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Fantasy Hockey Trade Analyzer: Deal for this injured goalie

michael finewax
·4 min read

There was a major trade in the NHL last week, as Carolina acquired Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall, while Martin Necas and Jack Drury were sent to Colorado. I thought that Rantanen could be a good player to trade away, but I still think he will mesh nicely with Sebastian Aho, both with the Hurricanes as well as with Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Ottawa Senators Goalie Linus Ullmark (35)
Linus Ullmark is currently on the mend, but that doesn't mean he doesn't hold fantasy hockey value. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Here are some players for whom you could deal and trade elsewhere.

While I think that Rantanen is a push, Necas will gain value as a member of the Avalanche. He played 25:08 in his first game, and while that dropped to 19:34 against the Rangers, he was averaging only 18:05 of ice time in 49 games as a Hurricane. Necas will benefit from playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon, one of the top-three players in the NHL, and having Cale Makar quarterbacking the power play, won't hurt his production on the power play. Necas had 55 points in 49 games with Carolina, but he went through a tough month from Nov. 29 to Dec. 28, when he managed only two goals and seven points in 14 games.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Necas for Sebastian Aho.

I like taking players in the final year of their contract, as they have plenty to prove. Ehlers has been having a strong season with 15 goals and 44 points in only 42 appearances and has been hot of late with three goals and 10 points in his last eight contests. Ehlers sees second-line action and is an important cog on the first power play, where he has four goals and 17 points. Ehlers could get dealt at the trade deadline, as the Jets usually like to trade assets before they become worthless (if they are unable to sign Ehlers long-term), and it's likely that a strong playoff contender would be interested in Ehlers as a rental the rest of the way.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Ehlers, a second- and seventh-round pick for Nikita Zadorov and a sixth- and 12th-round pick.

Ullmark is close to returning to the Ottawa lineup from a back injury that has sidelined him since Dec. 22. Ullmark was a stud before the injury (after a slow start), going 8-0-1 with a 1.48 GAA and a .952 save percentage through 10 appearances. That's the goaltending the Senators need, and while Anton Forsberg has been good over the last week, going 2-1-0 with a 1.70 GAA and a .935 save percentage, Forsberg has shown throughout his career that he is a better backup goaltender.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Ullmark and a 14th-round pick for Bo Horvat, Logan Stankoven and a third-round pick.

Thompson had a breakthrough season in 2022-23 when he had 47 goals and 94 points in 78 games, to finish 15th in NHL scoring. But the 27-year-old had only 56 points in 71 games last season and a recent streak in 2024-25 — 10 points in his last seven games — has him at 23 goals and 44 points in 45 contests. The Sabres keep giving him new linemates as he is now playing alongside Jiri Kulich and JJ Peterka, both youngsters who are still finding their way into the league. It doesn't bode well for the remainder of the season, though if Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch return to the top line alongside Thompson, that could improve his fantasy value this season. He had a big night Tuesday with a hat trick and an assist in a 7-2 win over Boston, making him more attractive for prospective deals.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Thompson and a second-round pick for Adam Fox and a fourth-round pick.

Rielly has been in a prolonged slump of late, scoring once and adding three assists in his last 17 games. He is heading toward his worst offensive season since 2016-17 when he garnered six goals and 21 assists as a 22-year-old. He has five goals and 22 points in 50 games this season, including one goal and six helpers on the power play. He has not had a power-play point since Nov. 13, a span of 32 games. Rielly still has cache to loyal Leaf fans who remember his 20-goal, 72-point season in 2018-19, but Rielly has had double-digits in goals only once since, striking for 10 tallies during the 2021-22 campaign.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Rielly and a second-round pick for Mark Scheifele and a 15th-round pick.

Michkov seems to have hit the proverbial wall that so many rookies — especially European ones — have, adjusting to the length and travel of the NHL season. Michkov has 14 goals and 34 points in 49 games, heading into action Tuesday, and has not had a point in his last three games. Michkov got off to a great start with 11 goals and 27 points in his first 27 outings but has only three goals and seven points in his last 22 appearances. That being said, I would not trade Michkov in dynasty leagues, only redraft ones.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Michkov and Dylan Guenther for Macklin Celebrini.