15 Best NHL Trade Deadline Deals of All Time

The NHL trade deadline is one of the most interesting times of the year, and it seems that each year certain players are destined to be traded and oftentimes they aren't.

The most recent cases are Rick Nash with Columbus in 2012 and Brad Richards with Dallas in 2011.

Throughout the history of the trade deadline, there have been some great deals involving superstars, some that eventually led to teams winning the Stanley Cup immediately and others that made teams better in the long run. 

With the deadline quickly approaching, let's recap the 15 best deadline deals of all time.

Butch Goring to the New York Islanders

In 1980, the New York Islanders acquired center Butch Goring in a trade that went on to pay huge dividends in the playoffs.

The Islanders made this move by sending Billy Harris and Dave Lewis to the Los Angeles Kings.

Although the Isles had an amazing roster of talent, Goring was the team's final piece, and he scored 19 points in a playoff run that saw the team win its first of four consecutive Stanley Cup championships.

Marian Hossa Traded to the Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins made an amazing trade when they added Marian Hossa in a blockbuster deadline deal.

Not only did the Pens add Hossa, but they also acquired Pascal Dupuis, who remains an important forward to this day. The deal was great for the Pens, as they shipped out a package of roster players for two legitimate NHLers.

Although the deal was short-lived, in context of the trade at the time, Hossa almost helped the Pens win a Stanley Cup.

Glenn Anderson Becomes a Ranger

This deal in hindsight is one of the best deadline deals in NHL history because of what Glenn Anderson brought to the table for the New York Rangers in terms of grit and tenacity.

This deal may have cost them a top scorer in Mike Gartner, but some could argue that the Rangers wouldn't have won the Stanley Cup without players like Anderson.

He was a vital forward during his time in New York, and he was a key part of the 1994 team.

Chris Chelios Traded to Detroit Red Wings

Chris Chelios is a Hall of Fame defenseman who became a vital part of the blue line that won a Stanley Cup in 2002 and in 2008 as a veteran contributor.

The trade took place in 1999, so it may be hard to consider this a great deadline deal, but the odds of this trade happening under different circumstances are extremely unlikely given the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings were involved.

Just imagine the two teams trying to make a deal today and look back in awe at this trade and the fact that it went down.

New Jersey Devils Trade for Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner

The New Jersey Devils made an aggressive trade that would set them up for success during their Stanley Cup-winning season in 2002-03.

This deal saw the Devils ship out Jason Arnott and Randy McKay, two key contributors from the 1999-2000 Stanley Cup season, for Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner.

After winning in 1999-2000, the Devils lost in the 2000-01 Final to the Colorado Avalanche. During their time in New Jersey, Nieuwendyk and Langenbrunner were key forwards for the Devils, and it was a move that the Dallas Stars likely regretted.

When looking back on this trade, you can only imagine the dynasty the Devils could have had if they beat Colorado, as they would have potentially won three Stanley Cups in a four-year span.

Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Ron Francis

The Pittsburgh Penguins' acquisition of center Ron Francis goes down as one of the greatest trades in the history of the NHL, and it occurred at the trade deadline.

During his career, Francis was an above-a-point-per-game player, and after he was traded from Hartford to Pittsburgh, he won two Stanley Cups in back-to-back seasons.

This trade saw the Pens also acquired tough guy Ulf Samuelsson in the trade in exchange for a package centered around John Cullen, a young center who had some upside at the time.

Mark Recchi Traded to the Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup after the 2004-05 lockout, and it is fair to say that the deadline deal that sent Mark Recchi from Pittsburgh to the Hurricanes made a huge difference.

The Hurricanes already had key forwards like Eric Staal, Andrew Ladd, Ray Whitney and Rod Brind'Amour on the roster, but adding Recchi put them over the top.

Mark Recchi had 16 points in 25 playoff games for the Hurricanes, and he was a big reason they won the Stanley Cup. 

New Jersey Devils Deal for Alexander Mogilny

Alexander Mogilny was a talented sniper during his career, as he tallied 473 career goals, and the New Jersey Devils dealt for him at the trade deadline before they won the Stanley Cup in 2000.

When he was acquired, he had a small impact during the regular season, and he scored some timely goals in the playoffs.

Mogilny would go on to record 83 points the next season, and he was a key player in the following playoffs, although the Devils lost in the Stanley Cup Final to the Colorado Avalanche.

Dallas Stars Add Brad Richards in Blockbuster

The Dallas Stars made one of the best trades in their franchise's history when they added budding superstar center Brad Richards.

At the time, Richards was one of the NHL's top young centers, and he has a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe on his resume.

Richards would score 11 points in 12 regular-season games with Dallas, and he went on to score 15 points in 18 playoff games that season in addition to 223 points in 220 games with Dallas in the regular season.

Rangers Trade Tony Amonte to Chicago for Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan

This trade will go down as one of the biggest moves in New York Rangers history, and it shaped a big part of the squad that went on to win the Stanley Cup months later.

Tony Amonte was a young star in the making who went on to have a solid career, but the additions of Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan, primarily Matteau, will live on in the annals of time.

Matteau scored two big overtime goals, including the series winner against the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Final, and it allowed the Rangers to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940.

Although Noonan lasted only another year in New York, he served his role during the 1993-94 playoffs.

Detroit Red Wings Acquire Larry Murphy

Larry Murphy is a Hall of Fame defenseman who was a vital part of Team Canada in 1987, and he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992.

However, as he got older, he wasn't as effective as he was in his prime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs felt the need to trade him.

The trade went to benefit the Red Wings in back-to-back regular seasons and playoffs, as they won two Stanley Cups.

Vancouver Canucks Acquire Markus Naslund

Markus Naslund is one of the Vancouver Canucks' all-time great players, and he went on to be a star forward.

Naslund was a solid scorer, playmaker and leader who eventually became the team's captain.

When you look at this trade in hindsight and realize that the Canucks made this deadline deal in exchange for an unknown player in Alek Stojanov, the deal because even more of a win for the Canucks.

Minnesota North Stars Add Mike Gartner and Larry Murphy

Dino Ciccarelli was a franchise forward for the Minnesota North Stars when this trade was made, but the team was looking to make a change.

Mike Gartner was an established goal-scoring forward for the Washington Capitals, and he seemed to be a good fit for the North Stars. 

This trade also gave the North Stars offensive defenseman Larry Murphy, so overall this deal worked out pretty good for Minnesota at the time.

Anaheim Ducks Flip Ryan Whitney for Lubomir Visnovsky

The Anaheim Ducks made a nice trade when they dealt Ryan Whitney and a late-round draft pick for power-play quarterback Lubomir Visnovsky.

The deal benefited the Ducks, as they got some nice contributions from Visnovsky, and although he eventually was traded to the New York Islanders, Whitney is currently a healthy scratch for the Edmonton Oilers.

New Jersey Devils Trade for Ilya Kovalchuk

The New Jersey Devils made an amazing blockbuster when they acquired elite sharpshooter Ilya Kovalchuk. The Kovalchuk trade was an interesting one when it happened because the Devils gave up a lot for a pending free agent.

Although Patrice Cormier hasn't panned out and Johnny Oduya eventually left the Atlanta Thrashers organization, the deal could have blown up in New Jersey's face had Kovalchuk signed with the Los Angeles Kings.

Kovalchuk currently is a key producer for the Devils offense, and this deal became one of the team's most important in franchise history.