Which NHL teams had the best and worst trade deadlines? Scores for all 32

The NHL’s 2024 commerce deadline has come and gone, bringing disappointment to some fan bases, excitement to others, and sheer shock to the entire hockey world because the Vegas Golden Knights pulled off their newest bombshell transfer on the buzzer.

How did your group do?

The Athletic checked in with its NHL employees Friday evening, asking our writers to fee each group’s efficiency forward of the deadline. We needed to outline “forward of” in some way, so we selected the 2 weeks main as much as March 8 — or, functionally, every thing because the Calgary Flames despatched Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 28. So strikes made a couple of month sooner than that, just like the Sean Monahan (Feb. 2) and Elias Lindholm (Jan. 31) offers, are excluded.

Right here’s what our writers stated, with each group scored on a 1 (horrible) to 10 (greatest deadline within the league) scale.

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Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: Common supervisor Pat Verbeek had a fairly clear plan in dealing gamers on expiring contracts who had worth. Getting a third-round choose within the 2025 draft for Ilya Lyubushkin as an alternative of this 12 months might need felt slightly on the sunshine facet, however Verbeek was fantastic with that as he already has three third-round picks. Hanging on to Adam Henrique till he acquired a first-round choose proved to be a victory. It provides Henrique and gritty ahead Sam Carrick a powerful likelihood to win all of it with Edmonton and the Geese now have seven picks within the first three rounds. Perhaps Verbeek might have dealt Frank Vatrano, too, however he didn’t should and wasn’t blown away with a proposal. Add within the January stunner of buying NCAA goal-scoring chief Cutter Gauthier as a possible core ahead and Verbeek has accomplished some strong asset administration. — Eric Stephens

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Ducks agree to trade Henrique, Carrick to Oilers for first-round pick

Score: 2 out of 10

Evaluation: The Coyotes went into promote mode late within the recreation, which in all probability contributed to the truth that they didn’t get something of consequence for his or her two major leases, Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba. The one factor they did accomplish was to maintain their salary-retention slots open in case they should make the most of them at a later date. Nashville, which picked up Zucker, and Tampa Bay, which added Dumba, took on the total contract commitments for each gamers, which is why the Predators and Lightning acquired them so low-cost. However the expectation, when each had been signed final summer season was that in the event that they did develop into leases on the deadline, they’d command far larger costs. — Eric Duhatschek

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NHL trade grades: Predators land Jason Zucker from Coyotes at a bargain price

Score: 3 out of 10

Evaluation: The Bruins had their arms tied by their lack of cap house and futures (no picks in Spherical 1 via 3 in 2024). They may have improved each these areas by buying and selling Linus Ullmark and bettering extra considerably at protection or ahead. However they saved Ullmark and bought depth gamers in Pat Maroon and Andrew Peeke. That stated, they nonetheless have their No. 1 place of power in Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. — Fluto Shinzawa

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Why did Bruins only add depth players at the trade deadline? A Linus Ullmark hangup may explain

Score: 7 out of 10

Evaluation: Kevyn Adams managed to commerce Casey Mittelstadt for a younger stud defenseman in Bowen Byram. I feel that transfer will age properly if Byram can keep wholesome, and it provides the Sabres flexibility to alter the look of their ahead group this summer season. Adams additionally acquired a fourth-round choose for Erik Johnson, who has had an underwhelming season, and let Kyle Okposo land with a playoff contender. This wasn’t a slam dunk deadline, however Adams did as a lot as might be anticipated. The actual take a look at for him comes in the summertime. — Matthew Fairburn

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Why Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt-Bowen Byram trade is a risk worth taking for Kevyn Adams

Calgary Flames

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: The Flames acquired modest-but-not-awful returns for Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. It’s unclear how shut they really acquired to transferring Jacob Markstrom, however he now turns into a summer season storyline. Common supervisor Craig Conroy in all probability deserved a greater rating for his summer season than for the deadline. He nonetheless wants a high-end participant or prospect to assist his retool. — Julian McKenzie

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Is Craig Conroy garnering enough quality assets for the Flames’ retool?

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: The Hurricanes lastly pushed their chips into the center of the desk, nabbing the largest rental available on the market in Jake Guentzel. Guentzel provides Carolina a two-time 40-goal scorer who can hopefully give the group the type of immediate offense it has, at instances, lacked — and the Hurricanes did it with out giving up any of their “A” prospects. Common supervisor Don Waddell then went cut price looking and traded for Evgeny Kuznetsov, a low-risk, high-reward transfer that may both pay dividends or solely price them a third-round choose and a few cap house. If Guentzel can show he’s the identical participant with out driving alongside Sidney Crosby and Kuznetsov is ready to revive his profession — two ifs, for sure — then Carolina might be lifting a Stanley Cup in a couple of months. — Cory Lavalette

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NHL trade deadline winners and losers: Golden Knights, Avalanche, Hurricanes load up for playoff run

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: The Blackhawks weren’t anticipated to do a lot on the commerce deadline, and so they didn’t. Their solely transfer was getting a fifth-round choose for Anthony Beauvillier. It feels like they might have retained cash as a 3rd celebration on offers, however the reward wasn’t nice sufficient. By re-signing Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno and Petr Mrázek within the months main as much as the deadline, they diminished their probabilities of being an energetic vendor in current weeks. — Scott Powers

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What I’m hearing about the Blackhawks as the trade deadline approaches

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: The Avalanche added two good gamers in Sean Walker and Casey Mittelstadt. Much more essential, they each match Colorado’s fashion of play completely, and within the case of Mittelstadt, fill a large want. He hasn’t had his true breakout but however led the Sabres with 47 factors this season. The offensive talent is there, so taking part in with a high-octane Avs group could deliver out the most effective in Mittelstadt. It appears like everybody on the high of the West acquired higher this week. Colorado definitely did. — Jesse Granger

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Baugh: Avalanche’s day of trades could define GM Chris MacFarland’s tenure

Score: 7 out of 10

Evaluation: The Blue Jackets’ commerce deadline was precisely as anticipated: Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke had been unloaded for draft picks, however any bigger strikes — sure, they had been mentioned, interim basic supervisor John Davidson stated — had been placed on maintain for the GM who might be employed possible after the season. Essentially the most spectacular deal was Peeke, who has two extra years on his contract at $2.75 million and no spot within the lineup. It’s solely going to get harder subsequent 12 months when prospects David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk arrive. Roslovic acquired squeezed by younger expertise, too, and, as an unrestricted free agent, was not more likely to return. — Aaron Portzline

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Are the Blue Jackets, ‘on a mission,’ finally getting it together? There are positive signs

Dallas Stars

Score: 9 out of 10

Evaluation: The Stars had one obtrusive want, for a right-handed defenseman, and so they addressed it by buying the highest participant obtainable at that place and didn’t hand over a complete lot to get the deal accomplished, both. It’s laborious to ask far more from a entrance workplace than that. The flurry of strikes from their competitors within the convention took slightly shine off the Chris Tanev commerce, however inside upgrades — Tyler Seguin getting wholesome, calling up Mavrik Bourque — stay on the desk. — Saad Yousuf

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Yousuf: Chris Tanev trade puts the Stars in prime position to chase the Stanley Cup

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: The Crimson Wings deadline was outlined by inaction. They cleared some wanted future cap house by unloading the contract of Klim Kostin, who was on the books for $2 million subsequent season regardless of taking part in a restricted position (typically as a scratch), however in any other case, Steve Yzerman stood pat. Detroit explored changing Kostin with one other ahead however as an alternative opted to belief its organizational depth in filling that gap. And for a group seeking to snap a seven-year playoff drought, that made for an anticlimactic day. The middling grade right here is as a result of the Crimson Wings didn’t acquire something (moreover a couple of cap {dollars}) however didn’t lose something both, trusting within the group that acquired them up to now to complete the job. — Max Bultman

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Red Wings quiet at deadline: What it means for playoff race

Edmonton Oilers

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: It might have been fantastic if the Oilers made a much bigger splash by buying somebody like Jake Guentzel, Pavel Buchnevich or Chris Tanev. Nonetheless, basic supervisor Ken Holland and his employees did some fantastic work by nabbing three gamers, significantly the versatile Adam Henrique. The veteran ahead will help deal with both second-line wing or bottom-six heart, two areas the place Edmonton wanted to enhance. Throw in Sam Carrick and Troy Stecher for depth, and the Oilers had an unremarkable however strong deadline, which ought to lock them in as a real Stanley Cup favourite. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman

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Nugent-Bowman: Despite quiet deadline, Oilers are still the team to beat out West

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: Invoice Zito needed so as to add to his middle-six however didn’t have a lot to supply — and he managed anyway. Vladimir Tarasenko utilizing his no-movement clause to steer his option to South Florida helped. Sabres basic supervisor Kevyn Adams’ want to do proper by Kyle Okposo did, as properly. It doesn’t matter what, Zito’s roster is stronger than it was final week, and the Panthers appear to be prepared for one more playoff run. — Sean Gentille

Score: 2 out of 10

Evaluation: Their mattress was made when buying Pierre-Luc Dubois within the offseason pushed them to the cap. And so they’ll be relying on some or all of injured veterans Adrian Kempe, Mikey Anderson, Viktor Arvidsson and Carl Grundstrom returning down the stretch and into the postseason (assuming they dangle on to their positions). However the Kings’ cap points have made it tough to make a commerce at any level. They’ll should depend on Dubois making a distinction and All-Star goalie Cam Talbot giving them greater than they spent on him. However when the highest groups within the West leveled up and also you didn’t, can you actually name this deadline successful? — Eric Stephens

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Why Cam Talbot might be the Kings’ answer in net after all

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: It’s laborious to attain this as a result of it was clearly an underwhelming deadline within the midst of a disappointing season, however it’s precisely what Joe Smith and I forecasted — that Zach Bogosian could be re-signed and free brokers Brandon Duhaime, Connor Dewar and Pat Maroon would possible be dealt for picks. It’s a damaged report, but when the coaching camp extensions to Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman didn’t occur, the deadline would have had much more spice. — Michael Russo

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‘They played hard for us’: Wild GM Bill Guerin talks bittersweet deadline as Dewy 1 and 2 say goodbye

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: The Canadiens didn’t have a lot to supply on the commerce deadline, so discovering a option to deal Jake Allen, get a third-round choose that might flip right into a second and in addition alleviate their season-long drawback of getting three NHL goaltenders multi function swoop is fairly good work. Common supervisor Kent Hughes needed to monetize his lone remaining wage retention slot, and he did that. For those who throw within the Sean Monahan commerce to the Jets initially of February, this grade goes as much as a ten. — Arpon Basu

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Kent Hughes used opposing strategies to monetize what little the Canadiens had to offer

Nashville Predators

Score: 6 out of 10

Evaluation: The Preds’ 9-0-1 tear impressed Barry Trotz to do some shopping for, and the important thing additions are forwards Jason Zucker and Anthony Beauvillier, plus a third-round choose. Yakov Trenin is out the door together with a fifth and sixth. That’s a internet acquire with out sacrificing the massive image. However Trotz didn’t transfer Alexandre Carrier and will not be capable of prolong him — a one-year deal for Dante Fabbro makes you surprise. His goalie determination is deferred to the summer season, and Juuse Saros is taking part in proper now like a goalie who might make a group harmful within the spring. — Joe Rexrode

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NHL trade deadline: Grading every deal completed this trade season

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: The Devils’ deadline in a vacuum was fantastic. They acquired what they might for Tyler Toffoli, and most significantly, they created cap house for subsequent 12 months by buying and selling Vitek Vanecek — below contract with a $3.4 million cap hit via 2024-25 — for Kaapo Kahkonen, a pending unrestricted free agent. Tom Fitzgerald additionally picked up Jake Allen, who the Devils may have for subsequent 12 months too. My major query is that if they might have accomplished any of this sooner, particularly given how a lot the Devils’ goalies struggled all year long. Had Fitzgerald traded for goalies earlier within the 12 months, would this group be a bit nearer to the playoff race? As a substitute of creating strikes targeted on 2024-25, would New Jersey have spent the deadline making an attempt so as to add? — Peter Baugh

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With Devils’ moves, Tom Fitzgerald looks to summer of ‘big-game hunting’ ahead

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: Are you able to give a score to nothing? The Islanders made zero transactions up to now 10 days, including nobody and subtracting nobody, save placing Scott Mayfield on long-term injured reserve. Lou Lamoriello put this group along with plenty of long-term contracts and, with Patrick Roy on the helm and a five-game profitable streak boosting them again into the playoff hunt, determined no adjustments had been mandatory. Exhausting to gauge whether or not that’s a profitable technique or if the Isles merely didn’t have room or the belongings to get within the deadline combine. — Arthur Staple

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Daniel Briere on Flyers’ deadline priorities and why he held on to Scott Laughton

Score: 6 out of 10

Evaluation: The Rangers crammed their obtrusive wants. They acquired Alex Wennberg to play third-line heart and added Jack Roslovic as a possible choice at proper wing alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Chris Drury additionally picked up a depth defenseman in Chad Ruhwedel. The group made all these strikes with out parting with a first-round choose or a prospect. New York’s deadline might find yourself wanting glorious if Roslovic clicks into place on the highest line, however it feels as if convention foes Florida and Carolina — groups the Rangers might need to undergo within the playoffs — had been in a position to do extra to solidify their rosters. — Peter Baugh

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Chris Drury fills Rangers’ needs at trade deadline but holds off on flashy move

Score: 6 out of 10

Evaluation: Steve Staios didn’t do something drastic in his first commerce deadline as Senators basic supervisor. Positive, his return for Vladimir Tarasenko could have appeared smooth on the floor, however while you understand this was a purchaser’s market and Tarasenko managed his vacation spot, there actually wasn’t a lot Staios might do. As Staios instructed The Athletic on Friday, he tried to have a look at some aggressive strikes — however stopped brief as a result of he didn’t really feel like he was getting honest worth. “And on the finish of the day, we had been very accountable with how we went about issues,” Staios stated. The outcome was a reasonably quiet and uneventful deadline for Staios, however it ought to set the desk for an attention-grabbing summer season the place he can put a definitive stamp on this roster. — Ian Mendes

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Steve Staios reflects on his first trade deadline as Senators GM: ‘It’s hard to accelerate patience’

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: Getting a first-round choose within the deal for Sean Walker was a pleasant little bit of enterprise by Daniel Briere. He additionally acquired a mandatory depth defenseman in Erik Johnson and made a low-risk wager on Denis Gurianov. The place he loses a couple of factors is that the Flyers at the moment are caught with Ryan Johansen and his $4 million wage cap hit via subsequent season, with no obvious plans to play him. That would additionally result in extra useless cash that might hurt future plans. — Kevin Kurz

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Daniel Briere on Flyers’ deadline priorities and why he held on to Scott Laughton

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: The Penguins’ fan base possessed outrageous expectations for what a rental would fetch, even one nearly as good as Jake Guentzel. That stated, Kyle Dubas was unable to land any bluechip prospects, which was disappointing. Nonetheless, three respectable prospects are headed to a franchise that might use assist in that regard. It was a small step in the fitting path. — Josh Yohe

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‘Nobody’s happy about it’: Kyle Dubas on selling at first trade deadline

Score: 5 out of 10

Evaluation: Sharks basic supervisor Mike Grier isn’t in an enviable place as a vendor on a transparent bottomfeeder, however he pushed ahead along with his huge rebuild by doing the anticipated in buying and selling Anthony Duclair and the sudden in buying and selling longtime fan favourite Tomas Hertl, who Doug Wilson signed to an eight-year extension in 2022. Dealing these two is ok on the subject of the long-term outlook. It’s simply the returns for these two had been … meh. A 3rd-round choose and a younger defenseman for Duclair was fantastic, however the haul for Hertl ought to have been extra. He acquired a middle prospect in David Edstrom who’s strong however doesn’t have the upside of the star they dealt, plus draft capital in one other 2025 first-round choose — but in addition Grier is retaining a portion of Hertl’s wage and cap hit for six (!) extra years. He additionally swapped goalies in buying and selling Kaapo Kahkonen for Vitek Vanecek and added depth in internet by buying 26-year-old AHLer Devin Cooley, who as soon as performed for the Jr. Sharks youth program. All in all, nothing to beat your chest over. — Eric Stephens

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Sharks embrace the rebuild abyss by trading Tomáš Hertl — and hope for a quick exit

Score: 7 out of 10

Evaluation: The Seattle Kraken didn’t hit a house run, however it was good work accomplished on the NHL commerce deadline. On the skin of the playoff race — however nonetheless with a shot down the stretch — the Kraken offered Alex Wennberg to the Rangers, netting some futures in a consistent-with-market-value return. They then used the leverage of the deadline to get a deal accomplished with top-line winger and organizational chief Jordan Eberle on a team-friendly two-year extension. Stable, workmanlike stuff from the Kraken entrance workplace that successfully straddled the near- and long-term priorities for the third-year membership. — Thomas Drance

Score: 2 out of 10

Evaluation: We had been requested to grade our group’s work on the deadline, however with the Blues, you need to embrace the questionable selections and dangerous contracts that led to them doing nothing on the deadline. They couldn’t do something. They weren’t patrons, and so they had nothing to promote. The one cause I’m giving them 2 as an alternative of 1 is that basic supervisor Doug Armstrong didn’t do something impulsive, like commerce Pavel Buchnevich, to attempt to present he was doing one thing. His group is in a particular jam, and it was all the time going to take greater than two weeks earlier than the deadline to repair it. — Jeremy Rutherford

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Why the Blues’ Pavel Buchnevich wasn’t traded and GM Doug Armstrong stuck to the ‘charted’ course

Tampa Bay Lightning

Score: 4 out of 10

Evaluation: The Anthony Duclair commerce is an efficient wager for the Lightning. The winger’s numbers could also be down throughout the board in San Jose, however that ought to change in a stronger surroundings. The Matt Dumba commerce, then again, sinks Tampa Bay’s rating. There have been quite a few protection targets the Lightning ought to have been after. However after lacking out on Noah Hanifin, the choices dwindled and so they settled for an addition that won’t be sufficient to present them an actual enhance. No less than the worth was low. — Shayna Goldman

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NHL trade grades: Duclair gives Lightning a middle-six boost

Score: 4 out of 10

Evaluation: The Leafs beefed up their blue line with Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson. However neither completely crammed Toronto’s want for an impression defenseman within the high 4. Edmundson particularly feels lots just like the defenders the Leafs have already got — a depth left shot who can conceivably play the fitting — solely he’s larger. The Leafs additionally didn’t deal with a longstanding want at heart — not an impression heart, anyway. Connor Dewar is extra depth assist in the center, a probable fourth liner. All three additions do deliver some penalty-killing utility, in order that’s one thing. What the Leafs wanted, although, was extra important assist round their stars — bolder swings like those (Noah Hanifin and Tomáš Hertl) Vegas took. Perhaps a quieter deadline will repay. Or possibly the vulnerabilities that weren’t addressed might be uncovered. — Jonas Siegel

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The Maple Leafs played it safe at the trade deadline. They may regret it

Score: 7 out of 10

Evaluation: Some followers needed to see the Canucks do extra, however after making a dizzying variety of in-season trades all 12 months, the Pacific Division leaders performed it conservatively within the closing month of the deadline. Although Vancouver chased Chris Tanev and Jake Guentzel, it finally fell brief in that pursuit, preferring as an alternative to be conscious of longer-term priorities. Regardless of being quiet on the deadline, the Canucks have swung a collection of offers which have slowly and absolutely raised the ground of a group that’s trending within the path of a bona fide contender. — Thomas Drance

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Drance: Why the Canucks decided to be quiet at the NHL trade deadline

Vegas Golden Knights

Score: 10 out of 10

Evaluation: The Golden Knights got here into this deadline with the plan so as to add (lots) and did simply that. In Tomáš Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha, they added three gamers in good type who all fill positions of want. Mantha might be only a rental, however Hanifin and Hertl will each be core items of the group transferring ahead. It wasn’t low-cost, however Vegas maximized its cap house and added a number of expertise because it tries to show a droop round and go on one other run. — Jesse Granger

Score: 7 out of 10

Evaluation: Brian MacLellan did properly to chop ties with Evgeny Kuznetsov. It was time. Past that, he introduced in respectable returns on Anthony Mantha (second- and fourth-round picks) and Joel Edmundson (third- and fifth-round picks). Holding Max Pacioretty round was comprehensible, given his needs and the glut of rental wingers available on the market, and there was no have to commerce Nic Dowd or Charlie Lindgren if the provide wasn’t proper. It was fantastic work on the deadline in D.C. — Sean Gentille

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NHL trade deadline moves: Full analysis of 33 deals from our staff

Winnipeg Jets

Score: 8 out of 10

Evaluation: Our Feb. 28 cutoff date is unkind to Winnipeg’s acquisition of Sean Monahan, however it leaves room for the Jets’ doubly devilish additions from New Jersey: Tyler Toffoli, who I see as a super proper winger for Monahan and Nikolaj Ehlers on the second line, and right-shooting defenseman Colin Miller, who gives loads of high quality in a third-pairing and depth position. Winnipeg pulled off each acquisitions for a slew of mid-round picks: second- and third-round picks for Toffoli and a fourth-round choose for Miller. — Murat Ates

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Devils trade Tyler Toffoli to Jets for picks

(Prime pictures of Tyler Toffoli, Jake Guentzel and Tomáš Hertl: Bruce Bennett and  and Ezra Shaw / Getty Pictures)