NHL Trade Deadline 2007

Part of a series looking at the legacy of the trade deadlines since the lockout. For the purposes of making the exercise more interesting, we consider any trade after the calendar changed years and don't just limit the discussion to the actual deadline day.

What the eventual champs did

May finished with two assists and 41 penalty minutes in 32 regular season and playoff games in Anaheim's run, and stayed for another 1 ½ seasons.

Impactful trades

Clear verdict:

Versteeg wasn't a star for the Blackhawks, but he was a solid contributor in two-plus seasons. He added a solid six goals and eight assists in their 2010 championship spring, but was one of the salary cap victims.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli had seen Bochenski's potential when both were in Ottawa, but after a solid start, injuries and inconsistency relegated Bochenski to journeyman status.

Stuart played just 33 games with Calgary while Wayne Primeau was often hurt in a multi-year tenure.

Kobasew had two of his best seasons with Boston, but what really swings this deal is Ference, in his sixth year with the Bruins. The defenceman was an afterthought for a few years in Boston, but he grew into an integral piece on the blue-line, and even contributed four goals and 10 points in the team's Stanley Cup run last spring.

This trade is a win for the Habs, and could be even more one-sided down the road, especially if Jason Demers continues to sit or is traded in the coming weeks. He was the player the Sharks used for the fifth round pick.

The reliable Gorges is assistant captain in Montreal, while the draft pick was used to select Max Pacioretty.

Mutual benefit:

This deal seemed a clear win for the Blues after Boyes potted 76 in his first two full seasons. But he scored just 26 over the next two, and the right-handed shot Wideman improved to the point where he averaged 40 points per season.

Both players were then dealt ahead of the 2010-11 deadline. Wideman has enjoyed a resurgence, Boyes hasn't.

Much ado about nothing

Forsberg averaged nearly a point per game in 22 outings for Nashville, but the Predators were unable to win their first playoff series. Forsberg then continued on his stop-and-start comeback journey, riddled by foot and ankle problems.

Parent was a first round pick the previous year, but only played 100-ish games over three seasons as he couldn't permanently crack the Philly roster, while depth forward Upshall was gone to Phoenix by 2008-09.

The first round pick ended up back in Nashville's hands and the third was traded by the Flyers to the Caps.

Beware the draft picks

General manager Don Waddell went all in as the Thrashers pursued their first playoff berth.  And he lost his shirt. 

The Thrashers were swept in four in their only playoff appearance despite Tkachuk's presence.

Atlanta set back their team lifecycle at least a year with this move. They had only four draft picks in 2007, and seven the following year. 

The best that can be said is that the picks aren't yet NHL stars. The first round 2008 pick was retained by Atlanta when Tkachuk re-signed in St. Louis in the summer. (For the record, the Thrashers picked Zach Bogosian with their first pick in '08)

The 2007 first rounder ended up in Calgary's hands, used on Mikael Backlund. The second rounder in 2008 was used by the Blues on foward Phil McCrae, who's in the AHL. Atlanta got a conditional fourth rounder when Tkachuk went back to his old club, but the pick didn't pan out.

There weren't a ton of draft picks that ended up turning into gold in this particular deadline season, but the second round pick was used by the Kings to select the solid Wayne Simmonds.

Other names on the move:

Gary Roberts, Todd Bertuzzi, Martin Biron, Georges Laraque