Seravalli: Detroit's Filip Zadina joins the latest Trade Target's list - Daily Faceoff
2. Tomas Hertl
Center, San Jose Sharks
Age: 28
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.625 million AAV
Last Rank: 3rd
Scoop: This week is believed to be the one where the rubber meets the road for Hertl and San Jose. Will the Sharks, who say they want to keep him, ponying up with the term and dollars required? The rest of the NHL is not convinced. And frankly, Hertl didn’t sound as convincing that he actually wanted to remain in the Bay Area when he was recently asked. He’s having a fantastic season, still on pace for 33 goals, but he’s gone the last 10 consecutive games without one – which is about when this became a real topic of conversation in the public sphere. Hertl would provide a significant return for the Sharks’ future, a necessary component for a team en route to a third straight season in lottery territory.
3. Brandon Hagel
Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 23
Contract: 2 more seasons, $1.5 million AAV
Last Rank: 4th
Scoop: Newly named GM Kyle Davidson did not mince words when he said at Tuesday’s introductory press conference that the Blackhawks are going to rebuild. What’s the best way to do that? Acquire as much draft capital as possible. If you’re looking for this year’s version of a Blake Coleman or Barclay Goodrow addition, look no further than Hagel, who has generated significant interest in Chicago. He recently whet everyone’s appetite with a hat trick against New Jersey, one of the teams that has been interested in him. Hagel has an outside shot at 30 goals this season. But it’s his contract and cost certainty that’s making teams drool. He is in first-round pick plus top prospect territory, which is understandable given the contract, his production and style of play. Provided that Davidson’s price is met, he’s a good bet to move.
6. Marc-Andre Fleury
Goaltender, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 37
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Last Rank: 8th
Scoop: Marc-Andre Fleury wants to win. Pure and simple. His goal is believed to be to get to an authentic Stanley Cup contender that help get over the hump. Fleury also holds all of the cards, with both a 10-team no-trade list and a gentleman’s agreement with the Blackhawks that they’ll only send him where he wants to chase a Cup. Who needs a goaltender? Edmonton, Vegas, Washington and now … maybe Toronto? Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon flatly refuted our report two weeks back, in which we relayed that the Golden Knights
expressed interest in a potential reunion with Fleury. We stand by our reporting. It feels admittedly like a long shot that Fleury ends up back as the marquee headliner on the Vegas Strip, but stranger things have happened. Would Fleury entertain either the U.S. capital or the capital of Alberta? If not, what about the self-proclaimed center of the hockey universe?
8. Mark Giordano
Left Defense, Seattle Kraken
Age: 38
Contract: Pending UFA, $6.75 million AAV
Last Rank: 10th
Scoop: Interest is picking up in Giordano, who probably isn’t in first-round pick territory, but could net the Kraken a decent second-round return. You can bet that GM Ron Francis will want to help Giordano land in a preferred destination, somewhere he is comfortable and could help in a Stanley Cup chase. Officially, Giordano has input by submitting 19 teams to which he’d accept a trade. The Kraken also ideally may want to wait until a bit closer to the deadline because they don’t have many bodies playing in the AHL as a first-year franchise, especially if they are trading for futures.