Some lesser names on the move after big fish dealt

National Hockey League general managers swung a boatload of deals ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

NHL teams made more than 40 swaps — featuring most of the big names thought to be available — in the weeks leading up to the league’s 3 p.m. cut off. After the dust settled following a stretch that saw contenders load up, needs addressed and franchise icons wave goodbye, the stage was set for an anticlimatic, underwhelming main event.

Deadline day itself mostly featured depth moves, reclamation projects and rolls of the dice.

Detroit traded Jakub Vrana to St. Louis in a swap that sees the Red Wings retain 50 per cent of the winger’s salary, Pittsburgh reacquired centre Nick Bonino from San Jose, and the Canucks shipped forward Curtis Lazar to New Jersey for a fourth-round pick in 2024.

The biggest move by a Canadian team Friday saw the Winnipeg Jets acquire centre Vladislav Namestnikov from San Jose for a fourthrounder in 2025.

The Calgary Flames acquired defenceman Troy Stecher and winger Nick Ritchie from Arizona for blueliner Connor Mackay and forward Brett Ritchie in a case of brothers switching teams.

The Montreal Canadiens made a swap of American Hockey Leaguers that included defenceman Frederic Allard arriving from Los Angeles for centre Nate Schnarr, and also picked up a fifth-rounder from San Jose along with European-based defenceman Tony Sund for retaining 50 per cent of Bonino’s salary in the deal three-team with Pittsburgh.

Ottawa acquired centre Patrick Brown from Philadelphia for a sixth-round pick in June.

The Flames became the 32nd and final NHL club to make an in-season trade in 2022-23 when they acquired Dryden Hunt from the Leafs for fellow AHL forward Radim Zohorna.

All told, the NHL’s two-week stretch ahead of Friday included 43 trades involving 85 players and 55 draft picks, including 12 first-round selections.