Well, that deadline was certainly something. Quite possibly one of the most eventful days before the Trade Deadline and one of the least eventful deadline days. A good few big moves were made, and I’m going to try my best to give my initial grade on them. I can’t wait for every single one of these to be completely wrong in 1 year.
Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the Islanders for A.J. Greer, Mason Jobst, 2021 1st and a 2022 4th
As the first big trade of the deadline, this one came unexpectedly early. The Conditions on the 4th round pick are if the Islanders advance to the 2020–21 Stanley Cup Final, the 4th round pick upgrades to a 3rd in 2022 or 2023. Islanders have the option of which pick they will transfer. Let’s take a look at the Devil's perspective of this deal first.
New Jersey Devils
Looking at the players first, A.J. Greer is an interesting add for New Jersey. He was drafted by Colorado in 2015 39th Overall. He’s 24 so he still has some NHL potential, but his 1 Goal and 5 Assists in 37 career NHL games is not promising. This season he has played 10 games in the AHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and has 1 Goal and 1 Assist so far on the season.
Mason Jobst is someone I don’t feel like I’m qualified to talk about because I never heard of him until April 7th. He was an undrafted free agent signing by the Islanders in 2019. He has played 51 games so far for the Sound Tigers and he has 5 Goals and 10 Assists.
The real haul for the Devils here is the draft picks. The 2021 1st is probably going to be fairly late into the draft, but because of COVID and some leagues not even playing this season, every pick that isn’t in the top 10 is going to almost be a complete stab in the dark. The 4th rounder isn’t much of a bonus, but a possible 3rd for New Jersey is certainly a plus.
Overall, I feel like New Jersey did a solid job in this deal. Not many trades got a 1st this year at the deadline, and New Jersey did. They had to move on from Palmieri, and with this current trade market, I do think there’s any shot that they get anything more than what they got.
Grade: B
The New York Islanders
I am not a huge fan of this move for the Islanders. Not because it’s a bad deal for them but because I’m a fan of another team in the East Division and this team is looking scary. I know that Lee is injured for the rest of the season, but Palmieri isn’t too far off of what Anders Lee is. Imagine if they manage to extend him?
Palmieri is quite possibly the best 30 goal scorer that has only scored 30 goals in 1 season right now. He is good on both ends of the ice and he has been a very good finisher for the majority of his career. However, this season has been the opposite for Palmieri. He’s only 30 years of age so I don’t expect him to be on the decline just yet, and his numbers will probably make a jump in Long Island.
He is going to perfectly fit in the Islanders system and will be the perfect player to play with Barzal. If there’s any way Lee will be back for the playoffs then this team isn’t far off from being the top contender in the NHL. The Islanders 18.9% PP% before this trade ranked 22nd in the NHL and Kyle Palmieri will certainly help get that number up for the Islanders.
Travis Zajac is just the cherry on top for this trade. He’s also a rental for the Islanders but he brings more veteran experience to the bottom 6 for this team. He is still a solid player at the ripe age of 35, and he will bring something to the Islanders team. You may doubt that but he had 7 Goals and 11 Assists in 33 games for the Devils. Their centre depth is now very strong, and now they have 2 very good centres for the Penalty Kill.
Grade: A
Brett Connolly, Henrik Borgstrom, Riley Stillman and a 2021 7th to the Blackhawks for Lucas Wallmark and Lucas Carlsson
This is a very interesting one to me. Are they trying to clear cap space? Absolutely. But I’m not sure if this was the way to do it. Sure trading Brett Connolly sounds good but sending two young players the other way isn’t the way to do it. I’m sure you could’ve gotten something better than this for Connolly. I understand that it is a cap dump and he’s struggling this season, but this isn’t a rental.
The Florida Panthers
I guess they liked what they saw from Wallmark last season. At the trade deadline last year Florida acquired Wallmark in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. He signed with the Blackhawks in the offseason and I guess Florida decided that they wanted him back. He isn’t a bad bottom 6 option whatsoever and he does bring more depth to the Panthers this season.
Lucas Carlsson isn’t much of anything in this trade. He is only 23 years old so there could still be something there. Chicago tried him for 12 games in the NHL this season but they must have determined that he wasn’t going to be much of anything for this team.
The biggest acquisition in this trade for the Florida Panthers in cap space. They now have around $4,100,000 in cap space heading into the deadline. With the Islanders acquiring Kyle Palmieri, they became a strong contender for a possible Taylor Hall trade with this move. They could go for another defenceman to replace Aaron Ekblad after his injury as well. Again, the main part here is the flexibility for the deadline. But I really don’t see why you needed to trade Borgstrom or Stillman here.
Grade: C
The Chicago Blackhawks
I really, really like this deal for Chicago. They’re currently fighting for the 4th playoff spot in the Central Division with the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars, and adding a possible 20 goal scorer in Brett Connolly helps with that. Connolly didn’t have a good season for Florida this year whatsoever. But to be honest with you, I don’t think he is as bad as he has looked this year. Connolly has picked up his defensive game this year and I think that this has just been an unlucky season for him. I believe that he is a 3rd liner that can come in and help Chicago have a shot to make the playoffs right away.
I think Henrik Borgstrom didn’t sign with Florida because he didn’t want to play for them as he went all season being unsigned to their roster. I would highly doubt that the Panthers didn’t want him. He is a solid prospect and I wouldn’t be surprised if he made the Blackhawks lineup next season.
Riley Stillman is another player I’m surprised that Florida wanted to move on from. He’s only 23 years old and has a higher ceiling than Carlsson in my opinion, so I’m not sure why Florida included them in this move. He is possibly going to be on the bottom pair for Chicago this year.
Grade: A+
Brandon Montour to Florida for a 2021 3rd Round Pick
Well, at least we understand the Brett Connolly move a bit more now. However, I’m not sure if this was the way to go.
The Buffalo Sabres
There isn’t much you can say here about this move for Buffalo except it was a good one. Montour’s numbers have been on the rise recently and I’m not sure you could’ve gotten a 3rd for him if you waited until deadline day. A 3rd round pick for this year's draft is pretty valuable because of COVID. Considering you’re giving up a player that more than likely was going to be on his way out this offseason for nothing anyway, that’s a solid return.
Grade: A
The Florida Panthers
I feel like I would’ve been able to give them a better grade on the Connolly deal if David Savard was the option they chose to go with. However, they decided to go with the clearly worse defenceman to replace Ekblad for this season instead. You would think it would be a great fit seeing as their new GM Bill Zito worked as an assistant GM in Columbus for many years.
Instead, they get Brandon Montour. A defenceman who only knows the offence and is a complete liability in his own end of the ice. They didn’t even get Buffalo to retain any of his cap hit, which would give them enough room to make another significant move. If Montour was a solid two-way defenceman who could play top 4 minutes for this team it would be a different story. They got the wrong guy, and that’s pretty clear to me.
Grade: D
Devan Dubnyk to Colorado for Greg Pateryn and a 2021 5th Round Pick
The Colorado Avalanche
I like this deal for Colorado. Is Devan Dubnyk anywhere near where he was 2 years ago? No, absolutely not. But with Pavel Francouz being injured and him being more than likely not available until next season, Colorado needed a backup. So why not get a veteran netminder that may be able to play decent for you if something happens to Grubauer. He may not play great, but his experience is probably worth it over playing Johansson.
Grade: B
The San Jose Sharks
There isn’t much to talk about on the Shark's side of this deal. They are still in the playoff hunt in the strange West Division, and it seems like they have decided that Martin Jones is the guy in net. Getting back Greg Pateryn is just so the cap space works, and I’d be pretty surprised if he plays much in the NHL for San Jose. The 5th rounder, as I’ve mentioned, is just another stab in the dark in the upcoming draft. Certainly not a bad thing.
Grade: A
To Columbus: 2021 TBL 1st and 2022 TBL 3rd
To Detroit: 2021 TBL 4th
To Tampa Bay: David Savard and Brian Lashoff
This deal means a lot more than some people think. Tampa Bay gets a fantastic right-handed defensive defenceman who may end up being the best defenceman moved at the deadline this year. Columbus solidified themselves as sellers and Yzerman has shown that he‘s very smart, as we all already knew.
The Detroit Red Wings
There is even less to talk about here compared to San Jose in the Dubnyk deal, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like what they did here. Picking up another draft pick for retained salary on a 1-year deal is good enough as it is for a rebuilding team, let alone in a draft that will more than likely be full of steals and it is a 1-year contract. Fantastic job by Yzerman.
Grade: A+
The Columbus Blue Jackets
I love this deal for them. David Savard was more than likely not resigning in Columbus in the off-season, so getting a 1st and a 3rd for him is huge. I didn’t think that Savard would get anywhere near that kind of package but the Blue Jackets managed to pull it off. This shows that they’re more than likely heading towards a rebuild. Look out for Columbus this offseason, they could make some big moves.
Grade: A+
The Tampa Bay Lightning
I think we have our first all-around fantastic deal of the deadline. David Savard is going to be a great fit for the Lightning. Where he plays is a question mark, but I imagine he’s going to be on the 3rd pairing. He is a top 4 defensive defenceman, so you really couldn’t ask for much more on your third pairing. Savard's offensive ability has never been very good, but this season he has been at his worst in the other teams' end than he has in a while. He isn’t a fantastic penalty killer but he certainly isn’t bad. His defensive ability 5-on-5 is very strong, and that’s something that I think will push Tampa over the edge.
Brian Lashoff is certainly a player in this trade. He was an undrafted free agent signing by Detroit and he hasn’t become much of anything. He has pretty much been a full-time AHLer since the 2015–2016 season, and I don’t think that’s going to change in Tampa Bay. It does add to their defensive depth, however, although he is probably near the bottom of the barrel for the Lightning in that regard.
This trade will be an A+ if Tampa Bay repeats as the Stanley Cup Champion this season. They do have Carolina and Florida in their division, so if they don’t finish at the top of the Central then they may have a tough ride to get there.
Grade: A
To Columbus: 2021 TOR 1st and 2022 TOR 4th
To San Jose: 2021 TOR 4th
To Toronto: Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen
Jarmo Kekäläinen just copy-pasted the format of the David Savard and used it again for the Nick Foligno deal. I feel like the league may have to look at this, right? In a flat cap, world teams can now get a player ran through a bunch of different teams to get the player they want as cheap as possible. If people think the Tampa Bay Lightning have a problem because of their handling of Nikita Kucherov’s injury, certainly people should have a problem with this too then.
The San Jose Sharks
The Sharks General Manager just looked at what Detroit did in the David Savard deal and said “Yes”. They got the same return, as well as losing the same things. Retaining 25% of a Columbus player’s salary and sending a depth player to the team getting a big player for a 2021 4th round pick. I like it for San Jose.
Grade: A+
The Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets just got two 2021 1sts, a 2022 3rd and a 2022 4th for two rental players. They’re rebuilding the right way. In this specific trade, I think it’s more highway robbery for Columbus than the other deal. Especially when you consider that there is a high chance that Nick Foligno signs with Columbus again this offseason. Them now having 3 1sts this year could be 3 misses or 3 hits. You really don’t know with this draft. I didn’t think Nick Foligno would net this team a 1st, so I think they did a great job with this deal.
Grade: A+
The Toronto Maple Leafs
Sorry Leaf’s fans, I’m not sure if this is a good trade for Toronto. This is a lot to give up for Nick Foligno in 2021. If they win the Stanley Cup of course the deal is worth it. That’s the goal. If the Leafs get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round, this trade starts to get a bad smell placed on it. Let’s talk about what they actually got.
Stefan Noesen is a solid depth player. That is all he will be in Toronto. He has only played 5 games in a Shark jersey this season, so I doubt he will play much at all in Toronto. Noesen was just included in this deal so Toronto could recoup some of their lost forward depth when it came to losing Jimmy Vesey and Travis Boyd on waivers.
The big thing about this trade is Nick Foligno. The bad thing about this trade is that Nick Foligno isn’t in 2015 anymore. His offensive upside isn’t there anymore, but you don’t trade a 1st and two 4ths for an offensive player with 16 points in 42 games this year. He is a great defensive forward. However, he hasn’t been as strong defensively this year as he was last year. The biggest add for this team is more Left-Wing options. They now have Hyman, Foligno, and Gakchenyuk to mess around within the top 9. Although I still don’t believe that Galchenyuk is a top 6 forward anymore if he’s on the 3rd line I don’t have a problem with that.
Foligno-Tavares-Nylander will be a great line if that’s what they decide to go with. Foligno brings a lot more leadership and grit to this team. He is a very respected locker room guy, and I feel like even if the Leafs don’t go all the way this season he will have a lasting effect on the young stars on this team. If I was Kyle Dubas, I would still much rather spend that price on getting Palmieri over Foligno.
Grade: B
David Rittich to Toronto for a 2022 3rd Round Pick
The only thing I’m going to preface for this deal is a question. What does this mean for Frederik Andersen?
The Calgary Flames
I really don’t understand this deal. Jacob Markstrom has not been good in his first season in Calgary, so they trade a solid backup netminder for a future draft pick? Who in the world is going to be their backup? Louis Domingue? Strange deal for Calgary. I like the return, but I think Rittich was more valuable to them than that 3rd will be, and I think that he would’ve resigned with Calgary. If he made it clear that he wouldn’t, this deal looks slightly better.
Grade: C+
The Toronto Maple Leafs
I have to say, I like this deal more than the Foligno one. I knew they would get a goalie, but not one at the same level as David Rittich. But think about it. If Freddy gets back before the playoffs, which is a big if, at this point, he has pressure. Him seeing how Campbell has played, as well as the fact that his team traded for another netminder, Freddie may be more motivated than ever to play at the top of his game. If Freddie isn’t ready until the playoffs, I’m not sure if he’s ever going to play another game as a Leaf. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Big Save Dave be extended by Toronto and they let Freddie walk. This deal also gives the Leafs the ability to let Campbell rest some more, and if he gets injured again then Rittich can step up.
Grade: B+
Jeff Carter to Pittsburgh for a 2022 3rd and a 2023 4th
As a Penguins fan, I originally wasn’t happy about this deal. Looking more into Carter's recent play changed my mind, then you hear the conditions on the draft picks and I’m sort of in the middle now. The 2022 3rd round pick can upgrade to a 2nd round pick if the Penguins reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final and Carter plays in at least 50% of the games. The 2023 4th round pick can upgrade to a 3rd round pick if Carter plays in at least 50 games during the 2022 season. There are rumours that he may retire at the end of this season, so we’ll see how that goes.
The LA Kings
I didn’t see Carter being moved. The fact that they got something for him is solid, but with those conditions it’s interesting. I like this move for them, but if both of those conditions get met then I really like this deal for LA. Carter was really liked in the Kings locker room, so from a moral perspective, this probably isn’t a good thing for the young guys. This adds some draft capital for the Kings, and that’s a good thing.
Grade: B+
The Pittsburgh Penguins
I really didn’t understand this deal right away. A 36-year-old centre with not great numbers over the past few seasons to be thrown on to the Penguins 3rd line while they're currently hot. However, when you think about it, Ron Hextall may be a genius. Jeff Carter is a very clutch performer. The Penguins, who have been the opposite of clutch in the past 2 playoffs, could use that. Carter is having his best season since 2018 this year, and his advanced analytics haven’t looked bad for this season specifically.
As a playoff performer, I would expect him to pick up his game in Pittsburgh. I don’t expect him to be a point-a-game player or anything near it but he wasn’t playing with good teammates in LA and he had 19 points in 40 games this season. His defensive numbers haven’t been too bad this year either. He will come in and help instill confidence into this team that is probably the best team without much of any playoff confidence in the NHL. I don’t like the conditions, but the way I think about it is that if they win the Stanley Cup this year and have to lose a 2nd rounder instead of a 3rd I don’t think many Pens fans will care at all. If he doesn’t retire this offseason then that also makes this deal look a lot worse.
Grade: B+
Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar to Boston for Anders Bjork and 2021 2nd
I mean, Buffalo man. I’m sorry Buffalo fans. Let’s get this over with.
The Buffalo Sabres
Man. Even I thought Hall would prosper with Jack Eichel. Instead, Taylor Hall just played the worst 27 games over his career scoresheet-wise. Instead of getting into Hall, let’s talk about what Buffalo got. That’s arguably worse. A 2nd round pick. Really? Are you kidding me Kevyn Adams? Palmieri, Foligno, and Savard got a 1st round pick. They’re all rentals. So you’re telling me you really couldn’t get a first for Taylor Hall? Sure, Taylor Hall has the highest cap hit out of all of them but Boston had enough cap space. Just absolutely embarrassing. This organization somehow just keeps getting worse.
Anders Bjork is the player coming back to make the cap hit work. I think given his age, his low cap hit, and his prior performances this is a solid pick up for Buffalo. I think that Bjork can be a good middle 6 winger on Buffalo. He hasn’t really had much ice time for the Bruins this season, and I think he’ll get a good shot in Buffalo. His $1,600,000 cap hit for 2 more years after this could prove to be very valuable in a flat cap era. Despite this, my opinion doesn't change.
Grade: F
The Boston Bruins
You missed out on Hall in the 2010 draft, but Tyler Seguin was available at #2. He won the Stanley Cup as a rookie and was later traded to Dallas for nothing. Little did the Bruins know, they would get Taylor Hall for nothing 11 years after that 2010 draft. Don’t be fooled by Halls's numbers in Buffalo, he is still an elite player. He is a liability defensively but I’m not sure how much that matters when he’s one of the best play-driving wings in the game. Hall still has solid vision and an amazing playmaking ability. He only has 2 goals so far this season, but he’s shooting 2.3% on the year. That is laughably unlucky. He’s had a worse year, but when you’re on a roster that lost 18 in a row is it really all on him?
Curtis Lazar is a nice depth acquisition for Boston. He never became what everybody thought he would when he was in Ottawa, but he’s a serviceable 4th line player. He has been pretty solid defensively for Buffalo this season, but he isn’t much of an offensive player. I like this add for Boston.
Grade: A+
Carl Soderberg to Colorado for Josh Dickinson and Ryder Rolston
You can tell it’s not the best package for the Blackhawks because of Rolston's picture alone.
The Chicago Blackhawks
Meh. You get two young players who may end up being something for a player that you didn’t need past this season. I don’t know why they wouldn’t have preferred something like a 4th round pick.
Grade: C
The Colorado Avalanche
You don’t really lose much of anything and you get a player that’s familiar with most of the players on the roster. Getting familiarity at the trade deadline helps, especially when you spend this little for it. Additional depth never hurts.
Grade: A
Sam Bennett and a 2022 6th to Florida for Emil Heineman and a 2022 2nd
Am I wrong for thinking that Calgary got a better package for Sam Bennett than Buffalo got for Taylor Hall? Just think about that for a second.
The Calgary Flames
What a trade for Calgary in my eyes. You got a 2nd round pick for Sam Bennett which I definitely didn’t expect. I thought Calgary was going to maybe get a 3rd, but possibly even a 4th or two. I think this deal and the Rittich trade mean that this team may be willing to deal Sean Monahan or even Johnny Gaudreau in the offseason. I think it’s time to retool and imagine all the assets you can get for those two. What a trade for Calgary to get a 2nd, oh wait, there’s more?
They dealt Emile Heineman? With a 2nd? For Sam Bennett? Heineman was a 2nd round pick last year, so that’s basically two 2nds for Calgary. I think he’ll be able to be a good middle 6 winger in this league, and I really like his game. What a haul for Sam Bennett.
Grade: A+
The Florida Panthers
Remember the last time Florida made the playoffs? They finished first in their division and then lost in the first round to the Islanders in 6 games. I’m not saying that that sort of thing is happening again, but if your big forward acquisition is Sam Bennett and you arguably pay more than the Bruins did for Taylor Hall, then you aren’t on the right path. BUT WOOOOO A 6TH!
Grade: D
To Chicago: 2021 VGK 2nd and 2022 VGK 3rd
To San Jose: 2022 BUF 5th
To Vegas: Mattias Janmark, Nick DeSimone and 2022 CHI 5th
This is for sure an NHL trade. I can guarantee that. Aside from that this is kind of a confusing one.
The San Jose Sharks
The Sharks General Manager just looked at what San Jose did in the Nick Foligno deal and said “Yes”. They got close to the same return, as well as losing the same things. Retaining 25% of a Columbus player’s salary and sending a depth player to the team getting a solid player for a 2022 5th round pick. I like it for San Jose. That’s also pretty much copy and pasted from the Nick Foligno trade.
Grade: A+
The Chicago Blackhawks
Like many other trades this deadline, I feel like the Blackhawks got a very good haul here. A 2nd and a 3rd for a player that has only played 41 games for your franchise is pretty good. Especially one that’s career-high in points is 34. Janmark is a good 3rd liner, but this a great haul. Chicago went from looking like a team that was trying to buy into the playoffs to a team that’s trying to not make them. I still like this trade however, I think that's the best route for this roster overall.
Grade: A
The Vegas Golden Knights
Depth is never a bad thing. Vegas could use some, and Janmark is a solid option. His flexibility to be on the Left Wing or playing Centre is very helpful for a team planning on making a playoff run. Janmark is in the middle of the best season in his career, and I think that he can bring a lot to the Golden Knights. Both offensively, and in his own end. A 2nd, a 3rd, and a 5th is fairly expensive for a guy like Janmark for a rental. They get a 5th back in the deal, which kind of helps. Nick DeSimone is a career AHLer, and I expect that to be the same for him in Vegas.
Grade: B
Anthony Mantha to Washington for Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik, a 2021 1st and a 2022 2nd
Well, the biggest trade of the actual deadline day is the last I’m going in-depth on, and it was one of the biggest trades of the whole season. Mantha didn’t fit the timeline of the Red Wings rebuild, but those draft picks and Vrana certainly do.
The Washington Capitals
This was A LOT for Anthony Mantha. We’ll get to what they gave up later, but let’s talk about what they got. Anthony Mantha is a guy I can see being placed on the 2nd line with Niklas Backstrom. He is a fantastic offensive play-driver and his near-point per game pace last season on Detroit shows that. He is normally strong defensively but this season he has been worse in that regard. He’s a fantastic player, and he’s probably the 2nd best player traded at the deadline. He and Kuznetsov are the two young stars for this team, and with both of them locked up long term, I expect them to become a solid duo once Ovi and Backstrom are gone.
However, this is a massive overpayment. I really like Jakub Vrana, and I don’t think that he is that much worse than Mantha. Mantha is very good, and certainly the better player right now, but Vrana is a year younger. I think Mantha will end up being better, but adding a 1st and a 2nd for a marginal, older upgrade? Also for a player who isn’t used to the system? It’s a strange move for Washington in my opinion. If they don’t win the cup this year this is a very risky deal.
Grade: B
The Detroit Red Wings
This is more fantastic work by Steve Yzerman. This trade came out of nowhere, and every Red Wing fan was confused at first. But when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Although Vrana is only 1 year younger than Mantha, he fits this team's current rebuild timeline better than him. Vrana will more than likely be cheaper this offseason as well, as he needs a new contract this offseason. Vrana is a player that needed to get out of Washington because of him barely playing. I don’t know what Peter Laviolette was thinking by playing a player like Vrana as little as he was. As a Penguins fan, I was always scared when Vrana was on the ice, more than some of their other very good players. He is a very dangerous player.
Richard Panik isn’t much of a get for Detroit. He’s a solid bottom 6 option on a good team and has been pretty solid defensively this season. He’s not staying in Detroit past his current contract, that’s for sure. He is just part of this deal to make the cap space work, and I don’t expect much of him in Detroit.
The Red Wings got a 1st and a 2nd too? Really Washington? The Red Wings made a fantastic deal here. These picks are just what they need as a rebuilding team. In this deal they got more veteran depth, they got younger, and they got more high draft capital. I didn’t think Mantha was going to be traded because the price was going to be too high for him. Washington gave Detroit more in this deal than I would have expected for him. I think Detroit is giving up the best player in this trade, and that lowers the grade for me.
Grade: A
So, that’s all of the bigger deals done. How are we feeling about a quickfire round?
Riley Nash to Toronto for a 2022 7th
Conditions: The pick upgrades to a 6th round pick if Nash appears in 25% of Leafs 2020–21 playoff games
The Toronto Maple Leafs
I like it. I think that it’s a deal that’s just there. If he ever plays for the Leafs, he is one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL. An overall solid 4th line centre.
Grade: B+
The Columbus Blue Jackets
Really a nothing trade for Columbus.
Grade: C+
Jonas Siegenthaler to New Jersey for a 2021 3rd
Conditions: Arizona’s draft pick is currently listed as conditional between Arizona and New Jersey. If the pick is not transferred to New Jersey, the 3rd round pick will be changed to New Jersey's 2021 3rd round pick instead of Arizona’s.
The Washington Capitals
Very much not a smart trade. Siegenthaler was never given a shot in Washington and shipping him out for a 3rd when he is a better player than Chara at his point makes no sense to me.
Grade: D+
The New Jersey Devils
I like it, but I don’t think that giving up draft picks is what New Jersey should be doing right now.
Grade: B+
Jon Merrill to Montreal for Hayden Verbeek and a 2021 5th
The Montreal Canadiens
I really, really like this deal. Merill is a very good bottom pairing guy. A very pure defensive defenceman.
Grade: A+
The Detroit Red Wings
Meh.
Grade: B
Mike Reilly to Boston for a 2022 3rd
The Boston Bruins
Great deal. Mike Reilly has been solid for Ottawa this season, and with Boston's lack of defensive depth, he will really help them.
Grade: A
The Ottawa Senators
Another Sens deal another pick. It certainly can’t hurt them.
Grade: A
Adam Gaudette to Chicago for Matthew Highmore
The Chicago Blackhawks
I see Highmore as never being anything better than a 4th liner in the NHL, and I see Gaudette as having a much higher ceiling than that. That ceiling has drastically lowered recently and we’ll see how things go in Chicago.
Grade: B
The Vancouver Canucks
I don’t understand it. I get that Gaudette needed a change of scenery but this is basically just throwing away a former Hobey Baker winner.
Grade: F
Dmitri Kulikov to Edmonton for a 2022 4th
Conditions: The 2022 4th round pick will upgrade to a 2022 3rd round pick if the Oilers win a playoff round in the 2020–21 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The New Jersey Devils
I don’t mind this for New Jersey. A 3rd for Kulikov would be lovely.
Grade: A
The Edmonton Oilers
Adding a shutdown bottom pairing guy is never a bad thing, especially for how bad this team is defensively.
Grade: A
Erik Gustafsson to Montreal for a 2022 7th
The Philadelphia Flyers
Well, that signing wasn’t as good as I thought. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from him this season, but man is he a liability in his own end. At least you got something.
Grade: D-
The Montreal Canadiens
You can’t go wrong with giving up a 7th for a roster player.
Grade: A
Haydn Fleury to Anaheim for Jani Hakanpaa and a 2022 6th
The Anaheim Ducks
Hakanpaa is a solid defenceman. Haydn Fleury is better. Good deal
Grade: B+
The Carolina Hurricanes
Fleury is a solid defenceman. Hakanpaa is worse. This trade was more because Fleury would’ve been available to Seattle for the expansion draft and they wanted to get at least something for him rather than nothing. They were really left with no options here.
Grade: B-
Michael Raffl to Washington for a 2021 5th
The Philadelphia Flyers
Like earlier trades, this is just meh. A little bit worse than meh.
Grade: C
The Washington Capitals
Raffl can help them right now, and that 5th can’t. They need help right now.
Grade: A
Jordie Benn to Winnipeg for a 2021 6th
The Vancouver Canucks
You got something? Yay?
Grade: C
The Winnipeg Jets
You could’ve done so much better this deadline. Instead, you only got Jordie Benn. a solid 7th defenceman. They needed more than that, but at least it’s something.