We’re in the home stretch of the NHL Trade Deadline, with all deals needing to be signed, sealed and delivered by 3 pm EST Friday.
General managers of both the buying and selling variety are using these last few days to try and improve their squads, either in the short term or the long. Some are dreaming of a Stanley Cup in June, and others are looking to stockpile draft picks and prospects for hopeful parades years down the line.
With that responsibility comes much pressure for the 32 GMs in the NHL.
Related: NHL analyst Martin Biron breaks down goalie market ahead of trade deadline
5 NHL general managers facing most pressure ahead of March 8 deadline
No. 5: Chris Drury – New York Rangers
It’s been six years since The Letter was sent by the New York Rangers to their fans indicating a change of direction towards a younger team that would eventually compete for a Stanley Cup championship.
Well, that time is now.
Chris Drury has arguably been the boldest GM this time of year during his first two deadlines on the job. He added depth in 2022 by acquiring Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Justin Braun and Tyler Motte, which paid off with a surprise trip to the Eastern Conference Final, when they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He went a bit splashier 12 months ago by adding Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane to less than stellar results and a first-round loss to the New Jersey Devils in seven games that led to Gerard Gallant being dismissed as coach.
Similar needs are back, with the Rangers looking for a top-line right wing and depth center. Drury must balance filling these holes with not messing up some solid team chemistry. It’s a tightrope he’s walking, for sure.
The Rangers have been near the top of the NHL standings since the end of October. In a wide-open Eastern Conference, the time to strike is now. It’s up to Drury to get it right.
No. 4: Kyle Dubas – Pittsburgh Penguins
With the understanding there’s no change coming to the top hockey spot in Pittsburgh, there’s no doubt Kyle Dubas is feeling the pressure to make sure he succeeds at his first trade deadline in the Steel City.
Despite the biggest move of last offseason when the Penguins acquired Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, they are on their way to missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in the Sidney Crosby era. And Dubas spoke recently of a need to get younger, signaling an eye on the future.
Fortunately, Dubas could have the biggest trade chip of them all in Jake Guentzel, an impending UFA who happens to have 34 goals in 58 Stanley Cup Playoff games to go with two championship rings. A bidding war for his services could inject new life into a franchise that’s starting to feel long in the tooth.
Dubas cannot fail to maximize the return should Guentzel be traded.
No. 3: Don Sweeney – Boston Bruins
Twelve months ago Don Sweeney’s Boston Bruins were setting the world on fire on their way to a 65-win, 135-point regular season. He plugged holes leading up to the deadline by acquiring Dmitry Orlov, Tyler Bertuzzi and Garnet Hathaway, only to see his team blow a series lead and fall to the Florida Panthers in seven games in the Eastern Conference First Round.
Few, if any, picked the Bruins to be a powerhouse this season following the departure of several key cogs, most notably captain Patrice Bergeron and center David Krejci. And while no records are in danger of falling this season in Beantown, the Bruins find themselves near the top of the standings once again heading toward the deadline.
Now, though, it’s Cup or bust for the Bruins, as simply getting to the dance and even winning a round or two is out the window in terms of success for Sweeney, who is now in his ninth season as GM.
Sweeney and the Bruins are projected to have less than $60K in cap space and are without any picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, and no No. 2 next season, making any moves a possible difficult endeavor.
Calgary Flames stud defenseman Noah Hanifin wants to play on the East Coast. Can Sweeney find a way to make it happen in Boston before the deadline?
No. 2: Don Waddell – Carolina Hurricanes
It feels like an annual tradition among hockey pundits — especially those in the analytics wing — to choose the Carolina Hurricanes as the preseason Stanley Cup champion.
Don Waddell’s clubs have had plenty of regular-season success during his near-six-year tenure as both president and GM, and have advanced to the Eastern Conference Final on two occasions, including last season. Strangely, though, they’ve been swept in both appearances.
The Hurricanes have one of the deepest offensive groups in the NHL, and its defensive six is one most teams would love to have.
As stated above, the East is wide open, and unlike most contenders, Waddell and the Hurricanes are flush with cap space heading into Thursday, with just under $6 million to spend.
Another disappointing playoff after what should be a strong regular season could have Hurricanes owner Thomas Dundon looking at possible changes in the front office. So, the heat is on Waddell,
No. 1: Ken Holland – Edmonton Oilers
We’re approaching the end of Year 5 for Ken Holland with the Edmonton Oilers. It feels like it’s now or never with a group that possesses the greatest player on the planet in Connor McDavid and another that could be in the Top 5 (Leon Draisaitl) to get over the hump and do something meaningful in the playoffs.
Holland already fired his coach this year in a move that certainly has seemed to spark the Oilers, who went from the basement of the standings squarely into the thick of the playoffs in the competitive Western Conference. A 16-game winning streak can do that.
As always, the big guns are leading the way offensively. Holland could look for some depth up front or a defensemen with playoff experience with the roughly $2.4 million they’re projected to have on Friday. The Oilers could also target a goal to back up Stuart Skinner.
The 68-year-old is in the final year of his contract, meaning there could be a clean break between Holland and the Oilers if they don’t make a deep playoff run this spring.