With the trading of former Anaheim Ducks and now St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler, the market for veteran NHL D-men is getting more intriguing. To be sure, there are going to be more than a few additional trades of blueliners by the March 7 trade deadline. In no particular order, here are four defensemen likely to be on the trade block at some point by or before the deadline:
Rasmus Andersson: Calgary Flames
As the Flames continue to reshape their future, the status of 28-year-old Andersson isn’t easy to make out. People wonder about Calgary star defenseman MacKenzie Weegar being traded, but the surer player to move is Andersson, who has one more year left on his contract after this one, and who makes a relatively modest $4.55 million. Andersson is currently averaging 24:34 of ice time, while chipping in 15 points in 31 games. That’s the kind of asset that can command a significant return in a trade.
Andersson does have a modified no-trade clause, but as per Puck Pedia, the clause only prevents him from being dealt to six teams of his choice. But that leaves 25 teams he can be traded to. And make no mistake – Andersson would command a sizable prize in return for his services. Calgary should be tearing things down, and Andersson probably wants to spend his prime seasons on a team that’s a bona fide Stanley Cup frontrunner.
Related: Five Non-Rental Players Who Could Get Moved
Andersson’s time as a Flame looks to us to be drawing to a close, and the only question is when he moves. Calgary is moving in a different direction, and Andersson should be more than happy to go to a team with genuine Cup aspirations.
Ivan Provorov: Columbus Blue Jackets
Provorov is averaging 23:13 per game in 30 games with the Blue Jackets. He can chip in with some offense as well, as he’s consistently put up 30 points per season. The 27-year-old’s salary – on an expiring contract – of $6.725-million makes him much easier to acquire for many teams.
Provorov can be seen as both a rental and a long-term investment. It really depends on the team interested in acquiring him. But Columbus GM Don Waddell needs to move that asset, and Waddell has never been afraid of dealing a player who may not fit in with his blueprint for success. In any case, Provorov might not move until the deadline, but the likelihood of him finishing the year in Columbus is very low.
Mike Matheson: Montreal Canadiens
He may be the least likely on this list to be traded, but Matheson would be a highly sought-after player if the Canadiens put him on the trade block. Matheson currently leads all Habs skaters at an average of 24:28. He also has 16 points in 28 games, on a sub-par Montreal team. On a true Cup contender, Matheson would look even better than he does now. But it will take a slew of prospects and picks to pry him away from the Canadiens.
Mario Ferraro: San Jose Sharks
The Sharks are still in the early stages of their full rebuild, and GM Mike Grier hasn’t been afraid to peel off veterans in favor of players who can help him down the line, This is why this might be the year Ferraro gets dealt. The 26-year-old has one more year on his contract after this one, and he’s earning $3.25-million per season. Ferraro doesn’t have a no-trade or no-move clause in his contract, so Grier can move him wherever he wants. We’ll be surprised if Ferraro finishes the season as a Shark.
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