The 2020 NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone with plenty of trades to keep track of. There were clearly some big trades throughout the week with some looking a lot better than others. Certain teams made strong moves that can help their teams reach the postseason or build for the future. Others were not as lucky. Let’s dive into the biggest winners and losers of the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline.
Winners:
Carolina Hurricanes
If there was one team who improved the most on Monday, it was the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes added three big names their roster in Vincent Trocheck, Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen. After both goaltenders were injured on Saturday night and emergency backup goaltender Dave Ayres was famously put in between the pipes for his NHL debut, the Hurricanes were expected to make a push for another goaltender.
However, instead, they elected to strengthen the team around the net and put their faith in AHL goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. The Hurricanes already have a deep blue-line, even with their injuries. The additions of Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen only strengthen the already strong areas of their team.
The addition of Vincent Trocheck also gives the Canes a more reliable second line center than Jordan Staal. While Staal has been quite effective in the past, he is in the midst of a down year and Carolina clearly did not trust him to lead the second line in the playoffs. Trocheck not only gives the Hurricanes a more reliable second-line center and stronger depth down the middle for the playoffs, but also helps the team for the next few seasons as well, all while signed to a great contract.
Edmonton Oilers
Not many fans had a lot of hope for the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline, however, management proved them so very wrong. The Oilers made the first trade in the opening hours of Monday’s trade deadline by bolstering their blue-line with the addition of veteran defenceman Mike Green from the Detroit Red Wings. In exchange for Green, the Oilers sent Kyle Brodziak and a fourth-round pick to Detroit, a very low risk, the price for Edmonton that has the potential to improve their blue-line, all for a low price.
Later in the day, the two teams reached an agreement on another trade, this time sending Sam Gagner and two second-round picks to Detroit for Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Kuffner. The Oilers are bringing in an underrated top-six forward to the team that has the potential to help solidify their top-six.
Athanasiou is perhaps most well known for his blazing speed, an asset that could be best utilized if paired next to NHL superstar Connor McDavid. Athanasiou should have no problem being able to keep up with McDavid and as a result, could be the perfect fit on the wing on the first-line. In addition to adding Mike Green and Andreas Athanasiou, the Oilers made another great underrated trade.
For the low price of a 2021 fifth-round pick, the Oilers acquired veteran forward Tyler Ennis from the Ottawa Senators. Ennis has had a great season with the struggling Ottawa Senators, posting 33 points in a total of 61 games. Ennis is on pace for one of the highest-scoring seasons of his career as he is on pace for 44 points in an 82 point season.
Ennis brings a new level of depth to the Oilers for a very low price. Ennis could slot anywhere on the Oilers top-nine, but do not be surprised to see him on the third line due to the emergence of Kailer Yamamoto this season. Overall, the Oilers made the right moves this season that have the potential to help the team reach the postseason without sacrificing a major part of their future.
Patrick Marleau
Patrick Marleau is getting one more chance to hoist the NHL’s Stanley Cup. The San Jose Sharks did the right thing by trading the veteran winger to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third-round pick. The 40-year-old winger is likely in the midst of his last NHL season before he retires after 22 seasons playing in the NHL.
The Penguins have made multiple moves over the past couple of weeks to help achieve their goals of winning the Stanley Cup once again. The acquisition of Jason Zucker proved Jim Rutherford’s devotion to extending his team’s window for as long as possible. While Marleau does not add the elite scoring touch that he did back in his prime, he is still a solid depth player who brings skill to the lineup and is motivated to win the Stanley Cup one last time.
Losers:
Julien Brisebois
Julien Brisebois was equipped with two first-round picks to use to improve his team at the NHL trade deadline. The first of those picks (Vancouver’s) was traded to the New Jersey Devils alongside 2019 first-round pick Nolan Foote in exchange for Blake Coleman. While it was a hefty price to pay for a player whose career-high in points is 36, the move is understandable considering the fact that Coleman’s style of play can fit in nicely in Tampa Bay.
The Lightning’s second big trade is one of the biggest head-scratchers of the year. The Lightning and San Jose Sharks made a trade that saw Tampa Bay’s own 2020 first-round pick and AHL forward Anthony Greco traded to the Sharks for Barclay Goodrow and a third-round pick. While Goodrow is a decent player, nobody was expecting the return for the 26-year-old right-winger to be a first-round pick.
Goodrow, a Canadian right-winger, is signed on a cheap contract into next season, however, the Lightning heavily overpaid in order to acquire the Toronto native from the Sharks. Unless Tampa Bay ends up drafting an NHL calibre player with the third rounder they got back in the trade and Goodrow takes his game to a whole new level with the Lightning, the trade is a perfect example of poor asset management by the Tampa Bay Lightning. While Tampa Bay clearly has a better team than they did a few weeks ago, if things do not work out for Tampa, Brisebois could be on the hot seat and soon.
Florida Panthers
It is hard to make out exactly what Florida had in mind by trading away Vincent Trochek. The Panthers are just two points out of a playoff spot, but have a much tougher road to the playoffs with their number two center gone. The Panthers biggest problem entering the NHL trade deadline was their defence, an area that they failed to address despite trading away a young skilled center signed for another two-seasons.
In exchange for Vincent Trocheck, the Panthers received Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and prospects Chase Priskie and Eetu Luostarinen. While there is potential in the return for the Panthers, the trade simply does not make the team better. If anything, it pushes them back.
Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton did not get as lucky as his longtime teammate Patrick Marleau. While Marleau, 40-years-old, found himself traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Thornton will remain in San Jose for the remainder of the regular season. This of course despite rumoured interest in the veteran centreman around the National Hockey League.
There were several teams that Thornton was interested in being traded to ahead of the deadline and despite the reported interest from these teams, a deal was never able to get completed. Thornton is likely also in the midst of his final NHL season and with the Sharks playoff hopes pretty much non-existent, Jumbo Joe will likely be ending his NHL career without a Stanley Cup championship.