The top five NHL trade deadline deals of 2021-22

It is hard to remember a more memorable trade deadline than the one we saw this past March. Virtually every team that was in the playoff mix made some kind of move to bolster their chances at a Stanley Cup run. Both finalists made multiple trades, with the Colorado Avalanche in particular making savvy moves to bring in four new faces that each contributed to their victory, likely cementing Joe Sakic’s selection as GM of the Year. Now that the Cup has been awarded, it’s worth looking back at those deadline moves to see which trades really stood out and what the moves may mean for the acquiring team going forward. Here are my picks for the five most successful deadline acquisitions of 2022. 

#1 – Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche

Lehkonen was a perfect deadline pickup, a prototype playoff performer with solid offensive skills and a well-rounded defensive game. He did more than his fair share to lead the Avs to the championship, scoring 14 points in 20 games, including the clinching goal in the final two series. Perhaps more importantly, he caused havoc for opposing stars at every turn with his defensive awareness and peskiness. The Avalanche traded a decent prospect in Justin Barron and a second-round pick in 2024 to Montreal to get Lehkonen, but the price turned out to be a steal. Lehkonen is an RFA, so the Avs control their own destiny with respect to keeping him in the fold. He will likely need a raise from his $2.3 million contract from last year, but he could be an integral piece of their lineup for years to come, so I anticipate they will try to get him on a deal with some term, even if it means moving another player to make it all work. Regardless of how that plays out, Lehkonen was worth the acquisition cost and then some.

#2 – Nick Paul, Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning went big-game hunting and unloaded two first-round picks to acquire Brandon Hagel from the Chicago Blackhawks, but it was the less-heralded trade for Paul that paid the biggest dividends for the Lightning, at least in the short term. The Lightning gave up a fourth-round pick plus Mathieu Joseph in the trade. Joseph may still have a good career, especially with a larger opportunity in Ottawa, but he was never going to have much of a role in Tampa, so the acquisition cost for Paul was not too significant. Paul was a warrior for the Bolts, playing tough, in-your-face, sometimes one-legged minutes and giving them the edgy play that provided balance to the type of game played by their more skilled forwards. Paul chipped in some offense as well, scoring five goals, including two huge ones in the series clincher against Toronto. He is an unrestricted free agent who was traded out of Ottawa because he wanted a heftier payday than the Senators were willing to offer, so his stay in Tampa may be short-lived. The Bolts have minimal cap space and both Paul and Ondrej Palat unsigned, so something will have to give. But this one should go down as a solid bet by the Bolts either way.

#3 – Frank Vatrano, New York Rangers

The trade that brought Vatrano to the Rangers for a fourth-round pick was very much under the radar amidst some of the bigger deadline deals. In fact, it was barely even on the radar in New York, given that the team also acquired Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and Justin Braun at the deadline. All four of the acquisitions had an impact during the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Final. And while Copp had the biggest impact and was a great fit in the Big Apple, he ended up costing a great deal, with prospect Morgan Barron, two conditional second-round picks and a fifth-round pick going to Winnipeg and just a sixth-rounder coming to New York with Copp. One of the conditional seconds became a first when the Rangers made the Conference Final, so Copp was a useful but expensive addition. Meanwhile, Vatrano only set them back a fourth-rounder, and he fit into the Blueshirts’ lineup seamlessly and was a puck hound in every series in the playoffs. He’s always been a scorer, but in Florida he got lost on an offensively stacked team. In New York, he had more opportunities with the puck, and he delivered, finishing with 26 points in 42 total games with the Rangers. His 13 points in the playoffs were one behind Copp and just three behind Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin. The Rangers have choices to make this offseason, but it’s hard to see them not wanting to bring back ‘Frank the Tank.’ For value received with a low cap hit and low acquisition cost, it was hard to find better this postseason.

#4 – Josh Manson, Colorado Avalanche

When the Avs acquired Manson in a deal that sent prospect Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick to Anaheim, Manson figured to be a solid but unspectacular add, likely a No. 4/5 defender that would contribute some toughness and experience to a group that was mostly on the small and young side. He turned out to be much more, especially after Samuel Girard’s injury left the team without one of its top four defensemen. Manson stepped up by playing a lot of heavy minutes (17-plus per night) and had 50 hits and 25 blocked shots to go along with eight points in 20 playoff games. He generally provided a stiff defensive presence and a surprisingly poised and confident offensive game, often joining rushes and looking more threatening with the puck than at any time during his Anaheim tenure. At 30 years old, Manson still has gas in the tank and could be a candidate to stick around for a few years in Colorado. Its ‘D’ will be anchored by the solid young core of Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Bowen Byram and Girard for years to come, but at the right price, Manson can be an excellent fit for the Avs going forward. He was the perfect insurance policy this year. 

#5 – Mark Giordano, Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs did not make it out of the first round despite a very strong performance against the Lightning, but it was evident that Giordano can be part of the defensive solution in Toronto. The Leafs gambled that the 38-year old Seattle Kraken captain could help bolster a blueline that has been a little suspect through the last several years. Giordano delivered all that was expected of him and more. He was not spectacular and obviously didn’t get the Leafs over the hump, but he came as advertised. What puts Gio on this list ahead of others is that the Leafs have already extended him to a two-year deal just above the league minimum. Giordano will make just $800,000 the next two seasons, making the two second-round picks and one third-round pick the Leafs gave up for him (and pending UFA Colin Blackwell) very palatable. Giordano’s leadership will be as valuable as his play to a team that needs to eventually exorcise its demons.