Who Are the NHL Fantasy Winners, Losers After the Trade Deadline?

Another trade deadline has passed and some of the moves could have huge fantasy implications. Here’s a look at who you should be buying and selling.

The deadline has passed and it’s time for all of the Monday’s biggest movers to lace up with their new teams. Mark Stone, Wayne Simmonds and Kevin Hayes will all don new jerseys while Artemi Panarin will stay in blue. And some of these big trades will certainly get attention in the world of fantasy hockey.

Who will benefit from all the movement? Who will depreciate in value? Here’s a look at the fantasy fallout from Monday:

WINNERS

Mark Stone’s New Linemates

Max Pacioretty (LW, Golden Knights), Paul Stastny (C, Vegas Golden Knights)

The Vegas Golden Knights made the biggest splash at the deadline when they acquired Mark Stone, and the move is a boon for his new linemates. Stone is an excellent two-way winger (his 4.35 takeaways per 60 minutes lead the NHL) with a high hockey IQ and playmaking ability. The Golden Knights power play will benefit as well. With Stone slated to play with Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny, expect them to flourish with their new winger.

Kevin Hayes (C, Winnipeg Jets)

Kevin Hayes arrives in Winnipeg just as it looks like Patrik Laine is emerging from a three-month slump. Hayes will slot into the Jets second line and should operate as a playmaking, possession-driving center alongside Laine and potentially Kyle Connor. The 26-year-old center will play on the Jets’ second power play unit as well, and has produced more with less talent around him in New York. Owned in 30% of Yahoo! Fantasy leagues, Hayes is a solid add and has the recipe for increased production the rest of the way.

Artemi Panarin (LW, Columbus Blue Jackets)

Artemi Panarin’s 1.17 point-per-game pace is already the best of his career, and now he’s playing with Matt Duchene. Panarin notched an assist in the duo’s first game together. Duchene shouldn’t eat into Panarin’s shot numbers and, instead, the new center should help the Blue Jackets’ power play (26th in the NHL). That’s a plus for Panarin, too, who has 16 power play points.

Wayne Simmonds (RW, Nashville Predators)

Wayne Simmonds isn’t the 30-goal scorer he once was, but he’s still a physical winger who can provide value on the power play. Nashville, sitting at dead last in the NHL with a 12.3 PP%, needs exactly that. Simmonds will see time on the Predators’ man-advantage, he’s on a much better team and his ice time will remain consistent. Those are all positives for Simmonds—especially as his daily fantasy salary has bottomed out at $4,300.

Flier – Ryan Donato (C, LW, RW, Minnesota Wild)

Ryan Donato was traded five days ahead of Monday’s deadline and his new home in Minnesota has paid off. Donato has tallied one goal and three assists in his last three game with the Wild, and he’s seeing an extra two and a half minutes of ice time per game. The 22-year-old forward has seen some time on the Wild’s top line and he’s a player to keep an eye on as the season comes to a close.

LOSERS

Brady Tkachuk (LW, Ottawa Senators)

Brady Tkachuk’s hot start to the 2018–19 season tapered off when December hit—he notched 16 points in his first 15 games and only 15 points in his last 37 games—and his outlook is pointing down with Mark Stone gone. Tkachuk’s corsi for per 60 minutes drops from 69.1 to 53.5 when he hasn’t played with Stone. Someone has to score and log minutes for the Senators, but they’re still going to be bad and Tkachuk is best left unclaimed.

Jimmy Howard (G, Detroit Red Wings)

Jimmy Howard was one of a handful of goalies potentially available at the deadline, but Feb. 25 came and went and the 13-year veteran is still a Red Wing. When Howard returns from illness, he will be coming back to a lineup without top-six forward Gustav Nyquist and top-four defenseman Nick Jensen. The Red Wings will play against 12 playoff teams in their final 19 games. That includes a pair of games against the Lightning and a three-game road stretch against the Blues, Golden Knights and Sharks. Howard is posting a career-low 2.88 GAA and it will be best to avoid playing him in your lineup.

Bryan Little (C, Winnipeg Jets)

When the Winnipeg Jets acquired Paul Stastny at the deadline last year, Bryan Little’s ice time decreased and his points per game dropped from .58 to .35 over the last 20 games. Stastny is gone, but newly acquired center Hayes will replace Little on the second line and the power play. Little will be paired with Mathieu Perreault and Jack Roslovic on the third line—a downgrade from Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers. Expect a similar dip in production for Little.

Jonathan Quick (G, Los Angeles Kings)

Jonathan Quick’s 2018–19 campaign is one to forget: His .896 save percentage and 3.18 goals against average are the lowest marks of his career. Worse yet, those numbers have fallen since the Los Angeles Kings traded Jake Muzzin to Toronto. Quick has no support in front of him and the Kings are trending down toward the Jack Hughes sweepstakes. At 33 years old, it’s time to leave Quick on the waiver wire.