The NHL trade deadline is a time for general managers to do some roster tinkering.
For those with Stanley Cup aspirations, that means adding to the current group in order to give the team the best chance at winning it all. For others, the deadline marks a period to sell off expiring assets and gain back draft capital or prospects to build towards the future.
As is the case every year, some clubs absolutely nail the deadline, while others leave more to be desired. This year, a number of teams towards the top of the standings beefed up their depth at both forward and defense, including the Golden Knights, Avalanche and Hurricanes.
So who aced the deadline, and who walked away from Friday as a disappointment? Here is a look at The Sporting News' winners and losers from the 2024 NHL trade deadline.
MORE: Full list of trades completed before NHL trade deadline
NHL trade deadline 2024 winners and losers
Winner: Vegas Golden Knights
How fitting that the team from Vegas is constantly willing to go all-in? GM Kelly McCrimmon was aggressive at the deadline yet again, landing the top defenseman in Noah Hanifin, bringing in a solid two-way winger in Anthony Mantha ... and then stunning everyone at the last minute by acquiring center Tomas Hertl.
The defending Stanley Cup champions added the puck-moving Hanifin to a defensive core that already is stout. The Golden Knights have all of their starting defensemen from their Cup run last season, plus now a top-four option in Hanifin. In Mantha, the team is getting a big winger who performs well at 5 on 5 and is in the midst of his best shooting season to date.
Hertl was a shocking acquisition. The Sharks star is signed for another six years after 2023-24 and there was nothing out of the insiders to indicate that San Jose was considering moving him. However, the rich get richer, and McCrimmon pulled off another wild move, boosting his team's chances at a repeat by bringing in a playmaking center who has prodcued at en elite level with the right linemates.
Some have criticized the Golden Knights for abusing long-term injured reserve to skirt the salary cap. The strategy isn't illegal, however, and all other 31 teams have the opportunity to do the same. McCrimmon deserves credit for using it to his advantage to continue to take big swings at the deadline.
Loser: New York Rangers
The Rangers were in the hunt for Jake Guentzel, trying to pry the Penguins winger away from Pittsburgh to the Big Apple. However, GM Chris Drury's offer came up short, and instead of bringing in the talented winger, the Rangers watched as he went to the Hurricanes, the one team right on the Rangers' heels of the division lead.
Was New York's deadline a major bust? Not entirely. There were no big splashes for New York like last year's deadline when it landed Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane. However, the additions of Alexander Wennberg and Jack Roslovic give them depth options to deploy in the bottom-six, and Chad Ruhwedel is an underrated pickup on the blue line from Pittsburgh.Still, losing out on the Guentzel sweepstakes stings. It burns even more when you consider that he went to a fellow Metropolitan Division member that very well could use him to overtake the Rangers for first place.
Winner: Colorado Avalanche
Remember two years ago when the Avalanche went out and brought in four new faces at the 2022 trade deadline? None were blockbuster moves, but the team acquired forwards Artturi Lehkonen, Angrew Cogliano, Nico Sturm and defenseman Josh Manson, all of who played integral parts for Colorado winning the Stanley Cup that season. Well this year's deadline feels awfully similar.
Colorado GM Chris McFarland may not have "wowed" with any of his acquisitions, but like his predecessor Joe Sakic did two seasons ago, McFarland went out and improved the team in multiple facets. He brought in a top-six forward in center Casey Mittelstadt, two forward depth additions in wingers Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime, and a top-four defenseman in Sean Walker.
MORE: Grading the Casey Mittelstadt-Bowen Byram swap
The Avalanche were already a handful with a star trio of Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. By making the team deeper both on the blue line and at forward, McFarland has strengthened the team's chances of emerging from what is shaping up to be a bloodbath of a Western Conference.
Loser: Los Angeles Kings
The Kings were dominant to start the year, but a midseason slump resulted in Todd McLellan being fired, and led to questions at the deadline. While Los Angeles wasn't expected to be major players this week, GM Rob Blake came up with ... nothing.
It's not the worst thing in the world to stand pat. However, their Pacific Division rivals all got better. The Canucks landed Elias Lindholm in late January, the Golden Knights beefed up with Hanaifin and Mantha, and the Oilers added depth with the acquisitions of Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick and Troy Stetcher. When you factor in what other Western Conference teams like the Avalanche, Stars and Jets did, it's hard not to view the Kings' activity as disappointing.
The Kings' cap situation played a major role in the team's inactivity at the deadline. Still, it's hard to be hopeful about Los Angeles when you look at the rest of the stacked Western Conference.
Winner: Carolina Hurricanes
Whoever won the Jake Guentzel sweepstakes was going to end up in the winners section. However, is there a more perfect fit than Guentzel on the Hurricanes?
It feels like Carolina has been one key piece away from contending for a Stanley Cup over the last few seasons. While Guentzel isn't at a superstar level, he is a seamless fit with the Hurricanes and the exact kind of complimentary piece that could put them over the edge. GM Don Waddell has been hesitant in the past to gamble on pure rentals, but the club clearly likes Guentzel's fit enough to bring in the pending free agent, even if an extension hasn't been worked out.
Guentzel gives star center Sebastian Aho an upgrade on the wing, and the two should create magic together if Rod Brind'Amour elects to play them together. The winger has a knack for getting open in the offensive zone and brings a high hockey IQ to the ice. He may not provide much, if anything, defensively, so pairing him with a responsible, playmaking center like Aho makes the most sense.
MORE: Grading the Hurricanes and Penguins on their Jake Guentzel trade
Carolina also brought in Evgeny Kuznetsov in the hopes that a change of scenery can fix the center, who is in the midst of an awful season, but has top-six potential when he's clicking. Those two adds could be just what the Hurricanes need to get over the hump.
Loser: Sidney Crosby/Penguins fans
There are two sides to every deal, and while the Guentzel trade was a home run for the Hurricanes, it marks a dark time for the Penguins. The trade of Guentzel signals that the Pens are not going all-in. Pittsburgh is outside of a playoff spot and have been slipping in the standings of late, leaving GM Kyle Dubas no choice but to sell.
While the Penguins in general come out of the deadline as losers, fans have to feel for Sidney Crosby. The 36-year-old is in the midst of one of the greatest seasons for a player his age, and it means nothing. He is likely to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year, the first time in his NHL tenure that he won't be playing in the postseason in two straight seasons.
It's no secret Crosby was not exactly on board with moving Guentzel, who had been his linemate for years. Now, the Penguins captain is left without his buddy and is looking at an early vacation this spring. This is uncharted territory for the three-time Stanley Cup champion, who is used to constantly competing for titles.
Winner: Vladimir Tarasenko/Florida Panthers
The beauty of a player signing a one-year deal with a full no-trade clause is that when the deadline rolls around and your team isn't in contention, that player can dictate where he wants to go. For Tarasenko, it was an easy decision to join the Panthers.
With the Senators on the outside looking in (again), Ottawa moved the Russian winger to the only place he reportedly wanted to go — Florida. And who could blame him. He joins a club that is first in the NHL, coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance and is in a warm-weather climate with no state tax.
Florida holds the best record in the league, yet the team went out and added a dangerous sniper. The move gives the Panthers a top-six forward group that consists of Tarasenko, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett. If the Panthers already weren't the favorites in the East, there is no denying it now.
Loser: Fans of deadline day
The 2024 trade deadline already was setting up to be a dud weeks in advance of the actual action. There were only a handful of prominent names, and a few like Elias Lindholm, Sean Monhan and Tanev were all moved before deadline week, leaving even less excitement in the days leading up to March 8.
Wednesday delivered a frenzy of deals, including the Hanifin trade, the Mittelstadt-Bowen Byram swap, the Adam Henrique/Sam Carrick deal to the Oilers and Walker to the Avs. Then, on Thursday, the Guentzel deal finally went down, taking another big name off the block.
As for Friday itself? It was very meh. Tyler Toffoli, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jason Zucker were the biggest names moved, which says everything about the quality of the deadline day transactions. While the Hertl deal was a pleasant surprise that may have saved the day, it was mostly a dud.
Winner: Dallas Stars
The Stars did not make a single trade during deadline week, as their major move came the week prior to the frenzy. Dallas went out and landed one of the top defenseman available this spring, bringing in Chris Tanev in a deal with the Flames. The shot-blocking machine is one of the best defensive defensemen in the game, giving the Stars a boost to its blue line.
A bigger part of why the Stars are winners at the deadline has nothing to do with a trade. Dallas called up top prospect Logan Stankoven the week before the deadline, and he has been stellar for the Stars, with five goals and eight points in his first six NHL games.
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Why give up assets in a trade for another forward when you can call up the AHL's leading scorer and have him immediately light it up in the NHL?
Winners: Nick Seeler/Gustav Forsling
OK so neither of these players were involved in trades, but we're making exceptions here by adding them to the deadline winners/losers. Both signed extensions during deadline week to remain with their respective teams, and each have feel-good stories attached.
Seeler inked a four-year extension worth a total of $10.8 million with the Flyers. The 30-year-old defenseman has carved out a nice role for himself with Philadelphia, fitting in extremely well in John Tortorella's system and is well liked in the locker room. The best part? Seeler almost quit hockey altogether in 2021, but stuck it out, found a home with the Flyers and is now secured for the next four seasons, making a nice little paycheck in the process.
For Forsling, the Panthers signed the pending free agent to an eight-year, $46 million contract extension. He has been one of the most underrated defensemen in the league the last two seasons, and undoubtedly gets overlooked on a Panthers' blue line that has Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. The 27-year-old went from a waiver wire pickup by the Cats in 2021 to now a key part of their future — and his $5.75 AAV is a steal. Stick taps all around for Forsling and the Panthers for getting the extension done.
