Detroit's Filip Zadina joins the latest trade-deadline target list

1. Claude Giroux
Center / Wing, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 34
Contract: Pending UFA, $8.275 million AAV

Last Rank: 1st
Scoop: It feels like a matter of where and when, not "if," now for Giroux, who holds the cards with a full no-move clause. All involved seem resigned to the fact that his impressive tenure in Philadelphia is nearing a conclusion. Will he make it to his 1,000th game as a Flyer on March 17 against Nashville? The Flyers are working with Giroux’s representation, Pat Brisson of CAA Sports, to help find a spot to chase Lord Stanley this season. Colorado has reportedly been interested; St. Louis is trying to convince him to waive to play there. Given his versatility at either the center or wing position, clockwork-like production and intangibles and there is a reason why Giroux is No. 1 on the Trade Target board: He is the best player available at the deadline who is almost assuredly going to be on the move.

2. Tomas Hertl
Center, San Jose Sharks
Age: 28
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.625 million AAV

Last Rank: 3rd
Scoop: This week is believed to be the one where the rubber meets the road for Hertl and San Jose. Will the Sharks, who say they want to keep him, pony up with the term and dollars required? The rest of the NHL is not convinced. And frankly, Hertl didn’t sound as convincing that he actually wanted to remain in the Bay Area when he was recently asked. He’s having a fantastic season, still on pace for 33 goals, but he’s gone the last 10 consecutive games without one — which is about when this became a real topic of conversation in the public sphere. Hertl would provide a significant return for the Sharks’ future, a necessary component for a team en route to a third straight season in lottery territory.

3. Brandon Hagel
Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 23
Contract: Two more seasons, $1.5 million AAV

Last Rank: 4th
Scoop: Newly named GM Kyle Davidson did not mince words when he said at Tuesday’s introductory press conference that the Blackhawks are going to rebuild. What’s the best way to do that? Acquire as much draft capital as possible. If you’re looking for this year’s version of a Blake Coleman or Barclay Goodrow addition, look no further than Hagel, who has generated significant interest in Chicago. He recently whet everyone’s appetite with a hat trick against New Jersey, one of the teams that has been interested in him. Hagel has an outside shot at 30 goals this season. But it’s his contract and cost certainty that’s making teams drool. He is in first-round pick plus top-prospect territory, which is understandable given the contract, his production and style of play. Provided that Davidson’s price is met, he’s a good bet to move.

4. Ben Chiarot
Left Defense, Montreal Canadiens
Age: 30
Contract: Pending UFA, $3.5 million AAV

Last Rank: 2nd
Scoop: The feel is the Canadiens are like a duck on a pond with Chiarot, calm up up top but paddling furious underwater to try and get a deal done. GM Kent Hughes has made more than his fair share of calls, but a deal has not materialized. Hughes said previously the Canadiens “won’t wait for the market” in order to move the defenseman. The problem is no one has been close to Montreal’s asking price, which is to match what the Tampa Bay Lightning paid last season for David Savard with first and third-round picks. We’ll see if they get it. There is hardly a Cup-contending team Chiarot would not improve; Chiarot is a minute-chewing, dependable defenseman who is also really well-liked in locker rooms.

5. Brock Boeser 
Right Wing, Vancouver Canucks  
Age: 24
Contract: Pending RFA, $5.875 million AAV ($7.5 mil. minimum qualifying offer)

Last Rank: 5th
Scoop: The rumor mill continues to turn with Boeser featuring prominently in conversations. With 11 goals in 27 games, seemingly no Canuck has benefited more than Boeser from Bruce Boudreau being behind the bench in Vancouver. Keep in mind: Jim Rutherford has repeatedly stressed that creating salary cap flexibility is key. There are other roster players that can achieve space and freedom, but there is a sense the Canucks are not sold Boeser’s play will be commensurate with the large qualifying offer due to him this summer, which makes him a prime candidate to move. It’s entirely possible that J.T. Miller, who is much more of a driver than Boeser, remains in Vancouver and Boeser is on his way to a new team. Could New Jersey be a fit for Boeser?

6. Marc-Andre Fleury
Goaltender, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 37
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV

Last Rank: 8th
Scoop: Marc-Andre Fleury wants to win. Pure and simple. His goal is believed to be to get to an authentic Stanley Cup contender that help get over the hump. Fleury also holds all of the cards, with both a 10-team no-trade list and a gentleman’s agreement with the Blackhawks that they’ll only send him where he wants to chase a Cup. Who needs a goaltender? Edmonton, Vegas, Washington and now … maybe Toronto? Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon flatly refuted our report two weeks back, in which we relayed that the Golden Knights expressed interest in a potential reunion with Fleury. We stand by our reporting. It feels admittedly like a long shot that Fleury ends up back as the marquee headliner on the Vegas Strip, but stranger things have happened. Would Fleury entertain either the U.S. capital or the capital of Alberta? If not, what about the self-proclaimed center of the hockey universe?

7. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 23
Contract: Three more seasons, $4.6 million AAV

Last Rank: 6th
Scoop: It’s been rather quiet on the Chychrun front. His name has been out there for a while since first percolating in December. There was no shortage of interest in Chychrun, with so many teams – including the Los Angeles Kings – reaching out that two assumptions could be made: either no one was ready and willing to pay the Coyotes’ price, or Arizona isn’t really that keen on trading Chychrun. The latter would make more sense. He was GM Bill Armstrong’s only "untouchable" last season, coming off an 18-goal campaign as a defenseman in a shortened season. If Chychrun is gone, especially for more futures, it becomes difficult to imagine what Arizona would have to build around in future years. That’s also why the reported ask from Arizona has also been high.

8. Mark Giordano
Left Defense, Seattle Kraken
Age: 38
Contract: Pending UFA, $6.75 million AAV

Last Rank: 10th
Scoop: Interest is picking up in Giordano, who probably isn’t in first-round pick territory, but could net the Kraken a decent second-round return. You can bet that GM Ron Francis will want to help Giordano land in a preferred destination, somewhere he is comfortable and could help in a Stanley Cup chase. Officially, Giordano has input by submitting 19 teams to which he’d accept a trade. The Kraken also ideally may want to wait until a bit closer to the deadline because they don’t have many bodies playing in the AHL as a first-year franchise, especially if they are trading for futures.

9. Alexandar Georgiev
Goaltender, New York Rangers
Age: 25
Contract: Pending RFA, $2.425 million AAV

Last Rank: 10th
Scoop: We previously that in addition to checking in on Fleury, the Golden Knights also inquired about Georgiev. The Rangers have been making calls in an attempt to move Georgiev, provided GM Chris Drury can another veteran that he’d be comfortable with as an insurance policy on Hart Trophy candidate Igor Shesterkin. There is almost no path to Georgiev being a Ranger next season. Georgiev was a staple on the Trade Target board last summer after placing what we’d call a "soft" trade request with the Rangers. He let it be known he was open to a change of scenery, ready for a starter’s workload elsewhere. He’s not wrong: Over five NHL seasons, Georgiev has a career save percentage of .910. The league average is .904 this season.

10. Pavel Zacha
Left Wing / Center, New Jersey Devils
Age: 24
Contract: Pending RFA, Arbitration-Eligible

Last Rank: 18th
Scoop: Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is exploring a whole host of options to shake up the roster over the next number of months and Zacha is one of those intriguing options. He has value. He views himself as a center, but he’s more often been slotted as a winger on a team that has plenty of center depth. There’s seemingly no room for him. He’s also going to be due a somewhat significant raise this summer and is arbitration-eligible, so the question is: Are the Devils comfortable paying Zacha the bump? Zacha is on track for his first career 20-goal season. He has reportedly been connected to the Vancouver Canucks. He could be part of a package that includes Boeser (No. 6 above) as the Devils were believed to have gone deep on Boeser in the last couple years on deals that never quite got done.

11. John Klingberg
Right Defense, Dallas Stars
Age: 29
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.25 million AAV

Last Rank: 7th
Scoop: To our knowledge, Klingberg is not available at the moment. The Dallas Stars are in playoff mode. They’ve been the NHL’s eighth best team over the last calendar month, piling up points at a .650 clip to sit convincingly in a wild card spot. It seems to make little sense that Klingberg would be moved now. Why would they? They’ve invested a ton in this group to make the playoffs. There is real pressure in Big D to get in. That said, the Stars – who rolled the dice and kept pending UFA Jamie Oleksiak last season, only to miss the playoffs and see him walk to Seattle for nothing – likely can’t afford to keep all of their pending free agents if there is significant doubt as to their ability to not just get in, but actually make noise in the playoffs. For now, they’ve gotta hold ’em until they fold ’em.

12. Filip Zadina
Right Wing, Detroit Red Wings
Age: 22
Contract: Pending RFA, $894,167 AAV

Last Rank: NR
Scoop: There was no shortage of excitement around Zadina when the Red Wings selected him at No. 6 overall in 2018. GM Steve Yzerman doesn’t tip his hand, but the sense league-wide is a change of scenery is in order for Zadina. Teams perked up when Zadina spent six games on the top line from Feb. 9-26, seeing it as a "showcase" opportunity ahead of a potential trade. He scored twice in those six games, putting him on track for 11 goals in 80 games. Zadina is a gifted shooter, but the knock on him is that he’s become more of a perimeter player – and only a select few players (Alex Ovechkin or Steven Stamkos) can consistently score in today’s NHL from the outside. Zadina was also a healthy scratch on Jan. 4 and his ice time is down more than two-and-a-half minutes from last season — which is a lot considering the recent bump on the first line is already factored into the equation.

13. Nick Paul
Center / Left Wing, Ottawa Senators
Age: 26
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.35 million AAV

Last Rank: 11th
Scoop: The preference of the Ottawa Senators is to keep Paul. Full stop. That much is clear; they value his contribution, his work ethic, his compete level. They’ve made what they believe are fair offers to extend him, including a three-year, $6 million ($2 million per) proposal that did not gain traction. This much is also clear: Given where the Senators are, they can’t afford to watch Paul walk for nothing. So if push comes to shove over the next few weeks, keep an eye on Paul as a player with real value for Ottawa to cash in on on the trade market.

14. Damon Severson
Right Defense, New Jersey Devils
Age: 27
Contract: One more season, $4.17 million AAV

Last Rank: NR
Scoop: Severson is a homegrown Devil and has played all 538 of his NHL games with New Jersey since being drafted in the second round back in 2012. He has played top-pair minutes for each of the last four seasons, averaging 23:27 this season. He is seen as a No. 2 defenseman, a blue liner who can move the puck well and is efficient exiting the zone. At the other end of the ice, Severson can make things happen by finding seams and excels at walking the blue line to create opportunity. With P.K. Subban unlikely to return, why would the Devils move him? They’re open to considering options. He may not be the best stylistic fit, because like Dougie Hamilton, Severson struggles to defend at times. And, when Severson’s six-year deal expires after next season, he will be due a sizable raise. There is value in Severson now.

15. Victor Olofsson
Right Wing, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 26
Contract: Pending RFA, $3.05 million AAV ($3.25 mil. minimum qualifying offer)

Last Rank: 12th
Scoop: Olofsson burst onto the scene two seasons ago with a surprising 20-goal season in just 54 games. A big chunk of those goals were on the power play with Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart feeding him the puck. They’ve both moved on and Olofsson could be next. Olofsson’s production has dwindled; he’s on pace to finish with 12 goals this season, one fewer than he had in a shortened campaign last year. Despite that, Olofsson is likely due a raise by virtue of being arbitration-eligible this summer. Will the Sabres want to pay him? Arbitration was already filed once. With his career numbers (42 goals in 158 games), he’s likely looking at an award in the $4.25 million range.

16. Alexandre Texier
Winger / Center, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 22
Contract: One year remaining, $1.525 million AAV

Last Rank: NR
Scoop: Texier has missed the last month with a finger injury, but he appears to be inching closer to a return to the ice. When healthy, he has shown the top-end skill and panache that make him in intriguing player with potential for more. He isn’t yet an elite-level facilitator or goal scorer, but could continue to develop into one or the other, or both. His current state production is impressive, on track for 25 goals over a full 82-game slate at this pace. Texier’s effort and compete level is solid, too — which is a nice complement to the flash and dash that’s a big part of his game. The acquisition cost would be significant. The opportunity for Columbus might be to sell Texier at the highest his value has ever been in the NHL.

17. Joonas Donskoi
Right Wing, Seattle Kraken
Age: 29
Contract: One more season, $3.9 million AAV

Last Rank: NR
Scoop: The Kraken opted for Donskoi over J.T. Compher in last summer’s Expansion Draft, taking the older and slightly more expensive player, who has also had much higher scoring. This season probably could not have gone much worse for Donskoi, who feels like a square peg in a round hole. After seasons with 14, 14, 16 and 17 goals (the latter of which was a 27-goal pace last year in Colorado in a shortened season), Donskoi has just one goal in 53 games. One goal. Given his track record, teams would certainly be interested in a player likely to rebound from an abysmal 1.6% shooting mark, who has term on his contract, and has scored four Stanley Cup Playoff-winning goals. Just scoring one GWG in the playoffs would make a trade worth it — and would probably feel pretty good for Donskoi, too.

18. Jeff Petry
Right Defense, Montreal Canadiens
Age: 34
Contract: 3 more seasons, $6.25 million AAV

Last Rank: 14th
Scoop: Habs GM Kent Hughes also confirmed on Wednesday that Montreal is trying to help Petry find a new home. He said: “If we can find a trade that works for us and another team, we’re going to do it. But it has to work.” Translation: We’re not giving him away. Yes, it’s been a disastrous season for Petry (and the Canadiens) for a whole host of reasons. Some of them probably are personal; Petry’s family is living back in the U.S. in part because of the coronavirus restrictions in Quebec. The other part is the total erosion of support on the ice. Petry scored 170 points over the last four seasons. His salary cap hit may require some massaging by Montreal, but teams aren’t under the disillusion that he forgot how to play hockey this season.

19. Kasperi Kapanen
Right Wing, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 25
Contract: Pending RFA, $3.2 million AAV

Last Rank: NR
Scoop: The Penguins are in a tough spot: They don’t have cap space, they don’t want to trade future assets to help a core long in the tooth chase one last Cup, yet they’d probably like to try to improve. Who can they move? Enter Kapanen. To be sure, the Penguins would be more than fine keeping Kapanen through the deadline and they could well re-sign him in the offseason. His arbitration case likely starts with a $4 (million) in front of it. When this mercurial winger is on, he’s incredibly talented and can be a significant contributor to a winning team, but there are many stretches where he goes missing. The wonder is in whether Kapanen is a long-term Penguin. If not, Pittsburgh can go about exploring Kapanen as a trade chip, where he could be a better fit on either a playoff or non-playoff team.

20. Joe Pavelski
Center, Dallas Stars
Age: 37
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV

Last Rank: 13th
Scoop: Pavelski has slid down the board because we reported last week that his camp has begun preliminary contract extension discussions with Dallas. That doesn’t mean he’s a certainty to stay, but the early indication is he would like to do so. It’s an interesting negotiation. The 37-year-old is on pace to shatter his career high in points in his 16th season in the league. The ’21 in 22′ sniper winner at All-Star weekend is on track for 87 points, his first season north of a point-per-game. As mentioned above with Klingberg (see No. 11), the Stars are in playoff mode. It’s also easy to envision a scenario in which they sell Klingberg and keep Pavelski for their push. If they do fall out of the race, though, there is no doubt Pavelski will rocket up the Trade Target board. He’d be a heck of a fit in Minnesota.

21. Andrew Copp
Left Wing / Center, Winnipeg Jets
Age: 27
Contract: Pending UFA, $3.64 million AAV

Last Rank: 19th
Scoop: There are difficult conversations to be had in Winnipeg, a team which has massively underperformed this season. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said recently that it’s too early yet to have those conversations, but they aren’t far off for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations that is on pace for just 87 points. They have a lot of work to do to give Cheveldayoff something to think about other than selling off pieces like Copp, which is a conscientious player who was off to by far the best start of his career with 20 points in his first 24 games. The Jets and Copp settled on a one-year deal after an arbitration filing last summer, which walks him to free agency this year.

22. Jake DeBrusk
Left Wing, Boston Bruins
Age: 25
Contract: Pending RFA, $3.675 million AAV ($4.41 mil. minimum qualifying offer)

Last Rank: 23rd
Scoop: Will a hat trick in Los Angeles help spark DeBrusk trade talk? DeBrusk has been on fire of late with seven goals in his last six games. His December trade request was well publicized, grabbing headlines and generating interest. Two months ago, as many 12 teams were reportedly interested – and he has not changed his mind. The trade request still stands. Bruins GM Don Sweeney went around team to team offering DeBrusk for another (mostly) maligned or imperfect player on that team’s roster, but to this point, hasn’t found a deal that’s worked for the Bruins. Will that change now? Or will the Bruins suddenly need to keep the productive winger?

23. Braden Holtby
Goaltender, Dallas Stars
Age: 32
Contract: Pending UFA, $2 million AAV

Last Rank: 15th
Scoop: Fresh off a spell in which Jake Oettinger stopped 181-of-189 shots faced (.958 save percentage) over six games, there is no question as to who the present and future is in the Dallas crease. The Stars could trade Holtby, call up Anton Khudobin from AHL Texas and barely impact their playoff chances – even for a team that wants to give itself every opportunity to get in. With a number of teams searching for goaltending support (Vegas, Washington, Edmonton and Pittsburgh), Holtby has won a Stanley Cup and found his form again this season in Dallas.

24. Joonas Korpisalo
Goaltender, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.8 million AAV

Last Rank: 16th
Scoop: Korpisalo is another netminder available. It’s difficult to envision the Blue Jackets allowing Korpisalo’s contract to expire without at least getting something for him in a season in which they’re not going to make the playoffs. Because it’s the Elvis Merzlikins Show in Columbus, now and for the foreseeable future. Merzlikins has carried the Blue Jackets – and next year begins a fresh five-year, $27 million deal. Plus, the Blue Jackets have Daniil Tarasov eventually waiting in the wings. Korpisalo has not put in a formal trade request, but GM Jarmo Kekalainen is aware that Korpisalo would be open to an opportunity to play elsewhere.

25. Anton Forsberg
Goaltender, Ottawa Senators
Age: 29
Contract: Pending UFA, $900,000 AAV

Last Rank: 17th
Scoop: IF, and it’s a big if, the Senators feel comfortable with Matt Murray in net, then Forsberg should provide the perfect trade fodder for Ottawa. Forsberg has quietly put together an excellent season. He has a winning record (11-8-2) on the 26th place team with a .917 save percentage, well above league average. Murray’s re-emergence since returning from AHL Belleville, sporting a .932 mark since Jan. 13, should provide enough confidence that the two-time Cup winner and 23-year-old Filip Gustavsson can get the job done in tandem next season.

26. J.T. Miller
Center / Wing, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 28
Contract: One more season, $5.25 million AAV

Last Rank: 21st
Scoop: It’s difficult to say with any confidence what Miller’s status is in terms of the Canucks’ big-picture plan under Jim Rutherford. Perhaps the best way to describe it, in real time, is to share that the teams that have been most interested in Miller (the New York Rangers among them) have begun to explore other options on their lists because they are getting mixed messages as to whether Miller is actually going to be on the move. That makes sense. Rutherford stressed patience on the trade front to our Scott Burnside. On a team with cap concerns, a more complete Miller at $5.25 million is way more valuable than Boeser at $7.5 million next season, which is why Boeser may go now and leave a decision on Miller to wait until this summer or next year’s deadline.

27. Max Domi
Left Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 26
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.3 million

Last Rank: 22nd
Scoop: There’s no doubt the Blue Jackets are interested in moving Domi to a suitor before the deadline as an expiring contract. Properly slotted, Domi could be a fantastic addition for a playoff team in a middle-six role. Domi is three years removed from a 28-goal and 72-point campaign in Montreal. He’s undoubtedly been underwhelming in Columbus. If there is a silver lining, it’s that Domi has remained relatively productive this season and he’s done it all at even strength with relatively limited ice time (13:23).

28. Ryan Carpenter
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 31
Contract: Pending UFA, $1 million AAV

Last Rank: 20th
Scoop: Carpenter has begun to percolate on the list of potential fits for playoff teams. His salary cap hit is the right price, he’s been on a deep playoff run before in Vegas, and he’s reliable. Would a reunion with Gerard Gallant in Manhattan be in order? Carpenter is a hard-working, defensive-minded center who blocks shots, wins draws, kills penalties and is always in the right position in the defensive zone. Sounds like a prototypical deadline acquisition.

29. Rickard Rakell
Right Wing, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 28
Contract: Pending UFA, $3.789 million AAV

Last Rank: 21st
Scoop: So many teams are curious about what the Anaheim Ducks will do at the deadline. They’ve hung tough in the playoff race. New GM Pat Verbeek is just getting himself set at the controls, ahead of making important deadline decisions on Rakell and pending free-agent defensemen Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm. Of those three potentially on the move, Rakell is the most likely, but teams are beginning to wonder about Lindholm’s availability as well.

30. Jack Roslovic
Center, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 24
Contract: Pending RFA, $1.838 million AAV ($2.21 mil. minimum qualifying offer)

Last Rank: 26th
Scoop: Roslovic is a name that may surprise some. The Blue Jackets brought the Columbus kid home as part of the Patrik Laine for Pierre-Luc Dubois swap. Dubois has flourished in Winnipeg this season. Roslovic started hot last season, with 29 points in his first 35 games as a Jacket. But he’s cooled off since then. This year, Roslovic has 25 points in 53 games. We’re told Roslovic is available in Columbus. Perhaps the biggest tell-tale sign is his ice time. It’s down nearly five full minutes per game this season – a huge drop – from 16:54 to 12:03. Teams are concerned with Roslovic’s work ethic, and maybe Columbus is, too.

31. Nick Leddy
Left Defense, Detroit Red Wings
Age: 30
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV

Last Rank: 27th
Scoop: At the right price, there will be considerable interest in Leddy, who has won a Stanley Cup and skated in four Conference Finals. He’s still only 30 and has already logged 825 career games. It’d be interesting to ask Barry Trotz if the Islanders miss him? He was a salary cap casualty on the Island, but he’s been just about exactly as advertised in Detroit. Leddy is dependable, steady and can chip in the odd point from the point as a capable second-unit power-play guy. Leddy has missed only a small handful of games in his career and he’d be a solid option on the rental defense market.

32. Phil Kessel
Right Wing, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 34
Contract: Pending UFA, $6.8 million AAV

Last Rank: 28th
Scoop: Kessel has received praise from GM Bill Armstrong for his work ethic, but it’s been a grind in the desert. He’s on pace for the lowest goal output of his career (nine) including his rookie season. Could a trade potentially rekindle some of the Kessel playoff magic that nearly netted him a Conn Smythe Trophy? He’ll cost mere pennies in actual dollars, since his salary this season due by the Coyotes is just $850,000 ($150,000 paid by Leafs) – it could cost somewhere around $250,000 in cash plus acquisition cost to roll the dice on Phil the Thrill, depending on when the trigger is pulled.

33. Calvin de Haan
Left Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 30
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.55 million AAV

Last Rank: 29th
Scoop: You can add de Haan to the list of rental defensemen that will be in play at the deadline. He’s struggled at times this season, like most of Chicago’s blue line, but would be an ideal third-pair option on a contending team. de Haan is 20th in the NHL in blocked shots since the start of the 2013-14 season

34. Vitali Kravtsov
Right Wing, New York Rangers
Age: 21
Contract: Pending RFA, $925,000 AAV

Last Rank: 30th
Scoop: The No. 9 overall pick from the 2018 NHL Draft has been on loan with KHL Chelyabinsk after refusing an assignment to the AHL in October. Kravtsov has six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 19 games since returning to Russia. New agent Dan Milstein has permission to find a new home for Kravtsov, but it hasn’t been easy. His last game played was Jan. 5.

35. Reilly Smith
Right Wing, Vegas Golden Knights
Age: 30
Contract: Pending UFA, $5 million AAV

Last Rank: 24th
Scoop: Now that Mark Stone has been moved to LTIR, which created enough salary cap space for the Golden Knights to active both Jack Eichel and Alec Martinez (when ready), there is no real need or pressure to move Smith or anyone else on the Vegas roster. That could change if Stone heals up and presents himself fit for duty, which one would suppose is a possibility since he has returned four separate times from the same injury this season. The sharp money, though, would be on Stone not returning until the playoffs, allowing the Golden Knights to load up for a run at Lord Stanley’s chalice.

Off the board: None.