NHL trade deadline

The National Hockey League (NHL) trade deadline is a date and time set by the NHL league office after which any player acquired by a team is ineligible to participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The deadline for the 2013–14 NHL season took place on March 5, 2014, at 3 pm EST.[1]

The NHL trade deadline, and the weeks prior to it, usually brings a flurry of activity for many teams. Teams that are either making a final push to secure a playoff spot or hoping to go deep into the playoffs attempt to trade to acquire key veterans or proven scorers in order to solidify their rosters. Conversely, teams that are rebuilding with younger players may be willing to trade away their more expensive players in order to "dump" (reduce) salary and get draft picks/prospects in return. Players on playoff-contending teams who are injured and not expected to return for the current season may be offered to teams that are rebuilding, since they will be of no value to a team's playoff prospects in the current season but may be of value to another team for (a) future season(s). Also, players who are about to become unrestricted free agents and have indicated that they do not intend to return to their current teams may be traded away so that those teams will get something in return, instead of seeing such players sign with another team while their former teams receive nothing.

The NHL trade deadline also generates a great deal of talk among hockey fans and analysts, with much speculation and discussion about which players will get traded and where they will go. In Canada, the NHL trade deadline is treated with such significance that the two major sports networks TSN and Sportsnet devote much of the day to speculation and coverage of trades.

Though popular focus is on general managers and the deals they do and do not make, it is business as usual for the rest of the team, with regularly scheduled games and practices taking place.

2012–13 NHL season

Here are some major transactions that took place on and leading up to the 2012–13 trade deadline (April 3, 2013). For a complete list, see 2012–13 NHL transactions.

2011–12 NHL season

The trade deadline was Monday February 27, 2012.

2010–11 NHL season

The trade deadline was Monday February 28, 2011.

2009–10 NHL season

The NHL trade deadline was on March 3, 2010.

2008–09 NHL season

A list of trades that took place on the trade deadline, March 4, 2009, are as follows. For a complete list, see 2008–09 NHL transactions:

2007–08 NHL season

Here are some major transactions that took place on the trade deadline of the 2007–08 season (February 26, 2008). For a complete list, see 2007–08 NHL transactions.

2006–07 NHL season

Here are some major transactions that took place on the trade deadline of the 2006–07 season (February 27, 2007). For a complete list, see 2006–07 NHL transactions.

2005–06 NHL season

Here are some major transactions that took place on the trade deadline of the 2005–06 season (March 9, 2006). For a complete list, see 2005–06 NHL transactions.

2003–04 NHL season

Trade deadline: March 9, 2004.[4]

2002–03 NHL season

Here are some major transactions that took place on the trade deadline of the 2002–03 season (March 11, 2003). For a complete list, see 2002–03 NHL transactions.

2001–02 NHL season

Trading deadline: March 19, 2002.[4]

2000–01 NHL season

1999–2000 NHL season

Trading deadline: March 14, 2000.[4]

1998–99 NHL season

1997–98 NHL season

1996–97 NHL season

1995–96 NHL season

1994–95 NHL season

1993–94 NHL season

1992–93 NHL season

1991–92 NHL season

1990–91 NHL season

1989–90 NHL season

1988–89 NHL season

1987–88 NHL season

1986–87 NHL season

1985–86 NHL season

1984–85 NHL season

1983–84 NHL season

1982–83 NHL season

March 7, 1983: Laurie Boschman traded from Edmonton to Winnipeg for Willy Lindstrom. March 8, 1983: Ken Solheim traded from Minnesota to Detroit for future considerations.

1981–82 NHL season

March 9, 1982: Guy Lapointe traded from Montreal to St. Louis for St. Louis' second-round choice in 1983 Entry Draft.

1980–81 NHL season

1979–80 NHL season

References