It is that time of year again. The trade deadline is only a week away and should once again be quite eventful. The NHL trade deadline is by far my favorite of all four major sports. It always has the most moves and generally involves some pretty big names. The blockbuster last year was Marian Hossa joining the Penguins. This year could be even bigger with three or four game-breakers rumored to be on the move. For the most reliable and up to date rumors, keep an eye on www.thefourthperiod.com and www.tsn.ca.
As we have seen with Mathieu Schneider, all some players need is a change of scenery and they all of a sudden become fantasy relevant. Schneider is playing big time minutes on a potent offense in Montreal and is also sharing pointman duties with Andrei Markov on the top power play unit. Schneider has produced since joining Montreal and should be owned in most leagues. I recently dropped my fourth defenseman and took a chance on Schneider.
We’ll kick things off with one of the most rumored players, Jay Bouwmeester. There are a bevy of places where Bouwmeester may find himself, most of which should improve his statistics. Boston, Dallas, Montreal, Ottawa, Washington, Vancouver, and Calgary are the most likely and would provide the greatest returns. Sure, Florida isn’t bad, but Bouwmeester playing for a more potent offense could be lethal. No matter where Bouwmeester goes, his value should improve. Definitely hold onto Bouwmeester regardless of where he lands. Although, I think there is a better chance that he will stay than go. Florida is in the middle of a playoff battle and could really use the playoff revenue. If Bouwmeester goes, I bet the trade involves NHL ready talent who can help the Panthers immediately.
A second stud defenseman rumored to be on the move is Chris Pronger. His suitors are similar to Bouwmeester, but the change of scenery may not be great for Pronger owners. Anaheim already has a pretty potent offense landing in the upper half of the NHL. This means there is a chance that Pronger could find himself playing for a worse offense. I don’t suspect that a trade should hurt his value, but there is a chance that he could find himself playing with worse offensive talent. Unless he finds himself playing for a substantially worse offense than Anaheim, Pronger will remain a solid defenseman and should continue to anchor your defense. I don't think it will happen, as Toronto will save cap room to make a run at the Sedin twins, but Pronger could be traded to the Leafs, which would kill a lot of his value. Toronto is a worst case scenario.
Speaking of Toronto, three interesting names come out of Toronto: Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, and Nik Antropov are all rumored to be on the move. All three could really profit from a change of scenery. When Dominic Moore is your fourth leading scorer, something is wrong. All three have been decent but their offensive numbers would surely receive a boost and their plus/minus should improve as well. It looks like the least likely to move will be Kubina, but he is also the most widely available. Kubina is available in roughly 30%-40% of fantasy leagues. If traded to a contender, that number should decrease quickly.
Ilya Kovalchuk is the most talented player available, which will also make him one of the toughest trades. However, if Kovalchuk is traded, it should be an automatic upgrade from Atlanta. Atlanta has produced solid offense this season, but this can be attributed directly to Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk would be a sure bet for 50 goals if playing with any type of offensive support. If paired with a good playmaking center, Kovalchuk could net 15-20 goals over the last 20 games of the season. Ilya could find himself in the best situation out of any player after the trade deadline.
While I don’t see the Penguins making a big move, if Jordan Staal finds himself paired with a couple of capable wingers, he should become very valuable down the stretch run. He is barely owned in fantasy leagues and would provide a cheap upgrade at center if he could find himself in a better situation. He doesn’t need to go a better hockey team, just one where he can play with scoring wingers rather than glorified fourth liners. If Staal leaves Pittsburgh, he should be the first player you take a chance on. In case you were wondering, Ryan Whitney is a severe downgrade anywhere else he plays. Whitney rides the coattails of talent around him and won’t produce on his own.
It looks like the Vincent Lecavalier rumors are dead, but Martin St. Louis could still be on the move. A change of scenery would be good for the little engine that could...Just saying, Ottawa has made it clear that nobody is off limits. I don’t see Alfredsson going anywhere, as he is Mr. Ottawa, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see other major moves occur...Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight and Bill Guerin may be on the move, but it is doubtful that any of them have enough left in the tank to help anyone out. Here’s hoping they don’t find their way onto the 2010 U.S. Olympic team either.
There will be plenty of moves made, some may include players mentioned, many will include players I did not mention. Check here after the trade deadline for analysis of the fantasy relevant trades. Until then, The Puck Stops Here.
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