NHL Trade Tips: Deal for Walman

When you play rotisserie-style fantasy, you have to remember that chances are all categories carry equal weight. Despite what most players conceive in their thoughts, the goals category is just as important as the penalty minutes category (assuming you play both), as well as all the others. It seems like a bad trade, but if you are way ahead in goals and trailing in penalty minutes, dealing your best goal-scorer for A.J. Greer, who leads the NHL in PIM, could make sense (not that anyone would do that, but I'm just making a point). Here are some players that you could deal for and trade elsewhere.

TRADE FOR

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, Sabres (74 percent rostered)

Luukkonen is 13-13-4 with a pair of shutouts, a 3.02 GAA and an .896 save percentage. Why trade for him you ask? Well, the 25-year-old goaltender has played a lot better on the road (7-4-2 with a 2.69 GAA and a .912 save percentage) than at home (6-9-2 with a 3.26 GAA and an .883 save percentage) this season. The Sabres are set to hit the road Monday for a four-game swing through Seattle and Western Canada, and grabbing Luukkonen at this time could be beneficial. He was excellent last season with a 2.57 GAA and .910 save percentage across 54 games and was a lot better at home, with a 2.24 GAA and .914 save percentage, than on the road, where he had a 2.89 GAA and a .907 save percentage. He is only 25 years of age and is worth a shot to bounce back.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Luukkonen and a 14th round pick for Tyler Toffoli and a 13th round pick.

Connor Bedard, C, Blackhawks (94 percent rostered)

So many people are talking about how poor a season Bedard is having, but nothing could be further from the truth. The 19-year-old was selected first-overall in 2023, and had 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games during his rookie season. While he had trouble finding the back of the net from Oct. 28 to Nov. 23 when he failed to light the lamp in 12 consecutive games, Bedard has bounced back with 12 goals and 39 points in 44 appearances. He has been especially strong of late with five goals and 13 points in his last 11 contests. The Blackhawks have to get better around him, as his wingers are Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Mikheyev, and once they do, look for Bedard to fly. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Bedard and Steven Stamkos for Mark Scheifele.

Jake Walman, D, Sharks (60 percent rostered)

Walman returned Saturday from an eight-game absence due to a lower-body injury and picked up an assist, giving the defenseman five goals and 21 assists in only 32 games. While most would figure that Walman's plus/minus would be a disaster on a middling San Jose team, he is a plus-three ahead of action Tuesday. Walman is quarterbacking the first power play and has six assists with the man-advantage.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Walman and a pair of 14th-round picks for Viktor Arvidsson, an eighth round pick and a 13th-round pick.

TRADE AWAY

Sebastian Aho, C, Hurricanes (98 percent rostered)

Aho has only four points in his last seven games – including a three-point performance versus Pittsburgh on Jan. 5, giving the 27-year-old, 44 points in 44 games. Aho, like a lot of Hurricanes, is going through a rough patch, and if you are able to get high value on a player who had a career-high 89 points in 78 games last season, do it.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Aho for Lucas Raymond.

Artturi Lehkonen, W, Avalanche (52 percent rostered)

Lehkonen has been bounced back to the second line as the Avalanche have moved Jonathan Drouin to the coveted position on the first unit, alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Lehkonen has Ross Colton and Casey Mittelstadt as linemates on the second unit, a huge drop in talent. Lehkonen has only one goal in his last six games – a shorthanded effort in Minnesota on Thursday and has struggled on the second unit. Lehkonen has 15 goals and 21 points in 32 games, but most of that was with MacKinnon and Rantanen earlier in the season.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Lehkonen for Logan Thompson.

Cam Talbot, G, Red Wings (44 percent rostered)

Overlook the fact that Talbot has won his last four games. He has allowed 11 goals on only 98 shots in the four victories, and that does not equate to any long-term success. Talbot is 37 and while he is 10-9-2 including his recent spurt, he has a 2.98 GAA and a .903 save percentage. He should lose some starts when Alex Lyon (upper body) returns to the lineup later in the week, which does not bode well for his future as a No. 1 netminder in Detroit.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Talbot, Lane Hutson and a first- and second-round pick for Adin Hill, Cale Makar, Josh Norris and a sixth- and seventh-round pick.