Top 20 players fans must know about ahead of the 2024 NHL trade deadline

Ilya Lybushkin has enjoyed a resurgence in 2023-24 and will warrant attention

Ilya Lyubushkin looked like an afterthought when the Buffalo Sabres traded him to the Anaheim Ducks last summer, thanks to his injury-riddled 2022-23 campaign. Other than scoring a shorthanded goal in overtime, Lyubushkin was a disappointment in Buffalo, and few expected him to make quite the comeback in Anaheim of all places.

But as we near March 8th, Lyubushkin has played his way back into consideration among teams that will look to contend for a playoff spot come the second half of April. He’s appeared in 55 games this season and has put up an outrageous 138 blocks and 112 hits. He’s also been incredible on the penalty kill, with 162.1 minutes. 

Lyubushkin won’t play in the top-four, so a team that needs a hard-hitting, stay-at-home player on the bottom pairing shouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call the Ducks. He won’t cost teams much in compensation, and even those with little cap space can likely take on the 29-year-old’s contract. 

Lyubushkin is no longer an afterthought, and given his hard-nosed approach at a low price, he will likely end up playing for a contender to finish out the season. There are plenty of teams out there seeking a player of his style, such as Toronto, Boston, and Tampa, to name a few. 

Update: The Toronto Maple Leafs landed Ilya Lyubushkin in what was a three-team trade.