NHL Trade Block Big Board Entering February 2022

After just one NHL trade took place in January, the turn of the month brings renewed hope of a busy trade deadline. Factors such as a high number of teams with limited salary-cap space and the recent spread of the omicron variant among NHL rosters contributed to this lack of activity.

But now that the schedule has moved into February, general managers could become more inclined to start making moves, with the March 21 deadline less than seven weeks away.

Despite the limited number of transactions in recent weeks, there hasn't been any shortage of rumors involving some notable NHL talent. Some of the names mentioned in recent trade speculation are players who appeared on our January edition, such as Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux was among several new names in the rumor mill during January.

Here are our top 10 trade candidates entering February 2022. Do you agree with our ranking? Feel free to weigh in on this topic in the comments section.

This 15-player list is based on media speculation throughout January 2022. The 10 analyzed are ranked based on their level of talent, trade value and the possibility of being dealt before the March 21 deadline.

There were several changes to our list over the past month. Minnesota Wild winger Kevin Fiala, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl and Los Angeles Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi have dropped off, as there was little mention of them in media trade rumors in recent weeks.

Evander Kane came off the list when he signed a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers after the San Jose Sharks terminated his contract.

Sharks center Tomas Hertl returns to the list, as his name has resurfaced in recent trade conjecture. It's uncertain whether he'll be shopped on deadline day since the Sharks are jockeying for a Western Conference wild-card berth, but his trade status bears monitoring.

The updated list is as follows, in no particular order:

• Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes
• John Klingberg, Dallas Stars
• Jake DeBrusk, Boston Bruins
• Ben Chiarot, Montreal Canadiens
• Marc-Andre Fleury, Chicago Blackhawks
• Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks
• Phil Kessel, Arizona Coyotes
• Joonas Korpisalo, Columbus Blue Jackets
• Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
• Mark Giordano, Seattle Kraken
• Nick Leddy, Detroit Red Wings
• J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks
• Conor Garland, Vancouver Canucks
• Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars
• Reilly Smith, Vegas Golden Knights

With his club tumbling down the Eastern Conference standings, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher could become a seller by the deadline.

As such, the status of team captain Claude Giroux has generated plenty of interest among NHL pundits in the rumor mill.

The 34-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He carries an $8.3 million cap hit for this season, though his actual salary is $4 million after the Flyers paid out his $1 million signing bonus at the start of this season.

He also has a full no-movement clause, but that hasn't stopped suggestions he could waive it to join a contender.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported the Flyers hadn't spoken to other clubs about Giroux and that Fletcher hadn't talked to him about a trade.

Eight days later, LeBrun indicated Giroux's agent informed him he would speak with his client in the next few weeks to discuss his future with Fletcher. That same day, Fletcher said he would leave it up to his captain to decide his fate.

Giroux should garner lots of attention if he waives his movement clause. The versatile, two-way player can play all three forward positions and has 35 points in 41 games this season.

On Jan. 25, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggested he'd be a good addition to the Colorado Avalanche's roster. Given the Avs' limited cap space, however, he felt it could take a three-team deal to make the dollars fit.

The combination of a poor start to the season and trade rumors involving the Minnesota Wild saw J.T. Miller appear at No. 3 on our December trade board.

The 28-year-old center slipped out of our top 10 the following month after a shakeup in the front office, and the coaching staff saw the Vancouver Canucks stabilize and regain ground in the standings.

Miller's reappearance in the rumor mill coincided with the Canucks hiring Patrik Allvin as their new general manager and Emilie Castonguay as assistant GM last month.

During an appearance on Sportsnet 650, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli felt Miller could fetch "a little more than a [first-round pick] and a highly touted prospect," suggesting the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames as suitors.

Given team president Jim Rutherford's history as a wheeler-dealer, it's little wonder there's an assumption he could approve a Miller trade.

However, he and his new management staff aren't under pressure to trade him due to the year remaining on his contract. Much will depend upon where the Canucks are in the standings by March.

The Wild need skilled depth at center, so it's not surprising to see Miller linked to them again. He also started his NHL career with the Rangers, who are well-positioned in terms of cap space and promising young players to make a competitive bid for someone with his skills.

The Bruins and Flames, meanwhile, could use a reliable second-line center.

Speculation abounded following the Vegas Golden Knights' acquisition of Jack Eichel and how they would free up cap space to absorb his $10 million annual salary-cap hit. This led to Reilly Smith making his debut on our trade block big board in December.

With Eichel expected to join the lineup before the end of this season, Smith's trade status could draw more attention before March 21.

The Athletic's Jesse Granger suggested bundling a $5 million forward like Smith, Jonathan Marchessault or Evgenii Dadonov along with backup goalie Laurent Brossoit as a potential package.

While Smith is one of coach Peter DeBoer's most trusted forwards, his unrestricted free agent status this summer could make him the easiest to move.

Furthermore, Smith's reliability as a top-six forward should draw plenty of interest in the trade market.

The Athletic's Arthur Staple suggested him as a trade target for the New York Rangers to address their need for a top-six right winger. The Blueshirts have the cap space to easily absorb his cap hit and depth in promising prospects to offer as trade bait.

Given Smith's lack of no-trade protection, the Golden Knights could ship him anywhere. That could prove useful if they have to move him quickly should Eichel be ready to return to action before deadline day.

A fixture in the NHL rumor mill since the season began, the Arizona Coyotes' Phil Kessel remains among the top-10 on our trade block big board.

The 34-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. While he's not the high scorer he once was, Kessel is among the team leaders with a respectable 28 points in 43 games.

The two-time Stanley Cup winner also has the type of postseason experience that could prove enticing for teams seeking some scoring depth at right wing.

For the return of a draft pick or two, perhaps the Coyotes can be enticed to retain a portion of his $6.8 million cap hit.

The Athletic's Arthur Staple suggested bringing in a rental such as Kessel could help the Rangers improve their depth on the wing. Three days later, Calgary Hockey Now's Steve Macfarlane included Kessel on his list of potential trade targets for the Flames. Sportsnet's Jeff Marek wondered whether the Boston Bruins might bring him back for the postseason.

Kessel will have some say over where he could end up, thanks to his eight-team trade list. However, he might be willing to expand it for an opportunity to skate with a playoff contender for the remainder of this season.

A trade request by Jake DeBrusk on Nov. 29 kept the 25-year-old Boston Bruins winger among our top trade candidates in December and January. Over two months later, however, there's no indication he's any closer to changing teams.

DeBrusk's offensive struggles could account for why he's still in Boston. With seven goals and 15 points in 37 games, he's well off the 40-plus point production of the first two years of his career. 

Boston Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy reported Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy didn't know if DeBrusk was having second thoughts about his trade request.

A week later, Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported the New York Rangers had inquired about DeBrusk. He believes they would like to add a forward before the trade deadline.

DeBrusk is a natural left winger, but the Rangers already have Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin as their top-six left wingers. The Blueshirts could use more scoring punch at right wing, but he might not be a good fit there.

DeBrusk could draw more attention from playoff clubs as the trade deadline nears. His status as a restricted free agent means he wouldn't be a postseason rental, which could be attractive for some teams seeking help beyond this season.

Nevertheless, the limited interest in him thus far sends him sliding down our trade block ranking.

Approaching his club's first NHL trade deadline in franchise history, Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis will likely be in sell mode with his team near the bottom of the standings. 

His most valuable trade chip is captain Mark Giordano, who made his debut on our January trade block rankings.

Francis must build up his first-year franchise's prospect pipeline. If he and Giordano cannot agree on a contract extension, the blueliner could be shopped for a first-round draft pick and a prospect or young NHL-ready player.

The 38-year-old defenseman is slated to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and remains valuable for his puck-moving skills, experience and leadership.

TSN's Salim Valji predicted the Flames could attempt to repatriate Giordano before the deadline. Sportsnet's Eric Francis reported that the blueliner's agent suggested it's a possibility.

However, the Flames might have some competition, as the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers could also be in the market for a top-four left-side defenseman.

Ben Chiarot made his debut among our trade block big board in December. With the Montreal Canadiens stuck at the bottom of the overall standings, the 31-year-old defenseman remains a fixture in the rumor mill.

Though the March trade deadline is weeks away, he will be a valuable trade chip for the Canadiens.

Chiarot is a big, physical left-side defenseman who can log big minutes and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

While he has a 10-team no-trade clause, his $3.5 million cap hit makes him a very affordable target for clubs seeking an experienced stay-at-home rental blueliner for the playoffs.

Florida Hockey Now's George Richards reported that Chiarot could be on the Panthers' list of potential blue-line trade targets. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggested the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs could also be among the suitors.

The Canadiens could seek a quality return if they put Chiarot on the block before the trade deadline. The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun indicated they hoped to land a first-round pick based on his solid play during their underdog run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

Playoff contenders needing help between the pipes will likely contact the Chicago Blackhawks about Marc-Andre Fleury.

One of them may have already done so. During an appearance on The Daily Faceoff Show, Samantha Pell of The Washington Post said she believes the Capitals are interested in the 37-year-old goaltender.

Following a shaky start to this season, Fleury has regained the form that earned him his first Vezina Trophy last year. In his past 23 games, he sports a record of 13 wins, seven losses and three overtime losses and has recorded a solid .919 save percentage.

Factor in his three Stanley Cup rings, and he'll be enticing to any club seeking a proven postseason netminder.

The Athletic's Scott Powers cited two league sources suggesting Fleury could fetch the Blackhawks a first-round pick. That would enable them to offset the potential loss of their own first-rounder in this year's draft as part of the package they shipped to the Columbus Blue Jackets last season to acquire Seth Jones.

Fleury's contract, however, remains a sticking point. He carries a $7 million cap hit this season, plus a 10-team no-trade clause. Cap-strapped teams like the Capitals will have to shed salary or perhaps attempt to get a third team involved to broker the deal and spread his cap hit around.

The top player on our January trade board, Jakob Chychrun, remains a hot topic of media trade chatter entering February.

While it's thought there is considerable interest in the 23-year-old defenseman, the three years remaining on his contract allow the Arizona Coyotes to be patient, even if it means waiting until the offseason for a team to meet their asking price.

It was originally believed the Coyotes sought an offer comparable to the return the Buffalo Sabres received in the Jack Eichel trade: a good, young NHL player, a top prospect and two draft picks, including a first-rounder.

However, Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported that they wanted "a young player, a high-end prospect plus a first-round pick."

Two weeks later, Marek indicated the Coyotes had received an offer that met their asking price but didn't indicate who it was from. He also listed the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers among the suitors.

Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong could be using that offer as leverage in discussions with other clubs who've expressed an interest in Chychrun, hoping to land a better proposal. Time will tell if such an offer arrives before deadline day.

John Klingberg made his debut on our NHL trade board in December in part because of his status as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

However, the reports last month of the 29-year-old defenseman's unhappiness over his stalled contract talks with the Dallas Stars combined with increasing speculation he'll be shopped before the trade deadline puts him into the top spot on our February board.

A talented puck-moving defenseman, Klingberg is in the final season of a seven-year deal with an annual average value of $4.3 million. 

Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported Klingberg seeks an eight-year deal in the range of $62 million-66 million. A week later, he indicated the Stars are stepping up efforts to trade him.

The Stars have $57.2 million committed to 13 players for 2022-23, with $17.9 million tied up in defensemen Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell and Ryan Suter. They appear reluctant to invest $7.9 million annually in a defenseman who turns 30 on Aug. 14.

Klingberg's offensive skills and experience should make him an enticing rental option for postseason contenders looking to shore up their blue line for the playoffs.

Back in November, Marek reported the Carolina Hurricanes expressed interest in the Stars rearguard. Florida Hockey Now's George Richards included Klingberg in his list of possible Panthers trade targets.

Interested teams should expect to pay an expensive asking price. The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun speculated Klingberg could fetch a first-round pick, a prospect and perhaps another pick for the Stars.

Stats (as of Jan. 30, 2022) via NHL.com with salary info via CapFriendly.