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NHL Trade Talk’s 2024-25 Top 20 Trade Bait Board
NHL Trade Talk’s 2024-25 Top 20 Trade Bait Board: Which names are among those in the NHL most likely to be traded?
As the NHL trade deadline approaches, the buzz around potential moves intensifies. Teams are evaluating their rosters, factoring in their playoff odds, and exploring deals to address critical needs. Whether it’s acquiring a game-changing forward, a reliable defenseman, or freeing up cap space, the trade market is set to deliver some blockbuster moves. And as the roster freeze kicks in on Friday, some teams are getting ahead of the rest of the market.
This year’s trade bait board is packed with intriguing names—veteran stars looking for a fresh start, pending free agents who could be valuable rentals, and players on expiring contracts whose teams may choose to capitalize on their value.
These 20 names represent some of the most likely—and most exciting—candidates to be on the move before the deadline.
NHL Trade Talk Top 20 Trade Bait Board
| Board Ranking | Player | Team & Contract | Interested Teams |
| 1 | Chris Kreider | NYR 2 YRS/$6.5M | BOS, CAR, TOR |
| 2 | Vincent Desharnais | VAN 2 YRS/$2M | COL, EDM, MTL |
| 3 | Brock Nelson | NYI 1 YR/$6M | DAL, EDM, TOR |
| 4 | Brandon Saad | STL 2 YRS/$4.5M | CAR, COL, PIT |
| 5 | Ivan Provorov | CBJ 1 YR/$4.7M | FLA, TBL, WSH |
| 6 | Trent Frederic | BOS 1 YR/$2.3M | LAK, STL, WIN |
| 7 | Taylor Hall | CHI 1 YR/$6M | EDM, FLA, NYR |
| 8 | Rasmus Andersson | CGY 2 YRS/$4.5M | FLA, NYR, VAN |
| 9 | Yanni Gourde | SEA 1 YR/$5.1M | DAL, TBL, TOR |
| 10 | Frank Vatrano | ANA 1 YR/$3.6M | BOS, COL, FLA |
| 11 | Brandon Tanev | SEA 1YR/$3.5M | BOS, EDM, TOR |
| 12 | John Gibson | ANA 3 YRS/$6.4M | CAR, DET, EDM |
| 13 | Alexander Georgiev | SJS 1 YR/$2.9M | DET, LAK, PIT |
| 14 | Bowen Byram | BUF 1 YR/$3.8M | FLA, SEA, VAN |
| 15 | David Savard | MTL 1 YR/ $3.5M | DAL, EDM, LAK |
| 16 | Cody Ceci | SJS1 YR/$3.2M | CHI, EDM, FLA |
| 17 | Scott Laughton | PHI 2 YRS/$3M | OTT, TBL, TOR |
| 18 | Mikael Granlund | SJS 1 YR/$5M | CAR, EDM, VGK |
| 19 | Mike Matheson | MTL 2 YRS/ $4.8M | CAR, DAL, EDM |
| 20 | Barclay Goodrow | SJS 2 YRS/$3.6M | COL, TBL, VGK |
| 21 | Rasmus Ristolainen | PHI 3 YRS/$5.1M | CGY, UTH, VAN |
| 22 | Drew O’Connor | PIT 1 YR/$925K | CAR, COL, FLA |
| 23 | Radek Faska | STL 1 YR/$3.2M | DAL, OTT, VGK |
| 24 | Nick Robertson | TOR 1YR/$875K | CBJ, UTH, STL |
| 25 | Phillip Grubauer | SEA 2 YRS/$5.9M | BUF, CAR, DET |
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