Well the 2021 trade deadline has come and gone. This is the time of year when contending General Managers overpay for impending free agents they believe will put them over the top, and rebuilding General Managers are happy to take advantage of them. Occasionally a GM will hit a home run at this time of year. Let’s take a look at my top 5 acquisitions from this years deadline.
5. Sam Bennett, LW, Florida Panthers
Embed from Getty ImagesThe moment Aaron Ekblad went down with a knee injury, GM Bill Zito was working the phone lines to replace his dynamic facial hair. Enter Sam Bennett. Although Bennett cannot replace Ekblad’s defensive prowess, his facial hair can more than replace the loss of Ekblad’s in the dressing room. I cannot state this enough; Bennett’s cookie cutter is elite. Perhaps the best in the league when on top of its game. Every team looking to make a deep run requires someone with a top notch lip tickler, and for the Panthers Bennett is their man.
4. Haydn Fleury, Defence, Anaheim Ducks
Embed from Getty ImagesSince acquiring Fleury from the Hurricanes, I have been told by multiple sources that Ducks owner Henry Samueli is strongly considering changing the team name to the Anaheim Fucks, because thats all Fleury does. The former 7th overall pick skates like Orr, has the vision of Gretzky, and shoots like a young Brett Hull. Don’t let his stats fool you (currently 1g,0a,-6,36gp), he has the talent to be a perennial Norris Trophy candidate. Fleury being born and raised in God’s country played zero role in me ranking him this high.
3. Erik Gudbranson, Defence, Nashville Predators
Embed from Getty ImagesDavid Poile sure has a soft spot for Predator fans in Music City. By acquiring this hunk of a man, the Predators without a doubt now have the most desirable defensive core in the league. Although not as fleet of foot as he was in his younger years, by adding him to a group which features the always well dressed Roman Josi, the musically inclined Ben Harpur(https://www.youtube.com/c/benharper/featured), and the ocean blue eyes of Jeremy Davies, Poile has guaranteed the Predators will be the hottest ticket in town once they are allowed to fully open Bridgestone Arena.
2. David Rittich, Goaltender, Toronto Maple Leafs
Embed from Getty ImagesI absolutely love this move by GM Kyle Dubas. The best case scenario would be that Jack Campbell’s play drops off a bit, Rittich comes in playing lights out, and a reasonably healthy Frederik Andersen returns just before the playoffs. So now who does Sheldon Keefe turn to for game 1 of the playoffs? The man who has the longest winning streak in franchise history, the current hot hand, or the guy who has carried the load for the last 5 years and helped turn the franchise around. No matter what the players say publicly, there is a good chance the dressing room will be divided depending on who starts game 1. A divided team will not go very far in the playoffs. This would be the best case scenario. The worst case is it makes no difference who is between the pipes and the Leafs go on to win the Stanley Cup. If that happens I will throw my laptop off my balcony and never watch TSN or Sportsnet again.
1. Taylor Hall, Left Wing, Boston Bruins
Embed from Getty ImagesWho doesn’t love when a GM goes out and trades for the biggest name on the board at the trade deadline. I certainly do when the team is the Bruins and that player is Taylor Hall. This former Hart Trophy winner is perhaps the best loser in the NHL and hopefully he carries on that tradition in Beantown. Hall is certainly a high end talent, but he is a one trick pony that has no track record of improving the players around him. The Bruins are clearly not in a rebuild and have no shot at winning the draft lottery, which makes this move both confusing and fantastic. All he is good at is winning draft lotteries. The only more desirable landing spot for him in my opinion would have been Toronto. Here’s hoping Hall continues his losing ways and the Bruins are a first round casualty because of it.
Bonus: My least favourite trade from the deadline
Nick Foligno, Left Wing, Toronto Maple Leafs
Embed from Getty ImagesI’ve got to be honest, I absolutely hate what the Leafs did by going out and acquiring Foligno. He is the type of player you will find on every team that makes a deep run in the playoffs. Someone who can play in the bottom 6 and help grind down the opponents, or slide up into the top 6 and help chip in offensively. Basically everything the leafs have been missing during previous playoff letdowns. Hopefully he gets lost in the shuffle and doesn’t end up contributing the way I know he can.
Well there you have it folks. My official rankings from the trade deadline. It will be an exciting few months to see if any of the trades made will pay off and push a contender over the top and help them win the Stanley Cup.