With less than three weeks to go until the NHL's trading deadline, two Nashville Predators sit in the top three on our updated Trade Bait board, with winger Mikael Granlund emerging as a hot commodity.

As reported by TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli on Tuesday on Insider Trading, Granlund is the Toronto Maple Leafs’ primary target ahead of April 12, but there are a number of complicating factors for GM Kyle Dubas, including the NHL's 14-day quarantine.

According to Seravalli, another factor seems to be some slight hesitation on the part of the Predators now that the Chicago Blackhawks have come back to earth in the standings. That shift could have the Nashville in wait-and-see mode rather than sell mode.

Topping the list again is Nashville's Mattias Ekholm and, as TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday, the price is steep for the veteran defenceman - a three-asset ask, which includes a first-round pick, an elite prospect and a third asset that can take on different forms.

On top of that, LeBrun adds that the Predators do not have to trade Ekholm at the deadline. He is signed through next season and there is the internal debate for Nashville – is their best offer going to come at this deadline, when contending teams believe they can get Ekholm for two playoff runs, or is it after the July expansion draft, when teams who are interested in him no longer have to worry about their protection issues?

Another defenceman on the list –and rising up the ranks – is Arizona's Alex Goligoski. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that the Coyotes are not looking at a rebuild, but GM Bill Armstrong wants to make some changes. Dreger added that most, if not all, of the changes probably will not get done between now and the trade deadline.

However, Goligoski, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, could be moveable before April 12.

Here is TSN Hockey’s latest Trade Bait board, which always seeks to blend a player’s prominence with his likelihood of a trade.

 

Trade Bait - March 14

 
Trend Player Pos Age GP G P Cap Hit Years
  1. Mattias Ekholm, Nsh LD 30 26 5 14 $3.75M 1
  2. David Savard, CBJ RD 30 32 0 5 $4.25M UFA
Embedded Image 3. Mikael Granlund, Nsh C 29 29 5 12 $3.75M UFA
  4. Taylor Hall, Buf LW 29 30 2 16 $8M UFA
  5. Jonathan Bernier, Det G 32 17 2.78 .918 $3M UFA
  6. Nick Foligno, CBJ LW 33 33 5 12 $5.5M UFA
  7. Toronto's Top Prospect              
Embedded Image 8. Alex Goligoski, Ari LD 35 29 1 4 $5.48M UFA
  9. Tanner Pearson, Van LW 28 33 6 11 $3.75M UFA
  10. Kyle Palmieri, NJ RW 30 29 6 15 $4.65M UFA
Embedded Image 11. Ryan Dzingel, Ott LW 28 20 7 9 $3.375M UFA
Embedded Image 12. Rickard Rakell, Ana RW 27 33 6 21 $3.79M 1
  13. Chicago's Cap Space              
  14. Luke Glendening, Det C 31 31 3 9 $1.8M UFA
  15. Brandon Montour, Buf RD 26 28 1 8 $3.85M UFA
  16. Devan Dubnyk, SJ G 34 16 3.19 .899 $2.17M UFA
  17. Bobby Ryan, Det RW 33 30 6 13 $1M UFA
  18. Eric Staal, Buf C 36 30 3 10 $3.25M UFA
  19. Marc Staal, Det LD 34 33 2 6 $5.7M UFA
  20. Colin Miller, Buf RD 28 28 3 6 $3.88M 1
  21. Alex Kerfoot, Tor C 26 32 5 14 $3.5M 2
  22. Jake DeBrusk, Bos LW 24 21 3 7 $3.68M 1
  23. Dmitry Kulikov, NJ LD 30 29 0 2 $1.15M UFA
  24. Marcus Sorensen, SJ LW 28 18 1 3 $1.5M UFA
  25. Tony DeAngelo, NYR RD 25 6 0 1 $4.8M 1