Monday marks exactly one month until the NHL trade deadline.
Based on the current standings divide - clear haves and have-nots - and the latest buzz from the rumor mill, the leadup to March 21 should be thrilling.
The first domino to fall was forward Tyler Toffoli being sent from Montreal to Calgary last week. The Flames got ahead of the curve. Who's next? And where could some notable names ultimately end up?
Here are the best fits for trade season's most high-profile players:
Claude Giroux
Giroux, the 34-year-old captain and leading scorer for the Philadelphia Flyers, is the crown jewel of trade season. However, due to a couple of factors, the list of teams seriously in the running for Giroux shouldn't be long.
First of all, Giroux has a full no-move clause in his contract, meaning he and his agent - not the Flyers - are setting the tone for trade negotiations. Secondly, since the pending unrestricted free agent makes $8.275 million against the cap, salary retention by the Flyers and/or a third team appears necessary, as every contender is at or close to the $81.5-million upper limit.
Giroux's no longer in his prime but still quite productive with 38 points in 46 games. He's a two-way forward who can line up at center or wing and provide some value on special teams. His leadership qualities are a cherry on top.
The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers are reportedly among the interested teams. And while the high-octane Avs certainly aren't desperate for firepower up front - Giroux or otherwise - there's absolutely no better landing spot than Colorado for a veteran chasing his first Stanley Cup.
General manager Joe Sakic is unsurprisingly all-in on the 36-9-4 Avs, and he has enough good but expendable NHLers, prospects, and draft picks at his disposal to pull off a trade of this magnitude. In other words, if Sakic can find a way to make the money work, acquiring Giroux shouldn't be terribly difficult.
Plan B for clubs on the hunt for a high-impact rental forward? San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl - though his situation is complicated as well.
Hertl, who's recorded 40 points in 49 games, has a modified no-trade clause centered around a three-team "trade list," according to CapFriendly. That could shrink the market significantly. Also, there's a non-zero chance he re-signs with the Sharks before the deadline. That said, Hertl's name is in the rumor mill, and the Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins are two obvious fits.
Phil Kessel's stock may have dropped over the past few months, but he remains another name to watch. The rebuilding Arizona Coyotes are highly motivated to flip their pending UFAs, and Kessel has a track record of playoff success. His destination will likely depend on the fates of Giroux and Hertl.
The wild card is Joe Pavelski. If his Dallas Stars opt to sell - which, given the team's rollercoaster season, is probably a 50/50 bet - there'll be no shortage of interest in Pavelski. The point-per-game contributor is well-respected, wildly competitive, and clutch in the playoffs.
J.T. Miller
The high amount of turnover in NHL front offices (six new GMs or interim GMs over the past calendar year) seems to have led to a more robust market than usual for notable forwards under team control beyond the current season.
For instance, the Vancouver Canucks' revamped front office is still getting its sea legs, yet changes to the roster are undoubtedly coming. The question is, when does the wheeling and dealing start? As soon as possible? Before or at the draft?
Miller, whose cap hit is a palatable $5.25 million this year and next, has been tied to the New York Rangers, his former club, for a while. The speedy and versatile forward would also look fantastic on a pace-pushing contender, like the Avs, Panthers, or Carolina Hurricanes. Or perhaps Miller stays put, and management instead ships out Brock Boeser (pending restricted free agent in the rumor mill) and/or Conor Garland (current deal runs through 2025-26).
Montreal's Artturi Lehkonen, Arizona's Lawson Crouse, and Detroit's Filip Zadina are three other RFA forwards believed to be on the trade block.
Lehkonen and his $2.3-million AAV counts as the most desirable for contending clubs. A defensively minded winger on pace for career highs in assists and points, Lehkonen could provide a tidy upgrade in the bottom-six.
John Klingberg
Klingberg, a pending UFA, is the biggest name on the defensemen market.
The puck-moving Swede asked for a trade out of Dallas earlier this season, and his agent has been in contact with interested teams. Ultimately, though, the Stars hold all of the power, and, similar to the Pavelski situation, there's no guarantee Klingberg gets moved because Dallas is pushing for a playoff spot.
Klingberg hasn't done himself or the Stars any favors this season, playing poorly under the spotlight. Nevertheless, he's a skillful top-four D-man attached to a decent AAV of $4.25 million. The Hurricanes are a logical fit. Carolina doesn't have the cap space right now, so it'll require Dallas or a third team to eat 50% of Klingberg's salary before trade talks can really intensify.
Backups for those who strike out on Klingberg include Seattle's Mark Giordano, Montreal's Ben Chiarot, and Philadelphia's Justin Braun. Over the weekend, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Ilya Lyubushkin for blue-line depth, but they've also, at some point or another, been linked to all three names listed above. Braun, a cheap and trusty righty, would be a smart pickup for Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, who should continue improving his squad.
Jakob Chychrun
The huge gap between the NHL's very best and very worst teams seems to have opened the door for a few deadline deals involving non-rental D-men.
Despite being only 23 years old, Chychrun is in his sixth NHL season and has all of the tools to be a team's No. 1 guy on the back end. He showed as much last year, leading all defensemen in goals with 18 in 56 games while keeping the talent-deprived Coyotes afloat in other areas of the ice. He's a bonafide stud.
Chychrun has taken a step back this season - much like every Coyote, to be fair - but the combination of his ceiling and friendly contract ($4.6-million AAV for three years after 2021-22) should attract offers from 90% of the league. Not unlike the situation with Miller and the Canucks, however, there's no rush to trade Chychrun. The Coyotes could even wait until the offseason.
Montreal's Jeff Petry ($6.25 million through 2024-25) and the New York Islanders' Scott Mayfield ($1.45 million through 2022-23) are other notables with term on their deals. Petry's season has been disastrous, and his AAV would be a tough pill to swallow for a contender. So teams shopping for a D-man (Carolina, Toronto, Boston, Florida, St. Louis) will likely target the sturdy Mayfield.
Marc-Andre Fleury
It's rare for a starting goalie to be moved at the deadline, but the circumstances might be just right for a swap involving the 37-year-old Fleury.
The reigning Vezina Trophy winner is motivated to chase a fourth Cup in what could be his final NHL season. And if the Chicago Blackhawks and/or a basement dweller like Seattle, Arizona, or Buffalo can retain a portion of Fleury's expiring contract ($7-million AAV), there's a deal to be made.
The Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and Washington Capitals - all of whom are currently in a playoff spot - need help in goal. In Vegas, a recent injury to Robin Lehner led to speculation of a potential Fleury-Vegas reunion, though GM Kelly McCrimmon shot down the rumor. That's not to say Fleury won't end up back in Golden Knights threads; if Lehner is out long term, and Fleury can mend his relationship with management, why not?
Meanwhile, Edmonton could theoretically keep their current goaltending tandem intact, but it simply can't afford to throw away another year with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Fleury would give the Oilers a better chance at a deep playoff run than Mike Smith. They need his stability.
Detroit's Thomas Greiss, Dallas' Braden Holtby, Columbus' Joonas Korpisalo, and Vancouver's Jaroslav Halak round out the group of intriguing UFA goalies.
John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).
