Spaling picked up seven points (1G / 6A) in 35 games this season. Spaling was picked up in the Phil Kessel trade and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. He provides the Sharks with bottom-6 depth.
Polak is a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but provides the Sharks’ with depth on the blueline for a playoff push. Polak has 13 points (1G / 12A) in 55 games, led the Maple Leafs in blocked shots (102) and was second in hits (220).
Smith, 22, is a pending restricted free agent at the season. He was a seventh round pick (192nd overall) in 2012 and has just one game of NHL experience. He has picked up 13 goals and 21 assists (34 points) in 54 games with San Antonio (AHL) this season. He will report to the AHL’s top team the Toronto Marlies.
Matthias, 28, signed a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs at the start of the season but will now provide third-line depth for the Avalanche, who are making a playoff push in the Western Conference. Matthias has 17 points (6G / 11A) in 51 games with the Maple Leafs this season, but had a career-high 18 goals with the Canucks last season.
Lindberg, 20, was a fourth round pick (102nd overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 215 lbs. winger has registered 22 points (5G / 17A) in 34 games with Binghamton in his first AHL season. Lindberg won a Memorial Cup with Oshawa last season, a team that was coached by current Maple Leafs’ assistant coach D.J Smith.
Michalek is currently out with his second broken finger of the season and is not expected to be back until March. Michalek has one more year left before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. He has 10 points (6G / 4A) in 32 games this season.
Greening, 29, has only appeared in one NHL game this season, he has spent the season with Binghamton, where he has collected 13 points (7G / 6A) in 41 games. Greening, who has 87 career NHL points (38G / 49A) in 256 games, has one year left on his current deal.
Cowen, 25, was the ninth overall pick in 2009 but has yet to live up to his draft position. He has often served as a healthy scratch this season, including the last three games before the trade and has just four assists in 37 games overall. He plays a physical brand of hockey but needs a lot of work on his skating. Cowen has one year left on his current deal, which carries a $4.5 million dollar cap-hit.
Donaghey, 19, was an undrafted free agent that has split his season between the Halifax Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL. Donaghey has picked up five goals and 17 assists (21 points) in 36 games this season.
Rupert, 21, was a sixth round pick (157th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft. He has picked up five points (3G / 2A) in seven games with Orlando (ECHL) and 12 points (6G / 6A) in 29 games with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) this season. He has never appeared in an NHL game.
Bailey, 24, was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Maple Leafs during the 2014-15 season. He has recorded 18 points (4G / 14A) in 38 games with the Marlies this season and has one goal in six career NHL games.
Frattin, 28, has spent the entire season with the Toronto Marlies (AHL). In 47 games he has collected nine goals and 13 assists (22 points). He has appeared in 135 career NHL games, registering 35 points (17G / 18A) with the Maple Leafs, Kings and Blue Jackets.
The Maple Leafs were able to ship out Phaneuf and his massive contract without having to retain any salary. Phaneuf will make his Senators debut on Wednesday in Detroit, where he will be paired with Cody Ceci. Phaneuf has collected three goals, 21 assists (24 points) and 116 shots in 51 games with the Maple Leafs. He will be playing second fiddle to Erik Karlsson in Ottawa, but an improved offence could help his fantasy value in the long-run.
Garbutt had two goals and four assists in 43 games in his first season with the Blackhawks. He was acquired in the Patrick Sharp deal this summer but is now on his way to Montreal. He has 76 points (32G / 44A) in 241 career NHL games.
Sekac, 23, had just one goal and two assists in 22 games with the Ducks this season. In 91 career NHL games, Sekac has registered 10 goals and 16 assists. Sekac could make his Blackhawks debut on Friday.
Perron will be a unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Despite playing the majority of the season with Sidney Crosby, Perron had just 16 points (4G / 12A) in 43 games. He could slide into Hagelin’s spot in the Ducks top six, but he remains a low-end wing option in standard 12-team leagues.
Hagelin has three years left on his deal that carries a $4M cap-hit. Hagelin had a tough three and a half months with the Ducks, scoring just four goals with eight assists (12 points) in 43 games. He is a speedy winger with good offensive and defensive zone abilities. He should make his Penguins debut on Sunday vs. the Hurricanes.
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.
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.
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.
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.