Trade Deadline Analysis

Winners
Demons
Who'd They Add: Ryan Miller, Drew Doughty, Chris Clark, Riley Sheahan, 1st Round pick (Sparrows)

Who's Gone: Jonathan Bernier, Carey Price, Ed Jovanovski, Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund, John Carlson, 2nd round pick

Analysis: The Demons focused on adding quality versus quantity during this year's trade deadline and executed perfectly. They picked up the goaltender they needed in Miller and added one of the best young, two-way defenseman in the league in Drew Doughty. They were also able to add some youth in Sheahan and the Sparrows' 1st round pick. They may have moved a lot of youth but this team will be alright with assets such as Varlamov, Ellis, Kadri and others in the system. They certainly will be one of the top teams to watch leading into this year's playoffs.

Dropkicks
Who'd They Add: Brayden Schenn, Jamie Benn, John Carlson, Mikael Granlund, Andrei Loktionov, Jaden Schwartz, Tyler Ennis, Greg Nemisz, Many draft picks

Who's Gone: Drew Doughty, Ales Hemsky, Wojtek Wolski, Kristian Huselius, Patrik Berglund, Chris Clark, Kyle Beach, Jay Bouwmeester, Jochan Hecht, Mike Komisarek

Analysis: Probably the busiest team come deadline day, the Kicks' new GM made sure people knew he wasn't messing around. Deals for Doughty, Hemsky and Wolski yielded great returns; Deals for Beach, Komisarek and Hecht maybe left a little to be desired. Nevertheless this team was a winner on deadline day adding future pieces such as Schenn, Benn, Carlson, Ennis and others. The Kicks will be good and with the amount of picks they added in the coming draft they have to be happy with the start of the team's new direction.

Bulls
Who'd They Add: Ales Hemsky, Wojtek Wolski, Kristian Huselius, Mark Streit

Who's Gone: Brayden Schenn, Jaden Schwartz, Andrea Loktionov, Jason Demers, Evgeny Dadonov

Analysis: Although these players span just two deals, the Bulls took care of what they had to on deadline day - adding key components to help them look for a Cyber Cup repeat. Huselius is by no means the biggest name coming to Las Vegas but he's a playoff warrior and knows how to find the back of the net. The Bulls added some much needed depth at defense in Streit, who would be any other teams top defenseman but will find a top four spot in Vegas. In adding Hemsky they add a good puck moving winger and bring back a familiar face in Wolski.

Gorillas
Who'd They Add: Matt Pettinger, Mike Comrie

Who's Gone: Matt Smaby, Fernando Pisani

Analysis: The Gorillas didn't do much but they have a lot of pieces in place to be an effective team for the foreseeable future. Mike Comrie gives the team some quality depth at center. He essentially was traded for Fernando Pisani which I think anyone would argue is a deal well in the Gorillas favor. Matt Pettinger is a playoff rental but has looked good of late and could contribute on Grand Forks' powerplay. Probably the biggest move though, was a move that didn't happen, long before the trade deadline when the Gorillas were very aggressively shopping goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Jaroslav Halak. Both players have been amazing this season for the Gorillas and with Jordan Staal having a career year, the Gorillas could make a nice splash in their first playoff appearance under GM Jason Gudim.

Stallions
Who'd They Add: Olli Jokinen, Craig Conroy, Matt Carle, Jay Bouwmeester, David Drewiske

Who's Gone: Matt Stajan, Brent Seabrook, Kurt Sauer, Greg Nemisz, Brent Sopel, Multiple Draft picks (2x 2nd round picks, 1x 3rd round pick)

Analysis: In the short-term the Stallions are winners adding Olli Jokinen, Jay Bouwmeester and Matt Carle to help them for the next few seasons. Bouwmeester can eat up huge minutes and will be a contributor on the Stallion's blueline for many years to come. He replaces the departed Seabrook on the Stallion's blueline and will probably be a better defenseman in the offensive zone. Jokinen meanwhile will be huge down the stretch. He was playing well for the Orcas and will fit in right after Crosby on the team's second line. He may only have a few years left but will definitely be a factor in the playoffs. Conroy and Carle add depth. Conroy is a playoff rental and will be a key player in the locker room and on the penalty kill. Long-term the team doesn't have a lot of youth and moved three good draft picks along with prospect Greg Nemisz. It'll be interesting to see how this club develops.

Citadelles
Who'd They Add: Danny Briere, Clarke MacArthur, Cal Clutterbuck

Who's Gone: James van Riemsdyk, Colten Teubert, David Rundblad

Analysis: The Citadelles were active long before the trade deadline adding goaltender Tuukka Rask, Alex Semin and David Booth - players that will make an instant impact on their lineup. This team is going for it and has the depth and pieces in place to make a nice run this season. After having one of, if not the best minor league club in the WHL the past few seasons, the Citadelles have an opportunity to make a major splash leading up the to the playoffs.

Losers
Fighting Irish
Who'd They Add: NA

Who's Gone: NA

Analysis: There are a lot of good, young players waiting to crack the Irish roster in the next few seasons and make no mistake, this team could be very good when Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, and Alex Pietrangelo join the likes of Keith Yandle, Patric Hornqvist and company, but the Irish were unable to move anybody heading into the trade deadline. Players like Jason Williams, Alex Kotalik, John Madden and others that don't fit into the club's long-term plans still hold a spot on the Irish roster while the club rebuilds. I'm sure the team and fans would've liked to move those players for picks or future pieces but somehow it just didn't happen.

Cougars
Who'd They Add: NA
Who's Gone: NA

Analysis: The Cougars have kind of disappeared this season and haven't made a move since August. Still though they're playoff bound and have a lot of very good players and pieces to make a run. Still though, it would've been nice to see this team make an upgrade or change to help improve the club's chances of winning this post-season. The defense could use some added depth or an upgrade, as could right wing.

Express
Who'd They Add: NA

Who's Gone: NA

Analysis: The Express generally make a strong run about this time of the year and this year is no different. The team sits just half a game out of the playoffs at the moment and has honestly one of the better rosters in the league. They should be a playoff team but for some reason things aren't clicking. Many of the club's top players are closing in on the end of their careers including Mike Modano, Brendan Shanahan, Bill Guerin, Owen Nolan and Scott Niedermayer. I'm sure many clubs
would've paid a good price to land those talents and improve their chances leading into the playoffs. But the Express was quiet and decided to hold steady. They probably could've benefitted from making a move or two.

Wait & See
Cats
Who'd They Add: NA

Who's Gone: NA
Analysis: A big surprise to say the least, because the Cats are usually one of the most active teams in the league leading up to deadline day. The team wanted to upgrade at right wing but held tight and didn't make any trades. Currently in 4th place in their conference, the Cats may be confident enough in what they have already. This team has a lot of guys playing well this season, and have some built-in chemistry from last year's playoff run. If they exit early, GM Jason Minton may kick himself for not landing the winger he desired. If they go deep in the playoffs and win it all, Minton will be considered a genius. Time will tell.

Rink Rats
Who'd They Add: Corey Schneider, Marc Staal, Patrik Berglund, Troy Brouwer, 3rd round pick, Matt
Smaby

Who's Gone: Petr Regin, Ryan Miller, Matt Pettinger, Devin Setoguchi

Analysis: The Rink Rats have made a commitment to get younger and have done so by adding Schneider, Staal, Berglund and company. Losing Miller will certainly hurt but the club remains confident in the skills of Jimmy Howard as it's leading backstop and feels Schneider is no doubt the number one goalie of the future. Marc Staal will be a solid shutdown defender and adds the size and grit on the blueline that they'll lack in the coming years. If Berglund can develop into a solid number one center and Schneider continues his progress, this team becomes a winner.

Orcas
Who'd They Add: Mike Cammalleri, Devin Setoguchi, Brent Seabrook, Matt Stajan, Tyler Kennedy, Kurt Sauer, Paul Ranger

Who's Gone: Brad Richards, Olli Jokinen, Tyler Ennis, Matt Carle, Fabian Brunnstrom, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Craig Conroy

Analysis: The biggest names of course include Cammalleri, Setoguchi and Seabrook; three players young enough, and good enough to lead this team for several years to come. In the short-term however, the moves don't payoff as the Orcas say goodbye to Jokinen who could've really helped push them to the next level in the playoffs. Long-term we shall see if Setoguchi can continue being a top flight scoring winger and if Cammalleri can stay healthy enough to make an impact.

Lunatics
Who'd They Add: Brad Richards, Fabian Brunnstrom, Mike Komisarek, Jochen Hecht, 4th round pick

Who's Gone: Mike Cammalleri, Tyler Kennedy, Draft picks (2x 3rd round), Maxim Laperriere

Analysis: The Lunatics are out of the playoff hunt that's for sure as they were probably one of the unluckiest teams in the league this season. On paper they had a lot going for them but just couldn't find a way to get the wins they needed. Fan support has dropped after having consecutive losing seasons. The team still has some nice pieces in place and traded for guys that can help them now including a deal for Big Buff a few weeks before the deadline (Byufgulien and a 2nd in exchange for Rask and Hedman). Richards is one of the league's best centermen and Brunnstrom has skills but needs to find some competitiveness and play two-way hockey in order to make the lineup. Time will tell if the team's moves paid off.

Stampede
Who'd They Add: Jonathan Bernier, Ed Jovanovski, Dustin Jeffrey, Chris Higgins, Manny Malhotra, Fernando Pisani

Who's Gone: Riley Sheahan, 1st round pick (Sparrows), Other draft picks (1x 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th)

Analysis: In Bernier the Stampede now have their number one goaltender of the future. He's not to far away of being the guy of the present either. The team also acquired some help offensively in Chris Higgins and Dustin Jeffrey - a young prospect center/left wing that will help the team on both ends of the ice. In addition the Stampede acquired a veteran blueliner in Jovanovski who can lead the team on the ice and in the locker room. He's at the end of his career so if the Stampede could flip him for something younger in the offseason that'd be the ideal and make this an even better move. The team also acquired some character guys in Pisani and Malhotra but lost on many draft picks and prospect Sheahan who is probably a few years away from making an impact anyways. I could see things slightly favoring the Stampede right now but we'll have to see if the older guys can continue to make an impact in the WHL.