NHL Hockey Player News

Teemu Pulkkinen(LW)|
Trade
Trade
The Coyotes have acquired Teemu Pulkkinen from the Wild for future considerations.

A day after the Coyotes and Wild made a blockbuster trade involving Martin Hanzal and a few hours after Pulkkinen cleared waivers, the two sides have acquired on a trade that sends Pulkkinen to Arizona for virtually nothing. Pulkkinen has just one goal in nine games with the Wild and 36 points (18G / 18A) in 47 games in Iowa (AHL).

Source:
Michael Russo 2017-02-27T14:59:36.000Z
Teemu Pulkkinen
Grayson Downing(C)|
Trade
Trade
The Coyotes acquired Grayson Downing, 2017 first round pick, 2018 second round pick and a conditional fourth round pick from the Wild for Martin Hanzal, Ryan White and a 2017 fourth round pick.

Downing, 24, was an unrestricted free agent, who has collected seven goals and 15 assists (22 points) in 47 games with Iowa (AHL) this season. Downing will report to Tucson.

Source:
Michael Russo 2017-02-27T13:15:17.000Z
Grayson Downing
Ryan White(C)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Wild acquired Ryan White, Martin Hanzal and a 2017 fourth round pick from the Coyotes for Grayson Downing, 2017 first round pick, 2018 second round pick and a conditional fourth round pick.

The Wild have had a revolving door on their fourth line all season, but White could fill out the spot permanently going forward. The rugged winger has seven goals and eight assists in 46 games with the Coyotes.

Source:
Michael Russo 2017-02-27T13:14:18.000Z
Ryan White
Martin Hanzal(C)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Wild acquired Martin Hanzal, Ryan White and a 2017 fourth round pick from the Coyotes for Grayson Downing, 2017 first round pick, 2018 second round pick and a conditional fourth round pick.

Hanzal is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Wild have added him in an attempt to go for it all this spring. Hanzal, who has 16 goals and 10 assists (26 points) in 51 games this season, joins a deep group of forwards in Minnesota. He should make his Wild debut on Monday and could skate on a line with Zach Parise.

Source:
Michael Russo 2017-02-27T13:13:16.000Z
Martin Hanzal
Erik Cernak(D)|TBL
Trade
Trade
The Lightning acquired Erik Cernak, Peter Budaj, a 2017 seventh round pick and a conditional draft pick from the Kings for Ben Bishop and a 2017 fifth round pick.

Cernak, 19, was a second round pick (No. 43 overall) in 2015 and has scored three goals with 14 assists (17 points) in 41 games with the Erie Otters (OHL) this season.

Source:
Jon Rosen 2017-02-27T13:11:30.000Z
Erik Cernak
Peter Budaj(G)|
Trade
Trade
The Lightning acquired Peter Budaj, Erik Cernak, a 2017 seventh round pick and a conditional draft pick from the Kings for Ben Bishop and a 2017 fifth round pick.

With Jonathan Quick missing the first four and a half months with a groin injury, Budaj filled in admirably as the Kings’ No.1. The veteran netminder went 27-20-3 with a 2.12 GAA and .917 SV% in 53 games while Quick was out, but heads to Tampa Bay where he will fight with Andrei Vasilevskiy for playing time in the Lightning’s crease.

Source:
Jon Rosen 2017-02-27T13:10:12.000Z
Peter Budaj
Ben Bishop(G)|BUF
Trade
Trade
The Kings acquired Ben Bishop and a 2017 fifth round pick from the Lightning for Peter Budaj, Erik Cernak, a 2017 seventh round pick and a conditional draft pick.

Bishop will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so the Lightning moved him despite being in playoff contention. Bishop has had a bit of a down year, going 16-12-3 with a 2.55 GAA and .911 SV% in 32 games and heads to Los Angeles where he will likely split time with Jonathan Quick. Andrei Vasilevskiy takes over as the Lightning’s No.1 netminder following the trade.

Source:
Jon Rosen 2017-02-27T13:08:08.000Z
Ben Bishop
Danny Kristo(RW)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Penguins have acquired Danny Kristo and a 2017 2nd round pick from the Penguins in exchange for Ron Hainsey.

Kristo, 26, was a second round pick in 2008 (56th overall), but has never appeared in an NHL game. He has had three straight seasons of 20-plus goals and 40-plus assists in the AHL and has registered six goals and seven assists (13 points) in 40 games this season.

Source:
@penguins 2017-02-23T13:12:12.000Z
Danny Kristo
Ron Hainsey(LD)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Penguins have acquired Ron Hainsey from the Hurricanes in exchange for a 2017 2nd round pick and Danny Kristo.

Hainsey is a mobile, veteran defenseman, who has scored four goals with 10 assists (14 points) in 56 games this season. He could make his Penguins debut in the outdoor game on Saturday. The injuries to Trevor Daley, Olli Maatta and Kris Letang necessitated this move for the Penguins.

Source:
@penguins 2017-02-23T13:03:24.000Z
Ron Hainsey
Michael Stone(RD)|CAL
Trade
Trade
The Flames have acquired Michael Stone from the Coyotes for a 2017 third round pick and a conditional 2018 fifth round pick.

Stone had his best offensive season of his career in 2015-16, but has struggled in 2016-17. Stone has just one goal and eight assists (nine points) in 45 games, but heads to Calgary where he will likely serve as their sixth defenseman. The Coyotes will retain 50 percent of Stone’s salary and the condition on the fifth round pick is based on whether or not the Flames re-sign Stone.

Source:
Elliotte Friedman 2017-02-20T16:55:48.000Z
Michael Stone
Branden Troock(RW)|
Trade
Trade
The Coyotes have acquired Branden Troock and Brendan Ranford from the Stars for Justin Peters and Justin Hache.

Troock, 22, was a fifth round pick in 2012 and has split his 2016-17 season between the AHL and ECHL. Troock had four assists in 10 games with Texas and nine points (7G / 2A) in 15 games with Idaho. He is expected to report to Tucson.

Source:
Mike Heika 2017-02-01T19:10:22.000Z
Branden Troock
Brendan Ranford(LW)|FA
Trade
Trade
The Coyotes have acquired Brendan Ranford and Branden Troock from the Stars for Justin Peters and Justin Hache.

Ranford, 24, was a seventh round pick of the Flyers in 2010 and has appeared in just one career NHL game. Ranford has collected 17 points (6G / 11A) in 36 games with Texas (AHL) and will report to Tucson.

Source:
Mike Heika 2017-02-01T19:05:34.000Z
Brendan Ranford
Justin Hache(D)|
Trade
Trade
The Stars have acquired Justin Hache and Justin Peters from the Coyotes for Brendan Ranford and Branden Troock.

Hache, 23, was a seventh round in 2012 and has recorded one assist in five games with Tucson (AHL) and nine points (2G / 7A) in 21 games with Rapid City (ECHL). He will report to Texas (AHL).

Source:
Mike Heika 2017-02-01T19:04:12.000Z
Justin Hache

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.