The 2024 NHL trade deadline has passed and all attention is now turning to how each team stacks up against each other as Stanley Cup contenders. A lot of teams made deals and made big changes before Friday, and it looks like maybe those teams are very happy with their decisions and moves now.
But some teams are already having some regrets and have been facing disappointment for a few months. So in this article, we’ll be talking about five teams that will have big regrets because of what they did or didn’t do at the NHL trade deadline.
Edmonton Doesn’t Approach Goaltending
Adam Henrique was made the Oilers’ third-line center and was a strong move, and very special for the price they paid. With the 34-year-old providing a strong two-way presence, it would be a significant boost to his 5-on-5 play especially when either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl are off the ice. This problem has been huge for the Oilers. But do you know what has been a bigger problem than this? That’s goaltending.
This thing has remained a big question mark this entire season. Stuart Skinner and Kelvin Pickard have both played very well for Edmonton in recent weeks. And he has since posted an impressive .919 save percentage in his 14 appearances. His performance has taken the Oiler’s 5-on-5 save percentage into the top 15 in save percentage for the season across all situations. This score is enough for them to win and if we look at their overall game then it is also excellent.
There is one more question attached to all this whether he can maintain this level of play throughout the playoffs or not?
Skinner has been extremely hit-and-miss the entire game. The performance Pickard has delivered is unprecedented for him at the NHL level. Before playing this season, he had played just 30 games in the NHL since the start of the 2017–18 season and posted a save percentage well below .900.
All of this is leaving a lot of questions and it could jeopardize McDavid and Draisaitl’s best chance at a Stanley Cup upset that could leave the Oilers with regrets.
Detroit Grips and Doesn’t Do Anything
The Detroit Red Wings have not made the playoffs since the 2015–16 season. They have not won a playoff series since 2012–13. There was a feeling a few weeks ago that they might be able to end the playoff drought they had created with one of the best offenses in the league, and they are ready to do so. The problem with this team is that they are no longer able to defend and they don’t have the ability to score goals.
There was no way the Red Wings could address any weaknesses before the deadline. They have chosen to stand their ground and move forward with the roster they have. This is a bit surprising given their lack of success for most of the last decade.
It comes to a time and point where the Red Wings need to do this or else Steve Yzerman, as general manager, may have serious questions raised about his plans and may regret that decision if the playoff drought extends for another season. Maybe there was nothing to do.
Boston Doesn’t Approach Its Defense More
The Boston Bruins made some small moves at the trade deadline and acquired two great players in forward Pat Maroon and defenseman Andrew Peake. From a personal perspective, I don’t see anything wrong in either move. Both players are top-notch, Maroon brings a lot of energy and tenacity to the bottom six and when it comes to the PK, he may be able to bring more than the Bruins could bring to Columbus.
That team has some excellent all-around defensemen who lead their top four, namely Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. However, after that, there was a significant decline in talent and production. When the season began, center depth seemed like it would be the Bruins’ biggest need. This issue no longer matters as Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha have found their place in bigger roles.
This accident shows that his defense, which was his biggest strength, has now become his biggest concern. If Ullmark or Swayman’s form dips even slightly come playoff time, they may regret not doing more.
Everything Toronto Did and Didn’t Do
Toronto Maple Leafs is the only NHL Team that is facing more pressure for winning in playoffs than other teams. Over the past seven years, this group didn’t do anything relevant to stay in this playoffs.
When we talk about their scoring depth and blue line they have serious needs. They also added two defensemen to their roster whose names are Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson.
Marner and John Tavares are set to enter the final year of their contracts next season. At some point, it seems they will have to do something with this origin. This decision will become very regrettable for them when their team again loses in the first or second round.
The Kings Do Not Add Infraction
The Kings did everything better as a team, they did so well from their defensive play to their ability to control possession. If we talk more about them then they are getting some surprisingly strong goaltending. They did something horrible that they transferred all their territorial dominance into actual goals.
