It’s Friday and we’re nearing the end of January, which means trade buzz is flying around the National Hockey League. As we’ve talked about previously, this is stacking up as a potential premium market for sellers because the playoff races in both conferences are a hot mess. Throw in the two-week break in February for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the action is percolating.
Here are three trade candidate hot lists that all updated on Friday morning:
- TSN dropped an updated Trade Bait Board
- Chris Johnston at The Athletic updated his Trade Board
- Frank Seravalli at Daily Faceoff updated his Trade Targets board
Here’s where the Blackhawks had players ranked and some of the comments from the esteemed analysts and insiders:
Seth Jones
The Athletic has him at No. 10 and TSN has him at No. 11 — fascinatingly high placement on the list considering he hasn’t been there before, and his cap hit makes moving him so hard to do in season to a team he would likely waive his NMC to join. Daily Faceoff did not place him in their top 30 at this point. Here’s what Johnston wrote:
The Chicago Blackhawks arenโt believed to be shopping the veteran right-shot defenseman, but it hasnโt kept other teams from calling. Jones carries a sizeable cap hit for a lot of years, but heโs got a skillset thatโs in short supply around the league. Jones is an all-around defender who can log major minutes and handle a shutdown role. He also holds a no-movement clause but may be enticed to waive it with Chicago still likely years away from completing its rebuild.
Ryan Donato
The Athletic has Donato at No. 13, Daily Faceoff at No. 15 and TSN has him at No. 22.
From Seravalli: Of all the Blackhawks veterans, itโs Donato and Jason Dickinson that have lived up to their billing this season. Donato has been a model of consistency in Chicago. Heโs been impactful and competitive and someone both coaching staffs in Chicago have relied upon in the midst of a career year. Donato is also relatively inexpensive and could be a quality under-the-radar addition.
From Johnston: A relentless high-motor player who is enjoying a career season in Chicago, Donato is starting to attract some attention on the trade market. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he profiles as an attractive deadline rental who can bring versatility and depth. Donato appears to have made some strides with his skating this year and has the hands to bury offensive chances when he gets them.
Taylor Hall
Daily Faceoff has Hall at No. 4, TSN has him at No. 30 and The Athletic has him at No. 23.
From Seravalli: “This year has been a grind for Hall as much as itโs been the Blackhawks. His production numbers arenโt bad, but there was a glaring healthy scratch from previous coach Luke Richardson that grabbed everyoneโs attention. The vast majority of Hallโs production has been at even-strength (21 of 24 points) and heโs capable of playing all over the lineup. Hall said he wanted to stay in Chicago, but that doesnโt seem likely at this point. The Hawks retaining half on Hall will make him an intriguing target.”
From Johnston: “The alarm bells started to sound when Hall was scratched for a game this season. Heโs struggled to regain form after missing most of last season due to a knee injury, but NHL Edge data shows that one of his strongest attributes โ his powerful skating stride โ remains. Hallโs top speed of 22.46 miles per hour is well above league average. With the Blackhawks on a trajectory for another spin in the draft lottery and with Hall being a pending unrestricted free agent in the later stages of his career, the veteran winger likely will be on the move again.”