8 NHL players on bad teams who could help contenders at the trade deadline News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Chicago Blackhawks wing Patrick Kane (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

On Sept. 16, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the NHL’s annual trade deadline would be March 3. In the weeks leading up to that date, playoff teams will try to add to their roster while non-contenders will try to move their unrestricted free agents. Can’t or can’t re-sign.

The 2023 UFA contains a wealth of notable talent. Some may renew their contracts with their current clubs before March. Those who play in playoff contenders probably won’t be bought because those clubs want to keep them in the playoffs.

But before March 3, there are likely to be several UFAs expected to be trade candidates in 2023. The highest bidder could get a scoring forward like the Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane or a point guard like the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klinberg.

Here are eight players who could help contenders before the 2023 trade deadline. If we don’t have any NHL rankings for next season, we’ll use our September. 21 power rankings to determine which teams these players are likely to come from.

Do you agree or disagree with our list? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

Montreal Canadiens goalkeeper Jack Allen (Gavin Napier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With Carey Price on long-term injury reserve and expected to miss next season, the Montreal Canadiens will turn to Jack Allen and Sam Montebo as their goalie duo. Allen, 32, could be a potential trade candidate if the Canadiens are out of the playoffs by March 3.

September 12, TSN Reported by John Lu
Allen confirmed that his camp had “communicated” with Canadiens management about the extension, but offered no further comment. He’s in the final season of a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.9 million.

The Canadiens could reach an agreement with Allen on a new contract, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s unavailable at the trade deadline. If he remains unsigned by March 3, the chances of him being transferred by the deadline will increase.

A seasoned goalie with 29 playoff games on his resume, Allen was a member of the St. Louis team. Louis Bruce heads into the 2019 Stanley Cup. As a starter or a backup, he can provide valuable and affordable scoring depth to contenders.

Columbus Blue Jackets defender Vladislav Gavrikov (Kirk Owen/Getty Images).

Entering his fourth NHL season, Vladislav Gavrikov has emerged as a key player in the restructuring of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound defender, who turns 21 on Nov. 27, scored a career-high 33 points last season and averaged 22:14 per game.

Gavrikov’s value to the Blue Jackets should get him a contract extension ahead of his UFA eligibility next July. However, he could also be a valuable trade chip if the Jackets’ season goes sideways and he remains unsigned by the March 3 deadline.

The Blue Jackets have invested $68.7 million in 17 players for the 2023-24 season. A second pair of defensive players, Gavrikov is in the final season of a three-year deal worth an average of $2.8 million a year. Based on his performance this season, his asking price on a long-term contract could be in excess of $5 million.

Gavrikov’s size and well-rounded defensive skills would provide a welcome boost to any playoff team’s blue line. While it’s likely that he and the Jackets will reach an agreement on a contract extension, his status may be worth monitoring the longer it takes to reach that agreement.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images).

On September 21, Jakob Chychrun confirmed that he had made a trade request to the Arizona Coyotes. However, general manager Bill Armstrong’s asking price for at least one veteran player and multiple draft picks could keep him in Arizona beyond the March 3 trade deadline.

On the other hand, Shayne Gostisbehere is a more likely trade candidate. He’s entering the final season of his contract with an affordable $4.5 million cap. Even better for a bargain hunter, the 29-year-old guard’s real salary is $3.25 million, of which $2.25 million has already been paid by the Coyotes as a signing bonus.

Gostisbehere spent seven inconsistent seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers before being shipped to Arizona last summer for a rainy day. In 2021-22, he has 51 points in 82 games over the low-scoring Coyotes.

Gostisbehere is an excellent offensive defender with a strong skating ability and should draw interest in the market for an affordable blue-line offense. Paired with a solid home guard, he could prove to be a worthy addition to the contenders.

Chicago Blackhawks wing Patrick Kane (Harry How/Getty Images)

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toth face an uncertain future as the Chicago Blackhawks rebuild. The longtime franchise player is entering the final season of his contract. They have to decide if they want to be part of the rebuild or go after another Stanley Cup with the new club.

While injuries have hampered the 34-year-old Toyce’s performance, Kane, 33, remains one of the NHL’s elite stars. He led the Blackhawks with 92 points in 78 games and was 14th among the league’s top scorers.

Kane also has an impressive playoff record, scoring 52 goals and scoring 132 points in 136 games. Eleven of those goals were game-winners, and five of them were in overtime. He took home the Cummes Trophy as playoff MVP in 2013 as part of three Stanley Cup games with the Blackhawks.

If Kane waives his suspension clause at the trade deadline, teams will line up to acquire Kane. However, his $10.5 million salary cap will be hard to change. Interested clubs can ask the Blackhawks to keep half of their salary and maybe get some extra salary back.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Kleinberg (Derek Leung/Getty Images)

John Klinberg was the subject of media gossip ahead of last season’s trade deadline. At the time, he was in the final season of his contract with the Dallas Stars, prompting speculation about his future. With the Stars vying for a playoff spot, they’ve kept defensemen moving the puck for the rest of the season.

Klingberg became an unrestricted free agent on July 13 and signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 29. 3. Hockey NewsMike Stephens suggested the defenseman’s camp had misread their client’s market, preventing him from making a lucrative long-term deal.

Stephens thinks Klimberg’s stellar performance in Anaheim next summer could improve his chances of getting a better deal. The 30-year-old remains a talented mobile defender who could elevate any team’s blue-line production. Klingberg still managed to hit 40 points in 2021-22, the sixth time in eight seasons he has reached that plateau.

The Ducks are a rebuilding team and aren’t expected to qualify for the 2023 playoffs. If they can’t re-sign Klingberg, they could sell him before the March trade deadline. His offensive skills combined with his 35-point performance in 59 playoff games could be attractive to contenders.

Buffalo Sabres right wing Kyle Okposo (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The improvement of Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin combined with the addition of 2021 No. 1 overall pick Owen Power bodes well for the rebuilding Buffalo Sabres. However, they could still miss the playoffs next spring, which puts them on a path to buying unrestricted free agents through March 3.

Craig Anderson, Vinnie Hinostroza, Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo are likely to be available before the March trade deadline. Of this group, Okposo will likely attract the most interest from contenders seeking depth and leadership with experience on the right.

The 34-year-old Okposo’s best season came during his time with the New York Islanders. The concussion he suffered in 2017 caused physical and mental problems that hampered his performance and threatened to end his career.

Okposo matched the low-scoring Sabre team last season with 21 goals and 45 points in 74 games. Another similar effort in 2022-23 would boost his value on the trade market. He has a 15-team no-trade list. His salary cap is $6 million, but his real salary is $4 million.

San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer (Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

After missing the playoffs the past three seasons, the San Jose Sharks could face a rebuild if they drop out of contention by March 3. That means first-year general manager Mike Greer can gauge the trade market to determine any unrestricted interest in him. free agent.

With the deadline looming, James Reimer could be his best trade chip. The 34-year-old goalie is in the final season of a two-year deal worth $2.25 million a year and placed on a five-team no-trade list.

Entering his 13th NHL season, Reimer will share goalkeeping duties this season with 26-year-old Kaapo Kahkonen. He may not fit into the Sharks’ plans beyond this season, and he could potentially test next summer’s free agency.

Reimer has put up decent numbers for years on good and bad teams in Toronto, Florida, Carolina and San Jose. He’s only played in 11 playoff games, but has a career save percentage of .925 in the playoffs. This could be of interest to competitors who need reliable backups.

Philadelphia Flyers wing James Van Rimsdijk (Mitchell Leif/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers hired John Tortorella as their new head coach this summer, hoping he can change the club’s culture. What hasn’t changed, however, is a roster that ended with one of the worst records in the NHL last season.

If Tortorella can’t get the Flyers back on track to victory, they could become sellers at the trade deadline. Of their pending unrestricted free agency, James van Riemsdijk is likely to attract the most attention from teams looking for a big, experienced scoring wing.

Van Riemsdijk, 33, had 40 or more points in eight of his previous 13 NHL seasons. He has also scored 20 or more goals seven times, including 24 last season on a faltering flyer. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound player also played in 71 playoff games.

While Van Riemsdijk’s actual salary is $4 million this season, his $7 million salary cap could make it difficult for him to trade. The Flyers may have to keep some of them or take back high-paid players to broker a deal.

Stats via NHL.com, contract and in-depth chart information via Cap Friendly.