Finally. Thanks to the New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks, we landed our first significant trade of the season with resident No. 1 on the Trade Targets board Bo Horvat heading to the Island. That means we have a new No. 1 on the board.
And while the Horvat deal will likely have little impact in cajoling the market, the clock is ticking. We’re exactly one month out from Deadline Day.
2023 Trade Deadline Countdown: 28 Days
Today is our third Trade Targets board of 2023 with 35 names in play, including eight newcomers. Reminder, the board is a blend of a player’s potential value with his likelihood of a trade:
1. Timo Meier
Right Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 26
Stats: 51 GP, 28 G, 20 A, 48 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $6 million AAV (due $10 million Qualifying Offer)
Scoop: Start spreading the news. The New York Rangers have set their sights on Meier as the No. 1 target leading up to the deadline. Keep in mind: Sharks GM Mike Grier knows the Rangers organization inside and out, so they’d make great trade partners. And across the Hudson River, the rival New Jersey Devils would love to land him as well and create a timeless Swiss connection between Meier and Nico Hischier. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald wasn’t exactly cryptic when he said he’s looking for a “top-six winger under team control.” For the rebuilding Sharks, Meier is one of the few assets they can move freely for a massive return. While the qualifying offer due will diminish San Jose’s return, most teams believe they can negotiate a long-term deal and keep Meier in the fold. For more detail, read Meier’s Trade Deadline player profile.
2. Ryan O’Reilly
Center, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 37 GP, 10 G, 6 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: O’Reilly is in the process of working his way back from a broken foot and should have two weeks or so of games under his belt before the March 3 deadline. Contract extension talks between O’Reilly’s camp and the Blues have been cordial, but there isn’t much hope for a deal at this point in time. That means the smart money is still betting on the 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner being on the move. His injury may actually enhance his value since teams know they’d been acquiring a well-rested player. This has not been O’Reilly’s best season. The entire Blues team has been inconsistent. But the Blues’ captain is a true competitor, still has plenty of game left and is the quintessential deadline add for a team looking to get over the hump.
3. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 24
Stats: 34 GP, 5 G, 20 A, 25 Pts
Contract: Two more seasons, $4.6 million AAV
Scoop: Give him credit: After this saga has dragged on for more than a calendar year, Chychrun has held up his end of the bargain since returning on Nov. 21. His point production has been outstanding, on track for a 60-point season over a full 82 games and his mobility has been impressive. Arizona’s asking price has remained high in two first-round picks (or equivalents) plus a prospect. Will a team step up before March 3 to make a deal? Or will this drag into the summer? For more on Chychrun and his game, including a full scouting report, read Chychrun’s Trade Deadline player profile.
4. Patrick Kane
Right Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 45 GP, 9 G, 25 A, 34 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: Kane has been banged up, dealing with a nagging injury that required him to sit out for three games. To this point, it’s not expected to have any lingering effect or impact his trade value. Where does that stand? The Blackhawks and Kane’s camp, led by CAA Sports’ Pat Brisson, have yet to engage in any sort of meaningful dialogue about Kane (and Jonathan Toews’) future. That’s expected to pick up in mid-February. It’s still early. And ‘Showtime’ holds all the cards with full ‘no-move’ and ‘no-trade clauses. If you’re looking for a potential style of deal in both managing it and potential return package, look back on how Claude Giroux departed Philadelphia last spring. Giroux only provided one potential destination. Will Kane and Toews offer more options? For a current evaluation of his game, read Kane’s Trade Deadline player profile.
5. Jonathan Toews
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 46 GP, 14 G, 14 A, 28 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: Like Kane, Toews will determine his future with an identical contract and clauses. They also share the same agent, who will be working very closely with Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson as the process heats up. The difference is Kane has always been a sought-after commodity, a player who makes teams drool. Toews used to be there – as a stingy, difficult to play against center and unshakeable leader. He looked like he had gotten back closer to the level that we last saw from him in 2019-20 before the pandemic, but he’s slowed down a bit of late. There will still be interest, for sure, given his pedigree, track record and the odds that a new environment will provide him a shot in the arm. For a deeper dive on his game, read Toews’ Trade Deadline player profile.
6. Jake McCabe
Left Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 29
Stats: 45 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 Pts
Contract: Two more seasons, $4 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks have received a number of calls on McCabe and teammate Connor Murphy in recent weeks. Why? They’re two cost-controlled defensemen with reasonable cap hits. Edmonton, Los Angeles and Toronto are believed to be among the interested teams. Complicating factors include 1) McCabe has a seven-team ‘no-trade’ list that word is includes all seven Canadian teams with the exception of the Maple Leafs; and 2) McCabe does have a questionable injury history, but he’s been healthy this season. Where it gets really interesting on McCabe is if a team is willing to pay Chicago to leverage their cap space and retain half on him. All of a sudden, McCabe for two more seasons at a bargain $2 million cap hit will warrant a juicier return. For more, read McCabe’s Trade Deadline player profile.
7. Vladislav Gavrikov
Left Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 50 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.8 million AAV
Scoop: Everything has gone so wrong in Columbus that the Blue Jackets have reached the proverbial “Our pets’ heads are falling off” stage. For a team that spent $80 million this offseason, they’re suddenly leading the Bedard Watch. Injuries have mounted. Structure has been lacking. And Gavrikov is sitting there as a nice potential trade chip. Gavrikov is a strong defender, a true defense-first defenseman, and nearly every team can maneuver his cap hit. What does the package look like? The Blue Jackets received first and third-round picks for David Savard in 2021. Gavrikov is probably a better player and definitely younger. A haul for Gavrikov would be the one bright spot in a sad season for the CBJ. For a breakdown of Gavrikov’s game, read his Trade Deadline player profile.
8. Brock Boeser
Right Wing, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 25
Stats: 41 GP, 9 G, 21 A, 30 Pts
Contract: Two more seasons, $6.65 million AAV
Scoop: With Horvat traded, Boeser is on the clock. With the desire and need to create salary-cap flexibility, the Canucks have somehow only added upwards of $10 million in wingers to their cap in the last 10 days, by re-signing Andrei Kuzmenko and acquiring Anthony Beauvillier. That spells the end of Boeser’s run in Vancouver, as he’s already been given the ability to seek a trade through his representative. Boeser hasn’t scored at his typical rate this season, but he’s still at 0.73 points per game, and he does have value as a scoring winger. The issue is the term. Will the Canucks be willing to retain a portion of his salary? If not, would they be willing to take a contract back? Or, would Vancouver simply be willing to take a little less on the return in order to move on? Those are questions the Canucks are asking themselves now.
9. Ivan Barbashev
Left/Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 27
Stats: 51 GP, 9 G, 15 A, 24 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.25 million AAV
Scoop: Barbashev’s camp has already received word that he will not be receiving a new contract in St. Louis and is likely to be traded before the deadline. There is no doubt the Blues are in the process of showcasing Barbashev ahead of that trade – he’s played almost 19 minutes a night the last handful of games, where he has picked up four points in his last five. There is interest with teams hoping to rehabilitate a player who collected 26 goals and 60 points last year for the Blues. The biggest question surrounding his game is the consistency of his competition level, but his talent has never once been in question. He’s an intriguing deadline pickup for anyone on an inexpensive, expiring deal.
10. John Klingberg
Right Defense, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 30
Stats: 42 GP, 6 G, 11 A, 17 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Scoop: This was always the plan when Klingberg signed in Anaheim: Check out the fit, see how the season started, and if things go sour, he’d be on the move as a flippable asset for the Ducks. It seemed to be a smart play at the time. Klingberg would put $7 million in his pocket for the season, shoulder the security risk, and hope to cash in again next summer. The problem is: Klingberg has struggled this season. His stock has fallen. But it’s also been a mostly miserable start for all involved with the rebuilding Ducks and Klingberg’s full ‘no-trade’ clause expired on New Year’s Day, so he’s not long for Anaheim. The bigger question is the interest level and potential return.
11. Erik Karlsson
Right Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 32
Stats: 51 GP, 16 G, 50 A, 66 Pts
Contract: Four more seasons, $11.5 million AAV
Scoop: Every night, Karlsson does something that makes your jaw hit the floor. He’s third in the league in assists, on pace to become the NHL’s first 100-point defenseman since Brian Leetch. And his general manager, Mike Grier, is more than ready to field offers. A few weeks back, word leaked that the Sharks’ asking price was reported as three first-round picks and San Jose would be willing to retain 18 percent of his salary. Grier responded by saying that report was not “totally accurate.” Either way, what is clear is the Sharks aren’t willing to give Karlsson away. But with that cap hit and that term, the ask is either going to have to plummet, or Karlsson will be in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future. For more on Karlsson, read his in-depth Trade Deadline player profile.
