As the trade deadline approaches I would like to look at what makes sense for each team. I’ve gotten the last few around the NHLs done quickly, let’s do it again.

Anaheim:

Buy: Scoring
The Ducks, who made the Western Conference finals last year on the backs of their great (then) trio of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler, did so through scoring goals. Now, they can’t buy one. All three of their trio are snake bitten and their limited off season moves weren’t working. Even with the addition of David Perron, the Ducks need somebody great – Jonathon Drouin could fit the bill, given time to mature.

Sell: Ryan Getzlaf.
Look, I know it’s a bold move, but their bald captain has lost his touch. They could get a lot out of the name alone, and Ryan Kesler could step up and play a decent first line center game. They’re a few games out of the playoffs and need a change. Kesler has been a part of a team that almost won a Stanley Cup. He can be trusted. Frankly, right now, I don’t think the same could be said about Getzlaf.

Arizona:

Buy: Defense.
At 28th in Points Allowed, the Arizona Coyotes need some defense, especially if they’re going to continue to be contenders. Louis Domingue is doing all he can to lock down the Coyotes net, but he needs help. A defense including Zbynek Michalek, Michael Stone, and Connor Murphy isn’t doing enough. With 10 mil in cap space, look for the Coyotes to add a solid defenseman.

Sell: Nicklas Grossmann, Shane Doan.
Yep, another bold move. I’ll get to that. Nicklas Grossmann will be a free agent and has done nothing for the team, he needs to be traded and the Coyotes will find a way to make it happen – they found a buyer for John Scott so weirder things have happened. Now, the Captain. Shane Doan has been a very good player in the league, and a great captain for the Coyotes. I’m not saying that he’s not still good for them. The thing is – he’s now a third liner. You need better than that going forward (cough cough Max Domi). Look at Dustin Brown and the Kings. Doan’s contract is also up at the end of the season, so if you’re going to trade him now’s the time. Trade him to a Cup contender and pray he gets that cup he so deserves. Afterwards, he can renew in Arizona. Worked for Antoine Vermette, should work for Shane Doan.

Boston:

Buy: Defense.
Kevan Miller. Zach Trotman. These two guys should not be in the positions they’re in, and in fact when Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg were hurt at the start of the season this was the weakest defense in hockey. They haven’t improved that much. They need help and expect them to be in the Dustin Byfuglien race.

Sell: Jonas Gustavsson.
There’s plenty of teams who need goaltending help (including Winnepeg) and selling Gustavsson could land the Bruins some valuable assets. At a position where the Bruins have particular depth, it’s low risk high reward. The question is predicting what Don Sweeney, the wild card GM, will do.

Buffalo:

Buy: Playoff Experience.
Buffalo is the second youngest team in the league, and they could be in the playoff hunt within the next couple years. In order to do that they will need a veteran with playoff experience, because looking at the roster that’s the one thing the team lacks. The preferable spot for said veteran would likely be the blue line, as the team has solid forward presence.

Sell: Backup Goaltending.
Both Linus Ullmark and Chad Johnson have shone in their limited roles this season, and the Sabres could capitalize by trading one of them to a team in need of goaltending. Out of the two of them, Ullmark is the younger and has more potential. Johnson has better stats this season and would bring better rewards as well.

Calgary:

Buy: Goaltending.
After Karri Ramo and his 2.62 GAA and .910 SV, the Flames’ goaltending falls off considerably. Not good for a team who was expected to come in with the best defensive unit in the league. There will be teams offering goaltending on the market, and the question will be if the Flames are willing to pay for the future.

Sell: Jiri Hudler.
The Flames’ favorite veteran forward played spectacularly and is a free agent this upcoming year. His price has never been higher and the Flames could really use the return they could get from a Hudler trade. He could also go to a contender and help them in the playoffs, something he won’t be doing for the Flames this year.

Carolina:

Buy: Long Term Contract.
The Hurricanes are a team planning for the future. A rental player isn’t a likely trade for a team on the outside looking in on the playoffs, but the Hurricanes could be in the market for an RFA or a player with a longer contract, somebody who could be a part of the future organization. The team has no lack of cap space, so many moves are feasible here.

Sell: Eric Staal, Kris Versteeg.
The Hurricanes could be looking to sell two of their biggest scorers this year, as their captain Eric Staal sits on the last year of his 8.25 million dollar contract and has yet to sign an extension. Staal is 31 and could be looking for his last big money contract, but before that he could be looking to be a useful rental player for a contending team with cap room. Kris Versteeg is also on the edge of free agency and could bring the Hurricanes a nice return.

Chicago:

Buy: Defense.
While the Blackhawks have quality defensemen all around, they could be looking for a true #4 defenseman to allow Trevor Van Riemsdyk and Erik Gustafsson to develop together through the playoffs. They don’t think that #4 defenseman is Rob Scuderi or Michal Roszival and they can’t be blamed. While Roszival and Scuderi are both nice safety nets, the Hawks should be looking for that next step to put them over the cusp.

Sell: Bryan Bickell.
The real ideal for the Blackhawks this trade deadline is moving Bryan Bickell for anything. His 4 million dollar contract drags the Blackhawks down and gives them no operating space within the cap. Should they be able to find a buyer for that contract, they would be eternally grateful. Moving Bickell would also mean aiding the defending Stanley Cup Champions find wiggle room to sign a Calder favorite, the number one left wing, and numerous other key young players. Don’t expect many to line up to take that contract.

Colorado:

Buy: Goaltending.
Another team that could be in the market for a quick fix at goaltending, as the Avalanche try to fend off Nashville and Minnesota for the fourth seed in the Central Division. The Avs have had their fair share of disappointment at the position this season, as Varlamov has performed below standards and Reto Berra with a 2.41 has the Avs’ best GAA.

Sell: Alex Tanguay.
If they can find a way around his NTC, the Avs would be wise to consider trading the 36 year old as they make a playoff run for the first time under Patrick Roy. Especially in the most deadly division in hockey, the Avs will need all the help they can get, and maybe more comes from trading Tanguay than from keeping him on board. Besides, as free agency looms, the Avs have some decisions to make. Maybe getting something now is better than letting Tanguay walk for free.

Columbus:

Buy: Young Forwards.
At 23, Brandon Saad might be the future of the Columbus Blue Jackets. But the Jackets don’t have a matching piece to go along with and develop alongside Saad. While Saad might be the future, at 29 and 28 respectively, the same cannot be said about Brandon Dubinsky and Nick Foligno. It might be worth an investigation.

Sell: Justin Falk.
At 27, Falk is about to become a restricted free agent and is still rather young for a defenseman. He’d be worth something as either a part of a trade or as the whole trade he could bring in a few mid-tier prospects or draft picks. The Jackets are set on young defense, so Falk can be expendable.

Dallas:

Buy: Defense.
With the Offense being the powerhouse it still has the potential to be, the Stars could make a huge postseason push, if they can wrangle up a defense. Everyone thought that defense and goaltending would be the issue with this team (its hard to fault that pristine offense) and while the Stars proved doubters wrong in the first few months of the season lately they’ve been singing a different team and as Herm Edwards once immortally said “They are who we thought they were”.

Sell: Jason Demers.
Yes for the first time in this article I’m suggesting a team buy and sell within the same position. Jason Demers is the most expendable member of this defense and with next off-season being a UFA one for Demers it might be time for the Stars to think about potential returns for the second pairing d-man. This is another situation where getting something instead of nothing is a good move – especially with the Stars unfriendly cap situation (it’s getting to Blackhawks level and Jim Nill, while he knows how to bring in stars [ha that was an acccident] is no Stan Bowman in terms of prospect hunting)

Detroit:

Buy: Wing talent.
While I’m not saying the Red Wings are currently lacking in this area, picture it this way – Justin Abdelkader is currently their number one right wing. That puts him in the same league with Patrick Kane, Jaromir Jagr, and Steven Stamkos. This is not a pretty picture for the Red Wings. And with superstar Pavel Datsyuk, their number one left wing, aging, maybe it’s time to start looking for a partner for Dylan Larkin, the future of the franchise.

Sell: Jimmy Howard.
Having lost his starting position last season, Howard should be hungry to turn around his image. What better way to do that then to go to a team trying to get to the playoffs and getting them there. A change of scenery could be what Howard needs and could bring the Red Wings back a good return.

Edmonton:

Buy: Defense.
Cam Talbot is not working out the way the Oilers anticipated. A better defense could help with that. Not even superstars like Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist could do the job without a somewhat competent defense ahead of them (just look at the King this season). The unit they currently have isn’t somewhat competent. After Darnell Nurse and Andrej Sekera I couldn’t imagine any of them on a playoff squad.

Sell: First Round Pick.
The Oilers method of drafting and developing has gotten them nowhere. And if they end up with the first overall again this season, they’re going to take Auston Mathews and another promising superstar could be put to waste on a team that doesn’t know how to develop. Instead, trading that pick could bring them a lot of useful pieces so that when they do get their s–t together, they can make a deep playoff push. s

Florida:

Buy: Youth, Defense.
While the defense has shown to be more than capable this season, the Panthers may want to think about bringing in a young bottom pairing defenseman for the playoff push and because, while he is still an excellent captain, Willie Mitchell is 38. He’s not the kid he used to be. Neither is Jaromir Jagr. The team is the second oldest in the league and will need young energy in the playoffs.

Sell: Al Montoya.
His return will never be higher and he is nearing free agency, with no promise of a return to a back up job or to Florida. While the Panthers might think him the future, at 30, he may want to find money and a better role in a new organization this offseason.

Los Angeles:

Buy: Wing.
Dustin Brown is the current starting right wing. Enough said.

Sell: Trevor Lewis
Lewis has seen his best play pass him buy, and at 29, he is still a third liner on a team with no lack of third liners. The Kings can afford to trade him now for the cap space he’ll bring in the offseason and at the deadline. Cap space will be a major problem for the Kings.

Minnesota:

Buy: Forward Youth.
With the Wild’s superstars (Parise, Vanek, Koivu, Pominville) all being over the age of thirty, the Wild have a need to get younger. That would be a key to being competitive in the future, because the current core has yet to get the job done and as stated they’re only getting older.

Sell: Nicklas Backstrom.
With Devan Dubnyk locked up long term, it’s time for the Wild to decide on the backup long term. It doesn’t seem to be Nicklas Backstrom, as Darcy Keumper has impressed in the few games he’s played in this season. Backstrom has been nothing but dead weight recently, and for the right addition a cap floor team may be willing to take him on.

Montreal:

Buy: Goal scorer.
The Habs have lacked a true breakout goal scorer all season, and while it worked for them in the early months, lately it’s been showing itself. When a team has that breakthrough star – a Patrick Kane, Alexander Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos – everyone around them gets better. The Habs lack it and they sorely need it if they plan on winning the cup anytime soon.

Sell: Tom Gilbert.
After a quick glance through of the Habs roster I thought nobody should be sold – when, in fact, they have been doing poorly recently and need a change. I think that comes via the 33 year old defenseman and soon to be free agent. Bringing in fresh faces is necessary for the Habs at this point, and in order to do that teams need to lose old faces. Unfortunately Gilbert looks to be that face.

Nashville:

Buy: Scoring Forwards.
Right now, Ryan Johanson is trying to do it all himself. He can’t. The Predators need to find forwards who can help Johanson score goals and if they can’t they’ll continue to leave the playoffs in the first round, if they make it there. In order to win championships both defense and offense are needed and while the Predators have defense in supply, one first line center does not an offense make.

Sell: Paul Gaustad?
Honestly if the Predators want a good return they’ll have to lose somebody with more than a year remaining on their contract. I don’t like non-rental player trades, and the Predators have already made one of those. The Predators aren’t one deadline deal away from a deep playoff run, so this is something they’ll have to figure out in the offseason.

New Jersey:

Buy: Big Name Defense.
The Devils have done decently with their defense, and when they were winning games it was because of their blue line and Cory Schneider. A big name defenseman could assist the Devils and make that unit deeper, because the defense have lost their spark as the Devils have stopped winning. Again, this is where a big name could add the spark back.

Sell: Lee Stempniak, Jordin Tootoo.
Lee Stempniak is on the best contract in the NHL. At 825,000 he’s scored 40 points for the Devils and we’re only fifty games in. He’s going to bring back a massive reward for the Devils if they trade him, and they could use that more than they have a chance at re-signing Stempniak. He’s done well this season and deserves to be on a playoff team. That team is not New Jersey. On the flip side, Jordin Tootoo is simply somebody the Devils need to get off their team for the future. At -21 rating, Tootoo is no good for New Jersey.

New York Islanders:

Buy: Depth.
On both sides of the puck, once the Islanders get past their first and second lines/pairings, they lose their quality and its a sharp drop off. If the Islanders expect to compete in the playoffs and into the future this is where they need to improve. Look at the two teams who have won the last four Stanley Cups, the Kings and the Hawks. What they share is depth. Only one of these teams will have this into the future. Only one of them will continue winning Cups. Islanders can get competitive. If they have depth.

Sell: Kyle Okposo, Travis Hamonic.
The two young gunners for the Islanders are the two that have been rumored to soon no longer be on the team. The team needs to stop those rumors by doing something. They shouldn’t keep these players because they need the return. Okposo will bring a massive return at 27 because of his 40+ point season. Hamonic has wanted out of New York all season. He wants to be near his family, and the Islanders should grant that. He’ll also bring a good return. Expect him to be in Western Canada this March.

New York Rangers:

Buy: Youth.
The Rangers are among the ten oldest teams in the NHL. Their future does not look good. They need to begin developing prospects and begin rebuilding if they hope to win Henrik Lundqvist a Stanley Cup. There’s a few positions where they can get younger and one of them is where they should sell from.

Sell: Keith Yandle, Dan Girardi.
If there’s a possible way for Girardi to be off the Rangers, New York needs to take it. Girardi’s contract is bad for the Rangers, and if they want to get good they have to get better at contract negotiations. Keith Yandle could be the best defensive player available this trade deadline if the Rangers make him available. They would net a nice young return if they wanted, as well.

Ottawa:
Well this is kind of redundant. I feel like the Senators made their trade deadline deal, and it’s a decent one going into the future. It’s a massive deal, and rids the Senators of their bad contracts as well.

Buy: Depth.
Again, this is a matter where the Senators should be competitive into the future and if they want to win cups they need quality third and fourth liners. The team is in a spot to get those players what with the abundance of cap space the Senators have.

Sell: Alex Chiasson, Chris Neil.
While neither of the wings is making very much, the two are both on free agent deals in very different times of their careers. Chiasson is just getting started and a deal could bring the Senators some great youth and draft picks. Neil is a veteran on his way out who could help a contending team, and even small degrees matter in the playoffs.

Philadelphia:

Buy: Left Wing.
Michael Raffl is the current points leader at the position with 14 points. Both of the Flyer’s best two wings, Simmonds and Voracek, are natural rights. If the Flyers want to improve into the future an investment on the other side of the center would be a good start.

Sell: Defense.
With the best crop of defensive prospects in the NHL, led by next-Erik-Karlsson Shayne Gostisbehere, the Flyers can afford to trade some of their defense to bring the prospects up and develop. They will need to keep one or two veterans to train the rookies, but really that’s just Del Zotto.

Pittsburgh:

Buy: Depth.
The Penguin’s biggest weakness remains their biggest weakness. This is another team in need of depth players, and should be on the market actively looking for trades for third and fourth line/pairings. No matter how good Sidney Crosby plays right now, they need someone to help when the inevitable choke Crosby has become famous for happens in the playoffs.

Sell: Chris Kunitz.
With a massive amount of Pittsburgh’s money tied into very few players, the Penguins will need cap space if they expect to get the depth they so desperately need. They need to cut ties with a few players, and Chris Kunitz is on the short list. With Daniel Sprong rearing to go, the Penguins loss won’t be too big, and whoever gets Kunitz will have a valuable left wing.

San Jose:

Buy: Second Line Center.
Right now, the position is being filled by Patrick Marleau, who plays better as a wing and has done so for the past decade. It’s like when Chicago had Patrick Sharp as their second line center and that didn’t end well. The Sharks will be a contender come April and need to get the missing piece to put them past rivals in the Pacific. The team is in win now mode, and should go all in.

Sell: Ben Smith.
There are teams looking for depth and the Sharks would be wise to put Smith on the table. A hard working grinder line player, Smith is known for his consistency and day in day out effort. While he didn’t fit the Sharks system a change of teams could be good for him and for the receiving team. Plus, it takes money off of the Sharks’ books.

St. Louis:

Buy: Right Wing.
With Steve Ott currently out, David Backes is the one at 1st line right wing. There’s gotta be better players available for the Blues to use at this position, and if not, they should get one. If the Blues ever expect to compete in the Central division they need a well rounded team. A better first line right wing is a step in the right direction.

Sell: David Backes.
The Captain of the Blues is on a contract year and will not win a cup with St. Louis in his career if the Blues continue their current cycle. Better for the Blues to trade him to a better contender now so he can win a cup and come back home, and there are teams who would pay handsomely for a second line center this deadline.

Tampa Bay:

Buy: Picks.
The Lightning are going to the playoffs. There’s not a doubt in my mind about that. They should continue to do so in the future, with or without their best player. In order to do that, they will need some good draft picks. I think trading for picks is the smart move this year, especially as the Lightning could be drafting in the high 20’s.

Sell: Steven Stamkos. Jonathon Drouin.
It’s time for Tampa Bay to face facts. If their captain was going to re-sign with the team, he would have done so already. This season he’s played distracted and has only put up 40 points. A move to a new team before free agency could help Stamkos into the future, especially if he’s moved to a bubble team. Drouin should have already been traded. The fact he hasn’t should be worrying for Yzerman.

Toronto:
Toronto’s not a bubble team. They made their huge move, one that should impact their future. To see more on that, visit the Phaneuf trade article.

Buy: Long Term Contracts.
The Maple Leafs will be losing everyone not named Komarov to free agency after this year, with 8 unrestricted free agents and six restricted. That’s fourteen of the Maple Leaf’s current twenty-three man roster needing new contracts. Not to mention the huge one that could be incoming. It’s time for the Leafs to begin investing in the future.

Sell: Michael Grabner.
With teams looking for right wings and the Maple Leafs needing a future, Grabner could be moved for prospects. The 28 year old winger is about to become a free agent and will be more than likely to leave the Leafs with the Leafs needing to move on from an 11 point scoring 3 million contract.

Vancouver:

Buy: Future.
The Canucks are a team who is trying to prepare for a future without the Sedin twins. In order to do so, there are some veterans who could be sold this deadline for prospects and picks that could help the Canucks better be able to move forward from two of their best players.

Sell: Radim Vrbata.
The Canucks ultimate goal this deadline should be to clear some cap room. Nothing does that better than trading Vrbata’s 5 million dollar contract, and he has lacked his usual production in Vancouver this season.

Washington:

Buy: Defense.
With Brooks Orpik on LTIR, the Capitals need someone to replace Brooks’ on ice performance. I thought the natural trade would have been Dustin Byfuglien, who would have locked down the Capital’s defense headed into the playoffs and won them a cup, but an extension for Byfuglien made that unlikely. Expect the Capitals to look elsewhere for defense this deadline.

Sell: Brooks Laich.
At 32 and with 6 points and a -8 rating, Laich is the most expendable Cap, especially with Jay Beagle expected back. If the Caps do get rid of Laich, expect them to still remain one of, if not the, best team in the league.

Winnipeg:

Buy: Depth.
The Jets have been kicked down in the Central because they didn’t keep up with the other team’s additions of depth. They need to make changes to the roster if they expect to regain competitiveness, and that could start if they get the first overall pick this lottery.

Sell: Andrew Ladd.
The odd man out in Winnipeg, Ladd has fallen to the third line on the Jets, and could be moved for a good price to a team in need of depth or wings. Just not the Blackhawks, please.

Top Five Moves:

1. Keith Yandle to Chicago Blackhawks

Alright, so I’m a little biased. I think one of the biggest names that could be on the defensive market to the best team in the West is the best deal possible, and could make the Hawks that much scarier. With the addition of Yandle, the Hawks pairings could be as follows:

Keith-Hjalmarsson
Seabrook-Yandle
Van Reimsdyk-Gustafsson

That’s a pretty impressive defense, and one that could win the Hawks another cup.

2. David Backes to San Jose Sharks

The Blues Captain should not be moved within division, but within conference is another matter. If the Sharks were able to convince the Blues to trade them Backes, I think it would make the Sharks instant Pacific favorites. With the first two lines being composed of the following, the Sharks could be more than just a bubble team:

Hertl-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Backes-Ward

The Sharks would also have the best center depth in the Pacific division with Thornton, Backes, Couture, and Tierney.

3. Jonathon Drouin to Montreal Canadiens

The young Drouin has wanted out of Tampa for the better part of this season. The Lightning just have to figure out where to send him. I think Montreal would be the best landing spot for the forward, if he got to choose. Unfortunately, it’s within division and one of the Lightning’s biggest rivals so it’s unlikely Drouin ends up in French Canada. Drouin would help the Canadiens fix their offensive woes and spark a team desperately in need of a shove.

4. Ben Smith to Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins are in need of depth and if they were able to get their hands on a pure effort player like Smith for their bottom line they’d be fools not to take it. Smith would also come up with some crucial goals as he did in Chicago and help the Penguins locker room during the tough playoff months.

5. Chris Kunitz to Philadelphia Flyers

Again, another rivalry trade unlikely to come true. Kunitz to Philly would be a perfect fit as a team in need of a left wing meets a left wing in need of a fresh start. Kunitz would help Voracek and Giroux find their scoring edge again and allow for better depth on a team with young defense and not much else.

Bonus: Lee Stempniak to Chicago Blackhawks

Another move that could help the Blackhawks lock up a repeat cup win. In addition to the Yandle trade, adding Stempniak would be a lock for the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Bonus 2: Travis Hamonic to Edmonton Oilers.

The best fit for Hamonic is the young Oilers who need defense. Hamonic could be closer to his family and also play on an eventual deep playoff team. Hey, something has to go right for the Oilers eventually, right?