Blue Line Station
Fansided

Revisiting those trade deadline deals

By Steve Paulus

OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 29: Derick Brassard #19 of the Ottawa Senators skates against Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on April 29, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 29: Derick Brassard #19 of the Ottawa Senators skates against Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on April 29, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – MAY 22: Martin St. Louis
TAMPA, FL – MAY 22: Martin St. Louis /

2013-14:  The big one

This was the big one and it had the biggest payoff. Without making this trade, it can be argued that the New York Rangers wouldn’t have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014.   it was the most thrilling postseason the Rangers have had since 1994 and the deal was key.

On March 4, 2014, Sather traded away lifelong Ranger and team captain Ryan Callahan along with two first round picks for one of the best goal scorers in the NHL, Lightning captain Martin St Louis.  St. Louis had a feud with Tampa GM Steve Yzerman and made it clear he wanted to be traded and only to New York.

Considering Yzerman’ s limited options, many observers felt that the Blueshirts gave up too much.  Callahan was in need of a new contract and Sather didn’t want to pay the big bucks it would take to retain the often injured heart and soul of the team.

We all know what happened.  St. Louis was the spark plug for the Rangers in their comeback from a 3-1 deficit to the Pittsburgh Penguins and his overtime game winner in the Conference Finals versus Montreal is the stuff of legends.  Callahan went on to sign a six-year, $35 million contract that became an albatross for the Lightning.

Meanwhile, St. Louis’ play declined precipitously the next season at age 39 and after scoring 21 goals, he retired.

The trade needs to be judged on the draft picks and ironically, Tampa traded away all three of the picks for other picks. The two first rounders went to the Islanders who selected Anthony Beauvilier and Joshua Ho-Sang.  The seventh round pick went to Edmonton who selected a player that has not had an NHL career.

How has the trade worked out?  The picks eventually acquired by the Lightning amounted to nothing. Callahan scored 24 goals in his first year in Tampa and then was hampered by injuries the rest of his time there.

Martin St. Louis was a key reason the Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.  The second pick the Rangers acquired went to Arizona in the Keith Yandle deal.  Callahan was an injury ridden player for the Lightning who never lived up to his promise and was overpaid.  The draft picks acquired by Tampa never made it. Believe it or not, because the trade got the Rangers a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, it was a hands down win for New York.

Trade grade:  A

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