The coronarvirus pandemic turned the usual large number of NHL trade deadline deals into a trickle on Monday. The moves that did take place under a flat salary cap, highlighted by Boston landing 2018 NHL MVP Taylor Hall in a trade with Buffalo, heavily benefited the buyers.
And then there were the teams that got creative, acquiring draft picks in order to take on payroll. Hall was the highest-profile player to move in an otherwise dry market and the Bruins took advantage by landing the under-performing, six-time 20-goal-scorer at a cut-rate price along with third-line forward Curtis Lazar.
Rather than getting a first-round pick in return, the Sabres acquired a second-round pick and a sparingly used forward in Anders Bjork, while also