Each trade deadline, teams in playoff contention go in search of that elusive missing piece that can either lock down a postseason bid or turn them into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. More often than not, the currency the buyer exchanges for a proven goal scorer, veteran leadership or a steady blue-line presence is a top prospect.
With that in mind, I asked ESPN Insider colleague Craig Custance which teams would likely be potential buyers at the deadline to examine the top prospects in those systems and see what they could offer to a team that acquires them. So while, say, the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes may be out of the playoff race and start selling off some of their players, their fans could get excited about one of the names below and what he can offer in years to come.
To be clear, this is a list of the top prospects in each organization. I am not implying that any of these players are available in a trade.
Notes gathered on the prospects are based on my observations on top of discussions with scouts and front-office executives.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have built one of the league's best prospect systems, somewhat aided by the fact they haven't had to rush their top young players, but mostly because of great drafting. There's a lot of high-end talent in this system. With good, young players being blocked now and in the foreseeable future, this is a great time to trade with Detroit.
1. Brendan Smith, D: Smith is a very gifted skater and puck handler who has really rounded out his game this season. He is NHL-ready and could become a core player within a short amount of time.
To see which top prospects could be on the trading block for the Red Wings, Blackhawks, Flyers and Maple Leafs, you must be an ESPN Insider
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Grant Sonier
Grant Sonier has scouted for six NHL organizations over the past 13 years, most recently for the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2010-11 season. He is a special contributor to ESPN Insider.
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Doug McIntyre
Doug McIntyre is a staff writer with ESPN The Magazine. Though he mostly covers soccer his first love is the coolest game on Earth. Still a rink rat, Doug played college hockey, briefly, with Iona 's now-defunct NCAA program. He lives in Montreal.
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Lars-Ove Haraldsson
Born and raised in Sweden, Lars-Ove Haraldsson played minor hockey growing up and later at the junior level. He hails from Ytterby, a small town just 25 minutes north of Gothenburg. This tiny hockey community has produced four accomplished NHL players (Mikael Andersson, Niklas Andersson, P.J. Axelsson and Fredrik Sjostrom).
A freelance writer, Haraldsson works as a floor manager for national live sport television productions. He has covered seven World Championships and three Stanley Cup finals. He now resides in Kungalv, minutes away from the neighborhood where he grew up.
Alvin Chang
Alvin Chang has been a contributor to ESPN Insider since the summer of 2009. He currently serves as a writer for NHL Rumor Central, for which he monitors a plethora of media reports both in North America and abroad on a daily basis. He is a Kansas native and New York resident.
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