL viability, they’re certainly open to moving Allen. They’ve set their price, it’s not believed to be too exorbitant, and it certainly factors in that Allen has a seven-team no-trade clause and a salary that counts for $3.85 million against the cap through the end of next season. With the amount of need out there, it’s unlikely any of that will dull interest from more than one suitor in the 33-year-old’s services. The only thing that might would be a dramatic dropoff in play from the goaltender between now and the deadline.

Adam Boqvist: A 23-year-old, right-shot defenceman with top-10-pick pedigree? Yes, please. With the Columbus Blue Jackets going nowhere fast and the cap-friendly Boqvist due a raise in 2025, when he’ll be armed with arbitration rights, several teams — including the Edmonton Oilers — are keeping an eye on the Jackets’ young blueliner. GM Jarmo Kekalainen is feeling the heat. Will he be compelled to make a splash?

Michael Bunting: With the productive agitator already drifting down to the bottom six in the Hurricanes’ lineup, teams have checked in on Carolina’s plans for the left winger it signed to a hefty three-year, $13.5-million deal over the summer. (Elliotte Friedman mentioned a potential reunion with Kyle Dubas in Pittsburgh; Soo ties run deep, and Bunting would be much less expensive than re-signing Jake Guentzel.) The Hurricanes are exploring the goalie market and may need to clear cap space to acquire someone of significance.

Anthony Duclair: Duclair is in the final year of a deal that counts for just $3 million on the cap, he’s only 28 years old, and he’s only one year removed from putting up four goals and 11 points in Florida’s 20-game run to the Stanley Cup Final. Add all that to the speed he brings and it’s probably enough for at least one team to overlook him producing at a disappointing clip through the first half of his first season with the San Jose Sharks. Smart money is on this being Duclair’s only season with the Sharks, with it getting cut short by a trade to a team that would pay the asking price because it feels like he can provide depth scoring and hopes that, if need be, he can even provide some primary scoring. It’s not like Duclair hasn’t proven he can do it when paired with premium talent.

Mario Ferraro: What do you get for being the San Joe Sharks leader in minutes played on defence? A minus-20-something plus-minus, that’s what. Ferraro, a second-round pick back in 2017, could be better slotted on a stronger D-corps. Maybe a No. 4 next to a partner with an offensive bent. Or a very good No. 5. He’s still young at 25, which means you might have to knock Sharks GM Mike Grier’s socks off to get a deal done. But when your team is where Grier’s is, you know he picks up the phone. 

Morgan Frost: Sooner or later, the Flyers will need to commit or cut bait with their 24-year-old centre. Frost was one of the final RFAs to put pen to paper over the 2023 off-season, agreeing to a two-year, $4.2-million bridge deal only to see himself get scratched early and often by coach John Tortorella. Philly’s 2017 first-round pick mixes bouts of inconsistency and flashes of effectiveness. Middle-six centres are hard to come by, but Frost’s stock is low considering he’ll be hard-pressed to match last year’s 46-point breakout.

John Gibson: Here’s a tough trade: a 30-year-old making $6.4 million for three years after this one, who hasn’t had a save percentage better than .904 in five years. But remember, 30 is not old for a goalie, and behind the hapless Ducks anything over .900 is pretty good. Any team that sees itself a No. 1 goalie away from winning it all should be calling Ducks GM Pat Verbeek. One problem: Gibson has a 10-team no-trade list, and has been in California his entire career. He’ll have to want out. 

Jake Guentzel: Dubas got paid the big bucks to accomplish two things at once: refuel the next wave of Penguins’ relevancy and keep presenting the triumvirate of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang with chances to make the playoffs. No doubt, the executive could bend his mind into a pretzel with the 29-year-old Guentzel — a natural scorer and one of the 2024’s most coveted UFAs. Re-sign the top-six winger and commit deeper still to a bunch of 30-somethings? Or flip him and begin to restock a cupboard that has been plundered bare? Letting Guentzel walk when playoffs aren’t guaranteed does not feel like an option.

Noah Hanifin: The Flames were close to extending the 26-year-old earlier this year before an early slump prompted the club to put a moratorium on all contract talks. There’s still a chance the Flames can come to terms with the durable first rounder, to remain as their dependable No. 3 defenceman. If not, there will be plenty of suitors looking to add a versatile player with plenty of prime years ahead of him who can play special teams and contribute at both ends of the ice. The starting price for him is a first-round draft pick and solid prospect.

Adam Henrique: Henrique played 24 playoff games as an NHL rookie in New Jersey. Ever since — over a 14-year, 850-plus game career — he has played four more playoff games. So anyone getting Henrique, miscast at first-line centre in Anaheim these days, will get a hungry player. The Ducks are early in a rebuild, and Henrique embodies the player they should try to monetize. Could be a useful Middle 6 LW somewhere as well.

Nils Hoglander: Since scoring 13 goals and 27 points in 56 games as a rookie during the NHL’s pandemic season of 2021, Hoglander has struggled for consistency and an identity with the Canucks. He spent the final 45 games of last season, his third in North America, learning in the AHL. After an indifferent training camp last fall and slow start, which included a couple of healthy scratches, Hoglander has played probably his best NHL hockey in a depth/energy role. He has 12 goals and 17 points in 38 games despite average ice time of 11:13. Coach Rick Tocchet has talked about Hoglander’s hockey IQ. A leftover from the Jim Benning era, Hoglander was part of trade conjecture most of last season, and we wonder if current GM Patrik Allvin will try to sell high if he gets his asking price before the deadline. Hoglander offers a lot of speed and energy, and teams may be willing to live with the 23-year-old’s mental mistakes to get a young, bottom-six forward signed through next season at just $1.1 million.

Andrei Kuzmenko: Kuzmenko’s problems this season go far beyond regression. Nobody expected the skilled winger would repeat the 27.3 shooting percentage he posted last season — or his 39 goals as an NHL freshman. He has eight goals in 34 games this year. But nobody expected Kuzmenko would become a recurring healthy scratch for Tocchet, who parked him for the fifth time in six weeks when Vancouver opened a seven-game road trip last Thursday in St. Louis. Kuzmenko’s lack of physical engagement, his unwillingness or inability to forecheck and do things besides trying to score, has exasperated Tocchet. A trade is a distinct possibility, even with the 27-year-old’s tantalizing offensive upside and another season under contract at $5.5 million. Given the chance a month ago to rule out a trade, Canucks president Jim Rutherford was non-committal. Things haven’t gotten better for Kuzmenko since then.

Kevin Labanc: We’re not sure what former Sharks GM Doug Wilson was thinking when he signed Labanc in 2020 to a four-year, $18.9-million extension but we know what current coach David Quinn thinks: the right winger is averaging a career-low 12:02 of ice time on a pretty dreadful team. In 28 games, Labanc has managed one goal. Last season, he scored 15 for his $4.725-million cap hit. Labanc is a UFA this summer. The 28-year-old does compete, has eight years of NHL experience and might help somebody’s power-play depth. GM Mike Grier will try to get something, but he will have to be creative on the cap hit.

Elias Lindholm: Lindholm’s asking price to re-sign in Calgary is sky-high, which makes sense given their top centre is one of the game’s best two-way forwards, who also happens to be the first one over the boards for every power play and penalty kill. However, keeping the 29-year-old all-star at anything over $8 million a year is a no-go for the Flames, who aren’t out of line asking for a first rounder, top prospect and serviceable NHLer in exchange for a UFA who’d be the perfect second-line centre for a Cup contender. Plenty of reason to believe Colorado and Boston covet him.

Ilya Lyubushkin: Who needs blue line depth? Everyone. Lyubushkin has been on four teams over the past two years, and is likely headed to Team No. 5 before the deadline because someone will believe he can help them. And because his contract and $2.75-million cap hit is soon to expire. Temper your expectations. Lyubushkin is a decent penalty-killer, and will block shots and throw hits. But he is averaging 17:12 of ice time as a third-pairing defenceman on a bad team. The Ducks acquired Lyubushkin from the Buffalo Sabres in August, halfway through his two-year contract – we think so they could trade him again before the deadline. If GM Pat Verbeek can do better than the fourth-round pick he sent to Buffalo, it will be a victory for Anaheim.

Jacob Markstrom: Armed with a no-trade clause and two more years at $6 million on his contract, it’s a long shot to believe the 33-year-old could be on the move anytime soon. The Flames certainly have to decide how they’ll make room for their top prospect, Dustin Wolf, at some point this year. But the club would have to go into full rebuild mode to consider approaching the former Vezina finalist to see if he’d waive his trade protection. Returning to being a reliable puck stopper this year, there are certainly several contenders who would love to add an impact goalie like him. He would come at a huge price as the haul for him would be bolstered by the likelihood the Flames would have to retain a big chunk of his salary to make things fit. Despite the chatter, he’s an unlikely trade piece for this year’s deadline, even though L.A., Edmonton, Toronto and New Jersey would all like to upgrade their goaltending.

Elvis Merzlikins: The Blue Jackets have spent portions of the season carrying three goaltenders on their roster, and there are rumblings that both Merzlikins and the club would be open to a fresh start. The Hurricanes and Oilers come to mind as potential landing spots. That said, moving a player with so much term and money remaining on his deal — the Latvian is locked up through 2026-27 at a $5.4-million cap hit — is never easy. Nor is there any rush on Columbus’s end to complete such a deal by March 8. Merzlikins is enjoying a solid bounce-back campaign behind a young team. He holds a 10-team no-trade list.

Sean Monahan: The 29-year-old came to the Canadiens along with a first-round pick, and they likely won’t hesitate to trade him away if they’re able to redeem another one ahead of March 8. Granted, the temptation to sign Monahan might only grow stronger as his role, and his value to the Canadiens, increases in Christian Dvorak’s long-term absence. But it’s unlikely that temptation will be as strong as the one market forces will surely produce for a centre with a penchant for elevating his game when times require him to. The secondary scoring Monahan provides is as coveted as the versatility he offers—he plays all three forward positions, and plays on the power play and penalty kill—and, with over 700 games of NHL experience, there will be several teams bidding on those elements. That the Canadiens can even offer to retain money on his prorated $2-million cap hit makes him one of the most appealing rentals available.

Tanner Pearson: It happens every year—former Stanley Cup winners moving to contenders just to provide much-needed depth and experience. The Canadiens took Pearson, along with a third-round pick, for trading Casey DeSmith to the Vancouver Canucks, and they did it because they knew he fit that bill. They had the room to give him a platform to prove last year’s hand injury hadn’t diminished his ability to deliver. This year’s hand injury almost got in the way, but he’s slated to return to Montreal’s lineup with ample time to show he can still do what suitors would want him to. Just as he had through the 27 games he played before suffering it. The 31-year-old has proven reliable in all situations, and he shouldn’t cost too much to acquire. The price will factor in that his expiring $3.25-million salary is slightly high for what he offers.

Andrew Peeke: Peeke’s name has been driving trade speculation all season – ever since he became a press-box mainstay in Columbus after signing a $8.25-million extension that has two more years to run. The mobile former second-round pick was projected to become a shutdown defenceman in the NHL. But mostly, Peeke has been shut down by Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent, who has dressed the 25-year-old for just 13 games. Peeke has contributed four assists in 16:57 average time on ice. He is also getting caved in territorially. The 6-foot-3 American might help somebody’s depth and second-unit penalty kill, but good luck moving his $2.75-million cap hit.

David Savard: Another Stanley Cup winner who will sacrifice anything and everything to get the job done. Savard is a stabilizer, a 6-foot-1, 234-pound defensive defenceman in possession of unheralded offensive ability. The big right hander is the exact type of player teams always want for the playoffs, and he’ll be particularly attractive to any team less inclined to make big sacrifices for just one run. The 33-year-old has one more season after this one at $3.5 million against the cap, which is hardly prohibitive for a player who excels between 18-20 minutes per game and has the ability to help a team through two runs. Sure, the Canadiens love the experience, leadership and effort Savard brings to their group. But their group is overflowing with young talent. They don’t have to rush him out the door, but the time for them to capitalize on Savard’s value is likely now or, more specifically, after a couple of teams miss out on Calgary’s Chris Tanev.

Nick Seeler: On a good team Seeler is a third-pairing guy who certainly has a dimension: he’s big (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) tough and hard to play against. The game comes to him in the playoffs, not the other way around (See: Sean Walker). He’s an ideal add for a team that might have a small blue line, or wants to emulate that bubble Habs team that went all the way to the Final with four big horses back there. On the other hand, the Flyers are small. If I’m GM Danny Briere I hold on to Seeler. He’s a Flyer. 

Chris Tanev: Tough to believe there is a more selfless warrior on the trade market than the 34-year-old defenceman who has been known to throw his face – and lone tooth – in the way of opposing shots. The Flames would love to keep the UFA in the mix for another couple years to be a mentor and defensive pillar, but with so many teams interested in adding a playoff-type player like him, the time is probably right for the Flames to cash in on someone who can probably demand a three or four-year extension on the open market. Brad Treliving has actively pursued the Toronto native for months, but he’s not the only GM hoping to bolster his blue line with the veteran leader.

Dan Vladar: The 26-year-old Czech backup still has another year left on his contract at $2.2 million, but is more likely to be the Flames goaltender swapped out to make room for Dustin Wolf. He’s been on form his last handful of starts to up his record to 6-5-2, but his 3.42 GAA and .883 save percentage will make it hard for the Flames to get back the third rounder they spent to get the 6-foot-5 goalie from the Bruins in 2022.

Sean Walker: At age 29, Walker would be a handy deadline depth addition — if all the bigger, better defencemen were out of reach. Philadelphia will likely hold on to the useful Walker if they’re still in the hunt at the deadline, and they’ll likely be somewhere close. But if there’s any return out there for a small, 29-year-old defenceman with just a single 20-point season on his resume, the Flyers would be wise to move Walker. He’s easily replaceable come summertime.