NHL Trade Deadline: Top Five Forwards Speculated to Switch Teams

Jake Guentzel Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL trade deadline will arrive in six days, and THN.com has been analyzing which players are likely to be dealt.

On Thursday, we looked at five defensemen on the trade block. Today, we’re examining five forwards likely to be moved by March 8. In no particular order:

Jake Guentzel, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins’ woes have led to a nightmare situation that nobody would’ve believed possible one or two years ago. Parting ways with Guentzel would’ve been a non-starter option for Pens management, but considering that the veteran winger is going to be a UFA this summer and the Penguins’ long-term salary cap issues, it’s come to the point where longtime observers now expect Pittsburgh to move him.

The 29-year-old is currently sidelined due to injury, but he was on a point-per-game pace, with 52 points in 50 outings. He’s making a good case to get a raise on the $6 million per year he’s earning this season.

Any team seeking veteran help with their offense will be vying to land Guentzel. The Penguins need to deal him to start improving in the future. Whether he’s a rental option just for this season or whether he will sign a contract extension, Guentzel is going to be an important part of one NHL team’s playoff pushes. He may be the biggest player moved on or before NHL trade deadline day, and he should make a splash wherever he goes.

Adam Henrique, Anaheim Ducks

The 34-year-old Henrique is a relative greybeard at this point in his NHL career. And he’s playing games this season that don’t really matter, so we suspect he’ll want to be shipped out to a bona fide Cup front-runner.

The main issue here is Henrique’s $5.825-million cap hit. The league now sees trades that need a third team to fit all parties under the cap, and any deal involving Henrique almost certainly will need a third team to make the deal work.

Henrique is a versatile veteran with 42 points in 59 games who’ll improve a playoff-bound team, but it could take a first-round pick to win the bidding war for him.

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek may go right down to the 3 p.m. ET wire on deadline day before he moves Henrique, but we’re not convinced Henrique is worth a first-rounder. He’s almost certainly going to be a pure rental, and for that reason, we don’t expect Verbeek will get a terrific offer for Henrique’s services.

Scott Laughton, Philadelphia Flyers

Laughton is not an elite player, but he is a cost-effective asset under contract until 2026 at an affordable $3 million per season, making him attractive to teams looking for lower-salaried players.

The 29-year-old forward has 21 assists and 30 points in 61 games, but on a better team than the Flyers, Laughton could be the kind of stellar role player we often see on the third line of a championship team.

Laughton has averaged only 15:22 of ice time this season, so he’s got plenty in the tank for a long post-season run. Laughton also has no no-trade or no-move clauses in his current contract, so Flyers GM Daniel Briere can trade him anywhere.

Philadelphia has exceeded expectations thus far this season. But in the long term, the Flyers need to continue trading away veterans who aren’t going to be around when their core is in their prime. Laughton is one of those veterans.

Vladimir Tarasenko, Ottawa Senators

The Sens had a slight surge in performance before losing three straight, but that shouldn’t distract them from doing what’s best for the long term. That means moving out Tarasenko, who’ll be a UFA this summer.

The 32-year-old winger has generated 16 goals and 40 points in 56 games this season, but the Senators have been fairly cruddy for much of the year. That means other teams can believe Tarasenko would be better on a higher-performing squad.

At one time, Tarasenko could’ve provided a king’s ransom in any trade, but his stock has fallen somewhat. Ottawa GM Steve Staios must find a way to maximize the return he’d get by moving Tarasenko to a Cup contender. It’s unlikely Tarasenko will return to Ottawa next season, so it’s clearly time for the team and player to part ways.

This deal could require waiting until the very end of deadline day to jack up the quality of assets Staios gets back in return for Tarasenko, but it doesn’t make sense to keep Tarasenko in a Sens uniform.

Jack Roslovic, Columbus Blue Jackets

The lowly Blue Jackets should be listening to offers on much of their roster, but Roslovic could be the first to go. The 27-year-old is having a subpar season – four goals and 18 points in 36 games – with a $4-million salary.

But it’s not long ago that Roslovic was a 22-goal scorer. If Columbus is willing to retain part of his salary, he could be a solid, calculated gamble for a team looking for offense.

Roslovic is a rental player, as he’s a UFA at season’s end. But if he is traded, he can convince the team that traded for him he’s worth some type of contract extension, almost certainly at a lower average annual value than he’s worth right now.

Roslovic still has time to resurrect his NHL career. A fresh, new look with a different team might be just the tonic he’s looking for.