With the Stanley Cup Playoffs just below per week away, what an ideal time to take a look at those players who will look to make an impact from the NHL Trade Deadline. Here at NHLRumors.com, now we have already checked out the atOptions={'key':'6afd7d14a3be121424a133a7969abcaf','format':'iframe','height':250,'width':300,'params':{}}
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Impactful Western Conference Trade Deadline Moves
Mikko Rantanen – Dallas Stars
The most important fish of the NHL Trade Deadline was Mikko Rantanen. In January, Rantanen was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes, however the fit was never there. He never desired to go there and was never signing there, so Carolina traded him to the Dallas Stars. As a part of the deal, Logan Stankoven went the opposite way.
It is tough for a player to get traded, but Rantanen got traded twice, not once. It took a while for him to seek out his footing in Dallas, but he has. Rantanen has 17 points (five goals and 12 assists) in 18 games. He’s playing on a line with Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. There’s something there between those three.
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Nonetheless, GM Jim Nill will probably wish to see this superstar within the top-six come playoff time. There’s a reason he acquired him after which signed him to an eight-year, $96 million extension carrying a $12 million AAV. So, the expectation is that he might be within the top-six within the playoffs, especially against his former team. Rantanen is averaging 1.25 points per game within the playoffs, with 101 points in 81 games. So, he’ll make an impact within the second season.
Brock Nelson – Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche revamped its entire team throughout the season, culminating on the trade deadline with the acquisitions of Charlie Coyle and Brock Nelson. GM Chris MacFarland desired to add center depth just like what he had in 2022, when the Colorado Avalanche last won the Stanley Cup. Colorado looks like that team, especially Nelson, whom they acquired from the Latest York Islanders a day before the deadline.
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Through 19 games, Nelson has recorded 13 points (six goals and 7 assists). It is predicted he’ll center Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin when the playoffs begin. Nelson has been as advertised, coming over from the Islanders. When Colorado won the Cup, they’d that center depth and 4 lines they might roll out shift after shift. They never found a substitute for Nazem Kadri until now.
Nelson has shown he’s a playoff performer; he did so with the Islanders. In 78 playoff games, he has 50 points (27 goals and 23 assists). In back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Final with the Islanders, Nelson had 18 points (nine goals and nine assists) in 22 games in 2020 after which 12 points (seven goals and five assists) in 19 games in 2021. So, the Avalanche have a proven goal scorer within the playoffs.
Andrei Kuzmenko – Los Angeles Kings
One in all the more sneaky and underrated moves of the NHL Trade Deadline was the Los Angeles Kings’ acquisition of Andrei Kuzmenko. It was the second time Kuzmenko was traded. The Philadelphia Flyers acquired him together with Jacob Pelletier from the Calgary Flames for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee on January thirtieth.
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Kuzmenko only played seven games in Philadelphia but recorded five points before the Kings added their depth scoring piece. In Los Angeles, Kuzemnko is looking just like the player who scored 39 goals and put up 74 points with the Vancouver Canucks in his first season. Through 19 games, he has recorded 16 points (five goals and 11 assists). He has more points and goals than he did when he played for the Flames earlier within the season.
Recently, it looks like Kuzmenko has been in every single place on the ice for the Kings. Kuzmenko has points in six of his last seven games. He’s showing he might be an impact player within the playoffs, playing alongside Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. The Triple K Line is rolling, heading into the playoffs.
Honorable Mention Move Of The Deadline
Reilly Smith – Vegas Golden Knights
Within the honorable mention category, it is tough to not go along with Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights. Smith was one in all the unique Golden Misfits. Smith is the right fit, and it was a move everyone saw coming on the NHL Trade Deadline.
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With the Latest York Rangers season in disarray, the Golden Knights were searching for depth scoring, and Smith fit the bill. Vegas didn’t wish to do away with him in the primary place, but he was a cap casualty. Nonetheless, they found a technique to get Smith back on the NHL Trade Deadline. In 19 games of the trade, Smith has 11 points (three goals and eight assists). He’s the right depth piece for the Golden Knights.
We saw what Smith did for the Golden Knights of their run to the 2023 Stanley Cup. There’s a reason why GM Kelly McCrimmon wanted him back. Teams can never have enough depth within the playoffs, and Smith matches the bill.
That does it for NHL Trade Deadline Impacts for the West. Try the trade deadline impacts from the East right here.
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