The 2021 NHL trade deadline Monday was quieter than usual. There were 17 trades, the least since 17 in 2013, with 26 players, the least since 23 in 2000.
“It was a different year,” Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “Yesterday I was sitting here saying, ‘Wow, nobody calls’ and I felt it was something common in the League.”
But that trade deadline came amid the coronavirus pandemic with a flat NHL wage cap and quarantine requirements, as well as protection issues ahead of the 2021 NHL expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.
And if we look at the last three weeks, not just the deadline, Stanley Cup contenders have still found ways to add pieces. Reconstruction teams still added resources for the future. Some made creative maneuvers below the limit by keeping the salary or using maximum space to help runners bid.
Eric Staal went to the Montreal Canadiens, Kyle Palmieri to the islanders of New York, David Savard in the lightning of Tampa Bay, Nick Foligno to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jeff Carter to the Pittsburgh penguins, Taylor Hall to the Boston Bruins, Sam Bennett in the Florida Panthers, Anthony Mantha in the capitals of Washington and more.
“There were quite a few facts and people had a tendency to their business, and we’ll see,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. “Certainly, with visas and international travel, this will be a hiccup. But we will overcome it and move on.”
[RELATED: 2020-21 NHL Trade Tracker | Maple Leafs moves could bring long playoff run]
In short: the pandemic has not dampened competition. Somehow, it has even intensified it.
When the deadline came at 3pm (ET) on Monday, the top six teams in the NHL were separated by two points, and the top nine teams by four. The division races had a unique dynamic.
The NHL was temporarily reassigned this season due to travel restrictions amid the pandemic. Teams play within their division in the regular season. The top four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs and the teams will play the first two rounds of their division.
“There are a lot of teams in the mix,” said Dallas Stars manager Jim Nill. “With the new format we’re playing in, because of this COVID season, you can move up and down the standings very quickly. You’re playing face to face every night. Those things affect the deadline.”
In the eight-team MassMutual East, the top three teams split by two points. The capitals added Mantha and on Michael Raffl, and the Islanders added Palmieri, striker Travis Rabbit and defender Braydon Coburn. The Penguins added Carter, a 36-year-old striker who won the Cup twice with the Los Angeles Kings (2012, 2014) and chased him again with Sidney Crosby.
“I think the quote was,‘ I’m all inclusive. I can’t wait to get there, ”said Ron Hextall, the GM of Penguins.
Fourth place Bruins added Hall, forward Curtis Lazar and defender Mike Reilly. Hall could be the most interesting acquisition of any place. He scored 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) in 76 games with the New Jersey Devils and won the Hart Trophy voted NHL MVP in 2017-18, but scored 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 37 games with the Buffalo Sabers this season. Can you recover with a better team?
Video: which teams improved before the deadline
At the eight-team Discover Central, the top three teams were also separated by two points. Although Carolina’s hurricanes suffered, Lightning added Savard to bolster its blue line. The Panthers switched to Bennett ahead and Brandon Montour in defense, and signed forward Nikita Gusev as an unrestricted free agent. The fourth-ranked Nashville Predators added defender Erik Gudbranson.
In the eight-team Honda West, the Colorado Avalanche added depth to the center (Carl Soderberg), on the back (Patrick Nemeth ) and the network (Devan Dubnyk ). The second-placed Vegas Golden Knights won Mattias Janmark, giving them speed on the wing in the six means. The Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues were quiet, but for the Blues, that was great. A week ago, they had seven games (0-6-1) and looked like sellers. They now have a three-game winning streak and are back in the playoff spot.
“Every deadline for the trade has its own uniqueness, but this one, no doubt, with the shortened season, our fluctuation in the game, had our minds in different directions,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. “Certainly, the game of the last three games and being in a playoff spot today was a [reason for] Deciding to really tap into this group. “
The first place of Maple Leafs was the history of the seven teams of North Scotland, that added depth to the front (Foligno, Riley Nash), on the back (Ben Hutton ) and the network (David Rittich ). No Canadian-based team has won the Cup since the Canadians in 1993. Toronto has not won a playoff series since 2004. Due to the format this season, a Canadian-based team will advance to the final four , and the Maple Leafs are the biggest leaders in any of the divisions, with a six-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets, ranked second.
“We were thrilled to be able, we believe, to add the pieces that will continue to improve our ability to be as competitive as possible as we enter the playoffs,” said Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, “and roll from there.” .
NHL.com staff writers Tom Gulitti and Tracey Myers, and independent correspondents Wes Crosby and Louie Korac contributed to this report