Assessing the deadline deals
Most NHL teams made moves that helped them, but some may have buyer’s remorse
TORONTO — Admittedly, now is probably not the time to determine how some NHL trade deadline deals have worked out. After all, the Stanley Cup has to be awarded.
That’s ultimately the measure of success.
But not every team shoots that high. Many teams were on the playoff bubble when they went shopping on March 1. Some of those teams have benefited from their acquisitions. Others could be accused of giving up a draft pick for nothing.
That’s the way it looks for the Florida Panthers, who were on the outside looking into a playoff spot when they acquired Thomas Vanek from the Detroit Red Wings. Three weeks later, the view to the post-season is farther away.
Heading into play Saturday night, the Panthers were in 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings, seven points back of the final wild card spot with nine games remaining.
“It’s been tough,” Vanek, who was acquired in exchange for prospect Dylan McIlrath and a conditional third-round pick, said Friday. “In my short span here, we’ve lost so many tight games in the last three, four minutes of the game. Another bounce here or there and we’d be in the thick of things.
“It definitely hasn’t gone the way we wanted team wise. But we’ve got nine games left and we’ll take it game by game and see what happens.”
The last time Vanek was traded at the deadline — to the Montreal Canadiens in 2014 — he joined a team that already had a playoff spot practically locked up. He was allowed to find his rhythm at his own pace. Here, it’s been a rush job.
Florida needed wins. And it needed them now.
The hope was that Vanek would revive the team’s anemic power play and push the Panthers into a wildcard spot. But since coming over, the team had gone 5-for-31 on the power play before Saturday and won just three of 11 games.
To Vanek’s credit, he hasn’t caused the Panthers to have buyer’s remorse. Far from it, actually.
On Thursday, he set up a goal in a 3-1 win against the Coyotes. And though he only has one goal and is a minus-8 since coming to Florida, he has picked up seven assists in 11 games.
“As far as playing the game, it takes some time,” he said of coming into a situation where the team. “Especially with the way I play, I like to make plays and try and make my teammates better. For me to do that, it usually takes a while to learn their game and learn their tendencies. But there is no time.”
From Kevin Shattenkirk and Jordie Benn to Jarome Iginla and Brian Boyle, here is a look at some of the biggest names that moved at the deadline and whether they were worth it:
KEVIN SHATTENKIRK
Traded (along with goalie Phoenix Copley) from St. Louis to Washington for Zach Sanford, Brad Malone, a first-round pick and a conditional 2019 draft pick
Easily the biggest trade acquisition in a year where few marquee names were on the move, Shattenkirk made the best team in the NHL even better. Though he is still without a goal in Washington — and missed two games because of a charging suspension — the offensive defenceman has six assists in nine games and has kept the Capitals in first place overall. Now, comes the true test: getting Washington to exorcise its playoff demons.
BRIAN BOYLE
Traded from Tampa Bay to Toronto for Byron Froese and a second-round pick
Boyle, who has two assists in 12 games, is still searching for his first goal since coming to Toronto. But he has helped the Leafs in other ways. The fourth-line centre is part of the reason why the team has gone 22-for 27 on the penalty kill. Most importantly, the 32-year-old has given a veteran presence to one of the youngest teams in the NHL. With the Leafs on a three-game winning streak and in control of third place in the Atlantic Division, it appears to be paying off.
JORDIE BENN
Traded from Dallas to Montreal for Greg Pateryn and a fourthround pick
Montreal, which also added depth forwards Steve Ott and Dwight King at the deadline, didn’t make a huge splash with the acquisition of Benn. But it appears to have worked out so far. The stay-at-home defenceman, who had two goals in 58 games with the Stars, has already matched that total with the Habs. More important than his unexpected offence is Benn’s ability to kill penalties, which has allowed Andrei Markov to spend his energy elsewhere.
ALEX BURROWS
Traded from Vancouver to Ottawa for Jonathan Dahlen
The price might have been high — the 19-year-old Dahlen, who has 25 goals and 44 points in 45 games with Timra IK in Sweden, is considered a top prospect — but Burrows has not exactly provided the Senators with buyers’ remorse. He scored twice in his first game, a 2-1 win against Colorado, and has picked up four goals and seven points since coming to Ottawa. “There’s definitely more to his game (than the points),” Senators GM Pierre Dorion told Postmedia News.
PATRICK EAVES
Traded from Dallas to Anaheim for a conditional second-round pick
When Eaves was traded out of Dallas, GM Jim Nill had just one message for the veteran winger: “Go there and win the Stanley Cup,” he said. “You deserve it.” Eaves, who had 21 goals and 37 points in 59 games in Dallas, had been enjoying a career season — the benefits of playing with Tyler Seguin — when he was traded to Anaheim. With four goals and six points in 11 games — the benefits of playing with Ryan Getzlaf — he’s continued that production with the Ducks.
JAROME IGINLA
Traded from Colorado to Los Angeles for conditional fourth-round pick
The long time Calgary Flames forward has become a mercenary lately, having played for four teams in the last five seasons in his search for a Stanley Cup. He got somewhat close with Pittsburgh (conference final) and Boston (second round), but Los Angeles isn’t likely going to be any better. Despite scoring three goals and four points in his first 10 games in Los Angeles — and fighting Edmonton’s Patrick Maroon — the Kings remained eight points out of the final wild card spot before Saturday. For the 39-year-old pending free agent, this could be the end of the line.