On Tuesday, the NHL will enter its holiday roster freeze. For all players on the active roster, they’ll be given a week’s reprieve from trade speculation, or reassignment anxiety. No one will be traded, waived or loaned between the 19th and 27th of December.
But after the rosters thaw and the holiday season starts to drift into the past, which NHL team will be first to pick up the phone and decide enough is enough? Which general manager will send out messages explaining he’s open for business and start selling off assets to the highest bidder?
The Arizona Coyotes are currently in last place, even after several offseason moves designed to make them more competitive this year. Will they decide that the Derek Stepan experiment was a mistake, or even take a shot at a big return by moving Oliver Ekman-Larsson?
What about the Buffalo Sabres, currently in 30th and with a league-low 68 goals for? Will Evander Kane be celebrating New Year’s Eve in another district? Jack Eichel is surely safe, but the rest of the roster should be looking over their shoulders come 2018.
The Oilers and Senators both believed they could compete for the Stanley Cup this season, but nothing has seemed to go right. With high-end players still on the roster, do they decide to sell off for a season and try to bounce-back next October?
Who will be the first to start selling this season? Cast your vote below, and make sure to explain who you think will move first. We’ve included the bottom 10 teams in the standings, but make sure to comment with whoever you think should have been included.
[Mobile users click here to vote!]