The Hurricanes have acquired Marcus Kruger from the Golden Knights for a 2018 5th round pick.
NHL Hockey Player News
The Devils acquired Marcus Johansson from the Capitals for a 2018 2nd round pick and a 2018 3rd round pick.
The Red Wings have acquired Tom McCollum from the Flames for a conditional 7th round pick in 2018.
McCollum was a first round pick of the Red Wings in 2008 and spent six years in the organization before being dealt to the Flames. A year ago he found himself in the AHL and ECHL, posting a 2.10 GAA and .926 SV% in 17 starts with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). McCollum will likely share a crease with Jared Coreau after Eddie Pasquale walked in free agency.
The Lightning have acquired Carter Verhaeghe from the Islanders for Kristers Gudlevskis.
Verhaeghe, 21, was a third round pick (No.82 overall) in 2013 but has split his last two seasons between the AHL and ECHL. Last season he had 29 points (16G / 13A) in 45 games with Bridgeport (AHL) and an impressive 32 points (12G / 20A) in just 16 games with Missouri (ECHL). Verhaeghe will likely report to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) to start 2017-18.
The Islanders have acquired Kristers Gudlevskis from the Lightning for Carter Verhaeghe.
Gudlevskis went 15-10-4 with a 2.65 GAA and .897 SV% in 37 games as the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) starter in 2016-17. Gudlevskis has had some strong performances while representing Latvia internationally, but has not posted a SV% above .907 in single AHL season. Gudlevskis will likely report to Bridgeport (AHL) to start 2017-18.
The Avalanche have acquired Colin Wilson from the Predators for a 2019 4th round pick.
Wilson was the No.7 overall pick in 2008, but never really lived up to expectations, posting a career-high of just 20 goals and 42 points (2014-15). Wilson was slipping down the Predators depth chart, but should play an increased role in Colorado, where mid-30’s points should be his floor.
The Wild acquired Marcus Foligno, Tyler Ennis and a 2018 3rd round pick from the Sabres for Marco Scandella, Jason Pominville and a 2018 4th round pick.
Foligno is a big-body (6’2” / 215 lbs.) that has improved offensively in each of his six NHL seasons, setting a new career-high in goals (13) and tying a career-best in points (23) a season ago. Foligno will likely take Pominville’s spot as a third line winger in Minnesota, but doesn’t offer nearly any fantasy value due to his limited power play exposure.
The Wild acquired Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno and a 2018 3rd round pick from the Sabres for Marco Scandella, Jason Pominville and a 2018 4th round pick.
Ennis scored 20-plus goals and 40-plus points in back-to-back seasons, but registered just eight goals and 16 assists (24 points) in 74 games in two injury plagued seasons over the last couple of years. The diminutive winger has the talent to be a point producer, but needs to find a way to stay on the ice.
The Sabres acquired Jason Pominville, Marco Scandella and a 2018 4th round pick from the Wild for Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno and a 2018 3rd round pick.
The former Sabres’ captain had two 30-goal seasons and six straight seasons of 50-plus points when he was in Buffalo. A once consistent 30-30 threat, has failed to top 20 goals in each of the last three seasons, but heads back to Buffalo, where he will look to rediscover his goal-scoring touch in the Sabres’ top-9.
The Sabres acquired Marco Scandella, Jason Pominville and a 2018 4th round pick from the Wild for Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno and a 2018 3rd round pick.
Scandella, 27, is a big physical defenseman but does not possess a lot of offensive ability outside of a big slap shot. Scandella has a career-high of just 23 points (11G / 12A) and is coming off of a year in which he had just four goals and nine assists (13 points) in 71 games. The Sabres have made a clear effort to improve their blue line, by adding Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu this offseason.
The Hurricanes acquired Keegan Kanzig and a 2019 6th round pick from the Flames for Eddie Lack, Ryan Murphy and a 2019 7th round pick.
Kanzig, 22, was a third round pick in 2013 (No.67 overall) but has struggled since turning pro in 2015-16. The 6-foot-6, 245 lbs. defenseman has appeared in just nine AHL games so far and spent the majority of last season in the ECHL, where he had just five points (1G / 4A) in 40 contests.
The Flames acquired Ryan Murphy, Eddie Lack and a 2019 7th round pick from the Hurricanes for Keegan Kanzig and a 2019 6th round pick.
Murphy can be classified as a bust after being selected No.12 overall in 2011, but the majority of it can be chalked up to injury issues. In his first five seasons, he has amassed just 37 points (6G / 31A) in 151 career NHL games and likely won’t get a major opportunity to play thanks to a top notch Flames’ blueline.
Trade
The Flames acquired Eddie Lack, Ryan Murphy and a 2019 7th round pick from the Hurricanes for Keegan Kanzig and a 2019 6th round pick.
Lack was a key member of the Canucks in 2014 and 2015, but struggled in two years with Carolina. With the Hurricanes acquiring Scott Darling from the Blackhawks, they needed to move Lack or Cam Ward and the Flames came calling for a backup. Lack has posted a career 2.56 GAA and .911 SV% in 136 NHL games and will be the primary backup to Mike Smith in 2017-18.
The Stars acquired Marc Methot from the Golden Knights for Dylan Ferguson and a 2020 second round pick.
Methot is a solid depth defeseman, but has limited offensive upside. In 2016-17, the 32-year-old had 12 assists in 68 games and has not topped 20 points in the last three seasons. Methot joins a Stars’ blueline that is crowded with young defensemen.
The Flames acquired Travis Hamonic and a conditional 4th round pick from the Islanders for a 2018 1st round pick, 2018 2nd round pick and a conditional 2nd round pick on Saturday.
Hamonic’s name has been swirling on trade fronts for over a year, but the Islanders finally pulled the trigger on the draft floor on Saturday. Hamonic dealt with some injuries in 2016-17, but posted 14 points (3G / 11A) in the 49 games he was able to dress for. Hamonic has good size (6-foot-2/205lbs) and is a solid two-way defenseman who is both physical in his own end while possessing a big point shot at the other. The Flames are following the Predators’ model by stacking their blueline as Hamonic joins Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton and TJ Brodie as the Flames’ big-4.
The Blues have acquired Oscar Sundqvist and the No.31 overall pick from the Penguins for Ryan Reaves and the No.51 overall pick.
The Penguins have acquired Ryan Reaves and the No.51 overall pick from the Blues for Oscar Sundqvist and the No.31 overall pick.
Trade
The Flyers have acquired Jori Lehtera the No.27 overall pick and a conditional 2018 1st round pick from the Blues for Brayden Schenn.
The Blues have acquired Brayden Schenn from the Flyers for Jori Lehtera, the No.27 overall pick and a conditional 2018 1st round pick.
The Rangers have acquired Anthony DeAngelo and the No.7 overall pick from the Coyotes for Antti Raanta and Derek Stepan.
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.