The NHL Trade Deadline has now passed. It may have been one of the most exciting deadline we have experienced in years, with names like Mikko Rantanen and Brad Marchand finding new homes. This is the time of year when you really find out what teams are made of though. Are they going to step up or are they going to wilt down the stretch run. There is no more help coming, these are the rosters, so who are the real contenders in the NHL? I am going to be going over the top teams in the Eastern Conference and dive into if they are contenders or pretenders.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the most confusing contenders of the season so far. They have a stretch of games where they look like they would knock off the 22-23 Bruins, but then they have games where they would not even beat the Sharks. That is no dig at the Sharks as they have been a fun team, but a team like the Maple Leafs should be running over them. Toronto checked off most of what they wanted at the deadline and arguably got the best defenseman available in Carlo. You look at their roster and it looks deep and talented, but you get that weird feeling. Kind of like there is something missing from the lineup.

Now I will say that their defense might be the most solid group of seven the Leafs have had possibly ever, so they have that going for them. The feeling I am getting is that it is almost the same roster from last year that did not do much in the playoffs. They are going to be stuck in that category until they do some damage in the post season. They need to make some noise in the second round, not losing 4-1 to the Panthers. For now though they are a legit threat to whoever they play.

Verdict: Cautiously Saying Contender

Florida Panthers

Wow. We have always known that Florida has a weird obsession with rats but getting arguably the King of the Rats at the deadline was something no one saw coming. A line of Tkachuk-Bennett-Marchand might be the most agitating line in hockey history. The Panthers had a good deadline, they honestly checked off everything they needed. Adding Seth Jones on the backend, Vitek Vanecek in goal, and then Marchand up front is just unreal. Florida is going to be fighting the Leafs and Lightning for that top spot in the division for the rest of the season and let’s just say that getting first matters this year.

Let’s put it in perspective. First in the division, you get one of the Blue Jackets, Senators, Red Wings, or the Rangers. Other than the Rangers, not really scaring anyone, even the Rangers aren’t that scary. Second in the division gets you the Leafs or Lightning. Its not even an argument that winning the Atlantic matters more this year. The Panthers are set up to take the division now and they are in full win now mode. They are using their draft capital every year now and they plan on returning to the Finals for a third year in a row.

Verdict: Cream Of The Crop Contender

Tampa Bay Lightning

See the Lightning did Lightning things at this deadline. They traded everything to get a couple players that may help them win. Tampa obviously does not like having first rounders as they traded away two at the deadline. Their next first round pick is in 2028… if they keep that one. They did fill their needs at the deadline adding two forwards to really fill out their roster upfront. My biggest concern with this team is the from the blueline back, minus Vasilevskiy.

The backend is not as deep as we are used to seeing the Lightning defense be. Top 4 defenseman are solid but aging. The bottom pair leaves you with a weird feeling. They have been decently solid most of the year, but the playoffs are a completely different animal. With a likely matchup with Leafs again, you have to think the Leafs may actually scare the Lightning. For the first time in a long time, the Lightning look beatable. If you can shut down Kucherov and Guentzel, then you have a good chance at this team. Now saying that is way easier than actually doing it but, for the first time I am worried about Tampa.

Verdict: Scary Pretender

Washington Capitals

Ovechkin. Ovechkin. What a year from the 39 year old. 33 goals so far this season and only nine away from passing the Great One. Everyone at the start of the season thought the Capitals were done, and people were thinking Ovechkin’s chance of passing Gretzky were actually in doubt. Now the Capitals and Ovechkin have made the hockey world look stupid. It’s crazy looking back at all the moves the Caps made and realizing they were building an old fashion Washington team.

If you think about the team that the team that won the cup, this team is built fairly similar. Ovi has his new Backstrom in Strome, the backend is offensive and mean, the goaltending is insanely solid. The great thing for the Caps is they won’t have to go through Pittsburgh to get it done this year. The biggest concern with this team is that a lot of players are having career years. That does not matter for this year as they are all playing great, it just brings concern for next year. This year though they are a legit threat to go deep as they are built to run over teams.

Verdict: Career Year Contender

New Jersey Devils

The poor New Jersey Devils. Coming into this year, a lot of the experts were picking them to win the division and some were even picking them to win the cup this year. Not only have they lost the chance at the division title, they have to watch out behind them. Columbus is only four points back with two games in hand. To make matters worse, they have now lost their star forward in Jack Hughes for the season. He is not even an option for playoffs.

At the deadline, they picked up some players that add depth but nothing that moves the needle that much. They still have a lot of young pieces, and if they can make it to the post season, it will help them grow so much. The problem is that it is not actually a sure thing anymore that they make the playoffs. Columbus is coming and the Rangers are closing that gap as well. Expectations were too high for this team going in to the season. They need time and experience. This year they are good but don’t see them doing damage. Next year watch out.

Verdict: A Young Pretender

Carolina Hurricanes

This may be my boldest take so far. The Carolina Hurricanes are pretenders. Now hear me out, they are very good pretenders. They have the talent, they have the right pieces, but they haven’t done anything. Arguably they were the biggest losers of the deadline. Trading away the biggest piece and getting back mostly picks. Stankoven is an insanely good pick up and he screams Carolina Hurricanes but to get picks and not flip them for a piece at the same deadline is a little disappointing. They may be set up well for a great summer with the cap space they have and the picks they got.

The Hurricanes just don’t do it for me. It’s similar to the Leafs. They need to make noise, and need to actually win games in the Conference Finals if they make it that far. The Rantanen deal makes sense. He may not have resigned there and it’s a risk that they didn’t want to take. Very understandable, but to not go out add another piece to help this season is a flop in my eyes. They are still a very very good team, but until they make some noise they are in the Leafs territory, just in the second round.

Verdict: A Good Pretender

This deadline was full of action, and may be season defining. All teams took different approaches. some flopped, some swung big, some did absolutely nothing. Now the GMs kind of just have to take their hands off the wheel and hope that they did enough to keep the ship straight to a Stanley Cup.

Make sure you keep it locked on Area 51 as we are in the stretch run of the NHL regular season.