The 2023 NHL Trade Deadline is just around the corner and teams are still scrambling to make moves that will boost their chances of success in the postseason. With only three days left to strike deals, general managers are under pressure to find the puzzle pieces that will complete their rosters.
But which teams have already made a splash and improved the most ahead of the deadline?
The New Jersey Devils finally captured Timo Meier on Sunday [26 February], reuniting him with Team Switzerland linemate Nico Hischier. Meanwhile in Massachusetts, the Boston Bruins added Dimitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to an already scary squad. Nino Niederreiter’s trade from the Nashville Predators to the Winnipeg Jets also made waves ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.
However, there are still plenty of massive names left on the board, including Arizona Coyotes defenceman Jakob Chychrun, who has the ability to transform a borderline contender into the real deal. While Patrick Kane is also technically still available, everyone knows a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers is in his future.
2023 NHL Trade Deadline: Hockey’s three biggest movers so far
There is so much potential for movement in the days before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, which means it promises to be an exciting week for hockey fans everywhere. With that said, here are the three teams that have already substantially improved their chances of playoff success.
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New Jersey Devils
New Jersey has acquired the only player they needed at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. Meier meets every requirement the Devils set for their search – he carries a physical presence, is effective in all three zones, and is a serious scoring threat.
“The last couple of weeks you kind of heard the rumours and talk out there, and you expect something will happen, and New Jersey was always in there,” Meier said of the deal. “You kind of assume that could be a spot where you’re going to and you see them play … they’re an exciting team to watch and a tough team to play against.
“For me to get that opportunity to join a team like that with a lot of young guys who are stars in this league and are really good players is a great opportunity for me. Whoever I end up playing with, sure it’s going to be great. That’s kind of the mentality I have.”
While the 26-year-old cost New Jersey a massive set of players and picks, he slots into a terrifying top-six with Hischier, Tomas Tatar, Yegor Sharangovich, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt.
If the Devils weren’t already a serious threat to win the Stanley Cup, their landmark trade ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline vaults them into that elite club.
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Boston Bruins
It looked like the Bruins would add Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. Until they didn’t and went with a pair of former Washington Capitals instead. Boston acquired forward Hathaway and defenceman Orlov in a three-team trade that also included the Minnesota Wild on Saturday [25 February].
“We’re excited as a coaching staff,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said. “There’s no doubt we feel we got two playoff performers, guys that help you win in big moments when games matter the most, and I think we’re going to start seeing that tonight.”
Boston general manager Don Sweeney added: “In Dmitry’s case, [he] adds a tremendous amount of versatility in being able to play both sides, contributing offensively and defensively. He has a physical component to his game, has a wealth of experience, has won a Stanley Cup.
“In Garnet’s case, he’s a penalty-killer, can play probably third or fourth line or middle-six and adds a dimension to our team to complement the current guys that we rely a lot on in that regard. I think he’s wired in the same way as Dmitry in being ultra-competitive. So, I think they’re both going to fit in really well in all those areas.”
Essentially, the Bruins boosted their defence with another top-four option, while adding more grit to their bottom-six forward group. They’re already miles ahead at the top of the table and this trade only makes them better.
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Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are always divisive, but it’s hard to fault general manager Kyle Dubas for his transactions before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Leafs have added Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Sam Lafferty, and Jake McCabe in recent days, which addresses just about every need they had.
Toronto has often been accused of being ‘too soft’ to succeed in the playoffs – which, in fairness to the naysayers – is a theory yet to be disproven by the team. They haven’t won a round since the early noughties and are Stanley Cup-less since 1967.
It’s been a while since the Leafs, one of the NHL’s most-storied franchises, has tasted any success.
But will recent roster decisions shift the balance in their favour, with a first-round series date with the Tampa Bay Lightning on the horizon once again?
There are reasons to believe.
O’Reilly is an exceptional acquisition for the Leafs because his presence reshapes their offence. Sheldon Keefe can deploy him as Toronto’s third-line centre or elevate him onto the second unit with John Tavares pushed onto the wing. Either way, it’s a scary proposition for their Eastern Conference rivals.
McCabe is another significant addition for the Leafs. While the 29-year-old lacks experience from his time with the Blackhawks, he is every part a top-four defenceman and operates with the heavy-hitting energy Dubas has long-coveted.
Acciari and Lafferty are important improvements in the bottom-six, which could make the difference in a tight playoff series versus Tampa.
Are the Maple Leafs bound for the Stanley Cup after their work at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline? Nobody knows. But it is impossible to argue that they haven’t drastically improved their chances this month.
Who are you watching at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline? Discuss in the comments.
