For as long as most people can remember, NHL teams have been making major moves at the trade deadline. And in this feature story from THN's Jan. 20, 2023 edition, THN's Trade Deadline Rewind took a look at five big deals from the past:

By Jared Clinton

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

ACQUIRE:

> Marian Hossa

> Pascal Dupuis

ATLANTA THRASHERS

ACQUIRE:

Colby Armstrong <

Erik Christensen <

Angelo Esposito <

2008 first-round pick (Daultan Leveille) <

Time, as has been said, makes fools of us all, and looking back on 2008’s great Marian Hossa sweepstakes with the benefit of hindsight sure does make any assertion the deadline price was exceptionally steep seem especially ludicrous.

That’s not to say Hossa, a recently minted Hall of Famer, shouldn’t have commanded a hefty price. At the time, only six players had scored more goals and nine players more points than Hossa since the end of the 2004-05 lockout. He was a legitimate superstar, a two-way dynamo who helped the loaded Penguins advance to the 2008 Cup final.

But what makes the swap so absurd is that it was the deal’s so-called throw-in, Pascal Dupuis, who turned this into an absolute fleecing. It’d be revisionist to say he was an overnight sensation in Pittsburgh, particularly as his contribution to the Pens’ 2009 Cup victory was zero points and an average ice time below nine minutes, but Dupuis had a late-career rebirth that saw him turn into a legitimate top-six contributor and fan favorite in Pittsburgh. He peaked with a 25-goal, 59-point output in 2011-12, and his 109-goal, 247-point totals as a Penguin more than double the combined output of any of the four players who wound up Thrashers.

Especially embarrassing for then-Atlanta and current Carolina GM Don Waddell is that the Thrashers didn’t get meaningful games out of any of the acquired players. In large part, the deal hinged on Esposito. Once considered a potential No. 1 overall pick, he fell to 20th in the 2007 draft, but Atlanta was banking on developing him into a top-line talent. It wasn’t to be, as Esposito never played an NHL game. Meanwhile, Armstrong played fewer than 200 games for the team before leaving as a free agent, Christensen played 57 games before being traded and Leveille’s career fizzled in the minors.

BUFFALO SABRES

ACQUIRE:

> Daniel Briere

> 2004 third-round pick (Andrej Sekera)

ARIZONA COYOTES

ACQUIRE:

Chris Gratton <

2004 fourth-round pick (Liam Reddox) <

After acquiring Briere in 2003, one of the first words uttered by Sabres GM Darcy Regier was “upside.” Sure, Briere was a handy playmaker for the Coyotes and had posted a 60-point season in 2001-02, but to that point he’d been a scorer of a similar caliber – although a different mold – than the gritty Gratton.

Not even Regier could’ve imagined how Briere would blossom. He thrived in the post-clutch-and-grab era, with 57 goals and 153 points in 129 games across 2005-06 and ’06-07. Buffalo broke out, too. The Briere-led attack spurred the Sabres to consecutive Conference final appearances those same seasons.

Sekera proved to be a steady top-four D-man, further chalking this deal up as a Sabres win. Gratton played just 82 games in the desert. The Coyotes traded the fourth-rounder in a later deal with Edmonton.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

ACQUIRE:

> Ryan McDonagh

> J.T. Miller

NEW YORK RANGERS

ACQUIRE:

Vladislav Namestnikov <

Libor Hajek <

Brett Howden <

2018 first-round pick (Nils Lundkvist) <

2019 second-round pick (Karl Henriksson) <

Steve Yzerman's name isn’t on either of Tampa Bay’s recent Stanley Cups, but his fingerprints certainly are. Take his acquisition of McDonagh and Miller. While Miller was traded prior to the 2020 and ’21 Cup wins – sent to Vancouver for picks – McDonagh was key in both titles. He had the second-highest ice time during both runs, behind only Victor Hedman, and McDonagh splitting the load with Tampa Bay’s top defender allowed Hedman to be at his best night after night. Perhaps the Lightning win one of the two Cups without McDonagh, but it’s hard to imagine they repeat without him.

Meanwhile, the Rangers were hoping the swap would’ve paid immediate dividends for Tampa Bay. If the Lightning had won the Cup in 2018 or 2019, the 2019 pick would’ve become a first-rounder. Alas, the Bolts cracked the Cup code one year too late.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

ACQUIRE:

> Jarome Iginla

CALGARY FLAMES

ACQUIRE:

Kenny Agostino <

Ben Hanowski <

2013 first-round pick (Morgan Klimchuk) <

As it became evident in 2012-13 that the Flames were prepared to rebuild, it likewise became clear that Iginla’s days in Calgary were numbered. Thus, the Flames set out to give the greatest player in franchise history the best chance possible to chase a Stanley Cup.

Leading up to the deadline, it appeared that chance would be in Boston. The Bruins were a top contender and were willing to move picks and prospects – which is what made it so stunning when the Penguins snuck in at the 11th hour. Unfortunately for Iginla, Boston got the last laugh, sweeping the Penguins in the East final.

For all the emotion surrounding Iginla’s Calgary exit, the trade ended up a dud. Iginla played well in the post-season but then signed a one-year deal with Boston in the summer, while Agostino, Hanowski and Klimchuk combined for two goals and 27 games for the Flames.

SAN JOSE SHARKS

ACQUIRE:

> Bryan Marchment

> David Shaw

> 1998 first-round pick (David Legwand)

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

ACQUIRE:

Andrei Nazarov <

1998 first-round pick (Vincent Lecavalier) <

Did you know Vincent Lecavalier was nearly a Shark? As the story goes, the Panthers were looking for scoring early in 1997-98 and targeted San Jose’s Viktor Kozlov. To get him, Florida ponied up a first-round pick. As the season wore on, however, it became clear Florida was more bottom feeder than contender while the Sharks went from woeful to post-season bubble.

So, with a top-five pick in their pocket and a playoff return in sight, San Jose sought to bolster their blueline and made Tampa Bay an intriguing offer for Marchment. If the Sharks’ first-rounder was better than Tampa’s, Tampa Bay and San Jose could swap picks. If the Bolts won the lottery, though, the teams would retain their selections. As it turned out, San Jose’s pick was the lottery winner, Tampa Bay executed its right to switch picks, and Lecavalier went No. 1 overall to the Lightning.