Hockey World Readies For The Stanley Cup
By Maddison Sennholtz
Entertainment and Features March 9, 2018 February.
It is the shortest month of the year and for hockey fans it is one of the most exciting. The National Hockey League trade deadline occurs each February giving general managers around the league one last chance to modify their rosters and construct a team best fit for Stanley Cup contention. Trade deadline day and the days leading up to it always spark a flurry of rumors and speculation regarding who is on the trading block and the teams most interested in these said players. This year was no different. The trade deadline for 2018 landed on Monday, Feb. 26. By 3 p.m. EST and noon PST. GM's across the league were required to at least have trade agreements in place. These agreements could be finalized after the deadline; however, no new trades could be negotiated. Among those traded over the weekend proceeding Feb. 26, and deadline day itself, there were a handful of big names dealt to teams who are top contenders for the Cup. Rick Nash, Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller were all New York Rangers on Feb. 24. Today, McDonagh and Miller have found themselves in the Sunshine State, representing the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nash now sports the black and yellow uniform of the Boston Bruins. Tampa, a team who already had a solid defense, strengthened their blue line with the addition of McDonagh and added some depth at center with the acquisition of Miller. Nash, a left-winger, has found himself on the B's second line centered by David Krejci and the team's top power play unit. Another trade that made headlines was the Pittsburgh Penguin’s acquisition of Derick Brassard, a center who started his season suiting up for the Ottawa Senators. This particular trade was quite complex in the way that it was a three-team trade that included the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Pittsburgh sent defenseman Ian Cole and a couple draft picks to Ottawa, Vegas picked up 40% of Derick Brassard’s salary along with forward Ryan Reaves. Pittsburgh in turn received Brassard and a couple prospects from Ottawa. The addition of Brassard gives the Penguins one of the most dangerous offenses in the league, as he will play on their third line behind centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Many teams participated in this year’s trading frenzy, however, some made out better than others. Tampa Bay, Boston, and Pittsburgh all had very talented rosters before the February deadline. These teams each added big names and star power, solidifying their names in the Stanley Cup conversation. It won’t be until early to mid June that we know for sure which teams benefitted the most from these acquisitions. However, it will be exciting to see such strong teams battling it out for the Cup once the playoffs roll around in mid April. |
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