Wilderness Walk: Trades! Trades!

Tuesday was absolutely insane. Three days before the NHL trade deadline, general managers across the league treated it like it was Friday and decided to get all the action out within 12 hours.

Not all the action, but it was that minute-by-minute feeling where anything could truly happen and any player could get traded to any team. There’s no time to waste so let’s look at some of the deals.

That’s Wild

• For our Minnesota Wild, the first of two trades they made within hours of each other, was acquiring Marcus Johansson from the Washington Capitals for a 2024 third-round pick. A fairly standard cost for a depth winger that might pop in a couple goals in the playoffs. [Hockey Wilderness]
• And just hours later, they got someone who should play above Johansson in the lineup, by trading just a measly 2023 fifth-round pick for Gustav Nyquist from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nyquist is injured but should return either just before the regular season ends or right before the playoffs. [Hockey Wilderness]

Off the trail...

• Well, just about every other NHL team made a transaction on Tuesday as well. Luke Schenn returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs, as that team reshaped its blue line and got rid of young Rasmus Sandin. [Yahoo Sports]
• Patrick Kane finally joined the New York Rangers. [CBC]
• The Edmonton Oilers got their guy by trading for Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators. [Sportsnet]
• There are still plenty of trade rumors out there before Friday’s deadline. Players from game-changers to bargain scorers. [ESPN]