Hutch's Hockey: Trade Deadline Breakdown

With the trade deadline done, there are plenty of players in different places. There wasn't a lot of wheeling and dealing in the week leading up to the deadline, though there was plenty in February that made waves. This edition of Hutch's Hockey will focus on trades made between March 2-7 and the impacts that could be felt with all teams in involved. Deals from March 1 or earlier are available in previous columns. Waiver moves will not be included here, as most are unlikely to make a fantasy impact. There was enough action at the deadline that the usual fantasy waiver-wire fare will take a week off to focus on the impact of these trades. Without further delay, let's look at what went down. 

Blockbusters

Mikko Rantanen to the Stars, Logan Stankoven and four picks (two first-rounders and two third-rounders) to the Hurricanes: First and foremost, what a haul for the Hurricanes. The picks alone are massive, especially for a team that just proved how to master the art of utilizing assets. The Hurricanes swung big in January to get Rantanen, and while he ultimately chose not to sign in Carolina, they were able to find a suitor at the deadline and get a massive return. Stankoven has a ton of potential, but his rookie year has been just okay -- he had 29 points over 59 outings prior to the trade. With the picks, the Hurricanes have future flexibility while still keeping their roster in a competitive position. The Stars' forward depth perhaps smothered him a bit. For the Stars to pull off this kind of trade, they were going to have to pay heavily. Rantanen ultimately signed an eight-year, $96 million contract, and if he helps them win a title, it'll all be worth it in the end. Look for Rantanen to fill a top-six role with power-play time, bumping Mikael Granlund down the lineup a bit. Stankoven is projected to be a middle-six forward, but don't be surprised if he gets a look alongside Sebastian Aho at some point. Overall, the two trades of Rantanen this season have the potential to have seismic influence on some of the NHL's top teams for years to come. 

Brock Nelson and William Dufour to the Avalanche, Calum Ritchie and two picks to the Islanders, Oliver Kylington to the Ducks: Nelson's a big add for the Avalanche, and he solves their second-line center problem. Given the top-six talent in Colorado, Nelson is likely to find himself playing with Jonathan Drouin or Artturi Lehkonen on his left wing, and Valeri Nichushkin or Martin Necas on his right wing. I'd expect some interchanging between the wingers initially unless something clicks right away. Dufour is a throw-in prospect who will be with AHL Colorado. The big pieces going to the Islanders are Ritchie and a conditional first-round pick (2026 or 2027). Ritchie has the potential to be a key contributor, and potentially a first-line center, for the Islanders in a couple of years, giving them a little offensive creativity -- something that's often been in short supply for the team. The pick is another asset to help down the line. 

In a separate trade, Kylington was flipped to the Ducks for future considerations. This makes sense on both sides -- the Islanders are flush with defensemen competing for playing time, while the Ducks needed a seventh defenseman after trading Brian Dumoulin to the Devils earlier in the day Thursday. Kylington has minimal fantasy appeal, as there's no guarantee he'll play often in Anaheim. 

Big Impact

Brad Marchand to the Panthers for a conditional second-round pick: This is the token "never thought it would happen" trade. This is the biggest signal of the end of an era for the Bruins, who are now fully in the David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman years, but with plenty of reshaping to do on the roster. The Bruins get an early pick, which could become a first-rounder. The storyline is even better here after the Panthers defeated the Bruins in each of the last two postseasons. Marchand's debut with his new team will have to wait until he recovers from an upper-body injury, but he'll likely slot into a top-six role. Imagine a playoff line of Marchand, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk (groin) -- that could be a very frustrating trio to play against. In Boston, look for Cole Koepke to get a bigger role, as well as Marat Khusnutdinov, who was added in an earlier trade (more on that below). 

Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Sabres; Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick to the Senators: This is a big trade that shakes up the cores of both teams. Norris is the best player in the deal right now, giving the Sabres a more proven top-six center. His value won't take much of a hit, as the Sabres' offense is the one positive they have this season. Bernard-Docker and Gilbert are a straight swap of depth defensemen, with Gilbert offering a lot of physicality for a Senators team that isn't lacking in that area. Bernard-Docker will get a fresh start with the Sabres, but he'll likely be limited to third-pairing minutes at first, if he can get in the lineup at all. The intriguing player here is Cozens, who gets a much-needed fresh start. After a 68-point campaign in 2022-23, he had just 47 points last year and was trending below that mark with 31 points in 61 outings in 2024-25. The stench of losing that covers the Sabres won't be present in Ottawa, and Cozens also offers a bit of thump. If he slots in alongside Brady Tkachuk, he'll have good value, but there's still appeal for Cozens next to Drake Batherson on the second line as well. He's intriguing, so keep an eye on how Cozens adapts to his new team. Considering the roles of the players involved, they pretty much replace each other without disrupting too much with their new teams. 

Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand to the Lightning, Michael Eyssimont to the Kraken: This was a three-team trade since the Red Wings handled some salary on Gourde to make things work for the Lightning. Unsigned prospect Kyle Aucoin also landed with the Lightning as part of the deal. Gourde returns to where he had his most success as a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He's an immediate fit on the third line, and he's bringing a friend in Bjorkstrand, who has enough scoring talent to potentially work his way into the top six. Clearly, the Lightning have no concern about Gourde's recent sports hernia surgery, which he just returned from Tuesday for one encore with the Kraken. Bjorkstrand, meanwhile, gets a huge bump. He had 37 points over 61 outings with the Kraken this year, but he was a 59-point player a year ago. Fantasy managers needing to make a speculative addition can look to Bjorkstand as the one to have. Meanwhile, Eyssimont gets another change of scenery. He's already a bit of a journeyman at 28 years old, having suited up for three franchises and will now be on his fourth in four NHL seasons. He struggled to get ice time in Tampa, logging an average of 10:41 per game while picking up 10 points over 57 appearances. He also has 82 hits, so he's likely ticketed for the Kraken's third line. Seattle has elected to leave the prospects alone to replenish their forward depth, so there's not really an intriguing addition to be made from their roster for fantasy, aside from Jordan Eberle moving back into a middle-six role. 

Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a fourth-round pick to the Senators; Zack Ostapchuk, Noah Gregor and a second-round pick to the Sharks: This trade is big more for quantity than quality, though Zetterlund is a useful player. He was part of the Timo Meier trade with the Devils a couple of years back, and now he goes to the Senators in an attempt to bolster their playoff hopes. The Senators clearly like a certain type of forward -- they value physicality, and Zetterlund brings that with a fair amount of two-way skill as well. He put up 36 points over 64 outings with the Sharks prior to the Trade. Robins has struggled to exceed 0.5 points per game in the AHL, and at 23 years old, he's on the older end of the prospect range with just three NHL games to his name. On the flip side, the Sharks get back a player they're familiar with in Gregor, who had just six points over 40 outings with the Senators in his first year with the team. He's a bottom-six fill-in who is likely to be allowed to go to market in July. Ostapchuk is younger at 21 years old, so he could be a part of the solution for the Sharks' rebuild. He was with AHL Belleville at the time of the trade, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Ostapchuk fill the void of the Sharks' deals that sent away Nico Sturm and Luke Kunin. Of the four players in this trade, Zetterlund is the only one getting a measurable upgrade in fantasy, as he should benefit from a stronger supporting cast. His move to Ottawa should also open up better minutes for Collin Graf and Nikolai Kovalenko, though fantasy managers can wait and see if they seize the opportunity for the Sharks. 

Charlie Coyle to the Avalanche; Casey Mittelstadt, Will Zellers and a second-round pick to the Bruins: Coyle gets a life raft from the sinking ship of the Bruins' 2024-25 season. A natural center, he's played on the wings at times this year. Coyle is almost certainly a third-line option at best in Colorado given the aforementioned strength of the team's top six -- he lined up as the third-line center in his Colorado debut Saturday. Meanwhile, Mittelstadt gets another fresh start. He's worn out his welcome in Buffalo and Colorado at this point, but with Boston in decline, he has a better chance to hang onto a top-six role despite the presence of Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm down the middle. Mittelstadt put up 34 points over 63 outings with the Avalanche prior to the trade, but just 10 of those points were in his last 25 contests with the team. Zellers is playing in the USHL this season, earning 58 points over 40 appearances in the American junior league. He's committed to the University of North Dakota for 2025-26, so he's more of a long-term prospect for the Bruins, albeit one with a third-round draft pedigree who was on the younger side in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He projects as a speedy scorer if he can fill out his small frame a bit to prepare for the NHL. 

Reilly Smith to the Golden Knights, Brendan Brisson and a third-round pick to the Rangers: This is a bit of a new wrinkle for Vegas, welcoming back an original Golden Knight in Smith less than two years after dealing him away. A lot of the narrative with the Golden Knights in their first decade as a franchise has been regarding burning bridges through trades and letting free agents walk, but Smith coming back may help the team improve its reputation. He first landed in Pittsburgh and then was moved again to the Rangers, but he combined for a middling 69 points over 134 games since leaving the Golden Knights. In his second tour with the team, expect Smith to fill a middle-six role, though he's started out on the fourth line. Fantasy managers know what to expect from him -- a point every other game and a decent shot volume, plus playing time in all situations. There's nothing truly special in his playing style, but he can be a reliable depth forward if his offense cooperates. Meanwhile, Brisson was unable to prove himself enough in the NHL with eight points over 24 appearances. Breaking onto the Rangers' roster should be easier, especially if they sell heavily, but he'll begin his time in the organization with AHL Hartford. He's a first-round pick from 2020, so there's still potential here, but at 23 years old, he needs to make the jump soon. 

Michael Bunting and a fourth-round pick to the Predators, Thomas Novak to the Penguins, Luke Schenn to the Penguins and then the Jets: Bunting is currently recovering from an appendectomy. A trade like this -- multiple players between two teams out of contention -- is puzzling on the surface. Novak is younger than Bunting, though they play different styles. It'll be interesting to see where Novak lands in the Penguins' lineup. He's started out as the third-line center, and his fantasy appeal is minimal in a third-line role, but if he gets into the top six as a winger, he becomes a very interesting addition down the stretch. Bunting is the most established player right now, and his gritty style could play well in Nashville, especially if he starts in a top-six role once cleared to return. He should be back some time in March. Schenn's time in Pittsburgh was particularly limited, as a second deadline-day deal flipped him to the Jets to ostensibly be a more physical and experienced upgrade over Logan Stanley or Colin Miller. The Penguins got two picks back for Schenn, which is good business, and the Jets add muscle while not disrupting their core despite the arms race in the Central Division. Playing time is the big question mark for Schenn at this point -- will he be in the lineup enough to be a one-category wonder for fantasy managers, especially on a crowded blue line. In Nashville, look for Spencer Stastney and Nick Blankenburg to pick up the slack on defense, at least until Roman Josi (upper body) returns. 

Jake Walman to the Oilers, Carl Berglund and a first-round pick to the Sharks: This is a classic example of a trade that gives both teams what they want, but does nothing to help fantasy managers. Walman's power-play time is sure to drop in Edmonton, with Evan Bouchard already in place as the quarterback on the heavily-used first unit. While the ice time shouldn't dip too much for Walman, it'll still likely decrease. That also is expected to lead to less offense. Fantasy managers in deep leagues will want to hold on and see how he adjusts, but it may be worth looking elsewhere for a blueliner -- perhaps a Shakir Mukhamadullin or Timothy Liljegren, who will likely earn larger roles with the Sharks in Walman's absence. Walman's Oilers debut Saturday saw him paired with Darnell Nurse, so it looks like he'll stay in a top-four role for now. For the Sharks, the pick is far more valuable, though it is top-12 protected for 2026. Berglund is a 25-year-old forward who could be a late bloomer, but he has not done much on offense with 12 points in 45 AHL games for Bakersfield prior to the trade. 

Depth Moves (at least one NHLer who could have deep-league appeal)

Anthony Beauvillier to the Capitals for a second-round pick: For the third time in two seasons, Beauvillier has been traded. He also signed with the Penguins over the summer after his two trades in 2023-24. There's no denying he had a better 2024-25 -- his 20 points in 63 games for the Penguins is already better than the 17 points he put together across three teams last season. Still, this is a puzzling move for the Capitals, especially at the price. Sure, he's an upgrade over Ethen Frank or Taylor Raddysh from a scoring perspective, and that depth will be valuable in the playoffs. Beauvillier just isn't much of an impact player. He'll be a bottom-six player for the Capitals. Kevin Hayes looks to be getting the first chance in a second-line role in Beauvillier's absence, though Philip Tomasino or Emil Bemstrom could also get those premium minutes. 

Trent Frederic, Max Jones and Petr Hauser to the Oilers, Max Wanner to the Bruins and Shane Lachance to the Devils: While there's a lot of players involved here, three of them are prospects and two (Lachance and Hauser) are unsigned. The Oilers clearly wanted to have more bottom-six talent, with Frederic being the best player in the swap, though he is currently week-to-week with a lower-body injury. That ultimately doesn't matter much -- his grit and knack for depth scoring make him a good fit for playoff hockey despite the fact that he's been limited to 15 points in 57 games this season. When healthy, Frederic is either a third-line center or a middle-six winger who could be an upgrade over Vasily Podkolzin. Jones plays a similar role, although likely with less offense that makes him better suited to bottom-six minutes. Wanner gives the Bruins an extra defense prospect at AHL Providence, but the 21-year-old has limited scoring upside in the long run. 

Scott Laughton and two picks (fourth-rounder and sixth-rounder) to the Maple Leafs, Nikita Grebenkin and a first-round pick to the Flyers: I think that's an overpay for the Maple Leafs, but they get a versatile defensive forward who can slot in anywhere in the bottom six. Realistically, his peak is as a third-liner who can kill penalties and add some hits. He's a no-nonsense player who does his job well and won't crack under the pressure that can make other players fail in Toronto. Grebenkin is a prospect in his first North American season. He saw seven games with the Maple Leafs and added 21 points over 39 outings with AHL Toronto. Grebenkin should be NHL ready within a couple of years, but there's virtually no fantasy impact right now. 

Jakub Lauko, Marat Khusnutdinov and a sixth-round pick to the Bruins, Justin Brazeau to the Wild: It looks like a steep price to pay on paper for the Wild, but Brazeau might be the best of the bunch currently. He'll fill a bottom-six role and likely be more reliable during the rest of 2024-25 than either of the players he was traded for. Lauko makes his return to the Bruins after an injury-riddled season in Minnesota. He's a bottom-six player who doesn't do enough of anything to help in fantasy. Then there's Khusnutdinov, who is still a prospect at 22 years old, but he's yet to show much in the NHL. His intangibles are good, and perhaps he'll get a bigger role with the Bruins, but fantasy managers can afford to wait and see here. 

Brandon Tanev to the Jets for a second-round pick: Shrewd business here for the Kraken, while the Jets get a bottom-six player they have familiarity with. Tanev's first four NHL campaigns came with the Jets before two years in Pittsburgh and the last four seasons in Seattle. He's injury-prone, but he's been fairly healthy this year, earning 17 points, 122 hits and 91 blocked shots over 60 outings with the Kraken. Tanev is a relentless checker and penalty killer. He'll bump someone like David Gustafsson or Morgan Barron out of the lineup, while the Kraken have opted to roll with John Hayden and Tye Kartye to fill out their fourth line after a busy deadline as sellers. 

Andrei Kuzmenko and a seventh-round pick to the Kings for a third-round pick: Another case of the flips -- Kuzmenko was acquired by the Flyers in a trade with the Flames in January. He always seemed like an odd fit for a John Tortorella team, and frankly, moving to another strong defensive structure in Los Angeles doesn't make a ton of sense either. The Kings' top nine is fairly steady, but Kuzmenko could challenge the weak link, Alex Turcotte, for playing time. In his debut Saturday, Kuzmenko took the top-line spot that Turcotte had been playing in recently, a plum gig alongside Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar. If the Kings opt to roll with six defensemen down the stretch, that makes it easier for a forward like Kuzmenko to stay in the lineup, but he's often been scratched at other stops in his career. 

Brandon Carlo to the Maple Leafs; Fraser Minten, a first-round pick and a fourth-round pick to the Bruins: This deal is a classic Maple Leafs move, as they love to load up on defensive defensemen at the trade deadline. Carlo can handle top-four minutes, and he was asked to do so Saturday in his Toronto debut. He's a little less physical than Simon Benoit, with a bigger focus on shot-blocking than throwing hits. For the Bruins, all of their trades at the deadline indicate a desire to get younger for a retooling effort rather than a true rebuild. Minten has tons of potential. He was one of the Maple Leafs' top prospects, though he was limited to 13 points over 26 AHL games with the Marlies, as well as four points in 15 outings with the Maple Leafs. Minten may never be a big scorer, but he's a smart player who could make a fantasy impact in a couple of years. As for filling the void in Boston, Ian Mitchell is holding down a third-pairing role while Charlie McAvoy (shoulder) is out indefinitely. 

Connor Dewar and Conor Timmins to the Penguins for a fifth-round pick: Dewar and Timmins won't be missed in Toronto. Dewar had just three assists in 31 games as a fourth-liner for the Maple Leafs this season, while Timmins has been a little better with eight points in 51 appearances in a bottom-four role on defense. The Penguins have tried a number of things on their third defensive pairing, and Timmins will replace Luke Schenn, who was flipped to the Jets at the deadline. Neither of these players have mucn fantasy appeal outside of deep formats. 

Goalie Carousel

Vitek Vanecek to the Panthers, Patrick Giles to the Sharks: To preface, Giles is a minor-league forward, but he was exchanged for a goalie, so I'll cover him here rather than separate the pieces of the trade. This move was necessary for the Panthers to acquire a backup goalie after flipping Spencer Knight to the Blackhawks in the the Seth Jones trade last weekend. Vanecek is little more than a backup, but he won't have to be anything more than that behind Sergei Bobrovsky. Vanecek gains plenty of fantasy appeal behind a winning team, especially if Bobrovsky gets more rest down the stretch to be fresh for the postseason. Giles, meanwhile, joins a big prospect group at AHL San Jose. At 25 years old, he's close to needing to make the jump to the NHL before he gets left behind. He was scoreless in nine NHL outings this season and put up seven points in 39 games with AHL Charlotte. He projects as a bottom-six forward, and he lined up as the fourth-line center Saturday in his Sharks debut, though he'll have to compete with Barclay Goodrow and Noah Gregor to stay in the lineup. 

Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith to the Red Wings, Joe Veleno to the Blackhawks: Another goalie-adjacent move rather than a straight swap of netminders. Mrazek was pushed out of the picture in Chicago following the Spencer Knight acquisition last weekend. His playing-time outlook doesn't get much better with the Red Wings, who have developed a habit of hoarding NHL-fringe goalies. Mrazek is not materially that much better than Alex Lyon, and it doesn't seem likely either of them will push Cam Talbot for playing time. The forwards in this deal are interchangeable for this season, and neither will be much of a factor in fantasy. Smith provides a little veteran depth for the Red Wings as they battle for a wild-card spot. Veleno has had a down year with 10 points in 56 contests for Detroit, but he should receive a bit more playing time with the Blackhawks as a bottom-six option. He is physical and set a career high with 28 points in 2023-24, so there's some scoring potential here as a Ryan Donato-light player if the Blackhawks put him in a position to succeed. 

Chris Driedger to the Jets, Kaapo Kahkonen to the Panthers: This is a swap of No. 3 goalies in their respective organizations. It's a borderline non-fantasy move, but both Driedger and Kahkonen are one injury away from being in the NHL. Kahkonen is on his third team this year, while this is the first time Driedger has been moved in 2024-25. Neither have stellar numbers at the AHL level. Consider this one a slight win for the Panthers, as Kahkonen is younger and has more NHL experience, but fantasy managers don't need to react here. 

Non-Fantasy (Low-scoring or minor-league players who could be called up)

Cody Glass and Johnny Gruden to the Devils, Chase Stillman, Max Graham and a third-round pick to the Penguins: It's a small move, but Glass has been quietly reliable for the Penguins this season with 15 points over 51 appearances. He's a center, and while he's nowhere near the quality of Jack Hughes (shoulder), Glass gives the Devils more depth down the middle. This could allow them to keep Dawson Mercer on the wing, or it could lead to Curtis Lazar slipping into a part-time role. I don't expect a massive uptick in offense for Glass, but I would imagine he plays pretty regularly in New Jersey. Gruden (13 points in 42 AHL games) will report to AHL Utica, while Stillman (nine points in 46 AHL games) will link up with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Graham is with WHL Kelowna, where he produced 35 points in 34 games, but he is out for the year following knee surgery. In all, it's a lot of players on the move, but virtually no impact for fantasy managers, though the 21-year-old Stillman may be able to have a rebound season with a change of scenery. He had 24 points in 54 AHL outings a year ago. 

Mark Jankowski to the Hurricanes for a fifth-round pick: He's a few years away from his success as a third-line, penalty-killing specialist. Jankowski was able to earn nine points over 41 outings with the Predators prior to the trade, but his outlook in Carolina is as a defensively responsible fourth-liner. I'll give the Hurricanes the benefit of the doubt -- if they think he fits, he probably fits, and their track record with guys like Jack Roslovic and Eric Robinson offers a silver lining. However, he's likely to miss the 20-point mark for the sixth year in a row, so he's not someone who will help in fantasy. 

Nico Sturm and a seventh-round pick to the Panthers for a fourth-round pick: Sturm gives the Panthers another look as a fourth-line center. He put up 13 points in 47 games with the Sharks, matching his total from 63 contests a year ago. He doesn't hit as much as some fourth-liners, and even in a stronger offense, his production is likely to stay steady at best since it's likely he'll lose some minutes from his 10:08 average ice time in San Jose. Prospects are likely to pick up the slack from all of the Sharks' moves. 

Luke Kunin to the Blue Jackets for a fourth-round pick: The Sharks were able to offload another veteran forward in Kunin, who had 18 points in 63 appearances with the Sharks this season, matching his 77-game output from a year ago. He's tough and gritty, and he's capable of playing center or on the wing. Coupled with the Blue Jackets' waiver claim of Christian Fischer on Thursday, the team got tougher in the bottom six while getting more proven NHL-level talent after relying on AHL call-ups to address injuries for the last couple of months. Kunin probably won't make much noise on offense, but he should be a reliable penalty killer. 

Brian Dumoulin to the Devils, Herman Traff and a second-round pick to the Ducks: The Devils' contending chances took a big hit when Jack Hughes was ruled out for the season due to shoulder surgery. The nature of the operation means he's not going to be ready until 2025-26. Dumoulin joins an already crowded defense corps in New Jersey, though it's one missing two big pieces. Shutdown blueliner Jonas Siegenthaler (lower body) is on long-term injured reserve and won't return in the regular season, while Dougie Hamilton (lower body) is also out indefinitely. Dumoulin can fill a similar role to Siegenthaler, and he chipped in 16 points over 61 games with a low-scoring Ducks team. Traff is a 19-year-old winger selected in the third round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He's seen time in the SHL with HV71, but he hasn't established himself as a major scoring threat in Sweden's top league while also seeing time at lower levels, but he still has plenty of potential to grow his game. 

Carson Soucy to the Rangers for a third-round pick: The Rangers go for another reclamation project after finding success in that area with Will Borgen. Soucy has played with Borgen before in Seattle, and perhaps they'll be reunited as a physically imposing shutdown pairing at the bottom of the Rangers' lineup. Soucy rarely scores enough to be a factor in fantasy, though he had a goal in his Rangers debut Saturday, but he may be of interest to managers who need some hits or blocks. 

Nicolas Aube-Kubel to the Rangers, Erik Brannstrom to the Sabres: Aube-Kubel had just two points over 19 games with the Sabres this season. He was demoted to AHL Rochester at the end of January and is likely to remain in the minors with Hartford following the trade, though he offers plenty of NHL experience as a fourth-liner. Brannstrom gives the Sabres another lottery ticket on defense. Brannstrom has been traded three times this season -- he started with the Avalanche in the preseason, then spent time with the Canucks, earning eight points over 28 contests. However, he lost his place on their roster and then was dealt to the Rangers as part of the return for J.T. Miller, and now Brannstrom will have arguably his best chance to get back in the NHL in Buffalo. If he gets called up, he could push Connor Clifton or Jacob Bryson for playing time. 

Vincent Desharnais to the Sharks for a fifth-round pick: This was the second time Desharnais was moved this season, and he's ended up on a worse team each time. He was part of the return to Pittsburgh in Vancouver's trade for Marcus Pettersson on Jan. 31, but Desharnais' lack of impact with the Penguins made him expendable, especially since he's under contract for 2025-26. He'll compete for third-pairing minutes in San Jose. 

Erik Johnson to the Avalanche, Givani Smith to the Flyers: The Flyers ran up the white flag on the season, and they'll give Johnson a chance to return to the team where he had the most success. Johnson has been a healthy scratch for much of this season, securing just three points over 22 appearances with the Flyers. The Avalanche's blue line is top-heavy, so if Johnson plays, he'll likely be in the 10-14 minute range for ice time while competing with Keaton Middleton and Sam Malinski for a spot. Smith has spent time with the Sharks and Avalanche this year, combining for 13 scoreless outings in the NHL and one assist over six outings in AHL play. The Flyers need some forwards after their dealings Friday, so Smith could have a path to the NHL as a fourth-liner, though he was not included in their initial round of call-ups. 

Daniel Sprong to the Devils for a seventh-round pick: With just five points over 19 NHL outings this season, Sprong's value has taken a significant hit. This looks like a minor-league move -- Sprong couldn't stick in Seattle and was ultimately assigned to AHL Coachella Valley after passing through waivers in January. He'll be a bottom-six player who can see power-play time after getting called up by the Devils. Sprong totaled 89 points over 142 games across the previous two seasons, and 26 of those points came on the power play. Between Glass and Sprong, the Devils took some low-risk chances, with those two trades looking like the best moves in this tier. 

Henri Jokiharju to the Bruins for a fourth-round pick: Jokiharju wore out his welcome with the Sabres, losing playing time due while the Sabres were carrying eight defensemen. He has just six points over 42 appearances this season, and there's no guarantee he'll get to play regularly with the Bruins. At best, he's a third-pairing defenseman, but the Bruins are desperate for blueliners right now and played Jokiharju alongside Nikita Zadorov on Saturday in a win over the Lightning. Jokiharju doesn't offset his lack of offense with physicality, and his defense is pedestrian most of the time, so there's very little fantasy appeal from any angle even if he gets regular playing time. 

Dennis Cholowski to the Devils, Adam Beckman to the Islanders: Cholowski has been on a roller coaster this season, earning 10 points in 33 games with the Islanders when they were stretched thin due to the injuries on the blue line. With the Devils, he's likely nothing more than organizational depth, though many of the things mentioned above about Dumoulin apply to Cholowski as well in terms of opportunity. Cholowski debuted for the Devils on Sunday, earning 13:27 of ice time on the third pairing alongside Brenden Dillon. Beckman is a minor-leaguer -- he has played in 23 NHL games but none since last season with the Wild. He put up 33 points in 43 games with AHL Utica prior to the trade, but there's no guarantee he'll be elevated from AHL Bridgeport by the end of the season. Beckman hasn't added much physicality when in the NHL previously, so he'd be an odd fit in the Islanders' bottom six. 

Marc McLaughlin to the Devils, Daniil Misyul to the Bruins: This just makes the list, as McLaughlin has seen NHL action in each of the last four seasons. He has six goals over 26 career games, and he gives the Devils another depth option at forward if injuries pile up. Misyul, meanwhile, made his NHL debut in 2024-25, playing Oct. 22 against the Lightning. He had just eight helpers over 47 appearances for AHL Utica this season, so he's not likely to be an NHL contributor any time soon. 

Reese Johnson to the Maple Leafs: Johnson's career has taken a bad turn this season -- he logged just three games with the Wild prior to the trade while spending much of the campaign at AHL Iowa, where he had 13 points in 49 games. He's a tough customer, but the Maple Leafs don't have any cap space to spare, so he has almost no chance of getting called up this season before entering free agency in the summer. 

Aku Raty, rights to Victor Soderstrom and Shea Weber's contract to the Blackhawks for a sixth-round pick: Realistically, there is no fantasy value here. Raty is the most interesting player -- at 23 years old, he could still be part of the future for the Blackhawks. However, he had just 19 points in 50 contests with AHL Tucson this year. Soderstrom could potentially still be lured back to the NHL, but the Blackhawks are not short on defensive prospects, and a crowded prospect pipeline in Utah was an issue that led to him choosing to play in Sweden this season rather than in the AHL with Tucson. Finally, Weber's contract has now been under more teams (Vegas, Arizona, Utah and now Chicago) than teams he played for in his career (Nashville and Montreal). He's still on the books for one more year, and while he'll provide the Blackhawks with long-term injured reserve cap relief, the rebuilding team is unlikely to really need it. 

That's that for the trade deadline. Over the next week or two, we'll see how teams plan on deploying the players they acquired. We'll also see which players benefit from a larger opportunity on teams that created holes with their trades. Most things won't be significant for fantasy, but uncovering diamonds in the rough after all of these moves can make a big difference heading into the fantasy playoffs. 

I'll return to waiver-wire strategy next week while also checking in on some players who really impress right after the deadline. We're in the stretch run now -- with only a week or two left in most formats to get ready for the playoffs, you have to remain focused to give your team the best chances to succeed. Good luck this week, and enjoy the playoff push!