With the trade deadline getting closer and closer, teams are now starting to be more alert and are throwing out names of players that are available for a trade. Last discussion, many minor names were thrown out into the list, but now more major name have been thrown out there and pose as some serious trades that will highly benefit a team on both ends.
To start off, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson has officially requested a trade. Only registering 2 goals, 5 assists, and 7 points overall in 46 games, it’s clear that the 31 year-old needs a change to spark his game. Where he’ll end up is unknown as no teams have come out showing any interest.
The next and fairly recent is the Edmonton Oilers are rumored to be shopping forward Patrick Maroon. The pending unrestricted free agent has 11 goals on the season and 24 points overall. He currently holds a cap hit of 2 million with 500,000 of that cap retained by the Anaheim Ducks.
Another interesting move from the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning was putting forward J.T. Brown on waivers, to which he was then claimed by the Anaheim Ducks. This resulted in Anaheim placing Logan Shaw on waivers to make room for Brown. Shaw was then claimed by the Montreal Canadiens.
One of the more news-breaking trades that occurred earlier this week was the Arizona Coyotes traded forward Anthony Duclair and defenseman Adam Clendening to the Chicago Blackhawks for forwards Richard Panik and Laurent Dauphin. This move was made just shortly after Duclair requested a trade out of the desert.
Now more on the big names thrown out into the trade block. The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they want a 1st round pick, a prospect, and a conditional pick for the star forward Evander Kane. Kane currently leads the Sabres with 16 goals on the season, and the Sabres want to get something back for him before he becomes a free agent. It is rumored that the Pittsburgh Penguins are interested, but no further rumors have surfaced.
The Arizona Coyotes have now officially set an asking price for their star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes want two-top flight players and a first-tound pick as well. They are also shopping Niklas Hjalmarsson who has been in and out of the lineup for multiple times this season.
The Chicago Blackhawks placed Cody Franson on waivers as well. The defenseman has 1 goal and 7 points overall this season and having some trouble finding his game in the Windy City. Nobody claimed him so he was sent to the AHL affiliate of the Blackhawks.
Calgary Flames forward Jaromir Jagr was allowed to talk to other teams, but the 45 year-old winger may see his hockey days come to an end as he just can’t keep up with the fast-paced game and fast players.
Lastly the San Jose Sharks are shopping defenseman Paul Martin who has been injured for most of the season as he has only played 3 games this entire season.
Where will the players end up and at what cost?
