- 2015 Trade Deadline Predictions
- 2015 Trade Deadline Results
- 2014 Trade Deadline Predictions
- 2014 Trade Deadline Results
It’s that time of the year again — with just over two weeks until the Feb. 29 trade deadline, I’ve compiled my annual predictions.
I’ll be the first to admit, my track record isn’t great, but this is meant to be a fun exercise. For those keeping score, I’m 1-for-54 over the last two trade deadlines — 0-for-26 in 2015 and 1-for-28 in 2014.
There, now that we’ve thrown my credibility out the window, we can get on with the show. Let it be known, I obviously don’t have any insider information about ongoing negotiations, but I like to think of my dreamt-up deals as educated guesses on trades potentially in the making. I do keep close tabs on the rumour mills and try to follow all 30 teams in terms of their needs or weaknesses, as well as whether they project to be buyers or sellers.
The last time there were no Canadian teams in the #NHL playoffs was 1970. It could happen again this season.
— Vince Comunale (@PGHVC) January 18, 2016
Teams looking to buy would be wise to shop north of the 49th parallel. It’s quite possible that all seven Canadian teams could be in sell mode by the time the deadline rolls around. It’s been 46 years since the one and only playoffs that did not feature a Canadian team, but the chances of that happening for the second time in history this spring are close to 50%. Of course, a big market like Montreal won’t be quick to throw in the towel and may feel pressure to pull off a win-now blockbuster if the Canadiens can stay within striking distance over the next 17 days.
I didn’t take the time to bust out a calculator, so there could be some violations of the salary cap or contract limits, for which I apologize in advance. With that said, I tried to keep my trades as realistic as possible, although some of them are straight out of left field.
Dion Phaneuf talks about joining Senators: "I'm excited to be a part of this team" https://t.co/NBSKkGp0xB pic.twitter.com/rqN0L7EEX1
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 10, 2016
That happens in real life too. Take the Dion Phaneuf deal, for example. Not only was it a nine-player whopper, but it was also between rivals in the Battle of Ontario. It doesn’t get any more “unrealistic” than that. I mean, nobody saw it coming, and had I predicted that exact trade a week ago, everybody would have LOLed and called me an idiot. Keep that in mind before ridiculing these trades and raking me over the coals for thinking outside the box.
Spoiler alert — I don’t have Steven Stamkos, Travis Hamonic, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Galchenyuk, Cam Atkinson, Brayden Schenn or any of the young Ducks defencemen on the move. Those names — including Anaheim’s Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen — have been touted as trade bait at various times throughout the season, but I racked my brain and couldn’t come up with deals that made sense involving them. Sure, Galchenyuk could be the centerpiece to Montreal landing Stamkos, or Nugent-Hopkins could net Edmonton a coveted blue-liner like Hamonic, Shattenkirk or Fowler, but I just don’t see that happening. At least not now on the latter front — perhaps in the off-season. With the Lightning occupying a playoff spot, I see Stamkos staying put in Tampa Bay with or without an extension by Feb. 29. If he bolts as a free agent, so be it.
Even without trading some of those bigger names believed to be on the market, I went all out this year to come up with 40 deals involving 160 assets — 102 players, 34 prospects and 24 draft picks.
That total might seem outrageous or outlandish, but looking back to last year, a total of 53 deals went down following the post-Christmas roster freeze, including 24 on deadline day. This year, there have been 13 trades since that freeze was lifted — through to the Phaneuf deal on Feb. 9. So, for history to repeat itself, that would mean 40 more trades to come. In other words, fun times ahead!
Trade 1
http://gty.im/468236820
To Montreal Canadiens = Eric Staal and Cam Ward
To Carolina Hurricanes = Michael McCarron, Zachary Fucale and a conditional 2016 first-round pick (playoff protected, otherwise 2017 second-round pick)
ANALYSIS: The Canadiens have long coveted a big No. 1 centre and their goaltending is a concern without Carey Price. He still isn’t skating in full equipment and reports are surfacing that he’ll be shut down for the season. Ben Scrivens had strung together a few wins before getting lit up by Buffalo, but Ward is a proven Cup winner. That was a decade ago, in 2006, and his play has been sketchy in the years since, but Ward is still a better option than Scrivens or Mike Condon and he’s on an expiring contract, so there is no long-term commitment there. Montreal would certainly be interested in extending Staal, making him more than a rental, but that would probably depend on how the Habs fared from here. If the Canadiens are still within four points of a playoff spot at month’s end, I see Marc Bergevin becoming a buyer and swinging for the fences. Stamkos remains the biggest fish, but Staal would be a pretty stellar consolation prize. From Carolina’s perspective, they would be getting a big, young centre in McCarron, a potential franchise goalie in Fucale and another quality prospect in what is shaping up to be a pretty deep draft. That is assuming the additions of Staal and Ward would be enough to propel Montreal to a playoff berth. If not, the Hurricanes still get a first-rounder in 2017 and, who knows, Staal could circle back in the off-season as a free agent.
Trade 2
http://gty.im/476154314
To Minnesota Wild = Jonathan Drouin, Alex Killorn and Jason Garrison
To Tampa Bay Lightning = Mikael Granlund and Jonas Brodin
ANALYSIS: Minnesota is believed to be actively pursuing Drouin and might even be a frontrunner with St. Louis supposedly dropping out of the running. Drouin, the third overall pick from 2013, requested a trade and has since been suspended by Tampa Bay, so his bags are packed for his future home. The Lightning would like a young defenceman in return and might prefer Matt Dumba to Brodin, but Tampa has had good success with Swedish blue-liners (Victor Hedman, Anton Stralman, etc.). If Mikael Granlund is added to the deal as a means of removing Dumba, I can’t see Steve Yzerman saying no. Granlund has disappointed this season, but he’s got a lot of potential and could serve as an insurance policy in case Stamkos ends up leaving on July 1. The Lightning would want to send back some salary as well, with Garrison capable of replacing Brodin’s minutes and Killorn being another good-sized forward with above-average skill to complement the likes of Jason Pominville, Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter. The Wild would likely convert Coyle to a full-time centre unless they wanted to experiment with Drouin in the middle — or perhaps this move would prompt another.
Trade 3
http://gty.im/468752137
To Nashville Predators = Kyle Okposo and Michael Dal Colle
To New York Islanders = Craig Smith and Colin Wilson
ANALYSIS: The Predators might be in the market for a top-line winger to play with recent trade acquisition Ryan Johansen and James Neal. They have auditioned several wingers from their current roster and haven’t necessarily found a fit yet. Enter Okposo, another big man who could make that trio into one of the league’s best if he clicked there. One potential problem — Neal has been playing the right side in Nashville, with Okposo a natural right-winger as a right-handed shot. Neal actually shoots left and has played the left side in years past, so he’d be capable of making that switch. Okposo is a pending free agent, so Nashville would have to move out some contracts to make room for his signing. Smith and Wilson both have plenty of term left on their extensions at reasonable cap hits, but have been struggling in only combining for 15 goals this season in 91 combined games. They could perhaps use a change of scenery and could definitely catch fire with the Islanders. They should more than offset the loss of Okposo, who might be pricing himself out of Brooklyn anyway. Dal Colle was the fifth overall pick in 2014 but his stock has since diminished because of two failed bids to crack Canada’s world-junior team. He’s still a nice prospect and has regained his scorer’s touch in the OHL following a trade to Kingston. Consider Dal Colle an insurance policy in case Okposo’s contract demands are too rich for Nashville’s blood.
Trade 4
http://gty.im/497402134
To Detroit Red Wings = Nail Yakupov, Anton Lander and Justin Schultz
To Edmonton Oilers = Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Jakub Kindl
ANALYSIS: In short, a bunch of guys who could use a change of scenery. Yakupov is the biggest name here as the first overall pick from 2012, but he’s been a borderline bust for the Oilers and doesn’t really have a place in their lineup now that Jordan Eberle has taken over as Connor McDavid’s wingman. Yakupov looked good in that role to start the season, but McDavid seems to have that ability to make all his linemates better. Schultz was a coveted free agent coming out of college, but he’s lost his way in Edmonton. Perhaps he could get back on track in Detroit, paired with his old Wisconsin teammate Brendan Smith. Lander has been a healthy scratch for Edmonton lately, but he showed a lot of promise to end last season under Todd Nelson, who is now coaching Detroit’s farm team. The Red Wings have always been able to get the most out of Swedish forwards. Edmonton, on the other hand, is trying to become a “heavier” team, so both Mantha and Bertuzzi would fit that bill going forward. Mantha is 6-foot-5 and was a dominant scorer in junior, while Bertuzzi is a bit smaller yet has more bite to his game. He’s a little bit like Zack Kassian, who the Oilers recently took a chance on. Kindl is a bit of a throw-in, but considering Schultz needs to be qualified at $4 million for next season, the Oilers might see the defence swap as addition by subtraction. Kindl, who was sent down to the AHL for part of this season, has another year left on his contract at $2.4 million before becoming a free agent. The winner of this deal would ultimately be dependent on whether Yakupov and Mantha boom or bust with their new teams, but it would give the Red Wings some extra firepower for their playoff push.
Trade 5
http://gty.im/493123956
To St. Louis Blues = Radim Vrbata and Dan Hamhuis
To Vancouver Canucks = Dmitrij Jaskin, Petteri Lindbohm, Thomas Vannelli and a 2016 third-round pick (Washington)
ANALYSIS: The Canucks are hanging around that playoff race and Jim Benning hasn’t ruled out becoming a buyer at the deadline. But with Alexander Edler and Brandon Sutter out at least six weeks with injuries — and with the way Vancouver is burying veterans in the minors and going with its young guys — the Canucks will more than likely end up as sellers. The Blues are in the market for a defenceman with Alex Pietrangelo injured. They were already young on the back end, so that’s become a more pressing need now with the loss of Pietrangelo. He’ll be back before the playoffs, but Hamhuis could come in as a calming presence and temporarily fill that void in the top-four before settling into a third-pairing role. Doug Armstrong is familiar with Hamhuis from Hockey Canada teams, so he’ll probably be expressing interest. Vrbata could round out the Blues’ top-nine forwards and take some pressure off rookie Robby Fabbri to produce come playoffs. Jaskin has Vrbata-esque upside with a dash of physicality, so he could be a nice piece to Vancouver’s future puzzle. Jaskin would look good on the wing opposite Jake Virtanen. Lindbohm played meaningful minutes for the Blues last season and could probably step into Vancouver’s top six despite spending this season in the minors. Vannelli is another defence prospect with some offensive upside — plus he’s a Medicine Hat Tigers alum, which the Canucks seem to covet. Vancouver wants to add some younger blue-liners, be it at the trade deadline or at the draft, so that pick gives Jim Benning an additional asset to work with.
Trade 6
http://gty.im/468804669
To New York Rangers = Patrick Marleau
To San Jose Sharks = Pavel Buchnevich, Aleksi Saarela, Igor Shesterkin and a 2016 third-round pick
ANALYSIS: Of course Marleau was going to be my next move! The Rangers are apparently on his short list of potential suitors — he has a no-trade clause — and they could certainly use another offensive weapon in Manhattan, especially with Rick Nash not as potent as last season. Would San Jose want a win-now piece in return, perhaps a defenceman like Keith Yandle or even former Shark Dan Boyle? Or would a prospect package be enticing enough to move on from Marleau and get that elephant out of the room? Buchnevich probably could have played for the Rangers this season — he’s believed to be better than rostered rookie Oscar Lindberg — and Saarela had a strong showing in a secondary role for Finland at this year’s world juniors. He could be the next Joonas Donskoi when he comes overseas. Shesterkin is an intriguing goaltending prospect who played for Russia at last year’s world juniors, but the Rangers have enough talent between the pipes to make him expendable. The pick seals this deal.
Trade 7
http://gty.im/497402028
To Boston Bruins = Kevin Hayes
To New York Rangers = Loui Eriksson
ANALYSIS: If the Rangers are going for it, Eriksson would be another great get. He’s a pending free agent, but his skill-set could work well with the Rangers and he’s got plenty of playoff experience. Hayes has plenty of potential, but he’s spent time in Alain Vigneault’s doghouse this season and hasn’t found his place in New York’s lineup through two seasons. Hayes might be a better fit in Boston, alongside his brother, Jimmy, who was acquired from Florida last off-season. They both stand 6-foot-5, so that would give the Bruins a big line going forward.
Trade 8
http://gty.im/502275614
To Boston Bruins = Shane Doan and Nicklas Grossman
To Arizona Coyotes = Alexander Khokhlachev, Joe Morrow and a conditional 2016 first-round pick (lower pick between Boston and San Jose)
ANALYSIS: Even with Eriksson’s name out there, the Bruins aren’t necessarily throwing in the towel on this season. They are in a playoff position right now, so Don Sweeney could still look to be a buyer. Sweeney has made some strange moves as a first-year GM, so he’s the kind of guy who could be selling one day and buying the next. Doan is another bigger body and the type of player that Boston has been missing since saying goodbye to Jarome Iginla. He’s not mean like Milan Lucic was, but Doan is willing to pay the price to score goals — more so than Eriksson — which is what Boston needs. With Arizona finally fading from the playoff picture, the Coyotes will likely continue their rebuild and move some pending free agents like Doan if he’d welcome the chance to play for a contender. Grossman would give Boston some more experience on the back end as well, and could be a solid partner for Dennis Seidenberg as a shutdown pairing. The Coyotes wouldn’t trade Doan for anything less than a first-rounder. The asking price will be high for the face of their franchise. Khokhlachev has had a tough go with Boston, failing to stick in the big league despite dominating in the minors. He’ll need to clear waivers next season, so now might be the time to move him and give him that opportunity elsewhere. Khokhlachev could be a good fit in the desert, alongside Arizona’s other young talents. Morrow would be onto his fourth team, but he too would get a better chance at earning a regular role with the Coyotes. That probably seems steep for Doan, but he won’t come cheap and there are always overpayments at the deadline, especially if a bidding war breaks out.
Trade 9
http://gty.im/504169332
To Washington Capitals = Andrew Ladd
To Winnipeg Jets = Tom Wilson, Riley Barber and Madison Bowey
ANALYSIS: The Capitals will be going “all-in” at the deadline — they want to get that Cup for Alex Ovechkin — so if the Jets can’t afford to re-sign Ladd, look for Washington to enter those sweepstakes. The Jets will have several options to choose from if they decide to trade their captain and two-time Cup winner. There will be teams offering up their first-round pick for that kind of experience, but the Jets may be more selective. Bowey is a Winnipeg boy and formed a defence pairing with Jets prospect Josh Morrissey on Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the 2015 world juniors. Wilson is a rugged winger who could complement Adam Lowry on a crash-and-bang third line and make the Jets tougher to play against in future seasons. Put Brendan Lemieux with them and they’d give other teams fits. Barber is an undersized point producer who has picked up in the pro ranks where he left off in college. He could grow his game on the farm with Nic Petan as his set-up man.
Trade 10
http://gty.im/506256870
To Florida Panthers = Jiri Hudler
To Calgary Flames = Brandon Pirri and Dylan Olsen
ANALYSIS: Pirri seems to be on the outs in Florida, while Hudler is a pending free agent without much in the way of extension talks to stay in Calgary. Jaromir Jagr would likely endorse Hudler’s acquisition as another Czech player for the Panthers and they have earned the right to be buyers. Hudler could be a great fit in Florida on any of the top-three lines. Likewise, Pirri can play centre or wing and would take Hudler’s spot in Calgary’s top line. Pirri is a restricted free agent who will be looking for a raise into seven figures but he’ll probably still come a few million cheaper than Hudler’s next contract. Olsen actually played junior in Alberta alongside Flames forward Joe Colborne with the Camrose Kodiaks. Olsen is a big defender whose career has tailed off, but he’s only 25 years old and is further along in his development than guys like Tyler Wotherspoon, Brett Kulak or Kenney Morrison. Calgary does have a bit of a logjam on the back end, so the Flames may prefer a draft pick over Olsen unless they can move out a defender or two at the deadline — perhaps one or more of Kris Russell, Dennis Wideman or Ladislav Smid.
Trade 11
http://gty.im/493635596
To Detroit Red Wings = Mikkel Boedker
To Arizona Coyotes = Teemu Pulkkinen and Tomas Jurco
ANALYSIS: Getting Boedker, Yakupov and Lander would really bolster Detroit’s forward depth. Boedker and Yakupov would give the Red Wings three dangerous scoring lines and make them a strong contender to reach the Eastern Conference final out of that Atlantic bracket. That would likely mean getting past Tampa Bay and Florida — two deep teams at forward — so these moves would allow Detroit to match-up well in that regard. The Red Wings could probably afford to ink Boedker to an extension, keeping him the fold if all goes well. Pulkkinen and Jurco both have the potential to make a Boedker-type impact for Arizona, but they have yet to get to that level with Detroit. The Coyotes would be a fun team to watch next season if they continued to stockpile young talents like this.
Trade 12
http://gty.im/506731012
To San Jose Sharks = Tyler Bozak, Peter Holland, Martin Marincin and Stuart Percy
To Toronto Maple Leafs = Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc and Mirco Mueller
ANALYSIS: The Leafs are rebuilding and Bozak is on the block. If the Sharks end up moving Patrick Marleau, then Bozak helps plug that hole down the middle of the depth chart. Holland is another centre, originally drafted in the first round by Anaheim, so San Jose would be familiar with him and he’d bring decent size and offensive ability to a bottom-six role. Marincin and Percy are NHL-ready defenders who could compete for ice time on the back end now and in the future. The Leafs would be over the moon to land Meier, and they might even be willing to part with James van Riemsdyk to get another top prospect like him. JVR is hurt, though, and San Jose is in the playoff mix, so the Sharks could settle for this type of package. Labanc has been lighting up the OHL the past two seasons, but he was a sixth-round pick for San Jose and is a bit undersized, so there are some concerns over how his game will translate to the pro ranks. Toronto would likely be willing to take that risk, and would gladly get its hands on Mueller too, a steady Swiss defender that San Jose selected 18th overall in 2013. This trade seems to favour the Leafs, but Doug Wilson might be desperate to replace Marleau for the Sharks’ playoff run. If Marleau isn’t moved, this deal obviously doesn’t happen.
Trade 13
http://gty.im/501990522
To Minnesota Wild = Tyler Ennis
To Buffalo Sabres = Jason Zucker, Christian Folin and a 2017 fourth-round pick
ANALYSIS: Ennis is out indefinitely with a concussion, but his name is still out there in trade rumours. If Minnesota actually moved Granlund as part of the package for Drouin, then Ennis would be another option to fill Granlund’s skates. Zucker was recently a healthy scratch for the Wild, so they seemingly haven’t been impressed with his efforts as of late. When he’s on his game, Zucker is a pretty dangerous goal-scorer. Folin is a solid, not flashy defender who could develop into a Zach Bogosian type in a couple years with a good amount of ice-time. The pick helps balance this deal out as Buffalo is giving up the biggest impact player.
Trade 14
http://gty.im/494203740
To New Jersey Devils = Jeff Skinner
To Carolina Hurricanes = Eric Gelinas, Jon Merrill, Blake Speers, and two 2016 third-round picks (Ottawa and Detroit)
ANALYSIS: If the Hurricanes blow it up and trade away both Eric Staal and Ward, then nobody is safe. It is believed that Carolina was shopping Skinner at some point, but he’s been scoring at a good clip this season and might have subsequently taken himself off the market. If Carolina is still listening to offers, Skinner is certainly the kind of player the Devils could use. New Jersey has an abundance of young defencemen, so Gelinas and Merrill could be of interest to Carolina, which has lesser-knowns like Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin patrolling its blue-line. If the Hurricanes are trying to build from the back end, Gelinas and Merrill could slide in there with Justin Faulk, Noah Hanifin and Hadyn Fleury for next season. If James Wisniewski is healthy again, that’s a decent defence corps. Add in a creative forward prospect like Speers and a couple of top-100 picks, that’s a fair return for Skinner. It is more quantity than quality, though, so the Hurricanes could instead ask for Adam Larsson in a 1-for-1 trade.
Trade 15
http://gty.im/464338512
To Chicago Blackhawks = Kris Versteeg
To Carolina Hurricanes = Mark McNeill and a 2016 fourth-round pick
ANALYSIS: Credit to Kristi Loucks — our Blackhawks beat writer — for tipping me off to this possibility in this week’s Facing Off column. Kristi had a different return package in mind, but she noted Chicago’s need for another left-winger and the fact that Versteeg could slot back in already knowing the system. He’s won two Cups under Joel Quenneville but has twice been a cap casualty in the off-season. McNeill was a first-round pick back in 2011 but only has one NHL game to his credit. Ryan Hartman, the last pick of the first round in 2013, would be another potential target for the Hurricanes if they prefer a winger to a centre. Hartman is from South Carolina, but the Hurricanes play in North Carolina — his hometown is about a five-hour drive from the Hurricanes’ arena in Raleigh.
Trade 16
http://gty.im/472615900
To Dallas Stars = Keith Yandle
To New York Rangers = Jason Demers and Brett Ritchie
ANALYSIS: Look for the Stars to make a splash and land at least one top-four defenceman but possibly more. When Jim Nill wants something, he gets it — or so it seems with his trade history in acquiring two top centres in Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza. Now Nill is going to turn his attention to the defence and don’t be surprised if he succeeds in getting a guy like Yandle, who is a pending free agent but probably the biggest name still out there with Phaneuf now in Ottawa and Dustin Byfuglien staying in Winnipeg. The defence market is relatively thin, but expect Nill to be aggressive in bolstering his blue-line and Yandle would be an upgrade over Demers. The Rangers will probably want a plug-and-play body back for Yandle — who they can’t afford to re-sign — so Demers fits that bill. Demers is a free agent this summer too, but if this audition went well, the Rangers could probably retain him at about half the cost of Yandle. Ritchie is a power-forward prospect who has NHL games under his belt and could crack the Rangers’ roster sooner than later.
Trade 17
http://gty.im/495362302
To Dallas Stars = Jack Johnson and Matt Calvert
To Columbus Blue Jackets = Jyrki Jokipakka, Esa Lindell, Devin Shore and a 2016 fourth-round pick
ANALYSIS: Could Nill pull off the double? If the salary cap isn’t standing in his way, he certainly has the assets to make it happen. Adding both Yandle and Jack Johnson at the deadline might be enough to bring down the mighty Blackhawks, assuming that playoff clash comes to fruition. Neither of those guys are defensive stalwarts — they are more known for their offensive contributions from the back end — but Dallas might be thinking the best defence is an offensive-minded defence with John Klingberg and Alex Goligoski already in the fold. Goligoski is a pending free agent whereas Johnson has two more years left on his contract at a reasonable cap hit. If Dallas does land Yandle, the Stars might shift their focus from Johnson to his more defensive-minded teammate Fedor Tyutin, who would come cheaper for sure. Calvert is a gritty bottom-six forward, the kind of guy every Cup contender needs come playoff time. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen loves his Finns, so he’d love this return with both Jokipakka and Lindell joining a blue-line that now boasts Seth Jones in addition to Ryan Murray and top prospect Zach Werenski, who was a force in captaining Team USA at this year’s world juniors. David Savard would suddenly be the veteran there, but that group would have a bright future with Dillon Heatherington also factoring into the mix. Shore is sort of a younger, maybe more offensively-gifted version of Calvert, and the pick is just a cherry on top for Columbus.
Trade 18
http://gty.im/495410230
To Dallas Stars = Roman Polak
To Toronto Maple Leafs = 2016 second-round pick
ANALYSIS: Why not go for the triple? If not Tyutin as a shutdown type, then Polak would fit perfectly. Dallas is going to need somebody to pair with Johnny Oduya against Oduya’s high-flying former teammates from Chicago. Could an Oduya-Polak pairing keep Patrick Kane and company in check? That’s a tall order for anybody, but they would stand a better chance than what the Stars currently have to offer. The Leafs will gladly accept that pick and continue to stockpile future prospects.
Trade 19
http://gty.im/506108842
To Toronto Maple Leafs = Cody Hodgson, Colton Sissons, Stefan Elliott, a 2016 second-round pick and a 2017 third-round pick
To Nashville Predators = Milan Michalek, Pierre-Alexander Parenteau and Shawn Matthias
ANALYSIS: The Leafs have lots of expiring contracts to sell off, which was part of the plan last off-season in signing so many veterans to one-year deals. Parenteau and Matthias are among that group, while Michalek came over in the Phaneuf trade but apparently wasn’t too keen on becoming a Leaf. Toronto could opt to flip him to Nashville, which could use some extra forward depth or just a shake-up at that position. The Predators aren’t getting much offence outside of Johansen’s line, so this would give them so more options and create internal competition for ice-time and power-play minutes. The Preds would have a deep group if brought in this trio, in addition to Okposo. Nashville has made deadline deals with Toronto in years past, albeit with the Leafs under different management. Toronto would be more interested in the picks than the bodies coming back, but there is an element of intrigue to that trio as well. Sissons is going to be a good checking centre much like Matthias in the not-too-distant future, while Hodgson and Elliott are both entering last-chance territory. The trade-depleted Leafs could give big minutes to those former top prospects in a sink-or-swim fishbowl and hope for the best. Hodgson would be playing for his hometown team and that might be the motivation he needs to rediscover the form that made him a 10th overall pick in 2008.
Trade 20
http://gty.im/492325788
To Boston Bruins = Cody Franson
To Buffalo Sabres = Colin Miller, Matt Irwin, Seth Griffith and a 2016 fifth-round pick
ANALYSIS: Wouldn’t this be ironic? The Bruins were the other team heavily pursuing Franson in the summer and he hasn’t exactly worked out for Buffalo. Would Sweeney want to give him a whirl in Boston? Franson is only signed through next season and comes with an affordable cap hit, so there isn’t a ton of risk involved. For the Bruins to get Franson and Grossman at the deadline, that would really help solidify their blue-line going into the playoff stretch. The Sabres would probably want Miller or Morrow as part of the return — Morrow moved in a previous deal here — and the Bruins would want to offload the remainder of Irwin’s salary after burying him in the minors. It’s only $800,000 and the Sabres might actually like what they see in Irwin, who had a depth role with San Jose the previous season. Griffith is among the AHL’s leading scorers and a proven point-producer at that level. If Buffalo does move Ennis, Griffith projects as a somewhat similar player. The pick is a thank you for taking back Irwin, and Terry Pegula says you’re welcome.
Trade 21
http://gty.im/506257338
To St. Louis Blues = Kris Russell
To Calgary Flames = Ty Rattie
ANALYSIS: Again, the Blues could use some veterans on the back end and can spare some forwards on the cusp of losing waiver eligibility. Russell and Hamhuis would be an ideal third pairing for playoffs, although promising rookie Colton Parayko may not like the sounds of that. The Blues, like the Stars, will be trying to find a way to shut down the Blackhawks because getting out of the Central Division bracket will mean getting through Chicago. That’s no easy challenge, but Russell could improve St. Louis’s chances with his shot-blocking and penalty-killing abilities. Calgary would be bringing home a local kid in Rattie, who has high offensive potential but hasn’t quite put it together. The Flames gave up on his junior teammate Sven Baertschi, who is now enjoying success with the Canucks, so maybe Calgary could get a re-do on Rattie. It wouldn’t hurt to ask in this case.
Trade 22
http://gty.im/459428868
To Edmonton Oilers = Scott Hartnell
To Columbus Blue Jackets = Mark Fayne and a 2016 third-round pick
ANALYSIS: Here’s a trade of contracts perceived to be bad, an exchange of players who might be better fits for their new teams. Hartnell, a hard-nosed forward, has three more years on his contract at an annual salary of $4.75 million. Fayne, a stay-at-home defender, has two years remaining at $3.625 million annually. Hartnell would play into that “heavier” style that Edmonton is striving for, while Fayne could complement any of Columbus’s more offensive-minded blue-liners. Even if Hartnell’s production is dwindling with age — upon further review, he’s actually having a solid season — Fayne is the lesser talent here and thus the Oilers need to add a pick.
Trade 23
http://gty.im/509278900
To San Jose Sharks = Jonas Hiller, David Jones and Drew Shore
To Calgary Flames = Rourke Chartier and a 2017 fifth-round pick
ANALYSIS: I swear this has nothing to do with Hiller coming off the bench to beat the Sharks in a shootout on Thursday night. The idea had come to me long before that game, but it was ironic how things played out. However, if Karri Ramo is hurt for any length of time — he had to be helped off with a knee injury late in regulation against the Sharks — then Hiller might not be available after all. If Ramo’s injury is short-term, then this deal could make a lot of sense. The Sharks would be wise to acquire a veteran backup, with Martin Jones unproven in the playoffs and Alex Stalock a poor fallback option. Hiller has been there and he knows Anaheim’s shooters very well if that first-round matchup comes to fruition. Then again, Hiller didn’t have a strong showing against the Ducks in last year’s second-round exit for the Flames. Still, he’s a better option than Stalock and arguably even better than Martin Jones. David Jones, no known relation to Martin, would give the Sharks some more size up front to match-up against the Ducks and ultimately the even bigger Kings if San Jose was to get past Anaheim. Shore has decent size too, but he’d likely be an extra forward on the taxi squad. Chartier has a history with the coach of Calgary’s farm team, Ryan Huska, who previously helped Chartier develop into one of the WHL’s top snipers for the Kelowna Rockets. Chartier was a steal in the fifth round of the 2014 draft and could be the same for the Flames, especially in exchange for a couple pending free agents who didn’t factor into Calgary’s future.
Trade 24
http://gty.im/497727310
To Anaheim Ducks = Lee Stempniak
To New Jersey Devils = Nicolas Kerdiles and Stefan Noesen
ANALYSIS: If Chris Stewart is out for any length of time, the Ducks will need to acquire another top-six winger to play with Ryan Getzlaf and David Perron. Enter Stempniak, a pending free agent who has been exceeding expectations for the Devils with a team-leading 40 points, including 15 goals. Even if Stewart returns sooner than later, Stempniak is capable of playing up-and-down the depth chart and could be a valuable addition for this Cup contender. Kerdiles and Noesen are feisty forward prospects who could step into New Jersey’s bottom-six as early as next season. The Ducks would probably be willing to give up a third- or perhaps even a second-rounder for Stempniak if the Devils prefer a pick over these prospects.
Trade 25
http://gty.im/494871462
To Carolina Hurricanes = Michael Hutchinson
To Winnipeg Jets = Two 2016 third-round picks (Carolina and Winnipeg)
ANALYSIS: Something has to give with Winnipeg’s goaltending situation. Despite some recent struggles, Connor Hellebuyck has probably been the Jets’ MVP as a rookie this season and was in the Calder conversation for a bit. He’s the future between the pipes, and now that Ondrej Pavelec has returned from injury, he’ll be the present in trying to backstop Winnipeg into the playoffs for a second straight season. Pavelec and Hellebuyck both have another year left on their current contracts, while Hutchinson is a restricted free agent this summer. That might mean he draws the short straw and gets moved at the deadline. If the Hurricanes trade Ward, Hutchinson could form a decent tandem with Eddie Lack until one of their prospects are ready to take over.
Trade 26
http://gty.im/491040974
To Philadelphia Flyers = Bryan Bickell (salary retained)
To Chicago Blackhawks = Sam Gagner
ANALYSIS: A swap of two veterans who have spent time in the minors this season. The Flyers have always been obsessed with size and that’s one thing Bickell still brings to the table. He can bang and crash and chip in occasionally on offence. Gagner is probably too small to play in Philly’s bottom-six — or at least the way the Flyers would like to see their bottom-six play — so he’s certainly expendable. Gagner was a junior linemate of Patrick Kane’s, but those spots are spoken for with the Blackhawks. They have remained friends, so Kane would surely welcome Gagner on the roster. Much like Versteeg, Gagner would add some extra skill up front — not that Chicago necessarily needs it.
Trade 27
http://gty.im/502503858
To Washington Capitals = Ron Hainsey and John-Michael Liles (salary retained)
To Carolina Hurricanes = Connor Carrick and a 2016 fourth-round pick
ANALYSIS: The Capitals are looking unbeatable lately, but the bottom end of their blue-line is young and inexperienced come playoff time with Dmitry Orlov, Nate Schmidt and Taylor Chorney comprising the third pair. Orlov has probably done enough to warrant staying in the lineup, but Hainsey or Liles would be a safer partner for him. If an injury struck anybody in the top-four, either of these guys could cushion that blow too. Depth is important when the real bullets start flying, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Washington acquire a veteran (or two) on defence.
Trade 28
http://gty.im/457157110
To Colorado Avalanche = Nathan Gerbe and Ryan Murphy
To Carolina Hurricanes = Joey Hishon and Brandon Gormley
ANALYSIS: The Avs are looking like a good bet to make the playoffs lately, so they might look to add another rental winger for the bottom-six. Gerbe could be that guy, he’s small but a go-getter who could endear himself to Patrick Roy. Colorado might prefer one of those veteran blue-liners from the previous trade — Hainsey or Liles — but Murphy might be hard to resist even if it’s more of a next-year acquisition. Murphy and Nikita Zadorov could become quite the pairing down the road there. Then again, that’s probably what the Avs had in mind when they traded for Gormley, who hasn’t panned out and is also back in the minors with only three points on the season between the NHL and AHL. Murphy for Gormley would be a swap of near-busting blue-liners who were once promising first-round picks. Hishon was another first-rounder, a forward who has overcome a scary concussion and is now having a pretty good season with 31 points in 41 AHL games. Hishon could use a change of scenery too, considering the lack of opportunity in Colorado.
Trade 29
http://gty.im/460126798
To San Jose Sharks = Chris Neil, Alex Chiasson and Patrick Wiercioch
To Ottawa Senators = Raffi Torres, Chris Tierney and Dylan Demelo
ANALYSIS: This one seems really random, but if the Senators aren’t making the playoffs, then Neil’s tenure in Ottawa will likely come to an end as a pending free agent. Wiercioch and Chiasson could have easily been included in the package for Phaneuf, with neither of them appearing to be in the long-term plans for the Sens. Tierney, Demelo and Torres are all Ontario products, so this would be a homecoming of sorts for them. Once healthy, Torres is absolutely one bad hit away from a lifetime ban, but Bryan Murray has liked having a physical presence in the lineup over the years — with Neil and Jarkko Ruutu, among others. Torres is a free agent after this season and he might be forced into retirement a la Matt Cooke. Tierney, on the other hand, is just getting started in the league and is similar to Chiasson as a younger guy with some offensive upside but not quite enough to crack the top-six for most teams. Tierney is a centre, not a winger like Chiasson, but their trade value would be in the same ballpark. Demelo has a bit of potential too, as does Wiercioch, who was pairing with Erik Karlsson on the power play in last year’s playoffs but has since fallen out of favour in Ottawa. The Sens may not want to take back a defenceman in this deal, as they already have a glut on the back end and Demelo could be deemed redundant — perhaps they would push for a late pick or a lower-level forward prospect instead.
Trade 30
http://gty.im/492325820
To Pittsburgh Penguins = Jamie McGinn and Matt Moulson (salary retained)
To Buffalo Sabres = Beau Bennett, Josh Archibald and Tim Erixon
ANALYSIS: What happened to Moulson? He was supposed to be Jack Eichel’s landlord and linemate, but he hasn’t scored a goal in forever (since Nov. 1) and only has four on the season through 55 games. Moulson still has three more years on his contract at $5 million annually, so the Sabres would need to retain probably half that total over the term to get rid of him. That may or may not be cheaper than an off-season buyout. Moulson is the kind of guy who could rediscover his scoring touch in a place like Pittsburgh, but he’d have to work his way up from the bottom-six. As of today, the Penguins’ bottom-six is basically all rookies and prospects or guys you’ve never heard of — Pascal Dupuis had to retire, while Nick Bonino, Eric Fehr and Bennett are hurt, and Matt Cullen is filling in for injured Evgeni Malkin in the top-six momentarily. Still, even with everybody healthy come playoffs (knock on wood), there would be room for Moulson and McGinn to make the Penguins a true four-line team. If not Moulson, then maybe Brian Gionta or David Legwand as the second veteran coming over from Buffalo. Bennett is one of the league’s most injury-prone players, but if he could ever get over that, he could turn into a complementary scorer like Moulson used to be. Archibald could become that type of player too, while Erixon has never really lived up to expectations in North America — getting passed around as a contract dump in deals like this. Maybe the Sabres could make a player out of him yet.
Trade 31
http://gty.im/465692240
To Tampa Bay Lightning = Tom Gilbert and Devante Smith-Pelly
To Montreal Canadiens = Matt Carle and Jonathan Marchessault
ANALYSIS: All things being equal, in terms of skill level, the Habs would prefer to have Francophones filling roster spots. That’s what this deal is about. Montreal’s starting to score again, but Marchessault could actually be a catalyst in the right environment. He’s somewhat similar to David Desharnais. Carle is somewhat similar to Gilbert, an even trade-off of underachieving, overpaid defencemen. Smith-Pelly looked like a power forward in the making with Anaheim once upon a time, but he hasn’t produced much in Montreal. He also had that hush-hush off-ice incident with Galchenyuk, so Smith-Pelly could be out the door at the deadline. Tampa could do worse than taking a chance on him, or on Gilbert for that matter. Gilbert had a good year with the Florida Panthers before going to Montreal, so he could be on Tampa’s radar.
Trade 32
http://gty.im/465871510
To Los Angeles Kings = Fedor Tyutin
To Columbus Blue Jackets = Christian Ehrhoff and Kevin Gravel
ANALYSIS: Tyutin’s apparently on the block and a few teams are watching him, including the Red Wings. The Kings already traded for Luke Schenn and that has worked out well thus far, so another defence-first guy like Tyutin could be a welcomed addition in L.A. The Kings waived-then-demoted Ehrhoff, so he’s obviously available for next to nothing. Gravel got called up to take Ehrhoff’s place, but that promotion might also be a showcase for a trade. Gravel is kind of becoming this year’s Colin Miller, a late-blooming defender who is on the cusp of being NHL-ready. It seems unlikely the Kings would go into the playoffs with Gravel in the lineup, so expect another addition (or two) on the back end. The Blue Jackets may prefer a mid-round pick over Gravel in return.
Trade 33
http://gty.im/507166140
To Pittsburgh Penguins = Dwight King and Jordan Nolan
To Los Angeles Kings = Ben Lovejoy, Tyler Biggs and a 2016 fifth-round pick
ANALYSIS: Ah yes, foreshadowing again. Lovejoy would arrive as insurance for the Kings on defence — a cheap rental type. He could battle Tyutin for a third-pairing role, or end up in the press box to be summoned in the event of an injury. The Kings have a glut of big, physical bottom-six forwards, so King and/or Nolan could be expendable at the deadline. Trevor Lewis and Kyle Clifford are also in that mix, but the latter has a longer-term contract that might be harder to move. The Penguins could use some toughness in their bottom-six, and adding guys with Cup rings never hurts. Pittsburgh probably wouldn’t be adding all of McGinn, Moulson, King and Nolan, but bringing in two or three of them is certainly within the realm of possibility. Like Erixon, Biggs was another throw-in who came with Phil Kessel from Toronto, but maybe the Kings could coax the potential out of him. Or they could let Biggs walk without a qualifying offer at season’s end. The Kings would like to open up a full-time spot for power-forward prospect Michael Mersch, so this deal would accomplish that and bring back another dart to throw on draft day.
Trade 34
http://gty.im/509282750
To Tampa Bay Lightning = Brad Boyes
To Toronto Maple Leafs = 2016 third-round pick
ANALYSIS: Pretty straight forward rental deal here, be it for Tampa Bay or some other team with a keener interest in Boyes. He’ll fetch a pick for Toronto, but a third-rounder might be a bit optimistic. The Lightning are probably going to do everything in their power to go on another deep run with Stamkos, knowing a championship season could entice him to stick around. Boyes would be a bit player in that plan — possibly a fourth-liner — but he still has something to offer. Would Boyes be an upgrade over J.T. Brown, Erik Condra or Cedric Paquette for the rest of this season? Probably.
Trade 35
http://gty.im/491460812
To Tampa Bay Lightning = Yannick Weber, Chris Higgins (salary retained) and a 2017 fourth-round pick
To Vancouver Canucks = Nikita Nesterov
ANALYSIS: Ditto here for Higgins, who was demoted to the minors by Vancouver after a failed bid to find a trading partner. Weber is down on the farm now too. Benning will be trying to pawn them off again at the deadline, and he might be willing to part with Alex Burrows too. Higgins would come with a chip on his shoulder for any team that takes a chance on him, and — much like Boyes — could improve Tampa’s third or fourth line. Higgins is under contract for next season at $2.5 million and his value has never been lower, so Vancouver would probably need to retain half that salary to get Tampa’s attention. Weber is a rental, pretty versatile in his skill-set but also pretty mediocre and unlikely to crack the Lightning’s starting-six — thus serving as press-box filler. Vancouver would absolutely need to throw in a pick to pry Nesterov out of Tampa, and it might have to be higher than a fourth with the way Nesterov is playing lately. He did a 10-game stint in the minors this season too, but has factored into that starting-six since getting recalled again. Vancouver will likely be shopping for a Nesterov type, a young defenceman with top-four upside.
Trade 36
http://gty.im/500122948
To Montreal Canadiens = Brandon Prust and a 2016 seventh-round pick
To Vancouver Canucks = Mark MacMillan
ANALYSIS: Who says you can’t go home? Prust became the latest casualty of Vancouver’s youth movement — yes, he’s in the minors too — but he was a fan favourite in Montreal and very popular with his teammates as well. Prust is a pending free agent, so the risk is minimal for Montreal and perhaps he could provide a much-needed spark. Then again, the Canadiens could just call up All-Star MVP John Scott, although Prust is still better suited to taking a regular shift. MacMillan is a B.C. boy and rookie pro who will take some time to develop, but he’s worth a seventh-round pick even if the Canucks are willing to give Prust away for nothing.
Trade 37
http://gty.im/480679137
St. Louis Blues = Rene Bourque
Columbus Blue Jackets = Magnus Paajarvi
ANALYSIS: This is a swap of career underachievers, although Paajarvi is still young enough to perhaps salvage some of his potential. The Blue Jackets might be willing to give him a whirl — he’s Swedish but has a bit of Finnish in him too, for whatever that’s worth. Bourque is one of those guys that drives coaches crazy because he has all the tools to be an impact player, but he hasn’t been one in years. Ken Hitchcock might be able to push the right buttons to motivate Bourque and find a role for him in St. Louis — more so than Paajarvi.
Trade 38
http://gty.im/459638505
To Edmonton Oilers = Mark Pysyk
To Buffalo Sabres = Dillon Simpson and a 2017 third-round pick
ANALYSIS: Rightly or wrongly, the Oilers do like those former Oil Kings — the junior team that shares their building. Sure, most those moves were made by the previous management regime, but former Oil Kings GM Bob Green still has a loud voice and was able to convince Peter Chiarelli to go after Griffin Reinhart in a draft-day trade. Pysyk is cut from a pretty similar cloth and the Oilers might fancy reuniting that pairing as pros. Buffalo would probably be more interested in the pick than Simpson, but the Sabres aren’t exactly overflowing with defence prospects, so Simpson could be appealing. Or perhaps another former Oil King goes the other way, be it David Musil or Martin Gernat.
Trade 39
http://gty.im/505452060
To New York Rangers = Eric Gryba and Rob Klinkhammer
To Edmonton Oilers = 2017 fourth-round pick
ANALYSIS: Gryba has come as advertised and served his purpose for the Oilers, but he’s a pending free agent and Edmonton will be in full-sell mode at the deadline. It’s unlikely Gryba has done enough to warrant an extension on what will be an overhauled blue-line for next season. Gryba is a more experienced version of Dylan McIlrath, which might better serve the Rangers come playoffs. Klinkhammer is probably a better fit for their fourth line than Tanner Glass come playoffs too. With a completely healthy lineup, Glass would be in the press box and Klinkhammer would end up battling Daniel Paille for the spot alongside Dominic Moore and Viktor Stalberg. The Oilers, who are destined to miss the playoffs for a record-tying 10th straight year — yes, a decade-long drought — would gladly recoup that pick for a couple of rentals.
Trade 40
http://gty.im/467520042
To Minnesota Wild = Tyler Pitlick
To Edmonton Oilers = Justin Fontaine
ANALYSIS: Lastly, two guys who would be going home if this deal goes down. Fontaine is a pending free agent from northern Alberta, who briefly played junior alongside Mark Letestu for his hometown Bonnyville Pontiacs. Fontaine could be a cheap bottom-six addition for the Oilers for next season, to potentially flank Letestu and Matt Hendricks on the fourth line. Fontaine is more of a skilled player, though, and isn’t a big body if that’s the direction Edmonton wants to go. Pitlick is bigger, but he hasn’t shown enough skill to become a full-time NHLer on a last-place team. It seems unlikely that Pitlick will wear an Oilers jersey again, so perhaps the Minneapolis product would benefit from returning to his roots in Minnesota. Pitlick would have to work his way up from the Iowa Wild, but this trade would give the 24-year-old added motivation to make the big league.
Trade Overviews
Anaheim Ducks
INCOMING = Lee Stempniak
OUTGOING = Nicolas Kerdiles and Stefan Noesen
Arizona Coyotes
INCOMING = Teemu Pulkkinen, Tomas Jurco, Alexander Khokhlachev, Joe Morrow and a conditional 2016 first-round pick (lower pick between Boston and San Jose)
OUTGOING = Shane Doan, Mikkel Boedker and Nicklas Grossman
Boston Bruins
INCOMING = Shane Doan, Kevin Hayes, Cody Franson and Nicklas Grossman
OUTGOING = Loui Eriksson, Alexander Khokhlachev, Seth Griffith, Colin Miller, Joe Morrow, Matt Irwin, a conditional 2016 first-round pick (lower pick between Boston and San Jose) and a 2016 fifth-round pick
Buffalo Sabres
INCOMING = Jason Zucker, Beau Bennett, Seth Griffith, Josh Archibald, Colin Miller, Christian Folin, Matt Irwin, Tim Erixon, Dillon Simpson, a 2017 third-round pick, a 2017 fourth-round pick and a 2016 fifth-round pick
OUTGOING = Tyler Ennis, Jamie McGinn, Matt Moulson, Cody Franson and Mark Pysyk
Calgary Flames
INCOMING = Brandon Pirri, Ty Rattie, Rourke Chartier, Dylan Olsen and a 2017 fifth-round pick
OUTGOING = Jiri Hudler, David Jones, Drew Shore, Kris Russell and Jonas Hiller
Carolina Hurricanes
INCOMING = Michael McCarron, Joey Hishon, Mark McNeill, Blake Speers, Eric Gelinas, Jon Merrill, Brandon Gormley, Connor Carrick, Michael Hutchinson, Zachary Fucale, a conditional 2016 first-round pick (playoff protected, otherwise 2017 second-round pick), two 2016 third-round picks (Ottawa and Detroit) and two 2016 fourth-round picks (Chicago and Washington)
OUTGOING = Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner, Kris Versteeg, Nathan Gerbe, Ron Hainsey, John-Michael Liles (salary retained), Ryan Murphy, Cam Ward and two 2016 third-round picks (Carolina and Winnipeg)
Chicago Blackhawks
INCOMING = Kris Versteeg and Sam Gagner
OUTGOING = Bryan Bickell (salary retained), Mark McNeill and a 2016 fourth-round pick
Colorado Avalanche
INCOMING = Nathan Gerbe and Ryan Murphy
OUTGOING = Joey Hishon and Brandon Gormley
Columbus Blue Jackets
INCOMING = Magnus Paajarvi, Devin Shore, Christian Ehrhoff, Mark Fayne, Jyrki Jokipakka, Esa Lindell, Kevin Gravel, a 2016 third-round pick and a 2016 fourth-round pick
OUTGOING = Scott Hartnell, Matt Calvert, Rene Bourque, Jack Johnson and Fedor Tyutin
Dallas Stars
INCOMING = Matt Calvert, Keith Yandle, Jack Johnson and Roman Polak
OUTGOING = Devin Shore, Brett Ritchie, Jason Demers, Jyrki Jokipakka, Esa Lindell, a 2016 second-round pick and a 2016 fourth-round pick
Detroit Red Wings
INCOMING = Mikkel Boedker, Nail Yakupov, Anton Lander and Justin Schultz
OUTGOING = Teemu Pulkkinen, Tomas Jurco, Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Jakub Kindl
Edmonton Oilers
INCOMING = Anthony Mantha, Scott Hartnell, Justin Fontaine, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jakub Kindl, Mark Pysyk and a 2017 fourth-round pick
OUTGOING = Nail Yakupov, Anton Lander, Rob Klinkhammer, Tyler Pitlick, Justin Schultz, Mark Fayne, Eric Gryba, Dillon Simpson, a 2016 third-round pick and a 2017 third-round pick
Florida Panthers
INCOMING = Jiri Hudler
OUTGOING = Brandon Pirri and Dylan Olsen
Los Angeles Kings
INCOMING = Tyler Biggs, Fedor Tyutin, Ben Lovejoy and a 2016 fifth-round pick
OUTGOING = Dwight King, Jordan Nolan, Christian Ehrhoff and Kevin Gravel
Minnesota Wild
INCOMING = Jonathan Drouin, Tyler Ennis, Alex Killorn, Tyler Pitlick and Jason Garrison
OUTGOING = Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Justin Fontaine, Jonas Brodin, Christian Folin and a 2017 fourth-round pick
Montreal Canadiens
INCOMING = Eric Staal, Jonathan Marchessault Brandon Prust, Matt Carle, Cam Ward and a 2016 seventh-round pick
OUTGOING = Devante Smith-Pelly, Michael McCarron, Mark MacMillan, Tom Gilbert, Zachary Fucale and a conditional 2016 first-round pick (playoff protected, otherwise 2017 second-round pick)
Nashville Predators
INCOMING = Kyle Okposo, Milan Michalek, Pierre-Alexander Parenteau, Shawn Matthias and Michael Dal Colle
OUTGOING = Craig Smith, Colin Wilson, Cody Hodgson, Colton Sissons, Stefan Elliott, a 2016 second-round pick and a 2017 third-round pick
New Jersey Devils
INCOMING = Jeff Skinner, Nicolas Kerdiles and Stefan Noesen
OUTGOING = Lee Stempniak, Blake Speers, Eric Gelinas, Jon Merrill and two 2016 third-round picks (Ottawa and Detroit)
New York Islanders
INCOMING = Craig Smith and Colin Wilson
OUTGOING = Kyle Okposo and Michael Dal Colle
New York Rangers
INCOMING = Patrick Marleau, Loui Eriksson, Brett Ritchie, Rob Klinkhammer, Jason Demers and Eric Gryba
OUTGOING = Kevin Hayes, Pavel Buchnevich, Aleksi Saarela, Keith Yandle, Igor Shesterkin, a 2016 third-round pick and a 2017 fourth-round pick
Ottawa Senators
INCOMING = Raffi Torres, Chris Tierney and Dylan Demelo
OUTGOING = Chris Neil, Alex Chiasson and Patrick Wiercioch
Philadelphia Flyers
INCOMING = Bryan Bickell (salary retained)
OUTGOING = Sam Gagner
Pittsburgh Penguins
INCOMING = Jamie McGinn, Matt Moulson (salary retained), Dwight King and Jordan Nolan
OUTGOING = Beau Bennett, Josh Archibald, Tyler Biggs, Ben Lovejoy, Tim Erixon and a 2016 fifth-round pick
San Jose Sharks
INCOMING = Tyler Bozak, Peter Holland, David Jones, Alex Chiasson, Chris Neil, Drew Shore, Pavel Buchnevich, Aleksi Saarela, Patrick Wiercioch, Martin Marincin, Stuart Percy, Jonas Hiller, Igor Shesterkin and a 2016 third-round pick
OUTGOING = Patrick Marleau, Chris Tierney, Raffi Torres, Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, Rourke Chartier, Dylan Demelo, Mirco Mueller and a 2017 fifth-round pick
St. Louis Blues
INCOMING = Radim Vrbata, Rene Bourque, Dan Hamhuis and Kris Russell
OUTGOING = Dmitrij Jaskin, Ty Rattie, Magnus Paajarvi, Petteri Lindbohm, Thomas Vannelli and a 2016 third-round pick (Washington)
Tampa Bay Lightning
INCOMING = Mikael Granlund, Brad Boyes, Chris Higgins (salary retained), Devante Smith-Pelly, Jonas Brodin, Tom Gilbert, Yannick Weber and a 2017 fourth-round pick
OUTGOING = Jonathan Drouin, Alex Killorn, Jonathan Marchessault, Jason Garrison, Matt Carle, Nikita Nesterov and a 2016 third-round pick
Toronto Maple Leafs
INCOMING = Cody Hodgson, Colton Sissons, Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, Stefan Elliott, Mirco Mueller, two 2016 second-round picks (Nashville and Dallas), a 2016 third-round pick and a 2017 third-round pick
OUTGOING = Tyler Bozak, Milan Michalek, Pierre-Alexander Parenteau, Brad Boyes, Shawn Matthias, Peter Holland, Roman Polak, Martin Marincin and Stuart Percy
Vancouver Canucks
INCOMING = Dmitrij Jaskin, Mark MacMillan, Nikita Nesterov, Petteri Lindbohm, Thomas Vannelli and a 2016 third-round pick (Washington)
OUTGOING = Radim Vrbata, Chris Higgins (salary retained), Brandon Prust, Dan Hamhuis, Yannick Weber, a 2017 fourth-round pick and a 2016 seventh-round pick
Washington Capitals
INCOMING = Andrew Ladd, Ron Hainsey and John-Michael Liles (salary retained)
OUTGOING = Tom Wilson, Riley Barber, Connor Carrick, Madison Bowey and a 2016 fourth-round pick
Winnipeg Jets
INCOMING = Tom Wilson, Riley Barber, Madison Bowey and two 2016 third-round picks (Carolina and Winnipeg)
OUTGOING = Andrew Ladd and Michael Hutchinson
Larry Fisher is a sports reporter for The Daily Courier in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, and has been an at-large contributor for THW since August 2014. Follow him on Twitter: @LarryFisher_KDC.