Grading NHL Trade Deadline Performances: Atlantic Division
The NHL Trade Deadline is officially behind us, and rosters are set as teams jockey for position in the race for the postseason.
In the Atlantic Division, there seemed to be a clear divide in terms of playoff teams and non-playoff teams ahead of the deadline, and that divide has grown since Monday’s flurry of activity.
Teams like the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning have asserted their dominance in the division this season, while the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have established themselves as contenders once again.
Those four clubs drew a lot of attention both before and after the deadline. No one doubts their positions as playoff teams, but could they add players to put them over the top as Stanley Cup contenders?
How did each Atlantic Division team do at the deadline?
The Panthers clearly positioned themselves as buyers in the week leading up to deadline day, as most expected they would as a club that has been eyeing the Cup all season. Similarly, the Bolts, Leafs, and B’s made it a point to add players that could be useful during a championship run, though they were not as aggressive as the Cats.
In the bottom half of the division, the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings looked to the future by trading away players that had value and acquiring younger players and draft capital.
The Buffalo Sabres took a very hands-off approach this year, leaving their roster largely untouched, a strategy that was unique in the Atlantic.
Though these teams approached the trade deadline with different mindsets and goals, any team can emerge as a winner at the end of the NHL’s most hectic handful of hours. So, with that said, how did each Atlantic Division squad fare this March?
Here are trade deadline grades for each team in the Atlantic.
Boston Bruins: C+
The Bruins’ deadline is a mixed bag for me.
On one hand, the team acquired defenseman Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks, then signed him to an eight-year contract extension. With this move, the B’s add a useful player on the back end and will be better for it.
On the other hand, the team needed to address the forward position, specifically in the bottom-six, and it failed to do so. The only change at forward is the two-year extension that Jake DeBrusk was given. That figured to be the first portion of a sign and trade, but that did not materialize.
While Boston was able to acquire a couple of solid players, I’m not convinced that the moves in Beantown addressed the team’s biggest needs. It was not a bad deadline for the Bruins, but I don’t believe that it was enough for them to contend in the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo Sabres: C
It’s tough to grade a team that did so little at the trade deadline.
When I look at what the Seattle Kraken did, trading roster players for an unbelievable haul of draft picks, my initial reaction is that I wish the Sabres had done something similar.
However, Buffalo is not nearly as bad as Seattle this year, and the idea of not selling players could demonstrate confidence in western New York that the team is emerging from its rebuild.
The Sabres do still hold the 26th position in the NHL, but with a 7-3 record in March, and solid outputs from recently acquired players like Alex Tuch, perhaps the Sabres do indeed have pieces that they can now build around instead of trade away.
Buffalo gets a C, because if this is the beginning of the end for the rebuild, then not selling will prove to be a smart choice. If next year is more of the same, however, we may question the team’s lack of activity.
Detroit Red Wings: B
The Red Wings, who enjoyed some success early in the year, ended up being sellers at the trade deadline.
In a season where the Eastern Conference playoff field is so far out of reach for the non-playoff teams, the Red Wings really did not have a chance to get in. Realizing that, Detroit traded three players that have short-term value for contenders.
All three players that the Wings moved are slated to hit the open market this summer, making them easily expendable in Detroit. Now, the Red Wings have ten picks in the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft, positioning the team well to contend for a playoff spot next season.
Florida Panthers: A+
There are very few teams that were bigger winners at this trade deadline than the Florida Panthers.
One of the marquee names on the move is now a member of the Panthers, as forward Claude Giroux was acquired in a deal that feels very lopsided in favor of the Cats. Florida was also able to bring in defenseman Ben Chiarot from the Canadiens.
I think the Panthers did well to acquire impact players without disrupting the current group of players too much. As a result, I would deem Florida to be the biggest deadline winner in the loaded Eastern Conference.
Montreal Canadiens: A
It’s been a difficult season for the Canadiens, and that was reflected in their trade deadline approach.
The Habs were complete sellers last week, which was the correct strategy. Montreal, though the runner-up in 2021, is nowhere near contending for the Stanley Cup. Key injuries and offseason departures have derailed this campaign, and now Chiarot, Brett Kulak, and Artturi Lehkonen are all gone as well.
It’s not easy to see those players go, but the Canadiens have to start over. This deadline was a necessary part of moving forward, and Montreal added five new picks to help ease the pain. Not all of those picks are in this year’s draft, but the Habs will have 14 picks in 2022.
Montreal got good value for its players, and now it can set its sights on the next era of Canadiens hockey.
Ottawa Senators: C-
While the stance taken by the Canadiens was clear, I’m not so sure that’s the case for the Senators.
Ottawa sold more than it bought, but it certainly didn’t go all-in on selling like its rivals. Nick Paul, Josh Brown, and Zach Sanford are all out, while Travis Hamonic and Mathieu Joseph are in after a busy deadline in the Canadian capital.
The Sens have more picks than before, but they did give up a third-round selection in the Hamonic trade. Overall, I don’t feel as though this deadline was helpful for a team that is struggling to get out of the NHL’s basement.
As Eastern Conference contenders inevitably begin to take steps backward in the coming years, there will soon be room to maneuver in the conference. However, Ottawa’s trade deadline doesn’t exactly position the team to thrive when that becomes the case.
Tampa Bay Lightning: A
The Lightning have done what championship contenders must do: add depth to the roster.
In a move similar to ones we’ve seen the Bolts make recently, the club acquired Brandon Hagel from the Chicago Blackhawks. I’m sure some fans will view the trade as an overpay by Tampa, but having seen something like this work for the Lightning before, I’ll trust the move.
The Bolts also added forwards Nick Paul and Riley Nash to be players that can fill bottom-six roles for this team. You can never have too much depth when competing for a title, Tampa Bay knows that, and they successfully added depth to the roster at the trade deadline.
Toronto Maple Leafs: C+
The trade deadline for the Maple Leafs was good but insufficient.
Toronto acquired defenseman and former Norris Trophy winner Mark Giordano from the Seattle Kraken in the team’s biggest move at the deadline. Forward Colin Blackwell will also come over in the deal, while defenseman Travis Dermott will leave town for the Vancouver Canucks.
Bringing in Giordano is a solid move, and his NHL experience will be a great asset to the Leafs. My only concern is that he is similar to players Toronto has added in the past: veterans that haven’t won the Cup.
It’s great to have veteran leadership to help guide a young team, but when that young team has championship aspirations, adding a champion would be more beneficial. It’s a fine trade, but similar to the Bruins, I don’t believe this gives the Maple Leafs what they need to win a title.
The Leafs also failed to add anyone to the goaltending room, which has recently become more unstable than it was early in the season. I like most of Toronto’s roster, but I just don’t feel like I can trust this club, especially when the East is as competitive as it is.
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With the trade deadline in the books, the race for the postseason is on. Did your team do enough to contend for Lord Stanley’s Cup?