NHL Stock Market: Buy, Sell or Hold Rankings for Each Team

Decisions, decisions.

About a quarter into the NHL season, Thanksgiving in the NHL is usually the point when general managers begin to draw conclusions about the talent on their rosters and whether or not it is good enough to make the playoffs.

There is good reason for this.

In November 2010, the Toronto Star conducted a statistical analysis where they compared the NHL standings at Thanksgiving to the final regular season standings for each year since 1993. It showed that 77.5% of teams holding a playoff spot at Thanksgiving made the playoffs in the last 17 years.

Now is the time for GMs to either pull the trigger or hit the panic button.

However, the new collective bargaining agreement in the NHL has changed the landscape for trades and signings. You don’t see many blockbuster trades anymore. GMs tend to lightly tinker with their rosters and try to make targeted trades that result in both a need filled for the starting lineup and an improvement in their salary cap situation (even though this sometimes blows up in their face).

They must also try to find an equilibrium between their long-term vision of the team and short-term success in the current season.

Is your team a buyer or a seller? Or will they simply stay the course?

Anaheim Ducks: Sell

The Anaheim Ducks are a team that is truly hurting right now, having only won once in their past 12 games.

There are issues with goaltending, scoring, discipline and coaching in Anaheim right now. It isn’t a pretty situation.

Since both Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf will be unrestricted free agents after the 2012-2013 season and will be demanding a higher salary than the $5.325 million they each currently make, the Ducks might want to consider dealing Bobby Ryan to a playoff-bound team this year depending on the return package (which should contain a cheaper scoring forward).

Any cap space gained from the trade could then be used in the offseason to pick up a starting goaltender if Jonas Hiller continues to show that he hasn’t quite gotten over his vertigo issues from last season.

Boston Bruins: Hold

It’s safe to say that the Stanley Cup hangover for the Boston Bruins is over as they have won 10 of their last 11 games and have had the longest winning streak in the NHL so far this year.

Their offence is clicking, Zdeno Chara is scaring away opposing players like the Lurch that we all know he is, and Tim Thomas is following up a Vezina & Conn Smythe Trophy winning season with one that has been even better statistically.

It’s all good in Beantown. Unless an injury (gasp!) happens to one of their key players, the Bruins should stick with what they’ve got. It’s worked out well for them so far.

Buffalo Sabres: Sell

In his first press conference after purchasing the Buffalo Sabres, owner Terry Pagula declared that “Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup."

He has certainly put his money where his mouth is as the Sabres are one of six teams that are currently spending the maximum allowed under the salary cap, with a payroll of approximately $66.5 million.

Unfortunately, it means that the Sabres do not have any wiggle room to add another scorer.

GM Darcy Regier might want to inquire with other teams about the value of veterans Brad Boyes, Jochen Hecht or Paul Gaustad as all will be unrestricted free agents after this season and trading one or more of them might give them the breathing room to add a player later on this year if necessary.

By the time the trading deadline rolls around the Sabres might be looking to make a deal.

Calgary Flames: Sell

The Calgary Flames are a team that should be looking forward to next year. This year hasn’t turned out too well for them so far.

However, not all is lost. The Flames have many veterans with contracts that end after this season, which means that they will have money to play with come free agency time next year.

Making a “rent-a-player” deal with someone like Olli Jokinen who still has value could bring back prospects or draft picks which could help with the rebuilding process.

Carolina Hurricanes: Sell

Having played more games than any other NHL team before Thanksgiving, the Carolina Hurricanes have a clearer idea about their expectations for the rest of the year.

This is a team that needs a serious shakeup, as almost everyone other than Jeff Skinner and Jussi Jokinen seems to be struggling right now.

With the 3^rd lowest payroll in the league, the Canes should be looking to stockpile more prospects and draft picks in anticipation of making a big splash in July.

Chicago Blackhawks: Buy

With a core group of forwards in Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa locked up in long-term deals, the Chicago Blackhawks are serious about returning to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The firesale they held after winning the Cup in 2010 gave them some badly needed salary cap relief and they are now $5.5 million under the cap.

Finding a wily veteran to fill out the bottom of their forward or defensive lines might help to push them back into the promised land. Tuomo Ruutu, Lee Stempniak or François Beauchemin might fit in here.

Colorado Avalanche: Sell

With only seven players on the 25-man roster signed through next year, the Colorado Avalanche will likely be serious sellers in the coming months.

Sure, many of those players will become restricted free agents and will probably be resigned (Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly, Kyle Quincy and Erik Johnson are probably the strongest candidates), but other players will need to be moved if the cost of resigning goes beyond what the Avalanche are willing to pay.

Of course, there are players like Milan Hejduk that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon (never mind his no-trade clause, Hejduk will retire as a lifetime Av) but players like Brandon Yip, Cody McLeod, Daniel Winnik and even David Jones might find themselves elsewhere this season. 

Columbus Blue Jackets: Sell

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be looking to make some changes for the right price, but not as aggressively as you might think.

It largely depends on how long GM Scott Howson sticks with the team.

If ownership does not give him a vote of confidence beyond this year, he may not have much ability to do anything as a lame duck GM. If he is fired and replaced, wholesale changes might be made.

The GM and coaching situation in Columbus is something to keep an eye on.

Dallas Stars: Buy

The Dallas Stars have amassed a decent record with 27 points gained in their first 22 games—good enough for fifth in the Western Conference.

As I’ve previously mentioned, Kari Lehtonen’s spectacular play is the main reason why Dallas has been successful, not to knock the contributions of Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson.

Having a dominant goalie is crucial during the playoffs, which the Stars obviously have, but they also need more scoring depth.

With $12.8 million of cap space available, GM Joe Nieuwendyk will likely be working the phones until the end of February.

Detroit Red Wings: Hold

If there’s a team that pulls off a blockbuster deal this season, it probably won’t be the Detroit Red Wings.

With a core group of veterans playing well, some of which are in contract years, GM Ken Holland will probably be sticking with what he’s got.

It seems that every year people say that Detroit is going to be in trouble because of old players that have one foot through the retirement door (Chris Chelios, Mike Modano, Brian Rafalski, and for the past few seasons Nicklas Lidstrom), but they keep on trucking.

So long as this team is in the hunt for a playoff spot they won’t be aggressively looking for young players to take over midseason.

Edmonton Oilers: Hold

The Edmonton Oilers are in the opposite situation as Detroit—they have a bunch of youngsters playing well and are currently tied with two other teams for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Aside from trading Ales Hemsky, which may or may not ultimately work out to the Oilers’ advantage, this team shouldn’t be taking on any players with long-term contracts. The Oilers needs the money they have available for when those young players end their entry-level contracts.

Taking on veterans to provide help probably won’t be to their advantage unless there is an understanding that they won’t be taking away playing time from Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Florida Panthers: Buy

GM Dave Tallon’s makeover of the Florida Panthers this past summer is paying early dividends as they currently hold the top spot in the Southeast Division.

One of the only negatives for the team is that sending fan favourite David Booth to the Vancouver Canucks has not worked out so well for them. Marco Sturm has two points in 15 games and Mikael Samuelsson has not played since being acquired as he is still recovering from a sports hernia injury.

This Panthers team looks like it might be for real, though. There have been a few calls for Scott Clemmensen from teams that have needed goaltending help like the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Columbus Blue Jackets, but nothing has happened yet. If there’s a player traded for additional scoring, it’ll probably be him. 

Los Angeles Kings: Hold

Mike Richards has proven to be a solid addition for the Los Angeles Kings so far, with 19 points in 22 games.

Still, the team is tied for sixth place and looks to be in a dogfight for the playoffs all year. Another scoring forward would help, but they’re right up against the salary cap and they don’t have many players currently on the roster worth trading.

It would also be foolish for them to sacrifice prospects and draft picks for the present if they continue to win games at the same pace.

Unless there’s a significant injury or a jump in the standings, the Kings would be wise to stand pat.

Minnesota Wild: Buy

The Minnesota Wild’s balanced scoring has propelled them to the top of the league standings, along with solid goaltending from both Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding.

With Harding in a contract year, the Wild can keep doing what they’ve been doing thus far, knowing that he could potentially be dealt if there are any problems in the next few months.

Will Minnesota need to play that card? With almost $8 million in salary cap room, they might not need to.

Montreal Canadiens: Sell

The Montreal Canadiens have not been particularly impressive this year and are currently out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.

Still, the Canadiens have a number of defensemen set to become free agents after this year that could provide value to another team making a playoff push.

GM Pierre Gauthier would be a genius if he could convince another team to pick up Scott Gomez once he returns from injury. With just four points for Gomez so far this season, will that happen? Probably not.

But Habs fans can hope.

Nashville Predators: Sell

With the lowest payroll in the league, the Nashville Predators should probably try to pick up a veteran scorer if they want to try to make the playoffs.

However, both Ryan Suter and Shea Weber are in the final years of their contract. The brain trust in Nashville has an important decision to make. Should they lock up both of these all-star caliber defensemen, or let one of them go?

If a contract extension for these two doesn’t happen over the next two months, it is possible that one of them will be dealt. Since Suter will become an unrestricted free agent he would probably be the likeliest candidate.

New Jersey Devils: Buy

Beyond the 2012-2013 season, the New Jersey Devils have four players under contract: Ilya Kovalchuk, Anton Volchenkov, Andy Greene and Henrik Tallinder. In addition, both Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg will be free agents after this year.

The Devils might as well just go for it this year, especially if forward Zach Parise indicates to management that he’ll be taking offers from all bidders in the summer.

So long as they don’t take on any long-term contracts they’ll emerge from this year in decent financial shape and might have the cap room to sign Parise and more in July.

New York Islanders: Sell

The rebuilding process never seems to end on Long Island.

With the team in last place, GM Garth Snow should probably try to think about stockpiling as many prospects and draft picks as he can. Following a model like the Edmonton Oilers would not be such a bad strategy.

The Islanders have some players that would fetch a good return on the trade market: Mark Eaton, Frans Nielsen and Evgeni Nabokov (once he returns from injury) immediately come to mind.

Snow is likely waiting until a team offers him fair value for his players and will probably be a seller in February.

New York Rangers: Buy

The New York Rangers continue to roll along, going 8-2-0 in their past 10 games.

However, almost all of their goals have come from Marian Gaborik (10 goals), Ryan Callahan (eight goals) or Brad Richards (seven goals).

They’ve managed to play well so far, but injuries do happen and the Rangers would be smart in adding another forward as insurance. Another veteran defenseman might help as well.

Look for the Rangers to make some additions over the next couple of months.

Ottawa Senators: Hold

In Daniel Alfredsson and Sergei Gonchar, the Ottawa Senators have two veteran players with playoff experience that would be a great fit for a playoff-bound team.

However, each player has a year left in their contract beyond this season (and Gonchar would have to agree to the trade), which means that any team that picks them up is making a substantive commitment. While this would be great for the rebuild currently taking place in Ottawa, it probably won’t happen unless one of the players indicates that they will retire after this year.

The Sens are better off just playing out the rest of the season and making further assessments closer to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. 

Philadelphia Flyers: Buy

The Philadelphia Flyers are the best offensive team in the league at this point, having scored 80 goals in 22 games (an average of 3.63 goals per game).

However, the Flyers could use some help at the defensive end as they have been involved in some shootouts this year.

With an injury-prone Chris Pronger on the team, the Flyers will probably end up shopping for a defenseman if their success continues.

Phoenix Coyotes: Sell

After sitting out the first 19 games of the season, young forward Kyle Turris finally signed with the Phoenix Coyotes.

However, sources report that he is still not happy with the Coyotes organization and wants to be traded.

Having Turris on the ice might help to alleviate the distractions surrounding the team but make no mistake, GM Don Maloney will likely continue to field offers until he gets what he wants in return.

This is a saga to follow closely, especially since Turris is the Coyotes’ most tradeable asset.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Hold

Forget trades, the Pittsburgh Penguins got the greatest addition they could have ever hoped for when Sidney Crosby made his return to the NHL on November 21st.

This Penguins team has been absolutely spectacular and will only get better with Crosby’s return. That’s a scary thought.

As the always hilarious hockey blog Down Goes Brown described it, Crosby’s return “is great news for the Penguins because so far this year they look like they could really use some help on their fourth line.”

The Penguins are getting superb play up and down their roster. Making a move doesn’t make sense right now, but GM Ray Shero is always scheming for the next opportunity so you never know.

San Jose Sharks: Buy

The San Jose Sharks are the second seed in the Western Conference and leaders of the Pacific Division despite having played the least amount of games thus far.

So long as they feel confident in the health of goaltenders Antti Niemi and Thomas Greiss, the Sharks might want to consider dealing Antero Nittymaki for another scorer.

Like other teams with a third goalie available for trade, the Sharks will probably just wait it out until the return value becomes high enough for a deal to make sense. But adding a veteran who has won in the playoffs before should be a high priority for a team that has gone far for the past few years but hasn’t been able to make it to the big dance.

St. Louis Blues: Buy

With Carlo Colaiacovo going down with yet another injury, the St. Louis Blues should be on the lookout for another defenseman.

The Blues are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, tied for the sixth seed with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.

Placing a call to the Nashville Predators about Shea Weber or Ryan Suter might not be such a bad idea, especially with $8.1 million in cap space available.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Buy

After a season that saw them capture the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and go all the way to the conference final, higher expectations were placed upon this year’s version of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Unfortunately, their play this year hasn’t been nearly as good. Their goaltending has been particularly bad, as starting goaltender Dwayne Roloson has been pulled on four different occasions this season.

The Lightning should be on the lookout for another goalie at this point. Scott Clemmensen, Antero Nittymaki and Evgeni Nabokov (currently injured) are all available. Free agent Marty Turco is as well, though his performance with Chicago last year indicates that his best years are behind him.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Buy

The Toronto Maple Leafs seem to be righting the ship after a bumpy November where they have won six games and lost six games. They currently have a one point lead in the Northeast Division over the Boston Bruins, but the Bruins have two games in hand.

As mentioned by the Toronto Sun, last night’s win against the Dallas Stars could be costly as both Dave Steckel and Carl Gunnarsson left the game after blocking shots.

With James Reimer progressing in his recovery from concussion-like symptoms and Jonas Gustavsson holding down the fort as of late, GM Brian Burke can start to turn his attention toward adding a veteran scorer for the third line.

The Leafs have a glut of NHL calibre defensemen that can be used as trade bait if necessary. Fans might see one of them traded if injuries continue to pile up.

Vancouver Canucks: Hold

The Vancouver Canucks are currently one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference after winning the President’s Trophy last year.

While they are still serious playoff contenders, it doesn’t seem that there's much GM Mike Gillis can do at this point.

The Canucks have no cap room and dealt away pending free agents Marco Sturm and Mikael Samuelsson to Florida for David Booth, who has eight points in 14 games since arriving in Vancouver.

Gillis knows that this team has what it takes to get to the Stanley Cup Final. Until then, he’ll just have to wait and see if the defensive and goaltending issues sort themselves out. It’s not a bad strategy, considering that the Canucks still have 60 games to figure it out.

Washington Capitals: Buy

Having Tomas Vokoun in net has made things easier for the Washington Capitals this year. They are in a bit of a funk right now though, having gone 3-6-1 in their past ten games.

Scoring is not a problem for the Capitals, led by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. However, they might want to improve their defense as it is giving up 3.24 goals per game.

The Caps might want to inquire with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Colorado Avalanche to see if short-term help can be obtained.

Winnipeg Jets: Sell

A move to Winnipeg has not done much to change the status of the franchise. Like the Atlanta Thrashers’ teams before them, the Winnipeg Jets are on the cusp of the playoffs, fighting for the final seed.

If the team was still in Atlanta, a rebuild would be much harder to sell. There would likely be angst from fans for taking so long to produce a winner. Or perhaps there wouldn’t—the team has moved, after all.

In any case, Winnipeg should be trying to add prospects and picks for a long-term rebuilding strategy. Trying to find players that will one day complement Alex Burmistrov and Evander Kane should be GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s number one priority.