Follow all of the day’s deals in our 2021 NHL Trade Tracker, with The Hockey News’ resident experts Ken Campbell, Ryan Kennedy, Matt Larkin and Steven Ellis providing instant analysis on each and every move.
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To Nashville: Erik Gudbranson (D)
To Ottawa: 2023 seventh-rounder
Let’s be frank: Erik Gudbranson is a good veteran voice in the room and he’s tough. Is he a good defenseman? No. Can he provide offense from the blueline? No. But the Predators get some depth in this acquisition and the draft choice is practically inconsequential. Gudbranson is a pending UFA this summer, so he’s a rental, plain and simple. The rebuilding Senators get an asset for him, their first ‘extra’ pick for 2023. – Ryan Kennedy
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To Anaheim: Haydn Fleury (D)
To Carolina:Â Jani Hakanpaa (D), fifth-round pick
The Ducks get a once-promising defender in Fleury, who hasn’t had much to cheer about this season with just one point. Fleury has a year left on his deal and could find a home with new opportunities in California.  – Steven Ellis
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To Washington: Michael Raffl (LW)
To Philadelphia: Sixth-round pick
This was an interesting one, with two teams battling for playoff spots in the same division making a move. Raffl has had little offensive impact this year and isn’t much more than a grinder – average is the word to describe him here.  – Steven Ellis
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To Toronto: Alexander Barabanov (LW)
To San Jose: Antti Suomela (C)
Barabanov was just finally starting to see some game action with the Leafs once William Nylander was removed from the lineup, but with just one point in 13 games, there hasn’t been much to get excited about. Suomela has been with the Sharks for three years but has spent more time down in the AHL this season, and likely will do the same in Toronto. He’s been a healthy scratch for the past seven games and was scheduled to be once more today prior to the deal. – Steven Ellis
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To Toronto: Ben Hutton (D)
To Anaheim:Â 2022 fifth-round pick
Hutton has struggled for consistency over the past few years but as a sixth/seventh defensive option, Hutton brings value to Toronto. Hutton is a solid passer and can get the puck down the ice – he just doesn’t have a ton of finish himself. His play can be tough to watch in his own zone but he’s good solid size and in limited minutes, he can be effective. – Steven Ellis
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To Montreal: Erik Gustafsson
To Philadelphia: 2022 seventh-round pick
Gustafsson is an absolute enigma. On one hand, he had a fantastic 60-point season with Chicago a few years back. But it’s been a bit of a disaster ever since, with the offensive-minded defenseman struggling in his own zone and earning a spot in the press box on occasion. The Habs likely won’t make him a full-timer, especially with his turnover and skating issues, but worth a shot at the price and maybe he excels in bursts with his new club. – Steven Ellis
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To Florida: Sam Bennett (C)
To Calgary: 2022 second-round pick and Emil Heineman
The Bennett saga in Calgary has finally come to an end. The 24-year-old had requested a trade out of Alberta earlier this season and was made a healthy scratch on occasion, too. It’s been a rough go for the fourth pick in the 2014 draft, with Bennett recording just a career-high 36 points in 2015-16. Bennett has 24 points over the past two seasons and clearly needed a new home, and Florida offers him an opportunity to play a key role. A 1-2-3 center group of Aleksander Barkov, Alexander Wennberg and Sam Bennett is nice depth, assuming the Panthers can re-awaken Sam Bennett – and maybe even give him a brief shot at playing with Jonathan Huberdeau. The Flames get a mighty fine return, generating near what 2018 NHL MVP Taylor Hall brought back for Buffalo earlier on. As for Emil Heineman, here’s what THN’s Brian Costello had to say. – Steven Ellis
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To Colorado: Carl Soderberg (LW)
To Chicago: Josh Dickinson (C), Ryder Rolston (RW)
Chicago moved Mattias Janmark out earlier in the day and Soderberg is out of the equation now, too. Soderberg is back home where he played the best hockey of his career, recording a career-high 51 points in 2015-16 and 49 points in his final year with the club back in 2018-19. This is a great depth option for the Avs without sacrificing much talent, but Rolston just finished his first NCAA season and could still be something – although his ceiling isn’t that high.
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To Vegas: Mattias Janmark (C/LW), 2022 third-round pick
To Chicago: 2021 second-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick
Vegas has been successful in turning middle-six guys into valuable contributors and Janmark looks to be the next piece. The 28-year-old has a career-high point total of 34 in 2017-18 in Dallas, but he’s had a nice campaign as a newcomer to Chicago with 10 goals and 19 points this season. Janmark could see some third-line action with his new team and he was a nice power-play contributor for the Hawks, but he likely won’t get that same opportunity in Vegas. For Chicago, though, this was a nice return for a pending UFA. – Steven Ellis
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To San Jose: Magnus Chrona (G)
To Tampa Bay: Frederik Claesson (D)
A pure depth move for both teams, but one made for different reasons. Claesson hasn’t played a ton over the past few years but can be a veteran option to have around for the playoffs if Tampa needs it. More of an injury, taxi squad guy, but he had some shining moments in Ottawa and the Big Apple in the past. Chrona has good size and with two more years of NCAA hockey to go, there’s no rush in his development just yet. There’s some backup potential there. – Steven Ellis
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To Edmonton: Dmitry Kulikov (D)
To New Jersey: 2022 fourth-round pick (conditional)
The Devils have been busy, shipping out Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the New York Islanders and losing defensemen Sami Vatanen to the waiver wire. Kulikov was the next piece on the chopping block, with the top-four defenseman bringing in a second second-round pick, giving the Devils four picks in the first two rounds. The move should bolster Edmonton’s defensive depth, a position the Oilers have tried to patch up over the past 12 months after years of struggling in that department. Kulikov, a pending UFA, isn’t going to move the needle in a big way, but this was a deal worth doing for both sides.
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To Chicago: Adam Gaudette (C)
To Vancouver:Â Matthew Highmore (LW)
At first glance, this is quite the one-sided deal. Gaudette, who cleared COVID-19 protocol over the weekend, has struggled this year with just seven points in 33 games but had 33 points in 59 outings a year ago and was a solid middle-six offensive threat. He’ll get opportunities like that in Chicago – maybe not right away – but he’s certainly a better player than Highmore. Highmore has just two assists in 24 games with the big club and has bounced between the NHL and AHL over the past couple of seasons. Maybe the Canucks see him in a different light and he shines like Tyler Motte did after the Hawks moved him to British Columbia a few years ago. We’ll see. – Steven Ellis
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To Pittsburgh: Jeff Carter (C, LAK retains 50 percent)
To Los Angeles: 2022 third-round pick and 2023 fourth-round pick (both conditional)
The Penguins get deeper down the middle with the addition of Carter, the two-time Stanley Cup winner from L.A.’s glory days. Carter is pretty much a one-way offensive player, but with the Kings retaining half his salary it’s not a bad deal for Pittsburgh (plus, he still has speed). He’s also under contract for next season. The conditional third-rounder can become a second-rounder if Pittsburgh makes the final and Carter plays half of those games, while the conditional fourth becomes a third if Carter plays in half of the team’s playoff games. The Pens continue to mortgage their future, but with Crosby and Malkin, they’re hoping for one more title. Carter has one year left on his contract, so this could be more than just a rental, but Puckpedia broke down what would happen if Carter decided to retire this off-season.– Ryan Kennedy
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To Boston: Taylor Hall (RW), Curtis Lazar (C)
To Buffalo: Anders Bjork (LW), second-round pick
A big one in the wee hours of Sunday evening, the biggest domino has fallen with the 2018 NHL MVP helping to bolster Boston’s scoring depth. Even with Hall’s struggles, with just two goals and 19 points in 37 games, the cost seems quite low for someone who isn’t far removed from being the NHL’s top player. Buffalo was hoping Hall’s addition over the off-season would help kickstart the team moving forward, but a miserable season on and off the ice resulted in the complete opposite. Boston needed secondary scoring, with most of the team’s offense coming from the big three, David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Hall becomes the best winger David Krejci has had at his disposal in quite some time, and maybe the Bruins can etch out one last long Stanley Cup run before Hall hits the open market this summer. – Steven Ellis
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To Toronto: David Rittich (G, CGY retains 50 percent salary)
To Calgary: 2022 third-round pick
Rittich has played strong against the Leafs this year, but not great against anyone else. Nonetheless, he gives Toronto depth in net and perhaps signifies that Frederik Andersen won’t be healthy until the playoffs (or beyond). Calgary gets a 2022 third-rounder in exchange, while retaining 50 percent of Rittich’s salary. Tidy bit of business for the Flames, as he’s a pending UFA. – Ryan Kennedy
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To Tampa Bay: David Savard (D, DET retains 25 percent salary), Brian Lashoff (D)
To Columbus: 2021 first-round pick, 2022 third-round pick
To Detroit: 2021 fourth-round pick
It took an extra partner, but the Lightning got a very nice top-four D-man in Savard, who will really shore up contender Tampa Bay in the D-zone. He blocks shots, kills penalties and throws his weight around. In exchange, the Blue Jackets receive Tampa Bay’s 2021 first-rounder and 2022 third-rounder while retaining 50 percent of Savard’s salary. Detroit trades minor-leaguer Brian Lashoff to Tampa and retains 25 percent of Savard’s salary in exchange for Tampa’s 2021 fourth-round pick. It’s a winning situation for all involved and some deft thinking when it comes to cap concerns. – Ryan Kennedy
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To Toronto: Nick Foligno (LW, CBJ/SJ each retain 50 percent), Stefan Noesen (RW)
To Columbus:Â 2021 first-round pick (TOR), 2022 fourth-round pick (TOR)
To San Jose:Â 2021 fourth-round pick (TOR)
Foligno hits all the spot the Leafs were looking for. He’s a left-winger that can play at the top or bottom six. He has seven goals and nine assists in 42 games this season. The Leafs have room to make more deals. But if they don’t, they have more wiggle room to activate Andersen off the LTI when needed. – David Alter
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To Colorado: Patrick Nemeth (D)
To Detroit: 2022 fourth-round pick
Depth is crucial in the post-season and the Avalanche get a nice piece here in Nemeth, a defensive defenseman with size who brings a different look to that young and skilled Colorado blueline. The Red Wings receive a 2022 fourth-rounder for Nemeth, adding to Detroit’s growing arsenal of picks. They now have 20 in the next two drafts combined. – Ryan Kennedy
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To Colorado: Devan Dubnyk (G)
To San Jose: Greg Pateryn (D), 2021 fifth-round pick
The Avs get an experienced backup goalie in Dubnyk, the big netminder who has struggled of late but does have some nice seasons in the recent past. In exchange, San Jose gets AHL tweener D-man Greg Pateryn and a 2021 fifth-round pick from Colorado. Will Dubnyk give the Avs peace of mind behind Philipp Grubauer? Hopefully – because now they only have three selections in the 2021 draft. – Ryan Kennedy
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To Boston: Mike Reilly (D)
To Ottawa: 2022 third-round pick
The Bruins ‘D’ corps just ain’t what it used to be and Boston desperately needed reinforcements. Reilly is a mobile blueliner who can provide a nice dose of offense on the back end. Is he a game-changer? Maybe not, but the cost was a 2022 third-round draft pick, so it’s probably worth the gamble at this point. – Ryan Kennedy
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To New York Islanders: Braydon Coburn (D)
To Ottawa: 2022 seventh-round pick
How many folks remembered Coburn was in Ottawa? The big veteran has only played 16 games this year and for a 2022 seventh-rounder it’s pretty clear this was no blockbuster. But Coburn does have a Stanley Cup ring from his days in Tampa Bay and he is a depth guy for an Isles team with designs on going deep. – Ryan Kennedy
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To New Jersey: Jonas Siegenthaler (D)
To Washington: 2021 third-round pick (Conditional)
The Devils are very much in the testing period of their rebuild and Siegenthaler is a big defensive defenseman who just couldn’t find space on a deep Capitals team. New Jersey dealt a 2021 third-rounder for his rights and that pick had originally belonged to the Arizona Coyotes. This deal has big Seattle expansion vibes, as the Caps would not have been able to protect Siegenthaler over other Washington blueliners. – Ryan Kennedy
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To Montreal: Jon Merrill (D)
To Detroit: Hayden Verbeek (RW), 2021 fifth-round pick
Merrill was a rare bright spot for the Red Wings, so it’s a loss for fans of the team. But for the Canadiens, they get a strong defensive-minded player that won’t put up a ton of points, but will hold steady on the third-pairing. With Victor Mete on waivers on Sunday, Merrill should get some opportunities early on and is a nice addition for a playoff run, especially when needed on the penalty kill. – Steven Ellis
