2016 NHL Trade Deadline: 5 Questions Heading Into Monday

Only four more days until the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline. Set to conclude Monday, February 29th at 3:00PM EST, the annual event is one of the most anticipated for fans and media of the NHL.

Make sure to keep posted with us on Monday. Too Many Men is following the action all-day long, following every trade as they happen on our 2016 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker. We’ll also have trade analysis, rumors, and news throughout the day leading through the evening.

You can download the FanSided App (on Itunes and Google Play Store), or bookmark us. Don’t forget to follow us Monday on social media via twitter or facebook.

How much goaltender movement can we expect to see?

At this point, there are few NHL teams seeking immediate help in the crease. Rumors suggest San Jose is seeking a backup, or that Arizona may be looking to add amidst a playoff hunt.

There are several draft lottery teams in need of a goaltending upgrade, although no rush to address it. Teams such as Calgary and Toronto can further explore their options into the offseason. However, if a deal that makes sense is offered before Monday, any of these teams listed above are likely to pull the trigger.

Potential Goaltending Options

NHL Quality Goalies:

Frederik Andersen (Anaheim Ducks)
Linus Ullmark/Chad Johnson (Buffalo Sabres)
Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes)
Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Semyon Varlamov/Calvin Pickard (Colorado Avalanche)
Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)
Andrew Hammond (Ottawa Senators)
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning)
James Reimer (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Jonathan Bernier (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Ondrej Pavelec (Winnipeg Jets)

Goalies of the future:

Malcolm Subban (Boston Bruins)
Zachary Fucale (Montreal Canadiens)
Mackenzie Blackwood (New Jersey Devils)
Matt Murray (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Ilya Samsonov (Washington Capitals)

More puck prose: 2016 World Cup of Hockey: Preview, Projected Rosters

Which players are expected to be dealt?

Each year, we have players with a high certainty of being traded. Most of the time, we’re dealing with rentals on expiring contract where teams are hoping to get something for the player, opposed to allowing them to walk into free agency for nothing. Andrew Ladd fell under this category, and as we saw on Thursday night, the former Jets captain is headed back to Chicago.

So, which players are most likely to be traded before the conclusion of Monday’s deadline?

*not all listed are rentals

Mikkel Boedker (Arizona Coyotes)
Loui Eriksson (Boston Bruins)
Jiri Hudler (Calgary Flames)
Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)
Scott Hartnell (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Justin Schultz (Edmonton Oilers)
Dale Weise (Montreal Canadiens)
P.A. Parenteau (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Radim Vrbata (Vancouver Canucks)
Ondrej Pavelec (Winnipeg Jets)

Who is the biggest buyer/seller?

Chicago’s acquisition of Andrew Ladd may change the landscape of the deadline moving forward. They pushed their entire stack of chips in the middle of the table, saying to the rest of the Western Conference, “your call”.

Two teams in a great position to add pieces are Anaheim and Nashville.

More from Puck Prose

Anaheim has a wealth of defense, not to mention a 26-year-old goalie with immense trade value sitting in the backup role. Ducks scared experts out of the gates, much of whom pegged Anaheim as Cup favorites heading into the season. An excellent second half, riding the shoulders of a new goaltender – GM Bob Murray is in a great position to add impact pieces down the stretch.

The Preds already made a fairly significant deal to acquire C Ryan Johansen earlier in the season. You can never have enough depth in the NHL, so expect Nashville to be among the most active in that department.

Our biggest seller is already beginning to unload. Toronto made their intentions clear after moving their captain to rival Ottawa. They made another pair of deals earlier this week, shipping Roman Polak and Nick Spaling to San Jose, and Shawn Matthias to Colorado. The rebuilding Maple Leafs should continue to subtract in hopes of adding prospects and/or draft picks.

Will Travis Hamonic or Jonathan Drouin have their trade request fulfilled?

Back in November, New York Islanders D Travis Hamonic went public regarding a trade request that dated back to the beginning of the 2015-16 season. Hamonic cited personal family reasons for the request, in hopes of a move that would bring him closer to his Manitoba home. A trade to Winnipeg is ideal, although it doesn’t seem the Jets are willing to part with the necessary pieces it would take to complete a deal (i.e. Jacob Trouba or Tyler Myers).

Options include: Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs

The Jonathan Drouin saga got ugly in a hurry. Just two games into his AHL demotion and Drouin was on a flight, headed home to Quebec. He’s since been skating in Montreal, and is said to be in game ready shape.

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman would love to move him to add something that can help his team win now – but, he’s also not in a rush to make a trade. Tampa Bay holds all the cards given a player’s limitations on an entry-level contract. There’s a chance Drouin is moved before the conclusion of Monday’s deadline – Yzerman is holding on for maximized value. He knows he needs to do right by the organization, and the player, suggesting this move is likely to happen sooner rather than later.

Good Fits: Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs

Any dark-horse candidates to be traded?

Certain playoff bound teams are overloaded at a certain position, the same way Nashville was prior to dealing Seth Jones. These rare luxuries can be used to address needs without hurting the team’s chemistry or competitiveness.

Other players on the list range from rebuilding teams, restricted free agents, or rumored to be on the trade block at some point.

Frederik Andersen (Anaheim Ducks)
Linus Ullmark (Buffalo Sabres)
Jeff Skinner (Carolina Hurricanes)
Tyson Barrie (Colorado Avalanche)
Calvin Pickard (Colorado Avalanche)
Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)
Nail Yakupov (Edmonton Oilers)
Jonas Brodin (Minnesota Wild)
Zachary Fucale (Montreal Canadiens)
Lars Eller (Montreal Canadiens)
Kyle Okposo (New York Islanders)
Matt Murray (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Patrick Marleau (San Jose Sharks)
Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks)
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Nazem Kadri (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver Canucks)
Marcus Johansson (Washington Capitals)

Next: Top 50 Defensemen Under 25 Years Old

Will any of the above players listed as dark-horses be traded before Monday? Which guys are more likely to be moved in the offseason? Are there any off-the-radar players you could see being dealt at the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline?