10 TAKEAWAYS: Trade Deadline

We're venturing out this week in 10 Takeaways to check in on the Trade Deadline from around the NHL. From the number of trades (hint: it was low), to what the deals mean for the Devils. I tried to compile a list for you. How about the NHL team that has made the most trades on Deadline Day since they entered the league? Yes, we've got that too.
So, without further ado, let's catch up on some of what's happened leading up to and on Trade Deadline Day 2021.

1. Let's Start Local

There's a lot of competition in the East Division, teams making strong pushes for one of the four playoff spots, so it's little surprise there has been quite a bit of action surrounding the teams in the East. But Deadline Day itself wasn't particularly a frenzy, in total, over the entire league, 17 trades were made that involved 26 players.
The 17 trades matched the fewest trades made on deadline day back in 2013.

2. Devils Moved First

Tom Fitzgerald was really the first GM in the East Division to make a big move when he put together a trade with the NY Islanders and Lou Lamoriello for Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac. That deal was the first big domino to drop heading into the official deadline, and an impactful one as two leaders in the Devils locker room moved on to a new team, but Fitzgerald was quick to express the impact the two have left on their Devils teammates and the franchise as a whole.
"I'm not sure how many games we have left, but I do believe that the legacy and the impact that those two gentlemen have left in the locker room didn't go unnoticed," Fitzgerald said. "How to be a professional, the workouts after games. The routines before practices and after practices. That's a contagious thing, and they did what they were expected to do because that's who they are. I believe this young group, we are still like sponges and soak up all that experience. And we'll apply it moving forward."

3.

Fitzgerald is right, it's a very young group. Against the Rangers on Tuesday, Andreas Johnsson was the oldest forward in the lineup at 26.

4.

For a different context, Cap Friendly had this stat. In the Devils' first game after the trade deadline, the average age of the 12 forwards was 22.5 years old. That was by far the youngest in the league. You can look at it as inexperience (I see your tweets!), but the way I see it, it's opportunity. This is what the franchise has waited for, a new core group to emerge and grow together. There's going to be growing pains, there is in everything. But if they can do it together, that's going to benefit everyone in the long run.

5. A Couple More

The Devils GM wasn't done. On deadline day, he moved Dmitry Kulikov to the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional pick.
The current draft pick is a fourth-rounder in 2022. That will move to a third-rounder if the Oilers win a playoff series. The Oilers are currently third in the North Division with 52 points. The Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames are the two teams behind them, with 45 and 39 points respectively.

6.

I'll be interested to see how Jonas Seigenthaler works out here in New Jersey. The club has been all about the opportunity this year, and this might be the biggest one yet for Seigenthaler. He fell down the depth chart of the Capitals lineup. Not because he didn't play well, but when the team added Zdeno Chara in the off-season, that made the depth chart even longer and difficult to climb.

7. Hall Moves On, Again

On Sunday night, the player at the top of most analysts' trade boards, Taylor Hall, was on the move. Hall waived his No-Movement Clause to facilitate a trade out of Buffalo and to the Boston Bruins. Here is a chance for Taylor, who is now on his fourth team in less than a year and a half, to reignite his season. It's no secret that Hall has had a year that no one could have predicted with just two goals in 37 games and a 2.3-percent shooting percentage. His 19 points were the third-highest total in Buffalo, which is an indication of how difficult the year has been for the Sabres. Now, Hall moves on to a team where he won't have to be 'The Guy,' and likely to line up with David Kreijci and be part of a secondary scoring group. He should make a solid impact in Boston, and the return to the Sabres doesn't hamper the Bruins in any significant way.
Hall had an assist in his first game as a Bruin.

8. The Blockbuster

But Hall to the Bruins wasn't too much of a surprise on Trade Deadline. That deal was reserved for the Red Wings and Capitals, a deal that came in just under the clock and given the reaction, was not exactly the most expected deal of the day. Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings sending forward Anthony Mantha to the Washington Capitals. And the Red Wings received a haul of assets back in the deal. Forwards Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik were the players headed to the Wings, while also acquiring a 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick.
Mantha, who is 26 and has 300-plus NHL games under his belt, made an immediate impact in his debut with the Capitals. He had a three-point night (a goal and two assists) on Tuesday in the Capitals 6-1 route of the Flyers.

9. Always Active

The East was definitely busy, which is something the Pittsburgh Penguins are used to around this time of year. Did you know that since the Penguins joined the NHL in 1967, they are the franchise that has made the most deals at the deadline? Dating back to the '68 deadine, the Penguins have made 65 trades on the actual deadline day. (Source: Sportsnet Stats)
This year they got to work a day early, acquiring Jeff Carter from the L.A. Kings for two conditional draft picks: a 2022 third-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick. The Kings also retained 50 percent of the remainder of Carter's salary.
The Penguins currently have a couple of key components out of their lineup with Evgeni Malkin and Kasperi Kapanen out with injury, so you could see Carter slot in perhaps on the second line while awaiting the return of injured players. Once healthy, Carter could be the ideal choice as the third-line winger.

10. Heading North

Up in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who currently sit atop the North Division, made a splash, acquiring Nick Foligno from the Blue Jackets. The Jackets sent their team captain to the Leafs in a three-way deal with the San Jose Sharks.
Columbus received a 2021 first-round draft pick and a 2022 fourth-round draft pick. The Leafs also acquired former Devil Stefan Noesen from Sharks. The Sharks got a 2021 fourth-rounder from Toronto for taking 25 percent of Foligno's $5.5 million cap hit, which allowed the Leafs to fit Foligno under their tight salary cap.