Written by Steve Macfarlane at BleacherReport.com
Good trades can make a world of difference for an NHL franchise, and each of the 30 general managers in the league is looking to do just that as the Feb. 29 deadline approaches.
Not all GMs are going to be able to give their teams a chance to compete this spring, but even the sellers will be looking to load up for the future if they can find a team willing to part with some nice pieces in exchange for a chance at glory.
On the subject of wheeling and dealing, we’re using this space to rank the biggest scores of the last decade of negotiating in the NHL. We’re looking at deadline deals, draft-day swaps, offseason and midseason moves as equally eligible—with criteria for the rankings including immediate impact, long-term influence and, of course, championship conclusions.
Outside the window and setting the stage for the last decade were the blockbuster deals in 2005 involving Chris Pronger to the Edmonton Oilers, Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks, and Patrick Sharp to the Chicago Blackhawks—all huge deals with massive impact.
We’re also not including some of this past calendar year’s strong additions, such as the recent arrival of former superstar Vincent Lecavalier (pictured above) at the Los Angeles Kings, reigniting his offensive flair, or Jaromir Jagr’s move to the Florida Panthers, boosting the play of his young linemates—but they could find themselves on a similar list to this one another nine years in the future.
Click ahead to count down one writer’s ranking of the biggest coups of the last 10 years, and leave your own contributions in the comment section.
9. Brotherly Love Lands Van Riemsdyk in Leafs Land
The Deal: The Philadelphia Flyers deal James van Riemsdyk straight up to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Luke Schenn on June 23, 2012.
The Coup: It’s hard to believe these two players were ever valued evenly by any NHL franchises, but Schenn was a 22-year-old who looked like he might turn into a solid two-way defenseman with size and some offensive ability.
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