NHL Trade Block Big Board for February 2024

Entering February, the NHL's trade deadline (March 8) is five weeks away. With the big day on the horizon, there's been an increase in the number of noteworthy players being bandied about by the hockey pundits as trade candidates.

Only five trades took place in January but two of them were notable.

The Philadelphia Flyers shipped highly touted winger prospect Cutter Gauthier on Jan. 8 to the Anaheim Ducks. In return, the Flyers received defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick.

On Jan. 31, the Calgary Flames traded center Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks for a package that included winger Andrei Kuzmenko. It was the second deal this season between the two clubs. On Nov. 30, the Canucks acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Flames in exchange for two draft picks.

Now that the deadline is in sight, we can expect activity in the trade market to pick up. As a result, we've expanded the February Trade Block Big Board to rank the top 20 candidates.

Some of the players listed here, such as Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen, have appeared on some of our previous trade boards. Other notables, such as Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel and Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, are making their Big Board debuts.

The players on this list appeared in trade rumors during January. Skill level, experience, contract status, and the likelihood of getting moved determined their placement on this board.

Do you agree or disagree with this listing? Is there a player you believe we've missed? Let us know in the app comments section.

Anthony Duclair, San Jose Sharks

Duclair, 28, is also scheduled for UFA status at season's end. He was ranked at No. 10 on our December 2023 trade board. However, he's managed just four points since Dec. 27. That's bound to hurt his value in the trade market unless his play improves throughout February.

Mike Hoffman, San Jose Sharks

Another pending UFA forward, the 34-year-old Hoffman is a former six-time 20-plus goal scorer. This season, however, he's managed just eight goals and 17 points in 48 games. The Sharks will have to retain up to half of his $4.5 million cap hit to facilitate a trade.

Ilya Lyubushkin, Anaheim Ducks

A physical shutdown defenseman, the 6'2", 200-pound Lyubushkin is in the final season of a two-year contract with an affordable $2.8 million cap hit. On Jan. 7, New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols included him on a list of trade targets for the Devils.

Anthony Mantha, Washington Capitals

Yet another pending UFA forward, the 29-year-old Mantha is enjoying a solid performance in his contract year with 15 goals and 23 points in 43 games. In her Jan. 12 mailbag edition, The Hockey News' Sammi Silber speculated he could become a trade chip for the Capitals if they remain out of playoff contention.

Tanner Pearson, Montreal Canadiens

On Jan. 15, Sportsnet's Eric Engels included Pearson on his list of potential Canadiens trade candidates. The 31-year-old left wing is slated to become a UFA in July and carries a cap hit of $3.3 million. He recently returned to action after missing 19 games with an upper-body injury.

David Savard, Montreal Canadiens

Another of Engels' suggested trade candidates for the Canadiens. Savard is signed through 2024-25 with an affordable annual cap hit of $3.5 million. A big stay-at-home defenseman, the 6'1, 238-pound Savard won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. That experience could make him enticing to playoff contenders.

It's been an up-and-down season thus far for the Nashville Predators as they jostle with the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings and Seattle Kraken for one of the two Western Conference wild-card spots. That's generated speculation suggesting they could put starting goaltender Juuse Saros on the trade block.

Saros is among the few players on our trade board that isn't slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries an average annual value of $5 million through next season but lacks a no-trade clause. On Nov. 14, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported Predators general manager Barry Trotz said he intends to re-sign the 28-year-old goaltender.

Two months later, however, LeBrun reported on Jan. 18 that the Predators were getting calls from desperate teams looking to improve their goaltending. However, he said it would take a "serious, serious offer" to tempt Trotz into trading Saros.

The Tennessean's Paul Skrbina and Nashville Hockey Now's Michael Gallagher are skeptical that the Predators would trade their starting goalie while in the thick of the playoff chase. It seems unlikely to happen, but we're including Saros on our board since someone could get desperate enough to overpay for his services.

Following the Anaheim Ducks trading Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 8 for prospect Cutter Gauthier, Trevor Zegras popped up in the rumor mill. Having traded away one youngster considered to be a future core player, some pundits wondered if the Ducks might also consider moving the 22-year-old center.

We recently spotlighted Zegras, examining potential landing spots and what it might cost to acquire him. Currently sidelined by a broken ankle, he's been limited by injuries to just seven points in 20 games. However, he exceeded 60 points in each of the past two seasons. Zegras is in the first season of a three-year contract worth an average annual value of 5.8 million.

The Athletic's Eric Duhatschek felt that he'd be a good fit with the rebuilding San Jose Sharks. His colleague Shayna Goldman suggested the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins as possible destinations.

On Jan. 9, TSN's Darren Dreger reported there's been some interest in Zegras but the Ducks weren't interested in trading him. Nevertheless, things could change if a club makes a suitable offer before the deadline day. That's why Zegras is worth monitoring as the trade deadline approaches.

The Columbus Blue Jackets could part ways with Elvis Merzļikins. On Jan. 12, the 29-year-old goaltender told reporters that he and management had agreed to explore a "new scenario" after he was supplanted by Daniil Tarasov as their starter. Merzļikins clarified his comments by admitting he requested a trade, but his agent hasn't formally done so yet.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman told the NHL Network that this didn't come as a surprise to most teams, as they probably already knew Merzļikins was available. However, he indicated moving him could prove difficult. The 29-year-old Latvian netminder is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun indicated there was currently no market for Merzļikins. That's due in part to his contract but also his inconsistent performance. Nevertheless, The Athletic's Aaron Portzline listed the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks as possible trade destinations.

Merzļikins' contract means a trade is more likely to happen in the offseason when teams have more salary-cap room to work with. Still, we can't rule out the possibility of the Blue Jackets finding a way to make the dollars work, either by retaining up to half or staging a three-team deal to spread the cap hit around.

A fixture in last season's rumor mill, Jakob Chychrun was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes by the Ottawa Senators before the 2023 trade deadline. With this year's deadline only five weeks away, there's speculation the 25-year-old defenseman could be on the move again.

On Jan. 17, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch reported Chychrun was a player worth watching as Senators GM Steve Staios examined his trade options. The next day, TSN's Darren Dreger said trading him would be a positional decision, pointing out that the Senators have left-shot defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson under long-term contracts.

Speaking with the media a week later, Staios said he was disappointed to see Chychrun's name surfaced in the rumor mill. He said his club would try to find the cap space to sign the blueliner to a contract extension, adding he doesn't want to make any hasty decisions about his core players leading up to deadline day.

Chychrun has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $4.6 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. As a result, the Senators don't have to move him by this year's trade deadline. Nevertheless, Staios could entertain offers if he believes Chychrun could prove too expensive to re-sign.

Now in his 19th NHL season, Marc-André Fleury continues to make headlines for his accomplishments. On Jan. 15, the 39-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender surpassed Hall of Famer Patrick Roy for second place on the all-time wins list with 552 career victories.

With the Wild struggling to remain in the Western Conference playoff race, Fleury's name has surfaced in trade rumors. During the Jan. 19 episode of Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman suggested the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes as possible destinations.

Two days earlier, however, Wild general manager Bill Guerin told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun that it was premature to suggest moving Fleury. Guerin said his club hasn't given up on making the playoff but would consider discussing it with the veteran netminder if the opportunity arises.

Fleury is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He has a cap hit of $3.5 million but also a full no-movement clause. LeBrun believes Fleury would have to be offered a prominent role with another team to accept a trade.

After seven seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Ivan Provorov was traded last June to the Buffalo Sabres in a three-team deal involving the Los Angeles Kings. Just over halfway through his first season in Columbus, there's talk the 27-year-old defenseman could be shopped before the trade deadline.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Jan. 25 that Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen was at least willing to listen to offers for several players, including Provorov. He's signed through next season with an average annual value of $6.8 million, but the Jackets carry $4.7 million as the Kings retained the rest as part of their trade agreement.

The 6'1", 220-pound Provorov can log over 20 minutes per game and has good offensive skills, reaching or exceeding 30 points in four of his eight NHL seasons. However, he tends to struggle at times in his zone.

With the Blue Jackets poised to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season, Kekäläinen could be looking for a good young player in return who can help his club now and in the future. Provorov could fetch that type of return from playoff contenders seeking a top-four defenseman with puck-moving abilities.

A frequent fixture in the rumor mill since last summer, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson appeared on our December NHL Trade Block Big Board. With the calendar flipped to 2024 and the trade deadline approaching, the 30-year-old netminder once again surfaced in the rumor mill.

During a Jan. 3 appearance on NHL Network, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman included Gibson on his list of goalie trade candidates. He's signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million. He believes interested teams would have to pay a higher price to acquire Gibson by convincing the Ducks to retain part of his salary.

Friedman also noted the New Jersey Devils were in the market for a goaltender. Having placed Dougie Hamilton on long-term injury reserve for the rest of this season, they have $9.3 million in projected cap space, more than enough to acquire Gibson.

Given Gibson's hefty contract, however, the Ducks might have to wait until the offseason when teams will have more money to work with as the cap is projected to rise by $4.2 million. Considering how often he's popped up in trade rumors this season, we'll keep Gibson under consideration as a candidate to be moved by the March 8 deadline.

Chosen second overall by the New York Rangers in the 2019 NHL draft, Kaapo Kakko was projected to have the skills to become an elite scoring forward. The 6'2", 205-pound right wing has struggled at times with consistency and injuries but showed his offensive potential last season with a career-best 40-point performance.

On Jan. 30, TSN's Darren Dreger reported Kakko could become a trade asset if the Rangers intend to add a significant player. He indicated general manager Chris Drury had been receiving calls about the 22-year-old winger, who carries a $2.1 million cap hit for this season. He's slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

Earlier that day, the New York Post's Larry Brooks mentioned Kakko as a possible trade chip in the Rangers' rumored plan to acquire center Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. However, the Flames subsequently shipped Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks.

With Lindholm out of the trade market, the Rangers might have to turn to lesser options that might not mean parting with Kakko. Nevertheless, we'll keep him on our trade board for the time being.

Acquired by the Nashville Predators from the Edmonton Oilers before last season's trade deadline, Tyson Barrie could be on the move for the second straight year. The 32-year-old defenseman's agent was permitted in early December to speak with other clubs, earning him the No. 2 spot on our January NHL Trade Block Big Board.

Since then, there have been few reports about Barrie's status in the rumor mill. That was due in part to an upper-body injury that sidelined the Predators blueliner from Dec. 27 to Jan. 20. His contract could be an additional sticking point. While eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July, he carries a $4.5 million cap hit.

On Jan. 20, Nashville Hockey Now's Michael Gallagher reported Barrie's trade value took a hit when his trade request went public. He also indicated that most of the teams interested in the puck-moving blueliner currently lack the cap space to make a move unless the Predators retained part of his cap hit.

Those factors explain why Barrie has dropped down in our February trade board. Nevertheless, there could be teams that accrue enough cap room to take on his cap hit as the trade deadline nears.

Entering this season, Arthur Kaliyev was considered among the Los Angeles Kings' promising young players. Coming off an encouraging 28-point sophomore season performance despite being limited to 56 games by a broken foot, the 22-year-old winger was expected to take the next step in his development.

Instead, it's been a difficult season for Kaliyev. With 14 points in 38 games, his playing time has been reduced and he's been a healthy scratch six times. That's given rise to media talk suggesting he could become a trade candidate. He's in the final season of his entry-level contract with a cap hit of $894,167.

On Jan. 16, Philly Hockey Now's Jonathan Bailey cited Sporstnet's Elliotte Friedman speculating over Kaliyev's future in Los Angeles. Noting the Flyers' recent acquisition of Jamie Drysdale from the Anaheim Ducks, Bailey suggested the young Kings winger could be a good fit with the rebuilding Flyers.

TSN's Darren Dreger suggested Kaliyev might benefit from a change of scenery. He said the Kings aren't quite interested yet in moving the young winger but felt something had to change as he needs to play. If the struggling Kings don't snap out of their current tailspin soon, perhaps Kaliyev will become a trade chip to bolster their goaltending or defense.

Stuck near the bottom of the overall standings, the San Jose Sharks have reached perhaps the lowest point in their rebuilding process. They're expected to be sellers at the trade deadline as general manager Mike Grier could shop pending unrestricted free agents such as Anthony Duclair, Kevin Lebanc, Alexander Barabanov and Kaapo Kähkönen.

Of those four, Kähkönen could have the best trade value. Some clubs could be seeking affordable goaltending depth for the playoffs. The 27-year-old Finn carries a $2.8 million cap hit and has put up decent stats on a bad Sharks team. He has a 3.59 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in 23 games played this season.

During a Jan. 3 appearance on NHL Network, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman included Kähkönen on his list of possible goalie trade targets for the New Jersey Devils. Three weeks later, The Hockey News' Max Miller suggested Kähkönen could be a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers if Carter Hart's indefinite leave of absence lasts longer than expected.

Kähkönen won't fetch the hefty returns that the Sharks got last year by trading away more notable players such as Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson. In a trade market with several playoff clubs desperate to improve their goaltending, he could bring them a second-round pick.

As the Pittsburgh Penguins struggle to remain in wild-card contention in the Eastern Conference, there's growing speculation over Jake Guentzel's future. Sitting second among Penguins scorers with 49 points in 46 games, the 29-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Earning a cap hit of $6 million, Guentzel could seek over $8 million annually to stay in Pittsburgh. His agent raised some eyebrows by not ruling out the possibility for contract talks to get ugly. The winger declined to comment on those remarks while Penguins GM Kyle Dubas downplayed them, calling any talk of trading Guentzel "pure speculation."

Nevertheless, that hasn't prevented pundits from pondering possible trade destinations for Guentzel. On Jan. 20, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggested the Vancouver Canucks could be a suitor.

Dubas is expected to evaluate his club's performance throughout February to determine if he'll be a buyer or a seller. Guentzel would be his best trade chip, but moving him out would create a big hole at left wing on team captain Sidney Crosby's line. This could become more intriguing as the trade deadline draws near.

Due to their rebuilding plan, the Philadelphia Flyers began this season predicted to be near the bottom of the standings. However, they've exceeded expectations by sitting third in the Metropolitan Division by the All-Star break.

That raised questions over whether general manager Daniel Brière would be a buyer or a seller. However, he set the record straight last week, telling reporters he's maintaining the long view and won't peddle quality assets for a playoff run. He could also shop pending free agents like Nick Seeler, though he indicated that would depend on the trade market.

Seeler, 30, is earning an affordable $775,000 and lacks no-trade protection. He and defense partner Sean Walker have frequently surfaced in the rumor mill as trade candidates, earning a place on our January NHL Trade Block Big Board. On Jan. 9, TSN's Darren Dreger reported the Flyers could retain half of their cap hits to generate interest in the trade market.

New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols included Seeler among his Jan. 7 list of possible trade targets for the Devils. Two days later, Philly Hockey Now's Jonathan Bailey cited a report by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman claiming at least one team tried to acquire Seeler and Walker.

In his fourth season with the Montreal Canadiens, Jake Allen appears to be the odd man out among their three goaltenders. Samuel Montembeault has locked up the starter's job while promising Cayden Primeau is playing his way into the backup role.

That's made the 34-year-old Allen the subject of frequent trade speculation, earning him the No. 3 spot on our January NHL Trade Block Big Board. Unlike most on this list, Allen is not slated to become an unrestricted free agent following this season. He's signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $3.9 million and a seven-team no-trade list.

On Jan. 3, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman included Allen on his list of possible goalie trade targets for the New Jersey Devils. The Los Angeles Kings could also become a destination if they continue to struggle in the standings.

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes told reporters on Jan. 15 that he isn't guaranteeing he'll move one of his three goaltenders. That's why he's slipped a few spots on our February trade board. Nevertheless, Sportsnet's Eric Engels noted that Hughes did say that remains the outcome for resolving that situation.

Signed to a one-year, $5 million contract by the Ottawa Senators last July, Vladimir Tarasenko was brought in to provide veteran experience as well as replace the scoring of departed winger Alex DeBrincat. With 13 goals and 32 points in 44 games, the 32-year-old right wing is fifth among Senators scorers.

With the Senators mired at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, Tarasenko could be on the move by this year's trade deadline. On Jan. 8, The Athletic's Ian Mendes expressed his belief that all eyes will be on Tarasenko and winger Dominik Kubalik as both wingers are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Senators general manager Steve Staios met with the media on Jan. 25 to discuss his plans for the second half of this season. He said that he hasn't approached Tarasenko about waiving his no-trade clause but indicated it's something he and his staff will continue to monitor.

Staios could be waiting for suitable offers for the six-time 30-plus goal scorer. Tarasenko was traded before last year's trade deadline by the St. Louis Blues to the New York Rangers. He will likely be on the move before this year's deadline day.

As we noted on our Nick Seeler slide, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Brière is maintaining his long-term rebuilding plans for his club. While his club is currently in a playoff position, Brière suggested that he could move pending unrestricted free agents such as Seeler and Sean Walker by the March 8 trade deadline.

Acquired last summer from the Los Angeles Kings, the 29-year-old Walker has formed a solid second-pairing defense tandem with Seeler. He carries a $2.7 million cap hit and lacks no-trade protection. TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Jan. 9 that the Flyers were willing to retain half the salaries of Walker and Seeler to draw more interest in the trade market.

Meanwhile, Philly Hockey Now's Jonathan Bailey cited Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman claiming at least one team looking into acquiring both Flyers blueliners. The Winnipeg Sun's Scott Billeck included Walker on his Jan. 24 list of possible trade targets for the Jets.

Brière indicated that the trade market would dictate whether Walker and Seeler are moved by deadline day. Given Walker's affordable contract, he could be on the radar of cap-strapped contenders seeking a cost-effective defenseman.

Slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin sat fourth on our January NHL Trade Block Big Board. The 27-year-old puck-moving blueliner carries a cap hit of $5 million and an eight-team no-trade clause.

The Flames and Hanifin were reportedly close to a contract extension in October but the blueliner called a halt to those talks as the club struggled early in the season. However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Jan. 6 that he believed those discussions had resumed.

Since then, things have been quiet on the Hanifin front. On Jan. 27, Friedman said the blueliner will soon have to decide if he'll stay in Calgary or test the free-agent market in July. If there's no progress in those talks leading up to March 8, the Flames could begin fielding trade offers.

The New Jersey Devils could be among the suitors. New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols speculated that Hanifin could be among their trade targets. They recently placed sidelined defenseman Dougie Hamilton on long-term injury reserve, giving them $9.3 million in projected trade deadline cap space.

The subject of growing trade speculation, Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique could draw interest from playoff contenders seeking a versatile middle-six forward with good faceoff skills and a decent scoring touch. We recently examined the possible landing spots for the 33-year-old before the March 8 trade deadline.

During a Jan. 3 appearance on NHL Network, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said he considered Henrique as the most likely player to be traded by the Anaheim Ducks. He cited his faceoff skills and big-game experience in postseason play.

On Jan. 18, The Athletic's Murat Ates included Henrique on his list of possible center trade targets for the Winnipeg Jets. Nine days later, the New York Post's Larry Brooks suggested him as an option for the New York Rangers to replace sidelined center Filip Chytil.

Henrique's contract, however, could be a sticking point. Slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, he carries a cap hit of $5.9 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. Interested clubs could ask the Ducks to retain up to half his salary, but that would only raise their asking price.

Holding the top spot in our January 2024 NHL Trade Block Big Board, Chris Tanev seemed the most likely player to be moved. Trade speculation was rampant about the 34-year-old defenseman throughout December. While he hasn't been moved yet, Tanev remains near the top of our board entering February.

A skillful shutdown defenseman, Tanev carries a $4.5 million cap hit along with a 10-team no-trade clause. Trade speculation about him faded during January as the Flames were rising toward wild-card contention in the Western Conference. However, their recent struggles have renewed the media trade chatter.

The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch first suggested that Tanev could be the type of player the Senators could use to add experience and professionalism to their young roster. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman also felt he was on Ottawa's radar while TSN's Darren Dreger said several teams were interested in Tanev, including the Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tanev is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Friedman speculated he could prefer going to a Stanley Cup contender if the Flames shop him leading up to March 8. The struggling Senators could look into a sign-and-trade scenario if he's willing to agree to it.

After struggling through four injury-hampered seasons with the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens, Sean Monahan is enjoying a solid rebound performance in 2023-24. Fully healthy, the 29-year-old center sits third in scoring on the rebuilding Canadiens with 13 goals and 35 points in 49 games. It's among the reasons why he's debuting on our board at No. 1.

Slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Monahan carries a very affordable $1.9 million cap hit for this season and lacks no-trade protection. Sportsnet's Eric Engels speculated that the veteran center could be among five players the Canadiens attempt to move by deadline day. He believes they'll try to send Monahan to a contender.

TSN's Darren Dreger thinks Monahan will be in high demand among playoff clubs seeking depth at the center position. He listed the Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals as possible suitors.

Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin included the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets on his list of potential destinations for Monahan. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman wondered if the New York Rangers could make a pitch. He believes the Canadiens could seek a first-round pick in return.

Stats (as of Jan. 31, 2024) via NHL.com. Salary info via CapFriendly.