Steve Staios made the first big splash.
The blockbuster move by the Ottawa Senators general manager left his captain fighting back tears as a teammate and close friend walked out the door.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made a pair of significant additions hours later in that franchise's long pursuit of playoff success before an Atlantic Division rival added an old foe.
Meanwhile, a big-name player dealt just six weeks ago is once again changing addresses.
The NHL trade deadline — with prices much higher than in recent years — came and went Friday with the usual flurry of deals as teams either loaded up for what's hoped to be a long playoff run or shed veterans with a focus on the future.
The Senators acquired Dylan Cozens from the Buffalo Sabres in a five-player deal that saw fellow centre Josh Norris leave the nation's capital.
"It's pretty tough," Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa's captain, told reporters shortly after the trade was announced. "It sucks, losing a guy like (Norris) ... everybody knows how much he means to me."
Cozens, a 24-year-old carrying a salary cap hit of US$7.1 million through 2029-30, has 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points across 61 games this season.
Norris, meanwhile, put up 20 goals and 13 assists in 53 games with Ottawa. But the 25-year-old, who carries a $7.95-million cap hit for the next five seasons, has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career — including three separate shoulder injuries that required surgery.
Ottawa, which held down the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference heading into the weekend and also added forward Fabian Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks, hasn't made the playoffs since 2017 despite a boatload of talent accumulated through a long rebuild accented by Tkachuk and star centre Tim Stutzle.
That swap was followed by the Leafs acquiring centre Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers and defenceman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins. Those trades cost Toronto two first-round picks along with forward prospects Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin.
The Florida Panthers, who previously acquired defenceman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks, then made more waves when the defending Stanley Cup champions beat the buzzer and acquired Bruins captain Brad Marchand.
The rumours swirling around Mikko Rantanen and the Carolina Hurricanes finally came to a head when the team traded the pending unrestricted free agent to the Dallas Stars for four draft picks — including two first-round selections — and young centre Logan Stankoven.
Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in late January, Rantanen declined to sign an extension with the Hurricanes, but put pen to paper on an eight-season, $96-million pact with the Stars.
The 28-year-old has cracked 100 points the last two campaigns after putting up five goals and 20 assists in Colorado's 2022 playoff run that ended with the franchise's third Cup win.
Rantanen's registered 70 points in 2024-25, but had just two goals and four assists in 13 games with the Hurricanes.
"I think we have a great organization," Carolina GM Eric Tulsky told reporters. "I think we have a great coach. I think we have a great locker room. But it doesn't fit for everyone, and it just didn't feel like home to him, as far as I can tell. And that's OK."
The Winnipeg Jets added veteran help in defenceman Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins and forward Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken.
The Edmonton Oilers added size up front with the acquisition of Trent Frederic from the Bruins in the days ahead of the deadline before getting some blue-line help in the form of Jake Walman from the Sharks.
In terms of other big trades Friday, the Avalanche added forwards Brock Nelson (New York Islanders) and Charlie Coyle (Bruins) as they continued to load up in the West.
This deadline will be remembered for the big moves, but also the sky-highs prices paid by teams looking to solidify rosters — both on rentals set to become UFAs on July 1 and players with term like Laughton and Carlo in Toronto.
Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes told reporters in Brossard, Que., that having so many clubs still in the playoff race — including his own — created a sellers' market.
"On the one end when you have expiring contracts there is that temptation to get great value," he said. "On the flip side, if you were a buyer, you knew you were paying a steep price to get into something that would help around the edges."
Leafs GM Brad Treliving put it more succinctly.
"When there's not much, you can charge more," he told the travelling media in Denver. "That seemed to be the case."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
