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SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 20: Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks skates after the puck against Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center on December 20, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 20: Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks skates after the puck against Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center on December 20, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images

Grading Every Team's 2024 NHL Trade Deadline

Adam GretzMar 10, 2024

The 2024 NHL trade deadline is finished, so let's take a look at how every team did in assembling their rosters for the remainder of the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

A lot of the expected names ended up getting traded. Calgary and Anaheim were big sellers. Pittsburgh had almost no choice but to trade Jake Guentzel. Colorado addressed its biggest need. Vegas went all in with its usual aggressiveness, almost certainly angering the rest of the NHL.

Some teams made blockbusters, other teams stood pat, and others made only minor tweaks to their roster.

In the end, a lot of changes were made. So let's take a look at those changes and hand out some knee-jerk reaction report cards for every team's 2024 trade deadline activity.

Anaheim Ducks

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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 23: Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks attempts a shot in front of Henri Jokiharju #10 of the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at Honda Center on January 23, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 23: Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks attempts a shot in front of Henri Jokiharju #10 of the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at Honda Center on January 23, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Grade: B+

Overall, the Ducks did pretty well here and got really strong value for what they sold.

They got a first-round pick for Adam Henrique, got a couple of draft picks for Ilya Lyubushkin, and most importantly they did not do anything overly stupid like trade Trevor Zegras at his lowest possible value.

They held onto Frank Vatrano, and if they didn't get the type of offer they were looking for there is nothing wrong with that. He is a good player having a big year and if they want they can revisit that in the offseason or even before next year's trade deadline.

The Ducks are still in their rebuild and ended up getting good value for players that did not fit into their long-term plans and were unlikely to be back next season anyway. Solid work.

Arizona Coyotes

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TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 14: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Minnesota Wild gets ready to make a save as Jason Zucker #16 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck during the third period of the game at Mullett Arena on February 14, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)
TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 14: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Minnesota Wild gets ready to make a save as Jason Zucker #16 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck during the third period of the game at Mullett Arena on February 14, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: D

The Coyotes traded the few rental players they had in Jason Zucker, Troy Stecher, and Matt Dumba, but they didn't get anything of meaningful value back, netting only fourth, fifth, and sixth-round picks.

Stecher, surprisingly, ended up bringing the biggest return.

I know none of these three were among the biggest names available or on the rental market, but getting only a sixth-rounder for Zucker and a fifth for Dumba doesn't seem like a lot of value for solid veterans.

It does strike me as a team trying to do a couple of veterans a favor and send them to good situations, and that is a nice gesture. But were these the best returns you could get?

Boston Bruins

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 5: Linus Ullmark #35 of the Boston Bruins deflects the puck against the Edmonton Oilers at the TD Garden on March 5, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 5: Linus Ullmark #35 of the Boston Bruins deflects the puck against the Edmonton Oilers at the TD Garden on March 5, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: C+

I don't hate anything the Bruins did, but I also don't necessarily love it.

They needed to address their defense, but I am not sure getting Andrew Peeke from Columbus is enough for what they needed there. He is also signed for a couple of more seasons. Maybe they feel like they can get more out of him than Columbus did.

Pat Maroon brings a lot of energy and championship experience to the bottom of the lineup and will bring some toughness to the lineup. Solid depth addition at a cheap price.

The most interesting thing to come out of the Bruins was the report that they did have a trade in the works involving goaltender Linus Ullmark only to have it fall through. That would have been one of the biggest stunners of the deadline had it actually gone through. Given how they did not address the defense in a bigger way they might need both goalies to continue carrying them.

The Bruins went into the trade deadline as a very good, but very flawed team. They came out of the deadline as a very good, but also still very flawed team.

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Buffalo Sabres

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BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 25: Fans react after Casey Mittelstadt #37 of the Buffalo Sabres scores a shootout goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during an NHL game on February 25, 2024 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo won, 3-2. (Photo by Ben Green/NHLI via Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 25: Fans react after Casey Mittelstadt #37 of the Buffalo Sabres scores a shootout goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during an NHL game on February 25, 2024 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo won, 3-2. (Photo by Ben Green/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: B

The huge move here was flipping pending restricted free agent (and their leading scorer) Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Bowen Byram. That is a bold move for both teams, and a fascinating one as well.

Mittelstadt seemed to be a potential trade chip given the raise he is going to be due after this season and with the Sabres needing a spark, a deal involving the former first-round picks was always possible.

Getting Byram could be significant.

He never really blossomed into a star with the Avalanche (at least not yet) due to injuries and a crowded defense burying him down the depth chart. He is signed beyond this season and gives the Sabres another young core piece on a defense that already includes Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson.

I will say this for the Sabres—if Byram can excel and become the player everybody thought he would be, his upside is probably higher than Mittelstadt's and could help form an outstanding defense in Buffalo. That is, of course, assuming that the entire group pans out. Those are some pretty big "ifs," and as the past 13 seasons have shown us things do not always seem to go as planned in Buffalo. So we will just have to wait and see. But the potential is intriguing.

Calgary Flames

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CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 22: Calgary Flames Defenceman Noah Hanifin (55) passes the puck during the first period of an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the Boston Bruins on February 22, 2024, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 22: Calgary Flames Defenceman Noah Hanifin (55) passes the puck during the first period of an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the Boston Bruins on February 22, 2024, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Grade: B

The Flames had three of the biggest rental players in Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin.

They traded all of them and brought the following assets into the organization.

  • Andrei Kuzmenko
  • Joni Jormo
  • Hunter Brzustewicz
  • Artem Grushnikov
  • Danill Miromanov
  • 2024 first-round pick
  • 2026 first-round pick
  • 2024 second-round pick
  • 2024 third-round pick
  • 2026 conditional third-round pick
  • 2024 conditional fourth-round pick

That is a lot to get back for three players who were probably going to leave in a couple of months anyway. The trick is going to be making sure they take advantage of those draft picks and can develop any of the prospects.

Kuzmenko is also a decent gamble to see if he can rediscover some of the scoring touches he showed in his first year (and so far in Calgary, he has shown some signs of it).

Trading rentals is tough sometimes, but the Flames did about as well as could have been expected in this trade market.

They also still have starting goalie Jacob Markström to explore trade opportunities with this offseason.

Carolina Hurricanes

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PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 12: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) looks on during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Arizona Coyotes on December 12, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 12: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) looks on during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Arizona Coyotes on December 12, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Grade: A

The Hurricanes went all in, and even did something they don't always like to do—paid big for a rental.

Getting Jake Guentzel is exactly the type of player the Hurricanes needed, and have needed for most of the past six years. They defend as well as any team in the league, they out-chance and out-shoot opponents better than almost anybody, but they always seem to struggle in the playoffs because they do not have enough finishers to turn all of that territorial dominance into goals.

Well, they have one now.

Guentzel is not only one of the best goal-scoring wingers in hockey, having previously topped the 40-goal mark two different times in his career, but he is also an incredible playoff performance whose goal and point-per-game production increases in the postseason.

He averages 0.44 goals per game and 0.93 points per game in the regular season for his career.

Those numbers go up to 0.58 and 1.00 in the playoffs for his career.

They also took an interesting gamble on getting Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals at a reduced rate. He is a shell of the player he was at his peak, but a fresh start on a contender might jumpstart things for him. If nothing else the Hurricanes, a team that has had some postseason shortcomings in recent years, added two players with a track record of performing for championship teams. That could be significant.

Chicago Blackhawks

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 25: Lucas Raymond #23 of the Detroit Red Wings approaches the puck ahead of Nick Foligno #17 and Tyler Johnson #90 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period at the United Center on February 25, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 25: Lucas Raymond #23 of the Detroit Red Wings approaches the puck ahead of Nick Foligno #17 and Tyler Johnson #90 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period at the United Center on February 25, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: C

There just isn't much here to grade. They picked up a fifth-round pick for veteran forward Anthony Beauvillier, which does nothing but prompt a giant yawn.

The bottom line is the Blackhawks kind of took themselves out of the trade deadline game when they re-signed a bunch of veterans (Nick Foligno, Jason Dickinson, Petr Mrazek) and lost Taylor Hall to a season-ending injury.

There just isn't much else here to trade.

They had some other pending UFA's (Tyler Johnson, Nikita Zaitsev, Jarred Tinordi) but it is not worth crushing them for not moving them. Their value was minimal at best.

Just a boring, run-of-the-mill deadline. And really, that is what the situation called for here.

Colorado Avalanche

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 4: Bowen Byram (4) of the Colorado Avalanche speaks with teammates during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 4: Bowen Byram (4) of the Colorado Avalanche speaks with teammates during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Grade: A-

This was, on paper anyway, a pretty masterful job by Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic.

He he has needed a second-line center since the start of the 2022-23 season and finally managed to get one when he acquired Casey Mittelstadt from Buffalo. Using defenseman Bowen Byram to make that happen is a great example of not only two teams getting together to make a sensible hockey trade, but also the Avalanche dealing from a position of strength to fill a position of weakness.

Most teams would not want to part with a player like Byram given his age and potential, but when your defense already has Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Sam Girard and Josh Manson on it, and then you make another trade for Sean Walker to help replace Byram in the short-term, you have the flexibility to make that happen.

The only potential flaw I see here, and the only reason they have an A-minus instead of an A, is they did not do anything to address the goaltending situation. That could be a problem.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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COLUMBUS, OHIO - FEBRUARY 29: Jack Roslovic #96 of the Columbus Blue Jackets takes a break during a stoppage in play against the Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena on February 29, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - FEBRUARY 29: Jack Roslovic #96 of the Columbus Blue Jackets takes a break during a stoppage in play against the Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena on February 29, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Grade: C+

They get bonus points for having self-awareness and not doing too much. They don't have a full-time general manager at the moment, and it only makes sense to let the new person in charge decide who they want, who they do not want, and what direction they want to take the team.

That was the most sensible approach, and that is exactly what they did minus a couple of minor moves in trading Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke. They got back a couple of mid-round picks and Jakub Zboril.

Nothing that moves the needle, but nothing that sets them back.

The real fun here starts with a new general manager in the offseason.

Dallas Stars

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SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 5: Chris Tanev #3 of the Dallas Stars waits for the next play against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at SAP Center on March 5, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 5: Chris Tanev #3 of the Dallas Stars waits for the next play against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at SAP Center on March 5, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: A

Getting Chris Tanev is a huge addition and helps solidify one of their biggest areas of weakness—a right-shot for their second defense pairing.

What makes the addition of Tanev even better is they got one of the best defensemen that was available and didn't have to give up their 2024 first-round pick. They also managed to get him at a reduced salary-cap rate.

The funny thing about the Stars' situation is that their biggest addition might not have been a trade. It might have been simply calling up prospect Logan Stankoven who already scored five goals (with eight total points) in his first seven games.

One of the NHL's best and deepest offensive teams has another potential impact player starting to make an impact. This is a major Stanley Cup contender.

Detroit Red Wings

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red WIngs attends the 2023 NHL Draft at the Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red WIngs attends the 2023 NHL Draft at the Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Grade: D

I just don't like this. The Red Wings are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years and have the offense to make that happen. Their offense is good enough to compete with most teams on any given night. But they can't stop anybody and are one of the worst defensive teams in hockey. They needed help on both defense and in goal, and their only addition was to acquire Radim Simek from San Jose. He has not played in a game this season.

The Red Wings only had a two-point edge in the playoff race on deadline day, and their spot is not a given at this point.

They could have used some help on the back end and they simply did not get it.

If they do not secure a playoff spot over the next month-and-a-half this might look like a big missed opportunity for Steve Yzerman and his front office.

I get that simply making the playoffs isn't the long-term goal and they are trying to build something long-term, but there should also be some expectation to get back into the playoffs sooner rather than later.

Edmonton Oilers

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COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 07: Adam Henrique #19 of the Edmonton Oilers warms up prior to a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on March 07, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 07: Adam Henrique #19 of the Edmonton Oilers warms up prior to a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on March 07, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Grade: B

The Oilers needed an upgrade to their bottom-six and Adam Henrique is a really strong addition there.

But was adding him the best possible use of their trade resources, and did they address any of their biggest needs?

Or their biggest need.

If I am an Oilers fan I am looking at that goalie situation with some pretty significant concern with the playoffs looming. Edmonton has two megastars at the top of the lineup in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and has built a pretty dominant team offensively. But sub-par goaltending can render all of that meaningless in the playoffs, and there is no good reason to trust what they have in net.

They made a good trade, and you have to give them credit for that. And it did address a need. But that goaltending scares me in the playoffs.

Florida Panthers

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SUNRISE, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Vladimir Tarasenko #10 of the Florida Panthers warms up on the ice prior to the start of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Amerant Bank Arena on March 7, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Vladimir Tarasenko #10 of the Florida Panthers warms up on the ice prior to the start of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Amerant Bank Arena on March 7, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: B+

The Panthers might already have the best top-to-bottom team in the NHL, so they really didn't need to do much.

The concern here might have been doing too much and disrupting the good thing they have rolling.

But they seem to have avoided that concern as well, adding Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo.

Tarasenko is the most notable addition and adds another finisher to an already strong offensive lineup. His defensive game is weak, but the Panthers are strong enough that they can insulate him shelter him, and allow him to focus on what he does best—scoring goals.

Okposo is just a solid, veteran addition for the bottom of the lineup.

Neither trade cost them much, both players can be a good fit, and an already great team gets just a little bit better.

Los Angeles Kings

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07:  Cam Talbot #39 of the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Cam Talbot #39 of the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Grade: D

The Kings could have really used a goal-scorer. They didn't get one.

As strong and surprising as their goaltending has been, they probably would have liked a more proven option there. They did not get that.

They did not actually get anything while the rest of the contenders in their division and Western Conference all made significant moves.

It just seems a little underwhelming. The Kings have a good team, but they are a clear step below some of the other contenders, all of which managed to get better over the past month.

Minnesota Wild

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SAINT PAUL, MN - JANUARY 23: Pat Maroon #20 of the Minnesota Wild awaits a face-off against the Washington Capitals during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on January 23, 2024 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAINT PAUL, MN - JANUARY 23: Pat Maroon #20 of the Minnesota Wild awaits a face-off against the Washington Capitals during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on January 23, 2024 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: C

The Wild were stuck in no-man's land this deadline. They were in no position to buy given their place in the standings and their salary-cap situation, while they also didn't have many good options to sell. Especially with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury not having any interest in moving to another team at this stage of his career.

They made a series of minor trades (Pat Maroon, Brandon Duhaime, Nicolas Petan) that brought back the NHL Draft equivalent of some scratch-off lottery tickets. They are very likely to produce nothing. When you get a ticket, there is a sense of excitement over the potential. Then it quickly fades away when you realize the reality.

Montreal Canadiens

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MONTREAL, CANADA - FEBRUARY 21:  Jake Allen #34 of the Montreal Canadiens skates during warmups prior to the game against the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on February 21, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2.  (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - FEBRUARY 21: Jake Allen #34 of the Montreal Canadiens skates during warmups prior to the game against the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on February 21, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Grade: B

Getting a third-round pick for Jake Allen is about what they should have expected, and it was fine to take advantage of that while they could. They have NHL-caliber goaltending options for next season, and it is unlikely his value was ever going to increase.

Their best move came earlier in February when they traded center Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets for a first-round pick.

The whole Monahan experience was a masterclass in how a rebuilding team can utilize salary cap space to buy some draft picks.

They received a first-round pick from Calgary to take on Monahan's contract. Then they put him into positions where he could build his value back up over the next two years and flipped him for another first-round pick.

They got two first-round picks just by putting some otherwise empty salary-cap space to use. That is just good asset and salary-cap management.

Nashville Predators

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 2: Juuse Saros #74 of the Nashville Predators makes a save against the Colorado Avalanche during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on March 2, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 2: Juuse Saros #74 of the Nashville Predators makes a save against the Colorado Avalanche during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on March 2, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: B

Even though the Predators are in a playoff spot in the Western Conference, there was a sense that they could sell at the deadline, mainly because they are not one of the top contenders in the Western Conference. They simply look like a middle-of-the-pack team whose ceiling is a Wild Card spot and a first-round exit.

Well, they didn't sell. Juuse Saros is still in net, they kept Alexandre Carrier and Tyson Barrie.

They made a small minor additions in adding veteran forwards Jason Zucker and Anthony Beauvillier for the small price of a couple of late-round picks (fifth-and sixth-round). Even if they don't make a difference in the Predators' Stanley Cup chances, they still have nine picks in the first four rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft and probably are not losing out on anything meaningful by dealing what they did. Zucker and Beauvillier will be nice depth pieces to reward a roster that has probably overachieved this season.

No risk. Maybe a small upside. They can still try to explore a Saros trade this summer if they want.

New Jersey Devils

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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores the game winning goal against Vitek Vanecek #41 of the New Jersey Devils in overtime at PNC Arena on February 10, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores the game winning goal against Vitek Vanecek #41 of the New Jersey Devils in overtime at PNC Arena on February 10, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: F

Maybe the F grade is overly harsh, but it just seems to be appropriate for how the season in general has gone.

This is a team that was supposed to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. And while injuries have certainly played a role in their disappointing performance, they can't be blamed for everything.

Goaltending was viewed as a huge issue at the start of the season, and the Devils did nothing to address it in the offseason despite swimming in salary cap space and having more young assets than almost any other contender in the league. They could have swung for the fences. They did nothing.

Then as the season started to slip away, they still did nothing.

It was not until the 11th hour at the deadline—when the Devils had already established themselves as sellers by trading away Tyler Toffoli—that they brought in two new goalies, trading for Jake Allen and swapping Vitek Vanecek for Kaapo Kähkönen.

What's the point now?

The return on Toffoli (second and third-rounders) also seemed underwhelming given his production and how he was a surprisingly big name added to the market in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Just an extremely disappointing season and really weird trade deadline.

New York Islanders

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ELMONT, NEW YORK - MARCH 05:  Brock Nelson #29 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the St. Louis Blues during the game at UBS Arena on March 05, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images)
ELMONT, NEW YORK - MARCH 05: Brock Nelson #29 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the St. Louis Blues during the game at UBS Arena on March 05, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: B

The Islanders didn't do anything at the deadline, and I kind of get it.

They have played their way back into the playoff race, but they are not really in a position where buying would have made a ton of sense.

They had a few pending UFAs that could have been dealt with, but nobody was going to bring back anything significant in return. Given the way they have played their way back into the race, it doesn't hurt to keep trying for a playoff spot.

Brock Nelson would have been an intriguing trade option to sell given that he still has another year left on his contract, but it did not seem to be a seller's market and the prices may not have been there. They can revisit that at the draft or in the offseason if necessary.

An instance where standing pat is fine.

New York Rangers

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SEATTLE, WA - FEBRUARY 24: Seattle Kraken center Alex Wennberg (21) skates during an NHL game between the Seattle Kraken and the Minnesota Wild on February 24, 2024 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - FEBRUARY 24: Seattle Kraken center Alex Wennberg (21) skates during an NHL game between the Seattle Kraken and the Minnesota Wild on February 24, 2024 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Grade: B-

The Rangers are always buyers at the trade deadline and given their needs for help during 5-on-5 play and with scoring depth this season was going to be no different. While they went for bigger, more impactful moves the past two trade deadlines, they took a more measured approach this season and added Alex Wennberg, Jack Roslovic and Chad Ruhwedel.

Those are nice depth pieces, and they didn't give up anything of major value.

In terms of value, they did fine.

But did they do enough to separate themselves from the other top contenders in the Eastern Conference?

Their 5-on-5 play still leaves a lot to be desired, and I am not sure any of the players they acquired are going to do much to change that.

They are not going to get many more shots with Artemi Panarin and some of their core players playing at this level and you do not want to miss a chance to go for it when you have it. The Rangers might have missed it here.

Ottawa Senators

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OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 1: Vladimir Tarasenko #91 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Arizona Coyotes at Canadian Tire Centre on March 1, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  (Photo by Andrea Cardin/NHLI via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 1: Vladimir Tarasenko #91 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Arizona Coyotes at Canadian Tire Centre on March 1, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: C

This has been a bitterly disappointing season for the Senators and a big step backward for their rebuild. Naturally, that resulted in them becoming sellers.

The only significant move they made was to send Vladimir Tarasenko to Florida for third-and fourth-round picks.

That is not a major return, but they had almost zero leverage with it. Tarasenko had a no-trade clause and seemed set on playing for Florida. The Senators' options were take what they could, or lose him for nothing in a couple of months.

Something is better than nothing.

The other big name that drew interest with the Senators was defenseman Jakob Chychrun, but they did not move him. He still has one year remaining on his contract at a very team-friendly rate of just over $4 million per season. If they want to revisit that in the summer there should be no shortage of suitors, and perhaps those with better offers.

Philadelphia Flyers

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 04: Sean Walker #26 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck against the St. Louis Blues at the Wells Fargo Center on March 04, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 04: Sean Walker #26 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck against the St. Louis Blues at the Wells Fargo Center on March 04, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Grade: B+

The Flyers were very smart about the trade deadline. Even though they have overachieved and played their way into playoff contention, they are not losing sight of the long-term goal and the long-term plan. This isn't the time to buy. This isn't the time to start selling future assets.

They managed to get a first-round pick for a player, Sean Walker, that seemed to just be a minor part of this summer's Ivan Provorov trade, and are now positioned with five first-round picks over the next three years. Given what Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev went for, that's a really good piece of business by the Flyers.

They also replaced him on the roster by getting Erik Johnson from Buffalo to still help their playoff push this season.

They held onto Scott Laughton but will still have a couple of years to move him if they want to in the future.

Given their progress this season, the future arrival of Matvei Michkov, and their cupboard of draft picks the Flyers' rebuild seems to be on the right path.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 02: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with his teammates after his third period goal while playing the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 02, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Pamela Smith/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 02: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with his teammates after his third period goal while playing the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 02, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Pamela Smith/Getty Images)

Grade: C-

For the first time since the 2005-06 season the Pittsburgh Penguins found themselves as sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline. Their one big move was to trade pending free agent—and long-time core member—Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes.

They went for a quantity over quality return, getting NHL forward Michael Bunting, three mid-tier prospects, and a couple of conditional draft picks.

Not guaranteeing themselves a first-round pick was a curious decision (they got a conditional second-rounder that could be a first-rounder if Carolina reaches the Stanley Cup Final), as that seemed to be a bare minimum expectation when dealing a player of Guentzel's caliber.

Bunting is a decent forward that will help the NHL team in the short-term, but he is another player closing in on 30 that has a couple of years tied up in his contract.

The only other move of significance was trading defenseman Chad Ruhwedel for a fourth-round pick three years from now (2027). The return for Guentzel is fine, but it still seems difficult to understand what direction they are heading in with regards to their long-term plan.

They are going to need a busy offseason to either fix the current roster or get moving forward on a long-term rebuild.

San Jose Sharks

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks makes a pass in front of Brandt Clarke #92 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Crypto.com Arena on January 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks makes a pass in front of Brandt Clarke #92 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Crypto.com Arena on January 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Grade: B-

Trading Anthony Duclair and Kaapo Kähkönen was expected.

Trading Tomáš Hertl was not.

That was the real franchise-shifting move here, and it is understandable as to why they did it. They got decent value for him, getting a first-round prospect (David Edstrom) from a year ago and another future first-round pick, but retaining salary on his deal and eating up the last of their three salary-retention spots was a curious move. That eliminates a lot of trade flexibility in the future when it comes to potentially moving some of their other contracts.

Other than a handful of young players, everybody on the Sharks' roster should have been up for grabs. Trading Hertl proved that they were, and given how early in the rebuilding process the Sharks are it is a necessary step to take.

Seattle Kraken

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SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 08: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle (7) looks on during an NHL game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Seattle Kraken on March 8, 2024 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 08: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle (7) looks on during an NHL game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Seattle Kraken on March 8, 2024 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Grade: C-

The Kraken took a big step backwards this season and found themselves in a seller's role going into the deadline. They managed to get two picks, including a second-rounder, for Alex Wennberg which is fair value for the player he is and what he provides.

They opted not to trade fellow UFA Justin Schultz and ended up re-signing Jordan Eberle.

I thought the misstep here was re-signing Eberle.

He is a fine player, but he is going to be 34 years old next season and it is risky to assume he will keep producing at this rate for another two years into his mid-30s. Seemed like a missed opportunity to add another draft pick or two into the cupboard for a team that is still building from the ground up.

St. Louis Blues

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ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 22: Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the St. Louis Blues is congratulated after scoring his second goal against the New York Islanders on February 22, 2024 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Alexis R. Knight/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 22: Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the St. Louis Blues is congratulated after scoring his second goal against the New York Islanders on February 22, 2024 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Alexis R. Knight/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: C-

The only move here was trading depth goalie Malcolm Subban to the Columbus Blue Jackets for future considerations.

So they basically did nothing.

Pavel Buchnevich was the big name floating around in trade speculation here, and with one year remaining on his contract, the Blues opted to hold onto him.

Trading him, in theory, would have been a sound decision because it would have been selling him at peak value with term remaining on his contract. That would have almost certainly brought back a bigger return. But the Blues were also under no pressure to move him and if they did not get a suitable offer, it made sense to hold.

They still have a lot of work to do this offseason to upgrade their defense, and if they put Buchnevich back on the market this summer that might be a good way to make that happen.

Tampa Bay Lightning

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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Anthony Duclair #10 of the San Jose Sharks skates past Miro Heiskanen #4 of the Dallas Stars in the second period at SAP Center on March 05, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Anthony Duclair #10 of the San Jose Sharks skates past Miro Heiskanen #4 of the Dallas Stars in the second period at SAP Center on March 05, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Grade: B-

When Mikhail Sergachev went on the LTIR and opened up all of that salary-cap space it seemed like the Lightning were destined to become major buyers and potentially add a significant piece.

Noah Hanifin would have been the ideal fit.

But the Lightning simply did not have the draft capital or prospect pool to make that happen, and they had to set their sights a little lower with Anthony Duclair and Matt Dumba.

Both players will help bring depth, and they didn't give up much to acquire them, but it is unlikely they will help the Lightning jump over teams like Boston, Florida, Carolina, or the New York Rangers on the list of Stanley Cup contenders in the Eastern Conference.

The Lightning do not have a pick in the 2024 NHL Draft until the fifth round and do not have a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft class. That is a big reason why they could not be bigger players in the trade market during this trade deadline.

Toronto Maple Leafs

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TORONTO, ON - MARCH 6: Ilya Lyubushkin #46 of the Toronto Maple Leafs plays the puck against Kyle Okposo #21 of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Scotiabank Arena on March 6, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 6: Ilya Lyubushkin #46 of the Toronto Maple Leafs plays the puck against Kyle Okposo #21 of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Scotiabank Arena on March 6, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: F

The Maple Leafs have a great core at the top of their lineup and they are all playing exceptionally well, including Auston Matthews who is having one of the best goal-scoring seasons in recent NHL history.

But those guys need help, from an improved bottom-six to significant upgrades on defense.

While the Maple Leafs did add two defensemen—Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin—it is debatable as to whether or not they actually upgraded their defensive play.

Yes, Lyubushkin and Edumdson are big bodies that can push people around play physical hockey, but there has to be some actual strong hockey play to go with that to make it worth it.

The Maple Leafs seemed more determined to win the fight than winning the game.

They are not a better team than they were before the trade deadline, and that is something that can not happen when you have a player like Matthews playing the way he is.

Vancouver Canucks

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - FEBRUARY 29: Elias Lindholm #23 of the Vancouver Canucks skates up ice during the first period of the NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena on February 29, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, CANADA - FEBRUARY 29: Elias Lindholm #23 of the Vancouver Canucks skates up ice during the first period of the NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena on February 29, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)

Grade: C

The Canucks' big move came more than a month before the trade deadline when they landed Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames.

He's a good player, but is that enough to help the Canucks keep pace in the Western Conference with teams like Dallas, Vegas and Colorado?

The Canucks have been a little hit-and-miss over the past month when it comes to their consistency, and they might have needed another spark at the deadline. They were rumored to be in the market for Jake Guentzel or potentially signing Phil Kessel, but neither move happened.

It's a fine team. It is also a fun team. But they didn't do much to separate themselves from some of the other Western Conference teams.

Vegas Golden Knights

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Vegas Golden Knights warms up prior to a game against the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Vegas Golden Knights warms up prior to a game against the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)

Grade: A

Hate them all you want. Hate the way they do business all you want. Hate the rules that allow them to operate the way they do if you must. But nobody is better at manipulating the salary cap and the salary cap rules than the Vegas Golden Knights.

They managed to add three of the biggest pieces at the trade deadline by acquiring Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin and Tomáš Hertl in three separate moves.

That means when the playoffs begin—and whenever captain Mark Stone returns—they could be putting a team on the ice that is more than $15 million over the league's salary cap.

It is all within the rules. It requires an aggressive front office to make it happen and an owner willing to spend, and they have both.

It helped make them a Stanley Cup contender from day one, produced a Stanley Cup championship a year ago, and has them positioned to make another run at it this season.

They could also use the fresh faces and improved roster given the way they have played over the past couple of months.

Washington Capitals

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WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 14: Evgeny Kuznetsov #92 of the Washington Capitals rests during a break in the game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Capital One Arena on November 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 14: Evgeny Kuznetsov #92 of the Washington Capitals rests during a break in the game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Capital One Arena on November 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

Grade: B-

The Capitals are not committing to a full-scale rebuild just yet, but they are selling off the pieces they need to and accumulating a lot of draft picks in the process.

Those draft picks can serve two purposes.

They can either use them and hope that the quantity of picks eventually leads to some players down the line, or they can be flipped to other teams to keep trying to build a competitive team around Alex Ovechkin while he chases down Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record.

None of the trades here—Anthony Mantha, Joel Edmundson, Evgeny Kuznetsov—are going to result in anything that significantly alters the franchise long-term, but Mantha and Edmundson were going to leave after the season and Kuznetsov and the Capitals clearly needed a split.

The only negative here in what they received is maybe not getting a first-rounder for Mantha, especially with the retained salary.

Winnipeg Jets

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NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 22: New Jersey Devils right wing Tyler Toffoli (73) celebrates after scoring a goal during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils on January 22, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 22: New Jersey Devils right wing Tyler Toffoli (73) celebrates after scoring a goal during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils on January 22, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Grade: A

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is not typically the most aggressive executive in the league, and that patience can sometimes hold the Jets back from taking a bigger step forward. It sometimes leaves them in that messy middle ground that nobody ever wants to be in.

But give him credit here, he had a good team that has exceeded expectations and he added two big pieces in Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli to give them a real chance in the Western Conference.

Connor Hellebuyck is having an incredible year in goal, but they needed a little scoring depth to really extend their lineup and balance out the scoring. Monahan, and especially Toffoli, will help do that at the cost of just a few draft picks.

Getting Toffoli, who already has 26 goals this season and could hit the 35-goal mark before the season ends, without having to trade a first-round pick was probably one of the bigger steals of the trade deadline this season.

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