The NHL's trade deadline eve ended with a major deal as the Pittsburgh Penguins sent winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes for a veteran, three prospects and two conditional draft picks.
Friday morning, the Hurricanes were at it again, acquiring Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals to boost their scoring depth and playoff experience.
The biggest shock was the Vegas Golden Knights trading for San Jose Sharks All-Star Tomas Hertl, adding to the defending champions' acquisitions of Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha earlier in the week.
The New Jersey Devils made their long-awaited goaltending move, trading for Jake Allen, but moved out pending unrestricted free agent Tyler Toffoli to the Winnipeg Jets.
USA TODAY Sports' news and analysis on the trades and other moves that took place on Friday (trades since Feb. 28; transactions before Feb. 28):
San Jose's Kaapo Kahkonen is heading to New Jersey and Vitek Vanecek and a 2025 seventh-round pick are going to San Jose. Kahkonen is a pending unrestricted free agent and Vanecek has a year left on his contract. With the Devils earlier acquiring Jake Allen, the struggling and injured Vanecek became expendable.
The Rangers were expected to be pursuing a big name right wing after the injury to Blake Wheeler. Jack Roslovic isn't a big name but he can play center or the wing. He has 13 points in his last 12 games, and the price, a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick, is lower than what the bigger names would have required.
This is a shocker. Tomas Hertl is currently on the injured list but is expected back for the playoffs. The two-time All-Star is signed through 2029-30, which will help the Golden Knights as they deal with several of their forwards heading toward free agency. Hertl brings a lot of skill and with the recent acquisitions of Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha, the Golden Knights are geared up for their bid to repeat. The Sharks retain a reported 17% of Hertl's salary. Because the Golden Knights moved their 2025 first-round pick for Hertl, Vegas will send its 2026 first-rounder to Calgary in the Hanifin deal.
But don't forget. Deals always get announced afterward.
The Lightning have needed help on defense since Mikhail Sergachev suffered a broken leg. Dumba doesn't play the same style, but he averaged 20 minutes a game and had 150 hits this season with the Arizona Coyotes. He's a top-four defenseman.
Andrew Peeke is heading to Boston and Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round pick is heading to Columbus. Peeke has two years left on his deal and Zboril is a pending unrestricted free agent. Peeke led the Blue Jackets in shots per 60 minutes. Zboril is heading to the American Hockey League.
From the Associated Press
The Flyers didn't get back a defenseman in the Sean Walker trade so Erik Johnson will add to the team's blue-line depth. The 35-year-old won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. The Sabres get a 2024 fourth-round pick. Multiple reports also said the Flyers acquired forward Denis Gurianov from the Nashville Predators for forward Wade Allison.
Jake Allen was available because the Canadiens are set in net with Sam Montembeault, who signed an extension next season, and Cayden Primeau. The Devils' goaltending has been an issue this season. Allen will provide stability in net and mentorship to the Devils' young netminders. He has another year left on his contract. The Devils had reportedly been trying to acquire Jacob Markstrom.
Klim Kostin had disappointed in Detroit this season after signing a two-year contract in the summer. The Red Wings get back a 2024 seventh-round pick and defenseman Radim Simek, who was assigned to their American Hockey League affiliate.
The Coyotes get a sixth-round pick. The Predators are light on secondary scoring beyond their productive first line. Jason Zucker had 27 goals last season, though only 25 points this season.
The Rangers give up a 2027 fourth-round pick. This is a depth move. Ruhwedel kills penalties.
The Avalanche added forwards this week with Casey Mittelstadt, Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime, so they get a 2024 fifth-round pick for Ben Meyers.
In exchange for Kyle Okposo, the Sabres get a conditional 2024 seventh-round draft pick and American Hockey League defenseman Calle Sjalin. Okposo has been the Sabres' captain since last season.
This is the Boston Bruins' first trade deadline move. They give up a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick and American Hockey League forward Luke Toporowski to add a three-time Stanley Cup winner who reached the Final four years in a row. He has 150 games of playoff experience. Pat Maroon adds size and grit to the Bruins' fourth line and follows a feisty game between Boston and the Toronto Maple Leafs, a likely first-round matchup. As an aside, Bruins announcer Jack Edwards had made fun of Maroon's weight on air, though he later apologized.
Tyler Toffoli, a pending unrestricted free agent, will add a scoring touch to the Jets' top six. He has 26 goals this year and had 34 last season. He won a Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014 and went to the Final in 2021 with the Montreal Canadiens. The Jets earlier boosted their second line by acquiring center Sean Monahan during the All-Star break. The Devils will retain 50% of Toffoli's salary and receive a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 second-rounder.
In a separate trade between the teams, the Devils sent defenseman Colin Miller to the Jets for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
The Blue Jackets acquired minor league goalie Malcolm Subban from the Blues for future considerations. Subban will report to the Blue Jackets' affiliate in Cleveland.
Jordan Eberle will average $4.75 million over two years, down from the $5.5 million cap hit in his current contract. That takes another winger off the trade market.
The Capitals will get a 2025 third-round pick and Washington will retain 50% of his salary Though Evgeny Kuznetsov has had a tough season, he has 87 games of playoff experience and had a playoff-high 20 assists and 32 points during the Capitals' 2018 run to the Stanley Cup title. With the earlier Jake Guentzel deal, the Hurricanes enter the postseason with two new proven playoff scorers.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the talks. Evgeny Kuznetsov has been cleared from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and the Capitals waived him and assigned him to the American Hockey League. Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said at the time he would look for "a fresh start for Kuzy."
Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, 26, agreed to a one-year, $800,000 extension, according to reports. He has six assists and 23 penalty minutes this season, five of which occurred during a fight Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs' Tyler Bertuzzi. Bruins defensemen Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort and Kevin Shattenkirk are potential unrestricted free agents this summer.
The Rangers added center Alex Wennberg this week, but need a winger after the injury to Blake Wheeler. Here's what Vincent Z. Mercogliano of lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, says about the Rangers' hunt:
"A couple quick morning RW updates: - Vatrano is considered the most likely #NYR pivot, but word is that he likes it in SoCal and ANA is fine with holding him. It will require substantial offer to make a trade. I imagine there will be significant back and forth today.
"- Due to popular demand, I asked around about a (Pavel) Buchnevich reunion. Most don't see it happening, but one person wondered if the lack of appealing options would force #NYR to swallow pride. Why rule out best available? Price even higher than Vatrano. Consensus is it's a long shot."
The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8.
Late Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Cruz Lucius and Vasily Ponomarev, as well as conditional first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2024 draft. The Penguins will retain 25% of Guentzel’s salary.
The Penguins will get a 2024 first-round pick if Carolina reaches the Stanley Cup Final. If the Hurricanes do not get there, the pick becomes a second-rounder. If Carolina wins the Stanley Cup, Pittsburgh gets an additional 2024 fifth-round pick.
In the short term, the Hurricanes did because Guentzel is a top playoff scorer and could be a difference-maker for a team that lost four consecutive one-goal games in last year's conference final. The prospects are promising, but not their top ones. Regardless the Hurricanes gave up a lot of players for someone they don't know will re-sign with them in the summer.
The Penguins are the winners in the long run because they needed to get younger and replenish their prospect pool. This trade accomplished that, especially if the Hurricanes reach the Final and Pittsburgh gets a first-round pick.
In addition to Guentzel, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha (Vegas Golden Knights), Vladimir Tarasenko (Florida Panthers), Adam Henrique (Edmonton Oilers), Casey Mittelstadt, Sean Walker, Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime (Colorado Avalanche), Alex Wennberg (New York Rangers) and Anthony Duclair (Tampa Bay Lightning).
Most of the big trades happened in the week leading up to deadline day. But on deadline day, there were 19 trades involving 34 players and 14 draft picks. The Penguins made a couple moves but weren't able to keep their playoff streak alive.
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