With the All-Star Weekend in the rearview mirror, trade talk and rumors are continuing to ramp up and will do so from here on out until the trade deadline on March 3. Some teams, like the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs, have established themselves as playoff contenders, while others are trending toward becoming sellers.

But just because those organizations may not make the playoffs doesn’t mean they don’t have talent worth acquiring for a playoff run. Here are 15 players to keep an eye on as trade bait, with some new additions via the latest rumors and trade boards published by NHL insiders.

But just because those organizations may not make the playoffs doesn’t mean they don’t have talent worth acquiring for a playoff run. Here are 15 players to keep an eye on as trade bait, with some new additions via the latest rumors and trade boards published by NHL insiders.

1. Timo Meier, Left/Right Wing

With the San Jose Sharks staring at a lottery pick, chances are they’ll be sellers ahead of the trade deadline. Meier originally checked in at No. 6 on Frank Seravalli’s trade targets list a couple of months ago, but he’s now the top trade target with the Canucks having dealt Horvat. 

After a slow start to 2022-23, Meier has picked it up and is just under a point-per-game and pacing for 40-plus goals. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning any acquiring team will have control over him. His price will likely be quite high, but he’ll be worth it, given what he adds to anyone’s roster. 

2. Jakob Chychrun, Defenseman

The writing has been on the wall for some time, but it appears Chychrun will be on the move ahead of the trade deadline. With the Arizona Coyotes not going to be contenders for at least a couple of years, he has indicated that he’s open to a move elsewhere. 

Chychrun got a late start to his season after undergoing surgery this summer, but he’s played very well for the Coyotes since returning from surgery in late November, as he’s having the best offensive season of his career to this point. His price was likely high beforehand, but with an impressive start to his 2022-23 campaign, the Coyotes should get a strong return for the defenseman. 

3. Brock Boeser, Right Wing

Boeser hasn’t asked for a trade out of Vancouver. But per reporting from Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal, the Canucks and Boeser’s camp have agreed to see if there’s a fit for him elsewhere (from ‘What we’re hearing about Brock Boeser on the trade block, Bo Horvat and more’ – The Athletic, 12/4/2022). 

Boeser’s had a down season, but at 25 years old, he is an ideal change of scenery candidate. His contract, which he signed just this past summer, runs through the 2024-25 season at a cap hit of $6.65 million. While the cap hit may be high, the low term could make him an attractive trade target for teams looking to add a plus-shot on the wing in their top-six. And the Canucks will likely retain some salary to make a deal work.