NHL Trade Tips: Meeting Expectations

We are just past the quarter mark of the 2023-24 season. Some star players have not been living up to their draft stock, which opens the door for savvy fantasy managers to seek upgrades to their rosters. 

Conversely, if you no longer have faith in some of your players then it could be time to change it up and make a move. Additionally, you could look to move others who are performing above expectations while their value is high. 

TRADE FOR 

Jason Robertson, LW, Stars (99 percent rostered) 

Robertson racked up 41 goals and 79 points in 74 games during his 2021-22 sophomore season. He reached new heights offensively last campaign with 46 goals and 109 points over 82 contests. However, the 24-year-old winger has taken a bit of a step back in 2023-24. Robertson has been held off the scoresheet in three of six December outings, but he has registered a multi-point effort in the other three contests over that stretch. As a result, Robertson makes for an intriguing buy-low candidate. 

The production has been there for the most part, but the goal scoring hasn't. He has lit the lamp nine times this season, which includes four markers in his past 13 appearances. Still, he has 13 points and 30 shots on net over that period. Robertson's 13.4 percent shooting percentage isn't that far away from his 16.3 percent success rate from his previous two seasons. Unfortunately, his shots per game is down to 2.48 in 2023-24 after he was at 3.82 in 2022-23 and 2.97 in 2021-22. Robertson should be able to ramp that back up again. He has already been better since scoring only one goal in October.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Robertson for Erik Karlsson 

Miro Heiskanen, D, Stars (97 percent rostered) 

Heiskanen has had a sluggish start to the season after his 2023-24 breakout campaign.  He is currently on pace to come up short of the 60-point plateau after racking up 73 points in 2022-23. However, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him turn it around and get closer to point-per-game rate again. 

Heiskanen has already started to display that potential, registering two goals and five assists in his past seven outings. His two-goal, three-point effort against Detroit on Tuesday is a big part of that. Heiskanen could get a major confidence boost after seeing the puck cross the goal line. He only had one goal in 26 games prior to scoring twice versus the Red Wings. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Heiskanen and Roope Hintz for Kirill Kaprizov and Jake Sanderson 

Cole Caufield, LW/RW, Canadiens (86 percent rostered) 

Caufield produced 49 goals on 346 shots over 113 games in two seasons prior to 2023-24. He only has seven goals through 28 contests this campaign despite piling up four tallies and five helpers in his first seven appearances. Caufield had 39 shots on target and zero goals over 13 outings in November. He is bound to find his range eventually, making him a solid buy-low target. 

Caufield currently owns a 6.7 shooting percentage, which is well below his 14.1 success rate from his previous 123 NHL appearances. He has produced a career-high 3.71 shots per game this season, which is an encouraging sign, and he has been averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time per contest, which is also a personal best. Caufield has plenty of potential to become a productive pickup. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Caufield for Robert Thomas 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C/LW, Oilers (96 percent rostered) 

Nugent-Hopkins erupted for 37 goals and 104 points in 82 games last season. He also racked up 201 shots on target and 53 power-play points. That was going to be a very tough act to follow, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that his scoring rates have dropped this campaign. That could make him available for trade. Still, Nugent-Hopkins has a respectable 24 points, including 19 assists, in 25 games going into Tuesday night's action. 

Nugent-Hopkins only had four points (one goal, three assists) on the man advantage over his first 18 outings. He has been better in that regard recently, collecting five helpers on the power play in his past seven appearances. Nugent-Hopkins has two goals and 10 points during that stretch. He only has 1.92 shots per game, which is a bit troubling, and that has contributed in a big way to his five-goal total. He hasn't been below 2.44 shots per game in any of his previous seven seasons, so he should be able to turn that around. Edmonton's power play is also back to being in the top five of the league following a slow start, which will help RNH on the scoresheet. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Nugent-Hopkins and Radko Gudas for Moritz Seider and Dylan Cozens 

TRADE AWAY 

Sam Reinhart, C/RW, Panthers (96 percent rostered) 

Reinhart has been excellent this season, accumulating 17 goals and 37 points through 27 games. He has two goals and eight assists during a five-game point streak going into Tuesday night's action. He is currently on pace for 52 goals and 113 points, which sounds too good to be true. Reinhart is bound to slow down eventually, which makes him a strong sell-high option. 

Reinhart has benefited from a career-high 25.8 shooting percentage. He had a 14.2 percent success rate on his shots in 605 games prior to this season. Reinhart earned personal bests in 2021-22 with 33 goals and 82 points across 78 games. He could end up being over a point-per-game performer again this campaign, but his goal production should decrease. Reinhart has already begun to show signs of slippage, failing to find the back of the net in eight of his past 11 outings. He only has 16 shots on net over that stretch, but he still has 13 points. Reinhart should be an attractive trade chip, but don't settle for anything that isn't a big improvement to address an area of need. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Sam Reinhart and Moritz Seider for Teuvo Teravainen and Auston Matthews 

Andrei Kuzmenko, LW/RW, Canucks (64 percent rostered) 

Kuzmenko is approaching droppable territory, but plenty of fantasy managers have been holding out hope that he can get back on track. The 27-year-old winger only has four goals and 15 points following 25 games this season. It's been a dramatic drop from his 39-goal, 74-point entry into the NHL in 2022-23. 

Kuzmenko hasn't been able to escape coach Rick Tocchet's doghouse this season. Since returning to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two straight games, he has one goal in six outings and he has averaged a mere 13:43 of ice time. Despite valuable exposure to Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser this campaign, Kuzmenko hasn't been able to duplicate his initial success. You would probably be better served with a replacement. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Kuzmenko and Elias Lindholm for Jordan Binnington and Drake Batherson