NHL Trade Tips: Acquiring Ailing Talent

Trade targets for this edition include a couple of players returning from lengthy injury absences as well as another two who should be able to maintain their hot play into the second half of the season. Additionally, there are a couple of good sell-high candidates for your consideration. 

TRADE FOR 

Adin Hill, G, Golden Knights (87 percent rostered) 

Hill has been limited to one appearance over Vegas' past 16 games due to injury. However, he is very close to being available to return to the lineup. Coach Bruce Cassidy said earlier this week that the 27-year-old netminder could play during the team's upcoming back-to-back situation. If Hill receives medical clearance, he might be back in the crease as early as Wednesday against Colorado or Thursday versus Boston. 

Hill was one of the best goaltenders in the league prior to getting hurt. He has a 10-2-2 record this season with two shutouts, a 1.93 GAA and a .933 save percentage over 15 starts. Hill has carried over the momentum he built from backstopping the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup championship last spring. He's worth scooping up, especially if you can take advantage of a fantasy manager who is trying to juggle too many injuries.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Hill and Mark Scheifele for Kyle Connor

Artturi Lehkonen, LW, Avalanche (27 percent rostered) 

Lehkonen might be available on your league's waiver wire following an extended absence on long-term injured reserve due to a neck injury. However, if he's been sitting on a rival fantasy manager's injured list, the 28-year-old winger is worth acquiring via a trade. Lehkonen is getting close to returning to the lineup after taking contact at practice this week. He will travel with the Avalanche on the team's upcoming five-game road trip. 

Lehkonen's most common linemates prior to his injury were Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. He had also been seeing time on the top power-play unit. Lehkonen has three goals, eight points (four on the power play) and 13 hits over 12 games this campaign. He racked up 21 goals and a career-high 51 points in 64 appearances last campaign. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Lehkonen and Mikhail Sergachev for Quinton Byfield and K'Andre Miller 

Tyler Seguin, C/RW, Stars (49 percent rostered) 

Seguin has a surprisingly low rostered percentage despite posting strong numbers this season. He got off to a bit of a sluggish start, recording one goal and three assists in 11 contests, but he has been nearly a point-per-game producer since then. Seguin has compiled 14 goals and 13 assists in his past 28 outings. He's currently riding a three-game point streak and has three multi-point efforts in his past five appearances. 

Seguin has been playing well alongside Matt Duchene, who has notched 11 goals and 35 points through 38 games, and Mason Marchment, who has accounted for 13 markers and 30 points over 39 outings. Marchment has been a popular waiver add recently, while Duchene's rostered percentage has been climbing for a while now. Seguin is deserving of more attention too, which makes him a worthwhile target via a trade or through a waiver-wire addition. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Seguin for Trevor Zegras 

Rickard Rakell, RW, Penguins (43 percent rostered) 

Rakell's rostered percentage has been on the rise thanks to some red-hot play of late. He didn't have a goal despite having 44 shots on net and had just four assists through his first 17 appearances. However, Rakell has been all over the scoresheet since missing 12 games because of an upper-body injury. Since returning to the lineup, he has supplied five goals and five assists in 10 outings. He has three power-play points (two goals, one assist) and 29 shots on target during that stretch. 

Rakell has been playing well alongside Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby on Pittsburgh's first line. He has also gained some exposure to Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson from skating on the top power-play combination. Rakell hit the 60-point plateau with the Penguins last campaign, so there's plenty of reason to believe that he can remain a productive part of the team even when he inevitably cools down from his current heater.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Rakell and Mason McTavish for Timo Meier 

TRADE AWAY 

Logan Thompson, G, Golden Knights (73 percent rostered) 

Thompson has been a mixed bag this season. He has earned 12 wins in 24 outings, including 22 starts, but only has a 2.83 GAA and a .903 save percentage. Thompson has surrendered four goals or more in five of his past nine contests. He has a 4-5-0 record during that span with an .877 save percentage. Hill's pending return, which could be as early as Wednesday versus the Avalanche, makes Thompson expendable.

The best-case scenario for Thompson is a timeshare situation. However, Hill had been outperforming Thompson prior to getting hurt. Hill had a 10-2-2 record with a 1.87 GAA and a .935 save percentage in 14 starts prior to missing seven games with a lower-body injury. Thompson had a 5-3-2 record with a 2.49 GAA and a .916 save percentage across 11 appearances (10 starts) during that span. Hill could cement himself as the preferred crease option for Vegas following his return. Thompson would still have fantasy value playing behind Hill, but most of it would be as a crease buddy for managers who already have Hill on their roster. It's worth selling high on Thompson now if you can. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Thompson and Jamie Benn for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 

Jake DeBrusk, LW/RW, Bruins (51 percent rostered) 

DeBrusk produced 27 goals and a career-high 50 points in 64 games last season. He still had some cold spells offensively but stayed relatively productive over the course of the campaign. His inability to stay consistent on the scoresheet has held back his fantasy value in the past, and it's been a problem again in 2023-24. 

Before DeBrusk went on a six-game point streak, consisting of four goals and four assists, he had only one helper over a nine-game span. He has contributed points in bunches this campaign, but went into Tuesday night's action with eight goals and 19 points in 38 appearances. Sell high on DeBrusk while you can. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: DeBrusk for Jordan Kyrou