After it looked like the trade deadline wouldn't bring the drama that was seemingly promised all week, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning dropped a bit of a bomb. New York sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to the Bolts for a rebuild-friendly care package highlighted by current NHLer Vladislav Namestnikov.
While several prospects and draft picks were moved ahead of Monday's deadline, the final blockbuster of the day was the one that brought a lot of intrigue to prospect fans. The Rangers had already signaled that the rebuild was coming, and there was some major demolition done in the past week as part of a dramatic punching of the reset button. There could be even more on the horizon.
As much as we'd like to boil it down and say there is a right and a wrong way to do it, the truth is, there's no set path. Some rebuilds hinge solely on the bouncing of a draft lottery ball, others require years of stops and starts, multiple general managers and a long dark tunnel through which it is difficult to see the light of day. We don't know where the Rangers' rebuild will go from here, but we do know GM Jeff Gorton went into full-on asset collection mode and will leave the trade deadline with a lot of options for how to use those assets.
The Rangers were essentially the only team that went all-in on a prospect-collecting expedition. Others picked up one or two, but no other team significantly altered its prospect pool. That said, several teams were able to add quality pieces who have a good chance to help them at the NHL level in the near future.
Here's a look at some of the more notable prospects moved between Feb. 22 and 26 and how they figure into their new organizations. I also provided my conservative estimated time of arrival in the NHL for each prospect.
New York Rangers
The Rangers announced to the world that they were preparing to rebuild just a few weeks ago, and they made the kind of trades that you'd expect rebuilding teams to make. The result is three first-round picks in the 2018 NHL draft, including their own, and a host of new prospects who inject some talent. It's never easy to see established players go, and for fans, the return is rarely going to look like enough. That said, I think Gorton did well for himself in collecting the sheer number of assets he did. Seven picks in the first three rounds of the draft gives the team a lot of options.
When it came to prospects, the Rangers obviously targeted defensemen, bringing in the three prospects listed below and depth adds Rob O'Gara and Chris Bigras. New York's defense pool still lacks a blue-chip prospect, but I think that's where those picks will come in handy, as the draft is deeper on impact defense prospects. There are also a fair amount of quality wingers whom they could find early in the draft. Beyond the picks, the Rangers hauled in some strong prospects through their dealings.
Brett Howden, C (conservative NHL ETA: 2019-20): The 27th overall pick of the 2016 draft by Tampa Bay, Howden is probably the highest-profile prospect acquired by New York. He is a strong two-way center who can do a little bit of everything. A good skater with some power elements in his game, Howden was Canada's top shutdown center on the way to the gold medal at the most recent World Junior Championships.
Though he's shown strong offensive skills in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors, he projects more as a middle-six center who can draw tough matchups and provide secondary scoring. Bringing him into a system that already includes Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson strengthens New York's future down the middle.
Libor Hajek, D (conservative NHL ETA: 2019-20): Taken 10 picks after Howden in 2016 by the Lightning, Hajek is a solid two-way defenseman who starred for the Czech Republic in the most recent World Juniors. At that tournament, I thought we saw the full range of his skills. His defensive value is better than what he brings offensively, but he has good vision, distributes the puck well and has a heavy shot. Defensively, he has good mobility and range. He can also play a bit of a physical game when needed. There seem to be mixed views on his projection, but I could see him growing into a dependable No. 4. Traded to the Regina Pats at midseason, he'll get to play for the Memorial Cup this year.
Ryan Lindgren, D (conservative NHL ETA: 2020-21): Selected 49th overall in 2016 by Boston, Lindgren is a bruising, physical defenseman who has tremendous hockey sense. He skates well with good defensive footwork and an ability to close gaps quickly. While he's definitely been working on his offensive game this season at the University of Minnesota, it has a long way to go. That may limit his long-term upside, but he can get the puck out of his zone with a good first pass and can handle top matchups. Lindgren likely projects as a bottom-pairing player who can kill penalties. He played in each of the last two World Juniors for Team USA as a shutdown defender.
Yegor Rykov, D (conservative NHL ETA: 2019-20): Rykov, who will turn 20 in April, is a former fifth-round pick with a continued steady upswing in his development. He has decent two-way skills but plays a somewhat limited role on one of the best teams in the KHL, SKA St. Petersburg. He is under contract through the 2018-19 season, and there's never a guarantee these players will come over.
Ottawa Senators
The Sens didn't go with the full-on teardown in moving Erik Karlsson and others that some speculated might happen. The club did, however, bring back a solid package for Derick Brassard, including a first-round pick and the player GM Pierre Dorion referred to Monday as their goalie of the future.
Filip Gustavsson, G (conservative NHL ETA: 2020-21): Gustavsson is having a remarkable season back home in Sweden. While he has performed well at both the U20 and professional levels for Lulea this season, he helped make a bigger name for himself at the World Juniors. Gustavsson backstopped Sweden to the silver medal and was named the Directorate Award winner as the tournament's best goaltender.
The 19-year-old instantly becomes the top goaltending prospect in Ottawa's system, so he is certainly a welcome addition. Gustavsson is expected to begin his professional career in North America as early as this spring, possibly playing in some games for the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League upon the conclusion of Lulea's SHL season. It's always smart to exercise patience with goaltending prospects, and despite Gustavsson's pedigree, he is no different.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues were surprise sellers on Monday, trading Paul Stastny to the Winnipeg Jets for a package of future assets, including a 2018 first-round pick. With a prospect pool that just keeps getting deeper each year, they added some more forward depth.
Erik Foley, LW (conservative NHL ETA: 2020-21): I've been following Foley since his USHL days, and what has impressed me most about him is how much better he seems to get every year. Always an energetic forward, his offensive skills and sense have vastly improved over his three years at Providence College. He plays the game at a high rate of speed and has developed into a top-line scoring threat for the Friars with a good mix of power and skill. While he likely projects more as a middle- to bottom-six forward in the NHL, Foley's versatility is going to give him a good opportunity to be an every-day NHLer eventually.
The Blues could sign Foley after his junior season, and he'd be a good bet to start his career in the AHL given the organization's depth at forward. Should he not sign by Aug. 15, 2019, and return for his senior season at Providence, Foley would have the chance to test unrestricted free agency. Should that happen, the Blues get the Jets' fourth-round pick in 2020, per reports.
Chicago Blackhawks
We're not used to seeing the Blackhawks sell this time of year, but they did just that on Monday. It wasn't a big sell, but it was an especially nice return for 23-year-old forward Ryan Hartman. Getting multiple picks, including a first-rounder in 2018, and a prospect was a pretty sizable haul for a guy who was mostly playing bottom-six minutes for them.
Victor Ejdsell, C/W (conservative NHL ETA: 2018-19): An especially intriguing prospect due to his size and offensive skill set, Ejdsell was never drafted but signed with the Nashville Predators as a free agent. He was reportedly pursued by multiple NHL teams after leading the Allsvenskan, Sweden's second pro division, in scoring with 57 points in 50 games as a 21-year-old. He was also that league's MVP and best forward. Currently on loan with HV-71 in Sweden's top pro division, he isn't producing at the same rate but is still one of his team's top scorers.
Ejdsell is massive (6-foot-5, 214 pounds). He skates decently enough for his size, but one wouldn't call footspeed a strength for him. For such a large player, he's actually kind of sneaky, with good hand skills and an ability to find the soft areas of the ice. Ejdsell has a heavy shot and quick release. It's always tough to project late bloomers like Ejdsell, but it will be interesting to see how he looks on the North American sheet. The AHL is likely the first destination for Ejdsell, but he could contend for a spot in camp depending on how Chicago's depth looks heading into the 2018-19 season.
Vancouver Canucks
Brendan Leipsic, LW (conservative NHL ETA: immediate): Leipsic was acquired in a low-risk trade that sent 26-year-old defenseman Philip Holm to the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Canucks are making a decent bet on a player with skill. Leipsic hasn't yet put it all together at the NHL level, but he was a dynamic scorer in juniors and is a low-cost addition with a year left on his contract. If Vancouver can put him in the right situation, he might be able to provide some value in what will be a contract season next year.
Tyler Motte, RW (conservative NHL ETA: immediate): I know Canucks fans were not too happy about the return in the Thomas Vanek deal, but I think getting Motte is just as good as a midround draft pick. He still has some upside at 22, even though he's already on his third NHL organization. Motte is a speedy, versatile forward who can be an effective bottom-sixer at the NHL level. He has gotten some good NHL looks and it hasn't quite worked out, but with a year left on his entry-level deal, the Canucks have some time to see if he's a fit. He's a lot closer to being able to help the team in a depth role than a midround lottery ticket would be, so that's why I think he provides some value in the Vanek deal.
Buffalo Sabres
Danny O'Regan, C/W (conservative NHL ETA: AHL call-up): The 24-year-old, acquired in the Evander Kane trade, was Jack Eichel's linemate in Eichel's only season at Boston University. O'Regan has had a few NHL looks over two years as a professional but has mostly stayed in the AHL. I still think he has a shot to make the NHL due to his smarts and playmaking abilities. He has 83 points in 94 AHL games, and while not a high-impact prospect, O'Regan adds some depth with enough potential to compete for a full-time NHL spot next season.
Montreal Canadiens
Kerby Rychel, LW (conservative NHL ETA: AHL call-up): I liked Rychel quite a bit in his draft season, figuring he had power winger potential. The Columbus Blue Jackets obviously did, too, as they made him the 19th overall pick in 2014. It hasn't quite materialized, as he's become more of a quality AHL player. He has 37 NHL games under his belt, and at 23, he's not toast as a prospect. It's just getting harder to see him playing regularly at the NHL level.
Rinat Valiev, D (conservative NHL ETA: AHL call-up): The other, perhaps slightly more promising piece in the Tomas Plekanec trade, Valiev showed quality two-way potential in the junior ranks. That hasn't played out at the professional level. He has some decent hand skills but looks more like a bottom-pair option at best. Valiev turns 23 in May, so perhaps he finds his way, but this could be a move that simply ends up helping Montreal's AHL affiliate in Laval.
Edmonton Oilers
Pontus Aberg, LW (conservative NHL ETA: immediate): Aberg once looked like a potential impact prospect based on his solid skill level. As he's developed, he's had more success at the AHL level, including 31 goals in 56 games last season for the Milwaukee Admirals. He landed on the Predators' roster for a portion of this season, but his role never really gave him a chance to produce. It is unlikely Aberg will make a huge impact at this point at the NHL level, but if they can get him some more minutes with skill players, he might be able to surprise some people. With a year left on his contract, the 24-year-old provides organizational depth at worst.
J.D. Dudek, C (conservative NHL ETA: unlikely): The Oilers probably thought they'd be able to get more out of the Patrick Maroon trade than a third-rounder and lower-end prospect, which is what they ended up getting from the New Jersey Devils. Dudek is in his third season at Boston College and has yet to really distinguish himself in any notable way. I'm not entirely sure he would have ended up getting a contract offer from the Devils had they kept him. Edmonton can only hope he has a breakout year as a 23-year-old senior next season and then reassess from there.