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The NHL trade deadline approaches. Some teams look to rebuild, while others seek a deep run into the playoffs and contend for the Stanley Cup.
Here are two players who are on the radar for teams:
Top NHL defenseman Jake McCabe linked to two major contenders
Jake McCabe, 29, defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks, still has two years left on his four-year, $16 million contract with the Blackhawks.
McCabe has publicly stated his frustrations with the Blackhawks' decision to rebuild. He has also mentioned that such a decision is out of his control, and he would instead focus on the next day rather than on the long-term future.
“That s—’s out of my control. You can’t spend your nights laying in bed thinking about what’s going to happen next year or two months from now or four months or whatever it may be. I truly stay very present, and I think I’ve done a good job of that over my career. I’ve learned to handle that pretty well."
In the 2022-23 NHL season, McCabe, a solid defensive option, has 14 points under his belt with two goals and 12 assists for the Blackhawks.
He has been linked with the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, with both teams looking to add more defensive options to their squad.
It remains to be seen if McCabe will continue his season with the rebuilding Blackhawks or be traded to a team aiming for the Stanley Cup.
NHL forward Nick Ritchie to Winnipeg Jets
Nicholas Ritchie, 27, forward for the Arizona Coyotes, is a hot prospect for the Winnipeg Jets, who want to add more firepower to their third line. Ritchie was drafted tenth overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He will become an unrestricted free agent in 2023-24 and will look forward to playing for a team contending for the postseason.
Ritchie signed a two-year, $5 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. He said it was a dream come true to play for the Leafs under his old coach:
“It’s a dream come true to come back and play for a coach that I know and a hometown team that I think it’s just going to fit really good I think."
However, his dream didn't last long, as the Maple Leafs traded him to the Coyotes with the option of a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft or a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft. In exchange, the Maple Leafs got defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Ryan Dzingel.
In the 2022-23 season, Nick Ritchie has played 46 games for the Coyotes and has twenty points with eight goals and twelve assists.
It will be interesting to see if this trade goes down and if Ritchie can perform well for the Jets, who will be looking to make a deep run into the playoffs.
