With the NHL trade deadline rapidly approaching, there are a lot of names that have risen to the top of rumor mills. Most every year in every major sport, the rumors are more dramatic than the actual trades that are eventually made. But this season, a lot of the big names we’ve seen attached to major deal ideas have actually made a lot of sense. These five in particular should probably be on the move this year.
5. Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes
A trio of Carolina Hurricanes stars—Cam Ward, Jeff Skinner, and long-time captain Eric Staal—have been in trade rumors for much of the year. Carolina has some young talent on the cusp of NHL production and the thinking seems to have been that with the team out of contention it might be a good time to reinforce the rebuild by trading valuable assets. However, the Hurricanes are suddenly coming off of a strong stretch that has them within a few points of playoff contention. With signs of progress, Skinner is too young to give up on yet and the thought of denying Staal another playoff berth with his organization can’t sit well in Raleigh. That leaves Ward, who’s become by far the most expendable of the bunch. Backup Eddie Lack played fairly well during a recent IR stint for Ward, and Ward could get a valuable return if traded to a contender, given his strong reputation in big games.
4. Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets
Byfuglien is one of the most hot-and-cold players in hockey, extraordinarily capable on the ice but inconsistent and sometimes a bit of a pain in the locker room. On a better team he’d probably be worth the risks he comes with, but the Jets are going nowhere, which means dealing Byfuglien for whatever they could get in the last year of his contract makes a lot of sense. For that matter, Andrew Ladd has been in trade rumors as well, but it’s hard to imagine even a team with the Jets’ shaky short-term outlook giving up on such a valuable captain. If they’re going to make a major deal, it’ll likely revolve around Byfuglien. And make no mistake: the 30-year-old hulk could provide a terrific spark for a team looking to solidify its playoff roster (in fact, Carolina wouldn’t be a bad fit given the youth and uncertainty in their defense).
3. Jonathan Drouin, Tampa Bay, Lightning
The whole Jonathan Drouin situation has been a little bit unusual. He’s still one of the most exciting young players in the game in terms of potential, and his Tampa Bay Lightning are strong already. Per Betfair’s sports pages, the Lightning—they sit at second in the Atlantic Division as of the time of this writing—are behind only a handful of teams with decent odds to win the Stanley Cup. That means their strong play on the ice is being taken seriously when some expected a bit of regression this season. Giving up on Drouin at a time like this seems a little strange, though in the end it appears they’ll be looking at him as more of a future asset than a helpful piece in the short-term. If they can get immediate help, Drouin should go.
2. Travis Hamonic, New York, Islanders
The New York Islanders are in a difficult position for selling given that they look like a decent bet to make the postseason. However, it’s known at this point that Hamonic has requested a trade. According to CBS Sports it wasn’t the sort of disgruntled trade request that a team can easily feel free to ignore. Rather, Hamonic stated that he wants to be traded West to be closer to his Winnipeg home for family reasons. He hasn’t elaborated, but it certainly sounds as if the talented defenseman has legitimate reasons to depart New York. Hockey-wise it might not make the most sense for the Islanders, but they can probably get a strong return.
1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton, Oilers
This would be a tough move to stomach for a lot of Oilers fans, but it might be the best decision for the franchise’s long-term future. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has frankly been better than advertised, and at just 22 he’s affordable, talented, and still improving. In a way, he’s the ideal asset for a team that’s looking to build a new foundation. The trouble might just be that Nugent-Hopkins has become so good so quickly. Edmonton might have to face the reality that the pile of assets they could presumably get in return for the forward’s services might be too much to pass on in constructing a rebuilding effort. Jordan Eberle has been in some trade rumors also, and Nail Yakupov was a popular name in trade circles a year ago, so the Oilers have plenty of young talent to work with. But unless they want to stick with these pieces and hope for the best, Nugent-Hopkins is the most valuable chip.
