Top 3 players facing a trade this season.

The National Hockey League has come to a screeching halt over the holidays, and unfortunately there is still yet no sign of a return to normal on the horizon. While that has put things on hold for a number of teams around the league, there is still a strong belief that several players around the NHL are destined for a trade this season, some of whom we will be looking at today.

We're not necessarily looking at the biggest or flashiest names on the trade bait list, but rather those most likely to find themselves playing on a new team before the season has come to a close. With that in mind, here are the 3 players I feel are most likely to be moved within the 2021 - 2022 regular season.

#1 Claude Giroux.

Giroux has expressed a desire to remain with the Flyers and he has a full no movement clause, which may make him an odd choice for the top spot on this list. In spite of those factors there is a growing sense that the Flyers captain has come to the end of his tenure in Philadelphia, and with the Flyers well out of a playoff spot keeping him doesn't make much sense.

In a recent article, Flyers insider Sam Carchidi suggested that it could be a good time to move Giroux for a high end draft pick or quality prospect, believing that the Flyers captain will be an attractive option for contending teams looking to add some punch ahead of the trade deadline.

#2 Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury's start with the Chicago Blackhawks was nothing short of catastrophic and there were legitimate concerns about his tenure with the team very early on. Since then Fleury has had a considerable bounce back and currently sits at a 2.86 goals against average and a .913 save percentage on the season, with 9 wins through 20 appearances for the Blackhawks.

In spite of a bounce back from Fleury, the Blackhawks still find themselves near the bottom of the Central Division with only the Arizona Coyotes having fewer points. There are a number of teams that could use an improvement between the pipes and although Fleury carries an expensive cap hit of $7 million in this, the final year of his contract, it would be in the best interest of the Blackhawks to find a way to make a trade happen. Even if that means salary retention, at least they would be getting something back for the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, rather than letting him walk as a free agent at the end of the season.

#3 Jake DeBrusk.

Although the Bruins have been hesitant to move the veteran forward, a change of scenery for DeBrusk seems all but inevitable. Not only has DeBrusk requested a trade away from the Bruins, but it seems that he has also landed himself in head coach Bruce Cassidy's dog house which isn't doing his trade value any favors. 

In spite of that DeBrusk has already matched his goal total from last season with 5, and has done so in 16 fewer games this time around. A divorce seems inevitable here, but with the Bruins seeking fair value in a trade this one could take a little while still.