5 notable NHL players who weren’t traded at the deadline

You know the players who did move at the NHL trade deadline. But who should have moved and didn’t?

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone. Ryan McDonagh is now in Tampa Bay. Evander Kane is in San Jose. Thomas Vanek is in Columbus. Rick Nash is in Boston. And Paul Stastny, yes, Paul Stastny, is in Winnipeg.

It wasn’t the most active deadline in NHL history, but plenty of big names found new homes as Stanley Cup contenders loaded up.

The names that switch teams make headlines, but sometimes it’s the guys who don’t move that grab our attention. For example, last year, Matt Duchene was the big fish at the deadline. The Colorado Avalanche were on pace to be the worst team in the cap era (they succeeded), and Duchene was visibly frustrated with the situation. The Avalanche had to move Duchene. Everyone said as much.

They didn’t move him.

Colorado held onto him past the deadline, past the draft, past the offense and all the way into the first month of the season. Eventually, the Avalanche traded him to the Ottawa Senators for a very nice haul for Ottawa and the Nashville Predators, who acquired Kyle Turris in the three-team deal.

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic was often criticized for not trading Duchene for the first offer that came through. When the deal was done, he was applauded for his patience and for getting more than anyone could have imagined.

The following five players are the guys who, for one reason or another, didn’t get traded. Maybe a team is holding out for more at a later date. Maybe a front office couldn’t make “a hockey deal.” Or maybe the team just forgot this guy is still on its roster.