The National Hockey League's Trade Deadline is on Monday, Feb. 24, and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy or sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out the latest trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.


More to Come?

The Vancouver Canucks made a big move Monday night, acquiring Tyler Toffoli in exchange for forward Tim Schaller, prospect Tyler Madden, a 2020 second-round pick and a conditional fourth-round selection in 2022.

However, with the injuries piling up for the Canucks, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun says Canucks general manager Jim Benning may strike again before Monday's deadline.

"They may not be done," LeBrun said Tuesday on Insider Trading. "I think a lot of people thought they might be, but the reality is Toffoli really comes in for Brock Boeser, who we now know could be out up to eight weeks, depending on being reevaluated. Now, in the meantime, Micheal Ferland has not been replaced. We know he's not playing hockey again this year and Wayne Simmonds, as we reported a few weeks ago is a player of interest still for the Vancouver Canucks and I do believe there's been dialogue there between the New Jersey Devils and the Canucks.

"Now, if not Wayne Simmonds, another player that could bring toughness to the Canucks lineup, that's a priority for Vancouver and they're going to try and get that done before Monday."

The Canucks initially announced Boeser would be reevaluated in three weeks, but Benning said Tuesday the injury was worse than originally thought when updating the timeline. The eight-week timeline puts the winger's return in early April, which TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli notes could open the door for team to place him on long-term injured reserve for the remainder of the regular season and free his $5.875 cap hit ahead of the deadline.

The Canucks are without their first- and second-round picks in this year's draft and Benning said Tuesday he's more likely to look to move a younger player if he strikes again before the deadline.

“I don’t foresee us trading any more picks, but if something makes sense, maybe, you know, with one of the young players that we feel we have enough depth at that position, we’ll maybe look to do something like that,” Benning said.

The Canucks, who host the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday, currently sit third in the Pacific Division, just one point back of the Edmonton Oilers for first. 

"I want to compete down the stretch here for a playoff spot. Making this trade, that's the message I wanted to send to our group going down the stretch here," Benning said Tuesday of acquiring Toffoli.
 


Next to Go?

The Ottawa Senators made their first trade ahead of the deadline on Tuesday, shipping defenceman Dylan DeMelo to the Winnipeg Jets for a third-round pick.

Prior to the trade, DeMelo was one of 10 pending unrestricted free agents on the Senators, and TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports Vladislav Namestnikov could be the next pending UFA on the move.

"Calls coming in to Ottawa on Namestnikov. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s on the move in the days ahead," Dreger wrote Tuesday on Twitter. "He’s been very good for the Senators. Good two way forward."

The Senators acquired Namestnikov from the New York Rangers in October for Nick Ebert and a 2021 fourth-round pick. In 54 games with the team, the 27-year-old has 13 goals and 25 points. 

He carries a $3.25 million cap hit for the remainder of the year, with the Rangers having retained $750,000 in the trade earlier this season.

As for pending free agent centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who's listed at No. 3 on the TSN Trade Bait board, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia tweeted Wednesday he believes things still could go either way with the Senators either moving or re-signing the 27-year-old.


Return on Investment?

The Montreal Canadiens have a decision to make on Ilya Kovalchuk after signing the veteran last month to a $700,000 deal for the remainder of the season.

Kovalchuk has six goals and 12 points in 20 games since joining the Canadiens and TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports Montreal is now deciding whether to move the 36-year-old or sign him to an extension.

"Ongoing discussions between the agent for Ilya Kovalchuk, J.P. Barry, and Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin. Now the Canadiens are flirting with the idea of keeping Ilya Kovalchuk, but there is considerable trade interest as well," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "But, I will tell you this, based on some of the packages that have been presented in trades that have already happened prior to the trade deadline, Marc Bergevin has a specific price. It could be a second-round draft pick, plus, if he's going to move Ilya Kovalchuk.

"There's time, this thing could go right down to the wire and if he doesn't get his asking price, or the expected return, then I wouldn't be surprised if they hold on to Ilya Kovalchuk and take a shot at re-signing him after the deadline."

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, meanwhile, wrote in The Athletic that he believes the Canadiens will look to move Kovalchuk before Monday's deadline if both sides don't feel there's a fit on an extension. He reports Bergevin feels Kovalchuk is worth at least a second-round pick and, perhaps, an additional lower pick. 

LeBrun points to the Colorado Avalanche as potential fit, as well as the Boston Bruins, but doesn't believe the Bruins will be willing to give up an asset for Kovalchuk after opting against signing him just a few weeks ago.
 


Running Out of Options?

Tuesday saw a run on defencemen in the trade market, with Brenden Dillon, Marco Scandella, Dylan DeMelo all being moved and the Vegas Golden Knights also closing on a deal for Alec Martinez.

Martinez, who could come off the Trade Bait board Wednesday if/when the deal becomes official, is currently the second highest-ranked defenceman on the list at No. 4. Once, he's moved, only Sami Vatanen of the New Jersey Devils (No. 2), Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Erik Gustafsson (No. 9), and Minnesota Wild blueliner Jonas Brodin (No. 19) will be left in the Top 20 on the list.

Of the 50 players on the current Trade Bait board, only 14 are defencemen including Martinez. Of those 14, only six are pending unrestricted free agents in Vatanen, Gustafsson, Detroit Red Wings defenceman Mike Green, Ottawa Senators veteran Ron Hainsey, Michael Del Zotto of the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres defenceman Zach Bogosian, who was placed on waivers last week.

Here's the latest Trade Bait board:

 

Trade Bait - Feb. 18

Trend Player Pos Age GP G PTS Cap Hit Years
  1. Chris Kreider, NYR LW 28 57 23 42 $4.63M UFA
  2. Sami Vatanen, NJD RD 28 47 5 23 $4.9M UFA
  3. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, OTT C 27 57 22 36 $3.1M UFA
Embedded Image 4. Alec Martinez, LAK LD 32 41 1 8 $4M 1
  5. Carolina's 1st Round Pick             2020
  6. Ilya Kovalchuk, MTL LW 36 36 9 21 $700K UFA
  7. Andreas Athanasiou, DET LW 25 44 8 22 $3M RFA
  8. Kyle Palmieri, NJD RW 29 54 22 41 $4.65M 1
  9. Erik Gustafsson, CHI LD 27 58 6 26 $1.2M UFA
Embedded Image 10. Vladislav Namestnikov, OTT LW 27 53 12 24 $4M UFA
  11. Mike Hoffman, FLA RW 30 59 22 47 $5.19M UFA
  12. Patrick Marleau, SJS LW 40 55 10 20 $700K UFA
  13. Joe Thornton, SJS C 40 59 2 25 $2M UFA
  14. Derek Grant, ANA C 29 47 14 20 $700K UFA
  15. Barclay Goodrow, SJS C 26 59 8 24 $925K 1
Embedded Image 16. Robin Lehner, CHI G 28 32 2.91 0.921 $5M UFA
  17. Conor Sheary, BUF LW 27 52 9 19 $3M UFA
Embedded Image 18. Vincent Trocheck, FLA C 26 52 9 33 $4.75M 2
  19. Jonas Brodin, MIN LD 26 58 2 24 $4.17M 1
Embedded Image 20. Wayne Simmonds, NJD RW 31 58 7 23 $5M UFA
  21. Detroit's Cap Space             2020
  22. Alex Kerfoot, TOR C 25 55 8 25 $3.5M 3
  23. Kasperi Kapanen, TOR RW 23 59 11 32 $3.2M 2
  24. Matt Dumba, MIN RD 25 58 4 20 $6M 3
  25. Josh Anderson, CBJ RW 25 26 1 4 $1.85M RFA
Embedded Image 26. Pavel Buchnevich, NYR RW 24 58 13 35 $3.25M 1
  27. Anthony DeAngelo, NYR RD 24 56 13 43 $925K RFA
  28. Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI LD 26 41 5 12 $4.5M 3
  29. Ondrej Kase, ANA RW 24 49 7 23 $2.6M 1
  30. Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF RD 25 59 5 28 $5.4M 2
Embedded Image 31. Mike Green, DET RD 34 46 2 9 $5.38M UFA
  32. Ron Hainsey, OTT LD 38 52 1 11 $3.5M UFA
Embedded Image 33. Chris Tierney, OTT C 25 59 10 30 $2.94M RFA
  34. Ryan Donato, MIN LW 23 52 11 18 $1.9M 1
  35. Craig Smith, NSH RW 30 58 17 28 $4.5M UFA
  36. Valtteri Filppula, DET C 35 60 5 19 $3M 1
Embedded Image 37. Brady Skjei, NYR LD 25 57 7 22 $5.25M 4
  38. Mikael Granlund, NSH LW 27 52 14 24 $5.75M UFA
  39. Sam Bennett, CGY LW 23 42 7 11 $2.55M 1
  40. Michael Del Zotto, ANA LD 29 37 2 11 $750K UFA
  41. Nate Thompson, MTL C 35 60 3 13 $1M UFA
  42. Trevor Lewis, LAK RW 33 45 3 9 $2M UFA
  43. Devin Shore, ANA LW 25 36 3 9 $2.3M UFA
  44. Rocco Grimaldi, NSH RW 27 55 10 29 $1M UFA
  45. Evgeni Dadonov, FLA RW 30 59 24 43 $4M UFA
  46. Zach Bogosian, BUF RD 29 19 1 5 $5.14M UFA
  47. Josh Manson, ANA RD 28 40 1 6 $4.1M 2
  48. Kyle Turris, NSH C 30 51 9 28 $6M 4
  49. Jeff Petry, MTL RD 32 61 8 35 $5.5M 1
  50. Jesse Puljujarvi, EDM* RW 21 46 18 44 - RFA

*Stats from SM-Liiga