Calgary Flames forward Martin Pospisil has been suspended three games for boarding Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.
Pospisil was issued a five-minute major and ejected for the collision in the Flames' 4-2 loss on Monday.
Dunn left the game and didn't return. He missed the Kraken's 4-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury as a result of the play.
Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol called the hit "garbage" when speaking to reporters after the game, courtesy of Emerald City Hockey.
"You're gonna run around like that, you probably need to answer when somebody comes at you man-to-man, and that didn't happen, either. So from there, I'll leave it to the league," Hakstol said.
Pospisil delivered a hard check on Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson early in the contest as well.
There isn't a contract extension between the two sides at this time, Johnston added on "SportsCentre."
Hanifin was the No. 2 name available on theScore's trade board. The pending unrestricted free agent has 11 goals and 35 points in 61 games this season.
The Flames are acquiring defenseman Daniil Miromanov in the trade, TSN's Darren Dreger reports. The 26-year-old right-shot blue-liner was injured to start the season and returned to action in January. He has zero points in four NHL games and six points in five AHL contests this season.
A two-way defender, Hanifin has seen his usage increase each of the past four seasons. He's playing 23:46 per contest this campaign, the highest mark of his nine-season career, though his underlying metrics have dipped amid his significant workload.
Noah Hanifin, acquired by VGK, is a mobile puck-moving defenceman who typically plays at a top-pairing level. He's very good at a whole lot of things (skating, passing), even if he's not quite elite at anything. Impacts are down this year but microstats are steady. #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/aXtFb3LmeQ
The 27-year-old was linked to the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning in recent days. Hanifin was reportedly eyeing teams with which he would sign long-term.
The Golden Knights land Hanifin despite returning all six defensemen from their Stanley Cup-winning blue-line. Vegas has had notable injury woes, with Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, and Zach Whitecloud each missing more than 15 games.
Martinez was placed on injured reserve earlier on Wednesday with an undisclosed ailment.
Hanifin carries a $4.95-million cap hit, which the Golden Knights can fit onto their roster with Mark Stone's $9.5-million salary on long-term injured reserve.
Vegas acquired forward Anthony Mantha with 50% retained salary on Tuesday from the Washington Capitals.
Bogosian, 33, was acquired by the Wild in November from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2025 seventh-round pick. He has one goal and nine points in 43 games with Minnesota.
The veteran gets a raise from his $850,000 cap hit this season. His new deal won't have any trade protection, The Athletic's Joe Smith reports.
The three-year contract Bogosian signed with the Lightning in July 2021 had a full no-trade clause in the first two seasons and a 21-team no-trade clause in the final season.
Those are some of the names that every hockey fan has heard many times over the past few weeks in the lead-up to the NHL's trade deadline March 8.
And while those players remain some of the biggest names available, there are always intriguing targets flying under the radar at this time of year.
Here are eight under-the-radar players who could move before the deadline and make an impact for a contender come the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tommy Novak
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
51
13
21
$800K
Pending UFA
Novak is a fascinating chip considering his scoring and contract.
His 45 points at five-on-five since Jan. 1, 2023, are more than the likes of Brad Marchand, Mika Zibanejad, Bo Horvat, and Nick Suzuki, among numerous others.
Novak has done so primarily as a third-liner, having played an average of 14:22 over the past two seasons. A player who can create up and down the lineup is an intriguing profile for many playoff teams in search of depth scoring.
What puts him at the top of this list is his $800,000 cap hit. Any contending team can fit him on its roster with relative ease. That's not the case for other scoring options such as Vladimir Tarasenko ($5 million) or Jordan Eberle ($5.5 million).
Novak is neither physical nor particularly adept at the faceoff dot. But if the Predators can't come to terms with the forward on a contract extension, many teams should be interested in his services.
Yakov Trenin
John Russell / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
59
10
4
$1.7M
Pending UFA
Sticking with the Predators, Trenin is more of the typical deadline target that general managers covet.
The 27-year-old is listed at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, and he knows how to use his frame. He ranks in the 95th percentile in forecheck involvement per All Three Zones, and his 135 hits are in the top 20 among forwards.
Trenin has also been one of the best penalty killers league-wide this season. He ranks seventh in shot attempts against per 60 among forwards with at least 75 shorthanded minutes, per Natural Stat Trick.
As a good defensive forward with some finishing ability, he's a player who should generate a fair bit of interest if Nashville takes calls on the pending free agent.
Oliver Kylington
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
13
2
1
$2.5M
Pending UFA
Kylington recently returned from an extended absence, so this is a case where the player will dictate if anything happens.
If Kylington is comfortable being traded, he's a smooth-skating defenseman who can win his minutes on a third pairing.
Kylington broke out during his last full season in 2021-22 while playing alongside Chris Tanev. The duo dominated its minutes to the tune of 55.8% Corsi for and 57.5% expected goals for, outscoring the opposition 56-35 in the process.
Kylington has proven he can be an effective NHL defender, particularly moving the puck up the ice. At the very least, a team in need of a defender should gauge the player's and the team's interest in a deadline trade.
Max Pacioretty
Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
25
3
12
$2M
Pending UFA (NMC)
Pacioretty is a curious case as he'll make $4 million this season, but his cap hit will be just $2 million for any potential suitor. That's because of a $2-million performance bonus for 20 games played that would remain on the Capitals' books as he's already reached the total.
Pacioretty doesn't need much of an introduction. His resume as an offensive weapon speaks for itself, as does his significant injury woes since 2022. He's been moderately productive while consistently appearing in Washington's lineup since January. The goal-scoring hasn't quite been there yet, but he's also fired 56 shots on goal and converted at only a 5.4% rate.
Pacioretty controls his future with a full no-movement clause, but one would have to guess the 35-year-old would welcome a move to a true Cup contender.
Johnny Kovacevic
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
51
6
3
$767K
Signed through 2024-25
The Canadiens have too many defensemen. Eight blue-liners have played over 25 games this season for Montreal, and that's before Lane Hutson's likely arrival at season's end.
Some are veterans with notable cap hits, while others are developing players who project to be on the team for years to come. Kovacevic doesn't quite fit into either group, making him a candidate whom a team could shake loose from the Habs.
Signed through next season at a cap hit under the $775,000 league minimum, Kovacevic makes a lot of sense for teams right at the cap ceiling as a depth option on the backend. He's a right shot with size, listed at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, and he's produced good on-ice results relative to his team.
His 12.7 expected goals above replacement since the start of the 2022-23 campaign rank second only to Nick Suzuki among Habs players, per Evolving Hockey.
Kovacevic isn't the flashiest, but a lot of teams would love to add a defender of his profile and cap hit for a pair of playoff runs.
Mathieu Joseph
Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / Getty
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
49
10
20
$2.95M
Signed through 2025-26
Joseph was a prime candidate to be shipped out of Ottawa after a tough 2022-23 campaign to fit Shane Pinto onto the team at the start of the season.
Then came Pinto's suspension and a second chance for Joseph. He's made good on it, finding his form from late in the 2021-22 season to feature in the team's top six.
Joseph is a speedy winger who creates off the rush as more of a playmaker than a finisher. He's good defensively and is adept at exiting the zone and turning it into entries with his skating ability. Joseph is also a regular penalty killer.
As Ottawa looks to shake things up with a new regime in control, Joseph could again be a player on the move - this time as an asset.
Justin Danforth
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
60
9
10
$975K
Signed through 2024-25 at $1.1M
Danforth signed a contract extension back in October, garnering a slight raise from $975,000 to $1.1 million. But that was when GM Jarmo Kekalainen was still in town. As a 30-year-old winger who plays in the bottom six, there's no reason the Blue Jackets should be opposed to moving Danforth.
He's a remarkable story of perseverance. Danforth played college hockey at Sacred Heart, then had stints in the ECHL, Finland, and Russia before signing an NHL contract. That shows in the way he plays.
Danforth is a water bug, flying around the ice as one of the league's fastest skaters. He's an aggressive forechecker and doesn't shy away physically, either, despite a 5-foot-9 frame. His 100 hits rank second on the Blue Jackets.
Playoff teams are always looking to add speed and tenacity to their lineup. Danforth fits the bill and is inked through next season at a very reasonable cap hit.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel
GP
G
A
Cap Hit
Contract Status
45
6
10
$1.225M
Pending UFA
Aube-Kubel is physical, he's already played at the bottom of the lineup for a Cup-winning team, and he flies around the ice. That's a lot to like for buying teams.
Aube-Kubel has chipped in a moderate amount offensively while being a strong defensive presence since being claimed off waivers by the Capitals in 2022. He's not going to play up the lineup, but you can do a lot worse when looking for a fourth-line upgrade.
Noah Hanifin, the top defender available at the trade deadline, isn't looking to move twice in 2024.
The Calgary Flames and Hanifin are focused on dealing the 27-year-old to a team he'd be willing to sign a long-term extension with ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday's edition of "Hockey Night in Canada."
The Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Hanifin.
The Lightning are believed to be Hanifin's No. 1 choice, Friedman added.
Hanifin has tallied 11 goals and 34 points in 59 games this season while playing a career-high 23:44 per contest. He carries a $4.95-million cap hit and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Tampa Bay is without rearguard Mikhail Sergachev after he sustained a broken tibia and fibula in February. The Lightning have $7.4 million in space with Sergachev's $8.5-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve.
Looking past this season, Tampa Bay will have just over $10.5 million of cap room this summer, per CapFriendly. Captain Steven Stamkos is the team's top pending free agent.
The Bruins have a minuscule $57,500 of cap space available. Boston is without defenseman Hampus Lindholm, but the defender is expected back before the playoffs, meaning his $6.5-million cap hit won't make room for a potential Hanifin acquisition.
But the Bruins will have a significant amount of room following this campaign, with $26 million in projected cap space this summer, according to CapFriendly. Boston's notable pending free agents include Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk, and restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman.
The Panthers are the most intriguing team among those linked to Hanifin, as Florida can afford the blue-liner this season and has maneuverability in the offseason. The team has over $5 million in space at the deadline but is also expected to have a whopping $28 million in cap room this summer, per CapFriendly.
However, Florida has several pending free agents, including Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, and Gustav Forsling.
The Philadelphia Flyers are maintaining a long-term outlook despite Jamie Drysdale's injury ahead of the trade deadline.
"The reality is (Drysdale's injury) won't affect ultimately what they decide at the deadline with Sean Walker and Nick Seeler, the two pending UFA D that continue to garner interest on the trade market," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."
Drysdale is out and considered week-to-week after sustaining a shoulder injury on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 21-year-old defenseman is set to be re-evaluated in two weeks.
LeBrun added: "Just because their blue line is depleted now with Drysdale out ... it won't deter the Flyers from the bigger picture or the long-term vision, which is if a team steps up on Walker in particular, I believe they will deal him."
Walker is No. 4 on theScore's list of candidates to be traded before the deadline, while Seeler comes in at No. 12.
The duo have formed an impressive pairing on the surprisingly competitive Flyers, who hold the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. They have played over 580 minutes together this season, outscoring the opposition 30-25 in that time with a 56.8% expected goals share, per Evolving Hockey.
Walker, 29, was acquired by the Flyers last summer in the Ivan Provorov three-team trade. The right-shot defender boasts 21 points in 56 games while playing 19:29 per contest. He has a $2.65-million cap hit.
Seeler, 30, has 10 points and 76 penalty minutes in 59 games. The rugged defenseman leads the Flyers with 172 blocked shots and is fourth on the team with 105 hits. His cap hit of $775,000 is the league minimum.
The NHL's trade deadline is Friday, March 8 at 3 p.m. ET.
The 21-year-old sustained a season-ending injury to the same shoulder eight games into the 2022-23 campaign.
The 2020 sixth overall pick missed 21 contests earlier this season with a lower-body injury.
The Flyers acquired Drysdale on Jan. 8 in a shocking deal that sent forward Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks. Drysdale has four points in 17 games with the Flyers and nine points in 27 total contests in 2023-24.
The Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a 30-22-7 record.
Before the NHL's trade deadline, a lot of attention goes to the buying teams - and rightfully so. Naturally, most fans are interested in which notable players will be dealt to contenders ahead of the campaign's home stretch.
But what about the teams on the other side of those deals? Just as contending teams have a list of top targets to bolster their playoff lineups, selling clubs try to find the league's best available future assets.
Here are seven intriguing prospects that could realistically be on the move by the March 8 trade deadline:
Philip Broberg
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
As a former top-10 pick with excellent physical traits, Broberg is likely the best prospect that could be dealt at this year's trade deadline.
The 22-year-old has suited up for 79 NHL games - making the prospect label a bit of a misnomer - but has played just 12:36 per contest in those outings. That's left Broberg unsettled with his situation, and the Oilers reportedly permitted him to seek a trade in December.
Listed at 6-foot-3 with impressive mobility, Broberg is intriguing for any seller. He has a high draft pedigree and is among the AHL's best two-way defenders when playing top-pairing minutes with the Bakersfield Condors.
Some defensemen simply need to play big minutes to be effective. Broberg could be one of them, and he'd have the chance to prove that he can be a legit top-four blue-liner on a selling team rather than a contending club like Edmonton.
Lukas Cormier
Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / Getty
All of the Golden Knights' blue-line regulars are over 6-feet, and only Shea Theodore comes in at under 200 pounds. The team's top defense prospect, Cormier, strays from that mold considerably: He's listed at 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds.
The 2020 third-rounder had a great QMJHL career but hasn't taken the step many expected this season after a good AHL rookie campaign. But there are likely teams that covet the soon-to-be 22-year-old's puck-moving ability and NHL proximity.
Considering Vegas has most of its defense core locked in for multiple seasons, Cormier is an asset that the team likely wouldn't be opposed to moving for the right player in the coming weeks.
Seamus Casey
BJORN LARSSON ROSVALL / AFP / Getty
The Devils have an embarrassment of riches on the back end. Whether it's veterans Dougie Hamilton and John Marino or budding young studs Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, New Jersey has anchors on the blue line for years to come.
Should general manager Tom Fitzgerald look to make a splash at the deadline with his team in the wild-card race, Casey would be a premium trade chip that would entice any team - and one that's expendable given the team's defensive makeup.
The 20-year-old is scoring at a pace of over a point per game with Michigan and was a top-four defender on the American team that won gold at the world juniors. His exciting offense is a bit redundant considering the Devils' existing back end, but he has the potential to be an interesting piece in a deadline deal.
The Devils could use the Canucks' use of Hunter Brzustewicz in the Elias Lindholm deal as a blueprint for a deadline swing that includes Casey.
Ville Heinola
Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty
Heinola has played NHL games every season since he was drafted, except for this campaign. In his fifth year in the Jets organization, a change of scenery might do the 2019 first-rounder some good.
The Finnish blue-liner hasn't been able to latch onto a spot in Winnipeg's lineup over multiple NHL stints. A broken ankle kept Heinola on the sidelines until January this season, and he's again been a good two-way defender with the AHL's Manitoba Moose since returning to action.
The Jets already dealt a first-round pick for Sean Monahan. If Winnipeg wants to dip back into the trade market amid a strong campaign, Heinola would be enticing to a selling team as he can step straight into an NHL lineup and has draft pedigree.
Jonatan Berggren
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Berggren has found himself back in the AHL for much of the 2023-24 season after a solid rookie year with the Red Wings.
The Swede tallied 15 goals and 28 points in 67 games with Detroit in 2022-23 and excelled at the Worlds with seven points in eight games.
But a bolstered Red Wings depth chart meant the 23-year-old returned to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins rather than building on his freshman campaign. Berggren's been outstanding in the AHL with 16 goals and 38 points in 36 games and has registered five points in nine NHL games. But he hasn't found his way back into the Red Wings' full-time lineup.
With Detroit battling for a playoff spot for the first time in years and Berggren in an awkward spot on the depth chart, utilizing the offensive winger as an asset before he requires waivers (and a potentially contentious arbitration case in the summer) would make a lot of sense for GM Steve Yzerman.
Sasha Chmelevski
SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty
In January, ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported that teams have "high interest" in trading for Chmelevski's signing rights.
Chmelevski's been impressive the past two seasons with the KHL's Salavat Yulaev Ufa. His 53 goals since the start of the 2022-23 campaign rank fifth in the league.
The Huntington Beach, California native spent three seasons in San Jose's system before going to the KHL, accumulating 35 goals and 88 points in 122 AHL games. He had a notable 19-game stint with the Sharks in 2021-22, tallying eight assists and collecting favorable underlying metrics.
As a right-shot center with some scoring upside, the 24-year-old could be a worthwhile swing, assuming he could be had for a mid to late-round pick.
Jacob Truscott
Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images Sport / Getty
We typically see one or two NCAA players flipped for draft picks before the trade deadline. Henry Thrun and Erik Portillo moved last year after indicating to their respective teams that they wouldn't be signing.
Truscott appears to be in that position this season. He won't sign with the Canucks, CHEK's Rick Dhaliwal reported last week, which opens him up to either be traded for a pick or included in another deadline trade for Vancouver.
The 21-year-old has been an anchor on Michigan's blue line for three seasons, earning the captaincy this year as a senior. Truscott's not a standout offensively on a team that currently boasts Casey and previously rostered Luke Hughes and Owen Power, but he's been a key defensive piece for the Wolverines.
Jaromir Jagr played for nine teams over his 24-season NHL career, but the future Hall of Famer made it abundantly clear before his jersey retirement on Sunday that he considers Pittsburgh home.
"Yes, I do, and I always did," Jagr said. "If you ask anyone about Jaromir Jagr, they will say Pittsburgh Penguins."
Jagr will have his iconic No. 68 raised to the rafters before the Penguins' game against the Los Angeles Kings. He played 806 games in a Pittsburgh jersey from 1990-2001, accumulating 1,079 points, five Art Ross Trophies, a Hart Trophy, and two Stanley Cups.
The 52-year-old noted he's looking forward to being cheered again in Pittsburgh after last playing for the Penguins over 23 years ago.
"I hear a lot of boos lately. It was understandable, I was playing for a different team," he said, per NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "It'll mean a lot."
Jagr returned to the NHL in 2011 with the Philadelphia Flyers after a three-season stint in the KHL. He said his decision was based on the chance to play in the top six, and he didn't know if he'd have the opportunity to do so with Pittsburgh.
"Maybe it was a mistake, I don't know," Jagr admitted, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.
He added: "I don't know if I was selfish, but I was thinking about myself."
Jagr met with Mario Lemieux and other old Penguins teammates on Saturday night. He revealed the last time they had seen each other was in 2017 at the NHL's 100 Greatest Players event, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.
While Jagr continues to play in his native Czechia with Rytiri Kladno, the team he owns, he acknowledged how special his career has been.
"When you do your job and you love to do it, and then you see the appreciation from other people, that's something that not many people can feel or understand," he said.
"I never thought I was going to be the guy to cry when I talk about something. I hope today I have a lot of laughs."
