Now that the NHL’s trade deadline has come and gone, it’s as good a time as any to examine the deals that were made – and the ones that weren’t – and identify winners and losers at the deadline. We might have a different list of winners and losers months and years from now, but we’re still going to take some time and do our best to point out winners and losers at the moment,
With that said, these are THN.com’s five losers at the deadline period. In no particular order:
1. Detroit Red Wings
Let’s begin this list by noting that you don’t have to make a slew of moves at the deadline to avoid being labeled a “loser”. But when we’re talking about the Red Wings – a team still battling to lock up a wild-card playoff berth – the lack of additions is particularly baffling. Indeed, the only move Wings GM Steve Yzerman made was trading center Joseph Veleno to Chicago in return for journeyman goalie Petr Mrazek and greybeard center Craig Smith.
To which, we say, “Really? That’s it?” And it’s not as if there were draft picks sent Yzerman’s way for taking on a netminder in Mrazek who hasn’t posted a goals-against average better than 3.05 in the past four seasons, and who hasn’t had a save percentage above .894 in three of the past four years. All things considered, Yzerman’s actions – especially given the fact the Wings had more than $10.2-million in cap space to spend this year – just don’t make sense. Detroit needed a talent boost, and instead, they got one questionable move, and that was it. Not good enough, in our opinion.
2. Vancouver Canucks
If we’re judging the Canucks’ pre-deadline moves dating back to the acquisitions of defenseman Marcus Pettersson and center Filip Chytil, Vancouver’s moves are somewhat more justifiable. However, they didn’t trade looming UFA Brock Boeser, and as they try to lock up a wild-card berth in the Western Conference, they didn’t get any better on deadline day.
That inaction is not going to please Canucks fans who expected a long playoff run coming into this season. And if Boeser leaves via free agency this summer, Vancouver supporters are going to be rightly incensed. The Canucks could’ve done what other playoff-bound teams did and sacrificed some of their future for help right now, but they essentially stood pat at the deadline, and that doesn’t feel right to us. And if…