Dan & Jared's Trade Deadline Review
Grading the deadline moves
16 deadline deals were struck in the BRHL as the trade deadline came and went. Kevin and his Calgary Flames were the most active team, striking 4 deals leading up to and at the deadline. On the flipside to that, we saw 16 teams make no deals, comfortable with where they're at. Let's dive in and take a look at what transpired:
Calgary Flames - Kevin Switzer - 4 trades
To CAL: MIN 2024 6th / To ANA: Nikita Okhotiuk
I think I would prefer to have a 23-year-old player that’s getting some NHL action over a 6th, but Calgary has a ton of bodies, so maybe he’s just offloading before he’d eventually lose him in the waiver draft. If that’s the thought process for Kev, I think it’s a decent move.
Dan's Grade B-
This is for sure Kevin moving out a Dman he'd have to carry on the pro roster next season and may not have room for. While the return might be a bit underwhelming, getting an asset back for someone you'd likely lose to the waiver draft is good asset management.
Jared's Grade C+
To CAL: OTT 2024 4th / To ARI: Ty Smith
Very similar to the Okhotiuk trade in nature, I love Kev landing a high 4th here. Ty Smith was all the rage a couple of seasons ago, but given he can’t even stick with the Pens, shows he’s really not responsible in his own end. Plus I think Kev’s got too many pro bodies anyways.
Dan's Grade A
This looks to be the same situation, getting assets for a player likely lost in the waiver draft. Smith was acutally a waiver draft pick-up for Kevin as well, so this is amazing value for a free asset.
Jared's Grade A+
To CAL: Kevin Stenlund & Lucas Ciona / To ARI: Jakub Lauko
Stenlund is not a great hockey player if you talk to analytics people, but he’s big and has decent defensive and faceoff numbers in our league. Good if Kev is trying to shore up his 4th line here. Ciona to me is just a throw-in. As Stenlund probably fills a bit of a need for Kev, it’s an okay trade. I do think the responsible Lauko is the best piece in the deal… though limited upside.
Dan's Grade B-
4th line player swap with an extra asset going to Kevin's Flames. Nice.
Jared's Grade B
To CAL: John-Jason Peterka, DET 2026 2nd & DET 2026 3rd / To DET: Shane Pinto *If DET is bottom 5 in 2025-26 they get Cal 4th in 2026.
At the 11th hour, Kevin and I put together a swap of solid, young players. The more two-way Pinto could have a higher all-round upside than Peterka, but Peterka has the higher offensive upside. If Peterka fulfills that potential, then it’s a win for Kev, especially with landing the two picks.
Dan's Grade B+
Peterka is scoring at a PPG clip of 0.58 while Pinto is at a PPG of 0.86. I'm not sure you could argue Peterka has a higher offensive upside. Goal scoring though sure.
Jared's Grade C+
Anaheim Ducks - Devon Cordell - 3 trades
To ANA: Devon Toews / To Pitt: ANA 2025 2nd & CAR 2025 7th
Adding a good, but not elite defenseman, whose numbers are now down from when he was signed last summer, isn’t a great move in my opinion. 9.5 million a year for 5 more years is a boatload of money, and giving up a high pick makes it sting even more.
Dan's Grade F
Bit of an odd pick-up for a rebuilding team, but I don't think this is that bad a move. While the points are down for Toews, goal scoring is up. And no more Byram means more ice-time to go around for Toews.
Jared's Grade C
To ANA: Nikita Okhotiuk / To CAL: MIN 2024 6th
Adding Okhotiuk for a 6th is a pretty insignificant move, but he does block some shots, so maybe there ends up being some value for him down the road. Minor move, but I like it.
Dan's Grade B+
Devon picks up a young NHL Dman for peanuts. Really nice move for a rebuilder.
Jared's Grade A
To ANA: Alexander Kerfoot / To TOR: LA 2024 3rd & $1,000,000
Certainly a move for Dev for next season only. Kerfoot should have decent offense, but really good DF next season. A solid pickup, for a 3rd.
Dan's Grade A
A solid middle of the lineup player, Kerfoot can play both wings. Looks like a nice trade looking towards next season as Dan said.
Jared's Grade B+
San Jose Sharks - Sumit Purba - 3 trades
To SJ: Zach Hyman / To DET: Nino Niederreiter, SJ 2028 1st & $8,000,000
Sumit is loading up. He might have the deepest forward corps in the West now. Do I love him giving up what could be a very high 1st down the road? Of course, I do, because it was me who got it. It’s actually a win for Sumit if he can resign Hyman. But that’s a big if.
Dan's Grade B
Seems like a steep price to get a discount in FA for Hyman. Hyman's ratings should be great and Sumit will have lots of competition for his services.
Jared's Grade C
To SJ: Jakub Vrana (50% retained) & SJ 2024 6th / To FLA: Sam Lafferty, Graham Sward, LA 2024 5th & DET 2024 5th
Clearly Sumit and Ty figured out their respective needs and made this trade accordingly. I like it for both parties if they were right about what their need was. Another high SC player is really all Vrana is, but that’s what the game is all about.
Dan's Grade B+
Lafferty is on pace for a career year...but is a UFA after this season. Value wise this trade looks pretty spot on though.
Jared's Grade B
To SJ: Philip Danault (50% retained 1 year) / To CAR: Jean-Gabriel Pageau, BUF 2024 3rd, SJ 2025 5th & $2,500,000
I hate this trade for Sumit. Pageau has the better rates right now, and Sumit still included picks going to Uncle Rich. Maybe he got caught up in name-value as Danault is better known, or maybe in the fact that Danault is slightly outproducing Pageau in the NHL and he has an eye on next year? Overall, I think it’s a downgrade for Sumit in a year he’s supposed to be going for it.
Dan's Grade F
Danault will keep a high FO and DF rating going forward and this should help Sumit next season, but I don't really get it from Sumit's side. As Dan said, JGP is rated better this season.
Jared's Grade D-
Columbus Blue Jackets - Jesse Vansickle - 3 trades
To CBJ: Connor McMichael, Fabian Zetterlund, Reece Newkirk & BOS 2025 5th / To BOS: Brock Boeser
What I would consider a very even swap. Maybe a slight win for Jesse. Boeser’s younger than I realized, so you want to see Jesse get good value here. Which is what I think he got. Boeser doesn’t hit or play defense, so you can’t expect much more. Both McMichael and Zetterlund are solid young players who should have long, and somewhat productive, careers ahead of themselves.
Dan's Grade A-
I've never been sold on McMichael being anything more than a bottom 6 player and this is the key piece going back in the deal. The rest of the package is good though.
Jared's Grade C+
To CBJ: Ondrej Palat / To DET: Torey Krug
A swap of bottom of the lineup upcoming UFAs. Jesse is obviously out of it this season, so I presume he’d just prefer to have the “home-town” rights of Palat over Krug.
Dan's Grade B
UFA swap. Nothing major going back for Krug, but I guess he'll have a discount should he want to sign Palat in UFA.
Jared's Grade C
To CBJ: Scott Perunovich / To WSH: William Borgen
Perunovich has always had a ton of offensive upside, compared to the more steady Borgen. Jesse traded in one D-man for another who is 2 years younger, and probably has more upside, despite likely having bad DF for at least the foreseeable future. I can respect that.
Dan's Grade B+
This trade works well for both parties. Jesse adding the younger Dman with a higher offensive upside will help out the rebuild/re-tool.
Jared's Grade B+
Detroit Red Wings - Dan Sanders - 3 trades
To SJ: Zach Hyman / To DET: Nino Niederreiter, SJ 2028 1st & $8,000,000
I would’ve loved to keep Hyman around and tried to resign him, but the odds were against me there. Having 10-11 very good forwards seemed to be a waste to me too, so I pounced on an easy target and moved out a forward for what could be a solid return.
Dan's Grade A
Snagging a first round pick 4 years out is a pretty big dice roll...and with the way Sumit mortgages his future, it may end up a good pick.
Jared's Grade A
To CBJ: Ondrej Palat / To DET: Torey Krug
Moved out a depth piece for another… both upcoming UFAs. Krug could shore up the PP a touch, or could not. We shall see.
Dan's Grade B
I didn't really understand this trade from Jesse's perspective, but Dan adding a PP specialist should help him out down the stretch.
Jared's Grade A
To CAL: John-Jason Peterka, DET 2026 2nd & DET 2026 3rd / To DET: Shane Pinto *If DET is bottom 5 in 2025-26 they get Cal 4th in 2026
I shipped out the more flashy Peterka for a bit more of a defensive forward in Pinto. Considering Peterka very well could end up being the better player, and I included decent picks, it could end up being a loss if Pinto can’t establish good offensive numbers throughout much of his career.
Dan's Grade B
If Pinto can keep up his current pace, this is a great move by Dan.
Jared's Grade B+
Nashville Predators - Tyler Shedden - 2 trades
To NSH: Mikael Backlund / To BOS: NSH 2025 2nd
A 2nd is probably a fair price for Tyler to spend on a solid forward with an expiring contract. The Preds are getting older though, so if 2024/25 is a down year for them, it could be a nice draft pick for Greg.
Dan's Grade B-
A great move for both clubs, Backlund looks like a really great upgrade at 3C for Sheds.
Jared's Grade B
To NSH: Scott Wedgewood (50% retained this season) / To MTL: ANA 2024 5th & NSH 2024 6th
Wedgewood has been solid when called upon over the past couple years. As Tyler’s backup has been decent for him, I’m sure the main play here is that Wedgewood lands a starting gig at some point in the next couple of NHL seasons.
Dan's Grade B
A decent upgrade on Husso for some late picks.
Jared's Grade B
Arizona Coyotes - Joel Mierau - 2 trades
To CAL: OTT 2024 4th / To ARI: Ty Smith
I don’t love seeing Joel give up a high 4th for a guy who could be poised to just be an offensive minor leaguer. Though, if he ever sticks with an NHL franchise, there is some offensive / PP2 upside. I think Joel could’ve gotten him slightly cheaper.
Dan's Grade C
Not sure how Smith lands a 4th. Perhaps Joel thinks Smith will get a shot in Carolina?
Jared's Grade D-
To CAL: Kevin Stenlund & Lucas Ciona / To ARI: Jakub Lauko
Stenlund, and the insignificant, Lucas Ciona, were of little value to Joel. I love the addition of the responsible Jakub Lauko. Don’t see him ever being an impact guy, but it’s a decent minor move.
Dan's Grade A
A swap of 4th liners and Joel gives up a prospect to get his guy.
Jared's Grade B
Toronto Maple Leafs - Garrett Hansford - 2 trades
To ANA: Alexander Kerfoot / To TOR: LA 2024 3rd & $1,000,000
Landing a high 3rd is not a bad thing, but I do think Kerfoot’s value was higher. Was a tough market for sellers, but I don’t love the return.
Dan's Grade C
Getting any assets for a player that wasn't in your plans is a plus, despite the fact he may have had higher value.
Jared's Grade B
To TOR: Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF 2025 2nd & BUF 2026 2nd / To BUF: Ryan McDonagh (43% retained for two seasons)
Getting two 2nds for McDonagh I think was a solid return for Garrett. $5 million plus is a lot of money to have sitting on the payroll next season for a mid-tier D-man, so despite the retention, this made for a nice, tidy little trade for Garrett.
Dan's Grade B+
Garrett got great value back for McDonagh even though the market wasn't that great for sellers.
Jared's Grade A
Florida Panthers - Tyler Bell - 2 trades
To SJ: Jakub Vrana (50% retained) & SJ 2024 6th / To FLA: Sam Lafferty, Graham Sward, LA 2024 5th & DET 2024 5th
I might like this trade slightly more for Sumit, but Ty obviously felt the need to replace Vrana with someone more well rounded. The picks are okay, but late.
Dan's Grade B-
I'm on the flip side here, I like this deal better slightly for Ty. I doubt Vrana is in Sumit's future plans, so his UFA rights don't really hold much value. But Lafferty has looked good and his UFA rights might be more appealing.
Jared's Grade B+
To FLA: WIN 2024 3rd & MON 2025 3rd / To MTL: Antti Raanta
An interesting move from Tyler trading away who you’d think is his number 1 goalie in the midst of a playoff race, but Stalock’s incredible play of late made the move possible. Ty grabbed a high 3rd in the process. Trading away the insurance he had at the goaltending position might not be smart, but he’d need a miracle to go on a deep playoff run, so keeping more of an eye on the future was smart.
Dan's Grade B+
Tyler has his eyes set on next season and beyond with this deal. Odd timing to throw in the towel though.
Jared's Grade C+
Boston Bruins - Greg Almeida - 2 trades
To CBJ: Connor McMichael, Fabian Zetterlund, Reece Newkirk & BOS 2025 5th / To BOS: Brock Boeser
Solid move for Greg. Boeser is a bit one dimensional, but it’s a good dimension. He traded out two solid, but not elite pieces to land Boeser. I’m not sure if it’s the perfect fit for where Greg is in his rebuild/retool, but it’s certainly not a bad fit.
Dan's Grade B
I'm not very high on McMichael as I said earlier, so to turn some depth youth for a legit star winger is a great move.
Jared's Grade A
To NSH: Mikael Backlund / To BOS: NSH 2025 2nd
Another solid move by Gregory. Backlund is on an expiring contract, Greg likely isn’t going deep in the playoffs, and who knows where that 2nd will land next season.
Dan's Grade B+
Decent rental price for Backlund.
Jared's Grade B+
Montreal Canadiens - Steve Vardy - 2 trades
To FLA: WIN 2024 3rd & MON 2025 3rd / To MON: Antti Raanta
Considering Wedgewood and Raanta have almost identical numbers this season, I’m shocked to see Steve go out and pay up for Raanta. Especially considering his NHL numbers are terrible this season.
Dan's Grade D
Raanta is rated much better than Wedgewood this season and is a nice upgrade for Steve down the stretch. The contract may not look that great next season though.
Jared's Grade C
To NSH: Scott Wedgewood (50% retained this season) / To MTL: ANA 2024 5th & NSH 2024 6th
Steve probably got a fair price here for an NHL backup, but seeing he shipped out Wedgewood without an upgrade was puzzling.
Dan's Grade C
With Raanta coming in Wedgewood was expendable. This is a move for this season only as Wedgewood is actually putting up decent numbers this year.
Jared's Grade C-
Pittsburgh Penguins - Tyler Cordell - 1 trade
To ANA: Devon Toews / To Pitt: ANA 2025 2nd & CAR 2025 7th
Dumping Toews, who Toby probably signed for way too much last summer… especially considering no one got to utilize him this season when his rates were highest… is a massive win for Toby. Getting a high pick is some big-time icing on the cake.
Dan's Grade A+
It's not that surprising that Toews got moved. The surprise is that he went to Devon with no retention. If Devon has plans to try and make the playoffs next year, his 2nd rounder may not be that great a pick.
Jared's Grade A+
Carolina Hurricanes - Richard Cordell - 1 trade
To SJ: Phillip Danault (50% retained 1 year) / To CAR: Jean-Gabriel Pageau, BUF 2024 3rd, SJ 2025 5th & $2,500,000
I don’t love this deal for Rich as much as I hate it for Sumit. As Danault is slightly outproducing Pageau right now, and obviously this season is a write-off for Rich. I do like the picks being added though.
Dan's Grade B+
The picks should help Rich re-load, whether he moves them in the off-season for immediate help or uses them on prospects.
Jared's Grade B
Washington Capitals - Larry Linke - 1 trade
To CBJ: Scott Perunovich / To WSH: William Borgen
I thought this was a very solid pickup for Larry. Borgen is a solid defender with term, control, and decent rates that should help him now and in the future. The ceiling of Perunovich is high, but very unpredictable.
Dan's Grade A
Larry gets help now on the back end instead of waiting for Perunovich to solidify a role in St. Louis. Good move for both GM's.
Jared's Grade B
Buffalo Sabres - Jared Mitchell - 1 trade
To TOR: Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF 2025 2nd & BUF 2026 2nd / To BUF: Ryan McDonagh (43% retained for two seasons)
I don’t see McDonagh as an upgrade for Jared over Risto, but Risto is an upcoming UFA, meaning he could justify moving picks for having that extra year of control that McDonagh has. Two 2nds to me seemed slightly steep though.
Dan's Grade C+
McDonagh is an upgrade on Ristolainen, but how much of an upgrade is debatable. The area that's not debatable is his higher experience and leadership. If McDonagh was a rental, this is an overpayment. But with the extra year I think this is pretty fair value.
Jared's Grade B+
LA Kings – Tyler Rumpel - 0 trades
Vegas Golden Knights – Joe Bast - 0 trades
Seattle Kraken – Rex Shuck - 0 trades
Vancouver Canucks – Rob Bothan - 0 trades
Edmonton Oilers – Leon Yu - 0 trades
Winnipeg Jets – Jordan Hansford - 0 trades
Chicago Blackhawks – Dave Yee - 0 trades
Dallas Stars – Junya Kato - 0 trades
Minnesota Wild – Al Wehr - 0 trades
St. Louis Blues – Eric Dolegowski - 0 trades
Colorado Avalanche – Pat Padula - 0 trades
New York Rangers – PJ Jennings - 0 trades
Philadelphia Flyers – Anthony Cepparulo - 0 trades
New Jersey Devils – Ken Hogan - 0 trades
New York Islanders – Joseph Bubanj - 0 trades
Ottawa Senators – Steph Villeneuve - 0 trades
Tampa Bay Lightning – Eric Ferraro - 0 trades
A lack of activity for some of these teams is interesting. While the younger teams I can understand sitting pat, but some of these teams are in playoff races or trying to acquire future assets.
Jared's Grade F-
