The trade deadline came and went with a whimper today. Of course the general manager in me always wants a splashy deal that will change the world as we know it, but rarely does that ever happen. Most of the trade movement today involved role players that wouldn’t be a blip on the radar during any other day of the year. Surely there is a fan base or two that will point to this day as the turning point in their collective fortunes.
There are currently no teams mathematically eliminated from the NHL playoffs right now. With almost 12 of the 16 spots still up for grabs, the biggest news at the trade deadline were the deals that didn’t get done. There were a couple of teams who may have done the right thing by standing pat, but there will be teams that will be watching the playoffs this summer wishing they had pulled the trigger on a deal that could have gotten them to the postseason.
Here are your winners and losers from trade deadline day 2013.
Winners
Columbus Blue Jackets
Who would have thought that the Columbus franchise would be buyers at the deadline this year? After shipping out their only star player in Rick Nash last summer, it was expected that the Jackets would be rebuilding yet again. Columbus shocked the NHL with the deal of the day, swiping sniper Marian Gaborik from the New York Rangers for Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett and John Moore.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks benefitted from not trading Roberto Luongo just to unload him. His value will increase that much more over this summer as the teams that need goaltending will give up more for his services. Only one team will get to lift the Stanley Cup this year. Everyone else will wonder what could have been if they had made that deal for Luongo back in April.
New York Rangers
It seems odd that the Rangers could be winners in the Columbus deal, but they picked up a lot of grit with Brassard and Dorsett. Marian Gaborik and coach John Tortorella butted heads from time to time and the physical players that ended up on Broadway this week will help the Rangers make a push to the playoffs.
Losers
Detroit Red Wings
Ken Holland has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt as the general manager in Hockeytown. However, the lack of movement in Detroit borders on arrogance as the Red Wings announced to the rest of the league that they are good enough “as is.” With no depth (or discernable talent) in the defensive corps, and a crazy surplus of forwards it made absolute sense for Holland to deal strength for a weakness. Detroit sits seventh in a tough Western Conference and could quite easily miss the playoffs for the first time in over two decades.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals traded their top prospect and 2012 first-round pick, Filip Forsberg, to Nashville for essentially Martin Erat. Maybe George McPhee knows something about Erat that the rest of us missed because the Capitals gave up a future star for a 31-year old third line center that has scored four goals and is a minus-seven this year. The Capitals have been on a roll lately and would have done just fine by doing absolutely nothing. (Shakes head)
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto fans are a tortured bunch and GM Dave Nonis has them chewing on their collective fingers until the playoffs are officially secured. Rumors abounded that Toronto would make a move for a goalie. First it was Roberto Luongo, then it was Miikka Kiprusoff, but it ended up being no one and no deal. James Reimer will have to be the man for the Leafs this year, into the playoffs and BEYOND!!
Tampa Bay Lightning
How many goaltenders over 6’5” can Steve Yzerman trade for? The Anders Lindback experiment has been a failure so far, so why Yzerman would trade for an even bigger (literally) project in goal defies explanation. Tampa should have used the deadline to shed some cap space with big names and/or salaries like Martin St. Louis, Eric Brewer, Sami Salo or Teddy Purcell. Instead they now have a carnival attraction in goal.