Mike Brophy checks in on teams who made deadline deals and are reaping the benefits in the playoffs.
The New York Islanders seemed primed to win their first Stanley Cup, but one piece of the puzzle was still missing.
The season was 1979-80 and the Islanders were coming into their own. Denis Potvin, one of the best and most complete defencemen to ever player the game, was 25 years old, as was tough winger Clarke Gillies. Bryan Trottier was 23 and super-sniper Mike Bossy just 22.
There was no question the Islanders were on the verge of greatness, if only…
It was determined the young, emerging group needed a veteran presence - a strong two-way player - and they got exactly that in 29-year-old Robert 'Butch' Goring. The Islanders traded Dave Lewis and Billy Harris to the Los Angeles Kings for Goring and he paid immediate dividends scoring six goals and 11 points in 12 regular season games and seven goals and 19 points in 21 playoff games as New York won its first of four consecutive Stanley Cups. One year later Goring won the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the playoffs as the Islanders made it two in a row.
This season a number of teams made moves at the trade deadline designed to enhance their chances of going deep into the post-season. You can already see some of the trades paying dividends.
The most obvious is in Tampa Bay where it was determined neither Mike Smith nor Dan Ellis was going to give the Lightning the goaltending it needed to make a charge in the Eastern Conference. Rookie GM Steve Yzerman secured 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders. Roloson may be on his last legs as an NHL stopper and hadn't played a playoff game since 2005-06 when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers by the Minnesota Wild for a similar playoff run. Unfortunately he was injured and the Oilers fell short, losing in the final to the Carolina Hurricanes.
However, Roloson knows this could be his last shot at winning the Cup and is making the most of the opportunity.
Roloson isn't the only significant addition made by Tampa Bay. The Lightning also traded for veteran defenceman Eric Brewer who seemed to be festering in St. Louis. Once considered a rising star in the league, Brewer has plodded along rather anonymously in recent years, but he has raised his game in Tampa Bay and has had a great affect on second-year defender Victor Hedman who is finding his confidence. Brewer is not known for his offence, but he is now a fixture on the Lightning's power play and has a goal and six points through nine playoff games.
The Nashville Predators were looking for a little offensive boost when they acquired Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators, but perhaps even more important, they got a player who had been to the Stanley Cup final and knows what it takes to win. The Predators have been one of the hardest-working teams in the NHL for years, but weren't able to make it out of the first round of the playoffs. Fisher played a huge role in helping Nashville beat Anaheim in Round 1 and he'll be a major factor if the Preds are able to upset the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks.
The Washington Capitals find themselves in a bind, having dropped the first two games of their second round series at home to the Lightning, but Jason Arnott has made a solid contribution since being acquired from the New Jersey Devils. Arnott won the Cup with the Devils in 1999-2000 and has a real positive impact on Alex Semin who has four goals in seven playoff games after being blanked in the same number of post-season games a year ago.
At the other end of the ice, Scott Hannan may not be the flashiest defender in the league, but he has been effective in playing a physical and safe game. His plus-3 is tied for second best on the team.
The Boston Bruins may have gotten fleeced in their deal with Toronto to acquire defenceman Tomas Kaberle, who has been unproductive thus far, but Chris Kelly, picked up from Ottawa, has been excellent. Kelly, a solid two-way centre, has three goals (on just nine shots) and six points in eight games.
Defenceman Ian White made the rounds this year, starting the season in Calgary before being traded to Carolina and finally to San Jose. The journey seems to be worth it as he has a goal and six points for the Sharks who now hold a commanding 2-0 lead in their series against Detroit. He's also a plus-6.
There's still plenty of hockey to be played in this year's playoffs. Is there a Butch Goring in this season's traded players crop? We'll see.
