The 2021 NHL trading deadline on Monday was quieter than usual. There were 17 trades, the least of 17 in 2013, involving 26 players, the least of 23 in 2000.
“It’s been a different year,” said Steve Yzerman, CEO of Detroit Red Wings. “Yesterday I was sitting here, saying, ‘God, no one is calling,’ and I heard that this was a bit common in the League.”
But that trading deadline came amid the coronavirus pandemic, with a flat NHL salary cap and quarantine requirements, plus protection issues ahead of the 2021 NHL expansion project for the Seattle Kraken.
And if you look at the last three weeks, not just the deadline, Stanley Cup competitors have still found ways to add tracks. Reconstruction teams have added more assets for the future. Some have created creative maneuvers below the limit, keeping the salary or using the limit space to help broker transactions.
Eric Staal I went to the Montreal Canadiens, Kyle Palmieri to the islands of New York, David Savard at lightning in Tampa Bay, Nick Foligno the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jeff Carter at the Pittsburgh Penguins, Taylor Hall the Boston Bruins, Sam Bennett the Florida Panthers, Anthony Mantha to the Capitals of Washington and many more.
“There have been quite a few things done and people have taken care of their business and we’ll see now,” said Panthers general manager Bill Zito. “Certainly, with visas and international travel, it will be a hiccup. But we will go through that and move on.”
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Conclusion: the pandemic did not diminish the competition. In some ways, it even increased it.
When the deadline came Monday at 3pm ET, the top six NHL teams were separated by two points, the top nine teams by four points. The division races had a unique dynamic.
The NHL has temporarily realigned this season due to pandemic travel restrictions. Teams play in their division in the regular season. The first four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs, and the teams will play the first two rounds in their division.
“There are a lot of teams involved,” said Jim Nill, CEO of Dallas Stars. “With the new format we’re playing, thanks to this COVID season, you can move up and down the rankings very quickly. You play face to face every night. These things really have an impact on the deadline.”
In MassMutual East, consisting of eight teams, the first three teams were separated by two points. Capitals have added Mantha before Michael Raffl, and the islanders added Palmieri before Travis Rabbit and defender Braydon Coburn. The Penguins have added Carter, a 36-year-old striker who has won the Cup twice with the Los Angeles Kings (2012, 2014) and is aiming for it again with Sidney Crosby.
“I think the quote was, ‘I’m all-in.’ I can’t wait to get there, “GM Ron Hextall told the penguins.
Bruins, in fourth place, added Hall ahead Curtis Lazarus and defender Mike Reilly. Hall could be the most interesting purchase anywhere. He scored 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) in 76 games with the New Jersey Devils and won the Hart Trophy voted NHL MVP in 2017-18, but scored 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 37 games with Buffalo Swords this season. Can he come back with a better team?
Video: Breakdown of teams that have improved ahead of schedule
In Discover Central, consisting of eight teams, the first three teams were also separated by two points. Although the hurricanes in Carolina remained battered, Lightning added Savard to strengthen its blue line. Panthers switched with Bennett in front and Brandon Montour to the defender and signed before Nikita Gusev as an unlimited free agent. Fourth place Nashville Predators added defender Erik Gudbranson.
In the eight-team Honda West, the Colorado Avalanche added depth down the middle (Carl Soderberg), on the back (Patrick Nemeth ) and on the net (Devan Dubnyk ). Second place Vegas Golden Knights won ahead Mattias Janmark, giving them speed on the wing in six. Minnesota Wild and St. The Louis Blues were quiet, but for the Blues, it was great. A week ago, they were on a seven-game skid (0-6-1) and looked like sellers. They are now on a three-game winning streak and are returning to a playoff spot.
“Each trading deadline has its own uniqueness, but it certainly, with the shortened season, our fluctuation in the game, made us think in different directions,” said GM Blues Doug Armstrong. “Certainly, the game of the last three games and being in a playoff spot today has been a [reason for] really deciding to take revenge on this group. “
The first place Maple Leafs was the story in North Scotland with seven teams, adding depth to the front (Foligno, Riley Nash), on the back (Ben Hutton ) and on the net (David Rittich ). No Canadian team has won the Canadiens Cup in 1993. Toronto has not won a playoff series since 2004. Thanks to this season’s format, a Canadian team will make the final four, and the Maple Leafs have the highest lead in any of the divisions, six points ahead of the Winnipeg Jets in second place.
“We were thrilled to be able to, we believe, add tracks that will continue to improve our ability to be as competitive as possible as we enter the playoffs,” said Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, “and run from there.”
NHL.com writers Tom Gulitti and Tracey Myers, and freelance correspondents Wes Crosby and Louie Korac contributed to this report