Hockeycentric Top-10: Post-Lockout Deadline Deals
With the Olympic trade freeze just two weeks away, trade speculation is everywhere. Many GMs and members of the media have expressed their discontent with the current CBA and its stifling of mid-season trades. Trades during the regular season are few nowadays, but the deadline is always busy.
This year, there will be a trade freeze commencing on February 12, and ending on February 28th. The NHL trade deadline is March 3rd, so expect a flurry of rumours, negotiations and transactions prior to and immediately after the Olympics.
Contending teams will bid for the services of available players, while those out of the race will look to stock up on picks and prospects with an eye towards the future. Here’s our list of the best deadline deals since the lockout, which have been one-sided steals, bad fits and win-win transactions.
10. February 26, 2008
To Pittsburgh: Hal Gill
To Toronto: 2nd Round Pick in 2008, 5th Round Pick in 2009
Not recognized as a significant trade at the time, Gill became a dependable veteran presence and penalty killer for the young Penguins. He helped them win the Eastern Conference and advance to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. Gill then hoisted the Cup in 2009 after the Pens defeated the Red Wings in seven games.
9. February 26, 2008
To Detroit: Brad Stuart
To Los Angeles: 2nd Round Pick, 4th Round Pick
Stuart was traded at the 2008 deadline to an already stacked Red Wings team. He enjoyed top-4 minutes playing alongside Niklas Kronwall and the Wings won the Cup that season. In the off-season, Detroit signed Stuart to a 4-year deal worth $15 million.
8. March 4, 2009
To Pittsburgh: Bill Guerin
To NY Islanders: Conditional 5th Round Pick (Became a 3rd Round Pick)
With so much cash invested up the middle, the Penguins were hurting for a quality scoring winger prior to last year’s deadline, which is why the acquisitions of Guerin and Kunitz made so much sense. After signing with the New York Islanders, Guerin was handed the Captaincy to a team in the midst of an intense rebuild, but he wound up playing out the last months of his contract on the wing with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh. Needless to say, Guerin’s size, skill and leadership proved valuable to the Pens, as they toppled the Wings in a Stanley Cup rematch.
7. February 24, 2007
To Atlanta: Alexei Zhitnik
To Philadelphia: Braydon Coburn
The Flyers had a brutal 45-point season in 2006-07, but did an excellent job of retooling for the future at the 2007 deadline and in the off-season. Coburn has become an NHL regular in Philly, while Zhitnik was bought out at the end of the 2008 season and has never played another NHL game.
6. February 27, 2007
To St. Louis: Brad Boyes
To Boston: Dennis Wideman
While this deal didn’t amount to much for the 2007 Playoffs, it worked out for both teams in the long run. Brad Boyes scored a combined 76 goals in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. Dennis Wideman was incredible last year with the Bruins, amassing 50 points in 79 games. Strangely, and rather fittingly, both players have struggled mightily in ‘09-10 after having strong campaigns in ‘08-09.
5. March 9, 2006
To Edmonton: Sergei Samsonov
To Boston: Marty Reasoner, Yan Stastny, 2nd Round Pick in 2006 (Milan Lucic)
Samsonov became a key member of the 8th seeded Edmonton Oilers that made an improbable run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. Reasoner and Stastny didn’t spend much time in Boston, but drafting Lucic as a 2nd round pick worked wonders for the Bruins. Bruins fans love his hard-hitting style and offensive upside that he brings to the table. Different circumstances, but a great result for both clubs.
4. March 8, 2006
To Edmonton: Dwayne Roloson
To Minnesota: 1st Round Pick in 2006 (traded to L.A. for Pavol Demitra), Conditional 3rd Round Pick
Roloson initially struggled after being acquired at the deadline. Oilers’ management took some flack for the deal, but the critics were silenced when Roloson led the Oilers into the playoffs and all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, he was hurt in Game 1 of the Finals, and the Oilers were unable to get the job done without him. He stayed on as Edmonton’s starting goaltender for the next three seasons before being let go as an unrestricted free agent.
3. February 15, 2007
To Nashville: Peter Forsberg
To Philadelphia: Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, 1st Round Pick in 2007, 3rd Round Pick in 2007
Another great trade that would help the Flyers re-tool for the following season. Trading Forsberg for prospects turned out to be the right move; Scottie Upshall and Ryan Parent would help the Flyers reach the Conference Finals the very next season. Forsberg would enjoy little success in the NHL after this point.
2. February 26, 2008
To Dallas: Brad Richards and Johan Holmqvist
To Tampa Bay: Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, 4th Round Pick
The Dallas Stars won this deal. The Stars advanced to the Conference Finals in 2008. They have struggled as a team since then, but Richards has excelled. He is their undisputed franchise player, currently sitting 7th in league scoring with 59 points, including 44 assists. At the end of the 2007-08 season, Johan Holmqvist signed a contract with HC Frolunda, and has never returned to the NHL. Mike Smith has struggled in Tampa Bay, and has not blossomed into the starter the Lightning had hoped for. Jokinen was claimed off waivers by the Hurricanes, and enjoyed a successful playoff run in 2009. Other than a hot streak immediately after being acquired, Halpern hasn’t made much of a difference for the Lightning.
1. February 26, 2008
To Pittsburgh: Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis
To Atlanta: Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito, 1st Round Pick (Daultan Leveille).
This was a monumental deal that was announced just minutes before the 3:00 PM trade deadline. We all know the Hossa story. After being criticized about his performance in the clutch, he stepped up and helped get the Penguins to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, where they eventually lost to the Detroit Red Wings. In the off-season, Hossa signed with the Wings, where he thought he had the best chance to win a Cup. The Wings lost the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals to the Penguins. Last summer, Hossa signed with the Blackhawks, who have a legitimate shot at the cup this year. Could it happen again?
Pascal Dupuis is still plugging away on the Penguins, but he has been less than spectacular. Colby Armstrong is the only player Atlanta received in this deal who contributes on the ice. Christensen was placed on waivers and picked up by Anaheim. Esposito still isn’t ready for the NHL, and it is too early to evaluate Leveille.
There you have it. With a miniscule amount of trades during the regular season, the deadline has been called a hockey fan’s “Christmas Day” in recent years. Trade rumours are flying lately and the Kovalchuk sweepstakes are just getting started. Happy Holidays hockey fans.
Check out more of our splendiferous Top-10 lists here.
