As arguably the best Division in the NHL, the Central is packed full of trade deadline buyers. No Division has generated trade buzz quite like this one. Expect the Predators, Stars and Blues to be three of the busiest buyers, while the Jets are a seller worth keeping an eye on.
Check out our other trade deadline previews: Atlantic Division / Metro Division / Pacific Division
Deadline status: Buyer
The 'Hawks don't have a ton of cap space, but go into the deadline hoping to upgrade on the wings and on defense.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Travis Hamonic - D - NYI - UFA in 2020
Jonathan Drouin - W - TB - ELC
Jeff Skinner - W - CAR - UFA in 2019
Kris Versteeg - W - CAR - Pending UFA
Shawn Matthias - C - TOR - Pending UFA
Nikita Nikitin - D - EDM - Pending UFA
Bryan Bickell - W - UFA in 2017 - The Blackhawks have tried to get someone to take Bickell on waivers to no such luck. If the Blackhawks manage to trade him, it will be in a salary in salary out transaction. The Panthers, Coyotes, Bruins and Oilers have investigated the possibility.
Darkhorse trade candidates:
Andrew Shaw - W - Pending RFA - Shaw's name came up in rumours during the summer. The Hawks would like to keep the gritty utility knife, but it will depend on the price of the pending RFA.
Deadline status: To be determined
Are the Avs all in again this year? A rough start put them behind the eightball, but the team has slowly climbed out of it. They will likely fight until the end, making them a probable buyer.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Nikita Nikitin - D - EDM - Pending UFA
Travis Hamonic - D - NYI - UFA in 2020
Jake Gardiner - D - TOR - UFA in 2019
Jake Gardiner - D - TOR - UFA in 2019
Alex Tanguay - W - Pending UFA - The veteran winger has had a bit of a disappointing year. If the Avs are out of it, Tanguay will probably be shipped away.
Reto Berra - G - UFA in 2017 - With the ascendancy of young netminder Calvin Pickard, Berra looks like the odd man out here. Not likely to have many takers given the extra year on his deal.
Tyson Barrie - D - Pending RFA - The Avs aren't sure if they can, or want to, commit to Barrie long term. He will be looking for big bucks. If this trade happens, it's probably done in the offseason.
Matt Duchene - C - UFA in 2019 - Bizarre but credible trade rumours surrounding Duchene emerged earlier in the season, but since then Duchene has been on an absolute tear. It's hard to see why the Avs would trade Duchene, or how they would replace him if he left.
Semyon Varlamov - G - UFA in 2019 - Varlamov has somehow found his way into the rumour mill. If he were shopped, plenty would be interested.
Jarome Iginla - W - UFA in 2017 - The veteran winger has stated his desire to remain in Colorado for family reasons, although if the Avs fell out of the playoff mix and the right opportunity presented itself, maybe he changes his mind.
DALLAS STARS
Deadline status: Buyer
The Stars enter the trade season with the twin goals of bolstering their blueline and wings.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Radim Vrbata - W - VAN - Pending UFA
Alex Edler - D - VAN - UFA in 2019
Dan Hamhuis - D - VAN - Pending UFA
Joffrey Lupul - W - TOR - UFA in 2018
Valeri Nichushkin - W - ELC - Nichushkin hasn't developed quite as quickly as the Stars had hoped, and he's getting a reputation as being a little bit injury prone. Nonetheless, the expectation is that he will be an elite scorer in this league one day. The Stars aren't actively shopping him, but they may offer him up to add a big piece on the blueline.
Julius Honka - D - ELC - Honka's name has surfaced in recent weeks as a player who could be packaged in a blockbuster. He's highly regarded around the league and would fetch a great return from a rebuilding team.
Patrik Nemeth - D - RFA in 2017 - The Stars see their young defense core as a position of strength from which they can deal. He only moves if the Stars are going after a big fish.
Jamie Oleksiak - D - Pending RFA - Oleksiak has come up now and then in trade rumours. He'd only be moved in a bigger deal, like Nemeth.
Jyrki Jokipakka - D - RFA in 2017 - Same story with Jokipaka. One of these three defensemen could be shipped out for something that helps Dallas now.
Deadline status: Buyer
The Wild are limping their way towards the deadline, and will be on the hunt for elite scoring. Look for them to dangle defensemen and picks to make it happen.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Eric Staal - C - CAR - Pending UFA
Jonathan Drouin - W - TB - ELC
Travis Hamonic - D - NYI - UFA in 2020
Wild rumoured to be in play:Jonas Brodin - D - UFA in 2021 - Brodin is believed to have been offered to the Islanders for Travis Hamonic.
Marco Scandella - D - UFA in 2020 - Scandella's name has come up here and there, and did so again in Travis Hamonic rumours.
Niklas Backstrom - G - Pending UFA (NTC) - The Wild have been waiting ages to get Backstrom off their books. Now that he's a pending UFA, he could move in a cap dump transaction.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Deadline status: Buyer
The Predators are going hard after scoring help on the wings this deadline.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Andrew Ladd - W - WPG - Pending UFA
Jonathan Drouin - W - TB - ELC
Patrick Marleau - W - SJ - UFA in 2017
Radim Vrbata - W - VAN - Pending UFA
Predators rumoured to be in play:
Colin Wilson - W - UFA in 2019 - Wilson's name has come up in blockbuster trade rumours this season. He's not moving unless it's a classic hockey deal.
Darkhorse trade candidates:
Ryan Ellis - D - UFA in 2019 - Ellis' name has constantly been thrown out there as a potential trade chip. And he was part of the Johansen trade discussion. But with Seth Jones being traded, Ellis takes a larger role on this team and probably stays put for now.Deadline status: Buyer
The Blues are searching for an upgrade on the wings, and seem to be dangling their defensemen and prospects to do so. The injury to Alex Pietrangelo might change those plans, as it forces rumoured trade bait Kevin Shattenkirk and Carl Gunnarsson into bigger roles.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Jonathan Drouin - W - TB - ELC
Andrew Ladd - W - WPG - Pending UFA
Brayden Schenn - W - PHI - Pending RFA
Blues rumoured to be in play:Kevin Shattenkirk - D - RFA in 2017 - Shattenkirk has been in rumours since the summer. The Bruins, Blue Jackets, Rangers, Oilers, Leafs and Flyers have all been rumoured to have interest. With Alex Pietrangelo going down to injury, this deal might get pushed to the offseason.
Carl Gunnarsson - D - Pending UFA - Gunnarsson is being dangled for help on the wing. The Flyers are among those connected to Gunnarsson.
Robby Fabbri - W - ELC - Offered in a deal for Tampa's Jonathan Drouin. Hard to see him going unless it's for another elite young player.
Ty Rattie - W - ELC - Rattie has bounced between the AHL and NHL for a few seasons now. The Blues have been dangling him dating back to last year's deadline.
Jake Walman - D - ELC - The highly touted college prospect's name is believed to have come up in Drouin trade talks.
Brian Elliott - G - UFA in 2017 - It's a longshot at best that Elliott gets moved in season, but rumours that he might be moved emerged last summer. This should be a deal that happens this upcoming offseason.
David Backes - C - Pending UFA - Rumblings of Backes being shopped emerged in the summer, and again early in the season. Where there's smoke, there's fire. Still, it's a longshot the Blues deal him before the offseason.
David Backes - C - Pending UFA - Rumblings of Backes being shopped emerged in the summer, and again early in the season. Where there's smoke, there's fire. Still, it's a longshot the Blues deal him before the offseason.
WINNIPEG JETS
Deadline status: Seller
It's not easy making the playoffs when you play in the Central Division. The Jets find themselves on the outside looking in, and have some tough choices to make on pending UFAs and RFAs.
Rumoured to have interest in:
Travis Hamonic - D - NYI - UFA in 2020 - If Hamonic had his way, he would be a Jet by now. Hamonic requested a trade from the Islanders to a team near his home in Manitoba for personal reasons.
Andrew Ladd - W - Pending UFA - Talks between Ladd and the Jets have broken off. The Panthers, Blackhawks, Penguins, Blues and Senators are among the many teams interested.
Tobias Enstrom - D - UFA in 2018 - Has seen his role diminished over the last few seasons. The Penguins are amongst the teams rumoured to have interest.
Jacob Trouba - D - Pending RFA - Trouba is expecting to cash in as an RFA, and the Jets are considering whether they can meet those demands. Some believe Trouba could be shipped off as a result of the Byfuglien resigning. The Islanders and Oilers are keenly watching to see what Winnipeg does with their defense at the deadline.
Grant Clitsome - D - Pending UFA
Adam Pardy - D - Pending UFA
Jay Harrison - D - Pending UFA
Tyler Myers - D - UFA in 2019 - Acquired just last season in the Evander Kane deal, Myers has become an important part of Winnipeg's defense core. However, his name has come up in blockbuster trade rumours. The Islanders would look at Myers in a Hamonic trade.
Josh Morrissey - D - ELC - Morrissey is patiently waiting for his chance to crack the NHL lineup. What happens with Winnipeg's defense this offseason could determine whether he makes the jump or gets shipped out. Has surfaced in the odd blockbuster trade rumour.
Josh Morrissey - D - ELC - Morrissey is patiently waiting for his chance to crack the NHL lineup. What happens with Winnipeg's defense this offseason could determine whether he makes the jump or gets shipped out. Has surfaced in the odd blockbuster trade rumour.
Check out our other trade deadline previews: Atlantic Division / Metro Division / Pacific Division
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