We blinked and American Thanksgiving has come and gone. We're starting to see the NHL playoff picture come together, and with that comes inevitable speculation ahead of the March 3 trade deadline.

Who is buying? Who is selling? Which of the hockey gods can we call on to explain what's going on with the St. Louis Blues?

The Blues' hot-and-cold season gets even more interesting when you consider star winger and pending unrestricted free agent Vladimir Tarasenko is still on the table.

It's always fun to see the range of trades y'all come up with as the trade deadline looms, so we asked for your best on the B/R app.

You did not disappoint.

To Boston: Bo Horvat (50% retained) with extension

To Vancouver: 2023 1st, 2024 3rd, 2025 2nd, Matthew Poitras, Ty Gallagher, Mike Reilly (33% retained) as a cap dump

Submitted by hwp8

Hwp8, you get an A for effort and creativity, and I definitely see where you're going with this. Horvat is having a point-per-game season; slash his $5.5 average annual value in half and any team would want him. But when we're talking about a contender like the Bruins, it gets hairy when you toss in an extension instead of a rental. Then you look at the Bruins' prospect pool and you cringe at the idea of giving up more draft picks.

Who says no? The Canucks might tempt the Bruins with Horvat at half his salary, but Boston just can't keep selling the farm. The Bruins say no, but the Canucks could probably work out a similar deal with a different team.

To Florida: Erik Karlsson

To San Jose: Sergei Bobrovsky

"Both albatross contracts that pay off more with the other team at least" - Submitted by DonChairee

Oh my. You've immediately talked me into this and now I'm upset it isn't reality. But could it be?

Patric Hörnqvist's $5.3 million AAV is off the books after this year, and Keith Yandle's buyout cost reduces significantly. Subtract Bobrovsky's $10 million cap hit and Karlsson's $11.5 million AAV isn't as brutal (it'll never sound good, though).

You get the feeling a trade is looming in Florida. The Panthers need to bolster their defense, and Karlsson fits tremendously into the offensive-minded system. He's off to his best start in recent memory (and one of his best starts ever) with 11 goals and 32 points in 24 games, and the Sharks don't want to be good.

But they do want to pave the way for a good future, and it doesn't seem like three-and-a-half more years of holding on to a $10 million cap hit is worth it. Bobrovsky's contract also has twists and turns that make it even harder to move him in the coming years.

Who says no? As much as I'd love this for Florida, I'll bet any trade involving Karlsson will free up a significant amount of cap for San Jose. Isn't that the point? Sharks say no.

To Carolina: Tarasenko

To St. Louis: Seth Jarvis, 2023 2nd

Submitted by mattyice684

I guess my question here is "Why?" A potential answer to that question would be trading the future for the present in Carolina's Cup window. But having been around Jarvis and the Canes, I can tell you it's highly unlikely they'd sign off on this. Jarvis' work ethic and bubbly personality have endeared him to coach Rod Brind'Amour and the rest of the team.

Tarasenko's $7.5 million cap hit does not endear him to the Canes front office. Besides, Carolina has historically traded pending UFAs at the deadline, not acquired them, and the Canes rarely bite on rentals. There would have to be an extension in place that they can't afford, especially thinking of upcoming negotiations with some of their big names.

And I, like the rest of the hockey world, am wondering what the Blues are doing and where they're going throughout this up-and-down season. I'm not sure if it's smart for them to make a drastic trade, especially after they held on to Tarasenko despite prior rumblings.

Who says no? Carolina and probably St. Louis.

To New York: Tarasenko

To St. Louis: Vitali Kravtsov, Matthew Robertson and a first-round pick

Submitted by codyfrankel

This might be the most realistic "big splash" submission of the bunch. Given Tarasenko is a pending UFA and the Blues would get a first-rounder, it seems plausible.

But (there's always a but) Tarasenko has been a "will-he-won't-he" trade chip for a while now, and we've seen what that sort of leverage can do on the market. It can increase his stock knowing there's competition between suitors, but it can also backfire when a deal hasn't been done after so long and the suitors find leverage in that.

This is why a deal involving a fringe NHL player, an AHL player and a first-rounder could pan out.

I still see some value in Kravtsov as a depth forward with growth potential, especially if St. Louis is looking to hunker down and rebuild for a few years. But is that what the Blues are doing? No team in the league has been more confusing, so Tarasenko's fate is among the most enticing storylines of the 2023 deadline.

Who says no? Nobody, let's make a deal!

To New Jersey: Timo Meier (50% retained)

To San Jose: 2023 first-round pick and Alexander Holtz

Submitted by Vondy

If Tarasenko to the Rangers above was the most reasonable big splash, this submission by Vondy might be the most reasonable proposal, period. The Devils are well set up for the future with their young talent, and suddenly they're serious contenders right now. This is one situation where I'm down to let go of a first-round pick.

All the talk in San Jose has centered on Karlsson for obvious reasons, but Meier has flown under the radar as a solid secondary scoring option (for a contending team) his whole career. He's got 12 goals and 22 points in 24 games. At half off, you're looking at a solid pre-playoff addition with a $3 million AAV.

Who says no? It comes down to salary retention again with the Sharks. I bet without the 50% retained they'd bite (ha!) on this, but I'm not sure.

To Toronto: Patrick Kane

To Chicago: Mitch Marner, William Nylander and two draft picks

Submitted by JLanders65

I'm so irony-poisoned by the Leafs that I genuinely can't tell if you're kidding or not. I'm 85 percent sure this is a joke, but can you imagine the fun we'd all have? Arguably no one would have more fun than Mitch Marner, who has six goals and 27 points in 23 games but is still somehow everyone's favorite scapegoat. Blackhawks fans need some positive energy to rally around and something to believe in again, and Marner's big smile and fun style of play could be that.

This obviously is not happening, though. What would be the point in trading two of your best players to get Kane in order to make a run that is less likely to happen without those two players? Fair criticisms exist of Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas, but he's never been one to make a big, stupid splash.

Who says no? Auston Matthews, even though it all might be worth it to see Matthews and Kane exchange goals and cellys during practice scrimmages.