Horton’s career could be over because of a debilitating back issue. However, the Leafs saw a chance to move a horrible contract. They will get some cap relief by placing Horton on long-term injured reserve. This is a weird trade, but one that makes sense for both sides.
Clarkson has a monster contract and some thought it would be immovable for the Maple Leafs. But, the Blue Jackets obviously want to pay money to a player who will actually play, rather than Nathan Horton, who’s being paid despite it looking like he might not play an NHL game again.
Jagr had made it well known that he wanted out of New Jersey. The Panthers have made it clear that they are going for it this season by adding the veteran forward. Even at 43-years-old, Jagr is a more than capable scorer that should see time in the Panthers top-6. Jagr has 11 goals and 18 assists (29 points) in 57 games this season.
Cracknell was originally with the Blues, but was claimed off of waivers by Columbus. The 29-year-old had three goals and four assists (7 points) in 18 games with Springfield. He will likely report to Chicago (AHL).
Sekera is a pending unrestricted free agent, but definitely bolsters the Kings blue line in the short term. Defence was not a huge need for the Kings until Slava Voynov ran into trouble with the law. Sekera is a strong puck-moving defenseman, who brings a solid amount of offence to the table. He has 19 points (2G / 17A) in 57 games this season.
Sill, 26, is a scrappy player, who is just a salary dump for the Penguins and also a pending unrestricted free agent. The remainder of the season will likely serve as a tryout for the Maple Leafs heading into 2015-16. He has terrible possession numbers though, so the new regime in Toronto may not like that.
Winnik, 29, is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He has scored 25 points (7G / 18A) in 58 games with the Maple Leafs this season. The Penguins are strapped up against the cap, which is why the Maple Leafs took on Sill’s salary as well as retained 50% of Winnik’s salary for the remainder of the season. Winnik is a versatile forward who works hard in both ends of the rink.
Tlusty, 26, is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. He has played under Jets head coach Paul Maurice both when he was with the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes. Maurice is obviously familiar with Tlusty and like what he brings to the Jets. Winnipeg recently lost Mathieu Perreault for a long period of time, so a winger was needed. Tlusty has 13 goals and 10 assists (27 points) in 52 games this season.
Bergenheim has been the subject of trade talks for some time now. He has been a healthy scratch for the last seven games and has scored eight goals and 10 assists (18 points) in 39 games with the Panthers. The Wild are ready to make a playoff push and Bergenheim should be able to fill in for Jason Zucker.
Sekac, 22, was a healthy scratch in two of the last five games and has totalled just 16 points (7G / 9A) in 50 games this season. He is very skilled and his fantasy stock could be on the rise if he lands in the Ducks top-6.
Smith-Pelly was a second round pick (42nd overall) in 2010. He is a big body at 6-foot, 220 lbs. so he definitely brings some size up front for the Canadiens. In 54 games this season, he has recorded five goals and 12 assists (17 points).
Leipsic, 20, was a third-round pick (89th overall) in 2012. He is under-sized but feisty and is currently 4th in rookie scoring in the AHL. He recorded seven goals and 28 assists (35 points) in 47 games with Milwaukee (AHL).
Santorelli, 29, was originally a sixth round pick of the Predators back in 2004. He spent the first three years of his career with the Nashville organization before heading to Florida, Winnipeg, Vancouver and then finally landing with the Maple Leafs this season. In 57 games he has registered 11 goals and 18 assists (29 points) in 57 games.
Franson, 27, who was originally drafted by the Predators in 2005, spent the first four years of his career in Nashville. 2014-15 was his fourth year in Toronto, he has registered 32 points (6G / 26A) in 55 games at the point of today’s trade. Franson heading to Nashville makes the Preds even more of a legitimate Stanley Cup favourite.
Lindback, 26, is a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He has gone 2-8-0 with a 3.71 GAA and .875 SV% with the Stars this season. He was already a scary option in Dallas, but now he is a terrifying option in Buffalo. He will likely serve as Michal Neuvirth’s backup, while Matt Hackett should stay in the NHL until next season.
Enroth, 26, is a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He has gone 13-21-2 with a 3.27 GAA and .903 SV% with the Sabres this season. His addition gives the Stars a little more stability in goal, but he is likely to serve as Kari Lehtonen’s backup until he is able to start outplaying him.
Lemieux, 18, was a second-round pick (31st overall) of the Sabres in last summer’s draft. The son of former NHLer Claude Lemieux, Brendan is a gritty forward who can put the puck in the net. He has 35 goals and 15 assists (50 points) in 46 games with the Barrie Colts (OHL) this season.
Armia, 21, was the 16th overall pick in the 2011 draft. The 6-foot-3, 187 lbs. forward has great size and great skill. He had registered 10 goals and 15 assists (25 points) in 33 games so far in his second season with Rochester (AHL). There is no word whether he will report to St. John’s (AHL) or Winnipeg.
Stafford, who is a pending UFA at the end of the season, had nine goals, 15 assists (24 points) and a minus-18 rating in 50 games with the Sabres this season. He is a one-time 30-goal scorer and will likely fill Evander Kane’s role on the Jets’ third line.
Myers, 25, was the 12th overall pick in the 2008 draft. He has seemingly regressed at the same rate as his team in each of his first five and a half seasons in the NHL. He was asked to do a lot on a bad team and the move to Winnipeg should definitely help him. He is in the third year of a seven year deal and his fantasy value is now much higher than it was when he woke up this morning. This is a defenseman who had 48 points (11G / 37A) in his rookie season.
NHL trades are decided between two or more team general managers. The front office’s job is building a winning team. Building a winning team means discussing trades with other general managers across the league.
During the NHL regular season, players can be traded up until the trade deadline. The deadline is the official cutoff point for when teams can no longer make moves between each other. Players can also be traded throughout the offseason.
Teams trade players in hockey for a variety of reasons, but generally, it is done to find success, whether that is in the short term or long term. Teams may trade their top players in search of draft picks if they are undergoing a rebuild, whereas contending teams may look to acquire talent to boost their playoff chances.
Trades are a common occurrence throughout the NHL and happen often. Some years feature less trades than others, it all depends on each teams needs and the availability of attractive talent.