NHL trade deadline preview

 

NHL trade deadline preview

What can be expected with two weeks until the trade deadline arrives?

By Ryan Mosher

NEW YORK (Feb. 22, 2024) – The National Hockey League’s trade deadline is almost upon us. There are plenty of teams looking to solidify themselves as contenders and some teams already looking towards next year.

According to TSN, the top three players most likely to be traded all currently reside in Calgary with the Flames. Those three players are defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, as well as goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The destinations for these three aren’t crystal clear.

Ultimately, I believe that Markstrom’s destination will come down to the New Jersey Devils or the Edmonton Oilers. Both teams have talented rosters but haven’t played to their potential because of inconsistent goaltending.

The Devils hoped that Nico Daws would be ready for consistent NHL action, but he has struggled to this point. With Dougie Hamilton on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), New Jersey has $9 million extra cap space, so Markstrom’s $6 million contract isn’t an issue.

Unlike the Devils, the Oilers are currently sitting in a playoff spot and Stuart Skinner has given them quality goaltending recently. The worrisome part for the Oilers is the possibility of having Skinner wear down during the playoffs again. He has played in 22 of the Oilers’ last 29 games.

Moving on to the two defensemen, a team I would love to see Hanifin on is the Boston Bruins. This is partially biased because I am a Bruins fan, but he would be able to shore up the third defensive pairing and play on the penalty kill unit.

In pressure situations, Hanifin would play alongside Charlie McAvoy on the first defensive pairing. Unfortunately, the Bruins have less than $1 million in cap space available. We may see Hanifin on the Bruins next season, but a trade this season is unlikely.

A more likely trade destination for Hanifin is the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning need to replace their second-best defenseman, Mikhail Sergachev, who suffered a regular season-ending leg injury earlier this month.

It may take a first-round pick or an intriguing prospect to trade for Hanifin, and the Lightning don’t have a first-round pick until 2026. Therefore, they may have to part ways with someone like Tanner Jeanot if they want to complete the deal.

While Hanifin is the more expensive option, his current defensive partner, Tanev, is a much cheaper option. The team I see most likely pursuing Tanev is the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks have lost three games in a row while giving up 17 goals in that span. They still lead the NHL in points, but to advance in the playoffs they will need to improve defensively, and Tanev will help that cause tremendously.

Regardless of what happens to these three players, there will be several trades made between now and the March 8 trade deadline.