Grading Every Major NHL Trade Made on July 1

It’s been quite the NHL offseason so far, hasn’t it? From offer sheets (Barrett Hayton to the New Jersey Devils) to the free-agent frenzy, there was plenty of action on July 1. But the fireworks weren’t limited to free agency. There were also plenty of notable trades on Day 1 of free agency. Let’s hand out some grades for the trades that took place yesterday.

Mavrik Bourque to the Predators

One would have to assume the Dallas Stars traded Mavrik Bourque due to the threat of an offer sheet, right? Maybe the Nashville Predators were the team threatening an offer sheet. Maybe they weren’t, but they were the beneficiaries and acquired a young forward who has top-six potential.

Bourque had a solid season for the Stars, totaling 20 goals and 41 points in 81 games. He finished with an expected goals share (xG%) above 54 percent and was one of the team’s more efficient five-on-five scorers. The Predators have to get him re-signed, but they should be able to ink him to a two- or three-year bridge deal. Even though they have to eat Ilya Lyubushkin’s contract for a year, acquiring Bourque was worth it.

The Stars were in a tough spot because of the uncertainty with Jason Robertson, but at least they got a couple of second-round picks for Bourque. An offer sheet for Bourque would likely have been similar to Hayton’s, which was one year at $4.775 million and has draft compensation of just one second-rounder. They made the best out of having their backs against the wall.

Predators Grade: B+

Stars Grade: B-

Marcus Pettersson to the Rangers

The Rangers have been overhauling their defense this offseason. One of their moves was acquiring Marcus Pettersson, who has a long history with head coach Mike Sullivan from their time with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pettersson struggled last season, but that was likely a product of being on the Vancouver Canucks.

That could mean Pettersson is a good bounce-back candidate. He takes a lot of hits, but he’s a solid defender and has some puck-moving ability. He should fit into the Rangers’ top four right behind Vladislav Gavrikov on the left side.

In doing so, the Rangers gave up a 2030 first-round pick (top-10 protected). That has a very NBA return feel to it, but it’s a first-round pick, so sure, why not? The Canucks need assets as they set out on a rebuild, so it can’t hurt to acquire another first, even if it’s many years away.

Rangers Grade: B+

Canucks Grade: B

Will Borgen to the Bruins

In a corresponding move, the Rangers traded defenseman Will Borgen to the Boston Bruins for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 conditional third-round pick. Borgen has four years left on his contract at a cap hit of $4.1 million.

It’s a bit telling that the Rangers got out of Borgen’s contract only after a year. It’s not that he’s a bad defenseman, but clearly, they soured on his play. A $4.1 million cap hit is not the worst for a third-pair defender in the rising cap world, but Borgen has limitations. He’s more of a defensive defenseman, but the Bruins needed a right-handed shot. I suppose it works, but it seems that his contract will age poorly. Hence, why the Rangers are getting out of it.

I like the Rangers’ end of this deal more. They cleared Borgen’s contract and replaced him with Sean Durzi, who we’ll get to in a second. Another solid move by GM Chris Drury.

Rangers Grade: B+

Bruins Grade: C+

Vincent Trocheck to the Mammoth

It was a busy day for the Rangers, as you can see. Vincent Trocheck’s name had been in the rumor mill since the trade deadline, but the Rangers held on to him, hoping for a stronger return during the offseason. While I can’t say the Rangers got that stronger return, they still did well.

As mentioned, they acquired Durzi as part of the package for Trocheck. He’s struggled with injuries, but he’s an effective puck-moving, third-pair defender when available. I’d say they upgraded on Borgen, so job well done by Drury. They also received prospect Cole Beaudoin, who looks like he has plenty of promise.

As for the Mammoth, they desperately needed another center. Their situation is a bit complicated now because of the Hayton offer sheet. But even if they let him walk to the Devils, a center combo of Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, and Trocheck is quite good; Jack McBain can play center, too. They could make some noise in the Central next season. Overall, a fun hockey trade for both sides.

Rangers Grade: B+

Mammoth Grade: B+

Joonas Korpisalo to the Rangers

Did the Rangers make all the trades on July 1? Close to it. Joonas Korpisalo had a solid season with the Bruins, totaling a save percentage of .894 while allowing one goal more than expected. He was the definition of league average.

Still, this trade was a bit more questionable for the Rangers. Fans are high on prospect Dylan Garand, who seemed like the favorite to back up Igor Shesterkin next season. Korpisalo also has two years left on his contract at a $3 million cap hit, and his history suggests he could regress to being worse than league average.

As for the Bruins, they get a 2028 fourth-round pick and a prospect. I have to imagine they plan on having Michael DiPietro back up Jeremy Swayman next season, so this is a good move to clear the roster and cap space for him.

Rangers Grade: C+

Bruins Grade: B+

Nick Robertson to the Penguins

Kyle Dubas has been one of the most active GMs in the NHL over the last calendar year. He made a couple of trades before July 1, but he didn’t stop yesterday, acquiring Nick Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s quite familiar with Robertson from their time together in Toronto.

Robertson is not what his brother, Jason, is, but he’s a quality middle-six winger who’s shown some finishing ability. He doesn’t push play in favor of his team, but he should help add some scoring pop in the middle six. It doesn’t hurt that he helps make the Penguins’ roster younger, too.

Given all the moves the Maple Leafs made yesterday, it’s no surprise they parted ways with Robertson. They receive a mid-round pick in return, which seems like fair value for him.

Penguins Grade: B

Maple Leafs Grade: B

Darnell Nurse to the Sharks

The San Jose Sharks put a lot of money into their blue line yesterday, but they could have been smarter about it. Darnell Nurse is not a bad defenseman. I’d even argue that he’s a fine top-four defender, but he is significantly overpaid for what he is, even in the rising cap world.

I also question whether Nurse is a good fit for the Sharks’ needs, but the real problem is that they no longer have a clean cap sheet. Between acquiring Nurse and signing Jacob Trouba to a four-year deal worth $8.25 million per year, they have two contracts that are likely to cause problems for them in a few years. That’s one way to damage what has been a very promising rebuild so far.

As for the Oilers, they receive Shakir Mukhamadullin, who can probably fill a third-pair role. Most importantly, they clear Nurse’s contract and gain much more financial flexibility. This was a tidy bit of business for GM Stan Bowman.

Sharks Grade: C-

Oilers Grade: A-

Nick Paul to the Maple Leafs, Dennis Hildeby to the Lightning

The Maple Leafs were one of the most active teams in free agency, but they also made a notable move on the trade market. In search of bottom-six depth, they acquired Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby.

Paul missed 32 games due to injury last season and never seemed to find his footing, totaling just seven goals and 15 points. He finished with 20+ goals and 40+ points in each of his previous two seasons, so the Maple Leafs are hoping for a bounce-back. He has three years left on his contract, but at a manageable cap hit of $3.15 million. The Maple Leafs have goaltending depth, so parting with Hildeby shouldn’t hurt. I like the bet on Paul and think starting next season healthy could make a difference.

Meanwhile, the Lightning sorely needed a capable backup for Andrei Vasilevskiy. Hildeby was excellent in the 20 games he played for the Maple Leafs last season, saving 10.5 goals above expected. It could go a long way for the Lightning if he can make 25-30 starts and leave Vasilevskiy fresher for the postseason. This is a good bet for the Lightning as well.

Maple Leafs Grade: B

Lightning Grade: B

There will likely be more trades to come over the next week or two before the offseason quiets down. But if July 1 was any indication, we could still see some more prominent names move over that stretch.

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