NHL Trade Tips: Strome Is Back on Track

Happy New Year to all! The NHL is nearing the halfway mark of the season, and you should have a good idea at this time whether you are going to be a contender this season. Here are some players for whom you could trade or deal elsewhere.

TRADE FOR

Conor Garland, W, Canucks (41 percent rostered)

Garland is having a fine season with nine goals and 28 points in 35 games. He is well on his way to a career year, as his previous best was 52 points set during the 2021-22 season. The reason for so much hope in 2024-25 is that Garland is proving to be a stud on the power play with nine points thus far. His best was in 2022-23 with 12 points, but he is averaging 3:17 of ice time with the man-advantage, 1:44 better than two seasons ago. With Quinn Hughes injured and likely out for a while, Garland should take on a bigger role on the first unit. He is a vital member of the team and at age 28, has moved himself into a spot as a top-six forward.  

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Garland for Jonas Johansson.

Dylan Strome, C, Capitals (81 percent rostered)

Strome was selected third overall in 2015 and was deemed a bust, especially considering that players like Mitch Marner, Timo Meier, Mikko Rantanen, Mathew Barzal, Kyle Connor and Travis Konecny were taken after him in the opening round that year. But while Strome had transformed himself in the previous two seasons since moving to Washington – 65 and 67-point seasons respectively – he has taken his game to another level in 2024-25. Strome has 11 goals and 39 points in 36 games centering Alex Ovechkin when Ovechkin has been healthy. Strome's stats slipped immensely when Ovechkin was out with a broken fibula, as he only tallied five goals and dished out five assists in 16 games. Ovechkin returned to the lineup Saturday and it appears that Strome will pick up points on a par with The Great 8 the rest of the way. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Strome and a fourth-round pick for Filip Forsberg and an 11th-round pick.

Karel Vejmelka, G, Utah (46 percent rostered)

Vejmelka's record of 8-9-2 heading into action Monday doesn't do him any justice, as he has a sparkling 2.32 GAA and a very impressive .918 save percentage. This is light years ahead of his performances his first three years in the NHL, as he had a career-best .899 save percentage two seasons ago and had his best GAA last year at 3.35. Vejmelka is 28 and likely heading into his prime years as a netminder in Utah. He is worth dealing for, if you need a goaltender.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Vejmelka and a 16th-round pick for a sixth-round pick.

TRADE AWAY

Tomas Hertl, W, Golden Knights (66 percent rostered)

Hertl has been a big disappointment this season offensively for the Golden Knights. It was thought that Vegas was getting a very good goal scorer, as well as play-maker, when they dealt David Edstrom and a first-round pick in 2025 to San Jose at last season's trade deadline. The thought was that Hertl would blossom once again when away from the lowly Sharks, especially on a line with Jack Eichel. It hasn't worked out so well for Hertl and his fantasy managers, as he is no longer on the top line and has just 10 goals and 24 points in 36 games, including just one goal and an assist –both against Anaheim on Dec. 23 – in his last six games. Hertl is back on the first power-play unit where he has four goals and seven assists, and while that is the good news, he is not a first-line winger at the age of 31.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Hertl for J.T. Miller.

Matvei Michkov, W, Flyers (57 percent rostered)

Michkov is going to be great. There is no question about that and I would not trade him in dynasty leagues. However, if you have him in a redraft league, this is a good time to get rid of him. It's Michkov's first season in the NHL, and all the travel as well as the plethora of games, could be getting to him, just like it does for so many first-year Europeans. Michkov has 12 goals and 29 points in 35 games, which is quite amazing. He picked up a goal and an assist Sunday in Los Angeles to snap a seven-game pointless streak (he was also minus-11 during the streak) and he averaged 10:14 in his two previous games before Sunday, as coach John Tortorella decided to cut his ice time. Michkov is a superior talent, but if you are able to trade him in one-year leagues, let someone else handle all the ups and downs.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Michkov for Patrik Laine.

Andrei Svechnikov, W, Hurricanes (95 percent rostered)

I'm a big Svechnikov fan, but he has really been slumping of late, scoring once and adding an assist in his last nine games. He has moved down to the second line with Martin Necas (who is also struggling of late) and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Svechnikov has only 12 goals and 26 points in 36 games this season, by far his worst start since his rookie season of 2018-19 when he had 37 points in 82 games. Svechnikov has more than half his points on the power play, as he has eight goals and six assists with the man-advantage. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the season, and while I can hopefully turn around in a couple of weeks and make Svechnikov a trade-for candidate, I can't see that happening before the end of February.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Svechnikov for Ivan Barbashev.