We all know who the best teams and favorites to land a spot in the playoffs are at this point in the season. But it doesn’t mean there won’t be a few surprises as February arrives and we steamroll toward the trade deadline.
A few big trades have already been the major subject of headlines recently and expect a whole lot more from here until March 7th. But it’s premature to think that the league’s bottom feeders will all be selling, especially if there’s a chance for them to climb back into the NHL Wild Card Race and make a serious run.
Who should you expect to see either ‘buy’ or ‘buy and sell’ at the trade deadline to salvage what has looked like a lost season so far? Here are five teams you don’t want to count out.
5 - Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins have a ‘Big Three’ and they want that ‘Big Three’ to win a Stanley Cup so long as they’re in Pittsburgh. Unless you see them host a fire sale, don’t expect them to give up on the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin just yet. If anything, Kyle Dubas will try and bring in enough talent for this team to try and make a late-season run.
4 - Nashville Predators
You don’t bring in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchesseault, and Brady Skjei, among other names, and throw the season. Yeah, things are looking pretty bad in Tennessee at the moment, but selling with a team full of veterans would be a foolish move. Instead, Barry Trotz will do what he can to try and salvage this lost season and make a run.
3 - St. Louis Blues
You can’t count the Blues out despite opponents outsourcing them 12-2 in recent outings because we all know general manager Doug Armstrong is that kind of executive who will pull off a random big move and bring in a name to get fans talking. Don’t get me wrong: The Blues need more than a big name, but this seemingly below-average team has stuck around rather well for most of the season.
2 - New York Rangers
The New York Rangers just traded for J.T. Miller, and it was a genius move on their part. New York’s looked a lot better overall since they landed in that long slump, and adding a playmaker and avid scorer like Miller could be the next step in the Blueshirts resurgence.
1 - Buffalo Sabres
Here’s a fun fact you may’ve missed: The Sabres are 9-7-1 since that infamous 13-game losing streak. No, it hasn’t been a fun ride for Buffalo fans yet again, but when this team’s healthy and raring to go, they’re, at worst, a mid-tier group. Don’t be surprised if they end up buying at the trade deadline and put themselves in a position to make a late-season run.