With the NHL playoffs underway, we’ve already looked at the players who’ve made an impact from the NHL trade deadline. However, there is the flip side of the trade deadline, where teams make trades and players don’t fit into the team and create a negative impact.
Effects of the NHL Trade Deadline from the East
Unfortunately, this is more often than we think. While we all look up to the influential players in the Eastern Conference and there were plenty of them, there were some playoff teams and teams that didn’t do well at the NHL trade deadline.
Anyway, it’s time to reveal some of our worst.
Unimpacted eastern conference trade deadline moves
Mikael Granlund – F – Pittsburgh Penguins
One of the more interesting moves of the NHL trade deadline was the Penguins’ acquisition of Granlund after vacating cap space from Kasperi Kapanen. Pittsburgh had other glaring problems, specifically in goal, but decided to trade a player at Granlund who had two more years left on his $5 million deal.
Pittsburgh is already facing the limit, and this step did not make sense as the results showed. Through 21 games with the Penguins, Granlund scored 5 points (one goal and four assists). As it was in Nashville, it wasn’t noticeable at all on the ice.
Tanner Ginot – F – Tampa Bay Lightning
This is a strange trade, too. Better to give up five assets to Nashville, Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said, “These guys that were drafted aren’t going to help us win right now.”
That’s a fair point, but it’s still a lot for Tanner Janow, who’s been having a low-key year after a stellar 21-22 season. In 20 games with the Lightning, Jeannot had four points (one goal and three assists). Not to mention Gano for most of the season with Nashville and Tampa Bay sidelined with injuries.
It takes time to adjust to a new system and role, but the Lightning got him into the playoffs, but his time in Tampa didn’t work out. The jury’s still out, but the effect isn’t there at the moment.
Jesse Puljujarvi – F – Carolina Hurricanes
And then there’s the bizarre case of Jesse Polijarvi. He was looking for a new sight after he didn’t fit in with the Edmonton Oilers. So he is traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. Except that it was as invisible in the Carolinas as it was in Edmonton.
In 17 games with the Hurricanes, he scored two points, both assists. We knew Karolina needed to be added on deadline, but this move just wasn’t the case. Yes, Puljujarvi has had familiar faces from Finland on the Hurricanes but it doesn’t change the fact, his game hasn’t translated to the NHL.
It will be interesting to see if the Hurricanes qualify Puljujarvi with $3 million in the off-season or let him walk. But given his impact on production since the trade deadline, most likely, the Hurricanes may pass on him again.
Honorable Mention Deadline
Jordan Greenway – F – Buffalo Sabers
Buffalo fell short of its goal of making the playoffs. The Sabers were active at Deadline. One of their most famous moves was to acquire Jordan Greenway from Minnesota.
On paper, I would love this look to be a great move, however, that wasn’t the case. In 17 games with Buffalo, Greenway scored four goals. He had a +/- of -3. Not ideal for a team looking to make the playoffs.
Now things can turn around. Hitting the lid isn’t terrible. Greenway has two more years left at $3 million a season. The final season carries a modified no-trade clause. He might give it a full season before the deal is classified as outright bankruptcy, but for now, Greenway hasn’t made the impact Buffalo thought it would.
We all know that the trade deadline saw all the big names move to the Eastern Conference. Some of these players made an impact. But sometimes a trade doesn’t go as planned because the player doesn’t make the impact the acquiring team thinks it will.