Take a deep breath, everyone! The NHL’s busiest trade deadline in recent memory has come to an end, the balance of power has shifted firmly in favor of the Eastern Conference, and the league’s worst teams have stepped up their efforts to fuel Connor Bedard, Adam Fatilli, Leo Karlsson and the rest of the 2023 NHL players. Design class.
We don’t want to bore you with a description that reads like “Infinite Jest,” so here’s a brief overview of how each team’s approach to the deadline reflects their current state of affairs, both in the current and long-term sense.
Also, in case you missed it, here are all the trades that happened before the deadline.
Anaheim Ducks: Duck for shelter. Sorry, but the NHL’s worst defensive team has eaten even more away at Dmitry Kulikov and John Klingberg (he’s been awful defensively this year, but that’s not the point) after moving to Pittsburgh and Minnesota, respectively. Anaheim will be losing goals, but it’s all worth it if the lottery balls fall in their favor, and they now have 12 picks spanning the first three rounds of the 2023 and 2024 drafts.
Arizona Coyotes: With more 57 percent of their contracts are for unused space., it’s not just a team attack on Connor Bedard, it’s an outright embarrassment. People want to make fun of the Mullett Arena, but it’s a complete failure that the team couldn’t provide a rink with professional features. To make matters worse, the Coyotes received a protected top-five pick from the Senators in exchange for Jacob Chychran, meaning the Senators would still get a super prospect if the pick made the top five and was selected in the 2024 draft, meaning in the 2024 draft. preparing to become the weakest class ever. Iiiiiiiks.
Boston Bruins: Dimitri Orlov looks utterly unstoppable next to Brandon Carlo, while Tyler Bertuzzi and Garnet Hathaway add secondary scoring and grit to the group of deepest forwards in the league. The team that can break the points record in a single season is noticeably better. God help us all.
Buffalo Sabres: Pretty neutral term for the NHL’s most exciting team. Taking over is Jordan Greenaway, a 6-foot-6 forward who needs to rebuild his scoring game. Rasmus Asplund is eliminated, who plays a little worse than Greenway in a vacuum. Boredom doesn’t make headlines, but the Sabres have been wise to maintain the status quo as their young stars continue to evolve.
Calgary Flames: The first-ever brother-for-brother deal is a big deal, but we’re not sure how much better the Flames are financially than they were a month ago. Calgary still boasts one of the best shot-making records in the league amid a disappointing season. Do they expect to return to their 2022 uniform in the last 20 games of the season?
Carolina Hurricanes: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon promised his team would be aggressive at the deadline. The result was Jesse Pulujärvi and Shane Gostisbher, two great players, but it wasn’t the home run we expected from a top Stanley Cup contender. Dundon and his team will have the last laugh if Jordan Staal lifts the trophy in June.
Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago couldn’t even get a first-round pick in exchange for Patrick Kane, the best player in franchise history. While Chicago had no real bargaining power, it’s somewhat incomprehensible that it couldn’t really improve its future prospects. It’s going to be grim, and if Chicago doesn’t win the lottery, it could be downright hopeless.
Colorado Avalanche: Can the championship hangover last until March? Colorado went about his business quietly, perhaps with Gatorade in hand, taking faceoff specialist Lars Eller from Washington in exchange for a 2025 second round. Jack Johnson is also back, while Ryan Merkley is a low-risk player with high upside potential. Clean and efficient business, now someone please turn off the lights before the playoffs begin, Avalanche needs to get back to bed.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Jonathan Quick was reportedly resentful of being transferred to the Blue Jackets, so they did him a solid favor and transferred him to the Golden Knights. This deal was a pretty damning indictment of the Blue Jackets, who have nothing to play for but lottery odds.
Dallas Stars: Dallas could certainly capitalize on the extra goal and picked up Max Domi, who led Chicago with 18 goals and 49 points before the deadline. Will Domi’s defensive commitment become a problem in the Stars’ defense-oriented system? The second round pick is a relatively cheap acquisition cost, but we’re curious to see if Domi fits the style.
Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin signed an eight-year extension worth $69.8 million and burst into tears a few days later when Tyler Bertuzzi was transferred to the Bruins. Oskar Sundqvist, Jakub Vrana and Filip Chronek are also leaving Motor City. It’s going to be pretty lonely for Larkin, Mo Seider, Lucas Raymond and the rest of Detroit’s core.
Edmonton Oilers: We feared the Oilers would sit back and do nothing, but they traded a 2023 first-round pick for Matthias Ekholm. Ekholm is a solid defender who can be used in all situations, but this is not exactly Erik Karlsson. If Connor McDavid and company fail to reach the Cup final, general manager Ken Holland will face criticism for not maximizing the heyday of the world’s best player.
Florida Panthers: Florida didn’t do anything on time, so here’s a fitting musical interlude from NORE
Los Angeles Kings: We really like this deadline for the Kings. General manager Rob Blake has been criticized for trading Jonathan Quick, but it’s a cold case and he’s got the best goaltender in Joonas Korpisalo. Vladislav Gavrikov eats minutes and improves bottom pair while Los Angeles hasn’t given up on either their prospects or young players, staying flexible over the two time frames.
Montreal Canadiens: Remember when Denis Guryanov was eliminated during the 2020 playoffs? Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes apparently remembers, too. Otherwise, it was a quiet deadline for a bad Canadiens team that remained committed to the tank while not giving up on good players.
Minnesota Wild: It’s not exactly a bad timeline for the Wild, it’s just that John Klingberg, who was one of the worst defensive players in the NHL this season, is now joining a team that plays defensively. Klingberg is no longer the offensive threat he used to be, and the Wilds are probably betting that the Ducks were just a toxic environment. Oskar Sundqvist and Gustav Nyquist improved the team’s offense at minimal cost – that’s the smart work of general manager Bill Guerin.
Nashville Predators: Nashville traded Mattias Ekholm, Mikael Granlund and Tanner Jannot for a bunch of medics. It may have been two years too late, but the Predators realized that the dream was over.
New Jersey Devils: The most fun team in the NHL has chosen the best trade target available, and now Timo Meier is joining the fast and explosive New Jersey offensive corps. More impressively, the Devils have not had to trade any of their prospects, including Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, or any of their younger players, such as Dawson Mercer, who is on a binge. A big win, but keep up with your rival across the Hudson.
New York Rangers: Big names, bright lights, welcome to New Yooooooork. Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko are both part of a revamped Rangers, but aren’t they redundant? Both players are already past their peak and both are very gifted offensive talents who are completely sloppy on defense. However, both players have won Stanley Cups – three in Kane’s case. Will their experience in the playoffs outweigh their obvious defensive shortcomings?
New York Islanders: If you remember, the Islanders started the frenzy by trading Bo Horvath on January 30th. Since Horvath joined the Isles, Horvath’s scoring has dwindled a bit, and that remains a dubious move, especially if the Sabers, with four games to spare, are jumping over the Islanders for a spot in the draw. We are all for aggressiveness, but giving Croatia a conditional first-round pick in 2023 seems like a shaky decision.
Senators from Ottawa: By acquiring Jacob Chichran, as well as adding the top five defenses to the 2023 first-round pick sent to the Coyotes, the Senators have acquired another star player who fits into their schedule. Atlantic forces aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but Ottawa may have the best under-26 core in the NHL, and Bedard could still fall behind. They are one of the top deadline winners.
Philadelphia Flyers: In the most confusing turn of events of last day, the Flyers still didn’t send James van Riemsdyk to the Red Wings. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said they did not receive a firm offer for the veteran forward. At least they went out and punished trader Brendan Lemieux? Not the most successful month for a team that is weakening, no matter what their enthusiastic head coach may say.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Nostalgia is a strong feeling. Jeff Petri, Dmitry Kulikov and Nick Bonino, who won two cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, are returning to Pittsburgh in the hope that the team can fire up the wild and eliminate any of them. Boston or Carolina in the first round. Mikael Granlund’s incredible speed is also an asset and this team is noticeably better than two weeks ago, but Ron Hextall has shattered the team’s salary cap. The future doesn’t matter when your team is full of guys who remember the 1990s vividly.
San Jose Sharks: Sharks GM Mike Grier messed it up during his first trade deadline. Timo Meier was the best player widely available, and while Fabian Zetterlund played well for New Jersey, it was a ridiculously disappointing comeback for a 26-year-old star in his prime. Erik Karlsson doesn’t look flustered about playing on hopeless San Jose…
Source: sports.yahoo.com
