#1: James Neal, LW/RW, VGK
- Highly coveted winger on an expiring deal as he enters his 30s. Can player anywhere in the top nine for a good team. Has a power edge to his game, and is a solid net front presence. Price likely a 1st-round pick or equivalent. Extremely strong start but has tailed off to some extent.
#2: Rick Nash, RW/LW, NYR
- Former 40+ goal scorer on an expensive expiring deal, also in his 30s. More of a power game with Neal, and better off the rush. Can create along the walls but is not as powerful a net presence. Price is unknown, but expected to also be around a late 1st-round pick
#3: David Perron, RW/LW, VGK
- Winger with a reputation for being streaky, also on an expiring deal. 15pts in 17 games while on VGK top line. Variety of experiences with other teams. Fits well on a second line or a scoring third line for a contender. Expect anywhere around a B+ prospect or a early-mid second rounder.
#4: Evander Kane, LW/RW, BUF
- Shooting winger who can be a good triggerman for a top-line center. Expiring deal and can expect ~6-7 million on open market. Youngest player on this list, and with the best long-term (albeit expensive) future. Most teams will not trade without a deal. As a long-term player, expect a 1st-round pick, a A- prospect, and a middle six roster player. As a rental, expect a 1st-round pick and a B prospect.
#5: Luca Sbisa, D, VGK
- Defensive defenseman who can play a high volume of minutes against top competition. Possession numbers have not been good, although on pace for career high in points. Still inside his 20s. Likely best used as a third pairing defenseman, expect the price to be somewhere from a second-round pick to a fourth-round pick.
#6: Leo Komarov, LW, TOR
- Former All-Star checking forward who can chip in offensively from time to time. Beloved in the Leafs' dressing room, albeit on an expiring deal. Lacking offensive production this season, and has not been a great possession player. Price should be a second to a third round pick.
#7: James Van Riemsdyk, LW, TOR
- Scoring winger with excellent net front presence. Consistent 30 goal, 50 point player. Still in his 20s, but facing UFA expiry with expectation of a ~$6-7million deal. Ice time continuing to drop in Leafs' depth chart, although that may have to do more with the struggles of Bozak/Marner. Strong relative possession numbers on a good Leafs' team. Rental price is likely a 1st-round pick and a low-level prospect. Long term deal likely makes prospect a B+/A- prospect or a bottom-four roster defenseman.
#8: Thomas Vanek, RW, VAN
- Scoring winger having a decent start to the season with moderate possession numbers. Pure rental, good for a scoring third line with ability to move up to second line if needed. Expect a second-round pick to be the price.
#9: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, PHX
- Top-paring offensive defenseman who is dominant in possession. Rarely do players of his caliber become available, and the question of his availability is why he is in this position on the list. Price would be extremely high. Expect any deal to involve multiple first round picks, A prospects, and a roster player.
#10: Ryan Strome, C/RW, EDM
- Middle six forward currently struggling this season to score. Middling possession numbers, especially relative to the team. Oiler management is apparently disenfranchised with the forward. Expiring as an RFA, he is price controllable, which will likely result in a trade involving a B prospect or a low-level prospect and a mid-round pick.

Honorable mentions: Alex Galchenyuk, MTL; Mike Green, DET; Zdeno Chara, BOS; Jonathan Marchessault, VGK; Erik Gudbranson, VAN; Nikita Zadorov, COL; Justin Faulk, CAR; Tyler Bozak, TOR

Who do you think I missed in the Top 10? Note that I'm talking about players who are significant players, obvious targets, or players currently in rumors (i.e. Josh Leivo, Duncan Keith, and Brett Pesce aren't going to be on this list, although they theoretically could be traded).

Another guy who think all upcoming UFAs have to be traded. Contending teams as a rule add upcoming UFAs to strengthen down the stretch, not trade their own upcoming UFAs for futures.

I don't think all UFAs have to be traded BUT I do think it's unwise to keep them, especially if they're parts of your team that can be expendable. A good example of this is Komarov; it's not hard for the Leafs to find penalty-killing wingers. Then trading him for draft picks and prospects, which the currency of the trade deadline, allows you to acquire another piece (UFA or otherwise) where your team needs it.

A counter example: Mikael Backlund is a UFA for Calgary. But there's no way they are trading him: there isn't another available player that can replace what he does for them, either in their farm, or with the capital they could get in return for him. And you'll notice he is not anywhere on the list.

Is this the most likely to be traded before the deadline or is it also to do with how much the team could get for the player?

Sorry tad hockey, I think your logic is flawed. There are about 3 upcoming UFAs per team. 93 in total. Do they all get traded? No, because most teams are "going for it" and a second or third pick is rather meaningless in here and and maybe in the future too.
Take the Leafs, of course they weren't going to win the Cup last year but they still traded a second rounder to obtain Boyle. Why to give their team a better chance of making the playoffs and to have a playoff run for their young players. Leafs didn't trade UFA Polak and Hunwick, because the team experience of trying to make the playoffs was more important. If Leafs were to trade Komarov, Bozak and JVR to would diminish the Leafs chances to even make the playoffs never mind being in a good position to win a round or two.
There isn't this magic where 3 of your regulars, a 3rd liner, and 2 second liners can be replaced by players in your system. And c'mon Komarov is more than a penalty killer. Leafs wouldn't have won those last two Bruins game without JVR last week. And his contract next year you mentioned is just a red herring. Makes no difference to a "contending" trying to get as far as it can this season. Seems to me he think there a plan , where you allow the team to finish out of the playoffs for years and suddenly with these 2nd round picks they win the Cup. Doesn't happen like that.
I know this site is "trading site, but the reality is, clubs construct their teams for team building, not just to make fair deals.
You mention Backlund and the reasons Calgary won't trade him. Yes you gave valid reasons. I counter that thirty goal scorer JVR can't be replaced either and neither can his centre Bozak in house this season. And at the TDL is at the end of February and if you team plays in April, May or June, that teams needs all the good NHLers it can reasonably acquire

Do people really think OEL is going anywhere? Even if people were looking at him, the 9th most coveted piece of tarde bait?

Good work here. Should seemore posts like this instead of "when do the Winter Classic jerseys get revealed"????

You can remove Chara though, he won't be going anywhere.

Valid points.