NHL Trade Deadline Primer: The ideal trade fit for 10 contenders

Let's take a look at some potentially ideal trade fits for some of the top Stanley Cup contenders around the NHL.

The 2023-24 NHL Trade Deadline is just a few weeks away so it is time to start taking a look at some of the teams and players that could be big factors. Today we are taking a look at some perfect fits between team and player ahead of the deadline.

Every team — and fan — around the NHL has their trade deadline wishlist, and I am here to help some of them by pointing out the player (or players) that I think are the ideal fit.

There are obviously a ton of variables that go into completing a trade, from the salary cap, to no-trade clauses, to teams being a match in terms of assets, to simply getting everybody to agree on the price. It’s not always easy, and does not always go as you hope. This is also not necessarily a prediction of who I think is going to end up in each spot. It is simply a look at who might be the best fit if everything worked out the way each team wanted it.

I picked out 10 contenders/playoff teams that I think are in most need of a trade or upgrade before the March 8 trade deadline and the player(s) that could ideally help them the most.

Let’s get it started.

Boston Bruins: (D) Noah Hanifin from Calgary

When the season began I figured the Bruins would be doing everything in their power to find a top-six center before the trade deadline. Maybe even two of them. The retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci left a big hole on paper that I did not think Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha would be able to fill on the ice.

Funny thing is, they have. And they really haven’t lost a step from what they did a year ago taking on bigger roles.

Shockingly, the biggest problem in Boston is easily on defense.

I know that’s probably a weird thing to say about a team that entered the weekend fifth in the league in goals against (2.69 against per game), but almost all of that success comes from their goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark.

The defense itself has, in all honestly, kind of stunk. Hard. Especially during 5-on-5 play.