In the aftermath of the trade deadline, colleague Matt Larkin ran down which teams won and lost the deadline. Among the winners were the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators, teams that got exactly what they needed, be it extra pieces for a Stanley Cup run or futures for the rentals on their roster. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars wound up among the losers, be it for their puzzling choices or inaction.
But what it means to win or lose on deadline day as a franchise is not the same as what it means to win or lose as a player.