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After a furious rush to beat the clock in 2022, NHL general managers are acting early and often to jockey for the top players available or stockpile future assets in advance of the trade deadline this year.
Following nearly a dozen trades getting done Tuesday, more than a handful more with playoff implications were completed Wednesday. Defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado filled a void, while Metropolitan division-leading Carolina made another low-risk move in bracing for a tough road through the loaded Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh refused to stand pat, and Ottawa won the Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes, by landing a player who has been on the block for more than a year.
"There's been a lot of phone calls, not a lot of sleep and a lot of activity the last few days," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said Wednesday after trading defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to Los Angeles. "I expect that to continue until Friday at 3 p.m."
The Penguins, fighting to extend their playoff streak to 17 straight seasons, made a handful of moves to clear salary cap space and bolster an inconsistent bottom six forward group.
Pittsburgh sent center Teddy Blueger to Vegas for defenseman Peter DiLiberatore and a 2024 third-round pick. The team then assigned forward Brock McGinn and defenseman Mark Friedman to the minors to clear enough salary cap space to acquire veteran forward Mikael Granlund from Nashville for a 2023 second-round pick.
The 31-year-old Granlund has nine goals and 27 assists this season for the Predators. He is signed through the 2024-25 season with an average annual value of $5 million. Granlund has experience both on the power play and the penalty kill, a role he will likely be asked to play with Blueger now in Vegas.
Columbus got two high draft picks from the Kings, along with veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick.
The Avalanche acquired center Lars Eller from the Washington Capitals for a 2025 second-round pick.
After buying low on underachieving winger Jesse Puljujarvi, the Hurricanes made another under-the-radar pickup by getting defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere from Arizona.