Panarin Trade, Olympic Injuries & Fantasy Risers Shaking Up NHL Trade Deadline Buzz

It's been a while since we've checked in. Realistically, I thought there would be a few more trades to discuss following the Olympic break, but it's been fairly quiet on that front so far. The deadline is Friday. I'd expect a decent amount of movement, but the crowded playoff races in both conferences leave few clear sellers available. 

The one big move came just before the break, when Artemi Panarin was shipped to the Kings for Liam Greentree and a pair of picks. Panarin is a big talent, the kind who can look elite even on the Rangers teams of the last couple of seasons. He'll be fine, even with the Kings struggling -- they let Jim Hiller go and brought in D.J. Smith to take over behind the bench with the team lagging behind in the playoff race. 

Impact of Olympic Injuries on Top Players and Emerging Fill-Ins

Unfortunately for the Kings, Kevin Fiala's broken leg at the Olympics will offset a large portion of the gains that adding Panarin would bring. Normally, targeting an opening in the lineup for your next fantasy add is the right move, but this situation mostly offsets, even with Andrei Kuzmenko (knee) also exiting the Los Angeles lineup. 

Other major injuries from the Olympics include Sidney Crosby (lower body, four weeks), Mikko Rantanen (lower body, two-plus weeks) and Josh Morrissey (upper body, timeline uncertain). Those injuries will open the door for some players to make a push. For example, I'm considering Ben Kindel during Crosby's absence, as the rookie center should at least get a boost in power-play time. Kindel was initially quiet after the break, but he had a goal and an assist in the Penguins' 5-0 win over the Golden Knights on Sunday. He's looked strong as a rookie, earning 29 points in 56 outings this season. 

There's no replacing Rantanen on a fantasy roster. The Stars are trying Mavrik Bourque on the top line with Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson, though that also comes with Roope Hintz (illness) sidelined. Bourque has one assist over two games since the break. He's got top-six talent, but he's more of a short-term add for redraft formats while the Stars navigate a stretch where their forward depth is getting tested. 

There's also the void on defense in Winnipeg. As if Connor Hellebuyck's job this year could get much harder, he returns to NHL play sans Morrissey and Neal Pionk (undisclosed). Again, you can't get matching production from a roster fill-in, but there's some options to work with here. Logan Stanley has had a strong year and is up to 20 points over 58 outings following his two-assist game Friday versus the Ducks, though he didn't contribute on the scoresheet Sunday against the Sharks. He can help in hits, PIM and blocked shots as well. If you want a more speculative option, consider rookie Elias Salomonsson, who scored his first NHL goal Friday. He's held his own defensively so far, but that goal was his first point, and it's his lone one through 16 outings in the NHL. He also hasn't picked up power-play time, so there's some risk here, especially since he could head back to the AHL once the Jets' blue line is healthier. 

A quick note on a couple of other trades that have gotten done recently. There's no fantasy effect for Nick Bjugstad going to the Devils from the Blues, as he's a fourth-liner on virtually any team. Thomas Bordeleau went back to the Blues and could get a look with them if they are successful at selling off some forwards before the deadline. There was also the swap of defensemen between Colorado and Pittsburgh, with Samuel Girard getting out of the Avalanche's logjam while Brett Kulak replaces him there as a more suitable third-pairing type. Girard has a little extra fantasy value, as he's likely to be the next man up for power-play minutes if Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang get hurt. Neither of these deals moves the needle much unless the players involved get bigger roles due to future trades. 

With only a few games back since the break, we haven't had a lot of time to see how various teams react. Some teams were cautious with their returning Olympians, especially Vegas and those who had goalies that played a lot, but the overall impact of the break hasn't been as significant as it could have been. It's like a fresh start to the season -- the players that weren't in Italy even had a mini-camp before things got going again. We'll see a lot of unexpected things over the next week or so before teams truly settle in for the stretch run. 

Sleeper Picks and Breakout Rookies Gaining Value Post-Break

With the short week and the injury replacement options available, I'll have a few less suggestions than normal. Much like the start of the season, I don't want to overreact to a two- or three-game sample. That said, it's well worth the effort to keep an eye on unexpected players who have popped coming out of the break. 

One of those is Matt Savoie, who is getting second-line minutes with the Oilers now. He's used that role to earn a goal and five assists over his last three games. Savoie is just 22 years old and in his first full NHL season, and he's been given a great opportunity. He's done well with less this year -- if he stays next to Leon Draisaitl, I'm expecting a big finish to the campaign. 

I've been a little torn on Bowen Byram. I like his play overall, though his role with the Sabres is a bit challenging for fantasy. In the last week, I've added him in some leagues and dropped him to make room for returning players in others. He's earned six assists, 13 blocked shots and a plus-2 rating over his last eight games, including a helper in four straight. You won't find much better offense from a defenseman on the wire in 62 percent of Yahoo leagues, as of Sunday afternoon. 

It's as good a time as any to hype up Beckett Sennecke again. He has a goal and four assists over three games since the Olympic break, and he's seeing steady top-six minutes while the Ducks' forward group is depleted by injuries and illness. He should be a Calder finalist this year, and while I don't have him winning over Matthew Schaefer, Sennecke has become a key contributor very quickly for the Ducks, who will be looking to secure a playoff spot down the stretch. 

Taylor Hall has erupted after the break with five points in two games. He's getting second-line minutes, though the Hurricanes are no strangers to shuffling lines frequently. At 34 years old, he's a known quantity. Fantasy managers can count on him for depth offense and power-play time, but he doesn't add a lot in other areas. 

It looks like we're getting another burst of offense out of Jean-Gabriel Pageau this week. He's picked up three points over the last three games, though he was held scoreless Sunday in a 5-4 win over the Panthers. Pageau's role is safe with the Islanders as a third-line center who can help fantasy rosters with hits and blocked shots even when his offense cools off again. Stability is worth the look, though as a center, it may be tough to fit him in the lineup. He's also eligible at right wing on Yahoo, which helps. 

Goaltender Options Rising Amidst Rolls of Rotations and Risk

In goal, it looks like the Flyers are going to run with Dan Vladar. He's allowed three goals on 55 shots over two games since the break, going 1-1-0 in that span. Since the start of January, he has gone 4-3-3 with a 2.45 GAA and a .902 save percentage in 12 outings. I was skeptical early in the season, but he has the playing time and good ratios to justify being at least a No. 3 option for fantasy teams. 

If you're not afraid of a timeshare, take a look at either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Alex Lyon of the Sabres. Lyon is 5-2-0 over his last seven games, adding a 2.32 GAA and a .930 save percentage in that span since he recovered from a lower-body injury in January. Luukkonen missed the Olympics due to a lower-body injury of his own, but he's won twice with just three goals allowed on 66 shots since he got healthy. The Sabres look legitimately good right now -- they have a top-five offense and are on the positive side for goals against as well. Either goalie can help, and they're both available in over half of all Yahoo leagues. Just be ready to pivot if Colten Ellis pries a larger role away from either of them, as Buffalo continues to carry three goalies. 

As the trade deadline approaches, prepare for anything. Take a look at some top trade candidates and who might be ready to take on a larger role if they're on the move. Teams out of contention will also be calling up some prospects for March and April, which injects some fresh talent into the NHL. Likewise for college players, both drafted and undrafted, who could link up for an extended audition at the NHL level soon. The key is to have a plan for what moves you want to make, especially if your format limits moves weekly or for the season. You have three weeks at most to move up the standings in most leagues. Address your weak spots and remain quick to react to any trades that could change your roster. Even if you don't have anyone who's on the move, a change in linemates from other deals could help or hurt the players you have. I'll take a look at all the major trades in next Monday's column, including potential fantasy impacts and intriguing new line combinations that could surface when the smoke clears. That means a bit less of a focus on waiver-wire moves, though if the deadline is more of a dud-line, I'll make some room to peruse the wire too. Good luck to you for one of the busiest weeks of the season. 

Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.