Where Lightning, Rangers stand after trade deadline blockbuster

Occasionally the NHL trade deadline looms around the corner like a giant thunderstorm, then passes without any real fanfare. After the two of the biggest fish in the trade pond — Michael Grabner and Rick Nash — departed the New York Rangers ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline, it looked like Monday could be relatively uneventful day.

It turns out, the Rangers weren't done, taking part in a multi-player deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning that sent captain Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller to the Bolts.

The trade was possibly the biggest on a day that had plenty of big trades. What makes this deal so prodigious is what it says about both clubs. For Tampa Bay, the trade makes the already-competitive Bolts an even more threatening squad in the Eastern Conference. Right from the jump this season, the Lightning looked to be bouncing back after a disappointing 2016-17 campaign. GM Steve Yzerman's aggressive tactics on Monday showed the team didn't get comfortable with its success this season. He told the press the moves made on Monday "were not to keep up with the Jones,” and it shows. They were done to set the Lightning apart from a very crowded playoff picture.

Miller's skill set and track record of 20-goal seasons beef up a Nikita Kucherov-led forward attack that leads the league in goals, and McDonagh now joins an already-stacked blue line where he can fit in as a shut-down second pair leader, as opposed to being leaned on like he was in New York.

It makes the Lightning, already the class of the Eastern Conference this season, that much more potent.

For the Rangers, the deal reiterates that they are committed to rebuilding their roster. New York signaled that big changes were on the horizon and made good on that promise with the departures of their leading goal scorer in Grabner, captain McDonagh and most notable face outside of Henrik Lundqvist in Nash. As difficult as it may be at first for fans to see familiar faces go to other teams, changes really did need to be made. The Rangers have fallen significantly in the standings and will likely miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010. This team is in full dismantle mode.

By selling off some of the most desirable pieces at the trade deadline, the Rangers brought back significant hauls. They turned Grabner into a 2018 second-rounder and a 20-year-old Russian defenseman, Yegor Rykov. Playing for the top team in the KHL, the 6-2 defenseman could be a contributor down the line. He joins Ryan Lindgren, another potential shut-down defenseman, whom the Rangers acquired in the Nash deal — in addition to a 2018 first-round pick and forward Ryan Spooner.

For McDonagh and Miller, New York received three young players and two draft picks, one a guaranteed first-rounder and a conditional second-rounder that becomes a first if the Lightning win the Stanley Cup this season or next. Sure, the Rangers sacrificed a lot, but they received the exact type of bounty they hoped to kick-start the rebuild.

Of course, the Rangers weren't the only team showing they've gone into dismantle mode at Monday's deadline. The Detroit Red Wings said farewell to Tomas Tatar in the final hours of the deadline, sending the forward to Las Vegas. While the attention was mostly on what the Golden Knights accomplished in adding Tatar, the Red Wings' gains in draft picks can't be ignored. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press points out that gaining the first-round pick in the 2018 draft gives them two first-round picks in a pool flush with goal scorers that could boost Detroit's feeble offense. Plus, the Red Wings didn't retain any of Tatar's salary, clearing room off their books.

For a trade that appeared more lopsided, look no further than the Vancouver Canucks dealing Thomas Vanek to the Columbus Blue Jackets. While CBJ gained a goal-scorer in Vanek who could help keep the team in playoff contention, Vancouver gained little in return. Sure, there was reportedly pressure to move Vanek, but the returns won't go so in rebuilding Vancouver's roster at the end of the Sedin brothers' likely farewell tour.

While we're talking about what teams are getting in return for their big trades, the Buffalo Sabres gained plenty of attention Monday when they traded Evander Kane to the San Jose Sharks for a conditional first-round pick in 2019. While Team Teal adds size and scoring— which can help in Joe Thornton's absence — the small returns have critics wondering if Kane's off-ice antics from years past hurt his stock. For their part, the Sharks don't appear to be worried about any of that hurting their current dressing room dynamic.

"I think (Kane) would admit that he's grown up and matured," GM Doug Wilson said in a phone conference, adding that several veteran Sharks were involved in the process of bringing Kane to the West Coast.

As for whether the pending free agent plans on staying in San Jose after the season concludes, Kane admitted in the same phone call that he hasn't thought that far.

"I just got my bags packed," Kane quipped.

He's not alone, of course, and no teams were more aggressive at the trade deadline than the Rangers and Lightning, for better or worse.