Trade talks surrounding Brock Boeser and others are heating up

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Pete Fredericks
February 17, 2022 (4:37 PM)

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The NHL's March 21 trade deadline is fast approaching and with each passing day we hear new names as potential targets for teams looking to made changes to their rosters.

We've all been privy to the talk surrounding Marc-Andre Fleury, Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot and J.T. Miller for a few weeks now, but today there was a lot of chatter being circulated about Miller's teammate in Vancouver, Brock Boeser.

Today, Boeser rocketed up Frank Seravalli's Daily Faceoff Trade Targets Board all the way to number six and it sounds as though the Canucks are second-guessing trading Miller in favor of moving Boeser instead:

Jim Rutherford has repeatedly stressed that creating salary cap flexibility is key. There are other roster players that can achieve space and freedom, but there is a sense the Canucks are not sold Boeser's play will be commensurate with the large qualifying offer due to him this summer, which makes him a prime candidate to move

-Frank Seravalli

Elliotte Friedman concurs:

That effects your trade return, right? Is what the next deal could be. So I think that could be the key subplot to all this, where do the #Canucks and other teams think that his next contract is going.

The Canucks' might be on to something here. Is Boeser's performance worthy of the big payday he's likely to get in the off season? Our favorite stat man on Twitter, @JFreshHockey's analysis says no:

Another new name being floated around today is Cal Clutterbuck, or "Buttercup" according to Don Cherry...

Clutterbuck is in the final year of his contract with the New York Islanders that pays him $3.5M. With the Isles clearly being sellers this year, they should have little trouble moving a gritty, veteran, pending UFA player like Clutterbuck, especially if they're willing to retain some of his contract. He plays playoff-style hockey year-round and any number of teams that are playoff bound would like to add a player of his ilk.

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