Frozen Fantasy: Where Have All the Good Trades Gone?

Has Trade Deadline Day jumped the shark? There's an argument to be made for that with only 21 deals done last Friday. Maybe a dozen were noteworthy. 

And Nazem Kadri (65 percent Yahoo!) was the biggest player moved. Love Naz, but big?

Last season, Mikko Rantanen (100 percent Yahoo!), Brad Marchand (88 percent Yahoo!) and Seth Jones (65 percent Yahoo!) were dealt. Heck, Rantanen was moved twice last year. 

The year before? Jake Guentzel (99 percent Yahoo!), Noah Hanifin (45 percent Yahoo!) and Tomas Hertl (91 percent Yahoo!). 

Timo Meier (74 percent Yahoo!), Mattias Ekholm (59 percent Yahoo!) and Jakob Chychrun (99 percent Yahoo!) changed jerseys in 2022-23. And Brandon Hagel (98 percent Yahoo!) and Marc Andre Fleury switched teamsthe previous campaign. 

There are big names. And then there are big names. I'm not throwing shade at Naz (and yes, I am Gen X). But maybe I am. 

Honestly, I checked out of Friday's deadline. I think a lot of people did. John Carlson (91 percent Yahoo!) moved in the morning. Brayden Schenn (16 percent Yahoo!) was traded, yet it took a unique hotel visit from Islanders' coach, Patrick Roy to convince him to move to the Island. 

Secretly, I hoped the Leafs would blow things up and trade Auston Matthews (100 percent Yahoo!). It's what needs to happen. I think I simply wanted to look toward the CN Tower to see the city lose its collective mind. Now THAT would have been entertaining.

Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week. 

Michael Bunting, LW, Dallas (2 percent Yahoo!) -- Get Bunting NOW. Remember 2021-22? That was the season he first rode shotgun with Auston Matthews in Toronto. He can clearly play with stars, and the Stars have plenty… when they're healthy. Bunting won't immediately pay dividends, but could deliver a solid yield in a few weeks. Carry him if you can afford it. Or weigh the risk of leaving him on the wire until he fires up. Only you know how many managers in your league have already checked out from their rosters.  

Charlie Coyle, RW/C, Columbus (37 percent Yahoo!) -- Coyle heads into action Monday on a five-game, seven-point scoring streak that includes six assists, 15 shots, six hits, four blocks and 39 faceoff wins (48.1 percent). He's actually on pace for a career-high of 65 points - who knew? Most of that will come at even-strength, yet Coyle is also on the Blue Jackets' top power play. His faceoff wins are a bonus, especially if you can roll him at RW. 

Jakub Dobes, G, Montreal (28 percent Yahoo!) -- Dobes has started seven of the Habs' last 10 contests while going 5-1-1 during that span. He's actually 10-1-2 from his last 13 starts dating back to mid-December. Dobes can get hot. Very hot. Remember the start of the season? He went 6-0-0 with only 12 goals allowed and some fans thought he was the second coming of Carey Price. Hardly. Montreal's in a dogfight for the postseason and will do whatever it takes to win. Right now, that means Dobes will get the starts behind Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson (99, 97 and 50 percent Yahoo!, respectively). That's a solid, minute-munching trio to clear rebounds. I like his situation.

Morgan Frost, C, Calgary (2 percent Yahoo!) -- Frost is the beneficiary of the hole left by Nazem Kadri's (65 percent Yahoo!) departure. He threw down a three spot (one goal, two assists) in a win over Carolina Saturday with the marker coming on the man-advantage. And he won a whopping 15-of-19 faceoffs - that feels like a rarity against the Canes. Frost will hurt you with plus-minus, but his prowess at the dot is real and so are the opportunities in the top-six and on PP1.  

Chris Kreider, LW, Anaheim (32 percent Yahoo!) -- Kreider's rostering jumped 11 percent Saturday after Friday's four-point explosion against the Habs. He was as dominant as he's been in a long time. But Kreider has been warming up for a while with 11 points - including four goals - across his last eight appearances. The Ducks have gone 7-1-0 over that span and are sitting first in the Pacific. Kreider and the rest of Anaheim's first power play will get a massive boost with the deadline addition of John Carlson (91 percent Yahoo!). Kreider may be on the decline, though this kind of addition during a playoff run will definitely fuel his fire. 

K'Andre Miller, D, Carolina (16 percent Yahoo!) -- Miller skates into Tuesday on a three-game, five-assist scoring streak. Everyone is talking about him stepping up with Shayne Gostisbehere (84 percent Yahoo!) out, yet this outburst started before he got hurt. Miller is also delivering in his usual fantasy categories during this run to the tune of six PIM and shots and four hits. His fantasy value will be time limited, so be ready to dump and run when he cools off. 

Frank Nazar, C, Chicago (14 percent Yahoo!) -- Nazar extended his scoring streak to three games and five points with two assists against Dallas on Sunday where he's registered four assists, five blocks, five shots and 18 faceoff wins. The Hawks have gone full youth movement with their deadline deals, and Nazar is going to have every opportunity to show he and Connor Bedard (99 percent Yahoo!) can be the tiny towers that carry the team. So far, so good for Nazar - but beware the plus-minus if that's one of your counting stats. 

Mathieu Olivier, RW, Columbus (13 percent Yahoo!) -- Olivier the scorer? Who knew he could use those hands for good and not evil. Heading into Monday, he's managed four goals and an assist in his last four games alongside 27 PIM, 10 hits, nine shots and four blocks. Suddenly, Olivier's value is sky-high. The goal scoring won't continue… mind you, he did pot 18 last season. He and Charlie Coyle (above) are an odd couple on the Jackets' third trio, but not somethin' stupid like Norah Jones and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age… If that pair can pull it off a magical musical marriage, then Coyle and Olivier can work on the ice.

Damon Severson, D, Columbus (2 percent Yahoo!) -- Severson has caught fire in March with five points (one goal, four assists), seven PIM and seven blocks through four outings. He's always carried the Shea Weber-lite comps, yet he's only topped the 40-point mark once. And he's never had the same snarl. Still. Severson is almost universally underrostered, and you're likely throwing darts at longshots anyway. I've always liked him. I will be throwing my dart his way. 

Dan Vladar, G, Philadelphia (46 percent Yahoo!) -- Vladar's rostering keeps creeping up, and with good reason. He's enjoying his best NHL campaign and enters Monday with four straight starts - three of those wins - with only eight goals allowed. And he's 4-2-1 over his last seven, with two or fewer goals allowed in six of those. Vladar is already 20-10-6 with a 2.40 GAA and .907 save percentage across 37 starts and he has the Flyers ahead of the Devils, Panthers and Leafs. I don't know anyone who would have considered that prop before the season. 

Back to trade deadline day. And a true Toronto rebuild. 

Toronto is no longer the most profitable NHL franchise. That mantle belongs to Edmonton. Small market Edmonton. Thanks to some very long playoff runs. The Leafs need to get back to the postseason. That's where teams print money. And it needs to happen next year. They won't get there without their franchise player. 

They might not get there with him either. Let alone William Nylander (98 percent Yahoo!). Or Matthew Knies (82 percent Yahoo!). All three names should be on the table. 

But they're not. And they won't be. 

Reminds me of one of my fantasy teams. Two seasons of retooling on the fly seemed like a good idea. Now, it's stuck in a meh world with too big of a talent gap between Kirill Kaprizov, Mitch Marner and Martin Necas (100, 99 and 99 percent Yahoo!, respectively) and kids like Anton Frondell and Michael Misa (2 and 11 percent Yahoo!, respectively). 

Especially with Thatcher Demko (29 percent Yahoo!) always in the infirmary. And Alex Lyon (47 percent Yahoo!) outperforming Jacob Markstrom (67 percent Yahoo!) by a mile. Or 1.6 kilometers. Your choice. 

Lesson learned. Maybe. Don't do fantasy like the Leafs do the NHL. And don't call me Brad Treliving. 

Until next week.