NEW YORK — The NHL trade deadline came and went Wednesday with a thud instead of a bang.
It did, however, produce a couple of records.
There were a deadline-high 31 deals, involving a record 55 players and 25 draft picks, completed before the cutoff. But big-name players such as Toronto’s Tomas Kaberle, Carolina forward Ray Whitney and Islanders goalies Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron stayed with clubs that are on the outside of the playoff race.
It was the seventh straight deadline day in which at least 20 trades were completed. The previous record was 25, accomplished three straight years from 2006-08. Last year’s deadline had a then-record 47 players switch teams.
The day wasn’t a total bust on the excitement scale, as key players such as forward Raffi Torres, who went from Columbus to Buffalo, and defenseman Steve Staios, part of a rare trade between bitter Alberta rivals Edmonton and Calgary, found new homes in deals that could prove significant in time.
Lightning sale finalized
TAMPA, Fla. — The sale of the Lightning to Boston Red Sox minority owner Jeff Vinik received unanimous approval from the NHL’s Board of Governors.
The Boston financier reportedly paid about $110 million cash — substantially less than the $206 million a group led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie paid for the franchise in June 2008.
The Associated Press
