Ranking the 5 biggest deadline deals

With the NHL trade deadline in the rearview mirror, it's time to reflect on the biggest moves made over the past 48 hours in the lead up to Monday's 3 p.m. ET cutoff.

Five trades in particular stand above the rest, and below, NHL editors Josh Wegman and Flip Livingstone rank the deals from the buyer's perspective from least to most valuable based on the following criteria:

  • Quality of player(s) team received
  • Player's contract situation
  • Quality of return given up
  • Team's chances of winning, therefore justifying such move

5. Tomas Tatar to Golden Knights

Golden Knights Receive Red Wings Receive
F Tomas Tatar 1st-round pick (2018)
2nd-round pick (2019)
3rd-round pick (2021)

Three picks from any rounds of the draft seems like a ton to give up for a player who has never lived up to expectations, let alone picks in the first three rounds. But Tatar's potential as a pure goal scorer and Vegas' glut of 2018 picks make this deal much more attractive from the Knight's perspective.

Obviously, Tatar has fallen short in recent years of replicating his 56-point output from 2014-15, but the fact remains he still has a lot of pop left in his stick at 27 years old.

Three more years of contractual control cements Tatar's addition as one of the best, and perhaps underrated, moves from trade deadline day, despite the high price tag. - Livingstone

4. Rick Nash to Bruins

Rangers Receive Bruins Receive
1st-round pick (2018) F Rick Nash
F Ryan Spooner
D Ryan Lindgren
F Matt Beleskey
7th-round pick (2019)

Notes: Rangers retain 50 percent of Nash's salary; Bruins retain 50 percent of Beleskey's salary.

His best days might be behind him, but on a Bruins squad already deep with offensive talent, Nash could be the game-changing piece who puts Boston over the top.

At first glance, the haul received for Nash seems like a lot for a guy who has only 18 goals this season. But Spooner is a bottom-six player, Beleskey has been toiling in the minors for most of the season, and Lindgren is a prospect who's ceiling might be capped as a sixth or extra defenseman.

With that, and the Bruins' insanely hot run over the past few months in mind, Nash's addition - at the very least - bolsters a Boston forward group that already boasts the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak.

Now that Nash is in tow, the Bruins become an even deeper team that will be extremely hard to deal with down the stretch. - Livingstone

3. Paul Stastny to Jets

Jets Receive Blues Receive
F Paul Stastny Conditional 1st-round pick (2018)
Conditional 4th-round pick (2020)
F Erik Foley

Notes: Blues to reportedly retain 50 percent of Stastny's salary.

The Jets were already one of the most complete teams in the NHL, but what they lacked was a quality third center to go up against the Predators - an inevitable playoff combatant on the road to the Stanley Cup. With Stastny, they now have arguably the best forward group in the NHL. Here's a look at the team's possible forward lines when healthy:

LW C RW
Kyle Connor Mark Scheifele Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers Bryan Little Patrik Laine
Mathieu Perreault Paul Stastny Jack Roslovic
Brandon Tanev Andrew Copp Joel Armia

Not only is Stastny a proven playmaker offensively, but his years spent playing under Ken Hitchcock groomed him into a complete, two-way forward. For the cost of what will be a late first rounder, a fourth rounder, and a decent prospect in Foley, the Jets got dramatically better without losing much. - Wegman

2. Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller to Lightning

Lightning Receive Rangers Receive
D Ryan McDonagh 1st-round pick (2018)
F J.T. Miller Conditional 1st-round pick (2019)
F Vladislav Namestnikov
D Libor Hajek
F Brett Howden

Notes: Conditional pick remains a 1st if Tampa Bay wins the Stanley Cup this year or next, otherwise becomes a 2nd-round pick.

The Rangers' fire sale continued with the blockbuster that sent Miller and McDonagh to the already-stacked Tampa Bay Lightning, a team bursting at the seams with talent and Cup aspirations.

However, it must be noted New York got some intriguing pieces in return - and that's not even counting the first-round pick and conditional first-rounder.

Hajek is a promising young rearguard who had a solid World Junior Championship for the Czech Republic last month, Howden is a 27th overall pick with a ton of upside, and Namestnikov is just starting to scratch the surface of the potential that saw him selected in the first round of the 2011 draft.

There is no denying Tampa was a big winner on Monday, as McDonagh and Miller will slot nicely into a lineup already loaded with All-Stars. But the price wasn't exactly a bargain, so the deal narrowly misses out on the top spot on our list. - Livingstone

1. Evander Kane to Sharks

Sharks Receive Sabres Receive
F Evander Kane Conditional 1st-round pick (2019)
Conditional 4th-round pick (2019)
F Daniel O'Regan

Notes: 1st-round pick in 2019 becomes a 2nd-round pick if Kane hits free agency; 4th-round pick can be pushed to 2020 and will then become a 3rd.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson really outdid himself. A couple months ago, Kane, 26, was easily considered the best rental available on the open market, and Wilson managed to get him for a fraction of the cost.

If Kane plays well, fits in with the veteran group, and winds up re-signing, all it will have costed Wilson is a first-round pick, a mid-round pick, and a 24-year-old prospect who has left a lot to be desired. If Kane doesn't prove to be a fit, and signs elsewhere in the offseason, the first rounder becomes a second, making this a low-risk, high-reward move.

Kane is a north-south, speedy, physical winger with a natural scoring touch. Remind you of someone? Sounds familiar to the void Patrick Marleau left in the Sharks' lineup when he signed with the Maple Leafs this offseason. It wouldn't be at all surprising if Kane instantly jelled with Joe Thornton and scored 10 goals in the team's final 19 games. - Wegman

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ranking the 5 biggest trade deadline moves

With the NHL trade deadline in the rearview mirror, it's time to reflect on the biggest moves made over the past 48 hours in the lead up to Monday's 3 p.m. ET cutoff.

Five trades in particular stand above the rest, and below, NHL editors Josh Wegman and Flip Livingstone rank the deals from the buyer's perspective from least to most valuable based on the following criteria:

  • Quality of player(s) team received
  • Player's contract situation
  • Quality of return given up
  • Team's chances of winning, therefore justifying such move

5. Tomas Tatar to Golden Knights

Golden Knights Receive Red Wings Receive
F Tomas Tatar 1st-round pick (2018)
2nd-round pick (2019)
3rd-round pick (2021)

Three picks from any rounds of the draft seems like a ton to give up for a player who has never lived up to expectations, let alone picks in the first three rounds. But Tatar's potential as a pure goal scorer and Vegas' glut of 2018 picks make this deal much more attractive from the Knight's perspective.

Obviously, Tatar has fallen short in recent years of replicating his 56-point output from 2014-15, but the fact remains he still has a lot of pop left in his stick at 27 years old.

Three more years of contractual control cements Tatar's addition as one of the best, and perhaps underrated, moves from trade deadline day, despite the high price tag. - Livingstone

4. Rick Nash to Bruins

Rangers Receive Bruins Receive
1st-round pick (2018) F Rick Nash
F Ryan Spooner
D Ryan Lindgren
F Matt Beleskey
7th-round pick (2019)

Notes: Rangers retain 50 percent of Nash's salary; Bruins retain 50 percent of Beleskey's salary.

His best days might be behind him, but on a Bruins squad already deep with offensive talent, Nash could be the game-changing piece who puts Boston over the top.

At first glance, the haul received for Nash seems like a lot for a guy who has only 18 goals this season. But Spooner is a bottom-six player, Beleskey has been toiling in the minors for most of the season, and Lindgren is a prospect who's ceiling might be capped as a sixth or extra defenseman.

With that, and the Bruins' insanely hot run over the past few months in mind, Nash's addition - at the very least - bolsters a Boston forward group that already boasts the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak.

Now that Nash is in tow, the Bruins become an even deeper team that will be extremely hard to deal with down the stretch. - Livingstone

3. Paul Stastny to Jets

Jets Receive Blues Receive
F Paul Stastny Conditional 1st-round pick (2018)
Conditional 4th-round pick (2020)
F Erik Foley

Notes: Blues to reportedly retain 50 percent of Stastny's salary.

The Jets were already one of the most complete teams in the NHL, but what they lacked was a quality third center to go up against the Predators - an inevitable playoff combatant on the road to the Stanley Cup. With Stastny, they now have arguably the best forward group in the NHL. Here's a look at the team's possible forward lines when healthy:

LW C RW
Kyle Connor Mark Scheifele Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers Bryan Little Patrik Laine
Mathieu Perreault Paul Stastny Jack Roslovic
Brandon Tanev Andrew Copp Joel Armia

Not only is Stastny a proven playmaker offensively, but his years spent playing under Ken Hitchcock groomed him into a complete, two-way forward. For the cost of what will be a late first rounder, a fourth rounder, and a decent prospect in Foley, the Jets got dramatically better without losing much. - Wegman

2. Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller to Lightning

Lightning Receive Rangers Receive
D Ryan McDonagh 1st-round pick (2018)
F J.T. Miller Conditional 1st-round pick (2019)
F Vladislav Namestnikov
D Libor Hajek
F Brett Howden

Notes: Conditional pick remains a 1st if Tampa Bay wins the Stanley Cup this year or next, otherwise becomes a 2nd-round pick.

The Rangers' fire sale continued with the blockbuster that sent Miller and McDonagh to the already-stacked Tampa Bay Lightning, a team bursting at the seams with talent and Cup aspirations.

However, it must be noted New York got some intriguing pieces in return - and that's not even counting the first-round pick and conditional first-rounder.

Hajek is a promising young rearguard who had a solid World Junior Championship for the Czech Republic last month, Howden is a 27th overall pick with a ton of upside, and Namestnikov is just starting to scratch the surface of the potential that saw him selected in the first round of the 2011 draft.

There is no denying Tampa was a big winner on Monday, as McDonagh and Miller will slot nicely into a lineup already loaded with All-Stars. But the price wasn't exactly a bargain, so the deal narrowly misses out on the top spot on our list. - Livingstone

1. Evander Kane to Sharks

Sharks Receive Sabres Receive
F Evander Kane Conditional 1st-round pick (2019)
Conditional 4th-round pick (2019)
F Daniel O'Regan

Notes: 1st-round pick in 2019 becomes a 2nd-round pick if Kane hits free agency; 4th-round pick can be pushed to 2020 and will then become a 3rd.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson really outdid himself. A couple months ago, Kane, 26, was easily considered the best rental available on the open market, and Wilson managed to get him for a fraction of the cost.

If Kane plays well, fits in with the veteran group, and winds up re-signing, all it will have costed Wilson is a first-round pick, a mid-round pick, and a 24-year-old prospect who has left a lot to be desired. If Kane doesn't prove to be a fit, and signs elsewhere in the offseason, the first rounder becomes a second, making this a low-risk, high-reward move.

Kane is a north-south, speedy, physical winger with a natural scoring touch. Remind you of someone? Sounds familiar to the void Patrick Marleau left in the Sharks' lineup when he signed with the Maple Leafs this offseason. It wouldn't be at all surprising if Kane instantly jelled with Joe Thornton and scored 10 goals in the team's final 19 games. - Wegman

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canadiens’ Pacioretty: ‘I did not ask for a trade’

Rumors swirled all week about the Montreal Canadiens potentially trading their captain Max Pacioretty, but a one-way ticket out of the hockey hotbed was not something he wanted.

"I did not ask for a trade," Pacioretty said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "I still have 20 games to worry about finding my game and you know what, I’m not on social media and I don’t have all this stuff.

"But even just having the TV on today I hope you guys can realize I'm a human being with three kids, and there's been a lot of stuff … whether it be … I don't want to go into details… but there's been a lot of stuff and some of it has been hard to swallow and I care because I care so much about playing here."

Both the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks were reportedly interested in the services of Pacioretty, but a deal never came to fruition.

The 29-year-old is having a down year by his standards, with 17 goals and 37 points in 61 games. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after next season.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Flyers move into 1st in Metro with 6th consecutive win

Not the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not the Washington Capitals. Not even the Columbus Blue Jackets. None of those Metropolitan juggernauts currently lead the tightest division in all of hockey.

That honor goes to the surging Philadelphia Flyers, who - as of Monday night - lead the Metropolitan Division with 78 points, one point ahead of the reigning two-time Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals and two ahead of the reigning two-time Cup-winning Penguins.

Perhaps most impressively, the Flyers now have points in 12 consecutive games. And, with their win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night, have now won seven consecutive road games.

Philly will get a chance to pad its slim division lead when it takes on the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

5 under-the-radar acquisitions primed to pay dividends for their new teams

Ryan McDonagh, Paul Stastny, and Evander Kane made most of the headlines on trade deadline day, but the following five players could very well fit in admirably with their new teams, making their general managers look like geniuses. For some players, all it takes is a change of scenery.

Michael Grabner, Devils

It's rare that a player with 25 goals on the season flies under the radar after being moved, but Grabner found a way. Maybe it's because he got dealt four days before the deadline, or maybe it's because New Jersey isn't exactly a sexy destination.

Regardless, Grabner will provide a scoring touch and game-breaking speed to a team that is already considered one of the quickest in the league. With Taylor Hall, Miles Wood, and Grabner all on separate lines, there will be no place for opponents to hide a slow defense pairing, or a slow defenseman in general.

Pontus Aberg, Oilers

Rather than acquiring a draft pick in exchange for Mark Letestu that probably won't make an impact at the NHL level for at least three seasons, the Oilers decided to take a chance on a talented, young forward in need of an opportunity.

Aberg, 24, has recorded just 10 points in 52 career NHL games, but has shown flashes of brilliance along the way, despite averaging under 12 minutes per game. He has, however, produced in the AHL:

Season GP G A P
2014-15 69 16 18 34
2015-16 74 25 15 40
2016-17 56 31 21 52
2017-18 4 4 2 6
Totals 203 76 56 132

While his scoring touch hasn't translated to the NHL thus far, a chance alongside a playmaker of Connor McDavid's caliber could be all it takes to succeed.

Jason Chimera, Ducks

Despite recording back-to-back 20-goal seasons prior to 2017-18, the Ducks didn't acquire Chimera for his offense. They likely traded for him to provide an elite forechecking presence. Even at 38 years old, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward can still skate like the wind.

Though it won't show up on the stat sheet, someone like Chimera who can get in on opposing defensemen, be physical, and disrupt the timing of breakouts, is incredibly valuable in the playoffs - especially considering the Ducks might eventually have to go through the Nashville Predators again, who might move the puck better than any team in the league.

Frank Vatrano, Panthers

Vatrano, 23, seemed primed for a breakout season this year, but it hasn't even come close to materializing, as he has just two goals and zero assists in 25 games while averaging less than 10 minutes per game.

Last season he had 10 goals on 116 shots in 44 games, and with many spots up for grabs in Boston's top-nine forward group this season, a 20-goal season seemed within reach, but he was passed on the depth chart by fellow youngsters such as Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk.

Now in Florida, with the opportunity to potentially play alongside Aleksander Barkov or Vincent Trocheck, the former goal-per-game player in the AHL could flourish if given a chance. Considering the Panthers gave up a third-round pick for him, expect he will be given said opportunity.

Mike Reilly, Canadiens

Reilly was acquired from the Wild in exchange for a fifth-round pick shortly after the Canadiens shipped out Joe Morrow for a fourth-round pick. Essentially, Reilly is a low-risk, high-reward option to replace Morrow on the team's blue line.

Reilly has failed to produce offensively in his 84-game NHL career, but frankly, he hasn't been given much of a chance, averaging just 12:16 of ice time. On Montreal's fairly immobile blue line, the smooth-skating Reilly should play at least five more minutes a night, given that Morrow averaged 17:47.

With more ice time, and a prime candidate to quarterback the team's power play, the 24-year-old could very well find success. After all, he put up big numbers in the AHL and at the University of Minnesota, and defensemen generally take longer to develop.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kucherov leaves game vs. Maple Leafs

Tampa Bay Lightning winger and NHL leading point man Nikita Kucherov left Monday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period with an upper-body injury and will not return, the team announced.

Kucherov played six shifts and 5:19 of the first period, but was not seen on the Tampa bench to start the second, subsequently missing the entire frame.

Needless to say, it would be a massive blow to the Lightning if Kucherov were to be sidelined for any amount of time, as the Russian sniper currently leads the team in goals and assists with 33 and 49, respectively.

However, Kucherov's agent Dan Milstein told the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith the injury isn't concussion related and that Kucherov did not break any bones.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Blue Jackets’ Calvert given match penalty for butt-ending Ovechkin

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Matt Calvert was ejected and assessed a match penalty for butt-ending Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin at the end of the first period of Monday's matchup between the two division rivals. Here's a look at the play:

Though Ovechkin did draw blood, he remained in the game, and was seen exchanging some words with the Blue Jackets' bench to begin the second period.

Last year during the playoffs, Calvert was suspended one game for cross-checking Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Kuhnhackl, so it's possible he could face supplemental discipline for his most recent action.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A look at each team’s stockpile of picks ahead of June’s NHL draft

With the dust still settling on trade deadline 2018, front-office executives across the NHL are undoubtedly analyzing and assessing where their rosters stand for the playoff push and how their teams stack up for the coming June 22 draft in Dallas.

A part of that process will assuredly include a look at the type and number of selections at each general manager's disposal. To save you the hassle of waiting till summer, we beat the GMs to the punch with a quick breakdown of each team's draft stock.

Here's a look at the number of picks each team has by division with a few significant notes also included where needed.

Metropolitan Division

Team No. of 2018 picks Notes
Carolina Hurricanes 7
Columbus Blue Jackets 6
New Jersey Devils 6 No pick in 2nd or 3rd round
New York Islanders 8 Four picks in 1st two rounds
New York Rangers 10 Seven picks in 1st three rounds
Philadelphia Flyers 9 Two 1st-rounders
Pittsburgh Penguins 6 No 1st-round pick
Washington Capitals 6  

Atlantic Division

Team No. of 2018 picks Notes
Boston Bruins 5 No 1st-rounder
Buffalo Sabres 7  
Detroit Red Wings 11  
Florida Panthers 6  
Montreal Canadiens 10 Four 2nd-round picks
Ottawa Senators 6 Only one pick in 1st three rounds
Tampa Bay Lightning 7 No 1st-rounder
Toronto Maple Leafs 7  

Central Division

Team No. of 2018 picks Notes
Chicago Blackhawks 8 Two 1st-rounders
Colorado Avalanche 9 Sens' 1st goes back to Ottawa if it's top 10
Dallas Stars 8
Minnesota Wild 8 Three third-round picks
Nashville Predators 3 One in 3rd and two in 5th
St. Louis Blues 8 Blues' 1st owned by Philly can be moved to 2019 if it's top 10
Winnipeg Jets 6 No 1st-rounder

Pacific Division

Team No. of 2018 picks Notes
Anaheim Ducks 7 Two 3rd-rounders
Arizona Coyotes 6
Calgary Flames 5 No picks in 1st or 2nd round
Edmonton Oilers 6
Los Angeles Kings 7
San Jose Sharks 6  
Vancouver Canucks 6
Vegas Golden Knights 7 No 1st- or 3rd-round picks

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ovechkin becomes Capitals’ all-time leader in games played

Nobody has been a bigger mainstay in Washington than Alex Ovechkin.

Competing in his 984th career game Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Capitals captain became the franchise's all-time leader in games played, passing former Caps blue-liner Calle Johansson:

Player Games Tenure
Ovechkin 984 2005-18
Johansson 983 1988-2003
Peter Bondra 961 1990-2004
Kelly Miller 940 1986-99
Dale Hunter 872 1987-99

Meanwhile, Ovechkin is also the franchise's all-time leader in goals (596) and points (1,105). Teammate Nicklas Backstrom sits first in assists with 570, with Ovechkin in second at 509.

Through 62 games this season, Ovechkin has tallied 38 goals and 32 assists.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.