Examining Recent January Trades

It’s been abnormally quiet on the trade front this season with completed deals primarily involving depth and/or minor league players switching teams. A combination of most clubs having limited cap space and so few far enough out of the playoff race to be considered obvious sellers has severely limited activities through roughly half of the 2016-17 schedule. It’s likely we’ll have to wait until the week of the March 1st deadline to see a thaw in trade discussions but if recent history is any indication, there is a good chance at least one trade of significance will be made in the month of January.

Here’s a brief rundown of notable transactions completed in January from the past three seasons:

• 1/16/2016 – Pittsburgh acquired Carl Hagelin from Anaheim in exchange for David Perron and Adam Clendening. The addition of Hagelin, one of the game’s swiftest skaters, helped pave the way for Mike Sullivan to implement a speedier attack that helped lead the Penguins all the way to a Stanley Cup championship. He has another three-years on his contract with an AAV of $4MM and has established himself as a key contributor in Pittsburgh’s top-nine. Perron, meanwhile, added some offense to Anaheim’s lineup, tallying 20 points in 28 games down the stretch last year but left the team as an unrestricted free agent in the summer, inking a two-year deal with St. Louis. Clendening was essentially a throw-in and didn’t see any action with Anaheim. He too left as a free agent, joining the New York Rangers in the offseason.
• 1/6/2016 – Nashville sent Seth Jones to Columbus for Ryan Johansen. This was a rare “hockey trade” that most considered a win-win for both teams at the time the deal was consummated. Columbus desperately needed a #1 defenseman and Jones has the potential to be just that player. Along with rookie blue liner Zach Werenski, Jones has added skill, quickness and puck-moving to the Blue Jackets back end. Johansen, meanwhile, addressed Nashville’s longstanding need for a top center and since the trade has registered 61 points in 79 contests in a Nashville sweater. To this point it’s fair to say this move has worked out just the way both parties planned it.
• 1/14/2015 – The Minnesota Wild added goaltender Devan Dubnyk in a deal with Arizona, sending a 2015 third-round pick to the Coyotes. Dubnyk was Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2004 but had yet to win a full-time starting gig until arriving in Minnesota, where he has evolved into one of the league’s top goalies. He won 27 of 39 starts following the trade and placed third in Vezina voting after the season. So far this year Dubnyk leads the league in both Save % (0.941) and GAA (1.75) and is 19 – 7 – 3 in 29 games. Arizona, who could certainly use Dubnyk between the pipes this year, ultimately chose left wing Brendan Warren with the draft choice acquired from Minnesota. Warren is in his sophomore season at the University of Michigan and has five points in 18 games.
• 1/22/14 – The New York Rangers dealt Michael Del Zotto to Nashville in exchange for fellow blue liner Kevin Klein. The Rangers, looking to balance their defense corps by adding another right-handed shot, got good value with Klein. The veteran defender had just begun the first year of a five-year, $14.5MM extension and for the most part he has been a good fit on the Rangers second pairing. He has struggled some this season but set or tied career highs in goals, assists and points in each of his first two full campaigns on Broadway. Del Zotto was brought to Music City for his offensive and puck-moving capabilities but didn’t perform well in Nashville, tallying just five points in 25 games as a Predator. He was not tendered a qualifying offer that summer and became a free agent, eventually signing in Philadelphia where he has been a solid producer for the Flyers the last three seasons.