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Defensemen in high demand as NHL trade deadline looms
Defensemen like Roman Polak are highly coveted as the NHL trade deadline approaches. Michael Martin/Getty Images

Defensemen in high demand as NHL trade deadline looms

There’s really no crazier time of the hockey season than right around the NHL trade deadline. The nine-player trade Tuesday between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators was a healthy reminder that the league’s biggest buy-or-sell day is just around the corner, and there are moves a-plenty still to be made before the Feb. 29 deadline.

The landscape has changed a bit in the trade realm with Dion Phaneuf going from Toronto to Ottawa and with Dustin Byfuglien now most likely off the trade table following his extension with the Winnipeg Jets. The moves — or in Byfuglien’s case, lack thereof — have made the blue line a hot topic, even in the midst of speculation over where forward Steven Stamkos is going to land. Here’s a look at a how the market for defensemen is shaping up.

With big fish Phaneuf and Byfuglien off the market, Toronto’s Roman Polak is seen as one of the most popular picks among defensemen, mainly because the six-foot-one, 225-pound d-man can bring both size and edge to a blue line.

Hockey media has speculated that the San Jose Sharks — whose d-corps could use that extra grit — and the Los Angeles Kings might be the most likely spots for the Czech native to end up. TheFourthPeriod.com lists Chicago, St. Louis and Washington as potential suitors as well, but it wouldn’t be surprising if L.A. is the team making the biggest push.

The Kings are expected to be quite busy around the deadline and have been linked to a number of defensemen in addition to looking at forwards. They waived d-man Christian Ehrhoff on Wednesday in a move to free up cap space, a sign that they’re continuing to shop for a blue liner after losing out on the Byfuglien sweepstakes. ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reported that L.A. has also shown interest in Vancouver’s Dan Hamhuis.

The issue surrounding whether or not Hamhuis could be dealt has become more intriguing. With some of the bigger defensemen no longer up for grabs, speculation has ramped up as to whether he will waive his no-trade clause and leave Vancouver. TSN reported that Dallas, San Jose and Washington are suitors in addition to L.A., while VancityBuzz.com could see him dealt to Nashville or the New York Islanders — which, if tooled properly, would deal Travis Hamonic to a team out west, like he requested back at the start of the season.

Vancouver has slipped down the standings enough that going into rebuild mode and moving Hamhuis sounds possible. But again, that depends on how willing he is to waive the no-trade clause.

There is a lot of anticipation of movement coming out of Edmonton, who is projected to be the biggest seller at the deadline after the Leafs. The question now is how many pieces the Oilers end up moving.

On the defensive front, all signs appear to point to Justin Schultz being on the move, particularly after he was a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils. ESPN's Craig Custance tweeted out Tuesday that the healthy scratch could “end up being dealt but nothing is done yet. Definitely interest in him.” He didn’t elaborate, however, where that interest was coming from and whether it was from more than one of the teams that are expected to be the most active buyers on the defensive front.

It looked very likely that the New York Rangers wouldn’t be able to sign Keith Yandle — another name a lot of teams have been linked to — and that he would be on the move by the deadline. Then defenseman Ryan McDonagh was sidelined indefinitely after sustaining a concussion. As New York Post columnist Larry Brooks pointed out, the absence of McDonagh on the blue line makes it hard for New York to deal Yandle, “who led the team in ice time both against the Flyers and the Devils” following the captain’s injury.

As you can see, there's a lot of smoke, and every contender is looking for difference makers or at least depth on the blue line. That's why these names may be on new teams come March.

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