But compared to past deadlines, like last year’s 31 final-day trades, this one was a bit of a snoozer. The Kings made the biggest acquisition in Dustin Penner, though they gave up plenty for him. The Caps addressed some needs by adding Jason Arnott and old friend Dennis Wideman. And Florida and Ottawa completed their fire sales as those two franchises jettisoned just about every veteran they could.
It will take at least a few months to truly gauge these trades, especially once we see how the revamped rosters fare in the postseason. And for many of the deals, it will be years before a real assessment can be made with so many prospects and picks exchanging hands.
Still, there were some results that don’t need the test of time to be evaluated.
Here are some of the biggest immediate winners and losers from this year’s trade deadline frenzy >>