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| © Brad Rempel, USA TODAY Sports |
The NHL trade deadline was at 3 p.m. ET. After last season's 24 deals, involving 43 players, this year's was a big disappointment, even though Saturday was an active one. The Minnesota Wild were the only team who didn't make a trade over the past few days.
Need a reminder of who was dealt? We've got you covered.
Deal: The Anaheim Ducks acquired winger Jamie McGinn from the Buffalo Sabres for a conditional third-round pick.
Analysis: McGinn is a solid middle-six player. He has produced at a higher rate (1.4 points per 60 minutes) than Mikkel Boedker (1.0 points/60). The Ducks, who also got Brandon Pirri earlier in the day, have bolstered their depth. They made themselves tougher to play against in the playoffs.
Why the Sabres made the deal: McGinn will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sabres got something for a player they weren’t going to keep.
The New Jersey Devils traded forward Stefan Matteau to the Montreal Canadiens for Devante Smith-Pelly
Analysis: Neither player has progressed the way their organizations had hoped. Smith-Pelly has fallen out of favor with coach Michel Therrien. Matteau has the potential to develop into an edgy role player.
Why the Devils made the trade: Smith-Pelly is a big-bodied forward with 55 points in 195 games.
Deal: The Boston Bruins acquired winger Lee Stempniak from the New Jersey Devils for a 2017 second- and 2016 fourth-round pick.
Analysis: Stempniak (16 goals, 41 points) is on pace to record 21 goals and 53 points, which would be a career high. He is an underrated contributor who will can fit in across the lineup. He can play on a scoring line, or on a checking line. He is a dependable player.
Why the Devils made the deal: They signed Stempniak as a free agent, and they turned him into help for the future. The only concern is that the Devils still have an opportunity to make the playoffs and Stempniak has played well.
Deal: The Boston Bruins acquired defenseman John-Michael Liles from the Carolina Hurricanes for prospect winger Anthony Camara, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick.
Analysis: In a tight playoff race with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings, the Bruins needed to add a veteran defenseman. Liles has played 783 NHL games. He can handle the puck. He has been around the block more than once.
Why the Hurricanes made the deal: Liles, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, wasn't part of the organization's future plans, and the rebuilding 'Canes could use the extra draft picks.
Most general managers were surprised the Bruins even considered trading him because he is crucial to the team's offense.
The Bruins, third place in the Atlantic Division, are in a battle to make the playoffs, and it made more sense to keep Eriksson, even though he will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Deal: The New York Islanders acquired winger Shane Prince and a seventh-round pick in 2016 for a third-round pick in 2016.
Analysis: Prince is a skilled winger, though it hasn’t shown up in the NHL yet. He has three goals and 15 points in 42 games. He will be a restricted free agent this offseason.
Deadline day did not live up to the hype. What you see now is what you''ll get. Though, there will certainly be trades that trickle in after 3 p.m. Will any be noteworthy? We will see ...
Deal: The Anaheim Ducks acquired winger Brandon Pirri from the Florida Panthers for a sixth-round pick in the 2016 draft.
Analysis: The Ducks supplement their forward group with the shoot-first Pirri, who is on injured reserve with an ankle injury. He has 11 goals and 24 points, but recorded 22 last season. Over the past two years, he has 254 shots on goal in 101 games.
Why the Panthers made the deal: With Jiri Hudler and Teddy Purcell in town, they felt that there was not a role for Pirri. He is a restricted free agent this offseason.
The best available players include Loui Eriksson (Boston Bruins), Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver Canucks), Jonathan Drouin (Tampa Bay Lightning), Scott Hartnell (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Jamie McGinn (Buffalo Sabres).
Eriksson, Drouin and Hartnell may not be traded. The Bruins, in a playoff scrap, may decide they need Eriksson's goals, even though he will be lost to free agency this summer. The Lightning want a strong return for Drouin and it may be easier to move him this summer.
Hartnell is difficult to move because he has three seasons left on a contract paying $4.75 million.
Hamhuis is expected to be traded. McGinn is a third-line winger who can contribute 12-16 goals. He can also help a team by providing a physical presence.
The Calgary Flames could end up as a winner because of the return they received for Kris Russell. If the Stars reach the Western Conference final, they will get a first-round pick. If they don't reach the final, they will get a second-round pick Plus, defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka can be serviceable contributor and Brad Pollock is a 6-3 winger with some scoring ability.
Given that general managers don't like to give up first-round picks, it was a major win for the Flames to at least have the chance of landing a first-round pick in this deal.
Deal: The Dallas Stars acquired shot-blocking defenseman Kris Russell from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka, prospect Brett Pollock and a conditional second-round pick. The second-round pick will be a first rounder if the Stars reach the Western Conference final.
Analysis: The Stars rank 23rd in goals-against-average, and Russell leads the NHL in blocked shots per game (3.4), with 174 blocks in 51 games. He will help Dallas' goaltending, which has been below average. At 5-10, he's not a crease-clearer. But he's known as a high-character player.
Why the Flames made the deal: Russell is going to be unrestricted free agent, and the Flames are out of playoff contention. Jokipakka is 24 years old and could become a steady regular. Pollock, a former second-round pick, has been a 25-goal scorer for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League for three consecutive seasons.
Deal: The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Eric Gelinas from the New Jersey Devils for a third-round pick in 2017.
Analysis: The Avs get a 24-year-old with offensive upside, while the Devils move out a defenseman who has struggled in his own zone. He has played in 34 games this year. It remains to be seen whether he’s more than a power-play specialist. He is still raw.
Why the Avs made the deal: Defensemen with Gelinas’ hard shot and offensive aptitude are not easy to find.
Deal: The Colorado Avalanche acquired rental Mikkel Boedker from the Arizona Coyotes for Alex Tanguay, plus prospects Connor Bleackley and Kyle Wood.
Analysis: Boedker's skating ability and offensive knack (13 goals and 39 points) should provide a spark to the Avalanche, who trying to make the playoffs in the tough Central Division. The criticism of Boedker is that he is not nearly as dangerous in 5-on-5 situations. Eighteen of his points have come on the power play. The Avs rank 13th on the power play.
Why the Coyotes made the trade: Boedker will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and wants to test the market. Tanguay, also an unrestricted free agent this offseason, gives them a veteran winger to help them stay competitive. Bleackley was probably Colorado's best center prospect. He's currently playing in the Western Hockey League. Wood was a third-round pick. He's 6-5, and playing in the Ontario Hockey League. He's considered a project.
With less than two hours before the trade deadline, there has been more talk than action. We are hearing that the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues may not do anything.
We are hearing that the Phoenix Coyotes now want a second-round pick and a quality prospect for Mikkel Boedker.
A general manager told USA TODAY Sports that he expects only a handful of players to move before the deadline. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because teams are still in talks. He predicted Kris Russell, Dan Hamhuis and Boedker to be in that group. He said there's a growing resistance among team management to give up prospects and draft picks for rental players.
He said it makes sense for the Blackhawks to do what they did (trade high picks for rentals) because they have won three Stanley Cups in six years.
The Capitals have more than $6 million in cap space, according to generalfanager.com, so there is room for a move. With John Carlson sidelined 3-4 weeks, the Capitals could be in the market for a defenseman, though they already have enough depth. Hamhuis, who has a $4.5 million cap hit, has six assists in 37 games.
The Sharks have dealt multiple draft picks over the past few days. They are all-in for 2016. Moving Patrick Marleau (18 goals, 38 points) would make no sense, even if he's not the high-end producer of the past. He has a $6.66 million cap hit through next season.
Brandon Pirri, 24, once considered part of Florida's future, could dealt today. He has a scoring touch, proven by his 22 goals last season. He owns 46 goals in 146 NHL games. But he is not a complete player, lacking a physical presence or a strong defensive emphasis. Panthers coach Gerard Gallant has scratched him when he slumps offensively.
With so many teams looking for goals, there is a market for Pirri, a restricted free agent this offseason. The Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks all seem like a possibility. Can Pirri learn to do enough away from the puck to stay in the lineup? That's a question that a new coach may have to decide.
The Minnesota Wild, looking for offense, are in the Jonathan Drouin sweepstakes. The New Jersey Devils are looking to make a trade to bolster their lineup, but have no interest in rentals. The Arizona Coyotes want a quality return for Mikkel Boedker, starting with a first-round pick.
At least for the rest of the season. He is too crucial for the Rangers, who are second in the East. The downside, of course, is that the Rangers are likely to lose Yandle this offseason unless they ship out Marc Staal or Dan Girardi. Yandle has arguably been their best defensemen for much of this season.
#Reportersagree, too.
One of the wild cards in the trade market is dynamic Edmonton Oilers winger Nail Yakupov, 22, a former No. 1 pick. The Oilers are willing to move him, but they are asking for a premium return.
The Oilers want potential trading partners to make offers based on the hope that he can still develop into a superstar. But other teams want to make their offers based on his slow development. He has played 234 NHL games, and has 47 goals. That's about a 15-goals-per-season pace.
It is not a certainty that he will be moved today. In fact, it might be easier to trade him around the draft in June.
Good fits for Yakupov include the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild.
Deal: The Arizona Coyotes acquired winger Sergei Plotnikov from the Pittsburgh Penguins for minor league forward Matthias Plachta and a 2017 conditional seventh-round pick. ESPN's Craig Custance first reported the deal.
Analysis: The Coyotes need a winger because they are likely to move Mikkel Boedker. It’s not a bad gamble to take. Plotnikov was a productive player in the Kontinental Hockey League, with three seasons with at least 30 points.
Why the Penguins made the deal: Plotnikov, 25, hasn't played since Jan. 6. He's been a healthy scratch. He has been unhappy that he isn't playing because he was a prominent player in the KHL and took less money to come over to the NHL.
While Toronto continues to part with players not in its future, there is a glimmer of hope for this season. Smith is the only player who has NHL experience. The team might be better now than it was yesterday.
Hanzal (10 goals, 32 points) carries an affordable $3.1 million cap hit through the end of next season. He is worth going the extra mile for over Mikkel Boedker. Hanzal offers size (6-6, 236 pounds) and a two-way game down the middle. It won't be easy to pry him away.
A team in need of a veteran with some puck-moving skills could benefit from adding Streit. The problem is he carries a $5.25 million cap hit through 2017. He also has produced at career-low (full season) clip with 16 points in 42 games. And he's 38 years old. Going to be tough to do.
With several hours to go before the 3 p.m., ET, trade deadline, here are what some contenders are still trying to find:
Anaheim Ducks: Secondary scoring: The Ducks are 9-0-1 in their past 10, but they still rank 28th in 5-on-5 scoring.
Boston Bruins: A skilled defenseman, someone to play in their top four. They have not replaced Dougie Hamilton, whom they dealt last summer.
Dallas Stars: A veteran defenseman to help their youthful group. Dan Hamhuis is the player mentioned most often.
Detroit Red Wings: Upgrade on defense, and a scorer with grit: The Red Wings are struggling to score more than anticipated.
Minnesota Wild: Scoring help up front. The Wild are 18th in goals per game, and 13th in 5-on-5 scoring. Their power play ranks 14th.
Nashville Predators: A finisher. Ryan Johansen’s addition has helped, but the Predators still rank 20th in 5-on-5 scoring. They are a good puck possession team, ranked 6th in Corsi, according to war-on-ice.com. But their forwards can't finish. Three their top six point producers are defensemen.
Tampa Bay Lightning: General manager Steve Yzerman has been looking for a defenseman, although this team can compete for a Cup even if he doesn’t make a move.
Counting last night’s deal with the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello now has added three second-round picks, a conditional fourth rounder and a fifth rounder through recent trades. For those keeping score at home, he received two second-round picks in moving Roman Polak and Nick Spaling to San Jose, a conditional fourth rounder in the James Reimer deal and a second-round pick in the Daniel Winnik swap with Washington. The Maple Leafs received the second-round pick because they were willing to take back Brooks Laich. That opens up cap space for them because Laich has a salary of $4.5 million this season and next. Winnik is making half of that through 2017.
The Maple Leafs also added young forward Ben Smith (from San Jose) and young defenseman Connor Carrick (from Washington). Carrick is a smallish, skating defenseman with offensive potential. He boasts 10 goals and 26 points in 47 games for the AHL’s Hershey Bears this season.
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