NHL Trade Deadline 2017: Trade Bait List for Top Available Players

By Fansided and Santagata JJ/FanSided via Puck Prose
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NHL Trade Deadline: Welcome to our Puck Prose Trade Bait List Ahead of the March 1st Deadline.  A Number of Quality Players are Rumored to be Available, Including Avs F Matt Duchene, Coyotes F Martin Hanzal, Blues D Kevin Shattenkirk, and Many More!

Welcome to our Puck Prose trade bait list ahead of the March 1st NHL Trade Deadline.  The annual event is one of the more exciting dates on the schedule that fans look forward to.  With almost 70 percent of the season completed, it’s the last opportunity for teams to make last-minute moves heading into the stretch run.

In recent years, the NHL Trade Deadline has lost some of its luster due to the evolution of the salary cap.  A day that once saw upwards of 50 players switching uniforms, we’re now lucky to see about half of that.  And most of the time, the majority of those players are minor-leaguers anyways.  Still, this year has a different feel.  We’re seeing a ton of parity in 2016-17 which leaves us with fewer sellers.  Yet, we’ve also got an expansion draft around the corner and if teams don’t make those moves now, they leave themselves at the mercy of other GMs following the playoffs as they scramble to get something before losing a player for nothing.

NHL Trade Deadline 2017: Trade Bait List

Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues

The 27-year-old defenseman is being highly talked leading into the NHL trade deadline. With a cap hit of $4.25 million, the Blues defender holds a lot of upside for NHL clubs out there. A few teams have inquired about Shattenkirk, one being the New Jersey Devils, who got the ball rolling on Shattenkirk but nothing has circumference yet.

Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche

NHL Trade Deadline: Feb 7, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) during the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

26-year-old with a cap of hit $6 million holds a great deal of exchange. Any team looking to snag Duchene has to be willing to move high-end prospects and draft picks. Joe Sakic has announced he’s “keeping his card close to his chest” Sakic is not completely out of the discussion of moving Duchene but he’s waiting for the right deal. Montreal has inquired about Duchene and Ottawa has officially dropped out of the talk.

Martin Hanzal, Arizona Coyotes

29-year-old forward has seen a lot of interest drawn to him. Anyone looking for a low-risk buy for a veteran forward, Hanzal is their best bet. Hanzal has been inquired about by several teams for quite a few weeks now, but it’s all speculation as of now.  Montreal has been often linked to the Czech center.

Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche

24-year-old forward who has had a rough 2016-2017 campaign is another player on the hot seat in Colorado. Colorado has expressed interest in moving both Duchene and Landeskog. The Avs captain is another player that would garner a high return.

Thomas Vanek, Detroit Red Wings

32-year-old veteran forward out of Detroit becomes a UFA at the end of the year. Any team looking for a veteran, rental player for the playoffs would be in the realm of talking to Detroit about Vanek.

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    Curtis Lazar, Ottawa Senators

    21-year-old forward out of Ottawa is being thrown into the trade talk as of late. Ottawa has not seen the progress they were hoping for in the young forward. Due to some other key pieces and rookies stepping in, Lazar could be on the move come NHL trade deadline time.

    Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes

    21-year-old forward from Arizona who’s been in out of the lineup since November, and just has not caught fire this year. Leaves Duclair on his way out of Arizona, a player with plenty of speed and potential could be a gamble for some NHL clubs out there.

    Patrick Sharp, Dallas Stars

    35-year-old forward out of Dallas becomes a UFA at the end of the season. Dallas is having a down year, with some major goalie controversies leaves this Dallas management in a bit of a hole. Sharp is 35 and could be a good rental player for some NHL clubs making a playoff run, due to his playoff experience with Chicago.

    Others Potentially on the Trade Block

    F Patrick Eaves, Dallas Stars (55gp 21g 14a 35pts)
    D Michael Stone, Arizona Coyotes (43gp 1g 8a 9pts)
    F Radim Vrbata, Arizona Coyotes (55gp 11g 27a 38pts)
    F Shane Doan, Arizona Coyotes (55gp 5g 14a 19pts)
    G Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (29gp 3.17GAA .904 save percentage)
    G Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning (30gp 2.63GAA .910 save percentage)
    F Patrik Berglund, St. Louis Blues (57gp 17g 7a 24pts)
    F Mathieu Perreault, Winnipeg Jets (42gp 4g 13a 17pts)
    F Drew Stafford, Winnipeg Jets (38gp 4g 8a 12pts)
    G Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets (8gp 3.55GAA .888 save percentage)
    F Evander Kane, Buffalo Sabres (45gp 18g 10a 28pts)
    F Jarome Iginla, Colorado Avalanche (54gp 7g 8a 15pts)
    F Alex Burrows, Vancouver Canucks (51gp 9g 11a 20pts)
    G Jaroslav Halak, New York Islanders (21gp 3.23GAA .904 save percentage)