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NHL Trades

Jacob Markstrom(G)|NJD
Trade
Trade
The Panthers have traded Jacob Markstrom and Shawn Matthias to the Canucks for Roberto Luongo and Steven Anthony.

Markstrom, 24, was the 31st overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft. He has yet to assert himself as an NHL regular, but will get a chance now in Vancouver to share time with fellow countryman Eddie Lack. The two were teammates back with Brynas of the Swedish Elite League. Markstrom is 1-6-3 with a 3.52 GAA and .874 SV% with Florida this season, but has recently been playing with San Antonio (AHL) where he was 12-11-3 with a 2.56 GAA and .918 SV%.

Source:
Darren Dreger 2014-03-04T17:49:28.000Z
Jacob Markstrom
Roberto Luongo(G)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Canucks have traded Luongo to the Panthers.

There is no confirmation as to what is coming back the other way, all that is known as of now is that Jacob Markstrom and Shawn Matthias are headed to Vancouver and the Canucks will retain some of Luongo's salary. We will update this report when the trade is confirmed. This means Eddie Lack starts tonight for the Canucks.

Source:
Renaud Lavoie 2014-03-04T16:57:59.000Z
Roberto Luongo
Andrew MacDonald(LD)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Islanders have traded Andrew MacDonald to the Flyers for a 2014 3rd round-pick, a 2015 2nd round-pick and AHLer Matt Mangene.

MacDonald was probably the most sought-after defensemen at the deadline. He is in the last year of a deal that only carries a $550,000 cap-hit. MacDonald leads the NHL in blocked shots with 198, which is 28 more than the next highest (Josh Gorges 170). At 25:05 he is eighth in the NHL in TOI per game and sees time on both the Islanders power-play and shorthanded units. The deal gives the Flyers nine NHL defensemen, so expect another move out of the Flyers camp before Wednesday's 3 pm EST deadline.

Source:
Arthur Staple 2014-03-04T16:15:40.000Z
Andrew MacDonald
Jeff Costello(RW)|
Trade
Trade
Senators have traded Jeff Costello to the Canucks for Patrick Mullen.

Costello, 23, is a 6-foot, 210 lbs. winger who was drafted in the fifth round (146th overall) in 2009. He is in his fourth year with Notre Dame where he has 11 goals and 8 assists (19 points) in 34 games.

Source:
Darren Dreger 2014-03-04T15:49:13.000Z
Jeff Costello
Patrick Mullen(D)|
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Trade
Canucks have traded Patrick Mullen to Ottawa for Jeff Costello.

Mullen, 27, is a 5-foot-10, 184 lbw. defenseman who was an undrafted free agent. Mullen has never played in the NHL, but has recorded seven goals and 13 assists (20 points) in 46 games with the Utica Comets (AHL).

Source:
Darren Dreger 2014-03-04T15:46:18.000Z
Patrick Mullen
Viktor Fasth(G)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Ducks have traded Viktor Fasth to the Oilers for a 2014 fifth-round pick and a 2015 third-round pick.

The emergence of Frederik Andersen allowed the Ducks to send Fasth to the Oilers for future assets. Fasth has gone 2-2-1 with a 2.95 GAA and .885 SV% in an injury riddled season with the Ducks. After the Oilers started the season with Devan Dubnyk and Jason LaBarbera they now have Ben Scrivens and Fasth, which is a nice upgrade.

Source:
Darren Dreger 2014-03-04T14:26:56.000Z
Viktor Fasth
Stephane Robidas(D)|
Trade
Trade
The Ducks have acquired Stephane Robidas from the Stars for Washington's fourth-round pick they got for Dustin Penner.

Robidas has been out since November 29 because of a broken leg. He had four goals and one assist in 24 games this season. He is a strong two-way defenseman who can do it at both ends of the rink. The 37-year-old addresses a need for a right-handed shot on the Ducks blueline, not to mention he is as tough as nails.

Source:
Eric Stephens 2014-03-04T15:36:31.000Z
Stephane Robidas
Ilya Bryzgalov(G)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Oilers have traded Ilya Bryzgalov to the Wild in exchange for a 2014 fourth-round pick.

Bryzgalov has gone 5-8-5 with a 3.01 GAA and .908 SV% with the Oilers this season. The Wild looked golden in net earlier in the season, until Josh Harding started having multiple sclerosis and Niklas Backstrom having abdominal issues. Bryzgalov will likely become one of three goalies that the Wild will carry and finds himself behind the red-hot Darcy Kuemper.

Source:
@EdmontonOilers 2014-03-04T14:17:11.000Z
Ilya Bryzgalov
Mike Weaver(D)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Canadiens have acquired defenseman Mike Weaver in exchange for a 2015 fifth round draft pick.

Weaver is in the final year of a two-year contract that carries a $1.1 million US cap-hit. The 35-year-old is 5-foot-10, 183 lbs. who had six assists in 55 games with the Panthers this season.

Source:
Bob McKenzie 2014-03-04T13:00:44.000Z
Mike Weaver
Brandon Pirri(C)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Panthers have acquired Brandon Pirri from the Blackhawks in exchange for a 2014 third-round draft pick and a 2016 fifth round pick.

Pirri, 22, has tallied 11 points (6G / 5A) in 28 games with the Blackhawks this season. He has also registered 24 points (10G / 14A) in 25 games with Rockford (AHL). The Toronto, Ontario, native was originally selected by the Blackhawks in the second round, 59th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Source:
Chicago Blackhawks 2014-03-02T21:31:15.000Z
Brandon Pirri
Steve Ott(C)|
Trade
Trade
The Sabres have traded Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the Blues for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart prospect William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a third-round draft pick in 2016.

Ott will likely play on the Blues third line and see significantly less minutes. He has nine goals and 11 assists in 59 games this season.

Source:
Mike Harrington 2014-02-28T19:36:32.000Z
Steve Ott
Jaroslav Halak(G)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Sabres have traded Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the Blues for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart prospect William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a third-round draft pick in 2016.

Halak, 28, has played 40 games for the Blues, posting a 24-9-4 record with a .917 save percentage and 2.23 goals against average. He has four shutouts this season, tied for second in the NHL, and is best known for leading the Montreal Canadiens to the Eastern Conference finals in 2010.

Source:
Mike Harrington 2014-02-28T19:34:56.000Z
Jaroslav Halak
Chris Stewart(RW)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Sabres have traded Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the Blues for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart prospect William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a third-round draft pick in 2016.

The 6-2, 231-pound Stewart has 15 goals and 11 assists in 58 games for the Blues this season after leading St. Louis last year with 18 goals and 36 points. Stewart, 26, was Colorado's first-round pick (18th overall) in 2006. In six NHL seasons, Stewart has 115 goals and 228 points in 377 games.

Source:
Mike Harrington 2014-02-28T19:34:21.000Z
Chris Stewart
Ryan Miller(G)|
Trade
Trade
The Sabres have traded Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the Blues for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart prospect William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a third-round draft pick in 2016.

Miller and Ott will join the Blues in Phoenix, where they play Sunday. They were scratched by the Sabres just before the warmup for tonight's game against San Jose in First Niagara Center. Miller is 15-22-3 with a 2.72 GAA and .923 SV% with the Sabres, but receives a huge fantasy boost by going to the Blues.

Source:
Mike Harrington 2014-02-28T19:33:33.000Z
Ryan Miller
Carter Camper(C)|
Trade
Trade
The Blue Jackets have acquired Carter Camper from the Bruins in exchange for Blake Parlett.

Camper has one goal in three career NHL games. In 41 games with Providence (AHL) this season, he has eight goals and 23 assists (31 points) in 41 games.

Source:
Bob McKenzie 2014-02-07T15:36:52.000Z
Carter Camper
Pierre-Marc Bouchard(RW)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired wing Peter Regin and center Pierre-Marc Bouchard from the New York Islanders in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft on Thursday night.

Bouchard will report to the Rockford IceHogs (AHL), he has four goals and five assists, as well as a minus-9 rating, in 28 games with the Islanders. According to Pierre LeBrun, the Islanders retain 50 percent of the salary/cap hit for both Bouchard and Regin. Bouchard is on a one-year deal worth $2 million for this season.

Source:
Tracey Myers 2014-02-07T10:32:52.000Z
Pierre-Marc Bouchard

NHL Trade Tracker

Are you looking for all the latest NHL trade news from around the league? Then you’ve come to the right spot! Daily Faceoff’s NHL trade tracker provides up-to-the-minute updates on the latest personnel moves and trade rumours from all 32 franchises. When your favourite player gets dealt for future considerations, you’ll be the first to know!

Along with our NHL trade tracker, we also provide information on how hockey trades work, the strategy behind these moves, and how the latest NHL trades could impact your sports betting strategy.

It’s important for fans, sports bettors, and fantasy managers to stay informed on the latest NHL transactions. If you can keep tabs on the latest moves in the NHL, this can assist you in making intelligent pickups or trades in fantasy hockey and help shape your bets based on the new personnel added to a team.

NHL Trade Rules

NHL trades can be quite lucrative, with players, prospects, and draft capital moved to complete a deal. While there are a variety of ways to finalize trades, they all need to abide by the trade rules and regulations set by the league. Even the San Jose Sharks can’t take on everyone’s bad contracts.

Learn more about the rules around trades below so you can better understand how trades work, and the transactions made in our NHL trade tracker.

Salary Cap

In order for any NHL trade to be processed successfully, all parties involved must abide by the league’s salary cap rules. The current NHL salary cap is $88M, meaning that each team’s total payroll must fall within the budgetary restriction.

The salary cap in the NHL is considered a “hard cap,” meaning that no team can exceed it. While the limitations around roster construction can be strict, there are still ways for teams to legally exceed the set limit that won’t cost teams a first-round pick.

In the playoffs, teams are technically able to exceed their cap space through the long-term injured reserve (LTIR). The LTIR allows teams to place injured players on extended leave (24+ calendar days or 10 NHL Games) and fill their roster spots based on their cap space heading into the regular season.

If a player is on the LTIR heading into the postseason, they can be activated regardless of if their re-addition to the team puts them over the salary cap.

Roster Limit

For any active NHL roster, they can only dress 23 skaters. While they’re able to move players up and down through their farm system (AHL/ECHL/International Players), they must abide by this player limit when it comes to active players dressed in each game.

This plays a big factor in determining trades, as teams will need to make salaries work to make the move official and fit the current team’s available roster spots.

Depth is an incredibly important part of any successful NHL team, so filling out their roster with talented players is pivotal to their success. Each roster spot holds immense value.

NHL Trade Deadline

The NHL trade deadline is the last opportunity for teams to make moves between each other during the regular season. The trade deadline generally falls after the All-Star break so teams can make their last-ditch efforts before the playoffs begin. Players must be on the team’s roster by the deadline at 3 PM to be eligible for the NHL playoffs.

Technically, teams can still make trades after this point if they don’t qualify or have been eliminated from the postseason. These trades will not take effect until the next season, but the transactions can still go through.

The deadline can make or break a team’s playoff hopes, making it a dramatic and hectic period for hockey fans and managers alike. Be sure to regularly check back with our NHL trade tracker around the deadline so you don’t miss any latest moves from across the league.

Understanding the Strategy Behind NHL Trades

NHL teams may want to make a trade for a number of reasons. Often, teams make trades when they are looking to head in a certain direction, whether this means trying to improve and compete for the Stanley Cup or tank and enter a rebuild.

A team that feels it has a strong enough unit to make a deep run into the postseason will likely forgo some of its draft capital to acquire proven talent and enhance its winning capabilities.

Conversely, a team that has hit a wall in terms of success and doesn’t feel they have what it takes to compete in the playoffs may opt to trade away valuable assets in favour of draft picks or promising prospects.

Other NHL trade strategies may involve team culture/personnel fits. If a player doesn’t fit within a coach’s game plan or doesn’t have chemistry with his line mates, teams may opt to deal him to find a better fit.

For daily fantasy sports players or hockey bettors, understanding the logic behind NHL trades can play a big part in your success. If you have a solid understanding of a team’s needs and the value brought by particular players, you can use this to gain an edge on your roster moves and bets.

Check out the most recent roster moves from around the league with our NHL trade tracker, and be sure to analyze the strategy used by each team when making their next move.

How NHL Trades Impact Sports Betting

NHL trades can have a major impact on sports betting, both in terms of daily games and futures. Players moving from team to team can alter a squad’s potential success and on-ice production.

For example, if a team decides to trade their leading goal-scorer, you can rightfully assume that their overall scoring numbers may drop as a result. This means a team you once would’ve taken the Over on may be better suited for the Under due to their new lineup.

Acquiring an all-star player for futures bets can dramatically influence the betting lines, increasing one team’s value while dropping another. If you’ve already placed a futures bet and the team you wagered on makes a trade, this could possibly increase or lower the value of your original ticket, depending on the result of the roster change.
Daily fantasy hockey players can also be impacted by NHL trades as you will need to see how a player fits into their new setting before including them in your drafted lineup.
Be sure to watch for any of the latest transactions by using our NHL trade tracker to stay informed on all the roster changes occurring throughout the league.

NHL Trades FAQs

Who decides NHL trades?

NHL trades are decided between two or more team general managers. The front office’s job is building a winning team. Building a winning team means discussing trades with other general managers across the league.

When can players be traded in the NHL?

During the NHL regular season, players can be traded up until the trade deadline. The deadline is the official cutoff point for when teams can no longer make moves between each other. Players can also be traded throughout the offseason.

Why do they trade players in hockey?

Teams trade players in hockey for a variety of reasons, but generally, it is done to find success, whether that is in the short term or long term. Teams may trade their top players in search of draft picks if they are undergoing a rebuild, whereas contending teams may look to acquire talent to boost their playoff chances.

How often are NHL players traded?

Trades are a common occurrence throughout the NHL and happen often. Some years feature less trades than others, it all depends on each teams needs and the availability of attractive talent.