NHL Trade Deadline 2018: These 5 teams need to be buyers
Every year at the NHL trade deadline there are teams that are buying pieces to strengthen their roster for the playoff push.
Teams spend the first few months of the season to figure out just what they are.
Are they going to be aggressive at the trade deadline and pick up the pieces they need to make a long playoff run? Or are they going to sell off some of their unrestricted free agents and gain draft assets and prospects?
The NHL trade deadline is always a flurry of activity, with teams looking to either sell off parts and build for the future, or go all-in on trying to win a Stanley Cup. It doesn’t always work — the Wild made big deadline trades only to be eliminated in the first-round.
It’s a high risk, high reward gambit but teams will do anything to put themselves in the best position to win the most coveted prize in sports.
5. player. 119. . Western Conference. Central Division. Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars will be buyers at the deadline and looking for an offensive weapon. Coach Ken Hitchcock has been loading up his first line with his best offensive firepower. The line of Benn, Seguin, and Radulov has connected well and delivered impressive results. The only problem this creates is there is a shortage across the rest of the lineup. The Stars will want to add a scoring winger to play next to second line center Martin Hanzal. It is likely to be a rental piece this deadline because there is an expectation within the organization that tenth overall pick Valeri Nichushkin will return from the KHL and take a spot on the second line wing.
Rental options for the Stars include big-name players like Evander Kane of the Buffalo Sabres and Rick Nash from the New York Rangers. Both players have a comparable price and bring similar things to their team. Evander Kane shoots the puck from everywhere on the ice. He also plays a heavy, physical style of hockey that would be a great fit for any team trying to make it through the tough Western Conference. Rick Nash is more of an all-around offensive threat than Kane. Nash can make plays with his hands, his passing ability, and his shot. The asking price for both pieces is likely to be a first-round pick and a prospect.