Teams Shake Things Up with NHL Trade Deadline
For the past two days, teams around the National Hockey League many teams have been making moves to aid them in making a playoff push or just to get things started for the future. As the clock struck 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon, the trade deadline had officially passed and teams were no longer able to make moves. However, before that time, lots of teams shuffled their rosters. Here’s a look at some of the most notable trades:
- The New York Rangers and Arizona Coyotes made the biggest splash of the trade deadline on the eve of the event. Arizona traded one of their best defensemen, Keith Yandle, along with defenseman Chris Summers and a 2015 fourth round draft pick to the Rangers. In return, Arizona received one of the Rangers’ top prospects, forward Anthony Duclair, defenseman John Moore, a 2016 conditional first round draft pick, and a 2015 second round draft pick. The return was very beneficial to each team involved in this trade.
- Braydon Coburn of the Philadelphia Flyers was the next significant player traded before the deadline. Early Monday morning the news broke that Coburn was being sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Philadelphia received defenseman Radko Gudas who brings size, toughness, and skill to the Flyers’ lacking blue line. On top of Gudas, the Flyers also received a 2015 first and third round draft pick. Another positive is that the Flyers were able to free up $4.5 million worth of cap space by getting rid of Coburn’s contract. Again, both teams benefitted from the trade.
- Things were shaken up in Columbus a bit when the Blue Jackets shipped one of their top six defensemen, James Wisniewski to the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks also received a 2015 third round pick in the deal. On the other side, the Blue Jackets received forwards Rene Bourque and William Karlsson plus a 2015 second round draft pick. Both squads built up areas that needed to be and will look towards the playoffs from this point on.
Around the league, there were lots of other trades on Monday as well. Some were more significant than others but each trade had a purpose in some way, shape, or form. The trade deadline was a last chance for teams to better themselves because the NHL playoffs are only a few weeks away and many teams are still clawing for spots.
For the full list of trades click here.
