The Biggest Moves of the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline

One of the hottest commodities heading into deadline day was Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Pageau has been riding a season that saw him lead the Senators club in goals (24) and points (40). He is solid in the faceoff circle as well and is one of the most dangerous penalty killers in the NHL today. The New York Islanders were in need of more scoring and offensive depth, especially at the position of center. Now they have it. Pageau is exactly the kind of player the team needed and wanted and he should perform well with his new team.

Set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, the Islanders also wasted no time in doubling-down on the trade and signing Pageau to a six-year contract extension worth $5-million annually.

In return, the Ottawa Senators added to their impressive collection of draft picks, receiving a first and second-rounder in 2020 and a third-round pick in 2022. This now means that the Senators head into the 2020 draft with three picks in the first round.

The Islanders now sit as +3700 to win the Stanley Cup.

Vegas Golden Knight Land Lehner

It was speculated that at least one goalie from the Chicago Blackhawks would be moved at the deadline, but we didn’t know which one. Now we do, as the Vegas Golden Knights struck a deal just in time with the Blackhawks to land last year’s William Jennings winner, Robin Lehner. In 33 games this season, Lehner has posted a .918 save percentage and 3.01 goals-against average. He signed a one-year deal with Chicago in the off-season and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season should Vegas not sign him to an extension.

In return, Chicago received goaltender Malcolm Subban, defensive prospect Slava Demin, and a 2020 second-round pick.

Vegas’ odds of winning the Cup have drastically improved, now sitting at +800.

The Washington Capitals’ power play just got a whole lot deadlier as the team acquired forward Ilya Kovalchuk from the Montreal Canadiens in what was, potentially, the biggest bargain of the deadline. Kovalchuk signed a one-year, $700,000 deal at the start of the season with Montreal, and the Habs are retaining 50-percent of his salary, meaning his cap hit to Washington will be just $77,151. Kovalchuk has 13 points in 22 games and will be unrestricted by season’s end. The thought of Kovalchuk and Alexander Ovechkin working together on the powerplay is simply frightening, as they both have laser-beam one-timers and incredible accuracy.

In exchange, Montreal received Washington’s third-round pick for the 2020 draft. The Canadiens now have 13 picks in their pocket, 11 of which are within the first five rounds.

Washington now sits at +1200 in the Stanley Cup odds.

Marleau Hits Jackpot Getting Dealt to the Penguins

For the second time in his career, Patrick Marleau will leave the San Jose Sharks to play with a league-defining offensive core. After being let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Marleau re-signed a one-year deal with his lifelong club the San Jose Sharks. On Monday it was announced that he would be joining Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, et al, on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marleau played well, looking reinvigorated during his time with Toronto and gave real leadership to their locker room. There’s no doubt he will play an integral role with Pittsburgh as well. Marleau heads to Pittsburgh with 20 points in 58 games with the struggling Sharks.

The Sharks, in return, receive a conditional third-round pick from the Penguins. That pick will be improved to a second-rounder should the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup this season. The team is also, reportedly, willing to resign Marleau as an unrestricted free agent next season.

The Penguins Stanley Cup odds now sit at +1000.

Ottawa Not Done Selling, Make Deal With Avalanche, Oilers

The Colorado Avalanches added a little more forward depth and penalty killing expertise as they acquired forward Vladislav Namestnikov on Monday. Namestnikov has 13 goals and 25 points this season whilst playing with a struggling Senators team.

In exchange, the Senators acquired Colorado’s fourth-round selection in the 2020 draft and they now have 13 picks overall for 2020, including three first-rounders and four in the second round.

The Senators continued to sell as they sent forward Tyler Ennis to the Edmonton Oilers. The first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2008, Ennis notched 14 goals and 19 assists this season in Ottawa. The Senators received a 2021 fifth-round pick in exchange for Ennis.

Oddsmakers currently list the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup odds at +1000.

Edmonton Not Finished, Strike Two Deals With Detroit

The Edmonton Oilers started their day by striking a deal with the Detroit Red Wings for defenseman Mike Green in a low-cost deal. Green has 11 points this season and waived his no-trade clause in order to accept the deal. Detroit is retaining 50-percent of Green’s remaining salary.

In exchange, the Red Wings received a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020 which will become a third-rounder should the Oilers make it to the final four with Green participating in at least 50-percent of those games. They also received forward Kyle Brodziak.

Mere hours later, Edmonton and Detroit were at it again. The Oilers acquired forward Andreas Athanasiou as well as Ryan Kuffner. Athanasiou, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, managed to notch 24 points in 46 games with the last-place Detroit Red Wings. His speed could match up well with Edmonton’s star forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

In this deal, Detroit received forward Sam Gagner as well as a second-round pick in 2020 as well as 2021.

Edmonton’s Stanley Cup odds now sit at +3000.

Carolina Strikes Multiple Deals

The Carolina Hurricanes were busy during the deadline, proving that they are all in this season and plan to make a deep push into the Stanley Cup playoffs. The first deal they struck was with the Florida Panthers, landing top-forward Vincent Trocheck. Trocheck has ten goals and 26 assists this season and has two years remaining on his current contract that sees him making just shy of $5-million per season.

In return, Florida received Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark, as well as two prospects.

Carolina then made a deal with the New Jersey Devils, who made it clear on Monday that they were deadline sellers, acquiring forward Sami Vatanen. Vatanen has 23 points in 47 games this season but has missed time recently due to injury.

In return, the Devils acquired forward Janne Kuokkanen and a second-round pick.

Carolina’s Stanley Cup odds are currently +2100.

In a somewhat strange deal, the Buffalo Sabres, expected to be sellers at this deadline, acquired forward Wayne Simmonds from the New Jersey Devils. Simmonds signed a one-year deal with New Jersey at the start of the season and has been held to just eight goals and 16 assists in 64 games with the Devils. He waived his no-trade clause to accept the deal.

The Devils will retain 50-percent of Simmonds’ salary and receive from Buffalo their fifth-round pick in 2021 that could become a fourth-rounder should the Sabres make the playoffs this season.

That is unlikely, however, as Buffalo’s current odds of winning the Stanley Cup are +40000.

Kreider Stays Put, Re-Signs With Rangers

The last piece of news wasn’t a trade at all, but the signing of a contract extension. Other than Pageau, there was only one other player that seemed a lock to be traded. That player was Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers. In quite the turn of events, the Rangers decided to bank on Kreider for the future and the two sides agreed to a seven-year deal worth $6.5-million annually.

Kreider has 24 goals and 45 points this season, on pace for career highs in both categories.

Stanley Cup odds for the Rangers are currently at +5000.

For the latest NHL odds available visit DraftKings Sportsbook or bet365 NJ.

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