The NHL trade deadline came and went on Friday, but ultimately, most of the big-named trade candidates rumored to be available, such as Vincent Trocheck, Sergei Bobrovsky and Robert Thomas, ended up staying put.
Some contending teams managed to make valuable additions at this year’s deadline, while others opted to roll the dice with their current core. The market was slow for much of the day on Friday, though it picked up considerably in the waning moments before the trade deadline passed. An abundance of deals were announced just before the buzzer, with teams like the Avalanche striking late into the trade window before making a move.
So, who were the winners and losers of the deadline?
Winner: Minnesota Wild
Nick Foligno was traded to the Wild. | Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Wild already made their big move earlier this season, but they made some more quality additions at the deadline. They reunited the Foligno brothers by acquiring Nick in a trade from the Blackhawks, and have now created a destructive fourth line with the Foligno siblings and fellow deadline acquisition Michael McCarron. Bobby Brink, a native of Minnesota, will be a nice addition to the forwards group, too.
Loser: New York Islanders
New York paid quite the price to land Brayden Schenn, who, although a great player, doesn’t significantly improve the Islanders’ chances of competing for a Stanley Cup this season. Schenn is a valuable asset with plenty of experience, but the package New York surrendered to acquire him was an overpay.
Winner: St. Louis Blues
The Blues got excellent value and moved off of some veteran contracts at the deadline. For a team that needs to rebuild, that will certainly help them down the road. They’ve added a pair of first-round picks in this year’s draft, additional draft capital in the middle rounds, and freed up cap space by dealing veterans Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk, neither of whom were due to hit free agency this offseason.
Winner: Anaheim Ducks
John Carlson was traded to the Ducks. | James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Ducks are aiming to win the division and made a big move toward achieving that on Friday, swooping in to land John Carlson at the trade deadline. Carlson is one of the most experienced defensemen in the league and could be a major asset for this young Anaheim squad. The trade cost them some draft capital, but it shows just how committed the team is to making a deep playoff run. The team also offloaded Ryan Strome’s contract to Calgary at the cost of a seventh-round pick. All in all, a solid trade deadline for the Ducks.
Loser: Carolina Hurricanes
The lone move made on deadline day by the Hurricanes was to acquire Nicolas Deslauriers from the Flyers. Carolina has been aggressive at the deadline in recent seasons, but this year, despite an abundance of cap space and a roster that will be looking to compete for a Stanley Cup title, they decided to stand pat.
Winner: Colorado Avalanche
Nazem Kadri was traded to the Avalanche | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
As if this team needed to get any better, the Avs went out and reunited with Nazem Kadri at the trade deadline in a last-second blockbuster. Kadri was one of the best forwards available, and he’ll have plenty of familiarity with the current Colorado roster, having won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2022. Many contenders failed to make significant additions at this year’s trade deadline, but the Avalanche, who pace the league with 91 points in 60 games, made a big splash.
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