There was reason to expect this NHL trade deadline to be fairly quiet. Many big-name players were traded leading up to the deadline, raising the question of how many big-name players would get dealt. The answer turned out to be plenty.
From Mikko Rantanen to Brad Marchand to Brock Nelson, there was no shortage of star power moved on deadline day.
When the dust settled, what became clear was that some teams did better than others at the trade deadline.
Loser: New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils were in a tough spot on deadline day. They are currently sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points. They're in control of a playoff spot, but they're only four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for third in the division and only five points ahead of the Ottawa Senators for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Normally, a team in control of a playoff spot on deadline day would be clear-cut buyers, but the Devils lost Jack Hughes for the season and Dougie Hamilton for several weeks within 48 hours, and were already without Jonas Siegenthaler. The injuries piling up gave New Jersey two viable options. They could either wave the white flag, or do their best to compete.
Unfortunately, the Devils opted to do neither. They traded a second-round pick and a prospect to land Brian Dumoulin, a third-pairing defenseman. They traded a third-round pick to land Cody Glass, a bottom-six forward known more for his defense than offense. They acquired Daniel Sprong, a veteran who has been in the AHL for as many games this season as he has in the NHL.
So, let me get this straight. The Devils lost their best offensive player in Hughes and their best offensive defenseman in Hamilton. Their offense was struggling before those injuries. Their response was to trade real assets for players who do not help fix the offense.
The Devils might squeak into the playoffs, but the deadline moves won't get them closer to doing so. Once there, they won't stand a chance against several Eastern Conference foes. The Devils should have either given up on this season or done more at the deadline. Giving up assets for players who don't move the needle doesn't accomplish anything.
Winner: Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have been searching for a second-line center really since Nazem Kadri left after the 2021-22 campaign. They hoped Casey Mittelstadt would fill that void, but he underwhelmed. In response, the Avs acquired the best center available, Brock Nelson, and also flipped Mittelstadt to the Boston Bruins for an outstanding third-line center in Charlie Coyle.
All of a sudden, the Avalanche are flush with forward depth, particularly down the middle. They should have more than enough forward depth to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Yes, they parted with a lot, particularly to get Nelson, but this is a win-now team. If they win now, not a single Avalanche fan will care about Calum Ritchie or draft assets. Now, it's on the players to get the job done.
Loser: Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers didn't have a bad deadline. Jake Walman is a really solid second-pairing defenseman, and Trent Frederic was a good add too, even if they might've given up a touch too much to get him. They're deadline losers, though, because of what their competition did.
The Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen. The Avalanche added Brock Nelson. An argument could be made that the Oilers weren't as good as either team before the deadline, and now, it feels like the Stars, in particular, got a leg up. This discourse doesn't even include the Winnipeg Jets, who have the most points in the NHL, or the Minnesota Wild, who have the same record as Edmonton.
It's never a good idea to rule out a team that has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on it, but it feels like the Oilers are the fourth or fifth-best team in the West. It's really hard for the fourth or fifth-best team in a conference to make a run to the Stanley Cup Final, let alone win it. The Oilers had to find a way to make a bigger splash than they did.
Winner: Florida Panthers
Matthew Tkachuk's injury opened the door for the Florida Panthers to make a big deadline splash soon after they acquired Seth Jones, and sure enough, Bill Zito did exactly that at the deadline buzzer. The Panthers acquired Brad Marchand in what was easily the most shocking deal of the day.
Marchand might be a bit older, and he might not be as good as he once was, but he's still a two-way force. Not only does he add another goal scorer, but he makes the Panthers that much tougher to play against. I mean, can you imagine a line consisting of Marchand and Tkachuk when they're healthy in the playoffs? That will probably end up being one of the most annoying lines in recent memory for any team to have to deal with.
Getting Marchand for only a conditional second-rounder makes that deal even sweeter. The Panthers won last season's Stanley Cup and might be even better now. Watch out, NHL.
Loser: Carolina Hurricanes
As hard as I've tried to do so, there's no way to spin what just unfolded positively for the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes traded for pending free agent Mikko Rantanen, giving up Martin Necas (who had an extra year of control) as part of the deal. The goal of that deal was seemingly to win a Stanley Cup while also trying to convince Rantanen to stay put long-term.
That did not happen. Rantanen struggled mightily in his short stint in Carolina, rejected extension offers, and was eventually traded to the Dallas Stars. The return in this deal was solid, as the Hurricanes landed two first-round picks, two third-round picks, and Logan Stankoven, but again, they traded Mikko Rantanen away shortly after acquiring him.
The Hurricanes had seemingly as good of a chance to win a Stanley Cup this season as they've had in quite some time with Rantanen. Instead, they traded him for pieces that might end up helping them down the line, but not much in 2025. Stankoven has promise, but has just 29 points in 59 games this season.
At the end of the day, if Rantanen's rental status was going to be an issue, the Hurricanes should've just kept Necas or traded him for someone with term. Instead, the past month has been nothing short of a mess for Carolina, and their Stanley Cup odds are as low as they've been all year now that Necas and Rantanen are gone.
Winner: Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars got the best player to trade places at the deadline. Mikko Rantanen is a superstar, and makes a loaded Stars team that much better. How are the Stars not the biggest winners?
The Stars are, pretty clearly, the Stanley Cup favorites. They enter Friday's action with the third-most points in the NHL without Rantanen, and now, have added a top 10 or 15 player to the mix. They managed to acquire Rantanen without giving up a single member of their top six. Oh yeah, this team has Miro Heiskanen and Tyler Seguin waiting in the wings as well. They were tough even without Rantanen, Heiskanen, and Seguin. Now, it's hard to envision anyone beating them at full strength.
Dallas' contract situation is something to watch down the line, but for now, getting Rantanen on an eight-year extension at well below market value is a huge win. The Stars are set up not only to win now, but for years to come as well. Take a bow, Jim Nill.