The 2019 NHL trade deadline has come and gone with big winners and losers
To Nashville Predators: Wayne Simmonds
To Philadelphia Flyers: Ryan Hartman and a 2020 conditional fourth-round pick
This trade is especially good for the Predators as they look to repeat their 2017 season when they made it to the Stanley Cup Final. Wayne Simmonds will certainly be able to help reach that plateau as he is a solid skater, a physical presence and isn’t a liability on the ice. So far this season, Simmonds has tallied 27 points in 63 games while playing for a team that was subpar in terms of success. On a team like the Predators, Simmonds could get back to his usual style of play that includes dominating opposing players and creating more space for his team’s top scorers.
To Vegas Golden Knights: Mark Stone and Tobias Lindberg
To Ottawa Senators: Erik Brannstrom, Oscar Lindberg and a 2020 second-round pick
The Vegas Golden Knights win this deal for now, but time will tell if the Ottawa Senators can make something out of this trade. For Vegas, as soon as this trade was completed, they signed Stone to a new contract worth eight years at $9 million per year. Stone has tallied 62 points in 60 games this season and was clearly the star player for the Senators. The Golden Knights have traded for a terrific player that will now be on their team for a very long time and will only contribute to their success for years to come.
To Winnipeg Jets: Kevin Hayes
To New York Rangers: Brendan Lemieux, 2019 first-round pick and 2022 conditional fourth-round pick
This trade presents a situation in which both teams came out winners. The Jets, who are looking to win a Stanley Cup this season, add a great player who has shown he is an elite offensive force. Adding Hayes to a talented Jets team only increases their tremendous chances of representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final. For the Rangers, they are in a rebuild with a record of 27-26-9, in 13th place out of 16 total teams in the Eastern Conference. Because of this, receiving a 2019 first-round pick and a very promising young player in Lemieux is exactly what the Rangers need to prepare for the future.
To San Jose Sharks: Gustav Nyquist
To Detroit Red Wings: 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 conditional third-round pick
Through this trade, the Sharks deepened their already talented lineup. With offensive players such as Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Joonas Donskoi as well as big name defensemen like Erik Karlsson and Brett Burns, Gustav Nyquist contributes to the talent depth in San Jose. Scoring over 40 points every season since 2013-2014, Nyquist will be a great addition to the Sharks’ upcoming playoff run.
To Anaheim Ducks: Brendan Guhle and a 2019 first-round draft pick
To Buffalo Sabres: Brandon Montour
This trade is another win-win, but one team is on top now while the other will have to wait a couple of years to find out whether this trade was a success. For now, the Sabres win this trade by getting a great, young defenseman with a lot of potential. With the Sabres on the cusp of making the playoffs, Montour will add some much-needed depth to their defensive corps. For the Ducks, they are beginning what will hopefully be a short rebuild period, receiving their second first-round pick from the Sabres. A young prospect to replace Montour is a good deal considering the situation they are in.
To Columbus Blue Jackets: Ryan Dzingel and a 2019 seventh-round draft pick
To Ottawa Senators: Anthony Duclair, 2020 second-round draft pick and a 2021 second-round draft pick
The Blue Jackets are trying to stack themselves for what will hopefully be a productive playoff run. As the only franchise in the NHL to not have a single playoff series win, the Jackets are tired of losing and being the laughing stock of the league when it comes to the playoffs. This is one of two moves the Blue Jackets made in order to ensure they are nothing short of a contender come playoff time. For the Senators, stockpiling draft picks continues to be their mission, and in this particular trade, it just so happens that they also managed to squeeze a great player in Duclair out of Columbus. He will definitely be a building block for their future.
To Columbus Blue Jackets: Matt Duchene and Julius Bergman
To Ottawa Senators: Vitaly Abromov, Jonathan Davidsson, a conditional 2019 or 2020 first-round pick depending on Columbus’ draft lottery position
This was the second trade the Blue Jackets made in order to prepare for a deep playoff run. Matt Duchene has scored a total of 537 points in 707 career games. He is an elite center and will be a huge factor in the success of the Blue Jackets. He joins an offensive cast of Artemi Panarin, Nick Foligno, Cam Atkinson, Pierre Luc-Dubois and others. Duchene going to Columbus makes them a very dangerous opponent for the rest of this season and beyond.