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Rookie Colin White Draws In For Senators In Game Six

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In a decisive Game 6 match-up of the Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Ottawa Senators have decided to go outside the box. Following an embarrassing 7-0 loss in Game 5, head coach Guy Boucher has made the call that the team needs a different look tonight, and that means rookie center Colin White will get the call. This is the third NHL game for white and, obviously, the first playoff game of his young career. Will he be a game-changer for the Senators?

White may be making his NHL postseason debut, but he’s actually played postseason hockey already this season. White signed his entry-level contract with Ottawa on April 2nd, after his NCAA season with Boston College came to an end. White, the 21st overall pick in 2015, was nearly a point-per-game player for BC this season, with 16 goals and 17 assists in 35 games, and helped to lead the Eagles to finals of the Hockey East conference tournament. However, White’s squad fell to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and without the automatic bid, did not have the resume to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Since then, White has played in just five games – two scoreless outings with Ottawa and three games (with three points) for the AHL Binghamton Senators, who missed the playoffs – and he is now being called on to enter the Eastern Conference Final cold and provide a spark on offense. White’s inclusion is not so much the result of injury, although Alexandre Burrows remains sidelined, but instead a decision of pace and positioning. Ottawa dressed seven defenseman for Game 5, which was undoubtedly their worst performance of the 2017 postseason, and Bocher decided not to continue that practice. He also declined to dress slower physical veteran forwards like Chris Kelly or Chris Neil in favor or the young White, hoping that his youthful energy would help to keep pace with the speedy Penguins. White is a well-rounded prospect with high-end possession ability and good visions and hockey intelligence. However, he’s being thrown into the fire in this situation, as the Senators are desperate for all the help they can get to stay alive tonight.

Poll: Which Team Will Be Next To Make Stanley Cup Debut?

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With a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final last night, the Nashville Predators punched their ticket to the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup appearance. In fact, Nashville had never even advanced beyond the conference semifinals until this heroic run and now stand just four wins away from hosting the greatest trophy in sports.

A Stanley Cup berth has certainly been a long time coming for the NHL’s 27th franchise whose inaugural season took place in 1998. GM David Poile, who has been the man in charge through it all, did not qualify for the postseason for the team’s first five seasons of existence, but since 2003 the Predators have only missed the playoffs three times. With other 1990’s expansion or relocation teams having made the Final before, like the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers, and even more having won a Stanley Cup, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes, many would expect that the Predators may be the last team to accomplish the feat. However, there are four teams who have yet to make it to Stanley Cup Final, the Expansion Class of 2000 – the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, the current Winnipeg Jets, and the original Winnipeg Jets, now the Arizona Coyotes. Which of these teams will be the next to realize their dreams of playing in June?

The Minnesota Wild certainly seemed to be heading in that direction for much of this season as they had their way with the Western Conference. Although in a tough Central Division with the Cup-bound Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota is armed with a depth and talent at every position and showed (in the regular season) that they can fight through a tough schedule. The team was able to turn goaltender Devan Dubnyk into a star, has one of the strongest defensive cores in the NHL, and has a combination up front of strong veterans like Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, and Eric Staal and exciting young players like Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle. However, everything fell apart when it mattered most, as the Wild were easily bounced in the first round by the Blues. Can the Wild bounce back and, with the aid of top prospects such as Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin, make a Stanley Cup appearance in the next few years?

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be racing them for that honor. Almost mirror images of each other in 2016-17, the Blue Jackets also surprised many by dominating the Eastern Conference early in the year. At the time, the New Year’s Eve match-up between Columbus and Minnesota, both on historic winning streaks, was even touted as the game of the year. The Blue Jackets too have a stellar goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and deep group of talented defenseman, like young game-changers Zach Werenski and Seth Jones. However, where Columbus may edge out Minnesota is in their youth up front. Although similarly successful, the Jackets were able to reach 108 points to the Wild’s 106 with a much younger forward corps. The likes of Brandon Saad, Alexander Wennberg, Boone Jenner, and Josh Anderson, plus incoming talent like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand could keep Columbus in the running for a Cup longer than the Wild.

Speaking of youth, the Arizona Coyotes seem to be building something special in the desert. Question marks abound throughout the roster, such as starting goalie and a long-term partner for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and many don’t expect the Coyotes to be contenders for several more years. However, after the rapid ascent of the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs this season, fueled largely by under-21 talent, Arizona may be relevant sooner rather than later. Their best players are also their top prospects – Max Domi, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Perlini, Jakob Chychrun – and that’s just the beginning, as even better young talent is on its way in Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome, not to mention whoever they select with the 7th and 23rd overall picks this year. It seems inevitable that the Coyotes will be good down the road, and, regardless of whether it’s in Arizona or not, have a strong chance to host a Stanley Cup final. However, will that day come before the likes of Minnesota or Columbus can take advantage of their current success?

Finally, there’s the Winnipeg Jets. They weren’t a playoff team this year like Columbus or Minnesota and they aren’t armed with years worth of high draft picks like Arizona either. Yet, the Jets may actually be the dark horse to reach the Stanley Cup first. Winnipeg finished ninth in the Western Conference in 2016-17, tenth in 2015-16, and eighth in 2014-15, consistently hanging around as a fringe team, not truly competing for a title. That seems like it is about to change. The Jets have one of the more dangerous forward groups in the NHL with Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, and captain Blake Wheeler leading the charge. They also have talented defenseman in Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba. The Jets are a deeper team than many know and this season did not have a single player over the age of 32. Next year, they’ll add ace forwards Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic to the mix, and possibly goaltender Eric Comrie as well, all part of what The Hockey News called the top prospect system in the NHL. Given the wealth of talent on this team already, it seems strange they haven’t performed better. Throw some dynamic young players in and use some of the team’s ample cap space, and the Winnipeg Jets could be a breakout team in 2017-18.

What do you think?

Western Conference Final Injury Updates

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Game 6 of the Western Conference Final between the Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks is underway at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, but neither team is fielding a full-strength roster for this one. Fans were well aware of the serious condition of Predators center Ryan Johansen, but many other key players were still considered day-to-day heading into tonight’s game. With lineups announced, nearly all in question remain out.

For the home team, looking to put an end to this series tonight and clinch their first ever Stanley Cup Final berth, the Predators will have to do so without captain Mike Fisher and bruising forward Craig Smith. Fisher missed Game 5 as well with an undisclosed injury, but given the minimal amount of attention the team had given his condition, many expected Fisher to be back for Game 6. That is not the case, as he misses his second straight contest. Smith was a game-time decision and even took part in warm-ups, but made the call himself that he was not healthy enough to play. Nashville avoided another major loss in the first period tonight, as Viktor Arvidsson was the victim of a game misconduct-worthy boarding by the Ducks’ Nick Ritchie and left the game. However, he returned mere minutes later.

The loss of Ritchie is the least of Anaheim’s concerns, as the major injury issue of the game is the absence of starting goaltender John Gibson. Gibson had played every minute of every Ducks postseason game thus far until getting injured in Game 5 with a lower body injury. However, many believed that Gibson would be ready to go for an elimination game. Instead, Gibson did not even suit up for Game 6, leaving Jonathan Bernier to make his first career playoff start, backed up by Jhonas Enroth. Bernier allowed two goals on the first three shots he faced as the Predators jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Also missing from the Anaheim lineup (still) is Patrick Eaves and, more surprisingly, Rickard Rakell. Rakell missed Game 5 with a lower body injury, but he too was expected to suit up tonight. Instead, Rakell did not even make the trip to Nashville. For Gibson, Eaves, and Rakell, their injuries may mean that they have played their last games of the 2016-17 season.

Former Blackhawks All-Star Bill White Passes Away

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On Monday, the hockey world lost Bill White, a six-time All-Star and one of the great defenseman of the 1970’s, at the age of 77. White was a perennial All-Star and Norris Trophy candidate every year from 1969 to 1974 and spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. The organization mourned the loss of their former star and offered condolences to his family and friends and team historian Bob Verdi recalled his great career and how much he meant to the Blackhawks.

White’s NHL career began with the Los Angeles Kings in 1967, when he scored 38 points and racked up 100 penalty minutes as a rookie, establishing that he was here to stay in the big leagues. White was traded to Chicago in February of 1970 as the centerpiece of a six-player swap. With two All-Star appearances already, White still took his game to the next level with the Blackhawks. From 1971 to 1974, White added four more All-Star game appearances, was twice named a Second-Team All-NHL selection, and twice finished in the top ten in the league in +/-.

Sadly, white suffered a career-ending neck injury toward the end of the 1975-76 season at 36 years old, but nevertheless he remained committed to the team. White stayed on as a coach and the next season replaced long-time head coach Billy Reay and finished out the campaign. Altogether, White finished his NHL career with 265 points in 604 regular season games and another 39 points in 91 playoff games as a player and a 16-24-6 record in 46 games as a coach.

Cale Makar And The University of Massachusetts

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In just over a month, Calgary-native Cale Makar will hear his name called in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. Barely on the radar for first-round consideration at this time last year, the puck-moving defenseman for the Brooks Bandits of the “Junior A” Alberta Junior Hockey League is now forecast to be selected in the top ten on June 23rd. If he’s drafted anywhere higher than 16th overall, he’ll pass Joe Colborne as the highest selection in AJHL history. Makar even stands a chance to be the first defenseman taken off the board in the draft this year.

So where did this kid come from? Makar has shown tremendous growth in his skating, passing, and overall understanding of the game in recent years. He made his Bandits debut at the age of 16 in 2014-15, scoring five points in the final three regular season games of the season and adding seven more over Brooks’ 20-game playoff run to the league championship series. However, this did little to put Makar on the map. In 2015-16, he began to turn some heads with a point-per-game campaign featuring ten goals and 45 assists in only 54 regular season games and continued pace in a postseason in which his 14 points in 13 games helped to lead the Bandits to an AJHL title. Yet, Makar’s name was still one largely unknown to those outside of the AJHL or the NCAA scouting community. Only after he proved that his previous season’s production was no fluke did NHL scouts begin to take major notice. This season, Makar lead Brooks to a second straight title and did so behind 75 points – 24 goals and 51 assists –  in 54 games and another torrid playoff pace of 16 points in 13 games. Makar took home just about every AJHL award possible for 2016-17: MVP, Playoff MVP, Most Outstanding Defenseman, Highest Scoring Defenseman, All-Star, and the championship trophy to boot. The next accolade he hopes to add to the list is of course a top ten spot in the NHL Draft to cap off a dominant season.

The only knock on Makar is that at 5’11”,  179 lbs. and playing in an inferior league, he still has some physical and mental development to do before he is NHL-ready, regardless of his natural skill. His speed and puck-handling were unparalleled in the AJHL, but that may not be true against a similar level of talent. Unless the team who drafts him falls in love, Makar is likely to be a project player in need of a year or two minimum before he can make the jump. Where he’ll be playing in that time is almost as surprising as his own meteoric rise. It’s no longer strange for Canadian players to play American college hockey, even top draft picks. However, Makar is not headed to a powerhouse program like Boston College or Boston University, but instead a Hockey East Conference rival with much less history: the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Hockey East may be the premiere conference in the NCAA, but UMass has been an exception in recent years. The team was 5-29-2 this past season, finishing last in the conference by a significant margin. Though their records were marginally better than 2016-17, UMass has finished in the bottom three in Hockey East every year since 2010-11, never with a record above .500. The program has only qualified for the NCAA Tournament once, riding star goalie Jonathan Quick to the postseason in 2006-07. Over the last decade, the program has managed to develop a few solid NHLers, none more so than Quick, such as the San Jose Sharks’ Justin Braun, the nearby Boston Bruins’ Frank Vatrano and three players still alive this NHL postseason: the Nashville Predators’ Matt Irwin, Anaheim Ducks’ Brandon Montour, and Pittsburgh Penguins’ Conor Sheary. Yet, they’ve never been able to put together a deep enough roster to compete on the national level.

Athletic Director Ryan Bamford and head coach Greg Carvel hope that Makar could be the beginning of a new chapter in Amherst. Bamford, himself in just his second year, hired Carvel last year from St. Lawrence University, where he had played himself in college, in what many felt was a lateral move. However, Carvel seemingly liked the idea of moving back to UMass, where he had received his Master’s degree in Sport Management. While the first season under Carvel was not much of an improvement on the ice, the hire has already begun to pay off in recruitment, specifically with Makar enrolling in the fall. With Edmonton Oilers’ prospect William Lagesson signing his entry-level deal, Makar will likely only be joined by Buffalo Sabres’ 2015 seventh-round pick Ivan Chukarov as drafted players on the team, unless other members of the incoming class are also selected this June. Regardless, Makar alone has the potential to boost interest in both potential future players and a passionate fan base that has been waiting a long time to see another successful Minutemen squad.

Makar may not just be a well-regarded recruit, he may end up being one of the all-time best players to ever put on a UMass jersey. As far as hockey alumni go, he faces only Quick in regards to fanfare, but Makar could prove to be a better prospect than former New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz or former NBA All-Star Marcus Camby. If Bamford, Carvel, and the supporters of UMass are lucky, Makar could prove to be the hockey equivalent of the legendary Dr. J, Julius Erving. Only time will tell, but it all starts with Makar’s selection in the upcoming NHL Draft and his first season of NCAA competition next fall.

Filip Sandberg Eyeing Jump To NHL

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It’s already been a busy off-season for European players crossing the Atlantic to join the NHL ranks, and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping. Add forward Filip Sandberg to the list of names expected to be skating in North America next season. The Swedish forward has not been identified as an NHL target by any of the more well-known media outlets on this continent, but Swedish news source Jönköpings Posten, “JP”, makes it sound like a forgone conclusion that Sandberg is headed overseas. (link and article in Swedish)

The JP article specifically names the Detroit Red Wings as a suitor for Sandberg’s services, but expect many teams to be bidding for the young Swede. At 22 years old, the versatile Sandberg can play all three forward positions and shows two-way ability often unseen in Europe. He also has a high level of hockey intelligence, positioning, and vision, making him an ideal play-maker, especially when lined up at center. While his size – 5’9″, 181-lbs. – could be seen as a hindrance to success at the NHL level, it hasn’t held him back so far. For a smaller player, Sandberg is tenacious along the boards and on the forecheck.

Assuming Sandberg signs in the NHL. its yet another big loss for his Swedish Hockey League club, HV71. They signed minor league MVP Victor Ejdsell to a contract earlier this off-season, only to watch him sign with the Nashville Predators as well and put his status with the team in doubt. Then, just yesterday, 21-year-old star stay-at-home defenseman Andreas Borgman announced he would be leaving the team and within hours was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The same quick turnaround could occur following the rumors surrounding Sandberg, as not only does he have great ability and just finished the best season of his career, but he is also fresh off the highest-scoring stretch of his career as well, tallying 14 points in 16 games for HV71 in the postseason. The team did re-sign Sandberg to a two-year extension back in February, but as the JP article states, those contracts mean little when NHL teams come calling. Sanberg seems likely to be joining Borgman in North America sooner rather than later.

PHR Originals: 5/7/17 – 5/14/17

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While the hockey world has been captivated by the NHL playoffs, now onto the conference finals, it’s been a relatively quiet week for hard-hitting news. Luckily, the PHR writers have been hard at work on some original works. Here’s a round-up of our recent articles:

Lead writer Gavin Lee detailed how team may use the Vegas Golden Knight’s early free agent negotiation window to their own benefit, including the possibility of sign-and-trades. The upcoming Expansion Draft is bringing many new and foreign concepts to the otherwise routine structure of the NHL off-season, and the negotiation window is just another level. Gavin also looked into some pressing goaltending issues for two teams that struggled in 2016-17: the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars.

Seth Lawrence was busy with original pieces this week, as he dove into a plethora of topics including the big question everyone is asking after another early postseason exit for the Washington Capitals: should Alexander Ovechkin be moved? Seth also looked back at the P.K. Subban–Shea Weber trade, looked forward to potential buyouts this summer, and took a shot at guessing a few names that may be of interest to GM Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers.

Brian La Rose continued to plug away at his “Offseason Keys” series, this week targeting three unique Eastern Conference organizations: a team whose fortunes have changed more than any other since the end of the season, the Draft lottery-winning New Jersey Devils; a team with a new man in charge and in desperate need of a quick turnaround, the Buffalo Sabres; and a team who over the past decade plus has still been playing at this point in the season more often than not rather than planning a rebuild, the Detroit Red Wings.

Holger Stolzenberg turned his focus to Western Conference and two Canadian squads with some questions to answer. Can the Edmonton Oilers rely on youngsters like Drake Caggiula, Anton Slepyshev, and Matt Benning moving forward? How will the Winnipeg Jets go about solving their problems in net?

Brett Barrett reminded us that, though it rarely seen, restricted free agent offer sheets do exist and given the talent level of the 2017 restricted free agent class, we may see one pop up this off-season. The price is high, but is it worth the investment?

Finally, yesterday I reflected on one of the busiest days in hockey and voiced my concerns over the status of another. With the NHL season nearing its end, who were the true winners and losers of the NHL Trade Deadline given the benefit of hindsight? Some of those deals still await further evaluation if the acquired player signs an extension, but in an already weak unrestricted free agent class that has seen top talent re-sign already with the potential for many more deals prior to July 1st, can we as hockey fans afford to see more extensions? Who will be left to highlight free agency?

Anaheim Ducks Recall Three

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Just prior to puck drop of Game Two of the Western Conference finals tonight between the visiting Nashville Predators and host Anaheim Ducks, the Ducks announced that they have recalled a trio of players from their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Joining Anaheim presumably for the remainder of their playoff run are goaltender Jhonas Enroth and forwards Nicolas Kerdiles and Sam Carrick. 

The group was no longer of use in the minor leagues, as the Gulls season came to an end last night in a 2-0 loss to the San Jose Barracuda, their rival and the affiliate of Ducks’ rival the San Jose Sharks, in Game Five of the series. Now, they’ll look help out the big squad in any way they can. Enroth is simply an insurance policy should John Gibson or Jonathan Bernier somehow unexpectedly be unable to suit up. The veteran keeper began the year at the NHL level with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but after a disastrous start of 0-3-1 to the tune of an .872 save percentage and 3.94 goals against average, he was traded to the Ducks for this exact purpose of being a fallback option. Enroth has eight years of NHL experience and should be able to step in in the unlikely chance that his services are needed. Kerdiles and Carrick lack the experience, but make up for it in energy and ability. Kerdiles made his NHL debut earlier this season and then added two playoff games to his resume earlier in the postseason. He has yet to record a point in three games, but it’s only a matter of time given that the 23-year-old was a point-per-game player for the Gulls in the AHL playoffs. Carrick has not seen NHL ice for over a year, and never with the Ducks nor in the playoffs. The 25-year-old played in 19 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 2014-15 and 2015-16, recording a goal and an assist. Carrick has 39 AHL points this season between San Diego and the Rockford Ice Hogs, following a minor mid-season trade with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Whether the Ducks intend to play Kerdiles and Carrick or not, the pair is not in the lineup tonight for Game Two. Anaheim announced their lineup shortly after making the call-ups official, but still went with Chris Wagner and Jared Boll on the energy line. If the Ducks lose at home again tonight and head to Nashville down 2-0, they may look to change things up and give Kerdiles or Carrick an opportunity to make a difference in their playoff fate.

High Likelihood Of Free Agent Class Shrinking Further

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Let’s state the facts: the 2017 unrestricted free agent class is really weak. Even before the season started it wasn’t full of household names, but with Brent Burns, Patrik Berglund, and, most recently, Ben Bishop agreeing to extensions already, the list has shrunk even further. The 2017 class has few impact players available, so much so that the New York Islanders easily have single-handedly deprived the rest of the league of three of the top fifty free agents simply by re-signing the likes of Thomas Greiss, Dennis Seidenberg, and Cal Clutterbuck.

Unfortunately, the trend of teams retaining their own talent and further forecasting a dull summer may not be done. The Washington Capitals have four of the best free agent names out there in T.J. Oshie, Kevin Shattenkirk, Karl Alzner, and Justin Williams and even given their tight cap space, it is reasonable to assume that at least one or two of that group will re-up with the President’s Trophy winners. Initially, many felt that the San Jose Sharks would not bring back both of their aging stars, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, and possibly even neither. However, after a strong season from career-Shark Marleau, the team will likely look to retain him, and with Thornton turning 38 soon and facing significant injury questions, he simply might take a hometown discount to stay in San Jose as well. In Montreal, revelation Alexander Radulov and key veteran Andrei Markov are impending free agents, but many assume in name only as handshake agreements seem to have been made on new deals following the Expansion Draft. Anaheim Ducks trade deadline acquisition Patrick Eaves has been a great fit and has expressed an interest in extending his stay. Same goes for Drew Stafford and the Boston Bruins. Even veterans like Radim Vrbata, Mike Fisher, and Jaromir Jagr seem likely to stay put in their current homes.

This does seem to be an awful lot of deals to be made in less than two months before free agency opens on July 1st, but don’t rule it out. Many teams are wary of the Expansion Draft ramifications of re-signing their impending free agents too early and may instead act swiftly in the waning days of June. Most, if not all, of these names could be off the table by the time free agency opens. Could we be looking at a free agent class highlighted by the likes of Sam Gagner, Martin Hanzal, and Michael Del Zotto? Let’s hope not.

Hindsight Bias: The Best And Worst Of Trade Deadline Day

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With the conference championships underway, we’re left with just four teams remaining in the hunt for the Stanley Cup. For the rest, they can take a look at the major trades made up to and on March 1st this year and gauge whether they were a mistake or a success. It’s somewhat of a mixed bag this year, with no deadline acquisition fueling their team to postseason dominance and no scapegoat whose underwhelming performance is to blame for an epic collapse. With that said, over two months later, it is safe to say that there were some clear winner and loser trades at the 2017 NHL Trade Deadline.

Winner: Anaheim Ducks – Patrick Eaves

Eaves has quietly been one of the most consistent contributors in the NHL this season and that did not change when he moved from the Dallas Stars to the Ducks ahead of the deadline. A versatile, two-way winger, Eaves has fit in well in Anaheim as is the lone major deadline addition who is still playing in the conference championships. After scoring 37 points in 59 games with the Stars, about .63 points per game, he registered 14 more in the final 20 regular season games for the Ducks, boosting his scoring to .7 points per game down the stretch in his new home. He even has two goals and two assists in seven playoff games, despite battling injuries. Anaheim may be down 1-0 in their pursuit of the Campbell Bowl and a Stanley Cup berth and their postseason success has bumped the price for Eaves up from a 2017 second-round pick to a first-rounder, but with a one in four chance at a title and a chance to re-sign Eaves, the Ducks cannot be more pleased with how this deal has played out thus far.

Loser: Minnesota Wild – Martin Hanzal

A team that is not so happy with their first-round investment is Minnesota. The Wild had been one of the best teams in the league all season long when they surprised many by acquiring one of the top trade deadline targets in Hanzal. The power forward performed admirably post-trade, putting up half as many points as his season total in Arizona in less than half as many games, 26 in 51 versus 13 in 25. He even added a playoff goal. However, his time in the playoffs, by no fault of his own, was much shorter than expected. The Wild were upset by the St. Louis Blues in five games and just like that they’re Stanley Cup hopes were gone. Falling so short despite high expectations makes the cost of adding a piece that didn’t matter much more difficult to swallow. Minnesota owes the Arizona Coyotes a top pick this season and a second-rounder next season plus another conditional pick and prospect, with little to show for the price.

Winner: New York Rangers – Brendan Smith

While the Rangers were underwhelming in their semi-final series against the Ottawa Senators, one many expected them to win, their exit is still not all that surprising given their status as a wildcard seed. Helping them to upset the Montreal Canadiens in Round One and take the Senators to six games was deadline acquisition Smith. While some initially mocked the deal – a 2018 second-round pick and 2017 third-round pick for a defenseman with just five points – Smith proved to be an excellent fit in New York. He scored four points in 18 games with the Rangers and also played better in his own end, earning him more play time. A disappointing start to the season in Detroit for the career-Red Wing quickly turned into a career revival with impressive play for his new squad. The postseason brought yet another four points and continued high-level play for Smith. Unfortunately, perhaps his worst game as a Ranger came in the elimination loss to the Senators when he was exposed on defense multiple times. Yet, in the big picture he was a success in New York. There is no word yet on whether there is mutual interest between both sides in an extension, especially since the Rangers carry many expensive blue line contract, but regardless this deal has to be considered a win for the Blueshirts.

Loser: Los Angeles Kings – Ben Bishop

Bishop may be happily settling in to his new home in Dallas after signing a nice six-year deal, but his time in Los Angeles did little to help him secure that contact. The Kings and the keeper were strange bedfellows to begin with, as now ex-GM Dean Lombardi traded red-hot backup goalie Peter Budaj, 2015 second-round defenseman Erik Cernak, and a 2017 seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Bishop, just as starter Jonathan Quick was returning to health. The Kings needed scoring, not better goaltending, if they wanted to make the playoffs, but ended up with neither from the Bishop trade as he picked up only two wins in seven appearances with L.A. and posted just a .900 save percentage. The Kings finished 10th in the Western Conference and eight points out of a playoff spot, not even all that close to a berth, and now need to find a new backup goalie for 2017-18. The Bishop trade makes as little sense now as it did then and undoubtedly figured in to Lombardi’s firing.

Winner: Boston Bruins – Drew Stafford

The Bruins may have lost in the first round of the playoffs, but they likely wouldn’t have if four of their six starting defenseman didn’t miss all or most of the series. Even with those major injuries, the Ottawa Senators still had a difficult time eliminating the Bruins and Stafford was a thorn in their side with two goals and consistent two-way contribution. Add in four goals, matching his total earlier in the season with the Winnipeg Jets, and four assists in 18 regular season games as well as an outstanding +8 rating, and Stafford was an excellent addition for Boston. Acquired for just a sixth-round pick, Stafford was easily the steal of the trade deadline and ongoing talks of an extension would only add more value to a shrewd deal by GM Don Sweeney. 

Loser: Florida Panthers – Thomas Vanek

Vanek was having a great season for the Detroit Red Wings when the Trade Deadline rolled around. He had 38 points in 48 games and was sniping with accuracy unseen over the past five years. When the Florida Panthers struck a deal to acquire that level of talent for just a 2017 third-round pick and struggling prospect Dylan McIlrath, there was a consensus that they had won the trade considering the affordable cost. Yet, the counter to that argument was that, even if he maintained the same rate of production, Vanek alone was likely not enough for the Panthers to make the playoffs. In the end, that proved to be true. Vanek’s scoring dropped off to just two goals and ten points in 20 games and his shooting percentage fell almost ten points, but even if it hadn’t, the Panthers wouldn’t have qualified for the postseason. They finished 13th in the Eastern Conference, 14 points shy of a playoff spot. At the end of the day, acquiring the impending free agent and missing the playoffs by that much was simply a waste of a third-round pick for a team that is still building.

Loser: New York Islanders – No One

The idea that you can’t lose at the Trade Deadline if you don’t make a deal is incorrect. Case in point: the 2016-17 Islanders. New York ended up missing the postseason by just one point and their playoff hopes were alive up to the final day of the season. Had the Isles made a trade, even a small one, that could have won them one more game down the stretch, they might have been a playoff team after all. Given their need to convince star John Tavares to stick around, the Islanders should have been more willing to do something – anything – to transform into a playoff team.

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