NHL TRADE DEADLINE REVIEW pt. 1

Jared Rotenberg

Colorado Avalanche acquire; Josh Manson (Defenseman)

Anaheim Ducks acquire; Drew Helleson (Defenseman, Prospect), and a 2023 2nd round pick

The trade that kicked off this year’s trade deadline shenanigans, is undoubtedly the trade that the first place Colorado Avalanche made to acquire defenseman Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks, in exchange for a defensive prospect in Drew Helleson (second round pick from the 2019 NHL draft), and a 2023 2nd round pick. When looking at this trade and considering the expiring contract that 30 year old Josh Manson is on, currently making $4.1 million dollars per year until the end of the 2021-22 season, where he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA), this trade is absolutely expensive for the Avalanche. If the team cannot find playoff success and Manson ends up leaving to free agency by the end of this season, there is no doubt that Colorado will come to regret trading these young pieces.

However, despite the fact that it could age badly, and while giving Anaheim their credit for the assets they acquired in this deal, I still will give the win to the Colorado Avalanche, as this trade helped to bolster up their already amazing defensive core. Manson doesn’t have much offensive upside, however, he plays the role of an aggressive stay at home defenseman very well. His strong play physically will surely prove beneficial to the Avalanche in what should be a lengthy playoff run. The Ducks very well may be the winner of this trade when we look back years later, however, today the Avalanche got the best player and a very valuable right-handed defenseman, so I am cautiously giving them the win in this deal.

Minnesota Wild acquire; Tyson Jost (Forward)

Colorado Avalanche acquire; Nico Sturm (Forward)

The next trade is somewhat even, as the Colorado Avalanche acquired 26 year old forward Nico Sturm in exchange for 24 year old Tyson Jost. This is an example of flipping two very similar players to try and find a better fit for the both of them, and while I do give the slight edge to the Minnesota Wild acquiring Tyson Jost, because he is younger and has slightly more potential, I find that there is very much no clear winner in this trade. Nico Sturm is a big body centerman who plays an incredibly smart game, often having an impact even away from the puck with his physical play. Sturm is capable of playmaking, however on the Colorado Avalanche, this is hardly what he was brought in to do. He is strong at the faceoff dot, and will likely be used in a bottom 6 role with the Avalanche.

Sturm, also has a cap hit of $725,000, expiring at the end of this season, which is significantly cheaper than the $2 million that Tyson Jost makes. Still for the Minnesota Wild they are getting a younger player who has immense speed and skill, which should hopefully be given room to flourish in a new environment. He is also capable of playing on the penalty kill, which should be very valuable for the Wild, especially come playoff time. While Sturm’s contract expires at the end of this season, Jost is currently signed until the remainder of the 2022-23 season, which is a win for the Wild. Overall this is a pretty harmless trade for both teams, adding depth options for the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Lightning acquire; Brandon Hagel (Forward), 2022 4th round pick, and 2024 4th round pick

Chicago Blackhawks acquire; 2023 1st round pick, 2024 1st round pick (both are top 10 protected), Boris Katchouk (Forward, Prospect), and Taylor Raddysh (Forward, Prospect)

You could look at this trade from two different perspectives. Within this trade, the Tampa Bay Lightning got an incredibly valuable player who could hypothetically help them in their quest to win their third straight Stanley Cup. They may very well win this cup based on the talent of their team, and this trade will only further their chances, so for this reason one would think that this trade is an easy win for the Lightning. However, when you look at what they had to give up in return for this middle to bottom 6 forward, it becomes clear that things are far more complicated. The Lightning got the best player in the trade in Brandon Hagel, who is on a phenomenal contract having a cap hit of $1.5 million until the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

On top of this, they also acquired two 4th round picks. However, with all of this said, and while acknowledging that they could absolutely wind up winning the Stanley Cup this year, I am still going to say that the Chicago Blackhawks won this trade, and rightly so. The Blackhawks acquired two first round picks, and two forward prospects in return for this player, which is unbelievable value for a rebuilding team. In the long run, this will surely age well for the Chicago Blackhawks, and regardless of the success that the Tampa Bay Lightning may have this year, I still believe this was a great trade for the Blackhawks.

Boston Bruins acquire; Hampus Lindholm (Defenseman), Kodie Curran (Defenseman)

Anaheim Ducks acquire; Urho Vaakanainen (Defensive,Prospect), John Moore (Defenseman, Veteran), 2022 1st round pick, 2023 2nd round pick, and a 2024 2nd round pick

This is an example of a trade that was completely saved by the news of an extension. When this trade was first announced, defenseman Hampus Lindholm was on an expiring contract, and considering the haul that the Bruins sent over to the Ducks, it did look like a clear win for the Anaheim Ducks. However, despite the fact that I still do think the Ducks got the better return in this trade, the Bruins did sign an 8 year extension with Lindholm, and this made the trade somewhat closer than it previously looked. Hampus Lindholm is a great skater, who has some offensive upside while also being capable of playing a strong and physical defensive game.

Despite how much the Bruins had to part ways with, bringing in this defenseman, and signing him to an 8 year extension is something that should prove to be beneficial for a contending team. They also acquired defenseman Kodie Curran, who is 32 years old, and has played overseas in Europe, as well as in the AHL, where he currently plays today, making him a very minor component of this deal. Focusing primarily on Hampus Lindholm, it must be said that Boston got the best player today, however, when considering what the young Anaheim Ducks got for Lindholm, who was on his way out the door anyways, this is a great trade for the Ducks. They got a 1st round pick, 2 second round picks, a defensive prospect who was a first round pick in 2017, and a veteran defenseman, and for this reason, the Ducks are my winner in this trade.