If early indications are to be trusted, we could be headed for a run on defencemen before the NHL’s March 21 trade deadline.

Six of the top nine players on TSN’s latest Trade Bait board are blueliners – and that doesn’t include Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim’s potential unrestricted free agent who would rank as the No. 1 rental defenceman if he goes to market.

The top defencemen listed are No. 1 Jakob Chychrun (Arizona), No. 2 Ben Chiarot (Montreal), No. 5 John Klingberg (Dallas), No. 6 Mark Giordano (Seattle), No. 7 Justin Braun (Philadelphia) and No. 9 Colin Miller (Buffalo).

Lindholm is lower at No. 15 on the Trade Bait list because it is far from certain he will be dealt. Talks have begun between management and the 28-year-old career-long Duck, who is in his ninth NHL season.

Among the more intriguing rearguards on the TSN Trade Bait board is No. 44-ranked Zdeno Chara, with the 44-year-old set to become the all-time leader in defenceman games played Thursday in San Jose. Chara and Chris Chelios are currently tied at 1,651 games.

The Rangers’ Alexandar Georgiev is the highest-ranked goalie at No. 8, the first of four goalies on the list. Two Stanley Cup-winning netminders are close behind: No. 13 Marc-Andre Fleury (Chicago) and No. 19 Braden Holtby (Dallas).

Toronto’s first-round pick and Arizona’s cap space are the only non-players in the top 50.

Data listed below are position, age, 2021-22 NHL games, goals, points, cap hit and contract years past this season.

 

Trade Bait - Feb. 23

 
Player Pos Age GP G P Cap Hit Years
1. Jakob Chychrun, Ari LD 23 39 2 11 $4.6M 3
2. Ben Chiarot, Mtl RD 30 46 5 10 $3.5M UFA
3. Claude Giroux, Phi C 34 48 16 38 $8.275M UFA
4. Tomas Hertl, SJ C 28 50 22 40 $5.625M UFA
5. John Klingberg, Dal RD 29 42 1 26 $4.25M UFA
6. Mark Giordano, Sea LD 38 47 5 22 $6.75M UFA
7. Justin Braun, Phi RD 35 51 4 14 $1.8M UFA
8. Alexandar Georgiev, NYR G 26 20 2.99 .898 $2.425M RFA
9. Colin Miller, Buf RD 29 32 2 12 $3.875M UFA
10. Pavel Zacha, NJ LW 24 47 12 23 $2.25M RFA
11. Max Domi, CBJ LW 26 40 9 24 $5.3M UFA
12. Phil Kessel, Ari RW 34 50 6 33 $8M UFA
13. Marc-Andre Fleury, Chi G 37 38 2.80 .912 $7M UFA
14. Brandon Hagel, Chi LW 23 46 14 27 $1.5M 2
15. Hampus Lindholm, Ana LD 28 51 5 20 $5.2M UFA
16. Andrew Copp, Wpg C 27 47 12 28 $3.64M UFA
17. Toronto First-Rounder              
18. Nick Paul, Ott C 27 49 9 16 $1.35M UFA
19. Braden Holtby, Dal G 32 23 2.78 .912 $2M UFA
20. Nick Leddy, Det LD 30 46 1 12 $5.5M UFA
21. Artturi Lehkonen, Mtl RW 26 48 7 20 $2.3M RFA
22. Michael Del Zotto, Ott LD 31 10 2 6 $2M 1
23. Jake DeBrusk, Bos LW 25 45 9 17 $3.675M RFA
24. Robert Hagg, Buf LD 27 39 1 6 $1.6M UFA
25. Arizona Cap Space              
26. Jack Roslovic, CBJ C 25 49 8 20 $1.8M RFA
27. J.T. Miller, Van C 29 50 18 53 $5.25M 1
28. Jeff Petry, Mtl RD 34 44 3 11 $6.25M 3
29. Damon Severson, NJ RD 27 48 6 27 $4.2M 1
30. Calle Jarnkrok, Sea C 30 41 10 21 $2M UFA
31. Johan Larsson, Ari C 29 29 6 15 $1.4M UFA
32. Josh Manson, Ana RD 30 43 3 7 $4.1M UFA
33. Mark Pysyk, Buf RD 30 50 2 10 $900K UFA
34. Calvin de Haan, Chi LD 30 48 1 5 $4.55M UFA
35. Joonas Korpisalo, CBJ G 27 18 3.82 .887 $2.8M UFA
36. Owen Tippett, Fla RW 23 42 6 14 $863K RFA
37. Mike Hoffman, Mtl LW 32 36 9 17 $4.5M 2
38. Zach Sanford, Ott RW 27 50 8 15 $2M UFA
39. Rasmus Ristolainen, Phi RD 27 44 2 12 $5.4M UFA
40. Marc Staal, Det LD 35 44 1 8 $2M UFA
41. Vitali Kravtsov, NYR* RW 22 19 6 13 $925K RFA
42. Nicolas Deslauriers, Ana LW 31 50 4 9 $1M UFA
43. Shane Bowers, Col+ C 22 23 3 5 $925K RFA
44. Zdeno Chara, NYI LD 44 43 0 8 $750K UFA
45. Paul Stastny, Wpg C/LW 36 39 12 22 $3.75M UFA
46. Nils Lundkvist, NYR RD 21 25 1 4 $925K 2
47. Conor Garland, Van RW 25 47 13 29 $4.95M 4
48. Christian Fischer, Ari RW 24 42 3 8 $1M RFA
49. Travis Dermott, Tor LD/RD 25 36 1 4 $1.5M 1
50. James van Riemsdyk, Phi LW 32 51 11 20 $7M 1
 

* - KHL statistics

+ - AHL statistics