Deadline acquisitions already contributing for new teams

With the trade deadline receding in our rearview mirror, each team that made a significant addition this past Friday got a first look at how their newcomer(s) are fitting in over the weekend. There are few moments in a team’s regular season more exciting than a shiny new trade acquisition’s debut game, and many of this year’s deadline debutants have already made a mark on their new teams.

Some newcomers, like Justin Faulk of the Detroit Red Wings, had gentle initiations with their new teams, as Detroit cruised to an easy 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. Others, like the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s Corey Perry, were pretty quickly thrown into the fire, as Tampa Bay lost an 8-7 barn burner to the Buffalo Sabres in a game-of-the-year candidate on Sunday.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed the debuts of some of the trade deadline acquisitions around the league.

Tyler Yaremchuk: You wanted to give some love to Corey Perry. How could you not? Two goals in two games since rejoining the Bolts.

Carter Hutton: And a scrap to open the second period, too. The veteran gets moved out of L.A., comes into Tampa Bay, a similar place to where he’s been, and he was doing this on no rest as well. He flew in to play in that game against Toronto where there was no rest, came in and he was a difference maker, scores a goal. And then he was able to score again in this game. This is exactly why you brought Corey Perry in, because he knows how to play. A game like this is awesome for him, this is right up his alley. Even though the Lightning lost, I think you walk away from this game being like “we sent a clear message.” Corey Perry’s going to be a big difference maker.

You look at the deadline, some of these acquisitions. (Nicolas) Roy was in his second game, he gets a game-tying goal yesterday in a huge match against the Minnesota Wild in Colorado. (Nazem) Kadri had a big assist. (Scott) Laughton scored, (Warren) Foegele scored for Ottawa, (Sam) Carrick for Buffalo, (Jonathan) Drouin for St. Louis, (Colton) Dach had an assist in Edmonton, and (Ryan) Strome had a goal in Calgary. You look at those initial games that they came in, that’s a pretty impressive statline from trade deadline, how many guys had an impact immediately on their games.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Monday’s episode here…