Fantasy: 2018 NHL Trade Deadline roundup

We've reached 2018 NHL Trade Deadline day, meaning many fantasy-relevant players around the League will have their value change, for better or worse, upon joining new teams. Here is the running list of the most-notable Feb. 26 trades with the potential fantasy impact of the player(s) involved.
NOTES: Positions indicate eligibility in Yahoo leagues. ... Yahoo rank reflects standard-category performance this season (goals, assists, plus-minus, penalty minutes, power-play points and shots on goal for skaters).

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Projected lineups

Sharks land Kane from Sabres to fill top-six void

The San Jose Sharks acquired left wing Evander Kane from the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, moving one of the most-valuable fantasy coverage players to a Stanley Cup Playoff contender.
Kane (69th in Yahoo) is likely to join San Jose's top six with either forward Joe Pavelski (C/RW, 70th in Yahoo) or Logan Couture (C/LW, 92nd). He's also a candidate to play on the Sharks' top power-play unit with Pavelski, Couture, Tomas Hertl (C/LW/RW, 32 percent, 174th) and defenseman Brent Burns (37th) with center Joe Thornton (knee) sidelined. Kane has added value in leagues that count hits (120 in 61 games) and/or penalty minutes (57).

In a contract year, Kane had 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in his first 37 games for the Sabres playing mostly with elite center Jack Eichel (74th in Yahoo), but was held to six points (five goals, one assist) in his final 24 games playing mostly away from Eichel prior to the center's injury Feb. 10. Kane has never been a power-play specialist, but has tied an NHL career high with nine power-play points despite playing mostly on Buffalo's second unit (2:26 per game).
The Sharks, who rank 24th in 5-on-5 goals (111), should get a boost from Kane, who's tied for 19th in even-strength goals over the past two seasons (39). He's tied for fifth in shots on goal (227) with Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and more scoring chances could lead to more points for Pavelski or Couture down the stretch.
With the Sharks adding Kane and getting Hertl back from injury, this trade likely hurts the deep-league appeal of wing Timo Meier (LW/RW, 7 percent owned), who has played frequently on Pavelski's line lately. Pavelski and Meier played often with Thornton prior to the veteran's injury.
The Sharks play 12 of their final 19 games at home and begin a six-game homestand against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SNOL, NHL.TV). If Kane debuts, he would be a high-floor DraftKings option because of his shot volume, splits against the Pacific Division (eight points, 45 SOG in 13 games) and likely exposure to Pavelski, Burns and/or Couture.

Miller has instant value with Lightning; Namestnikov's stock takes short-term hit

The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller from the New York Rangers for a package including forward Vladislav Namestnikov on Monday. The trade helps the value of McDonagh and Miller and negatively affects Namestnikov for the rest of the season.

Miller (C/LW/RW, 34 percent owned, 175th in Yahoo) and McDonagh (D, 69 percent) join the highest-scoring team in the League (3.55 goals per game) and should be considered valuable fantasy assets down the stretch. The Lightning have a favorable schedule and are tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the best home/road split (plus-7 at home). Miller could slot into Tampa Bay's top six with center Steven Stamkos (3rd in Yahoo) and/or right wing Nikita Kucherov (1st). He could also play on one of the Lightning's power-play units and is tri-eligible in Yahoo, making him a must-add forward in standard leagues.
McDonagh (upper body) is expected to miss another 5-7 days but is likely to play on the second defense pair with former teammate Dan Girardi once he returns. He may see lower ice time than with the Rangers (23:55 per game) but should benefit from exposure to any combination of Stamkos, Kucherov, and other fantasy-relevant forwards Brayden Point (51st), Yanni Gourde (65th) and Tyler Johnson (110th). McDonagh will be behind Victor Hedman in the power-play mix but could play on the second unit with Point, Gourde, Johnson and rookie defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (164th).
Namestnikov (C/LW, 73rd in Yahoo) started the season strong as a fixture with Kucherov and Stamkos, but was not playing with the elite duo nearly as often in recent months. He remains among the top 100 based on standard-category performance, but his value was declining before the trade and has now dipped further, at least in the short term. Namestnikov could play on the top line and power play with wing Pavel Buchnevich (LW/RW, 15 percent, 238th) and center Mika Zibanejad (39 percent) for the rebuilding Rangers, but the likely increase in ice time (17:30 per game) won't be enough to offset the loss of his elite linemates.

Stastny traded to Jets, could center line with Laine, Ehlers

The Winnipeg Jets acquired center Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues on Monday, making him a player worth adding down the stretch of the fantasy season.
Stastny (C, 25 percent owned, 235th in Yahoo), who has been playing with Vladimir Tarasenko (24th) on the Blues' top line lately, is likely to center Winnipeg's second or third line and join the second power-play unit after the trade. The most-likely scenario would place Stastny on an even-strength line with fantasy-relevant wings Patrik Laine (38th in Yahoo) and Nikolaj Ehlers (80th), replacing Andrew Copp.

Staying within the Central Division, Stastny joins one of the strongest, deepest offenses in the Western Conference; Winnipeg ranks third in goals per game (3.32) and power-play efficiency (24.4 percent). Stastny's fantasy value became stale in St. Louis despite his top-six role, but the trade gives him a higher ceiling for the rest of the season.
In final year of his contract, Stastny ranked fourth on the Blues in scoring with 40 points (12 goals, 28 assists) in 63 games and had five power-play points and 135 shots on goal. He averaged 2:44 of power-play time per game on mostly the second unit and will likely join Winnipeg's productive second unit with Ehlers, Bryan Little (186th in Yahoo), Mathieu Perreault (132nd) and defenseman Tyler Myers (121st). Stastny, who played in each of the Blues' 63 games, will gain an additional game if he debuts for the Jets (62 games played) against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, TSN3, FS-TN, NHL.TV).
If Stastny is priced below $5,000 in DraftKings against the Predators, he would be an appealing DFS stacking option with Laine or Ehlers on the road, where he has 24 points (four goals, 20 assists) in 30 games.
From St. Louis' standpoint, it's possible the Blues, who have lost six straight games, could go back to their early-season top line of Tarasenko with Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn after trading Stastny. Ivan Barbashev (C/LW, 1 percent) played on the top line with Stastny and Tarasenko in St. Louis' 4-0 loss to the Predators on Sunday.

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Tatar has bounce-back appeal with Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights acquired wing Tomas Tatar from the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, adding another capable goal-scorer to their top-nine forward group.
Tatar (LW/RW; 13 percent, 231st in Yahoo) may not crack Vegas' top six but should at least play on their second power play unit and third line at even strength. Tatar was second on the Red Wings in power-play goals (eight) behind Anthony Mantha (nine), and Vegas is tied with the New York Islanders for the third-most 5-on-5 goals (141).

Vegas' top two lines will likely remain intact, with William Karlsson (40th in Yahoo) centering Jonathan Marchessault (16th) and Reilly Smith (32nd) and Erik Haula (130th) playing with James Neal (143rd) and David Perron (66th). Neal ($5,900 in DraftKings), who has missed the past three games with an illness, is expected to return against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday (10:30 p.m. ET; SN, FS-W, ATTSN-RM).
Tatar, 27, has scored at least 25 goals twice in his NHL career (25 last season; 29 in 2014-15) and is tied for 25th in shooting percentage (13.1; minimum 400 games) since entering the League in 2010-11, giving him bounce-back potential upon joining a Stanley Cup Playoff contender. Tatar is worth a flier in deep season-long leagues, and DFS owners should view him as a value pick in his eventual Golden Knights debut.

Vanek trade gives Blue Jackets veteran scorer

The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired wing Thomas Vanek from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, adding a productive veteran forward to a young, inconsistent offense.
Vanek (LW/RW; 15 percent owned, 169th in Yahoo) was tied with left wing Daniel Sedin for second on the Canucks with 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 61 games. He has a chance to crack Columbus' top six with forward Nick Foligno (lower body; injured reserve) out and is worth adding in deep leagues.

The 34-year-old could also help the Blue Jackets power play, which features forwards Artemi Panarin (63rd in Yahoo), Cam Atkinson, Alex Wennberg and defenseman Seth Jones (107th) but ranks 30th in efficiency (14.6 percent) ahead of the Edmonton Oilers (13.9). Vanek was tied with center Henrik Sedin for third on the Canucks in power-play points (14).
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