We are coming up to the NHL trade deadline on February 26th.  There are always a few teams that are sellers and a few teams that are buyers, this year expect typical player movement which means no blockbusters and three-way deals.  Well as hockey fans we are often armchair GMs, so we thought that it would be fun to share some trade scenarios that we would consider for the teams in question.

While economics make it difficult to make blockbusters, or even an old fashioned hockey trade, here are some food for thought for hockey fans and wannabe General Managers.

5 Hockey Trades We Would Make in 2018

Why not kick it off with a blockbuster?

1. Leon Draisaitl and Oscar Klefbom (Edmoton Oilers) for Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators) and a second round pick. This is a solid hockey trade as the Oilers get a true number one defenseman who can move the puck and lead their powerplay while playing twenty plus minutes a game.  In return the Sens get a couple of young upcoming players including Draisaitl who is only in his third NHL season and is considered one of  the best upcoming centres in the NHL who can shoot, score and throw the odd booming bodycheck.  This is actually a solid trade for both teams if you think about it.
2. Evander Kane (Buffalo Sabres) for Ian Cole and a third round pick (Pittsburgh Penguins) – Pens GM Jim Rutherford would like to add an impact winger with scoring punch along with a much-needed third line centre. Evander Kane just might be the right fit for the Pens.  Kole is a minus seven on the season and rumors persist that he wants out of Pittsburgh.  Kane is on pace for a career year in terms of points. 
3. Alex Galchenyuk and Shea Weber (Montreal Canadiens) for Leon Draisaitl and Oscar Klefbom (Edmonton Oilers) – the Oilers get a potential winger on the left side for Connor McDavid as well as a big, mean, albeit it older number one defenseman.  The Habs get the long sought after center in Draisaitl and a younger D-Man in Klefbom. 
4. Mike Green and Petr Mrazek (Detroit Red Wings) for James Van Riemsdyk and a fourth round pick (Toronto Maple Leafs) – in a bit of a surprise move, the Leafs acquire a defenseman who can help them with a playoff run and the Wings free up 10M in salary although Green is a UFA while Mrazek is an RFA. 
5. James Neil (Vegas Golden Knights) for Patrick Maroon and a fourth round pick (Edmonton Oilers) – while Maroon is a fan favourite in Edmonton, he is a UFA and is an attractive player for any playoff bound team averaging 28 goals over the past couple of seasons.  He’d be a great fit in Vegas.  The Oilers get some much needed scoring on the wing in James Neil who would be a great fit alongside Connor McDavid.

Overall some pretty decent hockey trades here.  Will they happen?  Highly unlikely but in this day and age anything is possible.  It has become so difficult to make trades in the NHL these days that it has become rare for big trades during the regular season.  In recent years, we’ve seen the bigger moves happen around draft day in June leading up to the free agency frenzy on July 1.