With a few days off between their next game and a week to go before the trade deadline, I thought it would be good to do a quick summary/overview of where each team stands as far as whether they are buyers or sellers.  As most NHL followers know, the trade deadline is the point at which every team determines whether they are all in for the playoffs and the Cup, or if they are all-in for the future.  Unrestricted free agents and draft picks are often the pieces to move but sometimes players with time still left on their contracts will be shipped around too.  Perhaps what makes this particular trade deadline unique is (at the time of this writing) that all but two teams are within ten points of a playoffs.  While this makes for interesting hockey for the last six-to-eight weeks of the season, it makes wheeling and dealing more expensive as demand is up and supply is down.

What I have for you is a rundown of all thirty NHL teams and a ranking of one through five, one being “selling/long-term project”, five being “buying/all-in for the Cup”, and three being “somewhere in-between”  and gave each ranking six teams to make it more difficult and interesting for me.  Grab some popcorn, because it’s a big read. Continue reading →