Don’t do it: Which NHL players should teams think twice about trading at the 2024 deadline?

Matt Larkin
Matt Larkin(MLarkinHockey)
Don’t do it: Which NHL players should teams think twice about trading at the 2024 deadline?
Credit: Jakob Chychrun (© Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

With less than a month until the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline March 8, we’re delivering at least one deadline-focused story every day at Daily Faceoff.

Today, we ponder which names on the block teams should reconsider shipping out.

2024 NHL Trade Deadline Countdown: 20 days

As the Trade Deadline approaches, it’s always fun to discuss the names potentially on the move. We have a 60-day countdown to March 8 on Daily Faceoff for a reason.

But sometimes, the best moves are the ones you don’t make.

So for this week’s Roundtable, I want you to look at the trade block and tell me: Among potentially available players, whom do you think it would be a mistake to trade?

MATT LARKIN: I’m not sure it would be wise for the Philadelphia Flyers to move Scott Laughton. I can certainly see why he’d attract a lot of interest, as he plays a feisty game, he’s still in his late prime at 29 and he has a reasonable AAV of $3 million for two additional seasons after this one. But that’s also exactly why I think he still fits in Philly. He’s a leader, someone who sets the tone in John Tortorella’s dressing room, and, who knows, the Flyers could be contenders sooner than we think at this point. They’re already in a playoff spot this season anyway. Laughton could be a trade chip next year or the year after that if the Flyers still consider themselves rebuilders then. But I wouldn’t jump the gun on a guy with such an attractive contract. That said: if I’m not Philly, I’d be chasing Laughton. LOL.

SCOTT MAXWELL: I’m going to go with Pavel Buchnevich, although I also say it understanding why the St. Louis Blues think they need to. They really haven’t been close to Cup contender status since their win in 2019, and even with the potential for a playoff appearance this season, they might be better off in the long term by selling off pieces. Plus Buchnevich will likely come at a pricey cap hit on his next contract, so the Blues probably want to get a decent haul for him instead of paying up for that. But at the same time, Buchnevich is one of the few reasons for their playoff contention this season, so it really depends on what Doug Armstrong’s goal is here. If he wants to tank, then by all means, this will help them lose. But considering Armstrong’s tendencies to do quick retools, Buchnevich is one of the players that would be worth investing in alongside Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.

MIKE GOULD: I think the Senators would be making a mistake to trade Jakob Chychrun. I think they erred slightly last year in giving up yet another high first-round pick to add him in the first place, but now that they have him, they should be looking to re-sign him — and, if necessary, trade Thomas Chabot instead. Ottawa has a backlog of left-shot defenders and I think Chychrun and Jake Sanderson should be their 1/2 punch at the position going forward. Chabot’s presence feels a little superfluous to me at this point.

STEVEN ELLIS: After chatting with Frank Vatrano at the NHL All-Star Game, it seems clear he loves what they’re doing in Anaheim and wants to be part of it long term. They’ve got a good young core that’s only a few years away from being competitive, and Vatrano has a chance to be a big part of that as the veteran finding his stride. I know he’s due for a raise on his next deal but I think the potential for him to be a key piece of the team’s transition from pretender to contender is worth keeping him around. 

COLBY COHEN: It seem’s like Jakob Chychrun’s name is never not being talked about come trade deadline time and like many times before, I think Ottawa should stand pat and try to make things work with him. He doesn’t make a ton of money, and I believe there could be brighter days ahead in Ottawa. They have played much better since Shane Pinto returned (besides last night’s loss to Anaheim) and Chychrun has a $4.6 million cap hit for another season after this, therefore I think Ottawa should take a wait-and-see approach. He’s a big guy who skates and moves the puck well, and when he’s playing at the top of his game he’s a top-pair type of guy. Defensemen like him don’t grow on trees, and at 25 years old I don’t think we have even seen the best of his game yet….. and besides, if next year come trade deadline time they are still a bad team, then you can look to move him before he is a UFA. 

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