Quality defencemen top TSN Trade Bait board Sami Vatanen, Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba lead TSN Hockey’s list as we head toward what is expected to be a frenzied few weeks of trade activity ahead of the expansion draft.

Frank Seravalli TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Follow|Archive

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Buckle up.

The craziest few weeks of NHL trade activity in the last two decades will be soon be upon us, with hockey’s first expansion draft since 2000 on tap for June 21 in Las Vegas.

Most teams will be well protected with the generous terms of the expansion draft format, but a few – most notably Anaheim and Minnesota – are at risk of losing a quality defenceman.

That’s why you’ll see Sami Vatanen, Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba near the top of TSN’s first Top 30 Trade Bait board of the summer.

Because rather than lose those players for nothing to general manager George McPhee and the Vegas Golden Knights, the expectation is that they’ll be traded, if they are indeed the odd men out as TSN Hockey is projecting.

Tough decisions will also have to be made at forward in Tampa Bay, Nashville and Winnipeg. The Lightning may leave Alex Killorn exposed – or trade him first – but Jonathan Drouin or Tyler Johnson, who are both restricted free agents, could be the piece that brings GM Steve Yzerman the best return on his prowl for a top-flight defenceman.

T hree goaltenders also made the list for the same reason in Marc-Andre Fleury, Antti Raanta and Philipp Grubauer.

On top of the expansion draft considerations, there are other teams that will be looking to make significant changes to their roster. The Colorado Avalanche have done little since their embarrassing 48-point season. Matt Duchene was already on the block in March. Might Tyson Barrie and/or Nathan MacKinnon also be on the way out of town?

The Edmonton Oilers will look to move winger Jordan Eberle and his $6-million salary cap hit after a dismal playoff run that saw him fail to score a single goal over two rounds.

Simmering under all of that is the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes. While no one can pinpoint exactly how much the former Devils captain has left in the tank, he will draw interest from some clubs as he attempts to make his NHL return from “retirement” in Russia.

With that, here is TSN’s Top 30 Trade Bait board. For additional updates to the list as the off-season draws closer, go to tsn.ca/tradebait on TSN.ca and TSN's mobile site:

1. Sami Vatanen, ANA

Pos. D Age: 25 2017-18 Cap Hit: $4.875M

GP: 71 G: 3 PTS: 24 Past 2016-17: 3 years Clause: None

2. Jonas Brodin, MIN

Pos. D Age: 23 2017-18 Cap Hit: $4.167M

GP: 68 G: 3 PTS: 25 Past 2016-17: 4 years Clause: None

3. Matt Dumba, MIN

Pos. D Age: 22 2017-18 Cap Hit: $2.55M

GP: 76 G: 11 PTS: 34 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

4. Matt Duchene, COL

Pos. C Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: $6M

GP: 77 G: 18 PTS: 41 Past 2016-17: 2 years Clause: None

5. Travis Hamonic, NYI

Pos. D Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: $3.857M

GP: 49 G: 3 PTS: 14 Past 2016-17: 3 years Clause: None

6. Jordan Eberle, EDM

Pos. RW Age: 27 2017-18 Cap Hit: $6M

GP: 82 G: 20 PTS: 51 Past 2016-17: 2 years Clause: None

7. Tyson Barrie, COL

Pos. D Age: 25 2017-18 Cap Hit: $5.5M

GP: 74 G: 7 PTS: 38 Past 2016-17: 3 years Clause: None

8. Boone Jenner, CBJ

Pos. C Age: 23 2017-18 Cap Hit: $2.9M

GP: 82 G: 18 PTS: 34 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

9. Alex Killorn, TBL

Pos. LW Age: 27 2017-18 Cap Hit: $4.45M

GP: 81 G: 19 PTS: 36 Past 2016-17: 6 years Clause: NTC

10. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT

Pos. G: Age: 32 2017-18 Cap Hit: $5.75M

GP: 38 GAA: 3.02 SV%: .909 Past 2016-17: 2 years Clause: MNTC

11. Ilya Kovalchuk, NJD

Pos. LW Age: 34 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP (KHL): 60 G: 32 PTS: 78 Past 2016-17: N/A Clause: N/A

12. Calvin de Haan, NYI

Pos. D Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 82 G: 5 PTS: 25 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

13. Calle Jarnkrok, NSH

Pos. C Age: 25 2017-18 Cap Hit: $2M

GP: 81 G: 15 PTS: 31 Past 2016-17: 5 years Clause: None

14. Philipp Grubauer, WSH

Pos. G: Age: 25 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 24 GAA: 2.04 SV%: .926 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

15. Antti Raanta, NYR

Pos. G: Age: 28 2017-18 Cap Hit: $1M

GP: 30 GAA: 2.26 SV%: .922 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

16. Andrew Copp, WPG

Pos. C Age: 22 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 64 G: 9 PTS: 17 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

17. Joel Armia, WPG

Pos. RW Age: 24 2017-18 Cap Hit: $925K

GP: 57 G: 10 PTS: 19 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

18. Andrej Sustr, TBL

Pos. D Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 80 G: 3 PTS: 14 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

19. William Karlsson, CBJ

Pos. C Age: 24 2017-18 Cap Hit: $1M

GP: 81 G: 6 PTS: 25 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

20. Jonathan Drouin, TBL

Pos. LW Age: 22 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 73 G: 21 PTS: 53 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

21. Brenden Dillon, SJS

Pos. D Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: $3.27M

GP: 81 G: 2 PTS: 10 Past 2016-17: 3 years Clause: None

22. Ryan Pulock, NYI

Pos. D Age: 22 2017-18 Cap Hit: $863K

GP: 1 G: 0 PTS: 0 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

23. Tyler Johnson, TBL

Pos. C Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 66 G: 19 PTS: 45 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

24. Colton Sissons, NSH

Pos. C Age: 23 2017-18 Cap Hit: $625K

GP: 58 G: 8 PTS: 10 Past 2016-17: 2 years Clause: None

25. Nathan Beaulieu, MTL

Pos. D Age: 24 2017-18 Cap Hit: N/A

GP: 74 G: 4 PTS: 28 Past 2016-17: RFA Clause: N/A

26. Brayden Schenn, PHI

Pos. C Age: 25 2017-18 Cap Hit: $5.125M

GP: 79 G: 25 PTS: 55 Past 2016-17: 3 years Clause: None

27. Cody Eakin, DAL

Pos. C Age: 26 2017-18 Cap Hit: $3.85M

GP: 60 G: 3 PTS: 12 Past 2016-17: 3 years Clause: None

28. Jimmy Hayes, BOS

Pos. RW Age: 27 2017-18 Cap Hit: $2.3M

GP: 58 G: 2 PTS: 5 Past 2016-17: 1 year Clause: None

29. Jori Lehtera, STL

Pos. C Age: 29 2017-18 Cap Hit: $4.7M

GP: 64 G: 7 PTS: 22 Past 2016-17: 2 years Clause: None

30. Nathan MacKinnon, COL

Pos. C Age: 21 2017-18 Cap Hit: $6.3M

GP: 82 G: 16 PTS: 53 Past 2016-17: 6 years Clause: None