2023 NHL Trade Deadline: Live Grades for All the Biggest Deals

The 2023 NHL trade deadline is Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Several teams opted to avoid the rush, making a series of moves since Sunday involving many of the top trade candidates on our latest trade block big board.

Some of the major deals included the Chicago Blackhawks trading Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers, the San Jose Sharks shipping Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils, and the Columbus Blue Jackets sending Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo to the Los Angeles Kings for Jonathan Quick and a pair of draft picks.

Those were just three of the trades that went down since Sunday.

While several big-name players are off the trade block, other noteworthy players such as Philadelphia Flyers left wing James van Riemsdyk and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser could end up on the move before the deadline.

Here are our grades for the biggest deals on the day of the 2023 NHL trade deadline. We’ve also included a recap of the major moves that took place in the week leading up to March 3. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

New York Rangers Land Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks

It took a three-team deal on Tuesday to make it happen for salary-cap purposes. Chicago retained 50 percent of Kane’s $10.5 million cap hit while the Rangers split the remainder with the Arizona Coyotes. In addition to getting a three-time Stanley Cup champion, the Rangers also received minor league defenseman Cooper Zech.

Chicago didn’t get much of a return for Kane. It received a conditional 2023 second-round pick and a 2025 fourth-rounder from the Rangers along with minor league defenseman Andy Welinski. The Coyotes also sent them Finnish blueliner Vili Saarijärvi. For retaining $2.65 million of Kane’s cap hit, the Rangers sent the Coyotes a conditional third-rounder in 2025.

Rangers: A, Blackhawks: C, Coyotes: D

San Jose Sharks Ship Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils

In a nine-player swap on Sunday, the New Jersey Devils bolstered their scoring punch by acquiring winger Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks. Joining Meier was defenseman Scott Harrington, whom the Anaheim Ducks subsequently claimed off waivers. The Devils also received three prospects and a 2024 fifth-round pick.

This trade signaled that a roster rebuild is underway for the Sharks. They received depth forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Andreas Johnsson, prospect defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and second- and seventh-round picks in 2024. They also retained half of Meier’s $6 million cap hit.

Devils: A, Sharks: B-

Ottawa Senators Acquire Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes

Jakob Chychrun was the subject of trade rumors stretching back to last season. He joins the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a conditional first-rounder in 2023, a conditional second-rounder in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2026. Signed through 2024-25, Chychrun should provide a welcome boost of puck-moving skill to the Senators’ defense corps.

The 2023 first-rounder that the Coyotes received is top-five protected, according to ESPN’s Kristen Shilton. The 2024 second-rounder could become a first-round pick (top-10 protected) if the Senators reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.

Senators: A, Coyotes: B

Boston Bruins Bring In Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings

With Taylor Hall on long-term injured reservethe Boston Bruins needed a replacement on the left wing. They shipped a conditional 2024 first-round pick (top-10 protected) and a 2025 fourth-rounder to the Detroit Red Wings for Tyler Bertuzzi. The Wings also retained half of Bertuzzi’s $4.8 million cap hit.

The Wings opted to move the oft-injured Bertuzzi rather than lose him this summer in free agency. The 28-year-old winger has been limited to only 14 points in 29 games this season. When healthy, however, he’s an agitating top-six winger who tallied 30 goals and 62 points in 2021-22.

Bruins: B+, Red Wings: B

Edmonton Oilers Bring In Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators

The Edmonton Oilers shipped puck-moving blueliner Tyson Barrie, prospect forward Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-rounder to the Nashville Predators. In return, they received shutdown defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a 2024 sixth-rounder. The Predators also retained $250,000 of Ekholm’s $6.3 million cap hit.

Signed through 2025-26the 32-year-old Ekholm will shore up the left side of the Oilers’ blue line. He brings leadership and plenty of playoff experience. Meanwhile, the return package should help the struggling Predators in the short and long term as they retool their roster.

Oilers: A-minus, Predators: B-plus

Los Angeles Kings Send Jonathan Quick to the Columbus Blue Jackets

In a stunning early-morning move on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings traded longtime starting goaltender Jonathan Quick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goalie Joonas Korpisalo and defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov. The Jackets also received a conditional 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 third-rounder.

The Kings made their move to bolster their goaltending and add a natural left-side top-four defenseman to their blue-line corps. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Blue Jackets added to their stockpile of draft picks and gained a trade chip in Quick, who would soon be on the move again.

Kings: A-minus, Blue Jackets: B

Columbus Blue Jackets Flip Jonathan Quick to the Vegas Golden Knights

It didn’t take long for the Blue Jackets to find a taker for Jonathan Quick. They flipped the goalie Thursday to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for third-string netminder Michael Hutchinson and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

The Golden Knights made this move since their regular tandem of Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit are sidelined with lower-body injuries. Quick’s play has declined this season, but the 37-year-old brings considerable experience and a Stanley Cup pedigree between the pipes for Vegas. He’ll help hold down the fort until Thompson and Brossoit return.

Golden Knights: B, Blue Jackets: B for flipping Quick to a playoff contender.

In a move that took place just before the 3 p.m. ET deadline, the Anaheim Ducks traded defenseman John Klingberg to the Minnesota Wild, per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. He reports the return is a fourth-round pick in 2025, minor league defenseman Andrej Sustr and prospect center Nikita Nesterenko. The Athletic’s Joe Smith reported the Ducks also retained half of Klingberg’s salary.

Klingberg, 30, signed a one-year, $7 million contract last summer as a free agent with the Ducks, with an eye on building his value for the 2023 free-agent market. A six-time 40-plus-point producer in eight seasons with the Dallas Stars, he managed just 24 points in 50 games with the rebuilding Ducks.

The Wild could help Klingberg regain his offensive form. He should provide them with an offensive boost from the blue line, especially on the power play. A right-shot rearguard, he could supplant a struggling Matt Dumba among their top four defensemen.

Klingberg’s reduced production this season affected the return the Ducks received in this deal. They didn’t get a first- or a second-round pick, Sustr is a 10th-year NHL veteran who spent this season in the minors, and Nesterenko wasn’t among The Athletic’s midseason ranking of the Wild’s top 15 prospects.

Wild: B-plus, Ducks: C-minus

The Dallas Stars made one move earlier this week to add to their middle-six forwards, shipping Denis Gurianov to the Montreal Canadiens for Evgenii Dadonov. They made a more substantial acquisition early this morning by acquiring Max Domi and prospect goalie Dylan Well from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Domi, 28, was Chicago’s leading scorer this season with 49 points in 60 games. A versatile forward who can play center or wing, he’s on a one-year, $3 million contract and slated to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.

The Stars are in a close race for first place in the Western Conference, where just seven points separate them from the eighth-place Winnipeg Jets. Acquiring Domi and Dadanov should bring a good mix of experienced scoring depth to their forward lines.

Chicago didn’t get much of a return for Domi, receiving goaltender Anton Khudobin and a second-round pick in 2025. They took the 36-year-old Khudobin to make it possible for the cap-strapped Stars to acquire Domi. He’s spent this season in the minors and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Stars: B-plus, Blackhawks: C