The NHL season is moving along, and we’re getting closer to the U.S. Thanksgiving mark, a time when teams often predict their playoff chances.
As the season unfolds, some teams might start looking for trades to improve. Last year, the Vancouver Canucks made a move for Nikita Zadorov in November. So, which team should make a trade right now?
Matt Larkin thinks the Colorado Avalanche need to act fast. They’re in a tough division with Winnipeg and Dallas, and injuries plus bad goaltending have hurt them. But with two of the top three NHL scorers on their roster, they could still shine if they fix their goalie problem soon before other teams join the hunt for goalies.
Steven Ellis has another view. He’s skeptical about big trades happening this early but wonders if Boston can keep going with such weak offense. They’ve turned average players into decent contributors before but relying on Cole Koepke and others as top producers isn’t ideal. David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand are good players, yet without more scoring depth , Boston struggles when these stars don’t perform.
Fans might wonder why some teams wait so long to make changes.
Paul Pidutti points his finger at the New York Islanders. With an aging roster built by Lou Lamoriello and only three wins in regulation out of 14 games played, things look shaky. Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair are injured long-term; meanwhile, rivals like Rangers and Hurricanes start strong. If they don’t boost their offense soon or shake things up somehow, they risk wasting Ilya Sorokin’s prime years without making playoffs.
Scott Maxwell agrees with Matt about Colorado needing help but also highlights Montreal Canadiens’ defensive woes as urgent too! Though not playoff-bound yet needing defensive improvements badly—they rank worst at stopping expected goals historically (even if slightly better recently). If young players develop poor habits now due lack discipline/structure defensively—it could haunt them later when contending becomes realistic goal again!
Anthony Di Marco sees Nashville Predators facing crossroads despite Barry Trotz hinting rebuild last week—who believes that? After spending $100 million over summer signing Roman Josi & Filip Forsberg long-term while adding veterans Luke Schenn/Ryan O’Reilly 15 months ago—it seems Trotz must push hard staying competitive rather than rebuilding entirely! Firing coach Andrew Brunette isn’t enough alone; perhaps trading sparks needed change within team dynamics?
What do you think—should these teams make moves now or wait it out?
