Countdown to Deadline: Buyers & Sellers

March certainly came in like a lion as MRFHL general managers were busy completing 16 trades in the month's opening ten days, but with less than a week to go until the deadline phone lines seem to have gone quiet in anticipation of who might be made available in the days to come.

The early flurry of activity has left us wondering, when it comes to coverage of the 2025 trade deadline on MRFSN (Maurice Richard Fantasy Sports Network, lead rights holder of the MRFHL) are fans in tune for a king-of-the-jungle-esque display of carnage, or will the trade window leave like a lamb sitting alone in a corner and refusing to make eye contact?

When speaking to league commissioner, Dylan Wilson, he provided the all-too-common run around that we've become accustomed to hearing.  "The parity league wide exemplifies the competitive balance around the league, with 26 of the 32 teams in the playoffs or within six points."  It was right about here that my eyes began to glaze over before Wilson ratcheted up the drama.

"Making that key trade at the deadline can make the world of difference...  Don't forget, the move you make at this deadline will be remembered for generations."

With this in mind, we decided to pop the hood, put in a little elbow grease and get our hands dirty.  Let's see if we can discover what's really going on across the league in hopes of uncovering what we can expect between now and when the trade door shuts and general managers are left to live with all the decisions they've made.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

Since February 1st there have been 51 trades across the MRFHL involving 22 of the league's 32 teams. The Western Conference has been slightly less active with six of the ten inactive teams.

"[You're] always seeing new posts, repeat posts or posts with revised requests and you still rarely see a deal done," shared Robert Jacklin, the New York Islanders big boss, perhaps alluding to a lack of deals doesn't necessary mean a lack of activity.

From the 22 clubs making moves, nine have only made a single trade with another six making two separate trades. This leaves 30 moves being made by only seven teams — 60% of the league movement coming from less than 25% of the teams.  So what are these front office bosses seeing that the other teams aren't?

What we know about the trigger-happy seven.

BUYERS:   Detroit, New York Islanders, Toronto

It's no surprise the majority of the buying has come from the east.  The conference has spent the season trying to contend with the 41-16-5 Panthers, and if Carolina's 39-17-6 record isn't scary enough their one move saw them add MacKenzie Weegar and Trent Frederic — both 50% retained — for an every evolving package that grows as the Hurricane's progress in the playoffs.

SELLERS:   Minnesota, Philadelphia, San Jose

What might be most shocking here, the Minnesota Wild are only four points out of a wild card spot yet have sent out Jamie Oleksiak, Ivan Barbashev and Linus Ullmark.  One has to think that the Wild could have just as easily been buyers at the deadline instead of the firesale they've been putting on. 

GOLDILOCKS:   Florida

Although their three trades puts them among the league's busiest, as the league's leading team Florida has taken the Goldilocks approach to the deadline; not too hot, not too cold, but waiting for the move that's just right.  Adding Oleksiak on the blue line as well as some depth pieces in Tim Berni and Kevin Rooney, you have to believe the Panthers GM is feeling awfully confident heading down the stretch.

A source close to the general manager, who wishes to comment on the promise of anonymity, admitted to overhearing the Cats general manager as saying "why bother loading up" when receiving news of the moves his Daigle Division counterparts were making.

"I know who he's talking about," Clayton Hansler, the Toronto Maple Leafs GM said snidely.  "It's amazing that the sunshine state sees it's first bit of success and suddently they're the centre of the hockey universe."  An ironic comment by Hansler, given Toronto has long been considered the self-appointed centre of all things puck.

Petty bickering aside, what has happened does help inform what will happen.

WHERE WE'RE GOING

By looking at how the playoff picture is shaping up — or more accurately, not shaping up with so many teams still in contention for a spot in the post season — there are a few assumptions we're comfortable making.

1. Someone will step up in the West

The eight teams currently in a playoff spot have made a combined six trades.  To put that in perspective, that's one less than the Detroit Red Wings have made on their own.  With 11 teams in the hunt for a playoff spot and home ice advantage up for grabs across both divisions, someone will step forward and prove they have what it takes to take a big swing.

2. Last minute sellers will appear in the East

As rumblings make their way across the league, it feels there could be some once-buyers flip in the final moments in order to recover some of the assets they traded early.  Without revealing too much, keep an eye on the Eastern Conference to see some unexpected GMs give up on the season and refocus their efforts on next year.

"I'd equate the [MRFHL] trade block to Facebook Marketplace," shared Islanders general manager Robert Jacklin.  "One day you wake up ... and suddenly the league's going bonkers and you've got trades coming left, right, centre, up, down, start, select!"  

With trade offers and opportunities expected to pour through the league over the coming week, you have to believe at least a few general managers will embody the commissioner's words, "the rest of the league are fools for giving you that many opportunities."