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          Craig Custance Blog

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          Top 20 NHL trade candidates

          Avalanche center Matt Duchene is the type of player teams go into the tank to get at the top of the NHL draft. Will he be moved ahead of this season's trade deadline? Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images
          • Craig Custance, ESPN Senior WriterFeb 23, 2017, 11:57 AM ET
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            • Senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine
            • Wrote for Atlanta Journal-Constitution
            • Wrote for The Sporting News
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          The trades are finally starting to trickle in. First Michael Stone, then Ron Hainsey, Patrick Eaves, Ben Bishop and Martin Hanzal. Things are picking up, at least that's what you think if you’re an optimist.

          There are still plenty of people around the NHL who believe this year’s trade deadline might not be an active one because of parity, the flat salary cap and the expansion draft.

          “All we’re going to see is rentals exchanging teams from buyers to sellers,” said one NHL source. “With the race so tight in the East, unless a couple teams start a significant losing streak, I don’t see there being enough sellers out there to justify a busy day. But there are guys out there.”

          Who are those guys? Here’s a look at an updated top 20 trade candidates:

          Matz1. Matt Duchene, C, Colorado Avalanche