Now a little over two weeks removed from the NHL trade deadline, many of the players that changed hands have had enough time to play in a handful of games with their new clubs. While transitioning to a new system can be difficult for any player, several players have produced quite well with their new organizations.
In arguably the biggest trade of deadline season, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to part ways with Jake Guentzel, who had spent the last seven and a half years in Pennsylvania. Now with Pittsburgh’s division rival in the Carolina Hurricanes, Guentzel has come as advertised. Playing on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, Guentzel has scored two goals and 11 points in seven games for the Hurricanes, with three of those assists coming on the powerplay. Furthermore, that top line has proven incredibly difficult to score against for opposing clubs, as Guentzel has already produced a rating of +11 in that short span.
Moving on to one of the more surprising deals from deadline season, the Buffalo Sabres decided to part ways with top center Casey Mittelstadt in exchange for Bowen Byram of the Colorado Avalanche. Struggling to find any consistency in Colorado, Byram has taken on a whole new life in Buffalo. Averaging nearly 24 minutes a night with his new team, Byram has already scored three goals and six points in only eight games. Playing on the top unit with Rasmus Dahlin, this combination could prove to be one of the best in the league over the next several years.
Lastly, in what is looking to be one of the sneakiest pickups of deadline week, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Anthony Duclair and a seventh-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a third-round pick and prospect Jack Thompson. On the top line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, Duclair has put up four goals and eight points in six games, with two of those assists coming on the team’s second power-play unit. Even outside of his production, the Lightning are 5-0-1 since acquiring Duclair and have taken a commanding lead on the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Now it’s time for a vote, was the best deadline pickup one of these players, or is there another player that has been more valuable to their new team? Vote below!
The Jets and Colorado won the trade deadline.
Carolina with a rein reinvigorated Kuzy could be the winner
Lyubushkin 100%
Byram.
Not a rental. Adds to a stud young D corp.
I think Guentzel will prove to be the best pickup when all is said and done, as long as the Canes goaltending doesn’t falter.
Honorable mention to Jason Zucker to the Preds. He scores, he fights, he skates…..all for a low round draft pick. :)
Guentzel and Byram
I believe Carolina first and Buffalo a close second.
And yes, keep Jack Edwards away!
Hertl. Hands down. Adding his talent on a discounted contract forever for pennies on the dollar. He doesn’t need to play to be the best pickup. Wait and see.
Yes, this should be the best trade going forward, but it is hard to judge till he plays. Sometimes the chemistry is not there…… I think it will be great for Vegas, but there are those times that it doesn’t work out!
Byram trade is going to look so bad for Colorado. Dahlin , Power, Byram , Samuelsson . Now just keep jack edwards future hall of famer Clifton away from them. LMAO
Is the question which pickup has had the best 2 wks? I’m confused because it’s weird Mittelstadt isn’t an option. The consensus was Colorado won that trade, in which some of us advised to pump the brakes on that. But now bc of the start Byram has had all are saying Buffalo won the deal. Probably in a few yrs both teams will be happy with the deal.