NHL trade rumors tracker: Bruins get Lindholm; Flyers acquire Giroux; Maple Leafs bring in Giordano

Bryan Murphy

•
NHL trade rumors tracker: Bruins get Lindholm; Flyers acquire Giroux; Maple Leafs bring in Giordano image

The 2022 NHL trade deadline is fast approaching and that means the rumor mill is swirling. 

Big moves are being made ahead of Monday's deadline, with some of most notable names already on their way to new teams. Claude Giroux and Hampus Lindholm were both moved on Saturday, while Mark Giordano was traded on Sunday taking away three of the top names off team's trade target lists before we even get to Monday. 

There is still plenty of time before teams need to submit their trades on March 21 and there is a chance a team considered a seller now may be a buyer by the time this is all said and done, and vice versa. 

MORE: NHL trade deadline: History of first-round draft picks dealt for players

Here is a look at some of the trade rumors leading up to the deadline.

2021-22 NHL trade deadline: Tracking the latest rumors

Claude Giroux

UPDATE: 

Giroux was traded to the Panthers in a package including Owen Tippett and a first-round pick. 

ORIGINAL COPY:

Giroux is considered to be one of, if not the top deadline target and has been connected to a number of teams in trade talks.

After playing in his 1000th game on Thursday, Giroux did not travel with Philadelphia for the contest on Friday in Ottawa. It was reported Thursday night by Cross Broad's Anthony SanFilippo that while a deal is not done yet, it ids expected that Giroux is headed to the Panthers in a trade. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said Friday morning that a deal still needs to be done and the Avalanche remains in the mix. Friedman also believed the final destination for Giroux would be Florida. 

Hampus Lindholm

UPDATE:

Lindholm was traded to the Boston Bruins along with Kodie Curran for a package of a first-round pick, two second-rounder, Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore.  

The Bruins followed up the move by announcing Sunday that Lindholm has agreed to an eight-year extension with an average annual cap hit of $6.5 million. 

ORIGINAL COPY:

According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, Lindholm is the new No. 1 target for buyers looking to acquire a blueliner. 

Lindholm is one of the seven pending free agents for the Ducks. It's made for a lot of work for GM Pat Verbeek, with the two sides trying to make an extension work, but ultimately, the two could not agree and Lindholm is being shopped. Seravalli mentioned that the issue in extension talks between Lindholm and the Ducks has been term, not AAV. 

The Ducks blue liner will not dress Friday and is expected to be moved. 

Marc-Andre Fleury

While he might be the top goaltending trade target, Fleury may not be going anywhere. 

It's a point that has been made on multiple occasions, and LeBrun again made the point on Insider Trading. Despite teams like the Maple Leafs and Capitals calling the Blackhawks on Fleury, it will be Fleury's decision on what happens at the deadline. 

"Fleury is going to call his own shot - we've talked about this - and I don't believe that Toronto is on his short list of preferred teams. And by the way, I don't think the Washington Capitals - another team that's phoned Chicago - is on Fleury's list of destinations. So, there's no guarantee Fleury gets dealt at all, but at this point it doesn't look like the Leafs would be a fit for Fleury."

Toronto could certainly use Fleury's services, with Jack Campbell out at least two weeks due to a rib injury and Petr Mrazek struggling this season. 

MORE: When is the NHL trade deadline? Date, time, news, rumors, top targets

Tomas Hertl

UPDATE: Hertl and the Sharks reached agreement on an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value around $8 million, Pierre LeBrun and Elliotte Friedman reported March 15.

ORIGINAL COPY:

Hertl remains a trade deadline target for contenders, but the Sharks are trying to keep him long term. Here's what LeBrun had to say on the situation. 

"Negotiations continue between the Sharks and Tomas Hertl’s camp. I got a feeling the Sharks will end up going to a place contract-wise that’s going to be pretty close to where Hertl needs it to be. I feel that because the Sharks, as I reported last week, have told teams they’re not ready to listen on trade offers yet and are solely focused on signing their star player to an extension. They’re all-in on it.

"But this isn’t just about getting the contract where it needs to be. Even after that perhaps happens, there’s another question that ultimately only Hertl himself can answer: Where does he see the Sharks over the next number of years? Does he see a path to winning?"

The Sharks already have long-term money tied up in Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Marc-Edouard Vlasic that currently takes up 42 percent of their cap, so fitting in a Hertl extension would be tough. If a deal can't be reached, the Sharks would be able to get a generous return for a player of Hertl's caliber.

J.T. Miller

Miller has been tied to trade rumors for months. With Maple Leafs assistant general manager Laurence Gilman attending the last two Canucks games, the speculation of a Miller trade to Toronto has risen, adding another contender to a large list of potential suitors. 

After all is said and done, however, the Canucks might hang onto the 28-year-old forward, according to LeBrun on the March 3 segment of "Insider Trading." 

"The Leafs are among several teams that have kicked tires with Vancouver on (Miller). I don't think there's anything too serious at this point. When I talk to other teams around the league ... what I get is Vancouver's really not that into the idea of trading J.T. Miller. A team is really going to have to step up to get the engine of the Vancouver Canucks out of that roster."

TSN's Darren Dreger echoed LeBrun in the same segment: 

"Bit of a surprise, only a handful of clubs have actually called the Vancouver Canucks on J.T. Miller. That might be because they know that Vancouver's preference is to likely hold onto the player for now. He's got another year remaining on his contract."

MORE: J.T. Miller trade rumors: Should the Canucks move their star forward?

Jakob Chychurn

The young stud defenseman for the Coyotes will be out 2-4 weeks after suffering a lower-body injury Saturday night against the Bruins, the team announced Monday. 

He is a key piece that could be moved at the deadline, but the injury may have changed both buyers' and the Coyotes' deadline plans.

He's only 23 years old, under contract for another three seasons at a bargain price of $4.5 million and is an elite blue liner. With that, it's going to cost a pretty, pretty penny for Chychrun, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski 

The Coyotes have no reason to rush a trade and the injury may prevent a move to be until this offseason. 

Mark Giordano

UPDATE:

Giordano was traded to the Maple Leafs for multiple draft picks. 

ORIGINAL COPY:

Seattle's first season in the NHL has not been a successful one and while GM Ron Francis' course of action for the deadline isn't clear, a Giordano trade is almost guaranteed. 

The 38-year-old defenseman will be a UFA this summer and according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, Giordano met with Francis in February to discuss a deal. 

"(Giordano) entered Seattle with an open mind, but things haven't gone according to plan for the franchise this season, and there are quite a few players not so happy with their situations. Giordano met with general manager Ron Francis last month, and it was determined the best course of action would be the Kraken recouping some value while allowing Giordano to chase a Stanley Cup this spring."

Seattle could retain part of Giordano's $6.75 million cap hit in order to sweeten the deal and get something better coming back their way. 

Ben Chiarot

UPDATE: The Canadiens have traded Chiarot to to the Panthers in exchange for a two draft picks — a first-round selection in 2023 and a fourth-round pick in 2024. Montreal will also get Tyler Smilanic as a part of the deal.

ORIGINAL COPY: 

Montreal continues to do their diligence when it comes to working a trade for Chiarot, who would be a great asset for a contender to add at the deadline. 

General manager Ken Hughes is not waiting for the market to make a trade, but the problem has been that the Canadiens have not received an offer that matches what they are looking for, according to Seravalli. 

"GM Kent Hughes has made more than his fair share of calls, but a deal has not materialized. Hughes said previously the Canadiens 'won’t wait for the market' in order to move the defenseman. The problem is no one has met Montreal’s asking price, which is to match what the Tampa Bay Lightning paid last season for David Savard with first and third-round picks. We’ll see if they get it."

Chiarot is a highly dependable defender with playoff experience. He would be a great depth addition, even as a rental. 

MORE: Ben Chiarot trade rumors: 5 trade destinations for the Canadiens defenseman

Jake DeBrusk

DeBrusk’s agent, Rick Vallette, told LeBrun that DeBrusk’s trade request from the Bruins is still in place.

LeBrun said on the March 1 segment of TSN's Insider Trading that despite his recent performance, DeBrusk stills wants out of Boston. DeBrusk's current two-year, $7.35 million contract expires at the end of this season and he's put in the proverbial doghouse of Bruce Cassidy at times.

But Friedman recently said on NHL Network that "Boston is going for the Stanley Cup, I think he's (Jake DeBrusk) staying." It's certainly an interesting wrinkle and the first time since DeBrusk's trade request that it's reported Boston will keep him at the deadline.   

Brandon Hagel

UPDATE:

Brandon Hagel and two fourth-round picks were traded to the Lightning for two first-round picks, Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk. 

ORIGINAL COPY:

Under different circumstances, the Blackhawks would love to hang onto Hagel. The 23-year-old has 33 points in 52 games in his second full season in the NHL, showcasing a knack for scoring despite being on a bad Chicago team. 

The problem is that the Blackhawks are going into a rebuild under new GM Kyle Davidson. It has to start somewhere and trading Hagel at this point in time would provide a large return that could help jumpstart the rebuild. 

"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."

Hagel has two more years on his contract with a $1.5 million cap hit. That's such a bargain deal considering what Hagel has produced on the ice and would be an excellent addition for both teams looking to win this year, in addition to a non-playoff team in need of bolstering their offense for the future. 

P.K. Subban

It's a name that hasn't been brought up a ton, but the Devils may be looking to move Subban at the deadline, according to LeBrun. 

The Devils defenseman is pending UFA and speaking to Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald, New Jersey is "not at a spot where (they are) looking to extend him at this point."

If an extension is not going to be worked out, a deadline trade would make sense for both sides and one Fitzgerald could make. 

"He’s done a lot for community here and the organization. But I told him, 'On the last day, somebody may lose a right-shot D and may call me and if the move makes sense for the New Jersey Devils and makes sense for you to potentially have a chance to win, I have to do what’s best for the organization.'"

Patrik Laine

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to be active at the deadline. The Blue Jackets are on the outside of the playoff picture and it makes sense to acquire future assets for pending free agents. 

However, when it comes to upcoming RFA Patrik Laine, Kekalainen is none too pleased with the trade rumors, he recently told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. 

"Yeah it bothers me because people make up s—, that’s what bothers me. I understand that sometimes from conversations you have (with teams) some of it may leak out, and a name gets in there, but this is not a case like that. This is just somebody making s— up from their own speculation of what we might do. They make it up and hope for the headlines and hope for the clicks. I think that’s unethical. And I don’t have any time for it."

The Blue Jackets GM has yet to bring Laine's name up in trade talks with other GMs, according to LeBrun. The two sides will work towards a deal at some point in the future. 

"I’ve said this before about Laine, we have no rush, we have his rights for this year and next year. When the time is right, we’re going to sit down and look at all the options together and see if we can come to a solution that he will stay for us for a term that fits the need of both sides and for the dollars that meet the needs of both sides."

Max Comtois

One player reportedly on the trade block for the Ducks that's not a pending free agent is Comtois. He's had a down season after leading the Ducks in goals last year, dealing with surgery on his hand and COVID. He's been healthy scratch and as a 23-year-old with goal-scoring ability, could provide a decent return for Anaheim. 

Marek explained that the forward is beginning to come up more often in trade discussions. 

"Maxime Comtois is a name we're really starting to here. He's had a challenging season ... hasn't really been able to get much traction or get in the lineup ... It's one of those names we're starting to hear more and more."

Noel Acciari

Acciari was mentioned by Friedman in his most recent 32 Thoughts blog as a potential "under-the-radar name." He has only played in six games this season because of an injury, but the Panthers may have enough roster depth that he isn't needed. 

He's a pending free-agent center with 45 games of playoff experience. He could fill a fourth-line role on a contender at a cheap cost.

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.