Marc-Andre Fleury has been arguably the biggest winner in the NHL trade season, and got rebuilt by the Chicago Blackhawks on the potentially struggling Minnesota Wild.
Minnesota got the biggest name available on Monday, adding a three-time Stanley Cup winner. The bold move increases the Wild’s chances of making the playoffs and may reach a deep run for the first time since the 2003 Western Conference Finals.
The Wild has given up a conditional first-round pick in this year’s draft, and Chicago has agreed to pay half of what remains in Fleury’s three-year contract last year.
“It was a very open, collaborative process and Minnesota was obviously a very favorable place for him,” said Chicago’s first-year general manager Kyle Davidson. “I’m glad we were able to work out something that worked for the Wild, Marc, and even the Blackhawks.”
The 37-year-old Fleury, who was 19-21-1 with four shootouts in Chicago, won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie with the Vegas Golden Knights a year ago. The high-quality wild effectively traded Fleury for Kaapo Kahkonen, who traded them to San Jose for a fifth-round pick, and has an option on the net unlike Cam Talbot.
Here’s a look at some of the other winners on the deadline, as 33 dealers were made with 54 players, and in the days leading up to the potentially pivotal day:
NEW YORK RANGERS
The Rangers, who failed to make the playoffs last season for the third time in four years, improved their chances of making noise in the postseason for the first time since the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals.
New York strengthened its defense by capturing Philadelphia’s Justin Brown and improving its depth ahead, adding Tyler Motte of Vancouver and Winnipeg’s Andrew Copp. The Rangers gave up a total of five picks, including two conditional second-round selections in Winnipeg, along with some minor league prospects.
COLORADO AVALANCE
The NHL-leading avs, clearly, are not happy with their place in the standings by signing Montreal striker Artturi Lehkonen to make games on both ends of the ice. They also landed San Jose forward Andrew Cogliano to add depth after strengthening the blue line after signing defender Josh Manson of Anaheim last week.
TAMPA BAY Lightning
The winners find a way, and Lightning looked like they did on Friday by signing 23-year-old striker Brandon Hagel after scoring 21 goals for a second straight season in Chicago for a few first-round picks .
Tampa Bay also added a layer of toughness by adding 6-foot-3, 225-pound forward Nick Paul of Ottawa in the search for the NHL to be the first to win three straight Stanley Cups since New York. Islanders won four in a row in 1980. until 1983.
“Everyone is trying to get that extra advantage – whatever they think it is,” said coach Jon Cooper.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
The Panthers, who face rival Lightning in the Atlantic Division, made a splash on Saturday by capturing seven-time All-Star striker Claude Giroux of Philadelphia a few days after adding standout defender Ben Chiarot of Montreal.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Vying with Carolina and the Rangers to win the Metropolitan Division, the Penguins added 16 goalie Rickard Rakell of Anaheim. His 154 goals and 550 games ranked fifth on the Ducks All-Time list and his secondary goal was needed in Pittsburgh.
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AP Hockey writers Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow and freelance reporter Denis Gorman contributed.
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