Thousands of conversations for 19 deals.
In the new asset-management NHL, it's harder now than it's ever been to draw up and execute a plan at the trade deadline. And though we're seeing more imagination in the workings of the league's 30 GMs, who continue to evolve in concert with the game, that conservative "Ah, let's get 'em on the draft floor" mentality still tends to win out when the stakes are so high.
That said, in every season there are a handful of specific team situations and corresponding contracts that require in-season activity. Inaction in these instances can result in grave consequences. Yet, even with that inherent knowledge, teams still make the same mistakes and mismanage the same resources.
Here are three things that definitely should've happened on trade deadline day:
The Canucks should've done something, anything
We're sort of belaboring the topic at this point, but in speaking of squandered assets, the conversation begins with Jim Benning and the Vancouver Canucks.
Stuck in the Western Conference wasteland, there might not be a single team in a less-enviable position. But for Vancouver, and on Monday, that wasn't the case.
The Canucks had two very attractive rental commodities in a legitimate top-four defenseman Dan Hamhuis, and a two-time 30-goal scorer in Radim Vrbata. With their blessings, each could've been moved for a pick, prospect, or package to help the team gain some traction. Yet, inexplicably, the only thing Benning did on Monday was lose Adam Cracknell to waivers.
There's absolutely no excuse for not dealing these players, even considering their respective no-trade functions and affinity for Vancouver. This mismanagement represents gross oversight, and borderline negligence.
Kings had to match wits
This segues nicely, as we might have been able to gloss over the Canucks had Hamhuis moved to Los Angeles. But instead of making a major splash, Dean Lombardi decided to finesse around the edges.
In all, the Kings acquired Vincent Lecavalier, Luke Schenn, Rob Scuderi, and Kris Versteeg (a quartet with five Stanley Cups between them) over the last several months, and didn't surrender one player on their active roster to do so. Though the value these four players encompass isn't significant - at least on the open market - they're bodies that fit Los Angeles' scheme.
But in beating the market and using the wiggle room they had from under the cap by acquiring Lecavalier and Schenn almost two months ago, their closest competitors had the opportunity to evaluate a greater sample, and issue the appropriate response in turn.
The Blackhawks, Stars, and Ducks - the three other teams most believe have a chance of coming out of the West - each will have more effectively filled holes on their rosters with their in-season transactions.
Must part with Parenteau
Lou Lamoriello fell one trade short of a masterclass.
The 73-year-old Maple Leafs GM, who through decades of experience with the NHL trade market has been the right man to properly execute the strategy of his forward-thinking franchise, failed with one task: fetching a return for the injured P.A. Parenteau.
Having out-performed his $1.5-million cap hit, Parenteau was considered one of, if not the safest bet to be traded out of Toronto before the deadline. No player under Mike Babcock did more for his value.
But in the end, a troublesome neck injury likely gave interested parties pause. At the very least, though, the club should have pocketed whatever lottery ticket was on the table (perhaps a trade akin to Brandon Pirri's return) and then revisited the partnership this summer with Parenteau, who had already expressed his desire to return.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.