Once again, the NHL Trade Deadline hit, with many deals completed in a matter of days.
The Florida Panthers acquired forward Claude Giroud and defenseman Ben Chiaro. The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Josh Manson and forward Nico Sturm. The Boston Bruins bolstered their defense by acquiring Hampus Lindholm and then signing him to a six-year, $52 million contract. The Toronto Maple Leafs responded with a deal for defenseman Mark Giordano.
But there was a lot of activity on Monday, including goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury heading to the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers making moves on cue.
Here are the trades and analysis from the deadline day. Offers from earlier can be found here.
General manager Don Waddell says Domi is a good fit for the top nine hitters. He plays with the advantage and is a playmaker. The Blue Jackets and Hurricanes had to get the Panthers involved (they kept a portion of Domi’s salary, as did the Blue Jacks) to make the money work (see below for details). The Hurricanes also granted Jesperi Kotkaniemi an eight-year extension at an average salary of $4.82 million per year.
There is no goalkeeper movement. The Canadiens receive a conditional 2022 second-round pick, a 2024 seventh-round pick, and quarterback William Lagesson in place of Fist. The Flyers returned the 2023 fourth-round pick to Brassard. Fifty percent of both players’ salaries remain with the trading teams.
Cal Clutterbuck gets two years and Zach Paris gets one year. The Islanders hit the deadline. This season could have been a fluke due to the long trip for the opening of the season and the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Rangers will give Jets forward Morgan Barron two 2023 second-round picks, Kopp’s 2023 fifth-round pick and 2023 sixth-round pick. One of the second round picks could become a first round player if the Rangers make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The former 30-goal scorer’s numbers have dwindled with the arrival of younger Duck players. This should intensify in Pittsburgh if he plays Evgeni Malkin. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek ended up trading four of his unrestricted free agents. The Ducks will receive forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Dominic Simon, goaltender Kalle Klang and Raquelle, who will be selected in the second round of the 2022 draft.
A tense few minutes for the Rangers who send a 2023 Canucks fourth-round pick for winger. Motte is an energetic player who will come in handy in his group of bottom six forwards. Motte has seven goals and 15 points in 49 games this season.
According to reports, Rangers general manager Chris Drury waited almost until the last minute to secure one of the top trade candidates. Kopp is a versatile striker who can play both in the center and on the wing and helps lead a team that lacks this type of player. New York also needed the help of a mid-six forward, and Kopp should fit in nicely. This season, Kopp has scored 13 goals and 35 points in 56 games. No word yet on a return.
The Maple Leafs signed Finnish Olympic gold medal-winning goaltender Harry Sateri over the weekend, but he had to go through rejections first and was disputed by the Coyotes. Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has been in trouble lately, withdrew.
He will fit in well with the Avalanche’s forward group and is a restricted free agent. He also scores from penalties, which is one area where Colorado needs to improve. The Canadiens brought back defenseman Justin Barron, one of the Avalanche’s top prospects, and drafted him in the 2024 second round.
Leddy’s -33 rating with the Red Wings is a little unwieldy, but he’s mobile and can help on the powerplay, plus he’s got 121 playoff games. That includes the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks and two consecutive semi-final appearances in the last two seasons with the Islanders.
UPDATE: Detroit #Red Wings today acquired defenseman Jake Wolman, center Oscar Sundqvist and a 2023 2nd round pick from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defensemen Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski. pic.twitter.com/JC8CupZ5wH
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 21, 2022
Depth movement. Brown is 6-5, 221, and averages about 14 minutes per game against the Senators. Ottawa gets winger Zak Senyshyn, a former first-round pick who only played 14 games in the NHL. The teams also exchanged picks in the lower round.
The Wild posted it, and the Blackhawks tweeted about Fleury: “Special player. Thanks for all”. Return is a conditional choice in the first round.
Justin Brown is a quarterback on an expiring contract. New York seems to be on the right side with Adam Fox, Jacob Truba and Braden Schneider so it will be interesting to see how Brown fits into that and if that means Schneider is not in the lineup or someone is playing on his side or another exchange comes.
An official trade is pending, but the Rangers get Justin Brown from the Flyers in exchange for a 3rd RD pick in 23rd.
No salary deduction.— Pierre Lebrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 21, 2022
According to Sportsnet, after the Wild acquired Marc-André Fleury, the Wild are selling backup goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen to the Sharks in exchange for stalwart defenseman Jacob Middleton. Kahkonen is a restricted free agent, which could allow the Sharks to trade goaltender James Reimer. Middleton is the second decisive player added by the Wild after the previous signing of Nicolas Deslauriers.
The Wild have had a lot of goaltending problems this season, and Fleury has three Stanley Cup rings and two other Finals appearances, and won the Vezina Trophy last season. He had a say in where he went, so he must have had a lot of faith in the wild and the vision of general manager Bill Guerin, his former teammate with the Penguins. It is reported by The Athletic. this substitute goalkeeper Kaapo Kahkonen will be sold in a separate deal.
The Coyotes acquire the rights to Minnesota Jets forward and American Olympian Nathan Smith. He is a Hobie Baker finalist with 49 points in 34 games. Also heading to Arizona is Brian Little’s contract (two years left, about $5.3 million a year). Little has not played since the 2019/20 season due to a head injury. The Jets receive a fourth-round pick in 2022.
Johansson, who played for the Capitals from 2010 to 2017, was acquired from Kraken, according to the Associated Press. He is assisting the Capitals, who have suffered a number of injuries in their hitters this season. The Kraken returns forward Daniel Sprong, who was selected in the fourth round in 2022 and in the sixth round in 2023. Kraken withholds 50% of Johansson’s salary. He became an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Coyotes waived a 2022 second-round pick in favor of unsigned center Boston College, who had 33 points in 24 games. He also played for Canada at the Beijing Olympics. The Wild took him in the third round of the 2018 draft.
Anton Forsberg receives a three-year, $8.25 million contract, making him unable to trade.
The Boston Bruins announced a two-year, $8 million contract extension for Jake DeBrusque. He asked for an exchange, so could this signing precede a deal?
Philadelphia ended its core business by trading Claude Giroud to the Panthers on Saturday. Defenseman Justin Brown will become an unrestricted free agent. Also on the UFA list are forward Deryck Brassard and defender Keith Yandle, both of whom could be useful on loan.
The Philadelphia Flyers are expected to be fairly quiet outside of the Justin Brown deal.
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) March 21, 2022
In what has been a bleak season in Arizona, Karel Weimelka has been a rare bright spot. He posted a .905 shooting percentage in 36 games, but his game since March 3 has been stellar, breaking .923 in four of his last five starts. Darren Draeger of TSN says the pending restricted free agent will sign a three-year extension with an average annual cost of $2.725 million.
The Jets, ranked sixth in the Central Division, have been disappointing this season. But they have a few players who could be a good addition for playoff contenders. Forwards Andrew Kopp and Paul Stastny top the list; both are on expiring deals.
Small overnight business #NHLJets.
With the trade of Nathan Beaulieu, this morning we’re talking about Winnipeg’s higher status ahead of the UFA – Andrew Kopp and Paul Stastna – and what the Jets can bring back that will help now and in the future. https://t.co/s3IZqnnaqH
— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) March 21, 2022
The Bruins have been in need of a second line center since David Krejci returned to the Czech Republic, but their decision to split the top line paid off.
The Washington Capitals will have to decide if goaltenders Vitek Vanechek and Ilya Samsonov can take them far into the playoffs. In addition, they solve problems with injuries.
The Edmonton Oilers goalie also raises questions. Minnesota Wild goaltender Cam Talbot changed his game, but understudy Kaapo Kahkonen lost six games in a row.
The St. Louis Blues may need help on the blue line.
The New York Rangers have plenty of room in their cap if they want to bolster their offensive power beyond acquiring Frank Vatrano.
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is under consideration as an unrestricted free agent, but it is up to him if he is signed.
Arizona Coyotes forward Phil Kessel has two Stanley Cup rings.
– Coyotes defenseman Jacob Chychran could make a lot of money if he gets dealt because he’s 23 years old and signed until 2024-25 with a $4.6 million ceiling.
– Calvin de Haan of Chicago would add depth to the defense. So did the Red Wings’ Nick Leddy and the Flyers’ Justin Brown, who were cut from the roster.
– Bruins forward Jake DeBrusque requested a trade.
— Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Andy Green were left out of the squad on Sunday, though coach Barry Trotz said it was actually due to the refurbishment.