Let’s thank Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello for getting the trade party started. Let’s credit the Vancouver Canucks for keeping us all wondering what they’re actually up to. Let’s applaud the Ottawa Senators for joining the hunt.
Let’s wonder if the Maple Leafs made the right moves or fear they made too many.
It was a raucous run-up to the 2023 NHL trade deadline, even if the final day was a bit of a dud. The contenders made themselves stronger. The rebuilders gave themselves more tools. Some teams spun their wheels.
Only one general manager will see the fruits of his trading labour turn into a Stanley Cup. Others will live with regret, or learn from their mistakes.
As things stand, the first-round pick traded by Ottawa to Arizona for Jakob Chychrun is the highest pick moved, 14th overall. The Islanders pick traded to Vancouver for Bo Horvat (which the Canucks subsequently flipped to Detroit) is 15th. Montreal has Florida’s first-rounder, currently 11th, from a trade made last season.
Here’s a look at the deals made since the Horvat move that kick-started the trade watching.
In: F Brock McGinn, F Dylan Sikura, F Josiah Slavin, D Chase Priskie, D Andre Sustr, rights to forward Nikita Nesterenko and three mid-round picks in 2024 and ’25
Out: D John Klingberg, D Dmitry Kulikov, F Maxim Golod, F Hunter Drew, D Austin Strand, rights to unsigned draft pick D Henry Thrun
Skinny: Who? Expected a lot more selling. Still, they beat the Leafs.
In: D Michael Kesselring, D Connor Mackey, F Brett Ritchie, D Shea Weber’s contract, F Jakub Voracek’s contract, four picks in 2023 (first, third, fifth and sixth rounds), second-rounders in ’24 and ’26, and third-rounders in ’25 and ’26
Out: D Jakob Chychrun, D Shayne Gostisbehere, F Nick Bjugstad, D Troy Stecher, F Nick Ritchie, D Dysin Mayo, G Jon Gillies
Skinny: Indecisiveness cost them on Chychrun, but they still own the next few drafts.
In: F Tyler Bertuzzi, F Dmitry Orlov, F Garnet Hathaway, F Shane Bowers, F Andrei Svetlakov
Out: G Keith Kinkaid, first-rounders in 2023 and a conditional one in ’24, fifth-rounder in ’23, third-rounder 2024, second-rounder and fourth-rounder in ’25
Skinny: The rich got richer.
In: F Jordan Greenway, D Riley Stillman, D Austin Strand, third-round pick in 2023, seventh-rounder in ’25, future considerations
Out: F Anders Bjork, F Josh Bloom, F Rasmus Asplund, D Chase Priskie, rights to unsigned goaltender Erik Portillo, second-rounder in 2023, fifth-rounder in ’24
Skinny: First meaningful games in a decade, so we expected more.
IN: D Troy Stecher, F Nick Ritchie, F Dryden Hunt
OUT: D Connor Mackey, F Brett Ritchie, F Radim Zohorna
SKINNY: Hmm. At least they finished with the exact same number of Ritchies.
In: D Shayne Gostisbehere, F Jesse Puljujarvi
Out: Third-round pick in 2026, rights to unsigned F Patrik Puistola
Skinny: Moves around the edges.
In: D Nikita Zaitsev, D Andreas Englund, D Andy Welinski, D Vili Saarijarvi, F Austin Wagner, F Anders Bjork, F Joey Anderson, F Pavel Gogolev, F Josiah Slavin, F Maxim Golod, G Anton Khudobin, conditional first-round pick in 2025, four second-rounders (two in ’23, one in ’24, one in ’25), fourth-rounders in ’25 and ’26
Out: F Patrick Kane, F Max Domi, D Cooper Zech, D Jake McCabe, F Sam Lafferty, D Jack Johnson, F Dylan Sikura, F Hunter Drew, G Dylan Wells, conditional fifth-rounders in 2024 and ’25, future considerations (three)
Skinny: With the first pick in the NHL draft, the Chicago Blackhawks take Connor Bedard.
In: F Lars Eller, D Jack Johnson, G Keith Kinkaid, F Gustav Rydahl
Out: D Andreas Englund, F Shane Bowers, F Anton Blidh, second-rounder in 2025
Skinny: The defending champs shored up a bit.
In: G Michael Hutchinson, G Jonathan Quick, G Jon Gillies, conditional first-rounder in 2023, third-rounder in 2024, fifth-rounder in ’23
Out: G Jonathan Quick, D Vladislav Gavrikov, G Joonas Korpisalo, F Gustav Nyquist, F Jakub Voracek’s contract, sixth-round pick in 2023, seventh-rounder in ’25
Skinny: That was one Quick turnaround in Columbus. They won’t get a quick turnaround on the ice.
In: F Max Domi, F Evgenii Dadonov, G Dylan Wells, F Scott Reedy
Out: F Denis Gurianov, G Anton Khudobin, F Jacob Peterson, second-rounder in 2025
Skinny: That’s it? That’s all? The West is there for the taking.
In: F Dylan McLaughlin, conditional first-round picks in 2023 and ’24, second-rounder in ’23, fourth-rounder in ’23, fourth-rounder in ’25, seventh-rounder in ’25
Out: F Tyler Bertuzzi, D Filip Hronek, F Jakub Vrana, F Oskar Sundqvist, fourth-rounder in 2023
Skinny: Extending Dylan Larkin and then trading a couple of solid players is confusing on the outside, but GM Steve Yzerman tends to be two steps ahead. So watch out.
In: D Mattias Ekholm, F Nick Bjugstad, rights to unsigned F Patrik Puistola, sixth-round pick in 2024
Out: F Jesse Puljujarvi, D Tyson Barrie, F Reid Schaefer, D Michael Kesselrin, first-round pick in 2023, third-rounder in ’23, fourth-rounder in ’24
Skinny: Shored up where they needed to capitalize on a weak Western Conference. How does an Oilers-Leafs Stanley Cup final sound?
In: Nobody
Out: Nobody
Skinny: No truth to the rumour they called Calgary to undo that summertime trade.
In: G Joonas Korpisalo, D Vladislav Gavrikov, F Zack MacEwen, F Nate Schnarr, rights to unsigned goaltender Erik Portillo and future considerations
Out: G Jonathan Quick, F Brendan Lemieux, D Frederic Allard, Austin Wagner, conditional first-rounder and third rounder in 2023, third- and fifth-round picks in 2024
Skinny: Korpisalo and Gavrikov make the Kings that much better.
In: D John Klingberg, F Gustav Nyquist, F Marcus Johansson, F Oskar Sundqvist, second-rounder in 2023, fourth-rounder in ’25, two fifth-rounders in ’25
Out: D Andrej Sustr, F Jordan Greenway, F Andrei Svetlakov, F Nikita Nesterenko and four later picks in 2023 and 2024
Skinny: Brokered deals by retaining dollars in exchange for draft capital. They’re better, but not a threat.
In: F Denis Gurianov, D Frederic Allard, D Tony Sund a fifth-round pick in 2024.
Out: F Evgenii Dadonov, F Nate Schnarr
Skinny: Felt like paralysis by analysis. May regret not moving some players. Or maybe nobody wanted what Montreal had to sell.
In: D Tyson Barrie, F Reid Schaever, F Austin Rueschhoff, F Isaac Ratcliffe, D Cal Foote, F Rasmus Asplund and lots of draft capital: firsts in 2023 and ’25, one second-rounder in ’23 and two more in ’24, and a bunch more in later rounds the next few years.
Out: F Nino Niederreiter, F Tanner Jeannot, F Mikael Granlund, D Mattias Ekholm, sixth-rounder in 2024, future considerations
Skinny: Trying for a quick retool. Incoming GM Barry Trotz has his work cut out for him.
In: F Timo Meier, F Curtis Lazar, F Timur Ibragimov, D Scott Harrington, D Santeri Hatakka, G Zachary Emond, fifth-rounder in 2024.
Out: F Fabian Zetterlund, F Andreas Johnsson, D Shakir Mukhamadullin, D Nikita Okhotiuk, conditional first-round pick in 2023, conditional second-round pick in 2024, fourth-round pick in 2024, seventh-round pick 2024.
Skinny: Meier was the most impactful player traded. These aren’t Lou Lamoriello’s Devils. They’re fun.
In: Pierre Engvall, F Bo Horvat.
Out: F Anthony Beauvillier, F Aatu Raty, conditional first-round pick in 2023, third-rounder in ’24
Skinny: These are Lou Lamoriello’s Devils. They’re no fun. But just might make the playoffs.
In: F Patrick Kane, F Vladimir Tarasenko, D Niko Mikkola, F Anton Blidh, D Cooper Zech, D Wyatt Kalynuk, future considerations
Out: F Julien Gauthier, D Andy Welinski, F Austin Rueschhoff, D Sammy Blais, D Hunter Skinner, F Gustav Rydahl, future considerations and lots of draft capital including a first-rounder and second-rounder this year.
Skinny: Got Kane at a bargain price. Their top six is loaded.
In: D Jakob Chychrun, F Julien Gauthier, F Patrick Brown, conditional seventh-round pick in 2023, future considerations
Out: D Nikita Zaitsev, first-, second- and sixth-round picks in 2023, second-rounder in ’24, second- and fourth-rounder in ’26
Skinny: Sneaky good, outwaiting the field for Chychrun.
In: F Brendan Lemieux, fifth-round pick in 2024, future considerations
Out: F Patrick Brown, F Isaac Ratcliffe, F Zach MacEwen, sixth-rounder in 2023
Skinny: Going nowhere fast. How James van Riemsdyk didn’t get traded could be a firing offence.
In: F Mikael Granlund, F Nick Bonino, D Dmitry Kulikov, D Peter Diliberatore, third-round pick in 2024
OUT: F Brock McGinn, F Teddy Blueger, D Arvid Henriksson, D Peter Diliberatore, second- and seventh-rounder in 2023, third- and fifth-rounder in ’24
SKINNY: An old team got older.
In: F Vladislav Namestnikov, F Fabian Zetterlund, F Andreas Johnsson, F Jacob Peterson, D Shakir Mukhamadullin, D Arvid Henriksson, D Nikita Okhotiuk, rights to unsigned D Henry Thrun, six picks including a first-rounder this year.
Out: F Timo Meier, F Nick Bonino, F Vladislav Namestnikov, F Scott Reedy, F Timur Ibragimov, D Scott Harrington, D Santeri Hatakka, D Tony Sund, G Zachary Emond, F Michael Eyssimont, D Jaycob Megna, four later-round picks.
Skinny: Full throttle rebuild.
In: D Jaycob Megna
Out: Fourth-rounder in 2023.
Skinny: GM Ron Francis definitely biding his time.
In: F Jakub Vrana, F Zach Dean, F Sammy Blais, D Hunter Skinner, five picks including two first-rounders this year.
Out: F Ryan O’Reilly, F Noel Acciari, F Ivan Barbashev, F Vladimir Tarasenko, D Niko Mikkola, F Dylan McLaughlin, seventh-round pick in 2025.
Skinny: The on-the-go retool didn’t pan out.
In: F Tanner Jeannot, F Michael Eyssimont
Out: F Vladislav Namestnikov, D Cal Foote, five picks including a conditional first-rounder in 2025
Skinny: Julien BriseBois made it de rigueur to trade all the picks.
In: F Ryan O’Reilly, F Noel Acciari, D Jake McCabe, F Sam Lafferty, D Luke Schenn, D Erik Gustafsson, F Radim Zohorna, first- and third-round picks in 2024, conditional fifth-rounder in ’25
Out: F Pierre Engvall, D Rasmus Sandin, F Joey Anderson, F Dryden Hunt, F Pavel Gogolev, F Mikhail Abramov, F Adam Gaudette, first- and third-round picks in 2023, second-rounder in ’24, conditional first-rounder in ’25, fourth-rounder in ’25, second-rounder in ’26.
Skinny: They are all in. In Ilya Samsonov they trust.
In: D Filip Hronek, F Josh Bloom, F Vitali Kravtsov, F Anthony Beauvillier, F Aatu Raty and three picks, including a conditional first-rounder in 2023 that didn’t last long, future considerations
Out: F Bo Horvat, D Luke Schenn, F Curtis Lazar, D Riley Stillman, F William Lockwood, D Wyatt Kalynuk and four picks, including that conditional first-rounder in 2023 (told you it didn’t last long)
Skinny: If anyone can explain the Vancouver Canucks, please contact management.
In: G Jonathan Quick, F Teddy Blueger, F Ivan Barbashev, D Dysin Mayo
Out: D Peter Diliberatore, F Zach Dean, G Michael Hutchinson, D Shea Weber’s contract, fifth-round pick in 2023, third-rounder in the 2024, seventh-round pick in 2025
Skinny: Salary-cap hell, but Barbashev is a good addition.
In: D Rasmus Sandin, F Craig Smith, five picks including first-rounder this summer
Out: D Dmitry Orlov, F Garnet Hathaway, D Erik Gustafsson, F Lars Eller, F Marcus Johansson, first-round pick in 2023.
Skinny: Attempting to retool on the fly.
In: F Nino Niederreiter, F Vladislav Namestnikov
Out: Second-round pick in 2024, fourth-rounder in ’25
Skinny: Feels like a wasted opportunity.
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