We all have some opinions on the players that come up in daily trade rumours as the NHL trade deadline approaches. This player is a sniper, that ones over-the-hill; this one can still dominate the game, that one is riding the coattails of superior linemates. Then, the deals will start coming and well have to see how those players fit in their new locations. Before the trade flurry beings, though, what do some of the advanced stats say about the players considered in play leading up to the NHL trade deadline? For some, there will be no surprises -- they are who we thought they were! -- but, for others, maybe there are some reasons to have second thoughts. After some digging on www.behindthenet.ca, www.extraskater.com and stats.hockeyanalysis.com, heres a fancy stats look at some of the more notable trade candidates: Thomas Vanek, LW, N.Y. Islanders - There arent any grand surprises in Vaneks profile. Hes a top-line scoring winger, so he tends to face high quality competition (ie. other teams best defencemen), but those matchups have tended to get the better of Vanek in terms of possession stats, leaving him with a negative relative Corsi even though the ice should be tilted in his favour due to starting 59.7% of his shifts in the offensive zone. Of course, the line of Vanek, John Tavares and Kyle Okposo is skilled enough that they can be sub-50% in possession terms and still score more goals and, in Vaneks case, hes on for 40 goals for and 26 against during 5-on-5 play this season. Ryan Callahan, RW, N.Y. Rangers - While the Rangers captain has seen his ice-time reduced under new head coach Alain Vigneault, he still has okay possession stats while facing quality opposition. What is somewhat surprising about Callahan is that hes starting a disproportionate percentage (61.3%) of his shifts in the offensive zone. Considering his reduced power play role, those offensive zone starts are likely due to his spot on Brad Richards wing. Andrew MacDonald, D, N.Y. Islanders - For years, MacDonald has been a favourite on the underrated, or at least underpaid, lists because hes playing big minutes while making $550,000 per season. Now that hes approaching unrestricted free agency, and his stats come under more scrutiny, its clear that MacDonald is getting destroyed in puck possession terms and when one compares his with-or-without-you stats, its plain to see that MacDonald is being asked to do too much for the Islanders. The hope for an acquiring team would be that MacDonald could fit maybe as a No. 4 or No. 5 on a contender and, of course, his contract would be easy to accomodate for teams that are close to the cap. Steve Ott, C, Buffalo - Playing for the Sabres has forced Ott to play more than he should, because Buffalo doesnt have enough quality options, so he gets chewed up in terms of puck possession, but its not out of the realm of possibility that, in a third-line role on a contender, Ott would have a better chance to succeed. Marian Gaborik, RW, Columbus - Theres not much of a sample to work with, considering Gaborik has been injured for much of the season, but in the 18 games that he has played, Gaborik hasnt been particularly effective though he has started an abnormal percentage (47.9%) of his shifts in the defensive zone after three straight seasons with more than 60% offensive zone starts. To be fair, any team that is trying to acquire Gaborik (or any player, really) is going to be looking at more than what hes done this season, so subpar possesion numbers this year cant be considered the whole picture of his contribution. Like Vanek, for instance, Gaborik tends to have a higher on-ice shooting percentage than most, so his goal results tend to be better than the shot data indicates. Sam Gagner, C, Edmonton - This has been a season to forget for Gagner, starting with the broken jaw he suffered in the preseason, thanks to Zack Kassian. Gagner has generally been getting thumped when it comes to puck possession and, while he has plenty of work to do in his own right in the defensive zone, Gagner has been relatively unlucky, compared to previous years, in terms of on-ice save percentage (.891). If a team thinks that they can get quality production out of Gagner for the years ahead, his production this year ought to at least lower the asking price. Matt Moulson, LW, Buffalo - In what was completely expected when his first trade occurred early in the season, Moulson is heading towards his second deal of the year. Its tough sledding in Buffalo so Moulston has been getting beaten up in raw possession stats, yet still positive in relative terms, though being better than the average Sabres skater this season is a decidedly low bar. On a better team, with better linemates and more offensive zone starts, there is still a decent opportunity for Moulson to be a finisher on a contenders scoring line. Mike Cammalleri, LW, Calgary - Injuries have been a standard part of Cammalleris resume, so thats part of the package, but when he has played this year, he has played tough minutes and been relatively effective. Hes undermined by a horrible on-ice save percentage (.867), but the underlying possession stats are pretty favourable for Cammalleri. In a better environment, with better linemates, he should be a productive addition. Ryan Miller, G, Buffalo - While goaltending has its share of mysteries, given our current measurement, its pretty easy to see that Miller has been enjoying a strong season, with a .923 save percentage that is the second-best of his career but, looking over a longer time period, there are some trends to note. Over the past five seasons, his 5-on-5 save percentage is .927, which is good, ranking 11th among goaltenders with at least 2000 5-on-5 minutes played in that span. Where Miller has distinguished himself, somewhat, is in terms of shorthanded play, posting an .897 save percentage in 4-on-5 situations, which is second-best among goalies with at least 500 4-on-5 minutes played. No matter where Miller goes, it will be a better situation in terms of his opportunity to win and, really, his opportunity to be rewarded for strong individual play. David Legwand, C, Nashville - It comes as no secret, after nearly 1000 games, that Legwand plays against tough opponents and, generally, holds his own in the possession game. Like others in Nashville, hes been a victim of a relatively low on-ice save percentage, but that doesnt diminish the fact that Legwand can easily slide into a second or third-line centre role for many teams. Jaromir Jagr, RW, New Jersey - Sure, the ice is tilted in an offensive direction for Jagr, who naturally starts more of his shifts in the offensive zone, but he remains a dominant puck possession player, as he has been forever. He says he wants to stay in New Jersey, but Jagr has been an NHL nomad, playing in Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston and New Jersey since returning from his stint in the KHL. Marek Zidlicky, D, New Jersey - While his name isnt being liberally thrown out like some others, Zidlicky is an aging pending unrestricted free agent who can man the point on the power play. Trouble is, he hasnt been very effective as a possession player even while starting 58.2% of his shifts in the offensive zone. Hes pretty much a specialist, who has 12 of his 29 points on the power play. Tom Gilbert, D, Florida - After he was bought out of his contract by the Minnesota Wild, Gilbert was an inexpensive pick-up for the Panthers, signing a one-year, $900,000 deal. Turns out to have been a bargain as Gilbert is having a very strong season playing alongside Brian Campbell. Naturally, some of his success is due to playing with Campbell, but Gilbert has handled tough minutes and, thoughout his career, has consistently been a solid performer though, admittedly, on mostly bad teams. On a thin defence market, he could help, though the Panthers might want to see about keeping him around a bit longer. Ales Hemsky, RW, Edmonton - Hemskys offensive production is a far cry from his point-per-game days, yet hes delivering solid possession numbers while facing high-quality opposition and starting 43.2% of his shifts in the offensive zone. On a good team, in an offensive role, its easy enough to see that performance translating into Hemsky making a more significant scoring contribution. Nick Schultz, D, Edmonton - The totality of Nick Schultzs NHL existence has involved him playing tough defensive matchups, with lots of defensive zone starts. At his best, he played that shutdown role. Where Schultz is now, however, is getting crushed in terms of puck possession and while he still starts more in the D-zone (he plays for the Oilers, remember), its not nearly enough to justify the shooting tilt when hes on the ice. Some team will hope that Schultz will fit in a defensive role with more structure than surrounds him in Edmonton, but there is definitely risk involved in that projection when the trend has been going downhill for some time. Brad Boyes, RW, Florida - Another of the Panthers bargain free agents from the offseason, Boyes has still managed to put up decent possession numbers. Not outstanding, but good enough to think that he could offer a bit of an offensive boost for a team seeking a top-nine forward. Ray Whitney, LW, Dallas - Though hes 41-years-old, Whitney is coming off a 2013 season in which he tallied 29 points in 32 games, so he was expected to fill an offensive role for the Stars this year. It hasnt really happened for him as hes played a reduced role and is among the glut of indistinguishable supporting forwards in Dallas. Whitneys puck possession numbers have dipped dramatically from the past couple seasons, but hes also been a little unlucky at the offensive end (with a 7.34% on-ice shooting percentage). A team that chooses to acquire Whitney, would do so on the basis that he could add some juice to the power play, a pretty standard expectation for a player who has 409 career points with the man advantage. Tuomo Ruutu, LW, Carolina - After an injury-marred 2013 season, Ruutu has stayed relatively healthy this year, but has some bad numbers to show for it. He has mediocre possession stats, despite starting 63.6% of his shifts in the offensive zone (the first question: why?!?!), but Ruutu has also been seriously unlucky in terms of percentages at both ends of the rink. Its one thing to pick up Ruutu, expecting the percentages to fall in line with career norms, but his performance to this point likely makes for a very low asking price in trade talks. Chris Stewart, RW, St. Louis - The Blues leading scorer last season, Stewart is averaging under 15 minutes per game for the first time since his rookie season and that decreased ice time is justified. Hes getting destroyed in terms of puck possession while not facing tough competition and starting 60.1% of his shifts in offensive zone, failing despite many situational advantages in his favour. Stewart is a big-bodied forward who can score, which might attract some interest, but his underlying numbers -- if anyones looking at them -- dont help the sales pitch. Lee Stempniak, RW, Calgary - A generally unheralded veteran winger, Stempniak has to take on tough minutes for the Flames, facing quality competition and starting more shifts in the defensive zone. Even so, Stempniaks relative possession numbers are strong, which is a reflection of his teams struggles, but hes also been relatively unlucky offensively, with a 6.33 on-ice shooting percentage, the lowest rate of his career. These are the kind of numbers that might suggest Stempniak is due for some bounces if he fits into a top-nine role with a contending team. Ryan Kesler, C, Vancouver - A late addition to the list of players under consideration for trade, Kesler (who may have a broken hand/finger at the moment) has been healthy this year. He still faces the toughest opposition and still wins possession battles, but not nearly like he did during his peak years from 2009 through 2012. In any case, teams that are looking for a two-way centre that can handle tough matchups defensively and score will naturally be drawn to Kesler and will likely have to pay a hefty price to pry him out of Vancouver. Martin St. Louis, RW, Tampa Bay - There was apparently some behind-the-scenes drama when St. Louis was left off the initial roster for the Canadian Olympic team. If the Lightning are inclined to acquiesce to that wish, teams will be looking at a forward who has never been great in terms of possession. Hes been okay, factoring in more offensive zone starts, but St. Louis has consistently had a high on-ice shooting percentage and has maintained it this year, even with Steven Stamkos out since November 11. The gist of it is that St. Louis will still be productive offensively, so long as hes left in that role, though its fair to wonder whether his best interests will be served by playing with someone other than Stamkos (who is targeting a March 6 return to the lineup). Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Shoes China . - A pitch clock will be used this season during minor league games at Triple-A and Double-A, but it has been ruled out for the major leagues this year. Cyber Monday Shoes .I get texts: Do you know Drake? Have you met Drake? He sits there every night, he hears me cuss out the referees every night, Casey said, laughing. https://www.fakeshoeswholesale.com/ .Impact president Joey Saputo confirmed Thursday that he is part of a group of investors whose offer to buy the 105-year-old Italian club was accepted by the teams board of directors. Wholesale Shoes . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Discount Shoes . "Its way better than running gassers, thats for sure," the inside linebacker said Monday, when the Chargers started their third and final week of organized team activities, which are practices in shorts, jerseys and helmets. OAKLAND, Calif. -- In one corner of the Golden State Warriors locker room, Stephen Curry iced a welt on the left side of his forehead. On the other, Jermaine ONeal limped out of the training room with bandages around his waist and wrist. The Warriors emerged from 53 minutes of basketball battered and bruised by the NBAs hottest team but delivered their own kind of knockout blows. Curry converted a tying layup with 3.2 seconds left in regulation and finished with 25 points, ONeal made a big-time block in overtime and the Warriors outlasted the Rockets 102-99 Thursday night to halt Houstons eight-game winning streak. "Thats one of our biggest wins of the year," said ONeal, who grabbed 10 rebounds and defended Dwight Howard as well as anybody has this season. Just after James Harden hit a go-ahead jumper, Curry came back with a left-handed layup over Howard to send the game to the extra session. The Warriors got a big boost in overtime when ONeal, who had surgery on his right wrist earlier this season and was filling in for injured centre Andrew Bogut, blocked Chandler Parsons baseline dunk attempt at the rim. Curry followed with two free throws to give Golden State a 98-95 lead with 15.9 seconds left. The teams traded free throws as the Rockets ran out of time. "There were so many big plays that we made both offensively and defensively," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "We were patient, we executed and it was just a big-time win for us." Harden scored 34 of his 39 points in the second half to rally the Rockets, but said he hyperextended his right elbow in a collision during the closing minutes. Harden had an X-ray but the results had not come back. Hes scheduled to have an MRI in Phoenix, where Houston plays its next game Sunday. "When it first happened, I thought it was over. I thought I broke it or whatever," said Harden, who stayed in the game. "Its still painful. Its throbbing but hopefully its nothing too serious." The Warriors outshot Houston 39.8 per cent to 36.6 per cent and made just enough plays late. David Lee had 28 points and 14 rebounds, and Klay Thompson and Jordan Crawford scored 12 points each in Golden States all-round defensive effort. Howard grabbed 21 rebounds, but scored just 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting, and Parsons added 21 points and eight rebounds as Houston lost for the first time since Jan. 25 at Memphis. It was the Rockets longest winning streak since a franchise-record, 22-game run in 2007-08 season.dddddddddddd "It just wasnt a crisp game for us," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. Playing on consecutive nights made for two tired teams until both picked up the intensity late in the fourth quarter. Harden stripped Lee as he turned to shoot out of the post, then hit a go-ahead shot from 23 feet over Thompson that put Houston ahead 89-87 with 6.9 seconds to play in regulation. After the Warriors called timeout to advance the ball to half court, Curry received a pass from Andre Iguodala while running off a screen and drove to his left and to the hoop. With Howard approaching, Curry floated a left-handed layup over the Rockets centre for the tying score before Harden missed a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer. Curry said the play was designed for him to shoot a 3-pointer but defenders overplayed him. "At that point, it was just about getting into the lane as quick as possible and try to get it on the rim," said Curry, who was inadvertently bruised by Howards leg as the two dove for a loose ball earlier. "Dwight was there to protect and thankfully I was able to get a little bit of touch on it and it went in." The Warriors took control for good when Parsons sprinted down the baseline, received a pass from Harden and went up for a one-handed dunk only to be emphatically denied by the veteran ONeal, bringing the announced sellout crowd of 19,596 roaring to their feet. "He made a great play going baseline, and when youre big, you kind of look at it like being a free safety," ONeal said. "I wanted to make sure I got to the rim in time to save the dunk." "It was just perfect timing on his part," Parsons said. The Rockets were forced to foul Curry with time running out. He made both free throws, then the Warriors intentionally fouled Harden so he couldnt attempt a tying 3-pointer. Harden and Curry swapped free throws before the Warriors stole the ball to finish off a thrilling game between teams that could see each other in the Western Conference playoffs. NOTES: Steve Blake, acquired by the Warriors in a trade with the Lakers on Wednesday, finished with three points, two rebounds and one assist in 19 minutes. ... Houston won the season series 2-1 over the Warriors. ... McHale was whistled for a technical foul for arguing a charging call against Jeremy Lin at the end of the first quarter. The foul on Lin was waved off after officials ruled time had expired following a video review. The technical stood. ' ' 's to 10 years in Germany. Ecclestone said earlier this month he is expecting the case to be thrown out before the trial starts. Ecclestone has stepped down as a member of F1s holding company board of directors pending the outcome of the trial but continues running the sport. ' ' '