Quick-hit analysis of big-league trades completed Monday, Feb. 25, updating live as each deal's made ahead of the 3 p.m. ET NHL trade deadline.
Trade: Blues acquire Michael Del Zotto
Analysis: St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong had a relatively quiet deadline day, and this deal is by no means a game-changer. Del Zotto, who's skated for five teams over a 10-year NHL career, fell out of favor this year with both the Canucks and Ducks. That dropped his stock significantly, and he ultimately fetched Anaheim a sixth-round pick in 2019. The 26-year-old could be a fit on the Blues' third pair, but fans should temper their expectations.
Trade: Jets add Nathan Beaulieu
Analysis: Insurance. That's what Winnipeg must see in Beaulieu, an offensively minded defenseman who's been in and out of the Sabres' lineup this season. Winnipeg's blue-line corps is nothing to scoff at with Josh Morrissey, Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, and Tyler Myers leading the charge, so it's hard to envision Beaulieu's ice time rising in a major way. This deal might not work out for him on a personal level, but he's got a new home, and Buffalo gets a sixth-round pick in 2019.
Trade: Jets reunite with Matt Hendricks
Analysis: Winnipeg adds a familiar face to its incredible collection of forwards, parting with a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft for the services of ex-Jet Hendricks. Their trade partner, the Minnesota Wild, isn't giving away much, as Hendricks is a fourth-line talent headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. It's a straightforward swap that makes sense for both clubs.
Trade: Maple Leafs grab Nic Petan
Analysis: Toronto wasn't expected to rock the boat on deadline day, and this deal - depth forward Par Lindholm for Jets tweener Petan - doesn't do anything to discredit that notion. However, it could become something meaningful. Petan, a 23-year-old ex-junior star, has a higher ceiling than Lindholm, who's 27 and has shown very little offensive potential at the NHL level. Petan's played only 13 games for the Jets this season, contributing two points in a limited role. The Maple Leafs' robust development staff takes on a new project while Winnipeg receives the more polished player.
Trade: Canucks gain Tanner Pearson
Analysis: Pearson's changing his address one more time. Traded to Pittsburgh via Los Angeles in November, the former 40-point man is now off to Vancouver. The 26-year-old winger is under contract through 2020-21 at $3.75 million per year. If he can rediscover his touch, that's a solid addition for the Canucks. Slow-footed defenseman Erik Gudbranson goes the other way in the one-for-one deal. It's a puzzling move by the Penguins considering they already dress Jack Johnson - another blue-liner struggling to keep up with the league's speedsters.
Trade: Bruins net Marcus Johansson
Analysis: Thankfully for Devils fans, the Marcus Johansson era in New Jersey is over. Since he was acquired from the Capitals in July 2017, Johansson's been plagued by injuries and has struggled to produce, but he gets a fresh start in Boston. In exchange, Jersey adds a second-round pick in 2019 and a fourth-rounder in 2020 to their growing collection of upcoming selections. The Bruins are too top-heavy up front and missed out on headliners like Mark Stone and Kevin Hayes, so Johansson is a nice consolation prize. If he ends up anchoring the third line, Boston's suddenly got some solid center depth.
Trade: Predators get Wayne Simmonds
Analysis: It came down to the wire, but Simmonds is leaving Philadelphia instead of staying with the Flyers and sputtering toward free agency. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher found a dance partner in Nashville's David Poile, acquiring Predators winger Ryan Hartman and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020. The Preds had a clear objective of adding scoring forwards at the deadline and, while Simmonds' play is in decline, the rangy winger should help in that regard. The 30-year-old is often a thorn in defensemen's sides and he's hungry for a Stanley Cup.
Trade: Golden Knights land Mark Stone
Analysis: A year after missing out on Erik Karlsson, GM George McPhee pulled a rabbit out of his hat by not only acquiring the best player available at the deadline, but also agreeing to a long-term deal with the marquee player. Stone, 26, is a game-changing winger who vaults the Golden Knights into Stanley Cup-contending territory. He's off to Las Vegas for dynamite prospect Erik Brannstrom, depth forward Oscar Lindberg, and a second-round pick in 2020. For the Ottawa Senators, this is a quality haul, as Brannstrom is considered one of the best defensemen who's not playing in the NHL right now. Both teams should be pleased.
Trade: Predators reel in Mikael Granlund
Analysis: While rivals Vegas and Winnipeg reeled in the day's big fish, Nashville GM Poile may have fleeced Wild GM Paul Fenton. Creative top-six winger Granlund is a Predator, with 22-year-old Kevin Fiala going the other way in a one-for-one deal. Perhaps a change of scenery helps former high-end prospect Fiala reach his ceiling, but Granlund is by far the better player right now. The Wild are clearly banking on youth, which is fine, but you'd expect a draft pick or two from the Preds. Meanwhile, Nashville needed secondary scoring and Granlund, who costs $5.75 million per season through 2019-20, can provide that.
Trade: Flames add Oscar Fantenberg
Analysis: Why not? Flames GM Brad Treliving picking up the Kings defenseman for a conditional fourth-round pick feels like a no-brainer. The bottom-pair blue-liner provides some insurance for one of the league's best defense corps. Fantenberg's on an expiring contract, so it was a tap-in for the Kings as they gut their roster in the name of a rebuild.
Trade: Blue Jackets score Adam McQuaid
Analysis: Make it four trades in four days for Jarmo Kekalainen. After beefing up his top-six forward group (Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel) and goaltending depth (Keith Kinkaid), the Blue Jackets GM reinforced his blue line with McQuaid. The stay-at-home defenseman netted the Rangers AHLer Julius Bergman and a fourth-round and seventh-round pick. A 31-year-old pending unrestricted free agent, McQuaid will likely find a home on Columbus' third pair. He won't make a Duchene-level impact in Ohio, but he's a solid add for a win-now team. Looking forward, the Blue Jackets only have two picks (in the third and seventh rounds) in the 2019 draft, while asset-clearing New York boasts 10 selections. Talk about two teams going in opposite directions finding a middle ground.
Trade: Avalanche nab Derick Brassard
Analysis: In a low-risk move, the Avs bought low on Derick Brassard. GM Joe Sakic's bringing in a struggling but playoff-tested center who can slot in behind Nathan MacKinnon - and possibly Tyson Jost, depending on how head coach Jared Bednar deploys Brassard - at the cost of a third-round pick in 2020. The trade makes sense for Florida, too. Brassard's a pending free agent the Panthers acquired from the Penguins earlier in February with the intention of flipping, and they did well in receiving an extra lottery ticket in exchange for the final 20 games. Colorado also receives a conditional sixth-round pick. If Brassard re-signs with the Avs, the sixth-rounder returns to Florida.
Trade: Canadiens deal for Jordan Weal
Analysis: Of course Weal's on the move. Already traded in 2019 - from the Flyers to the Coyotes in January - the 26-year-old depth winger is now the property of the Habs, via Arizona. In this minor transaction, Chaput (5 points in 32 games) is switching places with Weal (2 points in 19 games). Montreal is a bottom-five faceoff team, so perhaps right-handed Weal and his 53 percent career success rate in the faceoff circle can help turn the tide.
Trade: Jets acquire Kevin Hayes
Analysis: The rich get richer as the high-powered Jets land one of the top goal-scorers on the market from the Rangers. A preseason Stanley Cup favorite, Winnipeg's underperformed a little bit through 62 games. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff's leaving nothing to chance, supplementing an already formidable attack with a big-bodied center. Hayes, a pending unrestricted free agent, has 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points in 51 games. New York receives the Jets' 2019 first-round pick, forward Brendan Lemieux, and a conditional fourth-round pick. True to their word, the Rangers continue to turn over their roster and look toward the future, making legendary goalie Henrik Lundqvist cry in the process.
Trade: Blue Jackets pick up Keith Kinkaid
Analysis: GM Jarmo Kekalainen bolstered the Jackets' goaltending depth by acquiring Kinkaid from the Devils in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick. We all know about starter Sergei Bobrovsky's nightmarish playoff history. Kinkaid, who's on an expiring contract, provides some stability as a quality No. 2 netminder. As evidenced by this past weekend's Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel trades, Columbus isn't screwing around. Adding Kinkaid on Monday morning hammers home the "going for it" message.
Trade: Sharks snag Gustav Nyquist
Analysis: Bidding farewell to a pair of draft picks, San Jose's added another secondary scoring option. Nyquist, who's spent his entire eight-year NHL career in Detroit and is due for a new contract this summer, is on pace to set a career high in points. Wouldn't he look nice on Joe Thornton's left side? The picks going the other way: a second-rounder in 2019, and a conditional third-rounder in 2020, which becomes a second-rounder if the Sharks advance to the Stanley Cup Final or re-sign Nyquist. With the Red Wings retaining 30 percent ($1.425 million) of his 2018-19 salary, this is a smart bet by the Sharks.
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