2023 NHL Trade Deadline – Biggest Names Odds, Prediction

As every year, when the all-important date and hour looms, it seems as if the trade rumours grab nearly as many headlines as the games being played.

There have already been some blockbuster changes in recent weeks. The Bo Horvat saga came to a close when he left Vancouver for the New York Islanders – and has since continued his goal-scoring ways. Then Vladimir Tarasenko, one of the stalwarts of the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning Blues, departed St. Louis for the other New York club, the Rangers.

There are still some coveted names on the trading block. Rumours abound, as do reports from trusted sources like TSN and ESPN about conversations taking place behind the scenes. So, what are some of the next, potentially big changes happening in the next 2 weeks?

Check out of NHL odds page for games as well as our NHL props page for more action.

Jakob Chychrun

This seems like the most obvious switch. Case in point, at the start of the week the Arizona Coyotes made it public that their star player was a healthy scratch for trade discussion reasons. It doesn’t get blunter than that. He’s missed time this year but all and all is putting up decent numbers, especially for a defenceman. The real question is where might he go? Looking at the Coyotes’ stats sheet, he is one of the precious few players in that lineup to have played as many games as he has and possess a positive +/- differential (+8). The situation in Arizona is dire and he must feel like he can do better elsewhere.

The Los Angeles Kings lead the charge as a possible destination. It would make sense considering they’re already a strong club looking to improve their roster with more depth as the playoffs inch closer. Furthermore, it’s reported that the Kings were keen on adding Jakob Chychrun to their lineup as early as last season.

Prediction: The Los Angeles Kings finally get their man.

Patrick Kane

One of the great Chicago Blackhawks in franchise history might be playing out his final days in the Windy City. The team’s glory days are a distant image in the rear-view mirror. Patrick Kane has given everything to the organization, helping it capture three Stanley Cups from 2010 through 2015. He’s one of few players to reach the 1,000-point milestone and to have accomplished the exploit whilst wearing the same colours is a great display of honour.

There are a lot of teams looking for that extra bit of depth for a deep playoff run. As such, several clubs have solid odds of landing Kane. Not much separates Boston, Carolina, Edmonton, and Toronto. Notice that they are all teams pundits believe can make a deep run. What they don’t have much of – not to say they have none – is Stanley Cup-winning experience. Kane won’t score like anybody’s business anymore, but he can provide playoff wisdom.

Prediction: The Oilers make a move to get them over the Western Conference hump

Timo Meier

The third big name that runs the risk of getting traded is San Jose’s Timo Meier. The Swiss right winger trails only teammate Erik Karlsson in points (52 to 73) but has tallied the most goals with 31. He has been a Shark throughout his six-plus seasons in the NHL, making him another example of a loyal, dependable soldier. 2022-2023 marks the third time in his career he’s hit the 30-goal mark and there’s still plenty of hockey to play. San Jose will probably be looking for some draft picks in return.

New Jersey leads the way as the destination with the highest odds of nabbing Meier. They already sport a potent attack, scoring 3.43 goals per contest, good for seventh league-wide. Adding Meier would make them an even greater threat in the Easter Conference than they already are. A very intriguing development is the Carolina Hurricanes with the second-best odds. Not only are the Canes another Stanley Cup hopeful, but are division rivals and trail the Devils by only five points in the Metropolitan.

Prediction: The Hurricanes beat the Devils to the punch in the Meier sweepstakes