A handful of NHL clubs truly nailed it during the trade deadline season.
With the deadline now passed, it’s time to declare the winners based on which teams got what they looked for depending on the stage in their competitive cycle. Let’s get to it.
Dallas Stars
The Stars entered the season as a Stanley Cup front-runner – and they made a blockbuster move on Friday. They also did what the Carolina Hurricanes couldn’t.
The Stars acquired star right winger Mikko Rantanen from Carolina for right winger Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks and two third-round picks. That move, combined with Dallas’ acquisition of right winger Mikael Granlund from San Jose, made an already-dangerous Stars lineup all the more lethal.
Rantanen signed an eight-year contract extension at $12 million per season – a number that might have been higher had he landed in another market. (Dallas’ taxes are slightly lower than in Colorado and Carolina, for what it’s worth.)
With Rantanen on the Stars’ top line and Granlund on the second line, Dallas has no discernable holes in the lineup. Dealing Stankoven was a big price to pay, but Rantanen’s impact makes it worth the move.
Stars GM Jim Nill is the back-to-back NHL GM of the year, and the moves he made before the deadline makes him a leading candidate to win it again. They also make the Stars a leading contender to win the Cup.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche’s decision to move on from Rantanen was quite surprising and had people skeptical.
But GM Chris MacFarland took the increased salary cap flexibility that came after the deal and used it to improve his depth at forward and on defense.
Up front, he acquired Charlie Coyle from Boston for Casey Mittelstadt – which should be a better fit for the No. 3 center spot – and he picked up center Brock Nelson, many people’s pick as the top center available at the trade deadline.
