The trade deadline is quickly approaching, but the action has already started. The madness began in November, when Matt Duchene was traded from Colorado to Ottawa, but it seems like Nashville is winning the trade after grabbing Kyle Turris. Other big names have relocated in 2018, including Anthony Duclair (Chicago) and Al Montoya (Edmonton).
February, however, has seen an inevitable increase of transaction pace. So far, the Senators have traded Dion Phaneuf to the defense-happy Los Angeles Kings for Marian Gaborik, while Nikita Soshnikov was shipped to St. Louis. Over the past couple of days, Petr Mrazek went to Philadelphia to fix an injury-filled hole in between the pipes, while the Bruins added defensive depth by adding Nick Holden.
With the Feb. 26 deadline, however, comes the rapid trace of rumors and controversial moves. There are still plenty of big names that have yet to be moved, and the stories are only going to get bigger. Here are five players that should on full radar and which destinations would be the strongest fit.
Erik Karlsson– Ottawa to Tampa Bay
Boston just traded with the Rangers, so two loose division rivals could easily do the same.
Eugene Melnyk stinks as a franchise owner, and the Senators are paying dearly for his recklessness. If Erik Karlsson is not getting valued by a team that nearly made the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017, then the least Melnyk can do is sell the captain to a proven contender with plenty of return options. No team has a better repertoire for a monster deal than the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Lightning are roaring into the playoffs and are very familiar with getting close to another Stanley Cup, and getting Karlsson might be too good of an opportunity to pass. They have plenty of defensive depth (Mikhail Sergachev, Dan Girardi, Anton Stralman, and Jake Dotchin), and adding the Ottawa captain would put together one of the most dangerous top units in the league, with two Swedes (Karlsson and Victor Hedman) in the back. This defensive lineup would be tough to pass in the playoffs, especially with Vezina candidate Andrei Vasilevskiy behind should any pucks somehow evade Karlsson and Hedman.
The only thing standing in the way is the gargantuan return that Ottawa will need. Best-case scenario, the Lightning will likely have to give up a first-round pick and/or a top prospect. Since Tampa Bay is shooting for pick 30 or 31 in 2018, they may have to give up at least that much for Karlsson. Expect Cal Foote, the team’s top pick in 2017, and Boris Katchouk, Tampa Bay’s second round pick in 2016, to be the main targets to don the Ottawa stripes in the near future in order to match the value of the hockey Jesus. Perhaps Adam Erne and Slater Koekkoek, both of who are familiar with the NHL ranks, will be included, too.
Evander Kane– Buffalo to San Jose
Evander Kane has been mentioned in trade talks for about as long as the player drafted before him in the 2009 NHL Draft: Matt Duchene. With Duchene moving to Canada, expect Kane to be traded from a Sabres team that cannot seem to get off the rebuilding ground. With 20+ playoff contenders, however, which teams are in need of a reliable scorer?
Why not ask a team looking to get younger?
Most of San Jose’s recent trades have featured younger, back-line shooters, such as Mikkel Boedker. While some players have picked up the slack for Patrick Marleau, notably Tomas Hertl and Chris Tierney, the reloading offense could pull away for second in the Pacific Division with a forward that is undoubtedly going to get onto the scoreboard consistently with a decent offense (NOT BUFFALO) and provide the team with at least five years of uplifting goals. He is also not afraid to drop the gloves, something the team needs since Joe Thornton only has so much beard left for goons to pull.
The Sharks are looking to remain contenders without unloading their roster, but the embattled winger comes with his recognizable risks. Which prospects are the Sharks, which have not excelled in picking up top prospects in recent years, be willing to give up? Kane is worth at least a second and third round pick, if not higher, and at least a second-tier prospect. Noah Gregor, a 2016 fourth-round pick who has been an offensive threat with Moose Jaw (WHL), may be the best fit for the struggling Buffalo offense.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson– Arizona to Toronto
Arizona lost hope back in October. After a surprise playoff run in 2012, the Coyotes have continued to look uncompetitive in the NHL, and it may be time to remove the players entering their prime. There are plenty of options for Arizona, ranging from Max Domi to Derek Stepan. OEL, however, is expected to get the heaviest return.
At 26, Ekman-Larsson has long been considered Arizona’s centerpiece, but the recent drop-off has hit him hard. He has a combined +/- of -61 in his last two seasons, including a -36 this year. Considering how often he plays for the Coyotes, there is no coincidence that he has taken the brunt of the defensive struggles, and a change of scenery is likely the best option to turn things around.
For those putting the Toronto/Arizona connection together, sorry. Auston Matthews is not getting traded to his home state anytime soon, even if the Yotes get the #1 pick and offer it to the Leafs.
The Swedish defenseman figures to provide a strong boost for a defense that has shown a lot of improvement underneath the emergences of Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly, and that could be enough to make a playoff run. It may take more than just a draft pick to make the transaction work, and some current names will definitely be considered. Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen are likely the most feasible youngsters for Toronto to trade, while Tyler Bozak has also had his name featured. If Zona wants to find a defensive replacement, rookie Travis Dermott could be a solid choice, too.
This trade will come down to how much the young Leafs are willing to give away for success that will likely last for a while.
Patrick Maroon – Edmonton to Boston
Boston has made conservative trades since the dreaded Tyler Seguin deal, with Lee Stempniak and Drew Stafford being decent rental players. With the slew of younger players breaking out at the top level, that pattern should not change.
Edmonton is one of those teams that should be mentioned in playoff talks for 2019 because this season was completely unexpected. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl locked for a long time, the best bet for selling would be to remove an enforcer who could still provide plenty of return value given his offensive production. He is the only non-center with double-digit goals for Edmonton, and the Bruins are in need of a hefty hitter who is not tiny like Brad Marchand or old like Zdeno Chara.
With Patrice Bergeron bringing back his vintage days and Pastrnak renewing his hype as the next Boston superstar, Maroon could make any of the top lines dangerous. Opponents will be forced to stop the wizardry that Bergeron and Pastrnak possess or either allow a sure goal or face the wrath of the 230-pound Missouri native. In other words, pick your poison. That is lethal for a team looking to bring the clock back to 2011.
Edmonton is no stranger to nabbing draft picks, and those may be the best choice for a return since most of the prized prospects have proven their worth on the Bruins roster this season. Any combination of picks from the second round on is the most realistic option.
Tomas Plekanec– Montreal to Winnipeg
Montreal would love to press the restart button any day. The season has been about as bad as it can get for a huge Canadian market, and there are not many players that would have a high demand on the trading block. Carey Price is one of the only candidates, but his return may not be as high considering how he has performed this season. The same goes for Max Pacioretty.
The best thing the Habs can do is cut down on players that do not provide future value. For longtime winger Tomas Plekanec, his 14-year career in the rouge and bleu might be coming to an end. He was a solid scorer in the late 2000’s, which included a division championship in 2007-2008, but his scoring has dwindled to about one point every 2.5 games. Six Canadiens have been more productive in an offensive nightmare of a season.
He is likely no more than a rental player for most teams, but he should provide some back line depth for a team that is looking to get over the playoff hump. That scenario screams Winnipeg, for they have surprised the NHL and is on pace for a solid playoff position. Plekanec would provide more veteran presence for a team that currently has Matthieu Perreault and Matt Hendricks behind Blake Wheeler. In this case, a team with a 19-year-old superstar can never have enough veteran presence to back him up enough, especially when those veterans do not have the pressure of scoring consistently.
The Jets should not have to give up much for a middling rental player. A middle-round pick and college prospect (how about former Tabor Academy athlete Erik Foley?) should fit the bill here.