With the NHL Playoffs about to get underway, it felt like a great time to go look at those who made an impact from the NHL Trade Deadline. That is correct. A few players shifted their teams into even better versions of themselves.
Sadly, there are some players in the East that cannot be mentioned as the Eastern Conference was so top-heavy at the NHL trade deadline. Take a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, they made a handful of moves to improve their team heading into the playoffs.
Anyway, it is time to reveal some of our bests.
Impactful Eastern Conference Trade Deadline Moves
Timo Meier– F – New Jersey Devils
This was the biggest move of the NHL Trade Deadline. Meier was the biggest Shark in the Sea and the Devils got their man. His ability to be a power forward and score goals not only at five-on-five but on the power play was a perfect addition to this team that was missing an edge.
Prior to the trade to New Jersey, Meier had 52 points (31 goals and 21 assists) on a bad Sharks team. In 21 games with the Devils, Meier recorded 14 points (nine goals and five assists) including four power-play goals. In his first game with the Devils Meier got his first goal with his new team.
Meier is a big physical body that the Devils have used in the bumper position on the power play. Though he is listed as a left winger, he can play the right side. His presence has given the Devils a different element.
Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko– F – New York Rangers
The Rangers went big game hunting at the deadline. First, they traded for Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues. Then the Rangers did everything in their power to acquire Patrick Kane. There was a lot of cap gymnastics to make that happen. However, both players have taken the Rangers to another level.
The Rangers top six has a different element now with these two forwards in their lineup. Not to mention their power play as well. The Rangers power play was already deadly, but the addition of these two players makes it even better. It took some time for Patrick Kane to get adjusted to the Rangers. His first game did not go as planned. After a couple of games, Gerard Gallant split Kane and Artemi Panarin. From there Kane took off recording 12 points (five goals and seven assists) in 19 games with the team.
Meanwhile, Tarasenko recorded 21 points (eight goals and 13 assists) in 31 games with the Rangers. Tarasenko and fellow Russian Panarin are paired together with Vincent Trocheck in the middle, with Kane now on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. New York is a more balanced team than they were.
Dmitry Orlov– D – Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins made multiple moves at the deadline as well. Boston acquired Garnet Hathaway and Tyler Bertuzzi for depth scoring. Both of whom have played well. But the man who has made the biggest impact has been Dmitry Orlov.
Orlov was part of the Hathway trade. And he was the main piece. Hathaway was a throw-in. As for Orlov, they were calling him Dmitry “Bobby” Orrlov the way he was playing to start his time in Boston. Orlov recorded 17 points (four goals and 13 assists) in 19 games with the Bruins including 11 points in his first 10 games as a member of the Bruins.
In addition, Orlov gives the Bruins a different element on the backend. We know what Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm can do, but Orlov is a rock-solid defensive defenseman. He finished with a +/- of +10 playing on the top pair with McAvoy. His presence gives the Bruins more depth on defence and balance.
Honorable Mention Move Of The Deadline
Rasmus Sandin– D – Washington Capitals
Normally we look at the players on playoff teams making impacts. However, Rasmus Sandin is a shining star down in the American Capital of Washington, D.C. Sandin was traded from Toronto to Washington as part of the Erik Gustafsson trade.
Sandin was finding his groove in Toronto, but the way Toronto was reshaping their blueline, he was the odd man out. He came into Washington and fit right in. His minutes increased under then-head coach Peter Laviolette as the Capitals look to rebuild/retool on the fly.
Though he finished with a +/- of -7, Sandin recorded 15 points (three goals and 12 assists) in 19 games. Sandin is signed through the 2023-24 season as he was paired with Nick Jensen on the team’s second pairing. He also added four power-play points.
So sometimes we forget about the players on the other side of the trade during the NHL Trade Deadline as they make their impact known and Sandin is a perfect example.
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We all know the trade deadline saw all the big names go to the Eastern Conference. But that does not mean the Western Conference did not have its share of big names at the NHL Trade Deadline making an impact.
