With so much hype surrounding the upcoming 2015 NHL Trade Deadline, how much can a deadline-day deal really impact a playoff team? The 1980 New York Islanders, who acquired Butch Goring that year, will tell you a deadline deal can turn you into a champion, while other previous champions have been silent.
With that in mind, here’s what the last 10 Stanley Cup champions did at the trade deadline.
2014 – Los Angeles Kings
Marian Gaborik 
Matt Frattin, 2nd- and 3rd-round pick.
Brayden McNabb, Jonathan Parker, two 2nd-round picks (one in 2014, one in 2015) 
Nicolas Deslauriers, Hudson Fasching.
James Livingston 
Conditional 7th-round pick (2016)
The Kings needed to add a scoring threat and the addition of Gaborik paid major dividends. The Slovak star chipped in with 14 goals and 22 points in 26 playoff games en route to a championship. McNabb has been a steady blueliner for the Kings in 2014-15.
2013 – Chicago Blackhawks
Maxime Sauve 
Rob Flick
The Blackhawks were head and shoulders better than any other team all through the lockout-shortened season and didn’t need to make any tweaks at the deadline. They finished the regular season with a 36-7-5 record, scored the second-most goals in the league behind only the Penguins and gave up the fewest goals.
2012 – Los Angeles Kings
The Kings didn’t make any moves on deadline day, however four days prior to the deadline they acquired Jeff Carter from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jack Johnson and a conditional first-round pick. Two Stanley Cups later and the Kings aren’t regretting this deal whatsoever.
2011 – Boston Bruins
Anton Khudobin 
Jeff Penner, rights to Mikko Lehtonen.
Khudobin only suited up for the Bruins in one game this season, but was arguably the best backup goalie in the NHL the next year. The day before the deadline, the Bruins acquired David Laliberte and Stefan Chaput from the Anaheim Ducks for Brian McGrattan and Sean Zimmerman in a minor deal. However, the big moves Peter Chiarelli made this season came 10 days prior to the deadline when he sent forward Joe Colborne, a 2011 first-round pick and a conditional 2012 second-round pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenceman Tomas Kaberle. They also got Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik from the Atlanta Thrashers for Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart. Three days prior to that they got Chris Kelly from the Ottawa Senators for a 2011 second-round pick.
2010 – Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks were silent on deadline day, but in the lead-up they made a couple minor deals. They sent Cam Barker to the Minnesota Wild for Kim Johnsson and Nick Leddy and got Hannu Toivonen and Danny Richmond from the St. Louis Blues for Joe Fallon.
2009 – Pittsburgh Penguins
Bill Guerin 
Conditional 2009 draft pick
Andy Wozniewski 
Danny Richmond
Guerin was an important piece to this championship, registering 15 points in 24 playoff games. Another significant move came a week before the deadline when they acquired Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi from the Anaheim Ducks for Ryan Whitney.
2008 – Detroit Red Wings
Brad Stuart 2008 second-round pick, 2009 fourth-round pick
Stuart was valuable to the Red Wings as he was paired with Niklas Kronwall and played behind the formidable duo of Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski.
2007 – Anaheim Ducks
Brad May 
Michael Wall
Doug O’Brien Joe Rullier
Aside from adding a bit of toughness in Brad May, then-Ducks GM Brian Burke essentially did nothing on deadline day and very little leading up to it.
2006 – Carolina Hurricanes
Mark Recchi Niklas Nordgren, Krystofer Kolanos, 2007 second-round pick
Mark Recchi was a nice complement to veterans like Rod Brind’Amour, Cory Stillman and Ray Whitney. Five weeks prior to the deadline the Hurricanes also picked up Doug Weight from the St. Louis Blues. Both Recchi and Weight finished the playoffs with 16 points.
**2005 – No season due to the lockout**
2004 – Tampa Bay Lightning
Stan Neckar 
2004 sixth-round pick
Neckar was a non-factor in the playoffs, but earlier in the season the Lightning sent Alexander Svitov and a third-round pick to the Dallas Stars for a fourth-round pick and Darryl Sydor, who ended up being a key cog on the blueline.
