NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun reminds everyone that the NHL holiday roster freeze takes into effect tonight and runs through the 28th of December this year. This rule has been implemented in the league the last several season. It has been fairly quiet on the trade front this year in the league anyways, but the roster freeze really benefits the players. It gives players a break and allows them to spend time with families and friends throughout the Christmas holiday. This roster freeze includes no trades and no players on waivers. This gives the players a little peace of mind for the holidays.
In some cases, in the past, players were traded around the holiday time, and it made it tough on them and their families. So, an agreement with the players association came that no trades would be made around the Christmas holiday. Once the roster freeze has been lifted, general managers can go back to addressing the needs for their teams. This year's trade deadline is March third. So, look for trade talk and rumors to increase in January and February.
