If early indications are to be trusted, we could be headed for a run on defencemen before the NHL’s March 21 trade deadline.

Six of the top nine players on TSN’s latest Trade Bait board are blueliners – and that doesn’t include Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim’s potential unrestricted free agent who would rank as the No. 1 rental defenceman if he goes to market.

The top defencemen listed are No. 1 Jakob Chychrun (Arizona), No. 2 Ben Chiarot (Montreal), No. 5 John Klingberg (Dallas), No. 6 Mark Giordano (Seattle), No. 7 Justin Braun (Philadelphia) and No. 9 Colin Miller (Buffalo).

Lindholm is lower at No. 15 on the Trade Bait list because it is far from certain he will be dealt. Talks have begun between management and the 28-year-old career-long Duck, who is in his ninth NHL season.

Among the more intriguing rearguards on the TSN Trade Bait board is No. 44-ranked Zdeno Chara, with the 44-year-old set to become the all-time leader in defenceman games played Thursday in San Jose. Chara and Chris Chelios are currently tied at 1,651 games.

continued, includes the top 50 names on the trade bait list...