The Connor McDavid effect will be put to the test once again Tuesday.
Nail Yakupov is staying put past the trade deadline, and it appears he'll have every opportunity to show the Edmonton Oilers what he's capable of in the final 18 games of the season. With Benoit Pouliot reportedly sidelined indefinitely due to a separated shoulder, Yakupov will slot in next to McDavid and Jordan Eberle on Edmonton's top line against the Buffalo Sabres.
"He's been waiting for this opportunity & we're giving it to him. We expect big things." Coach McLellan on Yak joining McDavid & Eberle
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 1, 2016
The 22-year-old forward has struggled mightily this season, failing to register a point in his last five games, while recording just three goals in 20 contests since returning from an ankle injury on Jan. 14. The good news is, McDavid can certainly elevate his play.
Two-thirds of Yakupov's 15 points in 42 games this season have come while playing on a line with McDavid:
| Games | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| With McDavid | 13 | 10 |
| Without McDavid | 29 | 5 |
Growth in production is nothing new for players playing alongside the 19-year-old rookie phenom:
| Player | Games Without McDavid | Points | Games With McDavid | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Eberle | 37 | 22 | 14 | 16 |
| Benoit Pouliot | 34 | 14 | 27 | 21 |
Amid endless speculation surrounding Yakupov's future with the Oilers, there's clearly no better time than now for the former first overall pick to turn his career around. If not, it's certainly possible he could find himself playing somewhere else in the near future.
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He might be one of his best friends, but Alex Ovechkin plans to bring the hurt when he faces former teammate Brooks Laich.
The Washington Capitals host the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday in the first matchup between the clubs since the two executed the trade that sent Laich, Connor Carrick, and a second-round pick to the Maple Leafs for forward Danniel Winnik and a fifth-round pick, and Ovechkin doesn't plan to take it easy.
"When we have a power play he’s gonna be PK and I’m gonna shoot him in the foot and laugh about it," Ovechkin said, according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.
Ovechkin sent his well wishes early Sunday morning after learning about the trade. The two had been the longest-serving Capitals on the roster, both suiting up for their first full season with the team in 2005.
Trotz said he thinks it'll be "awkward" for Laich tomorrow. But thinks it's good for Laich to get that reunion over with fast.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) March 1, 2016
With the Maple Leafs already hampered by injuries, hopes are that Ovechkin goes a little easy on his pal.
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Boston Bruins forward Zac Rinaldo has been issued a five-game suspension from the NHL's Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning center Cedric Paquette.
The NHL cited Rinaldo's lengthy suspension history, and ultimately deemed that Paquette's head - the principal point of contact - was avoidable in his attempt to separate the Lightning center from the puck.
Rinaldo has now accrued 19 games in suspension from four separate incidents in his NHL career, as Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe points out.
He will forfeit nearly $52,000 as a result of his latest ban.
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The NHL Trade Deadline came and went Monday, and, aside from a flurry of activity after 3 p.m. (13 deals were announced following the deadline), it was certainly a day containing very little drama.
NHL trade deadline day is like Christmas, if your mean parents made you talk about your presents all morning without ever opening anything.
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) February 29, 2016
There were a pair of trades - Mikkel Boedker to the Colorado Avalanche, and Kris Russell to the Dallas Stars - with real consequence, but it was otherwise another over-hyped morning and afternoon that continued a recent trend of inaction on the final trading day of the season.
Since an absolutely insane 31-trade deadline day in 2009-10, there has been a downswing ever since, with the exception of last season. Over the last six years, there has been an average of 19 trades on deadline day, which matches Monday's total.
| Year | Deadline Day Trades |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 19 |
| 2014-15 | 24 |
| 2013-14 | 20 |
| 2012-13 | 17 |
| 2011-12 | 16 |
| 2010-11 | 16 |
| 2009-10 | 31 |
With the Chicago Blackhawks (buyers) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (sellers) serving as prime examples, it's becoming evident that the trade deadline is no longer about one specific day, but more so about the plethora of moves in the days leading up to it.
Related: NHL Trade Deadline 2016 Tracker
Starting from when the Maple Leafs sent Shawn Matthias to the Avalanche on Feb. 21, there were just as many trades in the eight days leading up to the deadline than the actual day itself.
| Since Feb. 21 | Deadline Day |
|---|---|
| 38 | 19 |
In fact, more players were traded during the aforementioned eight-day period than on the deadline.
| Since Feb. 21 | Deadline Day |
|---|---|
| 81 | 37 |
Perhaps the most interesting thing that stood out from the 38 deals was the draft picks involved:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | Since Feb. 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 10 | 5 | 33 |
There was only one first-round draft pick exchanged - in the Andrew Ladd deal. However, there were nine second-round picks involved in trades, accounting for 27 percent of the 33 picks that were dealt.
The value of a first-round pick has never been higher than this season, perhaps due to a deep, top-heavy draft class. The price for a rental player has also dropped significantly, which can certainly be attributed to a lack of star power available on the market.
| Player | Goals | Assists | Points | Corsi For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Stempniak | 16 | 25 | 41 | 45.78 |
| Mikkel Boedker | 13 | 26 | 39 | 45.35 |
| Jiri Hudler | 10 | 25 | 35 | 48.61 |
| Andrew Ladd | 17 | 18 | 35 | 51.34 |
| Eric Staal | 10 | 23 | 33 | 56.48 |
| Kris Versteeg | 11 | 22 | 33 | 56.37 |
| Teddy Purcell | 11 | 21 | 32 | 52.24 |
(Advanced stats courtesy: War-On-Ice)
The top seven point producers - all forwards - traded since Feb. 21 head into play Tuesday on pace for an average of 47 points over a full 82-game season. That's a very underwhelming total, making it evident that many teams aren't interested in selling off their top assets for what is, in many cases a depth addition for a playoff run. However, that didn't stop a group of sellers and buyers from remaining active, albeit with many minor deals.
| Team | Trades (Since Feb. 21) |
|---|---|
| Chicago Blackhawks | 5 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 5 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 4 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 4 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 4 |
| Calgary Flames | 4 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 4 |
| Florida Panthers | 4 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 4 |
As big-name players in Steven Stamkos and Dustin Byfuglien came off the market, and the likes of Jonathan Drouin and Dan Hamhuis stayed put, there were certainly deals with blockbuster potential that quite simply never came to fruition. Although this surely had an effect on Monday's trade deadline, it's becoming increasingly evident that it is no longer about one specific day. The biggest deals, which are not anywhere near as significant as they once were, will ultimately come in the days leading up to it.
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The Nashville Predators have come to an agreement on a two-year contract extension with depth forward Miikka Solomaki, the club announced Tuesday.
He will earn $1.225 million over the two-year term, which will see him earn a tidy pay bump in 2017-18.
Miikka Salomaki (#Preds)
— General Fanager (@generalfanager) March 1, 2016
2 yrs @ $612,500 cap hit
2016: $575,000
2017: $650,000https://t.co/bRZZM6iJ8i https://t.co/8I7od0Pb9v
The speedy, hard-nosed checker and former second-round selection has chipped in with four goals and seven points in 45 games this season.
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The Florida Panthers have signed one of their top prospects, Jayce Hawryluk, to an entry-level contract, the team announced Tuesday.
Hawryluk, a center, was selected in the second round, 32nd overall by the Panthers in 2014.
He's scored 30 goals and has already established a career high in points at the Major Junior level, with 79 in 49 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings this season.
Hawryluk ostensibly sealed his first professional contract with 33 points in 13 games over the last month.
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Another trade deadline has come and passed.
The 2016 edition felt rather dry and uneventful, especially up until 2 p.m. ET. Nevertheless, many teams hoping to get a final piece to push them into the Cup conversation were active.
Related: Blue Jackets GM: 'Quietest trade deadline I've ever seen'
While there wasn't much in terms of high-calibre talent exchanged Monday, the transactions that did (and didn't) happen leave us with a clearer picture of the realities teams are facing.
Here are three things we learned from the trade deadline:
While sellers such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, and Arizona Coyotes were active leading up to the 3 p.m. deadline, none were able to capture the grand prize: a first-round pick.
In all the deals Monday and the days leading up, only the Andrew Ladd trade between the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks saw a team willing to part with a first-round pick.
With growing proof that these picks - no matter where in the top 30 they slot - can bring in a potential game-changing player, teams are becoming much more reluctant to give them up.
Meanwhile, as many as six second-round picks were included in deals between Feb. 25-29.
While several trades were made in the final minutes before the deadline, there wasn't even one major blockbuster completed Monday.
The biggest names moved were arguably Mikkel Boedker and Kris Russell, which suggests that teams interested in marquee players did their due diligence in advance of Monday.
The final week saw the likes of Ladd, Eric Staal, and Justin Schultz moved, while Dion Phaneuf was shipped out of town earlier in the month. In addition to Schultz, Teddy Purcell, Jakub Kindl, and Jiri Hudler were all sent packing Saturday.
General managers are no longer waiting until the last minute to make a deal. Teams are combing the market earlier and pouncing when they get the chance. Expect this to be the new norm.
The Blackhawks and Panthers made it crystal clear heading into Monday they mean business this season.
After the dust settled Monday, though, it appeared the big winner of the day was the Colorado Avalanche.
Related: Deadline day winners and losers
The Avalanche are currently holding down the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with just a two-point cushion between them and the Minnesota Wild.
Colorado added Boedker and underutilized defenseman Eric Gelinas. In exchange the team sacrificed ageing forward Alex Tanguay, 2014 first- and third-round picks Conner Bleackley and Kyle Wood, and a third-round draft pick.
Related: Avalanche all in on playoffs after adding experience to young core
Since the Avalanche gave up two prospects for Boedker, who'll likely serve as a rental player, it appears they have one thing on their mind: this year's Cup.
Boedker gives the team a lot of skill - though the analytics community will argue Tanguay holds more value - and makes the potential line of him, Gabriel Landeskog, and Nathan MacKinnon perhaps the fastest in the league.
It had been hard to get a read on the Avalanche, who've played jump rope with a playoff position. Whether or not the deals pan out, it's clear Joe Sakic and Co. are aiming for a deep playoff run.
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