The 2024 NHL trade deadline is over, and … well, it wasn’t the most thrilling of weeks.
Yes, there were some moves made, including one stud winger going on the move, plus a surprise right around 3 p.m. ET at the buzzer that made an already-talented contender and defending Stanley Cup champ … more talented.
MORE: Tracking and grading all the major NHL trade deadline deals
But the star power we’ve sometimes seen over the years wasn’t totally there. Still, it’s time to hand out some awards to the winners and losers of the deadline.
Now that we’ve hit 3 p.m. ET, let’s dive in:
Winners: Vegas Golden Knights
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Just when you thought they wouldn’t upgrade further, they … upgraded further with Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha. Dang.
AND THEN? They got Tomas Hertl, not exactly a name that was thrown around much, but he’s a vet who will add even more firepower.
The biggest winner and they won the Stanley Cup last year! Unbelievable.
Winners: Carolina Hurricanes
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They didn’t give up a ton to acquire Jake Gunetzel and they added Evgeny Kuznetsov, who could rediscover his game with a change of scenery. The rich got richer here, and the Canes are all in. They’re absolutely winners.
Winners: Colorado Avalanche
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Love the Sean Walker acquisition, love the Casey Mittlestadt move, and the Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime deals will help. Look out in the West.
Losers: Pittsburgh Penguins
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The Guentzel return wasn’t that great, and it looks like the team that won three Cups and made the postseason 16 straight years is finally on a downward spiral. Time to take a moment to pour one out for the franchise.
Losers: NHL fans
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Kind of snoozer of a deadline, to be frank.
Losers: New York Rangers
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Not totally losers, because they’re a contender already, and Alex Wennberg could prove to be a key transaction. Maybe Jack Roslovic turns out to help a lot. But the teams around them got better, and they decided not to go all in on a star winger, which may prove to be the right move long-term. Short-term? It may not pay off.
Losers: The rest of the West
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There were trades made by the Oilers, Jets and — earlier in the year — Canucks. But now? They’re dwarfed by the titans of the West like the Avalanche and Golden Knights.
