Frozen Fantasy: Trade Deadline Winners & Losers

The dust has settled on the trade deadline. Guys are wearing their new uniforms and it's clear there are some real winners from that day.

And losers. Some big, fat losers.

Rangers' general manager Jeff Gorton now has a bevy of draft picks, including three first rounders, and two talented top-six forwards in Vladislav Namestnikov and Ryan Spooner. The Pens are now loaded for bear down the middle with Derick Brassard. And Tampa Bay added Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller.

The Sharks added Evander Kane, whose problems will all but disappear outside the media spotlight. And like the Pens, the Jets loaded up down the middle with Paul Stastny, who waived a no-trade clause to go to Portage and Main.

Now, the losers. Where do I start?

Does anyone know what the Blues were thinking by trading Stastny? Aren't they supposed to be on the cusp on a Cup? A late first-round pick, a fourth and a prospect that's several seasons away. The Sabres got a similar paltry haul.

The Islanders refused to listen to offers on John Tavares. The Sens listened to offers on Erik Karlsson, but ultimately said no.

Dumb and dumber.

The Rick Nash deal demands a huge WTF. We haven't been able to rely on Nasher as a scorer for a few seasons now. Sure, David Krejci is thriving with Nash, but the Bruins gave up a king's ransom to slot the big guy into their top six. And my Hawks? The Chicago Tribune is bang on – they got 'pantsed' by the Preds .

As least the trade deadline was interesting this year. It was about quality, not quantity. Real hockey deals. That's more than can be said than the recent past.

Now, let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.

Andreas Athanasiou, LW/C, Detroit (4 percent Yahoo! owned) – Slowly but surely, Athanasiou's game is rounding out. He's always shown breakneck speed, but now his two-way game is starting to mature. The speedy Greek's improved consistency has seen him earn more and more time with Dylan Larkin. Athanasiou's growth has been incremental, but he did have five points – including three goals – in the five games leading into Friday's match. He isn't a savior – no one off the wire is these days. But he does have some short-term value.

Jake DeBrusk, LW, Boston (4 percent Yahoo! owned) – DeBrusk has had a surprising rookie season. With 33 points in 58 games, he's projected for a mid-40s pace. But more importantly, he is now on the line with David Krejci and newcomer Rick Nash. His short-term value just shot up. And long term, DeBrusk's value will be even higher. The Bruins fancy him as a Rick Nash-lite, so learning from the master may make him a name worth remembering.

Max Domi, LW/C, Arizona (25 percent Yahoo! owned) – Domi's numbers are bad. Really bad. But there may be a glimmer of hope in his game. Domi set up three goals on Thursday night and he has eight points in his last nine games. Just don't expect goals – he only has five and two of them have been into an empty net. But his 52-point rookie season wasn't a mirage. Coach Rick Tocchet recently moved Domi back to the wing – that's the spot where he exceled as a rookie. I'm looking forward to next 19 games. They might just bring a fantasy resurrection.

Brian Dumoulin, D, Pittsburgh (1 percent Yahoo! owned) – Dumoulin only has 13 points this season, so why is he here? Well, six of those points have come in his last eight games. The Penguins are the class of the Metropolitan and the acquisition of Derick Brassard means they'll put up even more points. Dumoulin will get points purely by osmosis given his ice time.

Jon Gillies, G, Calgary (9 percent Yahoo! owned) – Gillies and David Rittich are timesharing the blue paint for Calgary until Mike Smith returns from the IR. There have been reports Smith is back skating, but don't be fooled. Smith has a reputation for making dang sure he's 100 percent before he slips back into the net, so that means the Gillies show could continue for a bit. The young guy is playing well, that 86-foot blooper goal last Saturday aside. He's worth a few spot starts.

Charlie Lindgren, G, Montreal (11 percent Yahoo! owned) – Lindgren was chewed up and spit out the last time he saw regular ice in Montreal. And he allowed 35 goals in his last 10 AHL games prior to this call-up. But Lindgren won Friday night and you and I both know that Antti Niemi can't be trusted. Buy now.

Jared McCann, LW/C, Florida (0 percent Yahoo! owned) – McCann extended his point streak to four games and four points (one goal, three assists) Friday night. He's come a long way from being the petulant man-child who took a season to get over the trade from Vancouver. Now, McCann's exceptional speed and laser release are making him a valuable third-line Panther pivot. And the kitties are clawing their way to the postseason. I'd roll McCann in a heartbeat, especially in a deep league. The stars may be aligning.

Ryan Spooner, LW/C, New York Rangers (12 percent Yahoo! owned) – Spooner went from being playoff bound to banished to the basement earlier this week. But the lights of Broadway seem to suit him just fine. Spooner is now the Rangers' second-line left winger and he has delivered seven points (one goal, six assists) and a plus-4 rating in three games. He's being scooped up like crazy in Yahoo! leagues. If he can stay healthy, Spooner will give you a late-season boost.

Ryan Strome, RW/C, Edmonton (9 percent Yahoo! owned) – Has Ryan Strome finally found his game? I'm not ready to go that far – I think all of the Stromes are a bit overrated. But this one has eight points, including five goals, in his last eight games. Maybe miracles can happen. Milk this for whatever it's worth.

Back to the deadline.

The Bolts may have put themselves over the top with their deal. Ditto the Jets. I'm throwing down right now.

Those two will meet for the Cup.

And that series will go seven. I can't wait.

Until next week.