Hockey enthusiasts eagerly watched as the NHL's Trade Deadline ended on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Big names, emerging talents, and valued draft picks are switching teams, and our B/R hockey team is also digging in.
They're scrutinizing last-minute deals and the strategic moves made in the lead-up to bring you a roundup of the teams that made the smartest trades. In some cases, the cost of the new players was the deciding factor, while others paid more attention to the value of the assets they would gain from a significant player leaving.
Dallas Stars make big move, acquire Tanev
GM Jim Nill executed a sizeable trade to strengthen the defense. He traded a player, a 2024 second-round pick, and a conditional 2026 third-round pick to Calgary. In return, he got a sturdy player named Chris Tanev and the playing rights to a college-level goalie, Cole Brady.
Dallas paid New Jersey to take on half of the remaining money from Tanev's four-year, $18 million contract with the Flames, which he signed in 2020. In addition, Dallas also traded a fourth-round pick for 2026.
Tanev is not typically known for his offensive capabilities from the defense, but he's a strong defender who can effectively clear the zone and start offensive plays. He has consistently averaged at least 19:50 minutes of ice time per game over three-plus seasons with Calgary, even spiking to 21:45 minutes per game over his 774 NHL games.
In his first game with Dallas against San Jose on Tuesday, the 34-year-old played in the second defensive pair with Esa Lindell. He participated in 26 shifts over 17 minutes and had a plus-1 rating. While this was just a single deal for Nill and the Stars, it might be the perfect one they needed.
Carolina Hurricanes acquire Guentzel and Kuznetsov
The Hurricanes have had a successful run, making it to the playoffs five years in a row and leading their division three times. However, they have yet to be able to replicate their triumph from 18 years ago. Even though they twice reached the Eastern Conference finals in the last five years, they were quickly eliminated each time.
GM Don Waddell of the Carolina Hurricanes made two big moves just before the deadline. First, they traded four players and two draft picks to Pittsburgh to get sought-after forward Jake Guentzel and his teammate Ty Smith. Then, they acquired the talented but controversial forward Evgeny Kuznetsov from Washington for a third-round pick.
The Hurricanes now have Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov, two players who have won the Stanley Cup twice and collectively scored 125 points in 145 playoff games. Given the Hurricanes' current rank—second in their division and eighth in the whole league—even before these additions, we can expect some solid results if they keep up their good work.
Colorado Avalanche trade Byram for Mittelstadt
The Avalanche traded young defenseman Bowen Byram, a former high-ranking pick, to the Sabres in exchange for 25-year-old Casey Mittelstadt. This move has allowed the team to strengthen a weak spot while giving Mittelstadt, who has never played in the playoffs before, a promising opportunity to showcase his skills.
He'll be able to negotiate his contract in July as a restricted free agent. It means that General Manager Chris MacFarland has an excellent opportunity to keep him on the team for many years.
Walker, soon to be a free agent, comes from Philadelphia in exchange for a first-round pick in 2025 and the recently waived Ryan Johansen. Due to his skills in controlling and moving the puck, he'll likely play a big role in Colorado's defensive end.
The Avalanche made a modest trade, picking up forward Brandon Duhaime from Minnesota for a third-round pick in 2026. Although it's not a game-changing move, Duhaime brings some physical presence to the fourth line with his size (6'2", 200 pounds).
He's expected to play around 10 minutes per game, disrupting the opponent's lines a bit.