The NHL’s 2024 commerce deadline has come and gone, bringing disappointment to some fan bases, pleasure to others, and sheer shock to the entire hockey world because the Vegas Golden Knights pulled off their newest bombshell transfer on the buzzer.
How did your workforce do?
The Athletic checked in with its NHL workers Friday evening, asking our writers to charge each workforce’s efficiency forward of the deadline. We needed to outline “forward of” in some way, so we selected the 2 weeks main as much as March 8 — or, functionally, every little thing for the reason that Calgary Flames despatched Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 28. So strikes made a couple of month sooner than that, just like the Sean Monahan (Feb. 2) and Elias Lindholm (Jan. 31) offers, are excluded.
Right here’s what our writers stated, with each workforce scored on a 1 (horrible) to 10 (greatest deadline within the league) scale.
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: Basic supervisor Pat Verbeek had a reasonably clear plan in dealing gamers on expiring contracts who had worth. Getting a third-round choose within the 2025 draft for Ilya Lyubushkin as a substitute of this 12 months might need felt just a little on the sunshine facet, however Verbeek was fantastic with that as he already has three third-round picks. Hanging on to Adam Henrique till he obtained a first-round choose proved to be a victory. It provides Henrique and gritty ahead Sam Carrick a powerful likelihood to win all of it with Edmonton and the Geese now have seven picks within the first three rounds. Possibly Verbeek may have dealt Frank Vatrano, too, however he didn’t should and wasn’t blown away with a suggestion. Add within the January stunner of buying NCAA goal-scoring chief Cutter Gauthier as a possible core ahead and Verbeek has performed some stable asset administration. — Eric Stephens
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Geese comply with commerce Henrique, Carrick to Oilers for first-round choose
Score: 2 out of 10
Evaluation: The Coyotes went into promote mode late within the recreation, which in all probability contributed to the truth that they didn’t get something of consequence for his or her two major leases, Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba. The one factor they did accomplish was to maintain their salary-retention slots open in case they should make the most of them at a later date. Nashville, which picked up Zucker, and Tampa Bay, which added Dumba, took on the complete contract commitments for each gamers, which is why the Predators and Lightning obtained them so low-cost. However the expectation, when each had been signed final summer season was that in the event that they did turn into leases on the deadline, they’d command far increased costs. — Eric Duhatschek
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NHL commerce grades: Predators land Jason Zucker from Coyotes at a cut price value
Score: 3 out of 10
Evaluation: The Bruins had their palms tied by their lack of cap house and futures (no picks in Spherical 1 by 3 in 2024). They might have improved each these areas by buying and selling Linus Ullmark and bettering extra considerably at protection or ahead. However they saved Ullmark and purchased depth gamers in Pat Maroon and Andrew Peeke. That stated, they nonetheless have their No. 1 place of energy in Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. — Fluto Shinzawa
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Why did Bruins solely add depth gamers on the commerce deadline? A Linus Ullmark hangup might clarify
Score: 7 out of 10
Evaluation: Kevyn Adams managed to commerce Casey Mittelstadt for a younger stud defenseman in Bowen Byram. I feel that transfer will age effectively if Byram can keep wholesome, and it provides the Sabres flexibility to vary the look of their ahead group this summer season. Adams additionally obtained a fourth-round choose for Erik Johnson, who has had an underwhelming season, and let Kyle Okposo land with a playoff contender. This wasn’t a slam dunk deadline, however Adams did as a lot as may very well be anticipated. The actual check for him comes in the summertime. — Matthew Fairburn
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Why Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt-Bowen Byram commerce is a threat value taking for Kevyn Adams
Calgary Flames
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: The Flames obtained modest-but-not-awful returns for Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. It’s unclear how shut they really obtained to transferring Jacob Markstrom, however he now turns into a summer season storyline. Basic supervisor Craig Conroy in all probability deserved a greater rating for his summer season than for the deadline. He nonetheless wants a high-end participant or prospect to assist his retool. — Julian McKenzie
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Is Craig Conroy garnering sufficient high quality property for the Flames’ retool?
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: The Hurricanes lastly pushed their chips into the center of the desk, nabbing the most important rental in the marketplace in Jake Guentzel. Guentzel provides Carolina a two-time 40-goal scorer who can hopefully give the workforce the form of prompt offense it has, at occasions, lacked — and the Hurricanes did it with out giving up any of their “A” prospects. Basic supervisor Don Waddell then went cut price looking and traded for Evgeny Kuznetsov, a low-risk, high-reward transfer that can both pay dividends or solely value them a third-round choose and a few cap house. If Guentzel can show he’s the identical participant with out using alongside Sidney Crosby and Kuznetsov is ready to revive his profession — two ifs, for sure — then Carolina may very well be lifting a Stanley Cup in a number of months. — Cory Lavalette
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NHL commerce deadline winners and losers: Golden Knights, Avalanche, Hurricanes load up for playoff run
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: The Blackhawks weren’t anticipated to do a lot on the commerce deadline, they usually didn’t. Their solely transfer was getting a fifth-round choose for Anthony Beauvillier. It appears like they may have retained cash as a 3rd get together on offers, however the reward wasn’t nice sufficient. By re-signing Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno and Petr Mrázek within the months main as much as the deadline, they diminished their possibilities of being an lively vendor in latest weeks. — Scott Powers
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What I am listening to concerning the Blackhawks because the commerce deadline approaches
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: The Avalanche added two good gamers in Sean Walker and Casey Mittelstadt. Much more vital, they each match Colorado’s model of play completely, and within the case of Mittelstadt, fill a large want. He hasn’t had his true breakout but however led the Sabres with 47 factors this season. The offensive talent is there, so taking part in with a high-octane Avs workforce might carry out the perfect in Mittelstadt. It appears like everybody on the prime of the West obtained higher this week. Colorado definitely did. — Jesse Granger
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Baugh: Avalanche’s day of trades may outline GM Chris MacFarland’s tenure
Score: 7 out of 10
Evaluation: The Blue Jackets’ commerce deadline was precisely as anticipated: Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke had been unloaded for draft picks, however any bigger strikes — sure, they had been mentioned, interim normal supervisor John Davidson stated — had been placed on maintain for the GM who can be employed possible after the season. Essentially the most spectacular deal was Peeke, who has two extra years on his contract at $2.75 million and no spot within the lineup. It’s solely going to get more durable subsequent 12 months when prospects David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk arrive. Roslovic obtained squeezed by younger expertise, too, and, as an unrestricted free agent, was not prone to return. — Aaron Portzline
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Are the Blue Jackets, ‘on a mission,’ lastly getting it collectively? There are optimistic indicators
Dallas Stars
Score: 9 out of 10
Evaluation: The Stars had one obtrusive want, for a right-handed defenseman, they usually addressed it by buying the highest participant obtainable at that place and didn’t quit an entire lot to get the deal performed, both. It’s arduous to ask far more from a entrance workplace than that. The flurry of strikes from their competitors within the convention took just a little shine off the Chris Tanev commerce, however inner upgrades — Tyler Seguin getting wholesome, calling up Mavrik Bourque — stay on the desk. — Saad Yousuf
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Yousuf: Chris Tanev commerce places the Stars in prime place to chase the Stanley Cup
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: The Purple Wings deadline was outlined by inaction. They cleared some wanted future cap house by unloading the contract of Klim Kostin, who was on the books for $2 million subsequent season regardless of taking part in a restricted function (typically as a scratch), however in any other case, Steve Yzerman stood pat. Detroit explored changing Kostin with one other ahead however as a substitute opted to belief its organizational depth in filling that gap. And for a workforce seeking to snap a seven-year playoff drought, that made for an anticlimactic day. The middling grade right here is as a result of the Purple Wings didn’t achieve something (in addition to a number of cap {dollars}) however didn’t lose something both, trusting within the group that obtained them thus far to complete the job. — Max Bultman
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Purple Wings quiet at deadline: What it means for playoff race
Edmonton Oilers
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: It will have been great if the Oilers made a much bigger splash by buying somebody like Jake Guentzel, Pavel Buchnevich or Chris Tanev. Nonetheless, normal supervisor Ken Holland and his workers did some fantastic work by nabbing three gamers, significantly the versatile Adam Henrique. The veteran ahead may also help tackle both second-line wing or bottom-six heart, two areas the place Edmonton wanted to enhance. Throw in Sam Carrick and Troy Stecher for depth, and the Oilers had an unremarkable however stable deadline, which ought to lock them in as a real Stanley Cup favourite. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman
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Nugent-Bowman: Regardless of quiet deadline, Oilers are nonetheless the workforce to beat out West
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: Invoice Zito needed so as to add to his middle-six however didn’t have a lot to supply — and he managed anyway. Vladimir Tarasenko utilizing his no-movement clause to steer his solution to South Florida helped. Sabres normal supervisor Kevyn Adams’ need to do proper by Kyle Okposo did, as effectively. It doesn’t matter what, Zito’s roster is stronger than it was final week, and the Panthers appear to be prepared for one more playoff run. — Sean Gentille
Score: 2 out of 10
Evaluation: Their mattress was made when buying Pierre-Luc Dubois within the offseason pushed them to the cap. And so they’ll be relying on some or all of injured veterans Adrian Kempe, Mikey Anderson, Viktor Arvidsson and Carl Grundstrom returning down the stretch and into the postseason (assuming they dangle on to their positions). However the Kings’ cap points have made it troublesome to make a commerce at any level. They’ll should depend on Dubois making a distinction and All-Star goalie Cam Talbot giving them greater than they spent on him. However when the highest groups within the West leveled up and also you didn’t, can you actually name this deadline a hit? — Eric Stephens
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Why Cam Talbot could be the Kings’ reply in internet in any case
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: It’s arduous to attain this as a result of it was clearly an underwhelming deadline within the midst of a disappointing season, but it surely’s precisely what Joe Smith and I forecasted — that Zach Bogosian can be re-signed and free brokers Brandon Duhaime, Connor Dewar and Pat Maroon would possible be dealt for picks. It’s a damaged file, but when the coaching camp extensions to Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman didn’t occur, the deadline would have had much more spice. — Michael Russo
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‘They performed arduous for us’: Wild GM Invoice Guerin talks bittersweet deadline as Dewy 1 and a pair of say goodbye
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: The Canadiens didn’t have a lot to supply on the commerce deadline, so discovering a solution to deal Jake Allen, get a third-round choose that might flip right into a second and likewise alleviate their season-long drawback of getting three NHL goaltenders multi function swoop is fairly good work. Basic supervisor Kent Hughes needed to monetize his lone remaining wage retention slot, and he did that. Should you throw within the Sean Monahan commerce to the Jets initially of February, this grade goes as much as a ten. — Arpon Basu
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Kent Hughes used opposing methods to monetize what little the Canadiens needed to supply
Nashville Predators
Score: 6 out of 10
Evaluation: The Preds’ 9-0-1 tear impressed Barry Trotz to do some shopping for, and the important thing additions are forwards Jason Zucker and Anthony Beauvillier, plus a third-round choose. Yakov Trenin is out the door together with a fifth and sixth. That’s a internet achieve with out sacrificing the massive image. However Trotz didn’t transfer Alexandre Provider and should not be capable of lengthen him — a one-year deal for Dante Fabbro makes you surprise. His goalie resolution is deferred to the summer season, and Juuse Saros is taking part in proper now like a goalie who may make a workforce harmful within the spring. — Joe Rexrode
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NHL commerce deadline: Grading each deal accomplished this commerce season
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: The Devils’ deadline in a vacuum was fantastic. They obtained what they may for Tyler Toffoli, and most significantly, they created cap house for subsequent 12 months by buying and selling Vitek Vanecek — beneath contract with a $3.4 million cap hit by 2024-25 — for Kaapo Kahkonen, a pending unrestricted free agent. Tom Fitzgerald additionally picked up Jake Allen, who the Devils could have for subsequent 12 months too. My fundamental query is that if they may have performed any of this sooner, particularly given how a lot the Devils’ goalies struggled all year long. Had Fitzgerald traded for goalies earlier within the 12 months, would this workforce be a bit nearer to the playoff race? As a substitute of constructing strikes targeted on 2024-25, would New Jersey have spent the deadline attempting so as to add? — Peter Baugh
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With Devils’ strikes, Tom Fitzgerald appears to be like to summer season of ‘big-game looking’ forward
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: Are you able to give a score to nothing? The Islanders made zero transactions previously 10 days, including nobody and subtracting nobody, save placing Scott Mayfield on long-term injured reserve. Lou Lamoriello put this workforce along with a number of long-term contracts and, with Patrick Roy on the helm and a five-game successful streak boosting them again into the playoff hunt, determined no adjustments had been crucial. Exhausting to gauge whether or not that’s a successful technique or if the Isles merely didn’t have room or the property to get within the deadline combine. — Arthur Staple
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Daniel Briere on Flyers’ deadline priorities and why he held on to Scott Laughton
Score: 6 out of 10
Evaluation: The Rangers stuffed their obtrusive wants. They obtained Alex Wennberg to play third-line heart and added Jack Roslovic as a possible possibility at proper wing alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Chris Drury additionally picked up a depth defenseman in Chad Ruhwedel. The workforce made all these strikes with out parting with a first-round choose or a prospect. New York’s deadline may find yourself wanting wonderful if Roslovic clicks into place on the highest line, but it surely feels as if convention foes Florida and Carolina — groups the Rangers might need to undergo within the playoffs — had been in a position to do extra to solidify their rosters. — Peter Baugh
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Chris Drury fills Rangers’ wants at commerce deadline however holds off on flashy transfer
Score: 6 out of 10
Evaluation: Steve Staios didn’t do something drastic in his first commerce deadline as Senators normal supervisor. Positive, his return for Vladimir Tarasenko might have appeared delicate on the floor, however while you understand this was a purchaser’s market and Tarasenko managed his vacation spot, there actually wasn’t a lot Staios may do. As Staios informed The Athletic on Friday, he tried to have a look at some aggressive strikes — however stopped quick as a result of he didn’t really feel like he was getting honest worth. “And on the finish of the day, we had been very accountable with how we went about issues,” Staios stated. The end result was a reasonably quiet and uneventful deadline for Staios, but it surely ought to set the desk for an attention-grabbing summer season the place he can put a definitive stamp on this roster. — Ian Mendes
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Steve Staios displays on his first commerce deadline as Senators GM: ‘It is arduous to speed up persistence’
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: Getting a first-round choose within the deal for Sean Walker was a pleasant little bit of enterprise by Daniel Briere. He additionally obtained a crucial depth defenseman in Erik Johnson and made a low-risk wager on Denis Gurianov. The place he loses a number of factors is that the Flyers at the moment are caught with Ryan Johansen and his $4 million wage cap hit by subsequent season, with no obvious plans to play him. That would additionally result in extra useless cash that might hurt future plans. — Kevin Kurz
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Daniel Briere on Flyers’ deadline priorities and why he held on to Scott Laughton
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: The Penguins’ fan base possessed outrageous expectations for what a rental would fetch, even one nearly as good as Jake Guentzel. That stated, Kyle Dubas was unable to land any bluechip prospects, which was disappointing. Nonetheless, three first rate prospects are headed to a franchise that might use assist in that regard. It was a small step in the suitable course. — Josh Yohe
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‘No person’s blissful about it’: Kyle Dubas on promoting at first commerce deadline
Score: 5 out of 10
Evaluation: Sharks normal supervisor Mike Grier isn’t in an enviable place as a vendor on a transparent bottomfeeder, however he pushed ahead together with his huge rebuild by doing the anticipated in buying and selling Anthony Duclair and the surprising in buying and selling longtime fan favourite Tomas Hertl, who Doug Wilson signed to an eight-year extension in 2022. Dealing these two is okay in terms of the long-term outlook. It’s simply the returns for these two had been … meh. A 3rd-round choose and a younger defenseman for Duclair was fantastic, however the haul for Hertl ought to have been extra. He obtained a middle prospect in David Edstrom who’s stable however doesn’t have the upside of the star they dealt, plus draft capital in one other 2025 first-round choose — but additionally Grier is retaining a portion of Hertl’s wage and cap hit for six (!) extra years. He additionally swapped goalies in buying and selling Kaapo Kahkonen for Vitek Vanecek and added depth in internet by buying 26-year-old AHLer Devin Cooley, who as soon as performed for the Jr. Sharks youth program. All in all, nothing to beat your chest over. — Eric Stephens
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Sharks embrace the rebuild abyss by buying and selling Tomáš Hertl — and hope for a fast exit
Score: 7 out of 10
Evaluation: The Seattle Kraken didn’t hit a house run, but it surely was good work performed on the NHL commerce deadline. On the skin of the playoff race — however nonetheless with a shot down the stretch — the Kraken offered Alex Wennberg to the Rangers, netting some futures in a consistent-with-market-value return. They then used the leverage of the deadline to get a deal performed with top-line winger and organizational chief Jordan Eberle on a team-friendly two-year extension. Stable, workmanlike stuff from the Kraken entrance workplace that successfully straddled the near- and long-term priorities for the third-year membership. — Thomas Drance
Score: 2 out of 10
Evaluation: We had been requested to grade our workforce’s work on the deadline, however with the Blues, you need to embody the questionable selections and unhealthy contracts that led to them doing nothing on the deadline. They couldn’t do something. They weren’t patrons, they usually had nothing to promote. The one motive I’m giving them 2 as a substitute of 1 is that normal supervisor Doug Armstrong didn’t do something impulsive, like commerce Pavel Buchnevich, to attempt to present he was doing one thing. His workforce is in a particular jam, and it was at all times going to take greater than two weeks earlier than the deadline to repair it. — Jeremy Rutherford
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Why the Blues’ Pavel Buchnevich wasn’t traded and GM Doug Armstrong caught to the ‘charted’ course
Tampa Bay Lightning
Score: 4 out of 10
Evaluation: The Anthony Duclair commerce is an efficient wager for the Lightning. The winger’s numbers could also be down throughout the board in San Jose, however that ought to change in a stronger surroundings. The Matt Dumba commerce, then again, sinks Tampa Bay’s rating. There have been quite a few protection targets the Lightning ought to have been after. However after lacking out on Noah Hanifin, the choices dwindled they usually settled for an addition that won’t be sufficient to provide them an actual increase. A minimum of the value was low. — Shayna Goldman
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NHL commerce grades: Duclair provides Lightning a middle-six increase
Score: 4 out of 10
Evaluation: The Leafs beefed up their blue line with Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson. However neither completely stuffed Toronto’s want for an affect defenseman within the prime 4. Edmundson particularly feels loads just like the defenders the Leafs have already got — a depth left shot who can conceivably play the suitable — solely he’s greater. The Leafs additionally didn’t tackle a longstanding want at heart — not an affect heart, anyway. Connor Dewar is extra depth assist in the center, a possible fourth liner. All three additions do carry some penalty-killing utility, in order that’s one thing. What the Leafs wanted, although, was extra vital assist round their stars — bolder swings like those (Noah Hanifin and Tomáš Hertl) Vegas took. Possibly a quieter deadline will repay. Or perhaps the vulnerabilities that weren’t addressed can be uncovered. — Jonas Siegel
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The Maple Leafs performed it secure on the commerce deadline. They might remorse it
Score: 7 out of 10
Evaluation: Some followers needed to see the Canucks do extra, however after making a dizzying variety of in-season trades all 12 months, the Pacific Division leaders performed it conservatively within the closing month of the deadline. Although Vancouver chased Chris Tanev and Jake Guentzel, it finally fell quick in that pursuit, preferring as a substitute to be conscious of longer-term priorities. Regardless of being quiet on the deadline, the Canucks have swung a sequence of offers which have slowly and absolutely raised the ground of a workforce that’s trending within the course of a bona fide contender. — Thomas Drance
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Drance: Why the Canucks determined to be quiet on the NHL commerce deadline
Vegas Golden Knights
Score: 10 out of 10
Evaluation: The Golden Knights got here into this deadline with the plan so as to add (loads) and did simply that. In Tomáš Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha, they added three gamers in good kind who all fill positions of want. Mantha may very well be only a rental, however Hanifin and Hertl will each be core items of the workforce transferring ahead. It wasn’t low-cost, however Vegas maximized its cap house and added a variety of expertise because it tries to show a hunch round and go on one other run. — Jesse Granger
Score: 7 out of 10
Evaluation: Brian MacLellan did effectively to chop ties with Evgeny Kuznetsov. It was time. Past that, he introduced in first rate returns on Anthony Mantha (second- and fourth-round picks) and Joel Edmundson (third- and fifth-round picks). Maintaining Max Pacioretty round was comprehensible, given his needs and the glut of rental wingers in the marketplace, and there was no have to commerce Nic Dowd or Charlie Lindgren if the supply wasn’t proper. It was fantastic work on the deadline in D.C. — Sean Gentille
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NHL commerce deadline strikes: Full evaluation of 33 offers from our workers
Winnipeg Jets
Score: 8 out of 10
Evaluation: Our Feb. 28 cutoff date is unkind to Winnipeg’s acquisition of Sean Monahan, but it surely leaves room for the Jets’ doubly devilish additions from New Jersey: Tyler Toffoli, who I see as a super proper winger for Monahan and Nikolaj Ehlers on the second line, and right-shooting defenseman Colin Miller, who supplies loads of high quality in a third-pairing and depth function. Winnipeg pulled off each acquisitions for a slew of mid-round picks: second- and third-round picks for Toffoli and a fourth-round choose for Miller. — Murat Ates
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Devils commerce Tyler Toffoli to Jets for picks
(High photographs of Tyler Toffoli, Jake Guentzel and Tomáš Hertl: Bruce Bennett and and Ezra Shaw / Getty Pictures)