The NHL Trade Deadline is coming up soon on Friday March 3rd and a lot of player movement is expected to happen, especially with big names .

A few big names have already been dealt to new teams like Bo Horvat, Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko with plenty more to still be dealt

I’m going to go over my trade bait board in order of the best players and how likely they are to be moved by the deadline.

 #1 Timo Meier 

Timo Meier currently plays for the San Jose Sharks who have a record of 17-28-11 which is one of the worst in the league and sit 16 points out of a playoff spot. 

Meier was drafted 9th overall in 2015 and is just 26 years old. He has 31 goals and 21 assists in just 56 games this season. 

He is on the last year of his deal so if he were dealt he would likely sign an extension with the trade

He would be a great addition to any contending team for the playoffs as he would add a lot of extra scoring to a team’s top 6.

The teams who I think would be a top contender for him would be New Jersey as they are a young team who will be in playoff contention for the next 10+ years and have a lot of young prospects they could trade for him.

He would be very expensive to get and would likely cost a first round pick, a high end prospect, and more but for a contending team it could help send them over the hump

#2 Jakob Chychrun

Jakob Chychrun is a defenseman for The Arizona Coyotes who sit 15 points out of the playoffs.

He is a high end two way defenseman who would add a huge boost on the blue line for any team that gets him.

This season Chychrun has 28 points in 36 games on a bad Arizona team on defense. He is also on a very cheap contract for what he brings making 4.6 million through the 2024-25 season.

The price to get him will be very high and I think a team that could make the move is Los Angeles as they have high end prospects like 2020 second overall pick, Quinton Byfield or 2021 eighth overall pick, Brandt Clarke.

#3 Erik Karlsson 

Erik Karlsson is a Defenseman for The San Jose Sharks.

At age 32, he is having a renaissance season returning to his once best defenseman form leading all defenseman in goals with 18, and points with 76 in just 58 games.

Some big deterrents of him would be his hefty contract that he is on making 11.5 million dollars for 5 more seasons after this one and is already age 32 with lots of injury history.

But with the season he is having, a team may be willing to go all in and get him and the price would not be unreasonable due to his contract.

A team that I think could go out and make a move for him would be The Edmonton Oilers as they need defensive help and already have the two top point getters in the league to compliment him.

#4 Vladislav Gavrikov

Vladislav Gavrikov is a defenseman for The Columbus Blue Jackets who are tied for the worst team in the NHL.

He is just 27 years old and is only making 2.7 million which is very cheap for what he brings.

He is a very good shutdown defenseman which would help any contending team in the playoffs get over the hump and win it all.

A team that I think could go after him would be The Boston Bruins as they are the best team in the league right now and could possibly break the regular season points record.

If Boston could add Gavrikov then it would be very hard to stop them in the playoffs, but the asking price is very high as he could fetch two first round draft picks.

#5 Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane is a winger for The Chicago Blackhawks and will be a very targeted player at this year’s deadline.

Patrick Kane at age 34 is still putting up good numbers with 45 points in 54 games on a bad Chicago team.

Kane knows how to win as he was the best player on Chicago’s 3 Stanley Cups they won in the early 2010’s. 

He is nearly a point per game player in the playoffs and would be a huge piece for any team in the playoffs but he is on a 10.5 million dollar cap hit so a trade would likely involve multiple teams retaining his cap.

A team I think he could go to is The New York Rangers so he would be reunited with old teammate Artemi Panarin as well as they need to load up as the East is very hard this year.