NHL Trade Deadline Rumors

It’s that time of the year when NHL teams get the chance to tinker with their rosters, and some of the decisions that they make may well decide their fate. It’s the last time this season that any team can make a trade and have the players be eligible to compete in the playoffs, so between the 24^th February and March 5^th, we could see considerable movement in the rosters; although, most of the action usually comes on deadline day itself.

It’s hard to predict the scale of the movements, but there is always the potential for seismic changes that could affect NHL betting odds in the run up to the playoffs. Here are some thoughts on the players likely to make a move:

First up, is Ryan Miller, the Buffalo Sabres netminder. The trade rumours surrounding Miller have been almost constant. He is playing in a Sabres team that sits last in the entire NHL. As things stand, Buffalo are rebuilding from the bottom up and, should the right team come calling for Miller, we don’t think the Sabres would turn them away, especially if it was a team that gave him a chance of winning a Stanley Cup. At 33 years old, Miller is running out of time and it may be best for all concerned if he makes a move sooner rather than later.

The New York Islanders are having difficulties getting their top players to commit to long-term deals and, with both Thomas Vanek and Andrew MacDonald rejecting deals, free agency is looming for Macdonald in the summer. Islanders GM, Garth Snow, can’t afford to see valuable assets like this walk away with nothing in return. With little to gain from prolonging the inevitable, Snow should have a relatively easy time in moving on MacDonald and gaining plenty of upside on the deal.

It looks as though the Nashville Predators are another side that could be looking to move on one of their assets in David Legwand – his record of consistency and contribution making him a valuable asset and he would provide a valuable boost for any team that needs a lift for the playoffs. Nashville are sitting out of the playoff picture and fans know that Legwand could cause a stir in the NHL betting odds of any team that acquires him come deadline day.

2014 NHL Trade Deadline Day rumors