With the clock ticking down to the NHL trade deadline — set for 3 p.m. ET on Monday — it is time to update my big “On The Block” list of players believed to be available.
In case you missed it, or for a refresher, back on Feb. 11 I published a list of 210 names — ranging from pending free agents to franchise players — and ranked them from 10 to 1 in terms of their likelihood to be traded, with 10 translating to 100 per cent and 1 to 10 per cent.
'NHL Trade Deadline Preview: Who’s On The Block?' from our @LarryFisher_KDC https://t.co/sDgwOImpxd #THW #NHL pic.twitter.com/XYYvILHmwC
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) February 12, 2018
The ranking system may be similar to the infamous Eklund from HockeyBuzz — and I hate even referencing him — but I’m happy to report that I’m faring much better than he ever did. I’ve also come close on the return value in a few of my 40 trade predictions from Feb. 18 — none have been bang-on, yet — but you can judge those results for yourself.
Reviewing the 14 trades since my big list went live — beginning with Dion Phaneuf to Los Angeles on Feb. 13 through Brandon Davidson to the Islanders on Feb. 24 — the results are impressive.
Of the 21 players traded to date, excluding prospects, 15 of them were on my big list — the six exceptions being Eric Fehr, Ryan Reaves, Michal Kempny, Jakub Jerabek, Darcy Kuemper and Scott Wedgewood.
No big misses there, but no real surprises thus far either. That could change by Monday afternoon, but my list has been proving pretty accurate for the past couple weeks.
However, an updated list is necessary because people want to know two things — who’s still on the block? And who’s no longer on the block?
Not to mention, there are some newcomers on the block now, and others are seemingly more or less available today than they were on Feb. 11.
Let’s start with who’s no longer on the block, ranked in my original order rather than chronological, complete with reasoning for each and my trade prediction comparisons for some.
No Longer On The Block
Forwards
10 — Michael Grabner (2018 UFA)
TRADED: To New Jersey Devils for defence prospect Igor Rykov and a 2018 second-round pick.
PREDICTED: To Los Angeles Kings for Paul LaDue, defence prospect Mikey Anderson and a 2018 second-round pick.
9 — Tobias Rieder ($2.225 million RFA)
TRADED: To Los Angeles Kings, with Wedgewood, for Kuemper.
PREDICTED: To Calgary Flames, with Max Domi, in a three-way deal involving the Montreal Canadiens (full prediction details here, No. 14).
9 — Frank Vatrano ($842,500 RFA)
TRADED: To Florida Panthers for a 2018 third-round pick.
PREDICTED: To Montreal Canadiens, with a 2018 second-round pick, for Tomas Plekanec.
8 — Derick Brassard (2019 UFA)
TRADED: To Pittsburgh Penguins, with forward prospect Vincent Dunn and a 2018 third-round pick, for defenceman Ian Cole, goaltending prospect Filip Gustavsson, a 2018 first-round pick and a 2019 third-round pick. Three-way deal also involved the Vegas Golden Knights (full trade details here).
PREDICTED: To Winnipeg Jets for Shawn Matthias, Nic Petan, Logan Stanley, Jansen Harkins and a 2018 first-round pick.
8 — Colton Sceviour (2018 UFA)
SIGNED: Three-year, $3.6-million extension with the Florida Panthers ($1.2 million average annual value).
8 — Nikita Soshnikov ($800,000 RFA)
TRADED: To St. Louis Blues for a 2019 fourth-round pick.
7 — Nate Thompson (2019 UFA)
TRADED: To Los Angeles Kings, with Phaneuf, for Marian Gaborik and Nick Shore.
6 — Markus Granlund ($900,000 RFA)
INJURED: Ankle surgery, sidelined indefinitely but expected to miss at least a month until mid-March.
6 — Chris DiDomenico (2018 UFA)
TRADED: To Chicago Blackhawks for Ville Pokka.
5 — Nick Shore ($925,000 RFA)
TRADED: To Ottawa Senators, with Gaborik, for Phaneuf and Thompson.
4 — Marian Gaborik (three more at $4.875 million)
TRADED: To Ottawa Senators, with Shore, for Phaneuf and Thompson.
Defencemen
10 — Nick Holden (2018 UFA)
TRADED: To Boston Bruins for defence prospect Rob O’Gara and a 2018 third-round pick.
PREDICTED: To St. Louis Blues, with Mats Zuccarello, for Dmitrij Jaskin, Tage Thompson and Jake Walman.
8 — Ian Cole (2018 UFA)
TRADED: To Ottawa Senators, with goaltending prospect Gustavsson, a 2018 first-round pick and a 2019 third-round pick, for Brassard, forward prospect Dunn and a 2018 third-round pick.
NOTE: Ottawa fully intends to flip Cole before the deadline, so he remains on the block and is almost certainly going to get traded twice — without ever suiting up for the Senators.
7 — Dion Phaneuf (three more at $7.0 million)
TRADED: To Los Angeles Kings, with Thompson, for Gaborik and Shore.
7 — Erik Gudbranson (2018 UFA)
SIGNED: Three-year, $12-million extension with the Vancouver Canucks ($4 million average annual value).
6 — Ville Pokka ($650,000 RFA)
TRADED: To Ottawa Senators for DiDomenico.
5 — Jake McCabe (one more at $1.6 million RFA)
INJURED: Shoulder surgery, projected recovery time of four to six months, expected to be ready for training camp in the fall.
5 — Brandon Davidson ($1.425 million RFA)
TRADED: To New York Islanders for a 2019 third-round pick.
Goaltenders
7 — Michal Neuvirth (2019 UFA)
INJURED: Lower-body, sidelined four to six weeks from Feb. 18.
6 — Petr Mrazek ($4.0 million RFA)
TRADED: To Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2019 third-round pick (details on conditions here).
So subtract those 20 players from my big list and it leaves 190 names. Add in 75 newcomers and there could still be as many as 265 players available to some degree ahead of the deadline, which should mean at least another 20 trades.
For my updated “On The Block” list, the players’ former ranking will appear in parenthesis, if altered, and any new additions will show up as NR to indicate not ranked in the previous edition.
Updated On The Block
Forwards
10 — Rick Nash (2018 UFA)
10 — Evander Kane (2018 UFA)
10 (8) — Tomas Plekanec (2018 UFA)
10 (8) — Mark Letestu (2018 UFA)
10 — Benoit Pouliot (2018 UFA)
9 (5) — Patrick Maroon (2018 UFA)
9 (10) — Thomas Vanek (2018 UFA)
9 (8) — Joel Ward (2018 UFA)
9 (10) — Radim Vrbata (2018 UFA)
9 — Dmitrij Jaskin ($1.0 million RFA)
9 — Josh Leivo (one more at $925,000 RFA)
9 (7) — Austin Czarnik ($675,000 RFA)
9 (NR) — Josh Ho-Sang (one more at $863,333 RFA)
9 (8) — Zack Smith (three more at $3.25 million)
9 — Brad Richardson (2018 UFA)
9 — Jacob Josefson (2018 UFA)
8 — Mike Hoffman (two more at $5.1875 million UFA)
8 — Jean-Gabriel Pageau (two more at $3.1 million UFA)
8 (NR) — Luke Glendening (three more at $1.8 million)
8 (NR) — Nic Petan ($758,333 RFA)
8 (NR) — Sonny Milano (one more at $863,333 RFA)
8 (NR) — Anthony Duclair ($1.2 million RFA)
8 (7) — Nail Yakupov ($875,000 RFA)
8 (6) — Martin Frk ($650,000 RFA)
8 (7) — Marko Dano ($850,000 RFA)
8 — Johan Larsson (one more at $1.475 million RFA)
8 (NR) — David Desharnais (2018 UFA)
8 — Jason Chimera (2018 UFA)
8 (7) — Matt Martin (two more at $2.5 million)
8 — Nic Dowd (2018 UFA)
8 — Adam Cracknell (2018 UFA)
7 (5) — Max Pacioretty (2019 UFA)
7 — Mats Zuccarello (2019 UFA)
7 — Gustav Nyquist (2019 UFA)
7 — Tomas Tatar (three more at $5.3 million)
7 — Boone Jenner ($2.9 million RFA)
7 (NR) — Oscar Lindberg (one more at $1.7 million UFA)
7 (NR) — Brett Ritchie (one more at $1.75 million RFA)
7 (5) — Ryan Hartman ($832,500 RFA)
7 (5) — Ales Hemsky (2018 UFA)
7 (5) — Daniel Carr ($725,000 RFA)
7 (NR) — Kerby Rychel ($863,333 RFA)
7 — Zemgus Girgensons (one more at $1.6 million RFA)
7 — Jordan Martinook (2019 UFA)
7 (9) — Chris Stewart (2018 UFA)
7 (10) — Jordan Nolan (2018 UFA)
7 (9) — Cody McLeod (2018 UFA)
7 (6) — Blake Comeau (2018 UFA)
7 (NR) — Kyle Brodziak (2018 UFA)
7 (9) — Drew Stafford (2018 UFA)
7 (8) — Jannik Hansen (2018 UFA)
7 — Logan Shaw ($650,000 RFA)
7 — Lance Bouma (2018 UFA)
7 — Tommy Wingels (2018 UFA)
7 — Tomas Jurco ($800,000 RFA)
7 — Gabriel Bourque (2018 UFA)
7 — Alex Chiasson (2018 UFA)
7 — Curtis McKenzie (2018 UFA)
7 — Laurent Dauphin ($750,000 RFA)
7 — Seth Griffith ($650,000 RFA)
7 — Nick Paul ($650,000 RFA)
6 — Max Domi ($863,333 RFA)
6 — Andreas Athanasiou ($1.388 million RFA)
6 (NR) — Jakub Vrana (one more at $863,333 RFA)
6 (NR) — John Quenneville (one more at $811,667 RFA)
6 (NR) — Daniel Sprong ($692,500 RFA)
6 (NR) — Michael Dal Colle (one more at $863,333 RFA)
6 (5) — Leo Komarov (2018 UFA)
6 — Brandon Dubinsky (three more at $5.85 million)
6 — Andrew Shaw (four more at $3.9 million)
6 — Ryan Spooner ($2.825 million RFA)
6 (NR) — Derek Ryan (2018 UFA)
6 (5) — Jamie McGinn (2019 UFA)
6 (NR) — Jori Lehtera (one more at $4.7 million UFA)
6 (NR) — Marcus Kruger (one more at $3.08 million UFA)
6 (NR) — Matt Cullen (2018 UFA)
6 (NR) — Daniel Winnik (2018 UFA)
6 — Paul Byron (2019 UFA)
6 — Ryan Dzingel (2019 UFA)
6 (5) — Matt Nieto ($1.0 million RFA)
6 — Matt Calvert (2018 UFA)
6 (8) — Patrick Sharp (2018 UFA)
6 (8) — Mike Cammalleri (2018 UFA)
6 (8) — Lee Stempniak (2018 UFA)
6 (8) — Shawn Matthias (2018 UFA)
6 — Jimmy Hayes (2018 UFA)
6 — Richard Panik (2019 UFA)
6 — Jacob De La Rose ($725,000 RFA)
6 — Carter Rowney (2018 UFA)
6 (5) — Andy Andreoff (2019 UFA)
6 (NR) — J.T. Brown (2018 UFA)
6 (NR) — Derek Grant (2018 UFA)
6 — David Booth (2018 UFA)
6 — Shane Prince ($850,000 RFA)
6 — Alan Quine ($650,000 RFA)
6 (NR) — Marcus Sorensen (one more at $700,000 UFA)
6 — Rocco Grimaldi ($750,000 RFA)
5 — Alex Galchenyuk (two more at $4.9 million UFA)
5 (NR) — Nick Bjugstad (three more at $4.1 million UFA)
5 (NR) — Artem Anisimov (three more at $4.55 million UFA)
5 (NR) — Charlie Coyle (two more at $3.2 million UFA)
5 (NR) — Tyler Johnson (six more at $5 million)
5 (NR) — Victor Rask (four more at $4 million)
5 (NR) — Robby Fabbri ($894,167 RFA)
5 (8) — Valtteri Filppula (2018 UFA)
5 (NR) — Matt Stajan (2018 UFA)
5 — Tanner Pearson (three more at $3.75 million)
5 — Brock Nelson ($2.5 million RFA)
5 (4) — Jimmy Vesey ($925,000 RFA)
5 (NR) — Josh Anderson (two more at $1.85 million RFA)
5 (NR) — Jake DeBrusk (two more at $863,333 RFA)
5 (NR) — Kasperi Kapanen (one more at $863,333 RFA)
5 (NR) — Ivan Barbashev (one more at $741,667 RFA)
5 — Drake Caggiula ($925,000 RFA)
5 — Anton Slepyshev ($925,000 RFA)
5 (NR) — Jake Virtanen ($894,167 RFA)
5 (NR) — Dominik Simon ($692,500 RFA)
5 (NR) — Andreas Johnsson ($750,833 RFA)
5 (4) — Michael McCarron ($832,500 RFA)
5 (NR) — Emil Pettersson (one more at $742,500 RFA)
5 (NR) — Nikolai Prokhorkin (rights to unsigned Los Angeles prospect, represented Russia at Olympics)
5 (2) — Peter Holland (2019 UFA)
5 (NR) — Devante Smith-Pelly ($650,000 RFA)
5 — Jesper Fast (two more at $1.85 million UFA)
5 — Jared McCann (($894,167 RFA)
5 — John Hayden ($925,000 RFA)
5 — Brian Gibbons (2018 UFA)
5 (NR) — Josh Jooris (2018 UFA)
5 — Derek MacKenzie (2019 UFA)
5 (3) — Reid Boucher ($687,500 RFA)
5 (3) — Matt Puempel ($725,000 RFA)
5 (3) — Ty Rattie ($700,000 RFA)
4 (1) — Bobby Ryan (four more at $7.25 million)
4 — Tyler Bozak (2018 UFA)
4 — James van Riemsdyk (2018 UFA)
4 — Loui Eriksson (four more at $6.0 million)
4 (NR) — Riley Nash (2018 UFA)
4 (6) — Alex Burrows (2019 UFA)
4 (NR) — Zack Kassian (two more at $1.95 million UFA)
4 (NR) — Kris Versteeg (2018 UFA)
4 (NR) — Nikolai Kulemin (2018 UFA)
4 (5) — Colin Wilson (2019 UFA)
4 (5) — J.T. Miller ($2.75 million RFA)
4 — Kevin Hayes ($2.6 million RFA)
4 — Ryan Strome ($2.5 million RFA)
4 — Michael Raffl (2019 UFA)
4 (5) — Iiro Pakarinen ($725,000 RFA)
3 (6) — Jeff Skinner (2019 UFA)
3 (NR) — Vladislav Namestnikov ($1.94 million RFA)
3 (NR) — Tage Thompson (two more at $925,000 RFA)
3 (NR) — Oliver Bjorkstrand ($655,833 RFA)
3 — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (three more at $6.0 million)
3 (5) — Jason Spezza (2019 UFA)
3 (4) — Antoine Roussel (2018 UFA)
3 (5) — Jason Pominville (2019 UFA)
3 (NR) — Troy Brouwer (two more at $4.5 million UFA)
3 (6) — Beau Bennett ($650,000 RFA)
2 (4) — David Perron (2018 UFA)
2 — James Neal (2018 UFA)
2 (3) — Sam Reinhart ($894,167 RFA)
1 — Joe Colborne (2018 UFA)
Defencemen
10 — Mike Green (2018 UFA)
10 (8) — Ian Cole (2018 UFA)
10 — Johnny Oduya (2018 UFA)
9 — Luke Schenn (2018 UFA)
9 — Josh Gorges (2018 UFA)
9 (7) — Martin Marincin ($1.3 million RFA)
8 (4) — Erik Karlsson (2019 UFA)
8 — Ryan McDonagh (2019 UFA)
8 (7) — Niklas Hjalmarsson (2019 UFA)
8 (7) — Ben Hutton (one more at $2.8 million RFA)
8 (6) — Jordie Benn (2019 UFA)
8 — Slater Koekkoek ($800,000 RFA)
8 (6) — Xavier Ouellet (one more at $1.25 million RFA)
8 (7) — Kevin Connauton (2018 UFA)
8 (NR) — Jan Rutta (2018 UFA)
8 (NR) — Connor Carrick ($750,000 RFA)
8 (7) — Dennis Seidenberg (2018 UFA)
8 (NR) — Paul Postma (2018 UFA)
8 — Cody Franson (2018 UFA)
7 (10) — Jack Johnson (2018 UFA)
7 — Ryan Murray ($2.825 million RFA)
7 — Michael Del Zotto (2019 UFA)
7 (8) — Alex Petrovic ($1.85 million RFA)
7 — Mark Pysyk (two more at $2.733 million UFA)
7 — Luca Sbisa (2018 UFA)
7 — Ben Lovejoy (2019 UFA)
7 — Paul Martin (2019 UFA)
7 — Brad Hunt (2019 UFA)
7 — Nick Jensen (2019 UFA)
7 (6) — Frank Corrado ($650,000 RFA)
6 (NR) — Alexander Edler (one more at $5 million UFA, NMC)
6 (NR) — Chris Tanev (two more at $4.45 million UFA)
6 (5) — Jason Demers (three more at $3.98 million)
6 (NR) — Matt Hunwick (two more at $2.25 million UFA)
6 (5) — Nathan Beaulieu (one more at $2.4 million RFA)
6 (NR) — Rasmus Andersson (two more at $755,833 RFA)
6 — Trevor Daley (two more at $3.167 million)
6 (NR) — Joe Morrow ($650,000 RFA)
6 — Matt Benning ($925,000 RFA)
6 (4) — Francois Beauchemin (2018 UFA)
6 (NR) — Carl Gunnarsson (2019 UFA)
6 — Trevor van Riemsdyk ($825,000 RFA)
6 — Andrej Sustr (2018 UFA)
6 (NR) — Paul LaDue ($874,125 RFA)
6 — Ryan Murphy ($700,000 RFA)
6 — Kyle Quincey (2018 UFA)
6 — Yohann Auvitu (2018 UFA)
6 (3) — Duncan Siemens ($750,000 RFA)
6 — Ryan Sproul ($650,000 RFA)
5 (3) — Jay Bouwmeester (2019 UFA)
5 (4) — Cody Ceci ($2.8 million RFA)
5 — Marco Scandella (two more at $4.0 million UFA)
5 — David Savard (three more at $4.25 million)
5 — Nikita Zadorov (one more at $2.15 million RFA)
5 (NR) — David Schlemko (two more at $2.1 million UFA)
5 (NR) — Julius Honka (one more at $863,333 RFA)
5 (NR) — Sam Morin ($863,333 RFA)
5 (NR) — Tim Heed (one more at $650,000 UFA)
5 (NR) — Mirco Mueller (one more at $850,000 RFA)
5 (NR) — Christian Folin (2018 UFA)
5 (6) — Thomas Hickey (2018 UFA)
5 — Brandon Manning (2018 UFA)
5 — Patrik Nemeth ($945,000 RFA)
5 — Tyler Wotherspoon ($650,000 RFA)
4 (NR) — Kevin Bieksa (2018 UFA, NMC)
4 (5) — Andrej Sekera (three more at $5.5 million NMC)
4 (NR) — Brandon Carlo (one more at $789,167 RFA)
4 — John Moore (2018 UFA)
4 — Mark Barberio (2018 UFA)
4 (NR) — Tucker Poolman ($925,000 RFA)
4 — Alexei Emelin (2018 UFA)
4 — Eric Gryba (2019 UFA)
3 (5) — Tyson Barrie (two more at $5.5 million)
3 (NR) — Justin Faulk (two more at $4.83 million)
3 — Brett Kulak ($650,000 RFA)
3 — Patrick Wiercioch (2018 UFA)
3 — Jason Garrison (2018 UFA)
3 — Mark Fayne (2018 UFA)
3 — Jamie McBain (2018 UFA)
3 — Aaron Ness (2018 UFA)
3 — Petteri Lindbohm ($650,000 RFA)
3 — David Warsofsky (2019 UFA)
2 (4) — Oliver Ekman-Larsson (2019 UFA)
2 (4) — Damon Severson (five more at $4.167 million)
Goaltenders
7 (6) — Antti Niemi (2018 UFA)
7 (NR) — Jon Gillies ($725,000 RFA)
7 — Michael Hutchinson (2018 UFA)
7 — Laurent Brossoit ($850,000 RFA)
6 (NR) — Anders Nilsson (one more at $2.5 million UFA)
6 (NR) — Kari Lehtonen (2018 UFA)
6 — Chad Johnson (2018 UFA)
6 — Calvin Pickard ($1.075 million RFA)
6 (NR) — Zach Fucale ($714,167 RFA)
5 (6) — Robin Lehner ($4.0 million RFA)
5 (6) — Philipp Grubauer ($1.5 million RFA)
5 — Jonathan Bernier (2018 UFA)
4 (NR) — Cam Ward (2018 UFA)
4 (6) — Ondrej Pavelec (2018 UFA)
4 — Jeff Glass (2018 UFA)
4 — Andrew Hammond (2018 UFA)
3 (5) — Antti Raanta (2018 UFA)
3 (NR) — Al Montoya (one more at $1.06 million UFA)
3 — Jean-Francois Berube (2019 UFA)
2 (NR) — Scott Darling (three more at $4.15 million)
2 — Eddie Lack (2018 UFA)
Well, what do you think — agree or disagree on the rankings? Is anybody missing from my list? Join the discussion in the comments below.