Special to Yahoo Sports
It’s Everything Everywhere All at Once season, which also described the NHL landscape on Tuesday when a flurry of moves blanketed the league. Patrick Kane was officially moved, the Leafs swapped out more pieces in an effort to play a more physical style, and the Oilers made their long-awaited, big acquisition on defense with Mattias Ekholm.
You’d think there’d be little business left to be done now, but there are still plenty of names out there waiting to be moved. Here’s a list of players whose fantasy values could get a boost if they’re moved by the NHL trade deadline.
Joonas Korpisalo was traded to the Kings late Tuesday night, the first domino to fall in what could end up being a major goalie carousel. Talbot looked sharp in his most recent start against the Red Wings and, all things considered, has had a very solid season for the Senators. However, the 35-year-old impending free agent doesn’t fit into the Sens’ long-term plans, making him an ideal candidate for a team looking to shore up their goaltending.
Could the Knights be a destination with Laurent Brossoit on injured reserve and the untested Adin Hill as the current starter? Mads Sogaard stands to benefit the most, as he’ll take the lion’s share of the starts in Ottawa if Talbot is dealt, but Talbot’s own fantasy value could see a boost if he ends up on a much stronger team as a potential 1A or 1B option.
The Oilers were reportedly in on Chychrun before trading for Mattias Ekholm, but there’s certainly no shortage of suitors. There’s always a chance the Coyotes hang on to Chychrun; it’s an awkward position, sure, but there’s still term on Chychrun’s contract and his imminent departure wasn’t a major distraction even before the Coyotes started scratching him to keep him healthy for a potential move. Chychrun scored 28 points in 36 games on a roster short on elite talent, and any move should be a welcome one for fantasy managers, if only because it means Chychrun will finally get to play again.
Gostisbehere has rebuilt much of his value with the Coyotes after struggling in his final three seasons with the Flyers. He’s averaging over 22 minutes per game and scored 30 points in 51 games, and he can be a good addition to any team looking for help with their transition game or on the power play. A move to a better team should certainly unlock more of Gostisbehere’s potential even if his overall ice time takes a dip because he’ll be playing with better linemates.
Greenway should be a big, bruising power forward with immense value in banger leagues due to his ability to score goals and rack up hits. Hampered by injuries and an offense that never quite developed, Greenway has scored only two goals in 43 games this season. The cap-strapped Wild need to maximize every dollar to be competitive, and it might be beneficial for both sides to move on. Greenway can play up and down the lineup, but the big fantasy boost will come from an improved shooting percentage. He’s shooting a career-low 3.1 percent, less than half his career average. Though he’s not a particularly good finisher, a new environment and a reversion back to the mean — even if he remains below average — might spark a hot streak to end the season.
Once a highly-touted sniper capable of scoring 30 goals, injuries and inconsistent top-six and power-play deployment means Boeser has yet to score more than 29 goals or 56 points in six full seasons. He’s been leapfrogged on the depth chart by Anthony Beauvillier and Andrei Kuzmenko this season, and it’s long been rumored that a change of scenery — his hometown Wild, perhaps? — would help energize his career.
The Canucks lack quality depth down the middle, and on a new team where he can play next to a playmaking center and have a consistent role in the top six and on the power play, Boeser could rediscover his scoring touch. He’s scored just 11 goals in what has arguably been the toughest season of his career.
J.T. Miller, C/LW/RW, Canucks
After Chychrun, Miller has the most fantasy value on this list. He’s a proven scorer who can make a big impact on the power play, and with three-position eligibility, he gives fantasy managers the flexibility to use him anywhere in their lineups. Though his output has dipped this season, he’s still in the top 50 in scoring and averaging close to a point per game. The wrinkle is that Miller is reportedly dealing with a lower-body injury, though that hasn’t stopped speculation that he could be dealt to the Penguins.
If Miller is moved, look for him to continue his scoring pace but without the burden of having to play on a bad Canucks team that has hurt his plus-minus. Also note that since acquiring Beauvillier and Kuzmenko, Miller hasn’t shared the ice very often with star center Elias Pettersson at even strength, capping his fantasy value with the Canucks.
The ideal fit for Hayes would be the Hurricanes, a team stacked with solid wingers but one that lacks depth down the middle. The All-Star center has been very productive for the Flyers considering they don’t have any elite talent on offense, as he’s on pace to score 20 goals for the third time in his career. A move to a team with good-scoring wingers should unlock even more of that offensive potential. With top scorer Travis Konecny suffering an upper-body injury that may keep him out for the rest of the season and a roster looking to pawn off their remaining veterans, staying in Philly just doesn’t present Hayes with much upside. The last time Hayes was traded at the deadline, he produced 13 points in 20 games for the Jets in a career season.
Granlund has been a huge disappointment this season. It wasn’t surprising to see his numbers dip considering how the Predators overachieved last season, but 36 points and a minus-15 rating in 57 games was certainly on the lower end of what to expect. Once a crafty two-way playmaker, Granlund can still be a very positive addition on a better team. His pass-first mentality can be frustrating in fantasy because it means he only contributes in one category (assists), but on a better team with better wingers, he might be able to increase his point production.
The Preds’ fire sale is underway, with the team trading Tanner Jeannot to the Lightning and Mattias Ekholm to the Oilers, and, aside from Juuse Saros, Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, Nashville has made it clear that they’re willing to move everyone else.
