NHL's Notable Stretch Drive Pickups

For Stanley Cup contenders, the NHL's annual trade deadline is a time to gamble. Sometimes trades backfire, but every so often a team lands the final piece of its championship puzzle.

SI Staff | Mar 5, 2014

NHL's Notable Stretch Drive Pickups /

NHL's Notable Stretch Drive Pickups

Marian Gaborik

Seeking offensive punch, the Kings acquired the talented but oft-injured sniper from Columbus on March 5, 2014 for forward Matt Frattin and two draft picks. Gaborik, who had six goals and 14 points in 34 games during a regular season marred by a broken collarbone, proved to be the tonic that L.A. needed. He went on the lead the NHL in postseason goals (14), the most by a King in one playoff year since Wayne Gretzky, and became the first player ever to score a tying goal in the final 10 seconds of regulation and then win a playoff game in overtime (vs. Anaheim) as the Kings rolled to their second Stanley Cup in three years.

Martin St. Louis/Ryan Callahan

The deadline day blockbuster of 2014 was a trade of captains with the Rangers sending impending unrestricted free agent winger Ryan Callahan to the Lightning for Martin St. Louis. Tampa Bay's longtime winger and offensive force had demanded a trade to New York after he was snubbed for Canada's Olympic team by his GM Steve Yzerman. St.Louis played a key role in the Rangers' run to the Stanley Cup finals, where they fell to the Kings.

Jarome Iginla

The Penguins made a splash by acquiring three veterans: forward Brenden Morrow from the Dallas Stars (for defensive prospect Joe Morrow and a 2013 fifth-round pick), defenseman Douglas Murray from the Sharks (for 2013 and '14 second-round picks) and, most notably, winger Jarome Iginla from the Flames (for two prospects and a 2013 first-rounder). The Penguins were considered heavy Cup favorites, but despite their new acquisitions they fell short in the Eastern Conference finals where they were swept by Boston. Ironically, Iginla signed with the Bruins after the season.

Jeff Carter

After an unproductive stint in Columbus, the 27-year-old forward was acquired by the Kings on Feb. 23 for defenseman Jack Johnson and a first-round pick in the 2013 draft. Being reunited with former Flyers teammate Mike Richards helped revive Carter's comfort level and his scoring touch—he'd been a 46-goal man in Philadelphia—and he potted 18 goals in 32 games down the stretch as the Kings rallied to grab the eighth seed in the West. In the playoffs, he proved to be a force (eight goals, 13 points in 20 games), scoring his first career postseason hat trick in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals vs. Phoenix plus the OT winner in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals vs. New Jersey as well as the Cup-clincher in Game 6.

Chris Kelly

Boston's stretch drive acquisitions included defenseman Tomas Kaberle, forward Rich Peverley, and Kelly, who brought toughness, defensive reliability, and some scoring from the Senators on Feb. 15 for a 2011 second-round pick. "I've obviously had a connection with him in my time with Ottawa," Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli told NHL.com. "He's a high-character person. He plays both ways. We needed a centerman that's going to give us some depth, and Chris can give us that and he can play up and down the lineup." During the Bruins' run to the Stanley Cup, the versatile Kelly appeared in 25 games, scoring five goals and 13 points with a solid +11 rating as a valuable "glue guy" for Boston.

Marian Hossa

Among the significant pickups of 2008 was Pittsburgh's acquisition of sniper Marian Hossa, along with winger Pascal Dupuis, from Atlanta for winger Colby Armstrong, centers Erik Christensen and Angelo Esposito, and a 2008 first-round pick. The deal was questioned after Hossa signed with Detroit after the season, but for a little more than three months he played a vital, productive role in helping the Penguins reach the Stanley Cup finals.

Chris Kunitz

The productive winger was acquired from Anaheim with center Eric Tangradi on Feb. 26, 2009 for defenseman Ryan Whitney. A rugged forechecker with solid playmaking skills and scoring touch, Kunitz brought championship experience, having scored 25 goals for the Ducks' 2006-07 Stanley Cup championship team. He produced a goal and 13 assists in 24 playoff games during the Pens' run to the 2009 Cup and he's since proved to be a consistently valuable addition while playing on Sidney Crosby's line. Kunitz had a career year in 2011-12 (26 goals, 61 points) and followed it up by remaining in the top five of NHL scorers for much of 2013.

Mark Recchi and Doug Weight

The 'Canes added Weight to their offense on Jan. 30 by giving the Blues three picks and three players, and replaced the injured Erik Cole by renting Recchi from Pittsburgh an hour before the March 9 trading deadline. Each player scored 16 postseason points as Carolina drove to its first Stanley Cup.

Dwayne Roloson

Acquiring the journeyman goaltender from the Wild on March 8 for a first-round pick proved to be a surprisingly successful move. Roloson went 8-7, 2.43 GAA down the stretch and backstopped the upstart Oilers to the Cup finals before being sidelined with a sprained knee in Game 1.

Steve Thomas and Rob Niedermayer

Thomas, a speedy, hard-working winger with scoring touch, had made deep playoff runs with the Islanders ('93) and Maple Leafs ('86, '99). He was acquired from Chicago on March 11, the day the big, fast Niedermayer, a veteran of Florida's surprising run to the '96 Cup finals, arrived. The pair helped propel the surprising Ducks to a seven-game Cup finals loss to the Devils.

Ray Bourque

Boston's iconic, high-scoring backliner was dealt to Colorado at the deadline, hoping to finally win the Cup. The Avs fell in the Western Conference final, but Bourque ultimately sipped from the chalice in 2001—his 22nd and final season—after contributing 10 points in 21 postseason games.

Mike Keane

The hardworking winger was a key part of Montreal's '93 Cup champs, and later donned the Habs' C, before he was traded with Patrick Roy to Colorado during the Avs' 1995-96 Cup season. The Stars acquired him from the Rangers before the '98 deadline. A year later, Keane gave Dallas a dose of indispensable grit during the Stars' Cup run in '99.

Larry Murphy

The offensively gifted veteran, who won two Cups with Pittsburgh, was acquired from Toronto on March 18. The Wings went on to win the Cup, the first of their two consecutive championships with the future Hall of Famer on the backline.

Ray Sheppard

Poor skating didn't prevent Sheppard from scoring 52 goals for Detroit in 1993-94, and his scrappy skill sparked Florida's surprising run to the '96 Cup finals after he was acquired from San Jose on March 16. Sheppard scored eight goals and 16 points in Florida's 21 postseason games.

Slava Fetisov

The legendary Russian defenseman was dealt by the Devils on April 3, 1995. In Detroit, he replaced the injured Mark Howe and the Wings soared to the Cup finals where they were swept by Fetisov's former team. But Fetisov later skated for Detroit's 1997 and '98 Cup-winners.

Brad Richards

Richards brought a playmaking spark from Tampa Bay in a deal that included backup goaltender Johan Holmqvist for Stars netminder Mike Smith, center Jeff Halpern, winger Jussi Jokinen and a fourth-round pick in 2009. He immediately caught fire in Dallas, scoring 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 12 games down the stretch and another 15 in the playoffs as the Stars became a spring surprise by reaching the Western Conference finals.

Martin Gelinas

A member of Edmonton's 1990 Cup champs, Gelinas was plucked off waivers from Quebec on Jan. 15 and began a string of remarkable postseason performances. The winger helped the Canucks reach the Cup finals against the Rangers and later scored huge postseason goals for Cup finalists Carolina (2000) and Calgary (2004).

Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson

Rick Stewart, Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Pittsburgh's run of two successive Cups began after Francis arrived from Hartford on March 4, 1991. One of the best two-way forwards, he scored 17 points in the playoffs and became a Pens' mainstay for seven seasons. Feared blueliner Samuelsson, acquired with Francis, added bruising physicality.

Andy Moog

A veteran of three Cups in Edmonton, the disgruntled Moog was dealt to Boston on March 8, 1988, pairing with Reggie Lemelin to send the Bruins to the finals. The deal also benefited the Oilers, who received goalie Bill Ranford, the starter on their 1989-90 team that beat Moog's B's in the Cup finals.

Joe Mullen

The Hall of Fame forward arrived from St. Louis in a six-player deal on Feb. 1, 1986, bringing toughness, scoring and superb two-way play. He scored 29 goals down the stretch and another 12 in the playoffs as the Flames reached the Cup finals, only to fall to Montreal.

Butch Goring

The final piece that launched the Isles' dynasty arrived at midnight before the 1980 deadline. Goring brought crucial leadership, experience, durability, face-off skills and additional scoring from the Kings in exchange for Dave Lewis and Billy Harris. The Isles went on to win the first of their four straight Cups. Goring won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1981.

Published Mar 5, 2014

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