NHL Trade Rumors: Derek Roy and Players Contenders Need for Postseason Push

The NHL trade deadline can turn a team that is stuck in the middle of their conference into a Stanley Cup champion. For example, when the Pittsburgh Penguins added Bill Guerin at the ’09 trade deadline, he helped them win the Stanley Cup over the Detroit Red Wings.

A player like Buffalo Sabers’ Derek Roy can help a middle-of-the-pack team get hot and make a run at the Stanley Cup.

Derek Roy

Roy has struggled this year with Buffalo, only scoring 24 points in 40 games. He is on pace to have some of his career lows in goals (16), assists (33) and points (49).

According to the Boston Herald: 

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Roy getting dangled was the word on Saturday night’s telecast from longtime HNIC reporter Elliotte Friedman and again in his weekly "30 Thoughts" column posted Monday on the network’s website.

"It’s fine. It’s whatever people say," Roy said. "You can’t worry about it and do anything about it. You have to go out and play your game. Everyone here is trying to do their job, whether it’s stopping the puck, playing defense and scoring goals. We all have to do our part.

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Roy would be a great addition to a Western Conference team like the St. Louis Blues. He could come in either as the first-line center, or anchor a second-line, giving the Blues two solid scoring lines. 

Rick Nash

Nash is the face of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and trading him would be a huge blow to the popularity of the team in their city. However, with Nash’s large contract, and with Columbus struggling this year, the time is now to move Nash for a large sum of prospects and draft picks. 

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson said that every player is going to be available at the trade deadline: 

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Everything’s on the table. We’ve got to look at everything. We’ve got to seriously look at everything. Now that’s different than saying, ‘I’m going to phone every GM tomorrow and say who do you want, (Rick) Nash, Carter or (R.J.) Umberger?’ but we’ve got to look at the whole situation and we’ve got to consider everything

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Nash would be the biggest player to be moved at the deadline, and would be a top-line winger on whichever team he is traded to.

Ales Hemsky

Hemsky will be moved at the trade deadline. However, his shoulder injuries could be a problem for potential teams offering up some of their best prospects, or a top draft pick for the talented winger. 

According to the Edmonton Journal:

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Here’s what we know about Edmonton Oilers winger Ales Hemsky. Teams have started asking questions.

“How are his shoulders?” an NHL executive asked.

“Where are the points? Is it just because he’s not on the first power play anymore? I saw him on TV the other night and he didn’t look good,” said another NHL team official.

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Hemsky’s last five games have seen him not score a goal, however, he does have three assists, with two of them coming on the power play. Hemsky will not be a top-line winger on his new team, but he will help improve his new team’s second line and second power play unit. 

These three players will help out whichever team they are traded to, either at the deadline, or before the All-Star game. However, because of their trade value, they will help their former teams get some good prospects or draft picks in return. 

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