Which UFAs are Gone at NHL Trade Deadline, Chicago Blackhawks Busy?

NHL trades can be beneficial, confusing, and noteworthy at the same time.

The Vancouver Canucks traded Bo Horvat, captain, and leading scorer, to the New York Islanders for forward Anthony Beauvilier, prospect Aatu Raty, and a first-round pick in the NHL Draft on Tuesday.

Some would say Vancouver got the better end of the deal, while some say the Islanders, and a few say it is a wash.

Who is next to be traded in the NHL?

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews

The Chicago Blackhawks are clearly in a rebuild, even if they do not want to admit it. The team is downright bad this season and seems to be getting worse. Chicago is currently 15-29-4 for 34 points and in eighth in the Central Division.

Trading both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, both UFAs after the season, is not likely, but one could be gone for the right deal.

Kane has nine goals and 25 assists for 34 points and is a -26 with  19:48 of average ice time. He has a no-movement clause but is from the Buffalo area, and the Sabres do have the cap space to get him, along with the prospects.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews could also be moving on. Also a UFA after the season, Toews has been open about his thoughts on the rebuild and did not want any part of it.

With that said, Toews could be moved to a team that sends prospects to Chicago to actually help the rebuild along. The Chicago Blackhawks might not get a king’s ransom for Toews, as he is older, has been injured, and his offensive production is down.

This season, Toews has 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points in 46 games, with 17:55 of ice time and a -24. Toews could decide where he goes if moved as he has a no-movement clause.

St. Louis Blues: Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko

Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly and his offensive production have been down as well. However, he still has a solid two-way game, shows leadership, and leads by example.

O’Reilly is no stranger to trades. He was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Buffalo Sabres. O’Reilly was then traded from the Sabres to the St. Louis Blues. This season, O’Reilly has ten goals and six assists for 16 points in 37 games, while recording a -28 in 18:26 of ice time.

Vladimir Tarasenko is better offensively, posting 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in 38 games. He is also a -18 in 17:31 of average ice time. This could be the year he gets dealt, as he has been mentioned in trade rumors for years, despite his injuries.

Tarasenko is still producing offensively and, able to score big goals, he could be added to a contender in the Eastern Conference, like a team looking for the offense on the way to the playoffs.

Tarasenko does have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he will have a say if he is approached for a trade.

Anaheim Ducks: John Klingberg

Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg could find a new home by the season’s end. Klingberg signed a one-year deal to go to Anaheim after going unsigned in the early free-agent period.

Klingberg has six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 42 games and is a -26 in 21:07 of average ice time. He could be useful on a team looking for offense from the blueline or someone to help their power play going into the playoffs. Maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs or Pittsburgh Penguins?

Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is the top goaltender in free agency after the season. Quick has played in Los Angeles his entire career but may need a change of scenery to get his game back on track. He is 37 years old and has struggled the past couple of seasons.

This season, he has a record of 8-13-4 with a 3.41 GAA and a .881 save percentage in 27 games. He may not be the starter he once was, but he is still competitive and could be useful again in the right situation.

Some of the players listed above may or may not sign a new deal with their team if traded. A lot of NHL teams do not have the cap space to acquire these talents, even if some of their current teams eat some of the salaries.

There are four teams currently in the NHL with projected cap space that may do some damage and pick up a free agent or two this offseason, or acquire a premium talent at the deadline.

The Buffalo Sabres ($18.26 million), Arizona Coyotes ($18.20 million), Anaheim Ducks ($13.92 million), and the Detroit Red Wings ($6.5 million) are the teams with the most projected cap space.