In the NHL, trades are a common occurrence. From player swaps to moves that open up salary cap flexibility to blockbuster deals, teams are always looking to improve regardless of the type of trade. They often benefit one side the most and leave another roster in shambles, but there are some instances when a trade helps out both teams involved.
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Usually, it takes time to evaluate a trade. A few years are needed for the dust to settle and then a winner can be declared. However, a few trades are already shaping up to be great deals for the teams involved. Most notably, a few of them have happened within the past two seasons.
5. Islanders Acquire Horvat From Canucks
The big splash that sent shockwaves during the 2023 All-Star Break. The New York Islanders acquired Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a first-round selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Horvat struggled offensively with the Islanders, scoring only seven goals and nine assists in 30 games compared to the 31 goals and 23 assists he had in the first half of the season with the Canucks. That said, the Islanders don’t make the playoffs without him. He centered the top line and while he didn’t put the offense over the top, his contributions helped the team constantly find the back of the net. Moreover, his play on the defensive end of the ice made him one of the more valuable players on the ice and helped the team secure a wild card spot. The deal doesn’t just help them in the short term since Horvat signed an eight-year extension shortly after the trade, making him a vital part of the roster for years to come.
The Canucks got a strong return particularly with Beauvillier turning into a reliable skater on the wing, scoring nine goals and 11 assists in only 33 games. While Raty is still developing, the expectation is that he’ll become a middle-six center in the near future. To top off the good deal, the Canucks flipped the first-round pick to acquire defenseman Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings. He helped upgrade the defensive unit, especially on the right side where the team had a noticeable void throughout the 2022-23 season. The three pieces they received for Horvat look to play a big role in the team’s rebound to contention.
What makes the deal better for the Canucks is the context and the timing of the trade. A lot of stars were moved at the trade deadline for underwhelming returns. Jakob Chrchrun was traded for only one first-round and two second-round picks. Timo Meier was moved for a first-round, second-round, and seventh-round pick along with four skaters but only two NHL-ready players in Andreas Johnsson and Fabian Zetterlund. Patrick Kane was dealt for only a second-round and a fifth-round pick. The Canucks moving Horvat at the All-Star Break allowed them to receive a strong haul compared to the teams that waited and ended up receiving pennies on the dollar for their star players.
4. Dach, Romanov & 13th Pick in a Three-Team Trade
On the first night of the 2022 Draft, a blockbuster deal shook things up and sent Montreal, the host city, into a roar. The Islanders moved the 13th overall pick to acquire defenseman Alexander Romanov, the Montreal Canadiens used the pick to acquire Kirby Dach, and the Chicago Blackhawks used that pick to select Frank Nazar.
The Islanders rounded out their defense with the Romanov addition. He was a hard-hitter on the left side who could block shots and create turnovers. Last season, his 4.3 defensive point shares, 129 blocked shots, and 198 hits helped turn the Islanders’ defense into one of the best in the league, as they allowed only 2.65 goals per game.
The Canadiens finally found the young center that they were searching for with the Dach addition. The third-overall pick in the 2019 Draft needed a change of scenery as he was often considered a bust for not becoming the elite player the Blackhawks hoped he’d become. When he was traded, he thrived with the Canadiens. He scored 14 goals and 24 assists last season and established himself as a part of the young core.
The Blackhawks were rebuilding from the ground up and needed to reload with as many draft assets as possible. They traded Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators for the seventh overall pick and the Dach trade gave them another pick in the first round. They used the 13th overall pick to select Nazar who looks to become a top-six center in the near future. He’s still developing but he looks to be a key part of the NHL roster in a few years.
3. The Haula-Zacha Swap
In the 2022 offseason, the New Jersey Devils sent Pavel Zacha to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Erik Haula and both players played integral roles in their team’s successful 2022-23 seasons.
For the Bruins, the deal gave them a young forward who became a key part of their offense. Zacha scored 21 goals and 36 assists while playing alongside multiple skaters throughout the season. His production helped the Bruins’ offense average 3.67 goals per game as they finished 2022-23 with the best regular season in league history.
Haula helped change the Devils’ identity to make them a Cup contender. They already had a young and talented core in place, but they needed veteran presence and defensive forwards to round out their roster. Haula was that and then some. He scored 14 goals and 27 assists while providing a hard-hitting, defensive presence to the forward unit. His 1.8 defensive point shares were among the best on the Devils despite the veteran playing a limited role every game, averaging only 16:38 of ice time. The team took a big leap last season, finishing second place in the Metropolitan Division and he was a major reason why.
2. Kevin Fiala is Traded to the Kings
Heading into the 2022 offseason, there was no way that the Minnesota Wild were keeping Kevin Fiala on their roster with their salary cap situation. He was a pending restricted free agent (RFA) and he was looking for a long-term deal. The Wild moved him to the Los Angeles Kings for top prospect Brock Faber and a pick in the first round.
The Kings immediately extended Fiala to a seven-year deal worth $7.8 million per year and he became a primary part of their offense. He scored 23 goals and a team-high 49 assists with his playmaking ability on the wing opening up the offense throughout the season. The Kings averaged 3.34 goals per game and had one of the best offenses by season’s end, something that wouldn’t have been possible without Fiala. The team has become a Cup contender in large part because of their offense and the elite playmaker they possess on the wing.
The Wild reaped the reward of landing a top defensive prospect and Minnesota native in Faber. He didn’t play a lot during the regular season but he stepped up in the playoffs and in six games he showed that he is ready to compete at the NHL level. At 20 years old, he’s poised to be a key part of the defense for years to come and allow it to be one of the best in the league. Along with Faber, the Wild also used their first-round pick in the 2022 Draft to select Liam Ohgren who is a promising forward that hopes to make his way to the NHL in a few years. Considering they weren’t going to re-sign Fiala, they not only got a good return but players that can upgrade the roster in the long run.
1. Golden Knights Acquire Eichel From The Sabres
Ask any hockey fan about a win-win trade and they will likely say that the Jack Eichel trade is as close as two teams can get to a deal where both sides are happy and better off. This trade helped one team win the Stanley Cup and set another up for long-term success.
The Buffalo Sabres are often viewed as the losers of the deal as they dealt an elite talent who was the second overall pick in the 2015 Draft. They moved on from the face of their franchise but when Eichel was traded, the relationship between the player and the organization was damaged beyond repair. The Sabres needed to move on from Eichel and he needed to move on from them. There wasn’t strong interest in the star player, but they managed to receive a remarkable return from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Alex Tuch has been an integral part of the top six since joining the Sabres. He has scored 48 goals and 69 assists in 125 games and is a core part of a young and talented roster. Peyton Krebs is a depth addition who might not overwhelm opponents but he rounds out the forward unit as a key part of the bottom six. To top off the strong haul, the Sabres acquired the 15th selection in the 2022 Draft and used it to select Noah Ostlund who looks to become another young skater in the offense in a few years. The three pieces they received from the Golden Knights join a group that already has elite young skaters including Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, and Rasmus Dahlin and the hope is that they can lead the team back to contention.
The Golden Knights meanwhile found the star they needed to help them win the Cup. Eichel became a top-line center that could beat teams in a variety of ways. He could gash defenses with speed on the rush, possession, and puck control in the offensive zone, quick passes, and an accurate shot. Along with his 41 goals and 50 assists, he stepped up defensively, controlling the center of the ice and creating turnovers to turn defense into instant offense.
In the playoffs, he played at another level. He scored six goals and a team-leading 20 assists to help the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup. They don’t win the Cup without him and the pieces they sent to the Sabres make the deal worthwhile because of that.
Other Notable Win-Win Trades
The Hampus Lindholm trade has become a win-win deal. The Bruins found an elite two-way defenseman and locked him up for eight seasons. Lindholm was the Bruins’ best defenseman in 2022-23 and helped the unit allow only 2.12 goals per game as part of the historic season. The Anaheim Ducks meanwhile landed two young defensemen, John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen, and three second-round picks, helping kickstart their rebuild.
The Matthew Tkachuk trade is viewed as a great trade for the Florida Panthers as they received a star-caliber player who not only changed the identity of the team but helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final. However, it also gave the Calgary Flames two players they can build around as they acquired forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar.
It’s rare to see a deal that makes both sides happy and leaves them better off. That said, a few trades in recent years have upgraded the two rosters involved and helped them become more competitive in the long run.
