It's been almost a month since the NHL's 2022-23 season began on Oct 7. Six trades took place in October, with the Vancouver Canucks involved in half of them. They sent Jason Dickinson to the Chicago Blackhawks for Riley Stillman and acquired Jack Studnicka from the Boston Bruins and Ethan Bear from the Carolina Hurricanes.
The low number of trades isn't uncommon at this stage in an NHL season. Most teams have limited salary-cap space to take on additional players, plus many of them are still evaluating their respective rosters' strengths and weaknesses.
Despite the limited activity in the trade market, several players have been the topic of trade speculation. Some, like the Arizona Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun, have been a regular topic of media gossip for months. Others, such as the Canucks' Bo Horvat, have recently surfaced in the rumor mill.
Here are our 10 trade candidates for the month of November 2022. This list is comprised of players who were featured in media rumors throughout October. They are ranked according to talent, market value and the possibility of being traded during this season.
10. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Patrick Kane's eligibility next July for unrestricted free-agent status plus the Chicago Blackhawks' rebuilding process has made the 33-year-old superstar winger frequent fodder for trade rumors. He could become the best player available before the March 3 trade deadline.
However, there remains no certainty that Kane will be traded. He carries a full no-movement clause in his contract, giving him complete control over the situation. His $10.5 million salary-cap hit could also prove difficult to move given the high number of teams lacking sufficient cap space to acquire him.
On Oct. 17, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported Kane and his agent intend to meet with Blackhawks management around December or January to discuss his future. The winger is taking a wait-and-see approach and isn't being pressured by management to make a decision.
That hasn't stopped pundits from linking Kane to other clubs. On Oct. 20, Sportsnet's Jeff Marek and ESPN's Greg Wyshynski suggested the Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames could become suitors. Nevertheless, he might not hit the trade block until early 2023.
9. John Klingberg, Anaheim Ducks
Signing a one-year, $7 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 29, John Klingberg could be betting on a solid season bolstering his value in next summer's free-agent market. As the rebuilding Ducks stumbled through October with a 2-6-1 record, the 30-year-old defenseman surfaced in media trade gossip.
On Oct. 11, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman predicted Klingberg could end up with the Edmonton Oilers by the trade deadline. Three days later, the Hockey News' Adam Proteau suggested Klingberg could become a more affordable short-term trade option for clubs that tire of waiting for the Arizona Coyotes to lower their asking price for Jakob Chychrun.
A week later, on Oct. 20, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek didn't rule out the possibility of re-signing Klingberg to a new contract if there's mutual interest in doing so. Nevertheless, LeBrun didn't rule out the blueliner becoming a trade chip for the Ducks by deadline day.
It could come down to whether Klingberg wants to remain part of a rebuilding team and if Verbeek feels his performance merits a lucrative long-term deal. Klingberg's performance will also factor into whether he stays or goes by deadline day.