Livescore
With the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline less than two months away, let’s look back at the 2024 deadline and focus on which three moves look like the best ones today.
Trades by the Vegas Golden Knights, Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche were more than boosts to a club for the home stretch of last season. They still benefit these clubs nowadays in important ways.
Trade No. 1: Hertl To The Golden Knights
Vegas Golden Knights acquired center Tomas Hertl, a 2025 third-round draft pick and a 2027 third-round pick from San Jose for center David Edstrom and a 2025 first-round pick
Breakdown: No matter what you think of the Golden Knights, you have to credit GM Kelly McCrimmon for never being afraid of swinging for the fences in trades.
This deal was one of the more recent examples of Vegas winning bidding wars for a veteran star’s services and keeping them around for the long term. Hertl was believed by many to be a lifer with the Sharks, but after San Jose GM Mike Grier began tearing up his roster for a full rebuild, Hertl wanted to go to a winner. That’s what happened with this trade.
This isn’t to say the Golden Knights didn’t have to pay a significant price to make this trade palatable for San Jose. The Sharks traded Edstrom for top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, and Vegas’ first-rounder this coming summer will make this deal worthwhile for San Jose.
But Hertl is currently second on the Knights with 16 goals in 47 games, and he’s fourth on the team in points with 36. That’s exactly the type of value McCrimmon was looking for, and although he had to pony up a great package to land Hertl, nobody in Vegas would say this trade was anything other than a win for the Golden Knights.
Related: NHL Power Rankings: Not All Roses For The Elite Teams As Capitals Hang On
Trade No. 2: Noah Hanifin To The Golden Knights
Vegas Golden Knights acquired defenseman Noah Hanifin in a three-team trade with Calgary and Philadelphia. Calgary acquired a 2025 first-round pick, defenseman Daniil Miromanov and a conditional 2025 third-round pick. Philadelphia received a 2024 fifth-round pick.
Breakdown: Just as they did with the Hertl trade, the Golden Knights targeted a proven veteran they could keep over the long haul, and they got their man by picking up arguably the top defenseman available in Hanifin. McCrimmon did not hold back on the assets that had to be moved out to get this deal across the finish line.
Now that Hanifin signed a contract extension that will keep him in Vegas for the next seven seasons at an annual salary cap hit of $7.35 million, this trade looks like an absolute home run for the Golden Knights.
With 21 points in 47 games, Hanifin will be important to their back end for the foreseeable future. They currently have the eighth-fewest goals against per game in the league.
Related: ‘I Think That’s The Goal’: Nazem Kadri Explains Why The Calgary Flames Should Buy, Not Sell
Trade No. 3: Avalanche And Sabres Make A 1-For-1 Swap
Colorado Avalanche acquired center Casey Mittelstadt from the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Bowen Byram.
Breakdown: The Avalanche used a surplus of defensemen to address a need up front in this trade, while the Sabres found a puck-moving blueliner. That’s a solid hockey trade.
The 23-year-old Byram will be an RFA next summer, but at a current salary of $3.85 million, he will be a solid top-four blueliner for Buffalo until further notice. Mittelstadt is under contract for two more seasons after the current campaign at $5.75 million annually.
Both players have surfaced in trade speculation again – Mittelstadt has nine goals and 29 points, while Byram has five goals and 23 points. That said, Byram is one point away from his career high, and Mittelstadt’s nearly on pace for his third-straight 50-point campaign.
Even if either player is moved again, there should be no regrets on either side here. They addressed a need not just for last season but for the future with valuable players. That’s tidy work.
Related: As Cozens’ Pedestrian Play With The Buffalo Sabres Continues, Kulich Seizes His Moment
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