Five bargain-bin NHL trade candidates

Many big-name players could be dealt before Friday’s NHL trade deadline, but there are also players available who could improve contending teams at a fraction of the cost.

Here are five players — all of whom come with cap hits of $3 million or less — who fit the bill:

Scott Laughton, Toronto Maple Leafs 
Age: 31 
Position: Centre  
Statistics: 8 goals, 12 points in 42 games  
Contract terms: $1.5 million cap hit through 2026  

The Maple Leafs paid a steep price for Laughton at last year’s trade deadline, giving up their first-round pick in 2027 as part of the deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. Laughton’s offensive impact (16 points in 62 games since the trade) has been negligible, but Toronto does not count on him for that.  

Laughton is a defensive specialist who wins 56.4 per cent of his faceoffs and blocks 4.23 passes per 20 minutes — the latter of which ranks eighth out of 352 forwards who have played at least 500 minutes this season. He averages 2:15 of ice time per game on the penalty kill, where he places 15th in puck-battle wins per two minutes among 156 qualified forwards (minimum 50 minutes of short-handed ice time). 

Toronto, which is eight points out of a playoff spot, has drained its draft-pick resources in its pursuit of the Stanley Cup. The team has one pick — a third-rounder — within the first four rounds this year. A Laughton trade could help restock the coffers.  

Bobby McMann, Maple Leafs  
Age: 29  
Position: Winger  
Statistics: 19 goals, 32 points in 59 games  
Contract terms: $1.35 million cap hit through 2026 

McMann, who is on pace for a career-high 26 goals and 44 points, meets the very definition of “bang for your buck.” The winger offers a tantalizing combination of size (six-foot-two, 217 pounds) and speed. His maximum skating speed of 24.25 m.p.h. is the fourth fastest recorded by the league this season, and his 194 bursts over 20 m.p.h. rank in the 98th percentile. 

Besides his speed, McMann makes an impact by being a nuisance in the offensive zone. He is 55th out of 352 forwards (minimum 500 minutes played) in offensive-zone defensive plays and 60th in offensive-zone puck-battle wins per 20 minutes.  

Last week, Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon listed several potential trade destinations for McMann.  

Evan Rodrigues, Florida Panthers  
Age: 32  
Position: Centre/winger  
Statistics: 11 goals, 27 points in 59 games  
Contract terms: $3 million cap hit through 2027  

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported last week that “if the Panthers have designs on taking a run for the playoffs, and knowing (injured captain) Aleksander Barkov may still return in the regular season, the team could still run into cap troubles.” 

That could force Panthers general manager Bill Zito to trade Rodrigues, who had 30 points in 45 playoff games during Florida’s back-to-back championship runs.  

In Barkov’s absence, Rodrigues’ ice time per game (17:15) has climbed by two minutes from last season (15:13) as he has shifted from the wing to centre. He recovers loose pucks at one of the highest rates in the league, averaging 18.1 per 20 minutes (ninth out of 352 qualified forwards).  

The well-traveled veteran can fit in on both scoring and checking lines. This season, Rodrigues has centred Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart (193:53 as a line at even strength), as well as A.J. Greer and Mackie Samoskevich (138:22). His positional versatility and winning pedigree would make him highly appealing to other teams if the Panthers put him on the market.  

“When we win games here this year, he’s been a really major factor,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters in January. “He’s been very strong for us, and his all-around game from the day he got here to now is completely different.” 

Braden Schneider, New York Rangers 
Age: 24  
Position: Right/left defence  
Statistics: 2 goals, 11 points in 59 games  
Contract terms: $2.2 million cap hit through 2026  

It has been a rough season for the Rangers, and Schneider’s play has suffered along with many of his teammates. New York has generated 44.9 per cent of the expected goals at five-on-five during Schneider’s minutes, which have increased to 20:21 per game in all situations this season.  

The six-foot-three Schneider, however, is still a physical presence in the defensive zone, ranking 42nd in defensive-zone puck-battle wins per 20 minutes among 542 qualified blue-liners (minimum 500 minutes played).  

At 24, Schneider has a lot of room to grow. Injuries to defenceman Adam Fox forced the Rangers to give Schneider a top-pairing role before he was ready, but he can help a contender with a deeper blue line.  

“You want to be on the team that’s adding and you’re keeping your group intact,” Schneider told The Athletic. “We all care for each other like family in this room, and when it comes to that, it sucks. But at the end of the day, we’re struggling, and it seems like you’ve got to be ready for change.” 

Zach Whitecloud, Calgary Flames 
Age: 29  
Position: Right defence  
Statistics: 2 goals, 11 points in 58 games  
Contract terms: $2.75 million cap hit through 2028 

Whitecloud just arrived in Calgary as part of the return for defenceman Rasmus Andersson, so the Flames may not want to flip him so quickly. But right-handed defencemen are a precious commodity, especially those who have won the Stanley Cup.  

In 11 games with the Flames, Whitecloud has averaged 23:20 of ice time per game — up from the 18:46 he averaged for the Vegas Golden Knights. Whitecloud’s first passes are often on target; his 9.81 outlet-pass completions per 20 minutes are fourth most out of 542 qualified defencemen. 

The Flames have been winning Whitecloud’s minutes at five-on-five; Calgary has outscored opponents 4-3 and generated 57.1 per cent of the expected goals when he has been on the ice.