Top Five: A Look Back at George McPhee's Best Deadline Deals As Capitals' GM

The Washington Capitals have enjoyed a period of unprecedented success for the franchise, in large part due to the dealings and draft choices of General Manager George McPhee, who has overseen the Caps hockey operations for the past 13 years.  With the Capitals at a critical point in their season, and the squad seemingly searching for a spark to ignite the team's offensive firepower, it's possible that McPhee will try to bolster the team's depth before the February 28th trade deadline.  McPhee has proven over the years that he is not afraid to bring in big name players, or ship out fan favorites as he sees fit, and this year's deadline may be the most important for him as the Capitals' GM.  

With all of that in mind, here is a look back at some of McPhee's best moves at previous NHL trade deadlines, and how the team benefited from his roster remodeling.  

5. Jason Chimera From Columbus in Exchange For Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina

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NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 22: Jason Chimera #25 of the Washington Capitals skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on November 22, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Capitals 5-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

In what may be the most overlooked of McPhee's best trades, the Capitals landed a forward who has become an integral part of the team's success, in exchange for two players that had essentially become spare parts.  Jason Chimera is the type of tough, physical forward the Capitals coveted nearing the trade deadline in 2010, and McPhee secured his services in exchange for then-captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina. 

Clark surely had a place in the hearts of Caps fans, as he played a gritty game though suffering gruesome injury after injury.  However, after a series of lengthy absences due to injuries, Clark had lost his spot in the lineup and the team had little use for him in the top three lines.  Jurcina was re-acquired at the trade deadline, so the deal essentially ended up being Chris Clark for Jason Chimera.  Chimera, widely regarded as one of the league's fastest skaters, has quickly become a popular player in the nation's capital, and looks to be a key part of the team's attack moving forward.  

4. Cristobel Huet From Montreal in Exchange For Washington's Second Round Pick

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PHILADELPHIA - APRIL 21: Goaltenders Cristobal Huet #38 and Olie Kolzig #37 of the Washington Capitals head off the ice after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in game six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on Ap

While Cristobal Huet's time in Washington was short, he made a huge impact on the team and took them to a new level of success.  Acquired at the 2008 NHL trade deadline, Huet was brought in by McPhee to help the team fight for their first playoff birth since 2003.  With longtime franchise goaltender Olaf Kolzig beginning to falter between the pipes, Huet came in and won 11 of the team's final 12 games, en route to the Southeast Division championship.  

The confidence gained by the team during their Cinderella run to the postseason was noticeable, as they posted remarkable regular seasons the following two campaigns.  The Capitals' net has never been quite as safe since Huet left, and ironically, Huet has never truly regained his status as a starting goaltender since signing with Chicago the following summer.  

3. Brooks Laich and a 2nd Round Pick From Ottawa in Exchange For Peter Bondra

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 01: Brooks Laich #21 of the Washington Capitals celebrates defeating Pittsburgh 3-1 during the 2011 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic at Heinz Field on January 1, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Image

At the time, this was likely the most unpopular trade McPhee or any Washington Capital general manager had made, as he traded away the franchise's most beloved scorer in exchange for a second round pick and a largely unknown prospect in Brooks Laich.  While Bondra bounced around the league for another two seasons, the Capitals were in the midst of their rebuilding process, and jettisoned all of the team's high priced players, including the Slovakian sniper.  

Flash forward seven years and this trade looks like a steal for the Capitals, as Laich has become one of the team's most respected players and revered leaders.  He is a solid second line forward and is among the most vocal members of the team, and is a fan favorite.   

2. Sergei Fedorov From Columbus In Exchange For Prospect Ted Ruth

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NEW YORK - APRIL 22: Sergei Federov #91 of the Washington Capitals skates against the New York Rangers during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 22, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New Yo

When the name Sergei Fedorov is spoken around any Capitals fan, one moment comes to mind.  With just over five minutes remaining in Game 7 of Washington's first round match up with the New York Rangers in the 2009 playoffs, Sergei Fedorov scored a highlight reel goal to lift the Capitals over the Rangers, forever etching his name in franchise history.  Just over a year earlier, the Capitals obtained Fedorov from the Blue Jackets in exchange for prospect Ted Ruth, who has yet to play an NHL game.  

Fedorov quickly became one of the leaders of the team, and served as a mentor to younger Russian talents like Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Semyon Varlamov and to some extent, Viktor Kozlov.  McPhee acquired the former league MVP and three-time Stanley Cup champion in order to add a veteran presence in the locker room, but Fedorov clearly exceeded those expectations.  On the final day of the 2008 season, with the Capitals in need of a win to capture a playoff spot, Fedorov scored the game's winning goal, sending Washington to the postseason.  

He was re-signed for the 2008-09 season after a solid playoffs and finish to the 2008 season, and posted 13 points in 21 playoff games over those two years.  His influence on the team was obvious, and he seemed to bring the best out of Ovechkin at times, as he played center for Ovechkin during the 2009 semifinal series against Pittsburgh where Ovechkin tallied eight goals in seven games.  

1. Tomas Fleischmann and 1st and 4th Round Picks From Detroit For Robert Lang

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WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 09: Mike Green #52 of the Washington Capitals shoots the puck down the ice against the Florida Panthers at the Verizon Center on December 9, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

This trade may not look as lopsided before considering who the Capitals drafted using the first round pick they acquired in this deal, as Robert Lang was at the time the leading scorer in the league.  However, with Detroit's first round pick George McPhee and the Capitals drafted a franchise cornerstone in defenseman Mike Green.  Green has become the premier offensive blueliner in the NHL, and has been a first team NHL-All Star for the past two seasons.  Tomas Fleischmann, the prospect Washington received in the deal turned out to be a steal as well, as he posted a 50-point season before being traded early this season for Scott Hannan.  

With Robert Lang was clearly nearing the end of his career, and the Capitals in the midst of a fire sale, the team picked up two assets who would prove to be big components of the team's success down the road.  McPhee decided prior to the 2004 NHL trade deadline that it was time to jettison all of the team's high-priced contracts, and in doing so, acquired valuable prospects and draft picks that have been critical to the team's turnaround over the last five years.