The NHL trade deadline arrives Friday, and experienced defensemen could be valuable trade chips.
Some of the blueliners who surfaced in NHL trade speculation are shutdown players, while others are puck-movers or more on the offensive side. Each type will likely be in demand.
Here are 10 blueliners who could be on the move, with some likelier to be traded than others.
David Savard, Montreal Canadiens
Savard is a right-shot D-man who is going to be a UFA at the end of this season. His $3.5-million salary is relatively affordable, and his average ice time of 17:43 means he can slot in as a second-or-third-pair defenseman. Savard isn’t a perfect blueliner – if you’re looking for offense from him, you should think again, as he has just 12 points this season – but on the right team, he’d be a valuable addition.
Luke Schenn, Nashville Predators
The 35-year-old Schenn is well-travelled, but that’s because many teams covet his skill set as a physical D-man. He’s still got another season at $2.75 million, so he’s not a pure rental. But as a third-pair blueliner averaging 15:32 of ice time on the Predators, Schenn could shore up a contending team’s depth on the back end. He’s also not likely to cost that much in any trade.
Could The Schenn Brothers Be Reunited Ahead Of The NHL Trade Deadline? However, Brayden and Luke Schenn experienced that before with the Philadelphia Flyers, and they could be teammates again before the March 7 trade deadline.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Ristolainen’s got two more years under contract at $5.1 million per season, but if teams are looking for a big-bodied, physical defenseman, he could be the best option on the trade block. The 30-year-old Finn is somewhat of an injury risk, but he’s been healthy this season, and he’s also a valuable right-shot D-man.
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Brian Dumoulin, Anaheim Ducks
He’s far from the sexiest pick among available defensemen, but Dumoulin is a 6-foot-4, no-nonsense D-man who’s averaged 19:49 of ice time on the Ducks. He’s a pure rental for this season, and his $3.15-million salary makes him a cost-effective solution for teams seeking help on the back end. Dumoulin is a left-shot blueliner, but he’s going to get attention from teams that lose out on players higher on this list.
Connor Murphy, Chicago Blackhawks
Murphy is one of the pricier options on this list, with a $4.4-million cap hit that runs through the 2025-26 season. But he’s a right-shot D-man who’s averaging 20:47 on a terrible Hawks team that just traded Seth Jones, and a change of employer might bring the best out of Murphy’s game. At 31 years old, he’s in his prime, and his 6-foot-4 frame makes him an imposing presence.
Carson Soucy, Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks’ addition of defenseman Marcus Pettersson has made Soucy the odd man out with the Canucks. But he’s 30 years old, he’s 6-foot-5, and he’s under contract for another season after this one at a ticket of $3.25 million. Soucy has averaged 18:24 of ice time this season, so he’s capable of stepping in as a second- or third-pair blueliner. And the Canucks shouldn’t be asking the world for his services.
Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks
There’s likely to be a healthy market for Ferraro, who is only 26 years old and signed through next season at a $3.25-million cap hit. Ferraro is a solid shot-blocking D-man averaging 20:55 per game. But the Sharks aren’t going to give him up without a high price tag. San Jose GM Mike Grier can sit back and keep Ferraro through the rest of this season if his asking price isn’t met.
Matt Grzelcyk, Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins will be cleaning house with many of their veterans, Grzelcyk included. He’s on a one-year contract with a $2.75-million cap hit, so he could be a consolation prize for teams that won’t meet high asking prices for other D-men on this list. Grzelcyk already has a career high of 29 assists and 30 points this season, and he’s had success on Pittsburgh’s power play, so he could help teams seeking a boost of offense on the back end. But the Pens don’t have much leverage in trade talks, so a decent draft pick should be enough to pry him away from Pittsburgh.
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins
Karlsson is low on this list because the $10 million Pittsburgh carries of his cap hit will be a non-starter for cap-strapped teams. Still, the way Karlsson thrived at the 4 Nations Face-Off makes him an enticing possibility for teams that are looking for a veteran offense-minded powerhouse. The Penguins may need a third team to make the money work in any Karlsson deal, but stranger things have happened than Karlsson being moved. He also has a full no-movement clause, so he can pick his destination.
Report: Penguins Erik Karlsson Prepared To ‘Take A Stance’ On No-Movement Clause There has been a lot of trade speculation regarding Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres
Ideally, Byram would be part of the long-term picture for the Sabres. But the 23-year-old will be an RFA at season’s end, and he will get a major raise on his current salary of $3.85 million. He’s not even close to his prime, and the Sabres would be demanding a high price of NHL needle-movers to part ways with him. But in a lost season for Buffalo, the Sabres are duty-bound to listen to any considerable offer for many of their players, Byram included. He’s a workhorse averaging 23:09 of ice time this season, meaning he can be a top-four D-man in many markets. If teams want to step up and take a big swing, Byram may be the best option available.
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