After all the dust settles from the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline, hockey fans can finally start picking apart the trades that have occurred over the last several days. While a number of trades were made before the trade deadline rolled around, players such as Jaromir Jagr and Derek Roy found themselves switching uniforms with about a month left in the regular season. On the other hand, teams such as the New York Rangers tested the trade waters by adding Ryane Clowe to the roster in exchange for draft picks.
Whether or not these trades will work out for their respective teams is yet to be determined, but that doesn’t mean that the transactions can’t be evaluated based on what one team gave up in order to acquire a player for the playoff push. Giving up prospects and draft picks might land a team the necessary piece for a Stanley Cup run, but mortgaging the future could certainly come back to haunt a team down the line.
Here are the moves that have been made (from March 22nd onward) and their evaluations:
Anaheim Ducks
Status:Active
Number of Trades:Two since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation:The Ducks acquired Harry Zolnierczyk and Matthew Lombardi over the last three days and parted ways with prospect Brandon McMillan and Jay Rosehill in the process. Even though the Ducks did not make any blockbuster deals, Lombardi and Zolnierczyk will provide Anaheim with some depth for their playoff run. The Ducks didn’t make a blockbuster trade during the deadline, but the moves that the team has made over the last few days ultimately even themselves out as Anaheim swapped a tough guy and a prospect for some depth.
Boston Bruins
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Three since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: After losing out on the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes, Peter Chiarelli came away with a few pieces at this year’s deadline. On Tuesday, Chiarelli acquired the services of Jaromir Jagr for Cody Payne, Lane MacDermid, and a conditional second round pick. On Wednesday, Chiarelli followed up his previous day’s wheeling and dealing by acquiring Rob Flick and Wade Redden for Maxime Sauve and a conditional seventh round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Flick will most likely replace the presence vacated by Lane MacDermid in Rockford, but the Bruins should be seen as winners as the additions of Jaromir Jagr and Wade Redden essentially plugged the holes that the Bruins were looking to fill at this point in time.
Buffalo Sabres
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Three since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Buffalo Sabres certainly stacked up on their future over the last several days. The Sabres traded away Jordan Leopold, Robyn Regehr, and Jason Pominville for a boatload of draft picks and a couple of promising young players. Not only did Buffalo receive Matt Hackett and Johan Larsson (two budding players), they acquired a first and second round draft pick for the 2013 NHL Draft, two second round picks for the 2014 NHL Draft, and a second round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Sure, the Sabres did have a fire-sale of sorts, but they are undoubtedly preparing for the future by trying to stock up the pipeline, so I’d say that Buffalo came out a winner even though they lost quite a bit of players.
Calgary Flames
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Three since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Flames parted ways with Jarome Iginla, Jay Bouwmeester, and Blake Comeau but received some compensation for the future. Jay Feaster acquiesced to the demands of Iginla and might have received a lesser package from the Penguins than he probably could have garnered from the Bruins, but there is no reason to cry over spilled milk. Calgary received Mark Cundari, Reto Berra, Kenneth Agostino, Ben Hanowski, a definite, and a conditional first round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft as well as a fifth round pick in the same draft. Even though the Flames acquired a number of prospects, they could have potentially received more for their assets and are ultimately borderline losers during this year’s trading fiasco.
Carolina Hurricanes
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Two since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Hurricanes acquired Marc-Andre Bergeron and a conditional seventh round pick in this year’s draft and sent away Jussi Jokinen, Adam Hall, and a seventh round 2013 draft pick. It remains to be seen how Marc-Andre Bergeron can help the Hurricanes’ defensive corps, and aside from potentially exchanging seventh round draft picks Carolina didn’t make many game-changing moves. Jussi Jokinen might experience a revival of some sort in Pittsburgh, but overall, the Hurricanes more or less balanced themselves out with their deadline deals this year.
Chicago Blackhawks
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Three since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Chicago Blackhawks made a few moves over the last three days, but only one deal was of significance. The Blackhawks acquired the services of Michal Handzus from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and dealt Rob Flick and Philippe Paradis for Maxime Sauve and Kirill Gotovets. Chicago was arguably set for a playoff run before they made their acquisitions, and since the organization didn’t lose any assets at this year’s trade deadline the Blackhawks can neither be considered winners nor losers.
Colorado Avalanche
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Two since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Avalanche weren’t too active, but they made two minor deals. Colorado acquired Tomas Vincour and a fourth round pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft for Cameron Gaunce and Ryan O’Byrne respectively. The Avalanche didn’t improve or degrade their current on-ice product, and the impacts of the team’s dealings won’t be apparent for a little while, but Colorado cannot be labeled as a winner or loser of this year’s trade deadline.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Four since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation:The Blue Jackets caused quite a stir as they made a number of deadline deals. Columbus acquired Michael Leighton, Patrick Killeen, Blake Comeau, and a third round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, but their most prized deal netted them Marian Gaborik from the New York Rangers. The Blue Jackets gave up Steve Mason, Derek Dorsett, John Moore, Derick Brassard, future considerations, and two late round draft picks, but they certainly improved their on-ice product over the course of several hours. With the Jackets fighting for a playoff berth, adding Marian Gaborik gives the team a legitimate scoring threat for the stretch-run – something that ultimately makes Columbus one of the biggest winners of the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline.
Dallas Stars
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Four since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: Unlike the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Dallas Stars were arguably the biggest losers of this year’s trade deadline dealings. The Stars gave up players such as Jaromir Jagr, Brenden Morrow, Derek Roy, and Tomas Vincour, but the returns don’t seem to favor Dallas for the time being. Of course, the Stars’ trades could wind up panning out in the long run, but the team’s on-ice product was severely impacted by the trades that GM Joe Nieuwendyk made since March 24, 2013.
Detroit Red Wings
Status: Slightly Active
Number of Trades: One since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Red Wings only made one move as they sent over Kent Huskins to the Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, so it is tough to ascribe Detroit a winner or loser label. The Flyers certainly plugged a hole on defense by acquiring Huskins, but Detroit’s lack of activity makes it hard to give the team a concrete evaluation.
Edmonton Oilers
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Three since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Oilers were in the market for Mark Streit, but the team did not wind up getting the puck-moving defenseman that they were seeking. Instead, Edmonton received Jerred Smithson, Garrett Stafford, and Kale Kessy, and wound up moving Dane Byers, Tobias Rieder, and a fourth round draft pick in this year’s NHL Draft. The Oilers certainly added some depth to their organization, but didn’t make a move that could immediately impact the make-up of their current team, so they are neither winners nor losers of this year’s dealings.
Florida Panthers
Status: Slightly Active
Number of Trades: One since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: Much like the Detroit Red Wings, the Panthers only made one move and cannot be given a winner/loser label. The Panthers made a move for the future by acquiring a draft pick for Jerred Smithson, but they didn’t exactly shake things up and can’t be given a definitive title.
Los Angeles Kings
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Two since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Kings addressed a defensive concern by acquiring Robyn Regehr, but they gave up two second round draft picks for the 2014 and 2015 NHL Drafts. In addition, the Kings made a minor move with the Montreal Canadiens and acquired a fifth round pick at this year’s draft, but in the end, Los Angeles was neither a winner or a loser as they gave up the necessary assets to address their perceived problems.
Minnesota Wild
Status: Active
Number of Trades: Two since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Minnesota Wild came out of this year’s trade deadline as a winner as they acquired Jason Pominville and Jeff Deslauriers. The Wild did give up a fair amount of prospects and draft picks to get Jason Pominville and a 2014 fourth round draft pick, but the organization bolstered their offense for a playoff push and then restocked its depth at the goalie position by acquiring Jeff Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. The Wild made some key off-season moves by signing Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to lengthy contracts, and the move to get Pominville further reinforces the organization’s drive to make it back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Montreal Canadiens
Status: Slightly Active
Number of Trades: One since March 22, 2013.
Evaluation: The Montreal Canadiens had their significant trade occur in late February when the team acquired Michael Ryder and a third round 2013 draft pick for Erik Cole. While the Canadiens’ early trade seems to be paying dividends thus far, Montreal was not really active in late March or early April so it would be unwise to label the team a winner or loser at this year’s trade deadline.
** Stay tuned for Part II of the NHL Trade Deadline Winners and Losers