Ranking the Best NHL Trade Deadline Returns of the Last 10 Years
The NHL's annual trade deadline usually takes place in late February or early March. This season's deadline is set for Tuesday, March 8, 2024.
Deadline day tends to be the busiest for trade activity during the regular season. Thanks to the salary cap, many teams tend to wait until as close to that date as possible to accrue sufficient cap space to make what they hope will be significant moves to improve their rosters.
Most deadline-day deals tend to involve playoff contenders and those who are outside the playoff picture. The contenders are buyers looking to bolster their rosters for what they hope will be a run to the Stanley Cup. Non-contenders, meanwhile, are peddling pending free-agent players who no longer fit into their plans for returns that they hope will bring them a brighter tomorrow.
A favorite game of fans and pundits is ranking which clubs were the winners and losers of each deadline day. Some returns, however, proved to have an immediate positive effect that in some cases lasted beyond one season. The Vegas Golden Knights acquiring Mark Stone at the 2019 trade deadline is one noteworthy example.
Where does that trade fit in among the best deadline returns of the past decade? Follow along as we rank the top 10 based on the effect on the fortunes of each club on our list. The players on this ranking were acquired within three days of each year's trade deadline. We're looking at short- and long-term contributions to their respective clubs.
Feel free to let us know if you agree or disagree with our ranking in our app's comment section.
10. New York Rangers Acquire Ryan Lindgren
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The New York Rangers acquired winger Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2012. Over the next five seasons, he'd play a big role in helping them rattle off three 100-plus-point seasons from 2014-15 to 2016-17, winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2015, and reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
By 2017-18, however, that version of the Rangers had become a spent force. Management opted to begin rebuilding leading up to the Feb. 26, 2018 trade deadline. The day before the deadline, they shipped Nash to the Boston Bruins for Matt Beleskey, Ryan Spooner, Ryan Lindgren and two draft picks.
It turned out to be Nash's final season as concussions ended his playing career. Of the return the Rangers received, Lindgren proved to have a far-reaching effect on their roster.
At the time, Lindgren was finishing up his NCAA career and saw brief action with the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford. Paired with Adam Fox, the duo quickly became the rebuilding Blueshirts' top defense tandem and a major factor in their emergence since 2021-22 as a top-four club in the Eastern Conference.
Since his full-time NHL debut in 2019-20, he's led the Rangers in shorthanded ice time per game (2:20), sits third in blocked shots (383) and fourth in hits (416). He's the perfect complement to Fox on their top defense pairing.
9. Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes
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The New York Rangers were in the midst of rebuilding their roster when they traded Brady Skjei on the Feb. 24, 2020 trade deadline to the Carolina Hurricanes. Then-Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton indicated it was a move his club had to make, telling reporters it was an opportunity to add another first-round pick while achieving salary-cap flexibility.
Skjei was in the second year of his six-year contract with a $5.3 million average annual value. He had three seasons of 25-or-more points with the Rangers, including a 39-point performance as a rookie in 2016-17.
It didn't take Skjei long to become a key part of the Hurricanes roster. He would match his career-best 39 points in 2021-22 and reached a personal best for goals with 18 last season along with 38 points as part of their top-four blueliners.
Adding Skjei gave the Hurricanes one of the deepest defenses in the league. He contributed to their franchise-best 116-point season in 2021-22 and their 113-point effort in 2022-23, helping them reach the Eastern Conference Final last spring.
As for the Rangers, they didn't come off too badly with their return. They traded that pick along with their third-rounder in the 2020 draft to Calgary for the Flames' first-round pick, using that one to select Braden Schneider.
8. Montreal Canadiens Land Jeff Petry
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The Montreal Canadiens were in the market for skilled blue-line depth when deadline day dawned on March 2, 2015. They sent a second-round pick in the 2015 draft along with a conditional fourth-rounder to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Jeff Petry.
Petry had shown promise in his nearly five seasons with the rebuilding Oilers as a puck-moving defenseman with two seasons of 20-plus points. Slated to become an unrestricted free agent, he no longer fit into the Oilers' long-range plans.
Re-signed by the Canadiens to a six-year, $33 million contract, Petry would go on to become an invaluable member of their blue-line corps. He would net 40-or-more points in each season from 2017-18 to 2020-21 while improving his defensive play. Petry also helped the underdog Canadiens advance to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
Petry's tenure with the Canadiens ended in July 2022 when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Mike Matheson. He was briefly reacquired by the Habs last August before being shipped to the Detroit Red Wings for Gustav Lindström and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2025.
The Oilers never got anything with those draft picks that significantly improved them in the future. However, that was overlooked because they struck gold by selecting Connor McDavid first overall.
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7. Brandon Montour to the Florida Panthers
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Brandon Montour knew the experience of being moved near the NHL trade deadline when he was dealt by the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 24, 2019 to the Buffalo Sabres. At that time, he'd spent nearly three seasons with the Ducks, showing promise as a puck-moving defenseman.
Two years later, Montour was on the move again as the trade deadline approached. On Apr. 10, 2021, the Sabres sent him to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick.
At the time, Montour was slated to become an unrestricted free agent. He helped the Panthers reach the Stanley Cup playoffs, earning himself a three-year, $10.5 million contract on July 27, 2021. General manager Bill Zito said he was impressed by the defenseman's "character, skillset, tenacity and passion".
Montour rewarded the Panthers with a 37-point performance in 2021-22 as the club won its first-ever Presidents' Trophy. The following season saw the 29-year-old blueliner enjoy a career-best 73-point performance, finishing fourth among Panthers' scorers and fifth among all NHL defensemen. He also played a key role in their march to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
After being sidelined by offseason shoulder surgery, Montour returned to action on Nov. 17. He's in the final season of his contract and eligible for UFA status next July. Should he move on to another club, there's no denying that he proved to be an invaluable trade deadline addition for the Panthers.
6. Montreal Canadiens Deal for Phillip Danault
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The Chicago Blackhawks were the defending Stanley Cup champions approaching the Feb. 29, 2016 NHL trade deadline. They made several moves to boost their roster for another Cup run, including trading center Phillip Danault and a 2018 second-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for forwards Tomáš Fleischmann and Dale Weise.
That move was made by Chicago in part to add wingers for playmaking center Teuvo Teravainen. However, it didn't work out as planned with Fleischmann and Weise combining for just six regular-season points and one in the playoffs as the Blackhawks were eliminated from the opening round in seven games by the St. Louis Blues.
The Canadiens, meanwhile, were about to miss the playoffs after reaching the Eastern Conference Final the previous season. At the time, Danault was a promising but little-used two-way center with the Blackhawks but would go on to enjoy five solid seasons in Montreal.
Danault reached or exceeded 40 points three times, including 53 points in 2018-19. His defensive play earned him a seventh-place finish in 2018-19 among voters for the Frank J. Selke Trophy and two sixth-place finishes over the following two years. Danault's two-way skills helped the underdog Canadiens reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
Following his tenure in Montreal, Danault was signed by the Los Angeles Kings in 2021 to a six-year, $33 million contract. He's playing a key role helping the Kings become a perennial playoff contender.
5. Filip Forsberg to the Nashville Predators
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The Washington Capitals were attempting to bolster their roster for the playoffs when they made what could be considered their biggest blunder in the trade market. On April 3, 2013, they shipped Filip Forsberg to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forwards Martin Erat and Michael Latta.
At the time, Erat was in the fifth year of a seven-year contract with a $4.5 million average annual value and agreed to waive his no-movement clause to join the Capitals. The Predators were sitting outside the playoff picture and looking at acquiring some promising young talent while garnering some salary-cap flexibility.
Erat did little to help the Capitals, managing just three points in nine regular-season games and going scoreless as they were eliminated from the opening round by the New York Rangers. He would be traded the following season to the Arizona Coyotes where he finished his contract and his NHL career. Latta, meanwhile, lasted just three seasons with the Capitals.
Forsberg was the Capitals' highly-touted prospect at the time of the trade. He played 18 games with the Predators over two seasons before his 63-point breakout in 2014-15.
Since then, Forsberg has gone on to become one of the Predators' best players. He's their all-time leader with 253 career goals (and counting) while sitting fourth in total assists with 288 and third in total points with 541.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Ben Bishop
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The Ottawa Senators had a crowded crease during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season with Craig Anderson, Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop jockeying for playing time. On Apr. 3, 2013, they shipped Bishop to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for winger Cory Conacher and a 2013 fourth-round pick.
According to the Ottawa Citizen's James Gordon, the Senators made this move to give Lehner a clear path to become a full-time NHL goaltender. However, he wound up playing second fiddle to Anderson in the Senators' crease. Lehner would move on to the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights.
Conacher, meanwhile, was a promising young winger who would finish third among rookie scorers that season, but he failed to pan out as hoped and was traded the following season to the Buffalo Sabres.
The Lightning was a team in transition poised to miss the playoffs for the second straight year. However, this trade would have a significant effect on their roster beyond 2012-13.
Bishop quickly established himself as a solid starting goaltender with the Lightning. He played a big role in their rise as a perennial Stanley Cup contender, backstopping them to the 2015 Final against Chicago. He was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2013-14 and 2015-16 and was named to the '15-'16 Second All-Star Team.
With Andrei Vasilevskiy on the rise and Bishop plagued by injuries, the Lightning traded him on Feb. 26, 2017, to the Los Angeles Kings, who shipped him to the Dallas Stars on May 9, 2017. He would regain his form with the Stars, becoming a Vezina finalist in 2018-19, before a knee injury finished his playing career in 2020.
3. Los Angeles Kings Land Marián Gáborík
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The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired Marián Gáborík from the New York Rangers before the 2013 trade deadline. They were hoping the three-time 40-goal scorer would provide them with some much-needed scoring punch after trading away Rick Nash to the Rangers the previous summer.
Gáborík, however, wasn't a fit in Columbus. After a broken collarbone limited him to just 22 games, the Blue Jackets shipped him to the Los Angeles Kings on March 5, 2014, in exchange for winger Matt Frattin, a 2014 third-round pick and a 2015 second-rounder.
By that point, it would've been fair to conclude that Gáborík was past his prime. However, he regained his form with the Kings, tallying 16 points in 19 games.
Gáborík took his game to another level during the 2014 playoffs. He led all postseason scorers with 14 goals (11 at even strength), finished fourth in points with 22 and in power-play points with eight. His offensive contributions played a significant role in the Kings' winning their second Stanley Cup in three years.
The following season, Gáborík exceeded the 20-goal plateau for the ninth time in his career and the 40-point mark for the 10th time with 27 goals and 47 points in 69 games. However, injuries would steadily hamper his performance. He was traded by the Kings to the Ottawa Senators in 2017-18 and never played again after that season.
As for the Jackets, the return did nothing to better their fortunes. Frattin played just four games for the Jackets and would see action in nine games the following season with the Toronto Maple Leafs before his NHL career came to an end.
2. Ryan McDonagh to the Tampa Bay Lightning
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The biggest deal of the 2018 NHL trade deadline involved a rare multiplayer blockbuster between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. On Feb. 26, 2018, the Rangers shipped defenseman (and former captain) Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller to the Lightning for Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Libor Hajek and two draft picks.
It was a deal involving two teams moving in different directions. The Lightning would finish atop the Eastern Conference standings with 113 points while the Rangers were beginning to rebuild. Then-Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton made the move to bring in some long-term assets to get younger and faster.
The deal didn't pan out as well as the Rangers hoped but it proved to have substantial long-term effects for the Lightning. Miller would be shipped off to the Vancouver Canucks in June 2019 where he became a late-blooming star. McDonagh, however, became a key piece of the Lightning defense corps.
From the remainder of 2017-18 until traded to the Nashville Predators in a cost-cutting move in July 2022, McDonagh was a reliable, often underrated workhorse on the Lightning blue line. During that period, he was second in time on ice per game (21:51), leading them in shorthanded ice time (3:08) and blocked shots (529).
During McDonagh's tenure with the Lightning, they went to three Stanley Cup Finals, winning two of them. He also helped them win the 2019 Presidents' Trophy with a franchise-record 128 points. Their defense corps hasn't been the same since trading him to the Nashville Predators in a cost-cutting move on July 3, 2022.
1. Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights
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Seven seasons into his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators, Mark Stone was already an established star. A skilled two-way winger, he was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2014-15 and was soon to be named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2018-19.
Stone, however, was also on a one-year contract in 2018-19 and slated to become an unrestricted free agent that summer. Unable to reach an agreement on a new deal with the rebuilding Senators, he and forward Tobias Lindberg were traded on Feb. 25, 2019 to the Vegas Golden Knights for Erik Brännström, Oscar Lindberg and a 2020 second-round pick.
The Golden Knights wasted little time signing Stone to a contract extension, inking him on March 8 of that year to an eight-year, $76 million deal. That contract has proven to be a worthwhile long-term investment for the Golden Knights.
Stone went on to tally 60-plus points in his first two full seasons with the Golden Knights. Named team team captain in 2021, he was a Selke Trophy finalist in 2020-21. Back injuries limited him to just 80 games from the 2021-22 to 2022-23, but he recovered to lead Vegas to their first Stanley Cup last June.
This trade didn't pan out as well for Ottawa. Oscar Lindberg returned to Sweden in 2019, Brännström has become a depth defenseman for the Senators while Egor Sokolov, chosen with that second-round pick, has just 13 NHL games under his belt thus far.
Stats via NHL.com, salary and trade info via Cap Friendly with addition info via Hockey-Reference. com.
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