NHL Trade Deadline: 10 Players That Could be on the Move

We are just over a month away from the 2019 NHL trade deadline and there are a number of guys who could have new homes by the February 25th deadline. Will there have been some moves made in the past few weeks none have been major deals.

Any team looking to make a playoff push should be looking to add talent to their roster and any team that are in position to sell at the deadline should very well cash in on players they might not retain this upcoming offseason.

Here is a look at some of the top names that could be on the move in the next few weeks:

1.Wayne Simmonds RW-Philadelphia Flyers:

Wayne Simmonds is arguably one of the top players available on the trade market this year. The Flyers are in no position to be buyers as they are 14 points out of the 2nd wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. They are in no need of a complete overhaul. But with Simmonds set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season it may seem like a smart idea to flip him for something so he doesn’t walk in free agency.

Simmonds is in his 11th season in the NHL and has spent time with the Flyers and L.A. Kings. This season Simmonds has 15 goals and 8 assists in 48 games. Simmonds is a fast skater and a physical player. He can jump into a top-six forward role and can contribute on the power play. Simmonds also has a very modest contract at $3.98 million. Simmonds does have a 12-team no trade clause so he has some say in where he would want to play.

Potential Suitors: Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs.

2. Micheal Ferland LW-Carolina Hurricanes:

The Carolina Hurricanes are in an interesting situation. They are six points out of the 2nd wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference and they have these next few weeks before the deadline to determine if they want to be buyers or sellers. If they chose to be sellers then they have a number of pieces that have value that could trigger a decent return. After the front office made the decision to extend Teuvo Teravainen that all but confirmed that if the Hurricanes decide to be sellers that Ferland will be the one getting shipped off.

This is Micheal Ferland’s first season with Carolina after spending the previous four seasons with Calgary. Last season Ferland put up 20 goals and 21 assists in 77 games with Calgary. He spent the majority of the year playing on the top line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau. In 40 games so far this season Ferland has 13 goals and 12 assists. So he has proven that he can hold a top-six role.

Ferland is 26 years of age and is making a mere $1.75 million this season. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and is due for a big pay raise.

Potential Suitors: Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks.

3. Mats Zuccarello RW-New York Rangers:

In New York, almost every player is available in trade talks. The Rangers are nine points out of the 2nd wild card spot in the eastern conference and could look to move some of their veteran forwards at the deadline. Zuccarello is one of the more likely guys to be dealt come the February deadline.

Mats Zuccarello is in his ninth season with the Rangers and so far this season has eight goals and 16 assists in 35 games. Zuccarello is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. He is currently making $4.5 million. He can jump in and be another guy who can fill in a top-six forward role. While he is more known for his passing he does know how to put the puck in the back of the net.

Potential Suitors: Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators.

4. Dougie Hamilton D-Carolina Hurricanes:

Dougie Hamilton is another piece that the Hurricanes could look to move at the deadline. They have been vocal about being open to trading one of their top-four defenseman not named Jaccob Slavin. Hamilton seems to be the most obvious choice. He is a right-handed defenseman and is under contract for two more season. He makes the most of any Carolina defenseman at $5.75 million.

On the year he has seven goals and 10ten assists in 49 games. This is his seventh season in the NHL, and first with the Hurricanes. He has spent three years with Boston and three seasons with Calgary. Hamilton could come at a hefty price, but at 25 years of age with a few years under contract, he will definitely be an upgrade to any teams defensive core.

Potential Suitors: Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs.

5. Gustav Nyquist RW-Detroit Red Wings:

A couple weeks ago the Red Wings front office said that they are looking for a first-round pick in exchange for either Gustav Nyquist or Jimmy Howard. Both players are looked to be moved before the trade deadline showing that they will both be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

Gustav Nyquist is making $4.75 million this season. This is his 8th year in the league and all eight seasons have been with Detroit. This season Nyquist has 11 goals and 32 assists 51 games. He does have a no-trade clause so it could be a little bit more difficult to move him.

Potential Suitors: Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens

6. Jakob Silfverberg RW-Anaheim Ducks:

Anaheim has already been very active in the trade market. They have shipped off Pontus Aberg to Minnesota and Andrew Cogliano to Dallas, in addition to two other smaller moves. Anaheim is in that grey area of should they buy or sell at the deadline. If they do decide to sell then Jakob Silfverberg is most likely their biggest asset.

Silfverberg is a quality two-way winger who is in his eighth NHL season. In 461 career games, he has 105 goals and 123 assists. This season Silfverberg leads the Ducks in goals with 12 and has seven assists in 42 games. Silfverberg is only 28 and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He has a very reasonable $3.75 million cap hit.

Potential Suitors: Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks.

7. Derick Brassard C-Pittsburgh Penguins:

When the Penguins traded for Derick Brassard before last years deadline they had envisioned him to be in a middle to top-six forward role. Instead, he has posted 11 goals and 11 assists in 53 games with the Penguins. The team and Derick Brassard have just not been a good fit. Brassard’s name has been thrown around the rumor mill the past few weeks and he could definitely be on the move.

With the Penguins holding a wild card spot they are not selling by any means. A deal that would send off Brassard would require them getting another of similar value in return. In other words, a Brassard deal would be more of a change of scenery type of deal. Brassard is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and he carries a $3 million cap hit.

Potential Suitors: Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets.

8. Kevin Hayes C-New York Rangers:

Kevin Hayes is another guy on the Rangers that could be on the move in addition to Zuccarello. Hayes is 26 years of age and is in his fifth NHL season. He has 83 goals and 124 assists in 349 career games. This season he has 10 goals and 23 assists in 39 games so far this season.

The Massachusetts native is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Hayes carries a $5.18 million cap hit. The Rangers will ask for a decent amount in a trade for Hayes but Hayes could be worth it. He can slot into a top-six forward role on any team he could potentially join.

Potential Suitors: Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets.

9. Brayden Schenn C-St. Louis Blues:

After starting off the season as one of the bottom teams in the league, the Blues have worked their way back in the playoff race. They currently sit three points out of the second wildcard spot in the Western conference and could look to be buyers in the next few weeks. However, if they start to slide out of the wildcard race they could look to trade a few guys.

Brayden Schenn is the name that is most likely to be on the move from the Blues. Schenn is under contract through next season and carries a $5.13 million cap hit. This season Schenn has nine goals and 18 assists in 45 games. Schenn can play both center and wing and can contribute on the power play. Schenn is only 27 years old and would be a great addition to a contending team especially since he is under contract for next season.

Potential Suitors: Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders Vegas Golden Knights.

10. Jesse Puljujarvi RW-Edmonton Oilers:

As a team, the Edmonton Oilers are in a position to where they can make the playoffs. If they would like to make the playoffs they would need to add some depth scoring. Jesse Puljujarvi is a guy that they can use in order to acquire a player of that caliber. The Oilers drafted Puljujarvi fourth overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He, unfortunately, has not lived up to that status. In 132 career games, he has 17 goals and 20 assists. This season he has nine total points in 39 games.

The Oilers have been vocal saying that they would trade Puljujarvi in order to acquire a true goal scorer. Puljujarvi will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. A change of scenery trade may be good for Puljujarvi and it will give him a chance to be the player he was drafted to be.

Potential Suitors: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks.

Other players who could be on the move: Andre Burakovsky LW-Washington Capitals, Ryan  Dzingel LW-Ottawa Senators, Jimmy Howard G-Detroit Red Wings, Colton Parayko D-St. Louis Blues.

These next few weeks will be interesting as the trade deadline approaches. Many big names will be on the move and those trades may determine a team’s playoff chances. But the close the deadline gets, the more we will have an idea of who is going to buy, and who is going to sell.

Cover photo credit: Theundefeated.com
Chris Bugajsky covers the Dallas Stars for Full Press Coverage. Follow Chris on twitter @CBugajsky14.