The NHL's Most Marketable Player

It's coming up to the time of year when NHL teams make decisions about what they need and where they might find it. After researching the rosters and crunching the numbers, our Useless Trade Rumor Desk has made its call:

The Number-One Trade Candidate in the NHL is... Sami Kapanen.

What makes the Philadelphia winger such a marketable commodity?

• He's Affordable. At $1.5 million, Kapanen won't cause salary cap headaches, especially if the Flyers take an NHL salary back in return.
• He's Proven. A regular NHL player since 1996, and a reasonable point producer. He doesn't score much, but he's not a bad candidate for a hot streak.
• He's Healthy. Kapanen has missed few games due to injury over his career.
• He's Versatile. In the last decade, Kapanen has played on scoring lines and checking lines, and done time on the power play and the penalty kill. In the 2004 playoffs, he took a regular shift on defense for an injury-depleted Flyers team.
• He's Reliable. His commitment and work ethic have rarely been questioned.
• He's a Rental. Kapanen is a free agent next summer, so no worries about wasting future cap space on him.
• Minimal Disruption to Your Team. Surely some combination of an NHL depth player/decent prospect/middling draft pick would be enough to get the deal done.

So why would the Flyers part with such a stalwart?

• They're Desperate. When rival GMs call, you know the Flyers are open for offers.
• He has Value. Kapanen is one of the few Philadelphia players who has looked decent on several nights this season.
• He's Not the Future. At 33 years old, he'll likely be out of the league before the Orange-and-Black contend again.
• It's No Blockbuster. Even if Philadelphia wanted to, trading the likes of Forsberg ($5.75 million) or Gagne ($5.25 million) is nearly impossible at this point.
• They Can Sell It. Dump Forsberg or Gagne for prospects and you're basically waving the white flag to your fans. Trade Kapanen and you're just trying to improve.

Let the bidding begin. Pack your bags, Sami!