The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn’t the most exciting deadline day in recent memory, there were quite a few notable moves. Here are the winners and losers of the dominant Metropolitan Division:
Winners
Carolina Hurricanes:
- Acquired 2017 second-round pick and Danny Kristo from Pittsburgh Penguins for Ron Hainsey
- Acquired 2017 third-round pick from the Ottawa Senators for Viktor Stalberg
Not all that much happening in Raleigh, but what GM Ron Francis did do, he did well. Both Hainsey and Stalberg brought back returns that were greater than their market value. It was also nice of Francis to send Hainsey to a team where his career-long playoff drought would definitely be snapped. Not sure why Jay McClement wasn’t moved, but there simply may not have been interest. The Hurricanes have a ton of salary cap space and have to dip into their depth on defense sooner or later, but this year’s deadline was definitely not the time for big moves. Expect Carolina to be a major player in the off-season trade market.
New Jersey Devils:
- Acquired Dalton Prout from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Kyle Quincey
- Acquired 2017 sixth-round pick from the Nashville Predators for P.A. Parenteau
The Devils didn’t really have any trade capital today other than Quincey and Parenteau, so good on GM Ray Shero for doing what he could with what he had. It’s strange that New Jersey was able to get a higher pick from the Predators for Vernon Fiddler earlier this season than they did for Parenteau, but injuries may have played into that. A full season of production and a draft pick in compensation isn’t that bad a return for an early-season waiver claim. The Quincey deal was the real star of the show though. The Devils went from taking a risk on an older, washed-up defenseman this off-season to trading him for a young, strong defensive defenseman who can be a starter for years with the team. Shero played the long con on the league this year, and it paid off.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
- Acquired Ron Hainsey from Carolina Hurricane for 2017 second-round pick and Danny Kristo
- Acquired Mark Streit from Tampa Bay Lightning for 2018 fourth-round pick
- Acquired Frank Corrado from Toronto Maple Leafs for Eric Fehr, Steve Oleksy, and a 2017 fourth-round pick
Sure, the Penguins didn’t get Kevin Shattenkirk or Martin Hanzal, both of whom they were targeting. They also didn’t add a single forward. Oh, and they never moved Marc-Andre Fleury. But are you really worried? Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup in 2016-17 with an almost identical group. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the fold, they simply make due up front. Matt Murray has been lights out and the team can deal with Fleury after the fact. The only real issue facing the Penguins was injuries on defense and they responded by acquiring three defensemen, two of which are bona fide starters and the other could be a long-term addition. GM Jim Rutherford didn’t plan on having a big deadline this season and he carried out that plan. Pittsburgh is ready for the postseason.
Washington Capitals:
- Acquired Kevin Shattenkirk and Pheonix Copley from the St. Louis Blues for a 2017 first-round pick, a conditional 2019 draft pick, Zach Sanford, and Brad Malone
This one is pretty self-explanatory. The best team in the NHL went out and got the best player available and did so without having to give up all that much. A first-rounder is always tough to surrender, but that is the going rate for top-of-the-line rentals. Sanford is a good prospect and will be a good player. However, he and whoever St. Louis selects at #31 will mean nothing if and when the Capitals take home the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Losers
Columbus Blue Jackets:
- Acquired Kyle Quincey from New Jersey Devils for Dalton Prout
- Acquired Lauri Korpikoski from Dallas Stars for Dillon Heatherington
The Blue Jackets weren’t expecting to be in the position they are right now, but the reality is that they are in this position and they should have made the most of it. While the Capitals add Kevin Shattenkirk and the Penguins load up on defensive depth, the Blue Jackets simply swap Prout for Quincey in what very well could be a lateral move. If Columbus had added Quincey without losing Prout, then they at least would have bolstered their depth, but the one-for-one trade was confusing. As for Korpikoski, he is a solid player having a comeback year in Dallas, but he’s not all that exciting from an offensive standpoint. Is he really worth a 2013 second-round pick in Heatherington? An odd deadline for sure for Columbus, who both simultaneously overpaid and didn’t do enough.
New York Islanders:
- No trades
A good tip when you’re in a tight playoff race but your team has major needs: do something. By standing pat as the Panthers and Maple Leafs (and Bruins and Senators and Canadiens) all got better, the Islanders have crippled their own playoff hunt. Currently tied with Florida for ninth in the Eastern Conference and just one point behind Toronto, the postseason is a real possibility for an Islanders team that struggled mightily earlier this season. Despite a miraculous comeback, New York still needs talented top-six forwards, depth on the blue line, and probably could have looked at a backup goalie. Instead, the team did nothing. If they though they didn’t have a chance this season, the Islanders should have at least accepted an offer on Jaroslav Halak or shopped Dennis Seidenberg. By virtue of everyone around them improving, either in the short-term or long-term, New York is one of the 2017 deadline’s biggest losers.
New York Rangers:
- Acquired Brendan Smith from Detroit Red Wings for 2017 third-round pick and 2018 second-round pick
- Acquired Daniel Catenacci from Buffalo Sabres for Mat Bodie
- Acquired Taylor Beck from Edmonton Oilers for Justin Fontaine
Much like the Blue Jackets, the Rangers really didn’t do enough to keep up with the Capitals and Penguins. The trade for Smith was likely an overreaction to Washington adding Kevin Shattenkirk; at least the high price they paid would indicate that they were desperate. Smith is a good player, but definitely not a game-changer. The Rangers have been hurt in the past by giving away too much at the deadline, but if the Eastern Conference standings hold, New York has an easier shot at the conference title through Montreal and Ottawa/Boston than their division rival do having to battle each other. With that in mind, the Rangers should have made more moves again this season with an eye on that elusive Stanley Cup. All that said, nice move by GM Jeff Gorton to quickly add Beck upon hearing the news of Jesper Fast’s injury status.
Philadelphia Flyers:
- Acquired Valtteri Filppula, a 2017 fourth-round pick, and a conditional 2017 seventh-round pick from Tampa Bay Lightning for Mark Streit
The Filppula trade is really not that bad. It makes a confusing Expansion Draft situation even more confusing, but Filppula may be the consistent, veteran presence – on and off the ice – that the Flyers need to get their talented forwards playing to their potential. Filppula may work out really well in Philadelphia in fact. It was still a bad day for the Flyers, though. Impending free agent defensemen Michael Del Zotto and Nick Schultz were not moved, and the team likely could have gotten more from the Lightning if they had simply traded Streit to the Penguins themselves. There was also little talk of the team moving Matt Read or Scott Laughton, one of which will likely instead be selected in the expansion draft for nothing. Steve Mason will also walk in free agency. However, the worst part of deadline day for the Flyers were those extensions. The team overpaid for both Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Michal Neuvirth on two-year deals. There had to be better ways to deal with impending expansion then two give those two more money than they deserve.
Still confused on how a 6th round pick and Dalton Prout is more of a win than Quincey and Korpikoski. The jackets didn’t need to make any big moves, they’re an extremely young team. As Jarmo was saying, their window is just beginning to open, why be a huge buyer now? Wouldn’t make any sense to buy big or sell big this year, especially with an expansion draft forthcoming. The additions they made with Quincey is better than Prout is as a 7th or 8th dman, and Korpikoski is going to be a better depth forward than the options in Cleveland (minus Bjorkstrand, who is staying up with the team, and Milano, who likely isn’t nhl ready yet.)
This is exactly what I was thinking. Whoever wrote this doesn’t know the team situation and surely doesn’t know who prout is.
doesn’t make any sense to give up a lot for another center either. Wennberg keeps progressing and give Du Bois two years, this team is totally set with bjorkstrand being full time, and werenski + jones on the back end. Two years and the jackets will be a serious threat
Fleury is entering his golden years and was the teams best player with Mike Johnson at the helm for the first two months of last year. Not to mention Murray has a weak glove hand, and teams are starting to figure that out. Trade Murray in the off-season. Everyone is talking about how great Murray is, and I’m not convinced. I think he’s another Cam Ward for Jim Rutherford.
Murray is still in his early 20’s. For a goalie of his age he is excellent, Fleury himself wasn’t very good until his mid 20’s, Murray is the present and future of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Uhh didn’t Murray lead them to the cup last year? I could argue he was the playoff MVP over Crosby had he not missed some games. The whole idea that teams are just now figuring him out is laughable. That’s what scouting is for… teams have tape on him back to juniors. Fleury has done nothing in a post season since 2009 and was a disaster in his one start against Tampa last year. Murray will be the goalie for a long time and don’t forget he has room to grow just like Fleury had to do. Tristan Jarry will he the back up next season.
Murray won a total of 11 games last year. The only reason they made it to the playoffs at all was because Fleury held the team together when they sucked the first two months of the year. Murray is another Cam Ward. They rode the hot hand in the playoffs last year, I’m sorry, but two years down the road everyone is going to look back and say getting rid of Fleury was a mistake. I will give Murray credit insofar as he seems as if nothing gets to him, but winning 11 games hardly counts. Fleury isn’t to blame in the majority of post-seasons since 2009, anyone who watched those playoffs knows that. Also, playing in juniors and playing in the NHL are two completely different scenarios, there are plenty of instances of those succeeding in juniors and failing in the NHL, because the NHL players are far more talented. The league will push back, and they are figuring out Murray.
Matt Murray is so much better than Marc that it’s comical for anyone to type what you did.
And Marc is really good.
I agree the Rangers should have done more. However, seeing how they have been overmatched against bigger teams, limited in what they can do with the difficult contracts on defense, getting Smith to help improve the back end, not including Buchnevich in a deal with St Louis for Shattenkirk which is the rumored asking price and not making any other knee-jerk moves just to try and do something, I would call the Rangers deadline a wash. In the past the Rangers have been torched for moves mortgaging the future. The one year they don’t overpay or make any crazy moves… they lose. Can’t win.
How could’ve the Flyers got more from Tampa by just trading Streit to Pittsburgh themselves? I really dont understand that.
Im also ok with us not trading Del Zotto or Schultz.yes,we have prospects we could’ve called up,but we’re also 4 pts out of a playoff spot.keeping them around for the rest of the season can only be helpful.let the prospects continue to develop in Lehigh,and not have to worry about any chemistry issues by shuffling half the defense 61 games in.