With the trade deadline now a week away, it’s crunch time for many teams in the NHL. Many general managers around the league will be deciding whether their teams are going to sell off pieces or try to make a run at the Stanley Cup. Names have been thrown out there as players who could be on the move, and where they could fit. Let’s take a look at some of the players who could have new homes come March 21.
Make sure to check out our NHL Trade Deadline Previews.
Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens
One of the hottest rental pieces on the market, Petry could be one of multiple Canadiens pieces that will be moved come trade deadline day. Petry has been a reliable defenseman during his time in Montreal and has been able to continue to showcase his offensive prowess, but this is a down year for Petry with only 13 points in 50 games. In fairness, who hasn’t had a down year for the Canadiens?
Montreal is clearly in rebuild mode and Petry could command a decent return on the trade market. The main caveat with Petry is that he is under contract until the end of the 2024-25 season, which would put him at 37 years of age. Petry also has a modified no-trade clause that comes with a 15 team no-trade list, so that will be something that Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes will need to take into account.
John Klingberg, Dallas Stars
A name that has been gaining some traction as of late is Klingberg, the star defenseman for the Stars. The Stars could be a team that really could go either way in terms of buying or selling at the deadline. With Miro Heiskanen sidelined indefinitely with mononucleosis, that could drive Dallas to sell. Klingberg, along with Heiskanen, has been one of the most electric offensive defensemen in the NHL. He is well on his way to surpassing last year’s points total of 36, currently holding 29 points in 49 games. Klingberg would be a rental acquisition as he is a free agent at the end of this season with a cap hit of $4.25 million.
Brandon Hagel, Chicago Blackhawks
From a name that is heating up to a name that has been cooling down slightly, Hagel could be a player who floats under the radar come deadline day. In only his second NHL season, Hagel has blossomed this year scoring 35 points in 53 games. With Hagel having such a good year on a bad Blackhawks team, he could prove to be a great acquisition. Chicago seems to be fully committed to the rebuilding process, as they should be. However, Hagel could be a piece they can flip for a hefty draft pick package. He is under contract for two more seasons after this with a cap hit of $1.5 million and is a restricted free agent.
Nick Leddy, Detroit Red Wings
Leddy has been a solid presence on the Red Wings and could be someone who could be a solid bottom pairing defenseman on a contending team. As far as statistics go, this hasn’t been a great season for the veteran defenseman. His plus/minus currently sits at -31 and he has 15 points in 53 games. But he is averaging 21 minutes on ice per game, which is something a contending team would love to have. The Red Wings are still in the rebuilding phase, let’s not forget. However, they are farther along than some of the other teams on this list in that process. Leddy is a free agent at the end of the season and carries a cap hit of $5.5 million.
Who is Most Likely to Move?
It is especially difficult to decide who would be most likely to be moved at the deadline in this group. Each player has reasons why they could be traded and reasons why they couldn’t be traded. For this group, the player with the least reasons to stay is Leddy. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has been notorious for selling at the trade deadline, and the team has turned a corner. However, they are still in the middle of a rebuild. Leddy could fetch a package of day two draft picks or more if the market is right.
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