The NHL trade deadline for 2023 is March 3rd. We’ve already seen two big deals done so far – Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers and Bo Horvath to the New York Islanders – but we’re pretty sure the volume will go up. in the coming weeks.
For this week’s Power Rankings release, we’ve identified the best trade each team has made in the last five deadlines.
How we evaluate: Sportzshala’s panel of hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rank teams against each other – taking into account game scores, injuries and upcoming schedules – and those scores are tabulated to create the list presented here.
Note. The previous rankings for each team refer to the latest edition published on 10 February. Point percentages refer to Thursday’s games.
1. Boston Bruins
Previous rating: 1
Point Percentage: 80.56%
Next seven days: against. NYI (February 18) vs. OTT (Feb 20), @ SEA (Feb 23)
Hempus Lindholm (2022). Last season, Boston sent Lindholm a hefty package of picks and leads to Anaheim before signing the 28-year-old to an eight-year, $52 million contract. He was worth every penny. Lindholm took the Bruins’ blue line to the next level this season by playing over 24 minutes a night, scoring and hitting hard. This is a real turning point.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
Previous rating: 2
Point Percentage: 74.07%
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Feb. 18), vs. STL (Feb. 21)
Patrick Marlo (2019). Karolina never expected Marlo to play for them; they simply played the role of intermediaries. Toronto needed to waive Marlo’s contract in 2019, and the Hurricanes took him on as a draft pick, including a 2020 first-round pick, which was winger Seth Jarvis. The 21-year-old has been an important addition to the Hurricanes (he scored 40 points as a freshman in 2021-22) and plans to play a key role in the team’s future.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
Previous rating: 4
Point Percentage: 67.27%
Next seven days: vs MTL (Feb 18), @CHI (Feb 19), @ BUF (Feb 21)
Rasmus Sandin (2018). Toronto selected Sandin in the 2018 draft after general manager Kyle Dubas traded the 25th overall pick for the 29th and 76th overall picks. Dubas chose Sandin at number 29, and he has become an integral part of Toronto’s current blue line (not to mention its future). And with that extra pick at number 76, Toronto got winger Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, a 22-year-old with huge potential.
4. New Jersey Devils
Previous rating: 3
Point Percentage: 69.44%
Next seven days: @ PIT (Feb 18), vs WPG (Feb 19), vs MTL (Feb 21), vs LA (Feb 23)
Vitek Vanechek (2022). New Jersey has been desperate to improve its goaltending this past offseason. Landing Vanechek from Washington in July for two draft picks gave the Devils what they needed, a reliable #1 starter. Now New Jersey looks like a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup. Pretty clean work by GM Tom Fitzgerald.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous rating: 6
Point Percentage: 67.59%
Next seven days: @VGK (Feb 18), vs. ANA (February 21) vs. BUF (February 23)
Ryan McDonagh (2018). Former Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman orchestrated a mega-deal with the New York Rangers in 2018 to bring the Bolts their retired guard at McDonagh (plus forward JT Miller) for two upcoming Stanley Cup runs. Tampa Bay turned down a lot of players, leads, and picks to make this happen, but without McDonagh’s presence on the blue line, the Lightning would have been much less likely to win championships (twice as many).
6. Dallas Stars
Previous rating: 5
Point Percentage: 64.55%
Next seven days: @ MIN (Feb 17), vs CBJ (Feb 18), vs CHI (Feb 22)
Scott Wedgwood (2022). Dallas increased their goaltending depth by adding Arizona’s Wedgwood in March in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick, which would be the third if the Stars made the playoffs this season. What they will. This is a solid addition to Jake Ettinger’s bottom line. Well done, general manager Jim Neill.
7. Winnipeg Jets
Previous rating: 7
Point Percentage: 62.73%
Next seven days: @NJ (February 19th), @NYR (February 20th), @NYI (February 22nd)
Neil Pionk (2019). In June 2019, Winnipeg had a dissatisfied Jacob Truba and offered him to the Rangers for a first-round pick (which went to quarterback Ville Heinola) and Pionka. At the time, trade seemed to favor New York, but Pionk has grown into a voracious, absolutely reliable blue liner, and Heinol (still only 21 years old) has a promising future too.
8. New York Rangers
Previous rating: 8
Point Percentage: 66.67%
Next seven days: @EDM (February 17th), @CGY (February 18th), vs WPG (February 20th), @DET (February 23rd)
Adam Fox (2019). Yes, the Rangers’ recent trade for Vladimir Tarasenko was so overwhelmingly successful that it nearly ended here. But let’s not overdo it. New York acquired Fox from Carolina in 2019 for a second-round pick and a conditional third-place finish. In turn, Fox became the Rangers’ best defenseman and only the second NHL blueliner after Bobby Orr to win the Norris Trophy before his third pro season.
9. Vegas Golden Knights
Previous rating: 10
Point Percentage: 63.64%
Next seven days: vs TB (18 Feb), @CHI (21 Feb), vs CGY (23 Feb)
Jack Achel (2021). The Golden Knights took the risk of acquiring Eichel in November 2021 when he wanted experimental surgery for a herniated disc in his neck. When Eichel recovered, he proved that Vegas was right by rolling the dice. The 26-year-old is an elite-level player who has nearly a point per game this season. And the best years of Eichel should be in sight for many years to come.
10. Los Angeles Kings
Previous rating: 14
Point Percentage: 60.91%
Next seven days: @ANA (Feb 17) vs @ ANA (Feb 17). YES (Feb 18), @MIN (Feb 21), @NJ (Feb 23)
Kevin Fiala (2022). Los Angeles stepped up its attack last June with the purchase of Fiala from Minnesota. He is the Kings’ leading scorer this season, represented them at the NHL All-Star Game, and continues to do what Los Angeles abandoned (Brock Faber and a first-round pick) looks extremely reasonable for a difference maker.
11. Seattle Kraken
Previous rating: 9
Point Percentage: 61.82%
Next seven days: against. DET (Feb 18), @ SJ (Feb 20) vs. PM (February 23)
Daniel Lip (2022). Of course, Seattle didn’t make many deals. But getting Sprong out of Washington last March in exchange for Marcus Johansson stands out. Sprong has established a solid position in the bottom six, is showing the best results of his career this season and has scored some big goals for the Kraken.
12. Edmonton Oilers
Previous rating: eleven
Point Percentage: 60.00%
Next seven days: vs NYR (Feb 17), @ COL (Feb 19), vs PHI (Feb 21), @ PIT (Feb 23)
Brett Air (2022). General manager Ken Holland was not a sensational move, pulling the Fist out of Montreal last March in exchange for William Lageson and two picks. It was smart. Kulak has signed a four-year extension to stay at Edmonton and is a consistent second pair guard with good offensive potential who can play well with anyone. This is good value.
13. Colorado Avalanche
Previous rating: 12
Point Percentage: 59.43%
Next seven days: @ STL (February 18) and EDM (February 19)
Devon Toews (2020). Colorado took advantage of the Islanders’ salary cap cut and acquired Toews in October 2020 for a pair of 2021 second-round picks. Highway robbery. Toews has evolved into a top defenseman, analyst favorite and, most importantly, the perfect partner for Cale Makar (and they have Stanley Cup rings to prove it).
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
Previous rating: 13
Point Percentage: 59.43%
Next seven days: @ NYI (Feb 17), vs NJ (Feb 18), vs NYI (Feb 20), vs EDM (Feb 23)
Rickard Raquell (2022). Pittsburgh pulled Raquel — then an unrestricted free agent — from Anaheim last season without giving up a first-round pick. It was perfect. Even better? By signing a six-year, $30 million extension with Rackell, he is paving his way to a top position. Talk about a massive early return.
15. Washington Capitals
Previous rating: 17
Point Percentage: 54.39%
Next seven days: @ CAR (Feb 18), vs DET (Feb 21) and vs ANA (Feb 23)
Michal Kempni (2018). In 2018, Washington selected Chicago in the third round for Kempney. The return of the Capitals was the best defenseman in their subsequent struggle for the cup championship. After that, injuries and age slowed Kempney down, and he has since retired from the NHL. But what he gave Washington at his best was more than enough.
16. Minnesota Wild
Previous rating: 15
Point Percentage: 56.48%
Next seven days: vs DAL (Feb 17), vs NSH (Feb 19), vs LA (Feb 21), @CBJ (Feb 23)
Marc-André Fleury (2022). Wild general manager Bill Guerin acquired Fleury — a three-time Stanley Cup winner and future Hall of Famer goaltender — from Chicago for a conditional second-round pick last season. Low risk; high reward. Fleury isn’t flawless, but he has stamina and puts in solid stats as Minnesota’s top goaltender.
17. Calgary Flames
Previous rating: 19
Point Percentage: 55.45%
Next seven days: against. New York (February 18) vs. PHI (Feb 20), @ARI (Feb 22), @VGK (Feb 23)
Jonathan Huberdeau/Mackenzie Vigar (2022). Calgary has yet to see the best Huberdeau players. This is undeniable. But the deal that Brad Treliving made last July to bring Huberdeau and Vigar (plus prospective Cole Schwindt) out of Florida? Gorgeous. The general manager found himself in a quandary when Matthew Tkachuk said he would not re-sign with the Flames. Treliving has made something out of nothing, and Huberdeau has plenty of time – now on an eight-year contract – to find his footing.
18. Nashville Predators
Previous rating: 23
Point Percentage: 53.85%
Next seven days: vs. FLA (Feb. 18), @MIN (Feb. 19), vs. VAN (Feb. 21), @ SJ (Feb. 23)
PK Subban (2019). You just need to make a few moves. In 2019, Nashville needed a cap spot to renew Roman Josi and sign Matt Duchenne. The Predators sent Subban (and his $9 million annual limit) to New Jersey to achieve this. Josie is arguably Nashville’s most important player, and Duchene has excelled (for the most part) in the top 6 hitters.
19. Buffalo Sabers
Previous rating: 18
Point Percentage: 54.72%
Next seven days: @SJ…
Source: www.espn.com
