Thanks to a late flurry of deals, NHL trade deadline day wasn’t a complete disaster from a fan perspective.
Remember the days of blockbuster trade deadline deals? It was fun while it lasted.
In today’s day and age of the salary cap and multi-million-dollar contracts, those massive blockbusters from years gone by are as extinct as the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The Winnipeg Jets were the busiest team on deadline day, making six moves, highlighted by their acquisition of forward Kevin Hayes from the New York Rangers.
The Columbus Blue Jackets made three deals, picking up goalie Keith Kinkaid from the New Jersey Devils and defenceman Adam McQuaid from the Rangers.
The biggest move of the day involved the Vegas Golden Knights and the Ottawa Senators. The defending Western Conference champion Knights got one of the best players on the market by acquiring forward Mark Stone from the Sens — and signed him to an eight-year contract — for blueline prospect Erik Brannstrom, forward Oscar Lindberg and a 2nd-round draft pick.
The Toronto Maple Leafs also got in on the fun, but it’s not a trade that is going to change the fortunes of the franchise. Nic Petan is a Maple Leaf after Toronto shipped fellow centre Par Lindholm to Winnipeg.
I think the big winner is Vegas. They not only added a talented player in Stone, but they also locked him up long-term to help ensure the Golden Knights are not only a threat to contend for the Stanley Cup this spring, but for many more to come.