For many fans, the NHL Trade Deadline is one of the most exciting days of the year. It is every team’s last chance to shuffle everything around in an attempt to improve their team heading into the playoffs — or to put themselves in a position to succeed at the draft. However, things might be better with something other than a trade deadline: trade windows.
Let’s start at the beginning. In the NHL, teams are allowed to sign free agents starting July 1st of any given year. In addition, teams are allowed to make trades throughout the summer, and until the trade deadline which is usually set to late February or early March.