While many fantasy hockey general managers will have their eyes on the draft and free agency this week, this is also the time of the season when many of the year's biggest trades happen.

Last year, from the time the Stanley Cup was awarded to the start of free agency, Tyson Barrie, Nazem Kadri, Phil Kessel, Andre Burakovsky, J.T. Miller, P.K. Subban, Jacob Trouba and Neal Pionk were among the names traded. This was not a one-time thing. In previous years, we've seen Ryan O'Reilly, Elias Lindholm, Dougie Hamilton, Artemi Panarin, Anthony DeAngelo, Mikhail Sergachev, Shea Weber, Taylor Hall and Frederik Andersen dealt during the same two-week timeframe.

Of course, whenever there is a trade, the player's perceived fantasy value instantly skyrockets as fantasy GMs imagine the best-case scenario for the traded player. This could be a good time to sell high in keeper leagues.

It feels as if there could be more movement than usual this year because of the flat salary cap for next season.

Below are 10 players who are rumoured to be dealt this offseason (several probably in the next few days) and whose fantasy value will be greatly impacted.

10. Frederik Andersen

Ian did a great job of covering the goalies in the ramblings on the weekend here and here. In my view, one of the issues with all the potential goaltenders being available is there aren't a lot of teams that need number-1 netminders. It seems like the only teams that will need a top goalie will be the ones who could trade away their top goaltender. Toronto is a great example of this. If they deal Andersen, then they have to look somewhere for someone they hope can be better. Fantasy-wise, Andersen going almost anywhere else will be detrimental to him. After all, he's on a high-scoring team that helps him win a lot of games. Where else can he go that will help him rack up victories even on nights when he struggles?

9. Matt Duchene/Ryan Johansen

I'm lumping these two together as rumours have Nashville looking to unload a centre and these two are the top ones mentioned. It's going to be tough for Duchene to live up to that contract he signed last year (with an $8-million cap hit for another six years) simply because he has underproduced in any season that isn't a contract year. Despite his high offensive zone starts this season, Duchene struggled mightily with 42 points in 66 games (a 52-point pace). Johansen, who has missed only nine games over the past seven seasons, has seen his fantasy value plummet over the last number of years. He doesn't shoot the puck often enough, his hit count and power-play production dropped this season and his ice time was down 2:30 per game from a year ago. He also had 36 points in 68 games (a 43-point pace). He's also owed $8 million a season, but only for the next five seasons.

8. Nikolaj Ehlers

Don't mock me for this name being on this list, as Ehlers has shown up on several trade boards. As a fantasy GM, you know what you're going to get with Ehlers: A winger that will get you 20-plus goals, 60-plus points and 200-plus shots. Despite those numbers, we're still waiting for that season where he breaks out for 75-plus points. That lack of a breakout can be attributed to his lack of power-play time (firmly on the second unit) plus inconsistent line mates. This season, his four top linemates by minutes were Blake Wheeler, Jack Roslovic, Andrew Copp and Mark Scheifele.

7. Shayne Gostisbehere

Gostisbehere could be an attractive option for the right team that is looking for higher cap hits but a lower salary. Despite a cap hit of $4.5 million for each of the next three years, he's only being paid $3.25 million for each season. Ghost needs a team where he can get sheltered minutes, lots of offensive zone starts, time on the top power-play unit and fewer healthy scratches. If that happens, there's a chance he could get back to at 40 points.

6. Max Domi

If Domi is traded, his value automatically increases tremendously. After all, he won't be stuck on the fourth line trying to get offense from Jordan Weal. Instead, he should automatically be injected onto a team's top power-play unit (Montreal goes with two equal units, spreading the time between two PP lines). While he does have a 70-point season under his belt, he also has two 45-point seasons in the past three years.

5. Marc-Andre Fleury

Fleury's agent may feel like Vegas has stabbed Fleury in the back, but that's what happens when you struggle to make a save for most of the regular season. Now that Robin Lehner has signed an extension with the Golden Knights, it seems like Fleury has played his last game for Vegas. Keep in mind that since he arrived in Sin City, we witnessed his GAA go up while his save percentage go down each season.

4. Matt Murray

It will be tough for any team, NHL or fantasy, to get much value out of Murray mainly because he misses so many games due to injury. He's also never been a strong regular season performer, with a .913 SV % and a 2.71 GAA over the past four seasons. He's won plenty of games thanks to the team in front of him, but that probably won't continue on a worse squad.

3. Oliver Ekman-Larsson

I've been on record stating that OEL is overrated. It feels as if every season will be his big breakthrough, but instead, he's broken 45 points one time in 10 seasons, and has been on pace to reach 45 points only one other time. There's no way he should be the fifth-highest paid defenseman. While his value will rise if he is dealt, what are you expecting from him? The two biggest rumours have him going to Boston or Vancouver. If he goes to Boston, then he should have career highs. If it's Vancouver, he's stuck behind Quinn Hughes and may never reach 45 points again.

2. Matt Dumba

Because of his struggles this past season, Dumba is a perfect buy-low candidate for this season. Three years ago, he hit 50 points for the first time. Two seasons ago, he had 22 points in 32 games (a 56-point pace) before he went down with a ruptured pectoral muscle. This year he struggled, with just 24 points in 69 games (a 29-point pace). Besides the offense, Dumba could also reach 100 hits, 100 blocked shots and 150 shots if he stays healthy whenever the next season begins and wherever he may be.

1. Patrik Laine

I'd be shocked if Winnipeg dealt Laine. He's 22 years old, and already has three 30-goal seasons in four campaigns. The only season he didn't reach 30 goals was this one, when he was on pace for 33 before the season was suspended due to COVID. He's also been on pace for at least 70 points in three of his four years. Wherever he goes, he will be on the top line and on the top power-play unit.