NHL Trade Deadline: 8 Deals That Should Have Gone Down at the Deadline

The NHL trade deadline has come and passed, and after weeks of juicy rumors and speculation, there were very few significant trades.

Big-name stars such as Rick Nash, James Van Riemsdyk and Alexander Semin weren't dealt at the deadline although many teams likely showed some level of interest.

Let's look at eight trades that should have happened at the deadline.

Rick Nash to Sharks

Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash was the biggest name at the deadline but he didn't move because general manager Scott Howson wanted a huge return and wasn't willing to budge on his demands.

The San Jose Sharks should have traded for Rick Nash because with Martin Havlat hurt, the team needs some more offensive firepower. The Sharks did have interest in Nash, but weren't willing to part with young star forward Logan Couture, according to TSN:

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Sharks and Blue Jackets talked again on Nash but price didn't change: Couture as part of package. No-go.

"

"— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) February 27, 2012"

Couture is a great player, and is a young star who has yet to hit his prime, but the Sharks are in win-now mode. The team isn't very young and their Stanley Cup window isn't very large. They should have gone after Nash and made a real run at the title this season.

Mikhail Grabovski to Red Wings

Mikhail Grabovski and the Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to work out a contract extension and now the team must sign him before the summer or he's an unrestricted free agent.

The Detroit Red Wings needed another top-six forward but did not acquire one at the deadline. Grabovski's two-way ability would have been a nice fit on the Red Wings, and he has the same agent as Detroit superstar Pavel Datsyuk.

If the Red Wings were willing to give up a first-round pick for defenseman Kyle Quincey, then they should have offered just a bit more to try and acquire Grabovski from Toronto.

Derek Roy to Blackhawks

Derek Roy is a very good center and would have been a fine addition to several contending teams but the Buffalo Sabres decided to hold onto him at the deadline. 

The Chicago Blackhawks could really use another top-six forward, especially at center considering captain Jonathan Toews' recent concussion.

The Blackhawks acquired defenseman Johnny Oduya from the Winnipeg Jets, but did not address their need to add some more forward depth.

Evgeni Nabokov to Maple Leafs

Evgeni Nabokov and the New York Islanders will likely work towards reaching a new contract before the end of the season, but the Islanders could have gotten a contending team to overpay for him.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have not played well in February and their goaltending has been a major reason why. Nabokov has playoff experience and has played under current Leafs coach Ron Wilson when the two were part of the San Jose Sharks organization.

Another scenario could have been the Islanders trading Nabokov at the deadline but then signing him in the summer. This way they might have been able to get a good draft pick but also get Nabokov for the future in the summer through free agency.

James Van Riemsdyk to Sharks

Give San Jose credit, they tried to make some profound deals at the deadline.

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Belief is San Jose threw Antti Niemi's name at the Flyers hoping for JVR in return.Not happening. #tradecentre

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 27, 2012"

Another player the Sharks tried to acquire at the deadline was Philadelphia Flyers star winger James Van Riemsdyk. 

The Flyers certainly wanted a lot in return for JVR, and it appears the price was too rich for Sharks general manager Doug Wilson to pay.

The Sharks certainly could use some more young talent on their top two lines, but Philadelphia wasn't going to give up a young star without proper compensation.

Mike Knuble or Roman Hamrlik to Bruins

The Washington Capitals were almost non-existent at the trade deadline this year despite freeing up some big salary cap space by putting center Nicklas Backstrom on long-term injured reserve.

The Capitals had some chips to move. Veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik and veteran forward Mike Knuble could have gone to a contending team needing depth, such as the Boston Bruins, but general manager George McPhee decided not to make any big moves.

Star winger Alexander Semin is an unrestricted free agent in the summer, and if he doesn't re-sign, the Capitals will have lost a great talent for nothing.

Bryan Allen to Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks decided to trade young forward Cody Hodgson to the Buffalo Sabres for Zack Kassian in a four-player deal, and this was a brutal decision by the Canucks because Hodgson has the potential to be a star goal scorer very soon.

Kassian gives the team some more toughness, and while many people project him to reach the level of Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins, it's very unlikely Kassian ever becomes as good as Lucic.

The Canucks should have acquired defenseman Bryan Allen of the Carolina Hurricanes to add some toughness and defensive depth to their roster.

Steve Ott to Rangers

The New York Rangers decided not to part with young talent for Blue Jackets star Rick Nash, which was a very smart decision.

However, they could have added a less expensive forward such as Steve Ott of the Dallas Stars.

The price would have been high, especially since Dallas is in the playoff race and desperately trying to sell tickets, but the Rangers certainly could have helped themselves by adding one more forward before the deadline.