NHL Trades

The Golden Knights have acquired Tobias Lindberg and a 2018 6th round pick from the Maple Leafs for Calvin Pickard.

Lindberg, 22, was originally a fourth round pick of the Senators in 2013 and has only appeared in six NHL games since, collecting two assists. Last season, Lindberg had 16 points (6G / 10A) in 44 AHL games with the Marlies.

Tobias Lindberg
The Maple Leafs have acquired Calvin Pickard from the Golden Knights for Tobias Lindberg and a 2018 6th round pick.

Pickard was placed on waivers on Thursday and cleared Friday afternoon. The Maple Leafs waited for him to clear because now they can send him to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) and keep him in their system. This is a smart move for Toronto, who’s current backup goaltender is veteran Curtis McElhinney, who has had his fair-share of struggles during his career.

Calvin Pickard
The Sabres have acquired Zach Redmond from the Canadiens for Nicolas Deslauriers.

Redmond split the 2016-17 season between the AHL and NHL. He had five assists in 16 games with the Canadiens and 18 points (4G / 14A) in 26 contests with the St. John’s IceCaps (AHL). He is nothing more than an AHL D-man or seventh/depth defenseman for the Sabres.

Zach Redmond
The Penguins have acquired Andrey Pedan and 2018 fourth-round pick from the Canucks for Derrick Pouliot.

Pedan was a third-round pick in 2011 and has only appeared in 13 NHL games since. The Lithuanian defenseman had 10 points (5G / 5A) and 100 PIMS in 52 games with Utica (AHL) last season. He is expected to start the year with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Andrey Pedan
The Canucks have acquired Derrick Pouliot from the Penguins for Andrey Pedan and a 2018 fourth-round pick.

Pouliot was the No.8 overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, but has yet to reach his full potential in Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old defenseman split last season between the NHL and AHL, recording 23 points (7G / 16A) in 46 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and no points in 11 games with the Penguins. The rebuilding Canucks can take a chance on the young blueliner, who likely won’t crack the top-6 to open the season.

Derrick Pouliot
The Panthers acquired Jamie McGinn from the Coyotes for Jason Demers.

This is seemingly more more of a salary-saving move by the Panthers than an actual need for a player like McGinn. The Panthers are eating 12.5% of Demers’ contract to send him to Arizona, but it frees up a spot on the blueline for either Ian McCoshen or MacKenzie Weegar. McGinn is coming off of a disappointing 17-point (9G / 8A) season in Arizona.

Jamie McGinn
The Coyotes acquired Jason Demers from the Panthers for Jamie McGinn.

After just one season in Florida, Demers is on the move to his third team in three years after being traded to the Coyotes on Sunday. Arizona was in need of a right-shot defenseman and they have found their man in the 29-year-old Demers. The Canadian-born blueliner is coming off of a season in which he collected a career-high nine goals with 19 assists (28 points) in 81 contests for Florida. With Jakob Chychrun to miss a lot of this season, Demers will slide right into a top-4 role, likely alongside Alex Goligoski.

Jason Demers
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.

Thomas McCollum
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.

Carter Verhaeghe
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.

Kristers Gudlevskis
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.

Colin Wilson
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.

Marcus Foligno
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.

Tyler Ennis
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.

Jason Pominville
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.

Marco Scandella
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.

Keegan Kanzig
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.

Ryan Murphy

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.