This article is part of our The Kids' Table series.
For what seems like the third year in a row, we experienced a rather lackluster NHL trade deadline. This is likely because two of the bigger names on the market -- Andrew Ladd and Eric Staal -- were dealt prior to Monday, but it still seemed like GMs were reluctant to give up their assets. It was another sellers' market, as we saw players like Lee Stempniak, Jiri Hudler and Daniel Winnik net multiple picks or pick/prospect combos. Not many high-end prospects were dealt at the deadline, but there was still enough movement to warrant some thoughts. It's hard to tell if a change of scenery will affect a young player positively or negatively, so all we can do is wait to see if things work out over the course of a few seasons.
I'll eventually get into a few noteworthy names that switched farm systems, but first I want to take some time to talk about everyone's favorite rebuild: the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Since early last week -- Feb. 21, to be exact -- the Maple Leafs have made a lot of unsurprising moves to clear their roster of veteran players to make room for the future. Nick Spaling, Roman Polak, James Reimer, Jeremy Morin, Daniel Winnik and Shawn Matthias were shipped out, while any veteran players the Leafs retained have been buried in the AHL or are set to be waived or bought out. All these moves came to fruition Monday night, when
For what seems like the third year in a row, we experienced a rather lackluster NHL trade deadline. This is likely because two of the bigger names on the market -- Andrew Ladd and Eric Staal -- were dealt prior to Monday, but it still seemed like GMs were reluctant to give up their assets. It was another sellers' market, as we saw players like Lee Stempniak, Jiri Hudler and Daniel Winnik net multiple picks or pick/prospect combos. Not many high-end prospects were dealt at the deadline, but there was still enough movement to warrant some thoughts. It's hard to tell if a change of scenery will affect a young player positively or negatively, so all we can do is wait to see if things work out over the course of a few seasons.
I'll eventually get into a few noteworthy names that switched farm systems, but first I want to take some time to talk about everyone's favorite rebuild: the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Since early last week -- Feb. 21, to be exact -- the Maple Leafs have made a lot of unsurprising moves to clear their roster of veteran players to make room for the future. Nick Spaling, Roman Polak, James Reimer, Jeremy Morin, Daniel Winnik and Shawn Matthias were shipped out, while any veteran players the Leafs retained have been buried in the AHL or are set to be waived or bought out. All these moves came to fruition Monday night, when top forward prospects William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen as well as notables Zach Hyman, Nikita Soshnikov and Connor Carrick (acquired from the Capitals in the Winnik deal) all made their first appearances in Maple Leafs jerseys.
The results in a 2-1 loss to the Lightning weren't earth shattering, but they weren't discouraging either. Kapanen and Carrick both finished with a CorsiFor of 20, tied for third among Toronto skaters on the night. Nylander skated 18:41 with two shots on goal; he played 1:44 on the man advantage, as did Kapanen and Carrick. It's a very small sample size, obviously, but we have 21 more games this season (plus the Calder Cup playoffs) to evaluate the Maple Leafs' young talent.
Jets pick up Marko Dano in Ladd deal
This is the second time in eight months that Dano has been traded. Once upon a time, he was one of the Blue Jackets' top forward prospects, but now he will have to compete for a spot on a very crowded Jets roster. Dano has the inside track since he's up at the NHL level now, but here's what he's going to have to deal with in the next few seasons: Kyle Connor, Nic Petan, Jack Roslovic, Jansen Harkins, Chase De Leo, Brendan Lemieux and Jimmy Lodge. Winnipeg has one of the best farm systems in the NHL; unless Dano proves his worth within these last 21 games, don't bother wasting a roster spot for next year in hopes that he pans out.
Aleksi Saarela highlights Hurricanes' haul for Eric Staal
First off, this was an amazing deal for the 'Canes. They managed to pick up two second-round picks and a decent prospect that could really fit into their future plans nicely. It also helps that there's a chance Staal resigns with the team this offseason.
Saarela, 19, was the Rangers' third-rounder from this past draft, and we saw him featured on Finland's World Junior Championship squad, where he posted four goals and seven points in seven games. He's not physically imposing, but Saarela is a small, finesse winger with a lot of offensive upside.
When you look at Carolina's current roster, there aren't many forwards who figure into their future, which gives Saarela a much better opportunity than he would get with the Rangers. Fellow countryman and WJC standout Sebastian Aho is also in the Hurricanes' pipeline, and the two could form a nice bond, having played with each other at the national level. Saarela is definitely a name to mark down as a potential top-six forward for Carolina.
Coyotes get richer by grabbing Conner Bleackley in Mikkel Boedker deal
Just when you thought the Coyotes' prospect pool couldn't get any deeper, they went out and grabbed another blue chipper in Bleackley from the Avs. The 20-year-old center for the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL offers a nice all-around game and figures to be a nice three-zone player. He was the Rebels' captain in his second and third junior campaigns, but was demoted to alternate this season, and he's accordingly seen a dip in production. This may be a red flag, but chances are Bleackley will make the jump to the AHL next season anyway and enjoy a fresh start with a new franchise.
The Coyotes' depth chart is interesting because none of their forwards are under contract for more than three years. This will give a guy like Bleackley some opportunity, but Arizona will also be very crowded with young talent over the course of the next two seasons. Max Domi, Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder are locked into top-six ,roles while Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak and Brendan Perlini should make the jump to the professional level next season. This leaves Bleackley in a competition with prospects like Nick Merkley, Ryan MacInnis and Laurent Dauphin, which doesn't bode well. I wouldn't advise stashing Bleackley, but it would be foolish to ignore his potential completely.
Eric Gelinas to the Avalanche; Stefan Matteau to the Habs
Both these guys have to be welcoming their change of scenery, as neither was able to establish himself on the Devils' roster. Gelinas showed flashes of promise briefly under Pete DeBoer back in 2013-14, but has regressed since. He may be worth a pickup off the waiver wire now that he's on an Avalanche team that plays more to his style.
Matteau wasn't getting any looks in the top six for New Jersey and couldn't even become a serviceable fourth-liner. He's had discipline problems that ultimately boiled over and made him expendable. This is likely Matteau's last stop before declaring him a total bust, but perhaps he can flash some of that size-speed combination that made him a first-round pick. The Canadiens have more offensive talent than the Devils, and Matteau should get a shot at playing in the bottom six.
Defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka and forward Brett Pollock dealt to Flames
Jokipakka, who isn't exactly known for his offense, contributed an assist in his new team's 2-1 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday. He's getting a shot as a bottom-pairing defender for Calgary and could be worth a look in deeper leagues for the rest of the season. Switching from the Stars to the Flames doesn't really help Jokipakka's long-term prospects, and it's hard to imagine him getting too many offensive opportunities on a deep Calgary blue line this year.
I was high on Pollock during his draft season and think he can eventually turn into a solid top-nine forward. His production at the junior level has been consistent, though he needs to improve his discipline and take fewer penalties. Regardless, Pollock instantly becomes one of Calgary's better prospects.
