March 2 is the official date for the NHL Trade Deadline, but there will most likely be trades occurring before then. There are many rumors buzzing around, a lot of them provided by fans, a lot of them speculative, and it's the time of year where every team that has any chance at getting into the playoffs hopes to acquire some talent for the playoff stretch run. While there will more than likely be a number of trades this January, February, and March, there are a few big names to look out for. If they don't get moved now, they could get moved during the offseason, or if they are free agents, they will sign elsewhere. Here are a few of the big name players that could potentially be on the move based on contract, teams status (playoff contender, no chance at making playoffs) and value.
1. Keith Yandle (Arizona)
Arizona is in sell mode this season as they are almost certainly not going to the playoffs. While anyone on Phoenix could get traded (in particular, Erat) Yandle is their most valuable asset, and he has been rumored to be on the block for a couple of years now. A couple of possible fits include Detroit, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and others.
2. Tyler Myers (Buffalo)
Tyler Myers has been connected to many teams since the offseason, most notably the Detroit Red Wings, who appeared close to a deal before the season started but backed off. Myers is a young, physical, right-handed defenseman, and any team could use him for the playoff run. Buffalo seems to be the only team that can't. A couple of possible fits include Detroit, San Jose, Winnipeg, Calgary, and others.
3. Martin Erat (Arizona)
Martin Erat could be the next big name traded this season as Arizona is shopping him heavily. He may not take that much to acquire and could be productive on a playoff contender out west in particular. Possible fits for Erat include Pittsburgh, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, LA Kings, and others.
4. Ryan O'Reilly (Colorado)
O'Reilly has been rumored to be on the block for some time as well. Colorado really likes their young core, and they are most likely to trade him if they get young talent back. Montreal, Washington, and Winnipeg all seem to be a good fit for him.
5. Jaromir Jagr (New Jersey)
Once again Jagr's name comes up in Trade Deadline talk. Don't be surprised to see him traded yet again, in what could be his final season. Many teams would love to have his experience for the Cup run, and he could prove to be this years Jarome Iginla minus the Boston/Pittsburgh issue. Coincidentally, Boston and Pittsburgh as well as the Rangers, Red Wings and possibly the Islanders also make sense. It seems unlikely he will be traded out west due to the rather physical nature.
6. Andrej Sekera (Carolina)
Sekera is supposed to meet with Carolina to renegotiate a contract, and while something could get done between now and the next month, if it doesn't, the Hurricanes will try to ship him off if they can get a good offer as they could be ruled out of playoff contention already for this season. Possible fits include Calgary, Dallas, and Pittsburgh.
7. Any team's 1st Round Draft choice.
Every year it seems like a first round draft choice gets moved in a deal of some sort. While it is hard to predict what teams might trade their draft choice, any team that has over 50 points by the time the All Star break is over will most likely at least consider the option of trading it away for talent to help their postseason run, particularly more so in the West where the race is much tighter and could go to a lot of different teams.
There are also some teams who have talked about moving more than one or two of their players. These teams include the Oilers, who have been rumored to give up Yakupov, Eberle, defenseman, and almost anyone else on their roster. The only person not rumored at this point is Hall. The Maple Leafs also fit that area as well. Kessel, Phaneuf, Kadri, and Clarkston have all been brought up in rumors, and the only true no-trade candidate is Morgan Reilly. Arizona could trade more than Erat or Yandle as well, as they are looking towards the future and could look to deal their talent as rentals. Ottawa is another team that could be looking to make multiple deals this winter.
Overall, it's hard to say exactly who goes where, and a lot more rumors, names, and trades will happen before we finally get to March 2nd. The Dubnyk and Perron trades are only the beginning of what appears to be a busy trade season.