The Canadiens have acquired John Scott and Victor Bartley from the Coyotes for Jared Tinordi.
NHL Trades
The Coyotes have acquired Jared Tinordi from the Canadiens for John Scott and Victor Bartley.
The Canucks have acquired Emerson Etem from the Rangers for Nicklas Jensen and a 2017 6th Round Pick.
Etem, 23, was the 29th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. Etem was in his first season with the Rangers after spending the first four years of his career with the Anaheim Ducks. Etem had a difficult time cracking the Rangers lineup—he has just three assists in 19 games this season. He should have a much easier time cracking the Canucks lineup.
The Rangers have acquired Nicklas Jensen and a 2017 6th Round Pick from the Canucks for Emerson Etem.
Jensen, 22, was the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 186 lbs. right winger has registered 12 points (4G / 8A) in 27 games with Utica this season. He has three goals and three assists in 24 career NHL games. Jensen was approaching waiver-eligible status, so the Canucks feared losing him for nothing and Etem is an NHL-ready winger.
The Ducks have acquired Max Friberg from the Canadiens for Dustin Tokarski.
Friberg failed to record a point in five games with the Ducks this season, but has 17 points (5G / 12A) in 25 games with San Diego (AHL). He will report to the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in St. John’s.
The Canadiens have acquired Dustin Tokarski from the Ducks for Max Friberg.
Tokarski has gone 1-3-0 with a 3.18 GAA and .878 SV% with the Canadiens this season and 3-3-4 with a 2.84 GAA and .909 SV% with St. John’s (AHL). Acquiring Tokarski gives the Ducks four NHL-read net minders, John Gibson, Frederik Andersen, Anton Khudobin and Tokarski. The chances of the Ducks actually carrying all four seem slim, so expect them to have another move up their sleeve, likely moving Khudobin so he can play in the NHL.
The Blue Jackets have acquired Seth Jones from the Predators for Ryan Johansen.
Jones was the fourth overall pick in 2013 and has been a force at both ends of the ice for the Predators. Nashville likely did not want to give Jones up, but they have a plethora of talented defensemen and were seeking help at forward, so Jones was dealt. He has 63 points (15G / 48A) in 199 career NHL games.
The Predators have acquired Ryan Johansen from the Blue Jackets for Seth Jones.
Johansen quickly fell into John Tortorella’s doghouse as soon as he was hired, but he still managed to record 26 points (6G / 20A) in 38 games this season. Entering the season he was viewed as one of the NHL’s brightest young stars after recording 63 (33G / 30A) and 71 points (26G / 45A) in back-to-back seasons. The Predators desperately needed help in their top-6 and Johansen could slot in on the second line with Colin Wilson and James Neal to start.
The Flyers have acquired Jordan Weal and a 2016 3rd round pick from the Kings for Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn.
Weal, 23, was a third round pick (70th overall) in 2010 NHL Draft. Weal has no points in 10 career NHL games (all this season) and is coming off of a year where he had 69 points (20G / 49A) in 73 games with Manchester (AHL).
The Kings have acquired Luke Schenn and Vincent Lecavalier from the Flyers in exchange for Jordan Weal and a 2016 3rd round pick.
Schenn has just five points (2G / 3A) in 29 games with the Flyers this season. The 26-year-old has never been known for his offence, registering a career-high of 22 points in 2010-11 and 2011-12. He should slot in on the Kings’ third pair.
The Kings have acquired Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn from the Flyers in exchange for Jordan Weal and a 2016 3rd round pick.
Lecavalier has not appeared in a game since November 12th and has only played in seven games this season, registering a single assist. The Flyers will reportedly retain half of his salary but this deal still opens up some much needed salary space for the Flyers. Lecavalier should slot into a bottom-6 role with the Kings.
The Blackhawks have acquired Richard Panik from the Maple Leafs for Jeremy Morin.
Panik, 24, was a second round pick (52nd overall) in 2009 and has 25 points (9G / 16A) in 33 games with the Marlies this season. Panik has 39 career points (19G / 20A) in 151 NHL games with the Lightning and the Maple Leafs. He will report to Rockford (AHL).
The Maple Leafs have acquired Jeremy Morin from the Blackhawks in exchange for Richard Panik.
Morin, 24, was a second round pick (45th overall) in 2009 and has 22 points (9G / 13A) in 28 games with Rockford this season. He has played 82 career NHL games with the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets, registering 22 points (10G / 12A). He will report to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
The Montreal Canadiens have acquired Ben Scrivens from the Edmonton Oilers for Zack Kassian.
Scrivens, who was the Oilers starter last year, has gone 2-6-1 with a 3.47 GAA and .893 SV% with Bakersfield (AHL) this season. The Canadiens wanted to get rid of Kassian and are in need of goaltending help with Carey Price still out. Scrivens has registered a career 2.90 GAA and .905 SV% in his four-year NHL career.
The Edmonton Oilers have acquired Zack Kassian from the Montreal Canadiens for Ben Scrivens.
Kassian, 24, has not appeared in a game yet this season because of a suspension that stemmed from a car accident in September. The former first-round pick has 66 points (35G / 31A) in 198 career NHL games with the Sabres and Canucks. He will report to Bakersfield (AHL).
The Coyotes have acquired Christian Thomas from the Canadiens for Lucas Lessio.
The Canadiens have acquired Lucas Lessio from the Coyotes for Christian Thomas.
The Blackhawks have acquired Rob Scuderi from the Penguins for Trevor Daley.
Scuderi, 36, was three seasons into his second stint with the Penguins after previously winning a Stanley Cup in 2008-09 during his first run in Pittsburgh from 2003-2009. Scuderi, who has served as a healthy scratch recently, has just four assists in 25 games this season.
The Penguins acquired Trevor Daley from the Blackhawks for Rob Scuderi.
Daley, 32, had six assists but did not score a goal in 29 games with the Blackhawks this season, his first since being traded from the Stars. Daley will help the Penguins with their breakout as well as on their power-play. The Penguins will retain 33 percent of Scuderi’s $3 million salary.
The Flames have acquired Kevin Poulin from the Lightning for future considerations.
Poulin has yet play a game this season in the NHL or AHL but he was treaded to Calgary this morning and will report to Stockton. Poulin was acquired because Jon Gillies was injured.
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.