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NHL Trade Rumors: 3 Top Left Defensemen On Market

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
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NHL Trade Rumors: 3 Top Left Defensemen On Market

Defensive depth on the left side should not be underestimated. 

For NHL teams to contend for the Stanley Cup championship, goaltending, obviously, is key, but so are blueliners who can be trusted to log second- and third-pairing minutes. 

General managers continuously seek to add quality defenders and NHL trade rumors indicate teams will be active before the March 6 trade deadline. 

Second-line defensemen on struggling squads can sometimes provide a boost to a contender’s bench.

Here are three options:

Jamie Oleksiak, Seattle Kraken 

The Kraken remain in postseason contention, entering Friday as the Western Conference’s second wild card club. With 53 points, they were tied with the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. The 33-year-old blueliner could become available if the Kraken slump before the March 6 trade deadline. A free agent this offseason, Oleksiak carries a $4.6 million cap hit, but had appeared in 727 career games. His experience would be valued. 

Carson Soucy, New York Rangers

The Rangers have a for sale sign hanging on the locker room door. Many of the veterans have their bags packed. The Rangers’ roster “retool” is already under construction and, at 31 years old and a free agent this summer, Soucy remains a prime candidate to become part of a trade-deadline deal, especially with a manageable $3.25 million cap hit. Soucy won’t score much  his career-high is 21 points in 2021-22 with the Kraken – but he’s posted a plus-4 rating on a last-place squad with a minus-21 goal differential.

Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks

Since being drafted 49th overall during the 2017 draft, Ferraro has been a mainstay along the blueline during the franchise’s rebuild. In 457 games, the 27-year-old compiled a minus-123 rating, but with a $3.25 million cap hit, a contender could be interested in the newlywed to bolster its third pairing. Ferraro annually gets dangled on the trade market. Will the Sharks’ brass target another forward?

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
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