Trust me, it’s never too early to address buy low/sell high trade candidates, especially not in light of how many fantasy managers panic prematurely every single year. Five shots and zero points through four contests? I guarantee, no matter how rich the history or reputation, that player will be volleyed via trade to others in leagues everywhere. Having access to the cold data offered by ESPN Fantasy’s background transaction numbers, I can assure you as much. You should see some of the big names being shifted back and forth already.
With that view, in such cases of hasty hysteria, here’s a quintet of underperforming big names to target via trade. Plus, a handful of over-rostered figures that show less promise of turning matters around.
Trade for
Elias Pettersson, F, Vancouver Canucks: I know, I know. As Yogi Berra would suggest — also popularly mined as a title for many serial television episodes — it certainly does feel like déjà vu all over again. But not in the light and bouncy fashion Mr. Berra communicated, especially for Canucks fans. With two assists on four shots through a quartet of contests, Pettersson is underwhelming once more. After last season’s drama-flavored thud of a campaign, the center’s fantasy managers and frustrated Vancouver fans alike have every right to feel irritated.
So why try to snag him for your own fantasy squad? Because the ceiling remains high. Still only 26 years old, Pettersson is three years removed from 102 points and two from 89. On Sportsnet radio this week, former Canuck Jannik Hansen put forward that the club’s top center has to be better for Vancouver to go anywhere this year. He’s right. So while a trade for No. 40 could fall terribly flat, the gamble still makes sense if your fantasy roster is middle-of-the-road. Who cares about finishing fifth?
Alex Ovechkin, F, Washington Capitals: This guy is no stranger to sluggish starts. The NHL’s leading scorer earned only two goals in his first dozen games two seasons ago and still ended up with 31. He potted all of two in his first seven last year, then rolled for 44 in 65 games. With sights set on 900 and well beyond, Ovechkin isn’t winding down his career with a whimper. Fully recovering from a minor injury suffered in camp, and shooting on net more often, will help.
Artemi Panarin, F, New York Rangers: Maybe he’s still a bit banged up after suffering a pair of minor injuries in training camp. Perhaps ongoing contract negotiations, and related trade talk, are more distracting than either side would like to admit. Either way, a pair of assists on 13 shots through six contests isn’t going to cut it. On the upside, the Rangers’ top power play, including Panarin on the point, looks pretty good. They won’t be hovering near an 11.8% success rate much longer. Plus, the 33-year-old can’t be hobbling too badly when logging more than 21 minutes/game. Panarin hasn’t paced out at less than a point-per-game since his second season in 2026-17, averaging 1.27 between then and now. The Rangers face the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, and Calgary Flames this coming week. Toss out an offer.
Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers: It hasn’t been a pretty opening for the Oilers’ top defender. Never mind the point drought to date, Bouchard’s been far from brilliant otherwise, serving as a well-rounded calamity in Thursday’s thoroughly-earned loss to the Islanders. Nevertheless, we’ve seen such shaky play from the gifted offensive-defenseman before. As long as he’s logging heavy minutes, earning quality chances with the club’s best up front, and anchoring Edmonton’s top power play, Bouchard will start steadily denting the scoresheet again soon enough. As fellow blueliner Mattias Ekholm put it, “I’m pretty sure we’ll see a different Bouchard on Saturday.” Fantasy managers might consider lobbing a reasonable offer for the Top-10 blueliner before he gets back in scoring gear.
Darcy Kuemper, G, Los Angeles Kings: Big breath please, the sky isn’t falling in L.A. like some might suggest. Essentially losing their last three games by a single goal (the Pittsburgh Penguins added an empty-netter), the club can largely blame a shoddy special teams’ effort, and in Thursday’s case, uninspiring netminding by backup Anton Forsberg. Promisingly and fortunately, the Kings’ 5-on-5 play is starting to appear solid. Once they clean up other matters, the ship will right itself in southern California again. Also, nominated for the Vezina last year, Kuemper finished Top-3 in ESPN Fantasy standard leagues. How far to you expect the guy to fall? If your goaltending corps lacks fantasy pizzazz, chase L.A.’s No. 1 down via trade while he recuperates from a minor lower-body injury.
Trade away
Carter Verhaeghe, F, Florida Panthers: We often become too influenced by a player’s accomplishments in the postseason. Following up an impressive run the year before, Verhaeghe’s 23 points in 23 games this past spring went a long way in helping the Panthers secure their second-straight Cup. While appreciably clutch, an irrelevant sum in the regular-season fantasy sphere. Collecting 20 goals and 33 assists (-14) in 2024-25, the Florida winger averaged only 1.6 fantasy points/game in ESPN standard competition. Now the team is without top center Aleksander Barkov (months), Matthew Tkachuk (many weeks), and blueliner Dmitry Kulikov (months). In trying to fill another roster need, try to mine Verhaeghe’s name value and playoff reputation for a reasonable return.
0:45
Carter Verhaeghe stuffs one home on the power play
Carter Verhaeghe gives the Panthers the lead with a close-range finish.
Frank Vatrano, F, Anaheim Ducks: He’s averaging 12:35 on the third line, seeing essentially zero time with the extra skater (35 seconds total thus far), and “leading” everyone with a team-worst minus-4. Vatrano’s 37-goal/60-point 2023-24campaign was a long time ago now. Sure, try to trade the guy and best of luck. There are still likely better options for the grabbing on your wire.
Brock Faber, D, Minnesota Wild: Without question, Faber is a heckuva hockey player, one any NHL team would relish to have on board. But rookie Zeev Buium is currently anchoring the Wild’s top power play, while Jared Spurgeon patrols the second. So unless the defender starts blocking a lot more shots than is his habit, fantasy managers should consider putting him on the block. Good chance another manager will feel enticed by his rookie output of 47 points (2023-24) and current robust 86.2% rostership in ESPN Fantasy leagues.
Ilya Sorokin, G, New York Islanders: Of course, the Islanders play their best game of the season when backup David Rittich is in net. The three losses preceding Thursday’s 4-2 win against Edmonton, in which Sorokin looked far from fantastic — and worse, terribly unconfident — were wildly different tales. It’s one thing to enjoy the advantage of shaking off feelings of doubt and uncertainty behind a well-oiled machine. Sorokin is a great goalie, who doesn’t feel great at present, playing for a definitely not-great team. You decide how patient you want to play it here.
